Competition spurs Soldier to aim higher

105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Story by Pfc. Josef Leo

Date: 08.11.2019
Posted: 08.16.2019 23:03
News ID: 336315
Competition spurs Soldier to aim higher

Healthy competition builds camaraderie. Spc. Micah Redenbaugh, a supply specialist assigned to the 170th Support Maintenance Company, Kansas Army National Guard, learned that first-hand when she took part in the annual Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Competition, Aug. 11-12, after a little convincing from fellow guard members to compete.
After some encouraging from Sgt. 1st Class Myra Kennedy, assistant operations noncommissioned officer, and Staff Sgt. Matthew Weller, training NCO, both assigned to the 170th SMC, Redenbaugh sign up for the TAG Match. In preparation for the competition, Redenbaugh trained with a 9mm pistol and M4 rifle in her spare time to improve her marksmanship skills.
Redenbaugh competed as a member of 170th Team Two against more than 80 Kansas Guard Soldiers and Airmen, along with state police. The competition was broken into team and individual matches testing competitors’ capabilities on the M4 rifle and 9mm pistol in scenarios such as barricade pistol firing, reflexive firing and other events. Redenbaugh’s team placed 11 of 23, and she placed 75th individually.
Redenbaugh, a rookie firefighter with the Wichita Fire Department, was born in Wichita, Kansas. Redenbaugh was home-schooled until the sixth-grade, then attended and graduated from Elyria Christian School, followed by a stint at Wichita Central Community College in pursuit of a Criminal Justice degree.
Redenbaugh serves in the KSARNG alongside her sister, Mischael, assigned to the 130th Field Artillery Brigade. It was Mishael that actually peaked Redenbaugh’s interest in joining the KSARNG, as Mishael was the first one to enlist. The oldest of eight siblings, Redenbaugh and her sister are continuing their family’s military legacy following their grandfather’s Vietnam service.
“I was talking to my sister and it sparked her interests,” said Mishael.
Redenbaugh enlisted in 2016 and attended Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, in May of the same year. While in basic, Redenbaugh learned about marksmanship skills, something that was completely new to her as she only touched a 9mm pistol once prior to joining the military.
Redenbaugh was assigned to the 170th SMC following her Advanced Individual Training as a supply specialist at Fort Gordon, Georgia, in December 2016.
Redenbaugh has been an active Soldier within the KSARNG, competing in and winning the KSARNG Best Warrior Competition in 2017, and completing the Adjutant General’s Army Physical Fitness Competition and Air Assault School in 2018.
“For the Best Warrior Competition, we had to use a pistol for one of the events and I realized I needed practice,” said Redenbaugh.
Redenbaugh plans to compete again next year and improve her score to as she continues to aim higher in her military career. She wants to pass on her knowledge and share her experience with junior enlisted Soldier to encouraging more participants from her unit to join.
“The event was fun and I hope to improve for next year,” said Redenbaugh.