Photo By Staff Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh | Support staff for the Chief of the National Guard Bureau Biathlon are on the range...... read more read more
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February 12, 2022 (CAMP RIPLEY, Minnesota) — The Minnesota National Guard hosted a Biathlon Officials Training course at Camp Ripley, February 9-11, 2022, in preparation for the Chief, National Guard Bureau (CNGB) Biathlon Championship.
“This is an event where people ski and shoot while carrying a rifle on their back,” said Race Secretary, Sgt. 1st Class Pam Marshik. “I have an all-encompassing job. I get everything together for the races and produce the start lists. I also help request everything we need to have a successful competition.”
The championship will feature four races for biathletes from 20 states to compete in, in two individual events, followed by two team events over five days. The Sprint race will kick off the competition on February 13th.
The training course prepares race officials with the resources they need to run both the range and the course.
Behind the scenes, Minnesota National Guard support staff will ensure athletes have everything they need such as food and shelter in-between races during the frigid Minnesota temperatures.
"The support staff is critical,” said Marshik. “They set up and operate the range every day. We have supply staff that transports meals down range so that the athletes have food after they finished racing.”
Among the staff are range crew members, medics, paramedics and more who are integral to the success of the mission. For one member of the staff, this will be the second Biathlon she’s supported. Sgt. 1st Class Shawnda Duray, a logistics specialist and the housing section leader with the Training Support Unit (TSU) is looking forward to seeing the competitors again.
“The cohesion of the support staff and helping everyone is really important,” said Duray, who is part of a two-person team in charge of supply logistics for the event. “It's a fun experience that we get to support.”
TSU is a garrison unit that drills 49 weekends a year to support training on the installation. TSU has had a big part in ensuring the success of the competition. From planning to supporting and executing the event, TSU Soldiers have worked hard to make sure everything was ready for the athletes.
“It’s such a unique event that we are fortunate to host at Camp Ripley,” said Duray. “You can tell from the competitors and longtime staff that none of this would happen without the support. But it's also just such a unique, fun event to be a part of. We get competitors from all over the states and it’s a great representation of Camp Ripley and the Minnesota Guard too.”
| Date Taken: | 02.12.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 02.12.2022 16:21 |
| Story ID: | 414559 |
| Location: | LITTLE FALLS, MN, US |
| Web Views: | 399 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Behind the scenes: Guard members support Chief, National Guard Bureau Biathlon, by SSG Mahsima Alkamooneh, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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