Photo By Spc. Kristel Cordero | Illinois Army National Guardsmen shoot pistols at the TAG team pistol event during the...... read more read more
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Marseilles, IL — Illinois National Guardsmen gathered at the Marseilles Training Center, IL, this week to compete in the annual The Adjutant General’s Match (TAG) on Aug. 18-22, 2025. The TAG Match 25 is a marksmanship competition that highlights weapon proficiency and lethality within identified expert shooters across the entire Illinois Army National Guard.
The multi-day event brings together 48 Illinois National guardsmen that are selected based on their weapon qualification scores. The 48 soldiers are broken into 12 teams as they compete against one another with various pistol and rifle events. Soldiers engage in a variety of courses spanning from pistol shooting at 15 to 30 yards to long-range rifle shooting out up to 400 yards.
"This is an opportunity for competitors from different battalions to not only compete but also train together and take those skills back to their units," said Staff Sgt. Sean Wilhour, a Small Arms Readiness Training Section (SARTS) instructor. “They’re tested on their ability to shoot, move, and calculate all under stress.”
Spc. Orlando Ramos, Combat Medic with 2-122 Field Artiller, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, said, “I feel pretty privileged to be here honestly.” He explained that the competition gave him the opportunity to learn from more experienced Soldiers. “I feel I’m more prepared with the weapon system, whether it be the M-17 or the M-4,” Ramos added.
The Soldiers competed for Excellence in Competition (EIC) awards in both pistol and rifle events. The event culminated in awarding the prestigious Governor’s Twenty tab to the top 10 percent of shooters with the highest overall scores.
Team Results (Overall) were as follows:
1st Place: Sgt. Jack Whitlock, Staff Sgt. Jon Welton, Sgt. Jeffery Welton, and Sgt. Andrew Whittman.
2nd Place: Staff Sgt. Aaron Kuhl, Staff Sgt. Aaron Wentler, Capt. Stephen Solum, and Staff Sgt Connor Fitzsimmons.
3rd Place: Staff Sgt. Dallas Stalkfleet, Sgt. Evan Nelson, Pvt. 1st Class Alexander Wiszowaty, and Pvt. 1st Class Preston Fugarino.
Individual Awards were as follows:
Overall Individual:
1st: Sgt. Jeffery Welton
2nd: Cpt. Stephen Solum
3rd: 1st Sgt. Andrew Johnson
Top Rifle:
1st: Staff Sgt. Jon Welton
2nd: Sgt. Jeffery Welton
3rd: Sgt. Jack Whitlock
Top Pistol:
1st: Sgt. Jeffery Welton
2nd: Cpt. Stephen Solum
3rd: Staff Sgt. Jon Welton
Top 2 Gun: Cpt. Stephen Solum
Top Special Zero: Staff Sgt. Jon Welton
The following fifteen Soldiers were awarded Governor’s Twenty Badge: Staff Sgt. Jon Welton, Sgt. Jeffery Welton, Sgt. Jack Whitlock, Spc. Nick Leyva, Sgt. First Class Joshua Gooden, 1st Sgt. Andrew Johnson, Staff Sgt. Michael Bell, Sgt. Danielle Schafernak, Sgt. 1st Class John Nussbaum, Capt. Bryton Krutsinger, Staff Sgt. Dallas Stalkfleet, Capt. Stephen Solum, Cadet Kamran Stringer, Sgt. Jose Nunez, and Staff Sgt. Connor Fitzimmons.
“This match really is about improving readiness across the force,” said Staff Sgt. Sean Wilhour. “Whenever they go back to their unit, they can take these skills that they’ve learned here and apply it to their readiness for their individual units.”
| Date Taken: | 08.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.28.2025 11:42 |
| Story ID: | 546485 |
| Location: | MARSEILLES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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