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MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.– Weapons Training Battalion–Quantico and the Marine Corps Shooting Team hosted the Marine Corps Championships, the culminating event of the Marine Corps Marksmanship Competitions, from April 13–24 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
The Championships is an annual event and brings together the top shooters from across the Fleet Marine Force, consisting of Marines who placed in the top 10 percent during regional Marine Corps Marksmanship Competitions held in Quantico, Virginia; Okinawa, Japan; Hawaii; Camp Pendleton, California; and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Over eight days, participants competed in both day and night courses of fire, including precision rifle, action pistol, action rifle and multi-gun events using the M16A4 rifle, M18 pistol and combat match rifles built by the Precision Weapons Section. For the first time, the competition also featured a drone simulation event, requiring Marines to engage moving and aerial targets.
“Championships tested our individual marksmanship abilities and really showcased our lethality as warfighter with comparative, measurable data," said Staff Sgt. Christian Cachola, a communication strategy and operations chief and MCST alumni. “Every stage tested different skills that you could employ in the fleet.”
Events included individual and team matches while members of the MCST observed performances to identify potential future members to represent the Marine Corps in inter-service and national-level competitions.
In team competition, the Far East team, composed of Marines from Marine Corps Installations Pacific, won the Inter-Division Rifle Team Trophy. The East team earned both the Inter-Division Pistol Team Trophy and the Fleet Marine Force Combat Infantry Team Trophy, while the Marine Corps Shooting Team won the Inter-Corps Team Competition Trophy.
During the awards ceremony, Col. Scott A. Cuomo, commanding officer of WTBn and captain of the MCST, addressed the competitors.
“Out of the 172,000 Marines on active duty, you represent a fraction of a percent of the very best we have in the foundational skills that define our culture,” said Cuomo.
Sgt. Tanner Wright, a primary marksmanship instructor at WTBn, earned first place overall, receiving the Lauchheimer Trophy for the highest aggregate score across rifle, pistol and multi-gun events. Sgt. Jonathan Galloway, a marksmanship instructor with the MCST, placed second, and Staff Sgt. Christian Cachola, placed third.
Staff Sgt. Christopher Miller, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron-204, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and member of the East team was named the High Tyro, recognizing the top first-year competitor in the Competition in Arms Program.
The Marine Corps Championships continue a legacy of marksmanship excellence, providing a venue for Marines to refine their skills, share knowledge and strengthen combat effectiveness across the force.
| Date Taken: | 05.01.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.01.2026 16:05 |
| Story ID: | 564090 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 6 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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