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GREENLIEF TRAINING SITE, Neb, — The sound of rifle and pistol fire echoed across the range at the Greenlief Training Site, but it wasn't just Nebraska National Guard Soldiers and Airmen on the firing line. For the first time, a team of marksmen from the Czech Armed Forces joined their counterparts from Nebraska to compete in the second annual Governor's Marksmanship Skills Competition.
The participation of the Czech team is the latest example of a long-standing and successful relationship between the Nebraska National Guard and the Czech Republic through the Department of Defense's State Partnership Program. The partnership, which began in 1993, is one of the original and most enduring in the program. The Czech Republic is also unique in having two state partners, Nebraska and Texas.
The Nebraska National Guard’s Governor’s Marksmanship Skills Competition, held Aug. 1-3 at the central Nebraska training site, served as a unique platform for military-to-military exchange and collaboration.
"These Czech Soldiers are amazing," said Maj. Benjamin Harper, match director. "They not only showed up early to familiarize themselves with our weapons but they also helped build and repair targets, ran through the courses of fire and what to expect during the match.”
The competition, which tests individual and team marksmanship with a variety of firearms and in different tactical scenarios, provided a new environment for the Czech team. While they are highly skilled shooters, the event offered a different format and new challenges compared to their training in Europe.
Competing for the Czech Republic were (names and ranks are below with their respective NATO grades in parenthesis):
Capt. Michael Skůra (OF-2)
1st Lt. Václav Krabáč (OF-1)
Sgt. 1st Class David Fidrmuc (OR-5)
Sgt. Daniel Šabat (OR-3)
"The most challenging thing about this competition for my team was the precise long-distance shooting," Skůra said. "We usually shoot at steel targets and are not graded where exactly we hit. Our favorite events were the Patton and Pershing matches, mainly because we were good at them."
Many of the top shooters over the weekend earned several accolades, but only a handful earned the prestigious “Governor’s 10” tab and title. This tab is earned by being in the top 10 percent of shooters from all of the events.
Czech Soldier Sgt. Daniel Šabat was one of the nine service members to earn their tab.
This year's marksmanship competition is just one of many engagements that take place annually between the Nebraska National Guard and the Czech Armed Forces. From cyber defense, recruiting and disaster response to aerial refueling and special forces training, the two forces collaborate on a wide range of missions that benefit both nations.
"To me, this is team building," Harper said. "The Czechs, and our other SPP partners, are an extension of our team."
The Czech team's participation not only added an international element to the competition but also provided an opportunity for valuable cultural exchange.
"We really enjoyed interacting and training with all the U.S. troops," Skůra said, wearing a new patch he traded for earlier in the day. "We have enjoyed our time in Nebraska and definitely learned some new things to bring back home to our units."
This won’t be the last time that Czech and Nebraska service members meet in competition, either. In late September, the Nebraska National Guard is planning to send a team to a marksmanship competition that the Czech Republic is hosting.
| Date Taken: | 08.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.06.2025 17:18 |
| Story ID: | 544952 |
| Location: | NEBRASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 28 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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