Army Reserve Shotgun Champ Targets Recruiting

by John M. Buol Jr.

Sgt. 1st Class Brian Stoa doesn’t often shoot issue military weapons on typical military ranges. He is a aerial target shooter and competes in multiple competitive shotgun disciplines, including Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays. This year he earned his way on to the Army Skeet Team to compete in the Armed Forces Skeet Championship, winning in two events both with the team and as an individual. Stoa has earned shooting titles in Minnesota, South Dakota, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alaska.

“I am an Army Reserve Soldier serving on Active Guard Reserve status and shoot on the Army Skeet Team. I took third place at the Utah State Trap Shooting Championship competing against over 300 competitors, some of which are professionals.” say Sgt. 1st Class Stoa. “I enjoy traveling the country to shoot at all the different facilities in competition. You don’t give up your life when you join the Army, you enhance it!”

Sgt. 1st Class Stoa is from southern Minnesota where he was assigned as a Reserve Recruiter and is currently stationed in Alaska where he serves as a Reserve Guidance Counselor and Recruiter (MOS 79R) assigned to United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) at the Anchorage Military Entrance Processing Station. He believes that competitive shooting sports in general and shotgun shooting in particular have a largely untapped recruiting potential.

“The Minneapolis Recruiting Battalion found there were more high school kids shooting trap than playing any other sport in that area, “ says Sgt. 1st Class Stoa. “OCAR says their priority is recruiting and this is definitely a way to do it. I believe that if the Army Reserve fielded an American Trap Team, even if it was for a few events a year, like the Grand American, it would help recruiting efforts tremendously.”


The Army Skeet Team after winning the Skeet Team Doubles at the Armed Forces Skeet Championship in Tucson, Arizona on May 2018. From left to right, SFC Brian Stoa, LTC Carl Wojtaszek (West Point Trap and Skeet coach), SGT Dustan Taylor (Army Marksmanship Unit Skeet Team), CPT John Hedlund (Ft. Hood), SPC Christian Elliot (AMU Skeet Team). SFC Stoa was the only Army Reserve member and won the Doubles and 28 Gauge events for his class.

https://www.usar.army.mil/News/News-Display/Article/1720555/army-reserve-shotgun-champ-targets-recruiting/

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SFC Horner Dominates Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge

by John M. Buol Jr.

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Horner, formerly of the Army Marksmanship Unit and now a member of the Army Reserve, was the High Overall winner of the 2018 Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge held November 15-18 at Krilling, Shelton, and Parks Ranges, Fort Benning, Georgia.

Horner competed in the Tactical Optics, a popular equipment division with competitors using an optically-sighted self-loading rifle (commonly an AR-15), semiautomatic shotgun with an extended magazine, and high-capacity centerfire pistol. In addition to winning High Overall out of 248 registered competitors, Horner took first place in seven stages and was in the top three for nine of the twelve total stages at the event.

Multi-Gun competition involves competing with multiple firearms (commonly rifle, pistol, and shotgun) in action/practical shooting events. Shooters move through ever-changing courses of fire, engaging a variety of targets in differing arrays from multiple positions using Time Plus scoring. Multi-Gun events are held under the auspices of several organizations, notably 3-Gun Nation and United States Practical Shooting Association Multi-Gun, with a number of independent matches comprising a national circuit. The Fort Benning Multi-Gun Challenge sponsored by the Fort Benning Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Program is a notable annual Multi-Gun match among them.

“I started shooting at six years old when I would go to the range with my Dad,” said Horner.. “For basically my entire life I have been shooting competitively, and for as long as I can remember it’s been a lifelong goal of mine to shoot professionally.”

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Horner is currently assigned to Army Reserve Careers Division and is a member of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program. In his civilian career, Horner is a member of the SIG SAUER Professional Shooting Team, the company that makes the M17/M18 for our United States Armed Forces.


Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Horner has been a champion-level Multi-Gun/3 Gun competitor for years. Formerly with the Army Marksmanship Unit, Horner is now assigned to the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program and is a member of the SIG SAUER Professional Shooting Team.

Army Trainfire: 1963

by John M. Buol Jr.

The Army adopted the Trainfire model around 1955. The most recent version revamped the program in the late 1970s and served as the primary approach until the new Training Circulars re-wrote doctrine starting in 2016.

Until the new TCs and qualifications for them, all changes to Army small arms standards have reduced the challenge and needed skill. Consider this video where Soldiers conducting routine qualification during Basic are advancing downrange with loaded rifles and expected to take up positions on timed pop-up targets. FM 23-8, which was doctrine when this film was made, included a four table qualification that included shooting while advancing, offhand, and other unsupported shooting. Also note the regular use of peer coaching.

Doing the Right Thing with the People’s Money

by John M. Buol Jr.

The U.S. Army Reserve Marksmanship Training and Competitive Program has long been in compliance with the vision of Chief of Army Reserve and Commanding General, Lieutenant General Charles D. Luckey.

We do the correct thing and usher in inclusivity by providing means for all Soldiers of the Reserve to participate in training that takes them beyond qualification and increases their readiness and lethality. All USAR Soldiers are invited to Army Reserve events, such as our Midwestern.
https://armyreservemarksman.info/2018-usar-midwestern-wrapup/

However, it isn’t feasible for everyone to attend in-person events and training. To ensure everyone has a chance to participate, the World-wide Chief, Army Reserve Postal Matches are distributed events that all units can conduct during routine qualification without scheduling any additional resources, ranges, or time to do so.

https://armyreservemarksman.info/postal-match/

All Reservists are eligible to submit for annual marksmanship awards. Deadline is September 15 for the end of each Fiscal Year.

https://armyreservemarksman.info/usar-marksmanship-awards/

More examples of how the U.S. Army Reserve Marksmanship Training and Competitive Program is Doing the Right Thing with the People’s Money.

U.S. Army Reserve Shooting Team: Saving Money
https://armyreservemarksman.info/us-army-reserve-shooting-team-saving-money/

Want to get the training benefit of extra Battle Assemblies for free? Here’s how:
U.S. Army Reserve Shooting Team: Matches Are Training
https://armyreservemarksman.info/us-army-reserve-shooting-team-matches-are-training/

U.S. Army Reserve Shooting Team: Serving The Force
https://armyreservemarksman.info/us-army-reserve-shooting-team-serving-the-force/

All-Around Champion At National Matches?

by John M. Buol Jr.

From 1935 to 1939, an All-Around Championship was held to determine the best Smallbore, High Power, and Precision Pistol marksman.

The DuPont Trophy, a bronze statue of a medieval archer poised with his longbow at full draw, was bestowed on the winner of the All-Around Championship. This aggregate match comprised a centerfire pistol National Match Course; preliminary Smallbore Dewar Match Course; and four High Power matches that included slow fire; standing and prone, and rapid fire; sitting and prone, at ranges form 200 to 1000 yards for an aggregate of 1100 points. In 1935 and 1936, a service pistol aggregate was also fired, along with a 200-yard Smallbore rifle prone slow fire match and a 50-yard and 100-yard, 40-shot Smallbore prone match instead of the preliminary Dewar for an aggregate of 19000 points.

Winners of the All-Around Championship
1939: 1st Lt. Walter R. Walsh, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve (1058/1100)
1938: Petty Officer 1st Class Melvon O. Wilson, U.S. Coast Guard (1054/2200)
1937: 2nd Lt. William Hancock, Infantry, U.S. Army (1051/1100)
1936: Capt. Sidney R. Hinds, Infantry, U.S. Army (1797/1900)
1935: Deputy Henry J. Adams, Jr., San Diego County, California, Sheriff’s Department (1848/1900)

Competitors firing in the All-Around Championship not only had to hustle between ranges, but also needed the mental ability to adapt from one shooting discipline to another. After the demise of the All-Around Championship at Camp Perry, the DuPont Trophy was awarded to the NRA Service Rifle Champion, beginning in 1951.

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2018/8/16/all-around-champion-at-national-matches/

https://competitions.nra.org/documents/pdf/compete/nat-trophy/tro-070.pdf

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2017/8/3/hallmarks-of-heritage-the-nra-trophy-collection