Photo By Michael Crane | Eight Airmen from the 139th Airlift Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, competed at the...... read more read more
Eight Airmen from the 139th Airlift Wing competed in the Missouri Adjutant General’s (TAG) Match, a marksmanship event featuring 75 of the Missouri National Guard’s top shooters. The competition was held May 14–18, 2025, in Neosho, Missouri.
Tech. Sgt. Cody Grigsby, a C-130 aircraft crew chief with the 139th Maintenance Group and a longtime member of the wing’s shooting team, was among this year’s competitors. The 2025 match marked his fifth time participating in the TAG Match, where he has placed in the top 20 shooters in four of those years — including this one. He was joined in the top 20 by Maj. Benjamin Gatrost, staff judge advocate for the 139th Airlift Wing.
Of the top 20 shooters, four will be selected to represent Missouri at the upcoming regional competition. Gatrost previously represented the state at both the regional and national levels during last season’s match.
“Myself and Tech. Sgt. Jake Fjellman are now in charge of all of our shooting team operations and are really trying hard to expand it bigger than it’s ever been,” Grigsby said.
This year’s competition was held two months later than usual, which brought a noticeable shift in weather conditions. Grigsby noted that it’s “usually cold and rainy,” but in 2025, “this year was hot and very windy being two months later than normal.”
The 139th welcomed three new shooters to its roster this year. As a veteran of the event, Grigsby emphasized the importance of continuous improvement and mentoring others.
He said “the constant learning to not only better myself but better others in their own shooting abilities” is what keeps him returning to the competition. He also values the camaraderie built both within the team and across service branches.
Grigsby said his favorite shooting events are the longer-range portions, but what stands out most to him is the opportunity to share experience with others.
“Connecting with other shooters and being able to pass on tips and tricks that I have learned from the great shooters before to not only better my team but other teams even if they are in a different branch,” he said. “[It’s] one team at the end of the day.”
As the 139th’s shooting team continues to grow, its members are developing their marksmanship and building bonds that span units, branches, and generations of experience.
Tryouts for next year’s team will be held in August. Interested members of the 139th should contact Grigsby or Fjellman for more information.
Members of the 139th AW placed in the following categories:
Individual Awards
Airman 1st Class Dane Wheeler
— Third place, novice reflexive fire
Tech. Sgt. Steven Cooper
— Third place, novice close-quarters battle (CQB)
Maj. Benjamin Gatrost
— Third place, open close-quarters battle
— Second place, open reflexive fire
— Third place, open rapid pistol CQB
— Second place, open individual grand aggregate champion
— Second place, open individual pistol champion
— Second place, open combat rifle EIC (Excellence in Competition)
— First place, open pistol grouping and zero
— First place, open anti-body armor
— First place, open individual rifle champion
— Selected for the Adjutant General’s Twenty, recognizing the top 20 shooters
Tech. Sgt. Cody Grigsby
— First place, open combat rundown
— Selected for the Adjutant General’s Twenty
Team Awards
139th Airlift Wing MOANG Alpha Team
Team members: Tech. Sgts. Cody Grigsby, Arthur Gregorian, Maj. Benjamin Gatrost, Lt. Col. Jeremy Funk
— Third place, paper match 350
— Second place, team pistol champions
— First place, team close-quarters battle
139th Airlift Wing MOANG Bravo Team
Team members: Maj. Brian Barnette, Tech. Sgts. Lucas Winder, Steven Cooper, Airman 1st Class Dane Wheeler
— Second place, team close-quarters battle
| Date Taken: | 05.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.22.2025 12:22 |
| Story ID: | 498712 |
| Location: | ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Airmen on Target: 139th Shines at Missouri TAG Match, by Michael Crane, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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