USAR Shooting Team 2012

The US Army Reserve Shooting Team well represented the entire Army Reserves by offering training to service personnel and civilians, as well as by winning a number of important trophies and awards in National competition.

Organized shooting competition and marksmanship training is mandated by Federal law and the US military has a legal requirement to send skilled personnel in a shooter-instructor role. Title 36 U. S. Code, 40701-40733 mandates that marksmanship instruction be made available to the citizens of the United States, the promotion of firearms safety and practice, and the conduct of competitions in the use of firearms. The services, including the US Army Reserve, meets these legal obligations by sending teams of shooter-instructors to conduct the Small Arms Firing School and to enhance their skills by competing in open competition.

USAR Pistol Team

The 2012 season began with the Interservice Pistol Championship Matches at Fort Benning. USAR Black was second in the .45 Cal. Team Championship and third in the .22 and CenterFire Team Championship matches. SFC Keith Sanderson won the .45 National Match Course with a 299×17 (out of a possible 300 points), took second in the Centerfire Individual Championship and third in the .45 Cal. Individual Championship. This was a nice segue for SFC Sanderson prior to departing for London, where he competed in the US Olympic Shooting Team in the International Rapid Fire event.

The USAR Service Pistol Team continued their strong showing at the Pistol Nationals at Camp Perry, Ohio with events hosted by the National Rifle Association and Civilian Marksmanship Program. The USAR Pistol Team took second place in the .22 team match and 4th place in the other matches, including a 4th place overall, beating out all other military teams behind the active duty Army Marksmanship Unit. MSG Robert Mango was the high shooter for the team, winning the US Army Reserve Memorial Trophy, Military Police Corps Trophy, and the General Mellon Trophy. MSG Mango was also selected for the US Mayleigh Challenge Team.

The US Army Reserve Memorial Trophy was donated to the Nation Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice the Army Reserve in 1969. The trophy depicts the citizen soldier leaving his civilian occupation to take up arms in defense of his country and is awarded to the highest scoring Reserve competitor.

The U. S. Military Police Corps Pistol Trophy was presented in 1956 by officers and enlisted members of the Military Police Corps and awarded to the highest scoring competitor in the team matches and the General Mellon Trophy is awarded to the best team shooter on any Army team (Active, Reserve or National Guard.)

In addition to these awards, MSG Mango was selected to represent the United States Mayleigh Challenge Team, an International invitational pistol competition.

USAR Rifle Team

The 2012 season continued with the Interservice Rifle Championship Matches at Marine Corps Base Quantico and hosted by their Weapons Training Battalion. Notable individual performances began with CPT Kirk Freeman winning the 600 yard Air Force Match and tying the current record score of 200-14X. This set him up to finish as the High Reservist in the Individual Aggregate. In team matches, CPT Freeman followed this up with a perfect 300-15x in the MCCDC Team Match. In Long Range, MSG Norman Anderson finished in the top three of the Division B “Any/Any” category, shooting a 200-12x with his Palma rifle and competing against competitors with dedicated Match rifles.

In team events, the USAR took high Reserve team, beating out the National Guard, Marine, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard teams. One of the top awards at Interservice, the Lieutenant Colonel C. A. Reynolds Memorial Trophy, awarded to the best individual performance in the Interservice 10 Man Team Match. This was won by SGT Kris Friend, posting a 499-19X.

Interservice Air Force Match Winner – CPT Freeman (tied record) High National Guard or Reserve Individual – CPT Freeman Division “B” 1000 Yard Match – MSG Anderson High National Guard or Reserve Team – USAR Lieutenant Colonel C. A. Reynolds Memorial Trophy – SGT Friend

From Interservice, the team went to Camp Perry. On the first day of competition, team coach and top shooter MSG Norman Anderson made the shoot off event of the President’s Match, the shooting competition first started by US President Theodore Roosevelt with top marksman acknowledged by the President of the United States. Top individual performances continued with SGT Kris Friend earning the Pershing and Rattlesnake trophies.

The Pershing Trophy was first presented by General John J. Pershing (1860-1948), Commander of the American Expeditionary Force of World War 1, for team competition at the Inter-Allied Games in Paris in 1919. It is awarded to the highest shooter at the National Trophy Team match. The Rattlesnake Trophy, established in 1938, is awarded to the highest scoring individual Army competitor.

Having the highest scoring individual shooter helps the team overall. The USAR team finished out by taking the Hilton and Celtic Chieftain Trophies. The Hilton Trophy was presented by the Honorable Henry Hilton in 1878 and is awarded to the highest scoring Reserve Component team. The Celtic Chieftain Trophy, first presented by the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice in 1958 is awarded to the highest scoring Reserve Component team in the National Trophy Infantry Team match, known as the “Rattle Battle” that simulates an Infantry engagement.

These events were followed by the National Rifle Association Rifle Nationals. CPT Kirk Freeman took was the high overall Reservist in the Service Rifle category. The USAR team took second overall in the Enlisted Men’s Trophy, a team match fired across the National Match course.