Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Hamlin | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jared Desrosiers, assigned to the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s...... read more read more
CAMP PERRY, Ohio — The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Service Rifle Team began the National Matches not on the firing line, but in the classroom. Before chasing trophies and podiums, USAMU Soldiers spent the opening days teaching the Rifle Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) to more than 270 beginner‑level shooters—continuing a tradition that stretches back more than a century.
SAFS, hosted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program, is one of America’s largest and most influential marksmanship training events. Each summer, it provides hands‑on, entry‑level instruction to roughly 700 students as part of the National Matches. The program’s roots trace to World War I mobilization, but since 1965, USAMU has served as the lead instructors, shaping SAFS into a premier introduction to competitive marksmanship.
Over two days, USAMU Soldiers led classroom instruction, dry‑fire drills, live‑fire coaching and a culminating introductory Excellence‑in‑Competition match—giving new shooters their first taste of structured marksmanship and competition culture.
Sgt. 1st Class David Bahten said the school reflects one of USAMU’s most important responsibilities.
“We are, in my eyes, custodians of America’s marksmanship traditions,” he said. “It’s our job to keep giving back and instilling the drive and the will to learn in these young kids out here.” He added that the goal is long‑term growth: “Hopefully they continue to shoot and bring their kids out. The responsibility of the USAMU is to keep pushing the sport and helping as many people as we can.”
With SAFS complete, the Service Rifle Team shifted from teaching to competing—and delivered one of its strongest National Trophy Weeks in recent memory.
President’s 100: A One‑Point Spread at the Top The historic President’s 100 Match opened the week with its classic course of fire—10 standing shots at 200 yards, 10 rapid prone at 300 yards and 20 slow prone at 600 yards. The leaderboard was razor‑tight, with only a single point separating each of the top four shooters. Sgt. Zevin Linse led USAMU with a 4th‑place finish at 393‑18x, while Staff Sgt. Verne Conant added a second USAMU Soldiers to the top ten with 392‑14x.
National Trophy Individual Match: Kingshill Claims Women’s Rifle Trophy The NTI brought 792 competitors to the line, and USAMU delivered two of the match’s strongest performances. Conant and Spc. Amber Kingshill posted matching 495‑23x scores to finish 5th and 6th overall. Kingshill’s score also earned her the Women’s Rifle Trophy Award, topping the next female competitor by three points.
Kingshill on Pressure, Competence and Growth Kingshill’s rise through the sport is rooted in years of competitive experience. Before joining the Army, she spent seven seasons competing as a junior shooter—often directly against USAMU.
“I was a competitive shooter as a junior and competed against the USAMU Service Rifle Team for seven years,” she said. “Once I finally got up there score‑wise, they started looking, and I started asking if they had an open spot.”
Her transition into the unit demanded not only skill but professional maturity. “To be on the team, you have to have an extreme level of competence,” Kingshill said. “I really enjoy that extra pressure that you have to be the best.”
Kingshill Wins Mountain Man Aggregate High Woman Award Kingshill’s consistency across the President’s 100, NTI and National Trophy Team Match earned her the Mountain Man Aggregate High Woman Award with 1282‑59x, reinforcing her reputation as one of the most versatile shooters on the line.
Butler Wins U.S. Forces Command Trophy Staff Sgt. Shane Butler claimed the U.S. Forces Command Trophy with a combined NTI and NTT score of 989‑47x—edging out second place by X‑count alone.
Carr Wins Rattlesnake Trophy Sgt. Dustin Carr earned the Rattlesnake Trophy as the top Army shooter in the National Trophy Team Match, posting 497‑23x. Four additional USAMU Soldiers placed inside the top ten, underscoring the team’s depth.
Hearst Doubles: USAMU Sweeps First and Second The Hearst Doubles Match showcased USAMU’s dominance. Linse and Staff Sgt. Jared Desrosiers won the national title with 585‑21x, while Kingshill and Sgt. 1st Class David Bahten finished second with 584‑18x.
Desrosiers: Competition as Innovation and Instruction For Desrosiers, competition is inseparable from USAMU’s instructional mission.
“It is important for instructors to compete in competitions like this one for the sheer fact that in competition things improve and innovate,” he said.
He added that intentional practice is central to his development. “I try to be very intentional with a specific aspect of my shooting that I am trying to improve. If I go out there just to shoot, just to put some rounds downrange, I am not really focused on the aspect that I am trying to improve.”
National Trophy Team Match: Wind, Fundamentals and Cohesion Despite a persistent headwind rolling off Lake Erie, USAMU delivered a decisive NTT victory with 2958‑134x—nearly 20 points ahead of second place.
Infantry Trophy Team Match: Tactical Excellence USAMU closed National Trophy Week with a dominant win in the National Infantry Trophy Team Match, posting 1331 to outpace the field by more than 50 points.
A Week That Reinforced a Legacy From precision‑driven slow fire stages to the dynamic pace of the Infantry Trophy Team Match, USAMU demonstrated unmatched versatility and professionalism throughout National Trophy Week.
*Look for Part II to how the team did during the Mid & Long-Range Championships
| Date Taken: | 08.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.19.2026 15:07 |
| Story ID: | 572772 |
| Location: | FORT BENNING, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 19 |
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This work, PART I — USAMU Service Rifle Team Opens National Matches with SAFS, Then Captures Major Titles, by LTC Michelle Lunato, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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