Author Archives: John M. Buol Jr.

Army Reserve Soldiers at AFSAM International Competition

by John M. Buol Jr.

#RoadtoAwesome #KeepPounding #AmericasArmyReserve #USArmyReserve #WeaponsMastery

Pictures: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/usarcombatteam/

https://www.usar.army.mil/News/News-Display/Article/1819949/army-reserve-soldiers-at-afsam-international-competition/

The Army Reserve Marksmanship Program sent a team of 14 Soldiers to compete in the Armed Forces Skill at Arms Meeting (AFSAM) held 31 March-13 April at Camp Robinson. AFSAM is an International Combat/Service Conditions small arms event that included teams from the British Army Reserve, Royal Air Force, Canadian Armed Forces, Royal Netherlands Army, U.S. National Guard, and U.S. Marine Corps.

“Our goal at AFSAM 2019 was to win or place in the top three while learning and testing world-class shooting techniques to be the premier marksmanship trainers in the Army Reserve,” said Lt. Col. Scott Klawon, the Team officer in charge. “We brought five new shooters to AFSAM and sharpened our small arms skills on the M9, M16A4, and M4A1 using Elcan and ACOG optics from close quarters distances out to 500 yards.”

The Army Reserve Team consisted of 14 shooter-instructors. In addition to being members of the Army Reserve and serving in their assigned units, each of these team members also assists with Mobile Training Team missions as an additional duty to train other Army Reserve Soldiers as the Army Reserve does not currently have a permanently-assigned organization and staff dedicated to small arms training.

At this year’s AFSAM, the Army Reserve Team took first place in four team matches, two individual matches, and an additional top three finishes in 22 other team and individual matches at the event.

“The team improved from last year increasing the number of top three place finishes greatly,” Klawon said. “Our top performance among some of the best Combat/Service Conditions shooters in the world validates our training techniques and we’re better prepared to conduct MTTs (Mobile Training Teams missions) to help other Army Reserve Soldiers as the Army Reserve’s premier marksmanship instructors.”

Individual wins for the Army Reserve team included a first place in RI 3060, Special Zero (Sgt. 1st Class Cheryl Morris, ARCD) and RT3600, International Team Match High Individual (Staff Sgt. Sean Morris, 200th MP Command). First place team wins included RT 3350, Combat Rifleman Team Match; PT 2340, Rapid Pistol CQB Team; PT 2330, Pistol Barricade Team Match; and RT 3195, Know Your Limits Barricade. In addition to these first places finishes, the Army Reserve team placed in the top three of 22 other team and individual matches.

“We have great new talent and the scores are reflecting that,” Klawon said. “One of our experienced shooters confessed this may be his last year competing with our team because he sees the high level of new talent we now have. This will motivate people to train harder and further increase competition scores.”

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301st Military Police Postal Match

by John M. Buol Jr.

#RoadtoAwesome #KeepPounding #AmericasArmyReserve #USArmyReserve #WeaponsMastery
– Salinas, Puerto Rico

The 1st Mission Support Geographical Command, 301st Military Police Company conducted an Army Reserve Postal Match at the Camp Santiago Joint Maneuver Training Site on April 11, 2019.

Motivated by the training guidance of Chief, Army Reserve Lt. Gen. Charles Luckey to create the most lethal, combat-ready Reserve Force in United States history, Sgt. Luis D. Torres took the initiative with the support of his training NCO, Staff Sgt. Mendez, and used their combined 30+ year experience as local State Police S.W.A.T. law enforcement officers to conduct the advanced training.

“We had the opportunity to run a Postal Match during our unit’s weapons qualification battle assembly,” said Sgt. Torres. “Instead of just ‘burning’ the leftover ammunition, we took advantage of the situation and implemented improved training. I had brought a supply of already-printed EIC targets and instructed Soldiers in the unit that volunteered for the opportunity to shoot the match.”

The World-wide Chief, Army Reserve Postal Matches are designed to be conducted as a part of unit qualification to provide the means of conducting small arms training beyond routine qualification. Excellence In Competition is a program dating back to 1884 to recognized skilled military and civilian shooters that accrue 30 EIC “Leg” points as Distinguished Riflemen. The EIC Postal Match is a reduced distance course using scaled targets at 25 meters to simulate most of the shooting done on Match 321, the EIC course recognized by the Army Marksmanship Unit and used throughout the Department of Army.

“I went over the course of fire and gave my Soldiers some dry run practice so they could get used to reloading from their gear while assuming the different positions under time constraints. I brought my Pocket Pro Timer II to accurately time our training and when shooting the course for record,” said Sgt. Torres. “What a great experience! I know my Soldiers felt humbled and acknowledge that we need more training. This was a great way to get there. There’s no time nor resources to spare as an Army Reserve Soldier!”

All Army Reserve are eligible to participate in these events and units are encouraged to host them. The U.S. Army Reserve Marksmanship program can help units provide this training opportunity for their Soldiers.

All Soldiers in the Army Reserve are eligible and encouraged to host and participate in these Postal Match events.
https://armyreservemarksman.info/postal-match/

Army Reserve Soldier Secures National Championship

by John M. Buol Jr.

#RoadtoAwesome #KeepPounding #AmericasArmyReserve #USArmyReserve #WeaponsMastery

https://www.usar.army.mil/News/News-Display/Article/1811189/army-reserve-soldier-secures-national-championship/

Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Horner of the U.S. Army Reserve won his 11th U.S. Practical Shooting Association Tactical Division championship at the 2019 USPSA Multi-Gun Nationals held at the Universal Shooting Academy in Frostproof, FL April 3-7.

Horner recently took first at the 2019 All Army Small Arms Championship, is a member of the Army Reserve Careers Division and Marksmanship Program, and works for SIG-Sauer as his civilian job where he is a member of Team SIG, the company’s professional shooting team.

At the Nationals, Horner secured his overall win by finishing first in three stages, with a second and third place on two others. He competed in Tactical Division where competitors use modified weapons that are similar to those issued to all Soldiers, such as an optically-sighted self-loading rifle (commonly an AR-15), a semi-automatic shotgun with an extended magazine, and high-capacity centerfire pistol. “Huge thanks to all the great people who put the match on and to my awesome teammate, Lena Miculek who won the Ladies Open Division,” said Horner.

Army Reserve Soldier Earns Southwestern Grand Trophies

by John M. Buol Jr.

#RoadtoAwesome #KeepPounding #AmericasArmyReserve #USArmyReserve #WeaponsMastery

Sgt. 1st Class Brian Stoa of the U.S. Army Reserve competed at the Southwestern Grand, a large Amateur Trapshooting Association tournament held at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio, TX April 2-7. Competing against over 200 of the best trapshooters from all over the United States, Stoa trophied in three of the six events he competed in.

“Though we had winds of 20 miles per hour and faster, I ended my Sunday at the Southwest Grand on a high note. I won class doubles with a 92,” said Stoa. “I was in a carryover from Friday’s doubles, which I won as well. Then I followed that up with a 90 in handicap which, given the conditions, was good enough for Runner-up. My scores were good enough to put me in a shoot off for class High All Around, but after few rounds in shoot offs fatigue hit and I came in second. It was a great overall weekend!”

Sgt. 1st Class Brian Stoa serves as a Reserve Guidance Counselor and Recruiter for the U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC). As an aerial target shooter, Stoa competes in multiple competitive shotgun disciplines, including Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays and has been a member of the Army Skeet Team and won events at the Armed Forces Skeet Championship among numerous other individual and team wins.

Army to Kill Marksmanship Test Shortcut that Made Soldiers Less Deadly

by John M. Buol Jr.

#RoadtoAwesome #KeepPounding #AmericasArmyReserve #USArmyReserve #WeaponsMastery

The manual referenced below, TC 3-20.40, has (finally!) received final, official approval. The signed copy is imminent and will see an official release at https://armypubs.army.mil/ very shortly.

The individual qualifications the Army has been using since 1980 are no longer valid. Just as Army small arms training doctrine has completely replaced and improved, so too has the qualification process, scoring, and standards.

Chief, Army Reserve Lt. Gen. Luckey and Cmd. Sgt. Major Copeland have decreed the U.S. Army Reserve will be the most lethal, combat-ready Reserve force in American history. These changes move us to that goal. Get your unit and yourself prepared now.


The U.S. Army Reserve Marksmanship Program is ready to help you.

Army to Kill Marksmanship Test Shortcut that Made Soldiers Less Deadly

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/04/01/army-kill-marksmanship-test-shortcut-made-soldiers-less-deadly.html

By Matthew Cox
The U.S. Army’s new strategy to improve marksmanship will eliminate a shortcut that units use for individual weapon qualification — a long-standing practice that has eroded lethality over the years, infantry officials said.

Army officials at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia are awaiting final approval of the new marksmanship manual that will prepare the Army for a new, and much more challenging, qualification test.

The new course of fire — which forces soldiers to make faster decisions while firing from new positions — will drastically update the current, Cold War-era rifle qualification course. That course required soldiers to engage a series of pop-up targets at ranges out to 300 meters.

The stricter qualification standards will also do away with the practice of using the Alternate Course of Fire, or Alt. C, to satisfy the annual qualification requirement, Sgt. 1st Class John Rowland, marksmanship program director at Benning’s Infantry School, told Military.com.

Alt. C is an Army-approved 25-meter course in which soldiers shoot at targets scaled down in size to represent actual target sizes out to 300 meters. At that short range, however, the trajectory of the 5.56mm bullet is extremely flat and unaffected by wind, making it easier to score hits, experts say.

Army Reserve Soldiers Selected for World Cup, Pan American Games

by John M. Buol Jr.

#RoadtoAwesome #KeepPounding #AmericasArmyReserve #USArmyReserve #WeaponsMastery

https://www.usar.army.mil/News/Article/1802734/army-reserve-soldiers-selected-for-world-cup-pan-american-games/

Army Reserve Soldiers competed among America’s best international shooters and earned several World Cup and Pan American Games slots. The USA Shooting Rifle/Pistol Spring Selection Match held at Fort Benning through March 30 tested a number of International Shooting Sport Federation competitive disciplines to determine which American shooters qualified to represent the United States at the World Cups in Beijing, China and Munich, Germany as well as the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

USA Shooting is the National Governing Body for ISSF competition in the United States and is chartered by the United States Olympic Committee. At the recent Selection Match, two current Army Reserve Marksmanship Program team members were selected for upcoming international competition.

Sgt. Nick Mowrer (308th MP Company) is a member of the Army World Class Athlete Program at Fort Carson in Colorado. Sgt. Mowrer took first place in Men’s Air Pistol for selection to the Pan Am games, second place in Air Pistol for World Cup selection, and third place in Three-Position Smallbore for World Cup selection.

“I’m not yet a World Cup medalist but I have made the finals in both rifle and pistol in World Cup competition and have won a medal in Prone Rifle,” said Sgt. Mowrer. “I’m also Triple Distinguished and compete in Precision Pistol and High Power competition.”

Staff Sgt. Sandra Uptagrafft (98th Training Division) is a medical logistic specialist with the 4/518th Infantry Regiment and also a member of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program. She took first place in Women’s Sport Pistol for World Cup selection and second for Pan Am games selection. Staff Sgt. Uptagrafft also recently won Silver medals in both the 25m Sport Pistol and 10m Air Pistol events during both the December Winter Airgun and Selection matches in Colorado.

Former Army Reserve Marksmanship Program member, Sgt. 1st Class (ret.) Keith Sanderson took first place in Men’s Rapid Fire Pistol for both the Pan Am and World Cup selection.

Army Reserve Soldiers Conduct Advanced Weapons Training

by John M. Buol Jr.

#RoadtoAwesome #KeepPounding #AmericasArmyReserve #USArmyReserve #WeaponsMastery

https://www.usar.army.mil/News/News-Display/Article/1800993/army-reserve-soldiers-conduct-advanced-weapons-training/

Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.

The Army Reserve Marksmanship program held an invitational training, new event and equipment testing, and competition at Marine Corps Base Quantico March 18-23. Their emphasis was to prepare for upcoming competitions, such as the Army Forces Skill At Arms Meeting, an international Service Conditions event.

Several shooter-instructors with the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program conducted training for Army Reserve Soldiers based on different Service Conditions and Action shooting events. Among these trainers was Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Horner, currently assigned to Army Reserve Careers Division and a member of the Army Reserve Marksmanship Program whose civilian job is a professional shooter with Team SIG.

“Sgt. 1st Class Horner trained us during the event and it was great,” said Lt. Col. Scott Klawon of the 97th Training Brigade (100 Division), the officer in charge of the Service Conditions team and of the training event. “He is a professional shooter and coach and helped each person there. He was especially instrumental in close range speed shooting which our team has less expertise on.”

The event also featured testing new training events for the entire Army Reserve and equipment. “We had a chance to test a variety of equipment, both Army issue and other items of interest,” said Sgt. Maj. Raul Torres, the event noncommissioned officer in charge. “Getting feedback from skilled shooters on a marksmanship program rather than randomly-selected Soldiers is ideal.”

The results of this event will benefit all Army Reserve Soldiers. Information on the results of the training and testing will appear in future issues of Army Reserve Marksman, the quarterly newsletter on small arms training. The new courses are scheduled to be additions to the Lt. Gen. Charles D. Luckey Postal Match, a Chief, Army Reserve directed training event available to all Army Reserve units.

Having successful training requires a good place to train with helpful support. “Marine Corps Base Quantico was a very good place to train. Range control and S3 of the Marine Corps Weapons Training Battalion were very accommodating,” said Klawon.

As with most Marksmanship Program events, the training culminates with scored competitive events. Soldiers on the team have to produce good scores in order to demonstrate skills as superior small arms trainers and to be effective Team members. Sgt. 1st Class Sean Morris 83D MP Company under the 200th MP Command was the highest scoring Soldier at the event. He as also the first place Rifle shooter. Sgt. Devin Hughes of the 450th Civil Affairs Battalion (Airborne) under the 352nd Civil Affairs Command was the first place Pistol shooter.