NEWS

  • Video of the 2023 USAMU Facility Dedication, USAMU Hall of Fame Induction, USAMU Support Hall of Fame Induction, USAMU Service Rifle Hall of Fame Induction and presentation of the 2022 USAMU Shooter of the Year, New Shooter of the Year and Support Person of the Year on October 13, 2023.

    It can be seen at https://youtu.be/y_TvdrJKz3g?si=uum2RhBBG_d0Mpks.


  • 2023 ISSF World Shooting Championships, Baku, Azerbaijan held August 14 to September 1, 2023:

    USA Shooting athletes medaled in the following:
    - Gold in Men’s Skeet Team: Vincent Hancock (former USAMU), Christian Elliott (USAMU) and Dustan Taylor (USAMU)
    - Gold in Mixed Skeet Team and a new world record: Vincent Hancock (former USAMU) and Austen Smith
    - Gold in Women’s Skeet Team and a new world record: Dania Vizzi, Austen Smith and Samantha Simonton (USAMU)
    - Gold and a new world record in Women’s 50m Rifle 3-Position: Sagen Maddalena (USAMU), Sarah Beard (former USAMU) and Mary Tucker
    - Gold in Men’s Trap Team: Will Hinton (USAMU), Derrick Mein and Derek Haldeman (USAMU)
    - Silver in Women’s Skeet: Dania Vizzi
    - Silver in Mixed Trap Team: Rachel Tozier (USAMU) and Derrick Mein
    - Bronze in Women’s 50m Rifle 3-Position: Sagen Maddalena (USAMU)
    - Bronze in 300m Standard Rifle, Men’s 300m Prone Rifle: Tim Sherry (USAMU)

    Jay Waldron (former USAMU) was the Skeet Coach.

    Team USA athletes set three new world records:

    - The Mixed Skeet Team set a new record after Vincent Hancock (former USAMU) shot a 74 in the qualification round combined with Austen Smith’s 75 to equal a total of 149/150. The duo then shot the gold medal match where they triumphed over the Ukrainian Team.

    - Austen Smith also helped set a second world record with teammates Dania Vizzi and Samantha Simonton (USAMU) in the Women’s Skeet Team event. Vizzi shot a 122/125, while Smith fired 122/125, and Simonton 121/125, giving them a combined score of 365/375, enough to best the Italian team in second place with 360/372.

    - The Women’s 50m Rifle 3-Position Team World Champion title was earned by Sagen Maddalena (USAMU), Mary Tucker and Sarah Beard (former USAMU). Their three qualification scores not only earned them gold, but also set a new team world record of 1774-102X. Their individual scores were Maddalena 594-42X, Tucker 592-32X and Beard 588-28X.


  • 2023 National Trophy Matches, Camp Perry, OH:

    The 2023 National Trophy Individual Pistol Champion (General Custer Trophy) was SFC Ryan Franks with a 295-13x, while the 2023 National Trophy Team Pistol Champion (Gold Cup Trophy) was USAMU Blue with a 1130-34x.

    The 2023 National Trophy Individual Rifle Champion (Daniel Boone Trophy) was SSG Ben Cleland with a 496-28x. He also was the high shooter in the National Trophy Team Match (Pershing Trophy) with a 499-26x and had the best combined score in NTI and NTT (US Forces Command Trophy) with a 995-54x. He also had the high score in Aggregate of NTI, NTT and President’s 100 (Mountain Man Trophy) with a 1292-67x. The 2023 National Trophy Team Rifle Champion (The National Trophy or informally known as the "Dogs of War Trophy") was USAMU with a 2963-124x.

    The 2023 President's Rifle Trophy was won by SSG Verne Conant with a 399-20x (299-11x, plus shoot-off score of 100-9x).

    The USAMU did not participate in the NRA National High Power Rifle Championships, the NRA Pistol Championships or the NRA Smallbore Rifle Championships at Camp Atterbury, IN, so there were no new NRA National Champions for the USAMU this year in those championships.


  • USAMU dominates at 2023 Interservice Rifle Championships — yet again By Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato

    The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Service Rifle Team won all team matches and ten of fourteen individual match categories at the 62nd Interservice Rifle Championships in Quantico, Virginia, on June 20-27.

    The week-long rifle championships pits all servicemembers across the Department of Defense against each other for top honors and bragging rights, all while sharing their knowledge during friendly competition. The annual event, which is hosted by Marine Corps’ Weapons Training Battalion, is open to active duty, national guard and reserve servicemembers from the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Air Force. This year, more than 60 competitors from across the Nation were on the range.

    The championships kicked off with the Navy Match, which is 20 slow-fire shots at 200 yards in the standing position within 20 minutes. The USAMU Soldiers missed the win to Army National Guard’s Staff Sgt. John Coggshall. However, they did manage to claim six of the top ten spots in that course of fire.

    The second match, the Coast Guard Match, was another tough match for the USAMU as Army Reserve’s Sgt. 1st Class Kristoffer Friend seized the win. Four Fort Moore, Georgia Soldiers did place into the top ten of this course of fire though, which consisted of 20 rapid-fire shots from 200 yards in the sitting/kneeling from standing position. Each 10-shot string was given 60 seconds.

    By match three, the Marine Corps Match, the USAMU Soldiers turned things around and began their winning streak. Seven of the top ten spots, including the first five positions, were claimed by USAMU Soldiers. Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Green, a Covington, Louisiana native, earned the win with a 200-13x. Staff Sergeants Ben Cleland, David Bahten, Verne Conant, and Jacob Blackburn followed behind Green, respectively. This course of fire had the servicemembers fire 20 rapid-fire shots from 300 yards in the prone from standing position. Each ten-shot string was given 70 seconds.

    In the Air Force Match, the Home of Champions snagged another podium sweep. This time, Cleland, a Swanton, Ohio native took the win with a 200-9x. Pfc. Dustin Carr, a San Diego, California native, followed in second with a 199-11x while Green took third with the same score. Four more USAMU Soldiers placed in the top ten of this 20-minute course of fire, which included 20 slow-fire shots from 600 yards in the prone position.

    In the Army Match, the competition was tight as the top three competitors scored 200-13x while the next two followed with 200-12x. USAMU Soldiers took seven of the top ten spots with Spc. Zevin Linse, a Kent, Washington native, leading the unit in third place. Army National Guard’s Sgt. 1st Class Amanda Elsenboss, a USAMU alumna, claimed the win for this match. This 20-minute course of fire required marksmen to fire 20 slow-fire prone shots from 600 yards.

    Cleland won the most coveted individual match of the championships, the Interservice Individual Rifle Champion, with an aggregate score of 995-46x, which came from his performance in the first five service matches. In fact, this was the fifth time Cleland won this title—something no other competitor has ever done in the 62 years of the competition.

    This big accomplishment is still sinking in, said Cleland.

    “It’s very gratifying and humbling to have won even one Interservice and to see my name alongside those former champions who I have so long looked up to. The credit for winning five times now goes to them for setting the example to follow, to my teammates past and present who have driven and encouraged me, and to the continuous support of the USAMU and my family.”

    Past USAMU Soldiers have certainly set the example since in the last 18 years, USAMU Soldiers have won this title 13 times.

    Bahten, a Jamestown, California native followed Cleland in second with a 995-42x while five other USAMU Soldiers placed in the top ten.

    In the “Special Six” 600-Yard Match, USAMU Soldiers won both the Service Rifle and Match Rifle Categories. Staff Sgt. Shane Butler, a Louisville, Kentucky native took the Service Rifle Category win with a 199-12x while three other teammates made it into the top ten.

    Spc. Adam Fitzpatrick not only won the Match Rifle Category of the “Special Six” 600-Yard Match, he set a new record with his 200-19x while six other teammates earn spots in the top ten. The Snellville, Georgia native’s score beat the standing 2008 record of 200-18x that was set by USAMU’s Sgt. 1st Class Lance Dement. In following years, USAMU’s Staff Sgt. Tyrel Cooper and Cleland and Army National Guard’s Coggshall tied the record, but it was the young Army specialist who finally managed to set the new high, an honor he said he won’t soon forget.

    “It was a unique experience, and an honor, to break a long-standing record of former members of our team with one of the same exact guns that has set it before,” said Fitzpatrick.

    The Home of Champions continued on their streak of dominance in the 1000-Yard Match by winning both the Service Rifle and Match Rifle Categories. Blackburn seized the Service Rifle Category win while five other teammates filled in spots in the top ten. In the Match Rifle Category, USAMU Soldiers seized eight out of the top ten placements, including first through fifth position. Cleland, Linse, and Conant earned the podium spots.

    That same trio filled up the podium of the Match Rifle Category of the Long-Range Match while five other USAMU teammates finished in the top ten. In the Service Rifle Category, Carr lead the unit coming in second behind U.S. Army Reserve Master Sgt. Christopher Gervasio. Seven other USAMU Soldiers finished is the top ten. This match was an aggregate score from both the “Special Six” 600-Yard and 1000-Yard Matches.

    The final individual match was the prestigious Excellence in Competition Match, where again, USAMU Soldiers took the win both categories. Butler seized the Distinguished Category win with a score of 495-43x while Staff Sgt. Nathan Lockwood earned the win in the Non-Distinguished Category with a 491-17x.

    Next up were the team matches and USAMU remained consistent to their winning tradition.

    In the 1000-Yard Team Match, the Home of Champions seized both the Service Rifle and Match Rifle Categories, something the unique Army unit has accomplished since 2010. This course of fire consisted of 20 slow-fire prone shots from the 1000-yard line by six firing team members, totaling 120 shots per team. Each team shot in groups of two from one firing point, with their two shooters alternately firing on the same target.

    Team USAMU Deal earned the Service Rifle Category Team Champion title with a score of 1177-43x, beating the Marine Corps and Army Reserve teams. This team included Blackburn, Carr, Butler, Bahten, Lockwood, and Staff Sgt. Lane Frost. Butler served as the team captain and Sgt. 1st Class Alexander Deal served as the team coach.

    Team USAMU Greenwood earned the Match Rifle Category Team Champion title with a score of 1198-92x. Beating the Navy and Marine Corps Reserve teams. This team included Cleland, Linse, Conant, Green, Deal, and Fitzpatrick. Sgt. Forrest Greenwood and Spc. Levi Clark served as the team coach and captain respectively.

    In the Commanding General’s Rifle Team Match, the USAMU won both the first and second place spots in the active duty category over the Marine Corps and Navy teams.

    This course of fire consisted of each shooter on the six-man firing team firing 10 slow-fire standing shots from 200 yards, 10 rapid-fire prone from standing shots from 300 yards and 10 slow-fire prone shots from 600 yards. This includes two shooters from each team alternately firing at the same firing point during the slow-fire stages, which were allotted 66 minutes in total for the team. The rapid-fire time allotment was 70 seconds per string.

    USAMU Greenwood took first place with a score of 1783-73x, which broke the 2018 record of 1782-74x set by USAMU Craig. This team in included Green, Linse, Bahten, Cleland, Staff Sgt. Jarrod McGaffic and Sgt. 1st Class Erin O’Neill. Greewood and Clark served as the team coach and captain respectively.

    USAMU Deal followed in second with a 1745-79x. This team included Blackburn, Conant, Carr, Deal, Lockwood and Butler. Deal and Butler served as coach and captain respectively.

    USAMU Greenwood claimed the win over the Marines in the Interservice Rifle Team Championship Match, or 10-Man Team Match, with a score of 4948-209x. In fact, a USAMU team has consecutively won this match since 2017, and now 16 times in the last 18 years.

    The course of fire for this coveted team match included four stages. Stage one, which had a total of 66 minutes, consisted of 10 slow-fire standing shots from 200 yards, with two shooters occupying one firing point and firing alternately at the same target. Stage two consisted of 10 rapid-fire sitting from standing shots from 200 yard within 60 seconds, for each team member. Stage three consisted of 10 rapid-fire prone from standing shots from 300 yards within 70 seconds, for each team member. And stage four, which had a total team time of 126 minutes, consisted 20 slow-fire front shots from 600 yards, with two shooters occupying one fire point and firing alternatively at one target.

    Scores from this 10-Man Team Match determined the winner of the Lt. Col Reynolds Trophy. As the highest overall competitor in this match, Linse earned the honor with his score of 498-24x while eight other USAMU teammates filled in the top nine scores.

    The final match of the championships was the prestigious Marine Corps Infantry Trophy Team Match. USAMU Greenwood won the match with a score of 1436, making this the 11th win for the unit in the last 15 years.

    This historic match is made up of six shooters, a coach and a captain. With a total of 384 rounds, the teams fired 50-second relays at eight targets in stages from 600, 500, 300 and 200 yards. Hits were scored as four points from 600, three points from 500, two points from 300 and one point from 200.

    The winning team included Bahten, Butler, Cleland, Conant, Green and Lockwood. Greenwood and Staff Sgt. Matthew Nelson served as the coach and captain.

    The strong performance by the team continued the tradition of excellence and showed that the training plan is working, said Deal, the Service Rifle Team Chief.

    “I couldn’t be happier for everyone’s individual performance, in addition to the team’s performance. Records and scores aside, many members of the team had excellent days of shooting where they were more excited about a person hurtle or plateau that they broke through. It’s always our favorite part of the job when another servicemember, civilian, or our own teammate has a breakthrough on their marksmanship skills. That usually brings us more gratification than any record or score.”

    Photo.


  • USAMU Soldiers Seize Six Gold, Four Silver and Two Bronze Medals at USA Shooting National Championships - U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Soldiers won National Champion titles in six of the eight rifle matches at USA Shooting’s 2023 Rifle National Championships at Fort Moore, Georgia June 1-10. In addition to the six Gold Medals, USAMU Soldiers also earned four Silver and two Bronze Medals.

    The Soldiers, who are all marksmanship instructors/competitive shooters with the USAMU International Rifle Team, competed in Nationals not only for medals and titles, but also for critical selection points in Part One of the 2023 Pan American Games Selection Match and Part Two of the 2023 ParaPan Games Selection Match.

    2020 Olympian and 2022 National Air Rifle Champion, Sgt. Sagen Maddalena, knew Nationals would be challenging but was looking forward to the opportunity to compete on her home turf while hopefully claiming another National Champion title. “I knew the competition would be tough. We had a handful of world-class marksmen and some up-and-coming junior competitors,” said the Groveland, California native. After two days of qualification relays against 84 other competitors from across the United States, Maddalena earned a spot into the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Final with a score of 1262.9, just 1.5 points behind 2020 Olympic Silver Medalist, Mary Tucker. Fellow USAMU teammate and 2020 Olympian, Sgt. Alison Weisz, also earned her way into the Final. Once in the Final, Maddalena said she relied on her training to seize the Gold Medal and the 2023 Women’s 10m Air Rifle Champion title with a Final score of 251.3 over Tucker’s 249.2. Molly McGhin took the Bronze Medal and Weisz finished in seventh. “Shooting the Air Rifle Final, I felt in complete control of my shot process. I was confident in my ability to execute good shots and ended up a two-time National Champion! I felt happy with my achievement and it showed me that my preparation paid off.” Of course, the bonus to winning her second consecutive National Air Rifle Champion title was that she had an extra cheering squad besides her USAMU teammates. “What’s better, my mother was there to watch and cheer me on!”

    In Men’s 10m Air Rifle, 54 of the top American marksmen vied for the top eight spots so they could compete in the Final for a chance at the Gold. Four USAMU Soldiers (Sgt. Tim Sherry, Sgt. Ivan Roe, Spc. Jared Eddy and Sgt. Brandon Muske) earned spots in the Final with their solid qualification scores. The competitive Final quickly weaned the field down and ended in an intense battle for Gold between Muske and 2020 Olympic Silver Medalist Lucas Kozeniesky. It was so close that the Gold and Silver Medals were separated by only .2 points, so Muske said it was a little surreal that he won. “Going into the last shot, I knew I needed to shoot a deep shot, and even then, I figured Lucas would probably still win as he is a very accomplished finals shooter and had the lead. After we both shot, I looked at some of my teammates, and they were giving me a thumbs up, but I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant in the moment until I heard the announcer say that Lucas had finished in second place, meaning I must have won!” With such a close win, the Brenham, Texas native said he was excited to be named the 2023 Men’s 10m Air Rifle Champion. “I am very happy with my performance and am happy it was enough to win.”

    In the para R3/SH1 10m Mixed Prone Air Rifle Match, Purple Heart recipient Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen claimed the Gold Medal and National title with a score of 1263.5-114x.

    In Women’s 50m Smallbore, Maddalena and Weisz both earned their way into the Final, beating out 62 other competitors. In fact, Maddalena led the qualification relays with the high score of 1178-77x, which set her up perfectly for her next goal, to win Gold. In 2022, Maddalena won both the Air Rifle and Smallbore National Champion titles, something no one else has accomplished, according to USA Shooting. So with the Air Rifle Gold Medal in hand, the Soldier said she was definitely seeking to make another record - double champion for two consecutive years. “I was aiming for a double National Champ with smallbore also. Unfortunately I allowed the thought to occupy my headspace while I should have been keeping a clear head. I dipped my last shot, giving me the Silver Medal.” (Cecelia Ossi won the Gold and McGhin took the Bronze.) Though her personal goal was not met, Maddalena said it was a valuable reminder nonetheless. “Taking the Silver reminds me that nothing is a given – meaning training doesn’t stop because of success, and each shot holds value—no matter how far ahead or behind I am in the competition.”

    In Men’s 50m Smallbore, Eddy, Roe, Sherry and Sgt. Jared Desrosiers shot qualifying scores that earned them placement into the Final out of a field of 55 total athletes. In fact, Sherry lead the qualifying relays with a score of 1183-73x. After moving through all the positions (kneeling, prone and standing), the USAMU Soldiers shot their way to the top of the Final. Eddy, Roe and Sherry swept the podium claiming the Gold, Silver and Bronze respectively. Eddy said the Championships was challenging and exciting due to all the great competitors. And since he just arrived at the Home of Champions in February, the Columbus, Georgia native was relieved his training paid off. “I am happy to start my USAMU journey on a good note.” For Olympic hopeful athletes, earning anything but the Gold can be a mix of emotions though, said Sherry, an Evergreen, Colorado native. “It’s tough having such a strong match and not walking away with the outcome that I wanted in either air rifle or smallbore. I am proud of my performance though, and am looking forward to working on my finals performance and pressure training.” Of course, seeing your teammates win Gold and National titles makes the situation that much easier to take, explained Sherry. “Although I didn’t have the outcome I was looking for, it was great to see my teammates on the top step of both men’s podiums! I enjoyed helping sweep the men’s smallbore podium too.”

    The final event for the USAMU Soldiers at Nationals was the 50m Prone Rifle Match. Though this course of fire is not an Olympic event anymore, it is still held at various international events like the World Championships. The Fort Moore Soldiers continued to perform excellently and claimed the Gold Medals and National titles in both the men’s and women’s categories. Maddalena claimed her second Gold and National Champion title in the Championships when she won the 50m Prone Rifle Match with a two-day score of 1240.9. Roe, a Bozeman, Montana native, led the men when he seized the Gold with a 1249.1 while Sherry and Staff Sgt. Patrick Sunderman completed the podium, for another USAMU sweep, with their scores of 1247.7 and 1247.5, respectively.

    In the para R6/SH1 50m Mixed Prone Rifle, Nguyen had to settle for the Silver Medal behind fellow U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program athlete and USAMU alumnus, Sgt. 1st Class John Joss, who won the Gold.

    The overall strong performances by the Soldiers not only earned them medals and titles, but an invitation to Part Two of the Pan American Games Selection Match in July. Both Weisz and Maddalena’s performances earned them spots to compete in both 10m air rifle and 50m smallbore. Eddy, Roe, Muske and Sherry qualified to compete in 10m air rifle. And Eddy, Roe, Sherry and Desrosiers were invited to compete in 50m smallbore. Part Two of the Pan American Games Selection Match will be at the USA Shooting headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colorado in July 6-11. Part Three of the 2023 ParaPan Games Selection Match will be July 29 - August 3. Story by Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato


  • Army Soldier Wins Medals in 300-Meter Rifle Nationals - U.S. Army Sgt. Tim Sherry won three Gold Medals at the USA Shooting 300-Meter Nationals May 23 -27. The Evergreen, Colorado native, who is a marksmanship instructor/competitive shooter with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit International Rifle Team, claimed the wins in Men’s 300-Meter Prone Rifle, Open 300-Meter Standard Rifle and Men’s 300-Meter Three-Position Rifle against top marksmen from across the United States. Click here to read the complete article.

  • Two US Army Soldiers win bronze medals at shotgun skeet nationals - Spc. Samantha Simonton and Staff Sgt. Hayden Stewart both earned Bronze Medals at the USA Shooting 2023 National Skeet Championships in Hillsdale, Michigan May 17 -22. The competition pitted the Soldiers from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Shotgun Team against more than 60 top skeet athletes from around the United States, including Olympic medalists. Click here to read the complete article.

  • U.S. Army Soldier Wins Pistol Competition for the Sixth Time - U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jacob Hetherington won the Carry Optics Division of the U.S. Practical Shooting Association’s Area 6 Championships May 13 - 14. The Prescott, Arizona native navigated the 12-stage, 308-round pistol competition in a total of 167.81 seconds, earning 1463.7515 division points (out of a possible 1540 points). Claiming the Area 6 Carry Optics Division Champion title was not a first for Hetherington though. The marksmanship instructor/competitive shooter with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit has claimed this title five other times in his career. However, Hetherington said that this win did include one notable first. Click here to read the complete article.

  • U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Takes Aim at Excellence, Win Three Divisions and Bianchi Cup Team Match - Columbia, MO- In the world of precision shooting, few events hold as much prestige and excitement as the Bianchi Cup. Considered the Super Bowl of practical shooting, this championship brings together top marksmen from around the world to showcase their skills and test their mettle. Among the elite competitors aiming for glory is the renowned U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Service Pistol Team, which is located at Fort Moore, Georgia. Known for their exceptional skills and dedication, the USAMU's participation in the Bianchi Cup adds another layer of excellence to an already illustrious event. This year, the Bianchi Cup was held May 23 to 26 and was hosted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Click here to read the complete article.

  • Boy's Life article on Gary L. Anderson - Check out this article on Gary L. Anderson that was published September 1965 in Boy's Life magazine.

  • NRA Shooting Sports USA magazine article  - click on this link to see a great issue covering the 2022 NRA National Championships at Camp Atterbury, IN. with many MMA and USAMU members highlighted.


  • 2023 Army Small Arms Championships "All Army" by Sgt. 1st Class Kulani Lakanaria - 260 Soldiers of all components competed for titles and bragging rights in the 2023 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships March 12-18. The annual competition, better known as the “All Army,” is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) in conjunction with the Maneuver Center of Excellence with the mission of advancing marksmanship across the Army.

    The week-long competition included cadets and Soldiers from all components of the U.S. Army: Active Duty, Army National Guard, Reserve, Air National Guard, and Space Force all vying for top honors.

    The annual event didn’t start off with the Soldiers competing though. First, they received some training from USAMU coaches, instructors, and competitive shooters who provided both rifle and pistol instruction to all competitors, as well as other assistance throughout the week-long competition.

    Competitors experienced diverse levels of marksmanship during the All Army and competed as individuals and on teams in events like Pistol and Rifle Excellence in Competition matches, combat rifle and pistol matches, and multi-gun courses of fire.

    Maj. Samuel Freeman, South Carolina Army National Guard, seized the Overall All Army Individual Champion title with the highest aggregate score from all the individual matches. Followed by Maj. Ian Swisher, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, earned second, and 1st Lt. Zachary Reed, Utah Army National Guard, secured third.

    The Utah Army National Guard seized the All Army Championship Team title after taking first in the multi-gun team competition category and second in both the pistol and rifle team categories. Team members included 1st Lt. Zachary Reed, Sgt. 1st Class Kayle Buchanan, Sgt. Maxim Nikerson and Sgt. Kade Jackovich, who was also the team’s coach. The South Carolina Army National Guard Team earned the Rifle Team Champion title while the New Hampshire Army National Guard took the Pistol Team Champion title.

    Maj. Samuel Freeman was the winner of the U.S. Army Individual Rifle Championship. 1st Lt. John Pitman, Army Reserve, won second, and Maj. Ian Swisher, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, won third.

    Maj. Samuel Freeman was also the winner of the U.S. Army Individual Pistol Championship. Sgt. 1st Class Jason Deal, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion, won second and Sgt. 1st Class Richard Willis, Army Reserve, won third.

    1st Lt. Zachary Reed won this year’s Individual Multi-Gun Championship. Spc. James Whitener, Missouri Army National Guard, won second, and Sgt. Maxim Nickerson, Utah Army National Guard won third.

    Sgt. 1st Class Richard Willis, 104th Training Division, 108th Training Command (IET), won the Drill Sergeant Award for the highest score while on drill status.

    In the novice category, 1st Lt. Zachary Reed was named the 2023 Novice Champion. Sgt. 1st Class Kayle Buchanan, Utah Army National Guard, was second, and Tech Sgt. Connor Cunio, New Hampshire Air National Guard was third.

    In the cadet category, the first-place cadet was Cadet Anthony Linatoc. In second was Cadet Jack Swamba, and in third was Cadet Cameron Johns.

    In the open category 1st Sgt. Josiah Noble, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne), won first. Sgt. 1st Class Randall Henrion, 11th Airborne Division, won second, and Staff Sgt. Christopher Brookens, Delaware Army National Guard, won third.

    The Col. Ralph Puckett Trophy for excellence in marksmanship was presented to Staff Sgt. Michael Dunbar, South Carolina Army National Guard, for having the combined top novice score from all the Rifle and Pistol Excellence in Competition matches.

    The Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley Trophy for excellence in marksmanship was presented to Cadet Cole Farrington for having the combined top cadet score from all the Rifle and Pistol Excellence in Competition matches.

    Seven competitors earned the U.S. Army Distinguished Rifleman Badge, and five competitors earned the U.S. Army Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge for outstanding marksmanship performance with the service rifle or the service pistol during the competition. The Excellence in Competition program was created in 1894 for service rifle and in 1901 for service pistol. Since its inception, 3,473 Soldiers have earned the U.S. Army Distinguished Rifleman Badge and 1,952 Soldiers have earned the U.S. Army Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge.

    The seven competitors that earned the U.S. Army Distinguished Rifleman Badge are:
    Spc. Christopher Knott, Alabama Army National Guard
    Spc. James Whitener, Missouri Army National Guard
    Sgt. Jacob Watkins, Alabama Army National Guard
    TSgt. Eric Reifsnyder, Delaware Air National Guard
    Staff Sgt. Kendall Miller-Mather, Michigan Army National Guard
    Staff Sgt. Ethan Hopkins, 11th Airborne Division
    Sgt. 1st Class Joel Kliesen, Virginia Army National Guard

    The five competitors that earned the U.S. Army Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge are:
    Maj. Ian Swisher, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, was also the 473rd Soldier to be double distinguished in both pistol and rifle.
    Sgt. 1st Class Randall Henrion, 11th Airborne Division
    Sgt. 1st Class Jacob Schrot, Michigan Army National Guard
    Staff Sgt. James Lam, Alabama Army National Guard
    1st Sgt. Josiah Noble, 1st Special Warfare Training Group (Airborne)

    The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) wins national and international shooting competitions, supports Army marketing engagements, and advances small arms lethality to demonstrate Army marksmanship capability, connect America to its Army, and enhance marksmanship effectiveness in combat. USAMU is part of the U.S. Army Marketing Engagement Brigade and U.S. Army Recruiting Command.


  • A HISTORY OF THE OLYMPIC SHOOTING PROGRAM - This 19-page article chronicles the development of the Olympic Shooting Program and how the sport has changed through its 128 years as an Olympic sport by MMA Life Member Gary L. Anderson. It is a great way to learn about the history of Olympic Shooting and get educated on some of the background of some of the decisions that affected our sport.

  • Ten U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Soldiers make the 2023 USA Shooting National Trap and Skeet teams after the USA Shooting Shotgun Spring Selection Match at Tucson Trap and Skeet Club in Tucson, Arizona, Feb. 3-8, 2023. The match was the first selection event for those to compete in the 2023 Pan American Games. The 2023 Pan American Games are slated to take place in Santiago Chile from Oct. 20- Nov. 5 and will feature five shotgun events--Men’s Trap and Skeet, Women’s Trap and Skeet and Mixed Pairs Skeet.

    The Shotgun Team did well placing 10 Soldiers on the National Team that will travel to upcoming World Cups and a Grand Prix to be held at the 2024 Olympic venue,” said Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery Holguin, the USAMU Shotgun Team Chief. “I’m excited to see who performs well overseas and how Nationals shake out in May to see who’ll represent the U.S. and the Army at Worlds and Pan Am.” The second half of the selection process will be the 2023 Shotgun National Championships May 17-28 at the Halter Shooting Sports Center in Hillsdale, Michigan.

    The USAMU Soldiers selected for their respective disciplines will go on to compete in multiple competitions this year to include the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup Shotgun in Doha, Qatar, the ISSF 2023 World Cup Shotgun in Larnaca, Cyprus and the 2nd Grand Prix De France.

    USA Shooting’s National Women’s Skeet Team:
    Spc. Samantha Simonton, with a score of 239.
    (Also Amber English - former USAMU)

    USA Shooting’s National Men’s Skeet Team:
    Staff Sgt. Dustan Taylor, with a score of 250.
    Staff Sgt. Christian Elliott, with a score of 247.
    Staff Sgt. Mark Staffen, with a score of 241.
    (Also Vincent Hancock - former USAMU)

    USA Shooting’s National Women’s Trap Team:
    Sgt. Alicia Gough, with a score of 228.
    Sgt. Rachel Tozier, with a score of 225.

    USA Shooting’s National Men’s Trap Team:
    Staff Sgt. William Hinton, with a score of 232.
    Spc. Grayson Davey, with a score of 225.
    Sgt. 1st Class Glenn Eller, with a score of 222.
    Staff Sgt. Derek Haldeman, with a score of 221.

    Story by Sgt. 1st Class Kulani Lakanaria, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit


  • THREE USAMU SHOOTING ATHLETES EARNED DISTINGUISHED INTERNATIONAL SHOOTER BADGES IN 2022 by Gary Anderson, DCM Emeritus.

    Three USAMU international rifle and shotgun athletes earned prestigious Distinguished International Shooter Badges in 2022 with international championship performances that gave them the 30 or more International Excellence-in-Competition (IEIC) credit points required to receive the Badge.

    Other 2022 honorees included two members of the Ohio State University Pistol Team and one athlete who is a gun club manager in Kansas. Two of the six are women. The two youngest are 21 years of age, the oldest is 37 and their average age is 28. Two are rifle athletes, two are shotgun competitors and two are pistol athletes. Three were members of the very successful 2021 USA Olympic Shooting Team.

    America’s Marksmanship Distinguished Badge Program traces its history to the first gold Distinguished Marksman Badges issued by the U. S. Army in 1887. This program, which is now administered by the CMP, offers competitors opportunities to earn 11 different Distinguished Badges. Of those 11 different badges, the one that is the most difficult to earn is the Distinguished International Shooter Badge. This is because to earn this badge, a rifle, pistol, or shotgun athlete must first qualify for a USA Shooting National Team that represents the USA in International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) or World Shooting Para Sport (WSPS) Championships. ISSF Championships include the Olympic Games, World Shooting Championships, World Cups and Continental Championships. WSPS Championships for athletes with disabilities include the Paralympic Games and WSPS World Championships and World Cups. Making a USA Shooting National Team is only the first step in earning this badge, however. To be awarded the badge, a National Team member must then earn 30 International Distinguished credit points with medal-winning or high place finishes in ISSF or WSPS Championships. Credit points vary from 30 points that are awarded for Olympic or Paralympic Games gold, silver, or bronze medals to five points that that are awarded for third place finishes in the Pan American Games. 10 and 5 points are awarded for medal finishes at Junior World Championships. Olympic events receive higher point totals than non-Olympic events. Earning an Olympic Quota Place for the USA earns 10 bonus points. Olympic Mixed Team events (one man and one woman) receive credit points while points for other team events are no longer awarded after the ISSF started adding multiple team events in 2020. Regulations for awarding the International Distinguished Badge are found in the current CMP Smallbore Rifle and Air Rifle/Air Pistol Rulebooks (http://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-competitions-rulebooks/).

    USA Shooting (https://www.usashooting.org/) is the U. S. National Governing Body for Olympic Shooting and is responsible for selecting and training USA Shooting National Teams that represent this country in ISSF or WSPS Championships. The Distinguished International Shooter Badge was instituted by the Department of Defense in 1963, pursuant to recommendations from the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice. Responsibility for administering this program was transferred to the CMP when Congress and the U. S. President established the Civilian Marksmanship Program as a federally-chartered, non-profit corporation in 1996. The CMP now administers the Program in accordance with authority granted to it by federal law (36 USC §40722 (3).

    SGT Sagen Maddalena, USAMU International Rifle Section, won the Distinguished Rifleman Badge in 2011 shooting for the California Grizzlies Junior Service Rifle Team. In 2022 her international rifle successes earned her a Distinguished International Shooter Badge.

    Sagen MaddalenaSergeant Sagen Maddalena. USAMU, Fort Benning GA. Age 29, Badge #541. SGT Sagen Maddalena is a rifle athlete who competes for the U. S. Army Marksmanship Unit. She grew up in Groveland, California, in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Maddalena learned about target shooting through a 4-H Shooting Sports program. She became a member of the California Grizzlies Junior Service Rifle Team, earned her Distinguished Rifleman Badge in 2011, and competed as a member of several award-winning Grizzlies Junior teams in 2011, 2012 and 2013. Grizzlies Coach Robert Taylor encouraged her to compete in smallbore and air rifle in college. She walked on at the University of Alaska and became an eight-time All-American. After graduation she enlisted in the Army in 2019 and became a member of the USAMU International Rifle Section. Her ISSF breakthrough came in 2021. A 5th place finish in the 50m Rifle 3-Position event in the Tokyo Olympics led to a spot in the ISSF President’s Cup Match after the Olympics where she won the gold medal. Her international successes continued in 2022. In the World Championship at Cairo, her 4th place finish in the 50m Rifle Position event won an Olympic Quota Place and completed her quest for the Distinguished International Shooter Badge.





    SGT Tim Sherry’s path to the Distinguished International Shooter Badge started with a junior shooting club, progressed through an NCAA Rifle program and concluded at the USAMU International Rifle Section where he now trains and competes.

    Tim SherrySergeant Timothy Sherry. USAMU, Fort Benning GA. Age 28, Badge #542. SGT Tim Sherry is another rifle athlete who competes for the U. S. Army Marksmanship Unit. He grew up in Evergreen, Colorado and started competitive shooting as a member of the Cherry Creek Gun Club’s junior program. He competed for the University of Alaska Rifle Team where he won the 2014 NCAA Rifle Championship and was a 9-time All American. He joined the Army in 2017 and became a member of the Army’s International Rifle Team. He began accumulating International Distinguished credit points in 2019 when he won the Pan American Games gold medal in the 50m Rifle 3-Position event. His quest for the International Distinguished Badge reached a successful conclusion at the 2022 World Championship in Cairo when his bronze medal in the 300m Standard Rifle event gave him 30 total points.







    SPC Dustan Taylor competes for the USAMU Shotgun Section. His 2022 competition year was highlighted by gold medal victories in the 2022 Championship of the Americas’ Skeet Men and Skeet Mixed Team events.

    Dustan TaylorSpecialist Dustan Taylor. USAMU, Fort Benning GA. Age 30, Badge #544. SPC Dustan Taylor is the third member of the U. S. Army Marksmanship Unit who earned an International Distinguished Badge in 2022. Taylor is a skeet athlete who had a dominating performance in the 2022 Championship of the Americas Skeet Men event. He won the individual gold medal and a 2024 Olympic Quota Place in that event. He won a second CAT gold medal when he teamed with Dania Vizzi to win the Skeet Mixed Team event.








    The U. S. Government’s decision to establish the U. S. Distinguished International Shooter Badge was initiated by the CMP’s predecessor agency, the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice, during the height of the Cold War in the 1960s. The Soviet Union (USSR) was dominating international shooting competitions in the Olympics and World Championships at that time and leaders of the NBPRP and U. S. Army Marksmanship Training Unit were seeking ways to encourage the development of U. S. marksmen who could “beat the Russians” and win medals in international championships. A detailed history of this Distinguished Badge is posted on the CMP website at http://thecmp.org/wp-content/uploads/USDISBHistory.pdf. After the first International Distinguished Badges were presented in 1963 to U. S. shooters who won medals in the 1962 World Championship, the awarding of the Badge was made retroactive to recognize U. S. international medal winners going back to the end of the 19th century. The most recent badge awarded in 2022 bears serial number 544. This roster of badge winners covers over 120 years of history involving some truly remarkable American rifle, pistol, running target, and shotgun athletes.


  • SOLDIERS WIN AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE AMERICAS AND ISSF PRESIDENT’S CUP - Soldiers with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit won a total of 34 medals and seven 2024 Olympic Quotas for Team USA during two recent international competitions.

    The winning streak kicked off at the International Shooting Sports Federation’s Shotgun World Championships in Osijek, Croatia, Sept. 19 - Oct. 12 when Spc. Samantha Simonton claimed the Bronze Medal in Women’s Skeet, earning the first Paris Olympic Quota in the event for Team USA. (Each country must earn a ticket, or quota, in every event to compete at the Olympic Games.)

    After that, the Gainesville, Georgia resident joined up with her civilian teammates, Austen Smith and Dania Vizzi, to help bring home the Gold Medal in the Women’s Skeet Team event in a tight Final against Italy.

    In Men’s Skeet, USAMU Staff Sergeants Christian Elliott and Dustan Taylor joined forces with three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Vincent Hancock (former USAMU), to claim the Silver Medal in the Men’s Skeet Team event in another intense Final against Italy.

    Jay Waldron (former USAMU) served as the Shotgun Coach, while SFC Will Hinton shot Men’s Trap and SGT Rachel Tozier shot Women’s Trap. By Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato and Ray Carter

    ===========================================

    As soon as the Shotgun World Championships were over, the ISSF Rifle and Pistol World Championships started in Cairo, Egypt Oct. 12 - 28. At this international competition, Team USA turned up the heat.

    Spc. Alison Weisz seized Gold Medal and Olympic Quota in Women’s 10m Air Rifle in a tight Final against China. This win also earned the Belgrade, Montana native the title of the Women’s Air Rifle World Champion, something an American woman has not accomplished since 1979 (Karen Monez-USAMU), according to NBC Sports.

    After her huge win, Spc. Weisz joined up with another USAMU Soldier, Spc. Sagen Maddalena, and Team USA’s Mary Tucker. This trio of 2020 Olympians took the Silver Medal in a Final against China.

    Next up with the 50m Prone Mixed Rifle event where Sgt. Maddalena, a Groveland, California native, and Sgt. Ivan Roe, a Bozeman, Montana native, seized the Gold Medal against Ukraine.

    In the Women’s individual 50m Three-Position Rifle event, Sgt. Maddalena placed fourth earning Team USA its first 2024 Olympic Quota in that event.

    The final medal won by a Soldier at the Rifle and Pistol World Championships, was the Bronze Medal in Men’s 300m Standard Rifle, which was claimed by Staff Sgt. Tim Sherry of Littleton, Colorado. No quotas were given out for this event as it is no longer an Olympic event.

    Overall, Team USA claimed 19 World Championship medals and five Olympic Quotas. The U.S. Army Soldiers who were members of Team USA won seven of those medals and three of the Olympic Quotas.

    Other USAMU personnel included Team Leader Robert Aylward, USAMU Executive Officer; Assistant Rifle Coach David Johnson, former USAMU pistol shooter Sandra Uptagrafft; former USAMU pistol shooter Keith Sanderson; and former USAMU rifle shooter Denise Loring.

    SSG Kevin Nguyen competed in the 2022 World Paralympic Shooting Championships in Al Ain, UAE November 4-11, 2022.

    ==============================================

    The next opportunity to earn Olympic Quotas was the 2022 Confederation of the Americas (CAT) Championships in Lima, Peru Nov. 4 - 12, and Team USA turned up even more heat.

    Sgt. Brandon Muske started off the games by winning Gold Medal and 2024 Olympic Quota in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle event.

    In the individual Women’s 10m Air Rifle event, Team USA dominated by sweeping the podium. Sgt. Maddalena seized the Gold, Tucker claimed the Silver and Spc. Weisz took the Bronze. Since USAMU’s Maddalena already earned a Quota at the World Championships, the 2024 Olympic Quota for this event went to Team USA’s Tucker.

    In the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Team event, these same three 2020 Olympians beat out Argentina for the Gold Medal, bring home another Medal for Team USA.

    Not to be outdone, the men of Team USA stepped up and claimed the Gold Medal in the Men’s 10m Air Rifle Team event against Argentina as well. This U.S. team included USAMU’s Sgt. Muske and Spc. Levi Clark, and Team USA’s Lucas Koziensky.

    Next up on the schedule was the 10m Mixed Air Rifle event where Team USA won both the Gold and Silver Medals. The Gold was won by the team of Sgt. Maddalena and Koziensky while the Silver was won by Spc. Weisz and Sgt. Roe.

    The busy schedule of events then changed to Smallbore, or 50m Three-Position Rifle. Team USA took the Gold and Silver, as well as another 2024 Olympic Quota. USAMU’s Sgt. Roe beat out his fellow USAMU teammate, Sgt. Sherry, for the Gold and Quota.

    For the Men’s 50m Three-Position Team Rifle event, Team USA grabbed another Gold. This team included Koziensky and USAMU Soldiers Sgt. Sherry and Staff Sgt. Patrick Sunderman.

    In the Women’s 50m Three-Position Team Rifle event, Team USA won that Gold as well. This team included Team USA’s Katie Zaun and Tucker and USAMU’s Sgt. Maddalena.

    These same athletes then teamed up for the 50m Mixed Prone Rifle event. USAMU Soldiers, Staff Sgt. Sunderman and Sgt. Maddalena, won the Gold while Sgt. Sherry and Koziensky took the Silver.

    In the individual 50m Prone Rifle event, the men and women competed together and Team USA dominated the range and swept the podium, placing three U.S. Army Soldiers in the spotlight. Sgt. Maddalena won the Gold while Staff Sgt. Sunderman and Sgt. Sherry took the Silver and Bronze.

    Former USAMU pistol shooter Sandra Uptagrafft helped win Gold Team medals in 10m Women’s Air Pistol and 25m Women’s Pistol.

    Shotgun matches were up next at the CAT Games and USAMU’s Staff Sgt. Taylor, a Liberty, North Carolina native, came out of the gate with a Gold Medal and 2024 Olympic Quota in Men’s Skeet after a tight Final against Peru.

    Taylor then teamed up with Staff Sgt. Elliott and civilian athlete Ben Keller for the Men’s Skeet Team event. This trio claimed the Gold against Chile.

    In the Mixed Skeet Team event, Team USA won the Gold as well as the Silver. The Gold was earned by Staff Sgt. Taylor and civilian athlete Vizzi while the Silver was earned by Staff Sgt. Elliott and Spc. Simonton.

    With the skeet events over, the shotgun matches moved onto the trap events.

    USAMU’s Sgt. Rachel Tozier took the Bronze Medal in Women’s Trap while Staff Sergeants Will Hinton and Derek Haldeman took the Gold and Bronze in Men’s Trap. Hinton’s Gold Medal win also seized yet another Olympic Quota for Team USA.

    After that, the athletes teamed up for the Mixed Trap Team event, and Staff Sgt. Hinton and Sgt. Tozier took home the Bronze.

    Team USA was not done there yet though. They ended the CAT Games by winning the Silver Medal in the Women’s Trap Team event and the Gold in the Men’s Trap Team event. The U.S. Women’s Trap Team included Aeriel Skinner, Kayle Browning and Sgt. Tozier. The U.S. Men’s Trap Team included Casey Wallace and USAMUs Staff Sergeant Hinton and Haldeman. Former USAMU shotgun shooter Jay Waldron served as the Shotgun Coach.

    By the end of the CAT Games, Team USA had earned 44 total medals and ten Olympic Quotas for the 2024 Olympics. The Soldiers from the unique marksmanship unit at Fort Benning earned Team USA 26 of those medals and 4 of the Quotas.

    Between the two international competitions, Team USA brought home 63 medals and 15 Quotas, with U.S. Army Soldiers being responsible for 34 medals and seven Quotas.

    =====================================================

    The last major competition of the year was the ISSF President’s Cup (formerly known as the ISSF World Cup Final) held November 28-December 4, 2022 in Cairo, Egypt.

    Eleven USA Shooting athletes were invited to compete. Athletes with a world ranking of 12 or higher were invited to this prestigious competition to compete for cash prizes and the Golden Target award. The following soldiers competed for the U.S.:

    Spc. Alison Weisz in Women’s 10m Air Rifle; Sgt. Sagen Maddalena in Women’s 10m Air Rifle and Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Position; Vincent Hancock (former USAMU) in Men’s Skeet; Staff Sgt Will Hinton in Men’s Trap and Spc. Samantha Simonton in Women’s Skeet.

    Vincent Hancock (former USAMU), ranked first in the world for Men’s Skeet, earned a Bronze medal after competing in the semifinals.

    Spc. Samantha Simonton, ranked 12th in the world for Women’s Skeet, placed third, earning herself a Bronze medal.

    Spc. Alison Weisz, ranked second in the world for Women’s 10m Air Rifle, and Sgt. Sagan Maddalena, ranked tenth in the world for Women’s 10m Air Rifle, both earned bronze medals in their event.

    Olympic Quotas won by USAMU shooters:
    Women’s Skeet - Spc. Samantha Simonton from Gainesville, GA
    Men’s Skeet - Staff Sgt. Dustan Taylor from Liberty, NC
    Women’s 10m Air Rifle - Spc. Alison Weisz from Belgrade, MT
    Men’s 10m Air Rifle - Sgt. Brandon Muske from Brenham, TX
    Women’s 3-Position Rifle - Sgt. Sagen Maddalena from Groveland, CA
    Men’s 3-Position Rifle - Sgt. Ivan Roe from Bozeman, MT
    Men’s Trap - Staff Sgt. Will Hinton from Lawrenceville, GA


  • 2022 World Shooting Championship Team - The following soldiers will be competing with the USA Shooting Team at the 2022 World Shooting Championships. The Shotgun events will be held in Osijek, Croatia starting Sept 19th, while the Rifle and Pistol events will be held in Cairo, Egypt starting October 12th.

    Shotgun: SSG William Hinton - Trap, SGT Rachel Tozier - Trap, SSG Dustan Taylor - Skeet, SSG Christian Elliott - Skeet, SPC Samantha Simonton - Skeet.

    Rifle: SGT Ivan Roe 50M, SGT Timothy Sherry 50M, SGT Brandon Muske 10M, SGT Sagen Maddalena 10M, SPC Alison Weisz 10M,

    Robert Aylward, the USAMU Executive Officer, will be the Team Leader for the Rifle and Pistol World Championships in Cairo, Egypt.


  • 2022 National Infantry Trophy Team Match, Camp Perry, OH - USAMU Greenwood won the National Infantry Trophy Team Match with a score of 1,344 on Friday, August 5th .

  • 2022 National Trophy Team Rifle Match, Camp Perry, OH - USAMU Greenwood won the National Trophy (Dogs of War Trophy) with a score of 2960-128x. SSG Ben Cleland was the high individual rifle shooter in the match with a 498-32x (Pershing Trophy). The NTT was held Thursday, August 4th.

  • 2022 National Trophy Individual Rifle Match, Camp Perry, OH - SSG Jarrod Mcgaffic won with a 500-24x on Tuesday, August 2nd at Camp Perry, OH.

  • 2022 President's Rifle Match, Camp Perry, OH - SSG Amanda Elsenboss, ARNG (former USAMU) won it with a 391-12x on Monday, August 1st at Camp Perry, OH.

  • NRA National Long Range Rifle Championships, Camp Atterbury, IN - AMU shooter SFC Brandon Green dominated competition at 2022 NRA High Power Long Range National Championships held at Camp Atterbury, IN. He won all four of the individual national trophies for Any Rifle at the 2022 NRA National High Power Long-Range Championships: the Wimbledon Cup, the Mustin Trophy, the Leech Cup and the Remington Band of Brothers Trophy. He also won the Canadian Cup (National Any Rifle Champion) and the Tompkins Trophy (aggregate of National Long-Range Championships) with a score of 1246-84X.

    Green, from Box Springs, Georgia, is the first shooter to accomplish this feat in the history of the National Trophies, spanning more than a century of championship rifle competition.

    For winning the Long-Range Championship aggregate, he received a Tompkins Trophy plaque, a gold-tone National Championship medallion—plus three boxes of Berger Bullets and a $200 check. Here are Green’s scores for each of his 2022 NRA Long-Range trophy victories. Tompkins Trophy, 1246-84X. Wimbledon Cup, 200-14X (shoot-off 150-10X). Mustin Trophy, 200-10X (shoot-off 150-4X). Leech Cup, 200-14X (shoot-off 149-9X). Canadian Cup, 799-51X. Remington Band of Brothers Trophy, 199-13X (shoot-off 100-4X).

    In addition, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit “USAMU Cleland” team won the Roumanian Trophy Match with a score of 798-49X. Green was a firing member and coach, along with teammates Private 1st Class Zevin Linse, Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cleland (also team captain) and Staff Sgt. David Bahten. By six Xs, Green earned the high score for the team with 200-17X. Photo. Credit: John Parker, SSUSA.


  • 2022 NRA National High Power Rifle Championships, Camp Atterbury, IN - SSG Benjamin L. Cleland won the 2022 National High Power Rifle Championship (Mumma Trophy) and the NRA National High Power Match Rifle Championships (Wright Trophy) with a score of 2394-146x. SFC Brandon Green was second with his 2389-148x. In third place overall was SSG Amanda Elsenboss with 2379-117x. She was the high Service Rifle shooter overall (Dupont Trophy) and also High Woman (Volunteer Trophy). The USAMU won the Enlisted Men's Trophy Team Match. These were held at Camp Atterbury, IN.

  • 2022 NRA National Precision Pistol Championships, Camp Atterbury, IN - With a final aggregate score of 2649-143X, SSG Carl Clegg of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit is the 2022 NRA Precision Pistol Champion. The 2022 NRA National Precision Pistol Championships were held July 17-23 as part of the NRA National Matches at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. In addition to the overall victory, Clegg's score earned him the High Service award. He won the Centerfire Championship (883-42X), the .45 Championship (881-56X) and finished third in the .22 Championship (885-45X), among many other accolades. Photo.

  • National Trophy Pistol Matches, Camp Perry, OH - The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Service Pistol Team has been racking up some wins at Camp Perry on July 16, 2022. Here are a few highlights.

    The USAMU Blue Team won the National Trophy Pistol Team match (Gold Cup Trophy) with a score of 1118-35x. The team included Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Kingery, Staff Sgt. Carl Clegg, Staff Sgt. Christopher Hudock, Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Franks, Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Farmer and Sgt. 1st Class Greg Markowski.

    Spc. Jason Gregoire won the President's 100 and Rimfire Excellence in Competition Matches, as well as the Aubrey E. Smith II Memorial Trophy.

    Staff Sgt. Carl Clegg won the General Custer Trophy (National Trophy Individual Pistol Match).

    Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Franks won the General Mellon Trophy (National Trophy Pistol Team Individual) and the Overall Service Pistol Champion.

    Check back for the full list of wins, and to see photos from the competition and awards at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzXUkP. Credit: USAMU PAO.


  • Change of Command Ceremony - U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit commander Lt. Col. Erik Andreasen relinquished command to Lt. Col. Casey Mills during a ceremony at USAMU's Pullum Hall. The ceremony was officiated by U.S. Army Marketing & Engagement Brigade commander Col. Stephen Battle.

    Prior to the ceremony, Col. Battle presented Lt. Col. Andreasen with the U.S. Army Meritorious Service Medal and tokens of appreciation.

    As his last official task as the USAMU commander, Lt. Col. Andreasen presented the Operations Director Mr. Kyle Ward with the Civilian Meritorious Service award.

  •  Photos.  Credit USAMU PAO.


  • Former USAMU Action Shooting members - - MMA President Ray Carter ran into former USAMU Action Shooting Section members Max Michel and Daniel Horner at the Team SIG booth at the opening of the $13.5 million SIG Sauer Experience Center at the Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. They are both professional shooters. MMA Life Members David A. Grimshaw, Herbert “Skip” Clark and Ray Carter have also worked for Sig Sauer.
  • Photo.


  • 2022 Interservice Rifle Championships, Quantico, Virginia - Staff Sgt. Ben Cleland claimed the coveted overall Interservice Individual Rifle Champion title. And Spc. Adam Fitzpatrick set a new record in the Marine Corps Match, a 300-yard rapid fire prone course of fire.

    The USAMU Service Rifle Team won the following individual matches: Marine Corps Match, Air Force Match, Army Match, 600-Yard Match (both the Service Rifle and Match Rifle Categories), 1000-Yard Match (Service Rifle Category), Long Range Match (Service Rifle Category) and the overall Excellence in Competition Match.

    Then in the team matches, the USAMU claimed the wins in the 10-Man Interservice Rifle Team Match, both the Service Rifle and Match Rifle Categories of the 1000-Yard Team Match and the Commanding General MCCDC Team Match.

    And in the prestigious Infantry Trophy Team Match, USAMU teams claimed both the first and second spots.

    To see photos from the Awards Ceremony, go to https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzW5xx . Credit: USAMU PAO.



  • 2022 USA Shooting National Championships - Sgt. Sagen Maddalena of the USAMU International Rifle Team just claimed another Gold Medal and a National Champion title at the USA Shooting Rifle Nationals in Colorado Springs, Colorado. That's right, she is the National Champion of both 10m Air Rifle and 50m Three-Position Rifle. Photo. Credit: USAMU PAO.


  • 2022 Interservice Pistol Championships - The 2022 Interservice Pistol Champion is Sgt. 1st Class Greg Markowski of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit with an overall score of 3527-155X. USAMU's Staff Sergeants Ryan Franks and Carl Clegg completed the podium with scores of 3504-163X and 3499-153X, respectively.

    USAMU Blue won the team event with an overall score of 4665-217X.
    Firing members included: Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Kingery, Sgt. 1st Class Greg Markowski Staff Sgt. Carl Clegg, Staff Sgt. Ryan Franks, Staff Sgt. Christopher Hudock and Spc. Jason Gregoire. The Team Captain was Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Kingery. The All Guard Red team placed second with a score of 4509-141X while the USMC Scarlet team took third with a score of 4301-97X.

    Look for all the match winners, scores and photographs in our Flickr album at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzUaFM. Credit: USAMU PAO.



  • $100 Discount on MMA Life Memberships - The MMA Executive Board recently voted to allow those 70 years of age or older to buy a MMA Life Membership for $400 instead of the normal $500. Go to the Membership Page to take advantage of this offer.

  • New Life Members - The MMA Executive Board voted to award MMA Life Memberships to all those that are elected to the USAMU Hall of Fame in order to honor them and keep in contact with our most esteemed members. This is for those elected to the Unit Hall of Fame, not the Section or Support Hall of Fames.

  • Camp Powell - The Fort Benning sniper community honored one of their own during a memorialization dedication ceremony for retired U.S. Army Maj. Willis L. Powell to honor his life and legacy. The U. S. Army Sniper Compound was formally memorialized as 'Camp Powell' on April 2, 2022. Photo.

    During the ceremony, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Nathan B. Williams, commander, 1st Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, gave honors to the Powell family. “Dedications efforts like today highlight the many important stories of our unit history and our mission to keep those stories alive by reconnecting our Soldiers and our students to their great history,” said Williams. “We dedicate our facilities to the determined efforts of those who of laid the foundations that have specialized in lethal capabilities that our Army has in its arsenal today.”

    Powell was born in Wellston, Okla., on Aug. 10, 1930. He served two tours in South Vietnam. He is known for developing and commanding the U.S. Army 9th Infantry Division Sniper School in South Vietnam and creating the sniper course at the U.S. Army Infantry School, Fort Benning.

    The sniper course he established allowed for Soldiers to undergo training to develop the specialized skills necessary to operate as modern snipers, capable of precision fire from long distances and remained actively involved in the course until his death in May of 2016.

    Over the course of his 24-year career Powell earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and the Army Commendation Medal. He also earned the Distinguished Rifleman Badge and the U.S. Distinguished International Shooter Badge. He is a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Running Target Hall of Fame and Past President of the MMA. He is remembered for his dedicated service to his nation, the marksmanship and sniper communities, and the community at Columbus, Ga.


  • The Lones Wigger Youth Program Endowment - The Lones Wigger firearm auction benefiting USA Shooting’s youth shooting programs has come to an end with a total of $70,278 raised.

    “We are thrilled with the outcome of the auction and the generosity of those that participated,” said Deena McDorman, Wigger’s daughter. “We hope buyers will cherish their winnings and understand their significance in promoting junior shooting programs. My Dad would be pleased.”

    The family of Lones donated over thirty firearms and Olympic memorabilia that were auctioned off on GunBroker.com. The Lones Wigger auction was curated by Sportsman’s Legacy.

    The selection included Winchester Model 52, 75 and 94 rifles, Anschutz rimfires and centerfires, and others from Wichita, Remington, Smith & Wesson, Mauser, Ithaca, Browning, and Walther.

    The Lones Wigger Youth Program Endowment with MidwayUSA Foundation creates a lasting legacy for the shooting sports by providing additional funding for USA Shooting to expand youth programs and enhance grassroots development.

    A four-time Olympian and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel, Wigger is an iconic figure in the shooting sports. He won 111 international medals, three Olympic medals and is the only USA Shooting Team member ever named to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Hall of Fame.

    To learn more about The Lones Wigger Youth Program Endowment, or to donate, visit https://www.usashooting.org/donate-20141126072420/loneswigger


  • Spc. Levi Clark - a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit International Rifle Team, was named the U.S. Army Marketing & Engagement Brigade Soldier of the Quarter. Photo. Credit: USAMU PAO.

  • Order of Saint Maurice (OSM) Medal - In an auditorium of Soldiers from units across the Army, he was recognized during one of the biggest events hosted by U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. On March 19, 2022, Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen received the Order of Saint Maurice (OSM) Medal.

    During the beginning of an awards ceremony marking the end of the 2022 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships, Nguyen was presented the award by USAMU commander Lt. Col. Erik Andreasen. PHOTO.

    Nguyen was taken off guard because he was not expecting to receive the award during the ceremony. “I felt a little nervous being presented with the Order of Saint Maurice. The U.S. Army Small Arms Championship is one of the largest events hosted by the unit and to be singled out for this award, I was a little shy,” he said.

    The nervousness and shyness were soon put to rest when Nguyen realized the USAMU command team and the Training and Doctrine Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt Maj. Daniel T. Hendrex, had donned their OSM Medals for the ceremony. “I was still nervous walking up to the stage,” he said. “But when I noticed Lt. Col. Andreasen, Command Sgt. Maj. [Aaron] Forry, Command Sgt. Maj. Hendrex, and Capt. [Jonas] Mills all wearing their Order of Saint Maurice as well, I felt a little bit of weight lift off my shoulders. Suddenly, I felt a sense of relief that I wasn’t the only one on the stage, and that I was standing next to four other outstanding and amazing Soldiers who have also been awarded the Order of Saint Maurice.”

    The Order of Saint Maurice is awarded by the National Infantry Association and the Chief of Infantry to recognize significant contributions to the Infantry Branch. Awardees are nominated by previous recipients. Board members then review each nomination packet to determine if the criteria are met.

    Nguyen met all the criteria but felt as if his accomplishments and contributions were not enough to be recognized by the National Infantry Association. “When I was initially approached about submitting my bio for the Order of Saint Maurice, I turned it down. I personally thought of others in my unit who have contributed much more than I have, and thought they are more deserving of this award,” he said. “I know several other colleagues who contribute consistently. Over the span of seven years, I have volunteered personal time in between my training to give back to the Infantry community by joining the Instructor Training Group and teaching marksmanship fundamentals. Those blocks of instructions are mostly here and there. I still believe that is far less than several of my peers.”

    But that is not the case. In 2012, less than two years after graduating from Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Westminster, California native was struck by an improvised explosive device during a dismounted foot patrol in Afghanistan. He spent two years recovering from his injuries and was able to continue serving on active duty despite the loss of a limb. In 2014, he joined the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, as a part of the World Class Athlete Program where he continues to compete. His most recent accomplishments include making the 2020 U.S. Paralympic Team and earning a Silver Medal at the 2021 Lima Para World Cup.

    “Although I believe that I am under qualified of this prestigious award, my mentor and leadership believe that I am well deserving of this award,” he said. “I am honored and humbled by their faith and confidence in me, and with that thought, I will continue to do my best to uphold the prestige and accolades of this award.”

    Nguyen continues to train and compete in hopes of making the 2024 Paralympic Team. Credit: USAMU PAO.


  • 2022 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships - Here are some of the results from the event. USAMU shooters don't shoot in it like they used to do. They run the shoot.

    The 2022 U.S. Army Small Arms Champion is California Guardsman Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Horner.

    North Dakota Alpha won first place in the overall US Army Small Arms Team Championship.

    Team California Alpha won first place in the U.S. Army Multi-Gun Team Championship.

    North Dakota Alpha won first place in the U.S. Army Pistol Team Championship.

    North Dakota Alpha won first place in the U.S. Army Rifle Team Championship.

    To view more photos from the awards ceremony and to see individual winners, follow this link to the USAMU Flickr page. https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjzGq2R Credit: USAMU PAO.


  • “Best Athlete of the Year” - In her World Cup Final debut, USAMU shooter Sagen Maddalena (Groveland, California) wins her first “Golden Target” at 2021 ISSF Rifle/Pistol President’s Cup in Wroclaw, Poland, earning her the title, “Best Athlete of the Year” in the Women’s Rifle 50m 3-Position discipline. Maddalena also won gold in the Mixed Team Rifle 50m 3-Position event with Hungarian shooter, Istvan Peni. The top 96 rifle/pistol athletes in the world competed in eight individual and six team events, using new rules in a test format outlined by the ISSF.

    Mary Tucker (Sarasota, Florida) proved her dominance once again at this pinnacle event capturing individual silver and bronze medals in both rifle events. She kicked off her events with a bronze in Women’s 10m Air Rifle. Tucker went head-to-head in the Women’s Rifle 50m 3-Position event with Maddalena where she won silver. Prior to the start of competition, Tucker was ranked seventh, and Maddalena fifth in the 50m 3-Position event.

    Lucas Kozeniesky is also returning home with a bronze medal in the Mixed Team 10m Air Rifle event with Hungarian shooter, Eszter Meszaros. Kozeniesky and Tucker teamed up in Tokyo to capture the first ever Olympic Silver Medal in the Mixed Team Air Rifle event.

    All seven USA Shooting made their debut at this year’s World Cup Final (Will Shaner, Lucas Kozeniesky, Mary Tucker, Ali Weisz, Sagen Maddalena, Nick Mowrer, and Lexi Lagan) making it the largest rifle/pistol team invited to compete, and they are also returning home with the highest total medal count out of all countries present.


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