Shooting Wire

FORT BENNING, Ga. - The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit will host the 2008 Army Rifle and Pistol Championships in conjunction with the U.S. Army Infantry Center from Thursday through March 15 and the U.S. Army Long-Range Championships March 16 to 18.

Training and competitions are open to all Soldiers of all Army components, of any rank, with of any military occupational specialty, including West Point and college ROTC cadets. Approximately 200 Soldiers are expected to compete; currently, 125 competitors are pre-registered.

All Soldiers will fire both the M-16 rifle and M-9 pistol in helmet and load-bearing equipment from 25 to 500 yards with the M-16 and 7 to 25 yards with the M-9. Teams from battalion-level compete for unit recognition and team awards. All Soldiers will receive advance marksmanship instruction and training materials to conduct Train-the-Trainer clinics on return to their home station. The U.S. Army Long-Range Championships will provide M-24 long-range shooting training from 600 to 1,000 yards.

Soldiers will compete in separate Novice, Open and Pro divisions based on their competition experience. The USAMU has a limited number of weapons available for Soldiers and cadets who do not have assigned weapons.

"The All-Army is an advanced combat marksmanship training event and competition," said USAMU Chief of Competition Michael J. Behnke. "The All-Army Matches are designed to raise the shooting proficiency of Soldiers and units across the Army by teaching advanced combat marksmanship techniques using issue rifles and pistols."

At the matches, coaches and noncommissioned officers in charge of the U.S. Army Rifle and Pistol Teams, Army Reserve, and All-Guard Teams will scout, identify and invite selected Soldiers to compete at the Interservice Championships and the National Matches.

The All-Army Matches consist of Small Arms Firing Schools, the Secretary of the Army Matches, Chief of Staff of the Army Matches, Sergeant Major of the Army Team Matches, Excellence-in-Competition Matches and special combat matches. Champions will be awarded All-Army Trophies and Excellence-in-Competition Marksmanship Badges, which are permanent-wear Army awards as described in Army Regulation 600-22 and are above the standard marksman, sharpshooter and expert qualification badges. Among the awards are the Secretary of the Army Trophy M-1 Garand Rifle, Drill Sergeant Champion Award and scholarships for eligible cadets.

Guest speaker Lt. Gen. Freakley, commander of U.S. Army Accessions Command, is scheduled to present the top awards at the Awards Ceremony at Phillips Range March 15.

The schedule of events is as follows:

Thursday:

* 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. - Squaded practice at Easley/McAndrews Ranges

Friday:
* 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. - In-processing and registration at Phillips
Range
* 5 to 6 p.m. - Team Captains and Competitors meeting at Phillips
Range

Saturday:
* 7:30 to 8 a.m. - Opening Ceremony at Easley Range
* 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Class portion of Rifle Train the
Trainer at Infantry Hall
* 1 p.m. - Rifle positions training with dry firing, 300 yard zero
20 shots at Easley/McAndrews Range

Sunday:
* 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Secretary of the Army Rifle Match (Match
#308) at McAndrews Range
* 2:30 p.m. - Commanding General U.S. Army Infantry Center
Infantry Trophy Team practice at McAndrews Range

March 10:
* 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Chief of Staff of the Army Rifle Match
(Match #309) at McAndrews Range
* 2:30 p.m. - Audie Murphy Combat Match (Match # 311) at McAndrews
Range

March 11:
* 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Sergeant Major of the Army Rifle Team
Match (Match #315) at McAndrews Range
* 2:30 p.m. - CG, USAIC Infantry Trophy Individual Match (Match
#310) at McAndrews Range

March 12:
* 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Rifle Excellence in Competition Match
(Match #322) at McAndrews Range
* 2:30 p.m. - CG, USAIC Infantry Trophy Team Match (Match #318) at
McAndrews Range

March 13:
* 7 to 8:30 a.m. - Class portion of Pistol Train the Trainer at
Infantry Hall
* 8:30 a.m. to noon - Live-fire portion of Pistol Train the
Trainer at Parks Range
* Noon to 4 p.m. - Secretary of the Army Pistol Match (Match #208)
at Parks Range
* 4 p.m. - General George Patton Combat Pistol Team Match (Match
#240) practice at Parks Range

March 14:
* 7:30 to 11 a.m. - Chief of Staff of the Army Pistol Match (Match
#209) at Parks Range
* 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. - General George Patton Combat Pistol Team
Match (Match #240) at Parks Range
* 1:30 p.m. - Pistol Excellence in Competition Match (Match #221)
at Parks Range

March 15:
* 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. - Rifle Long Range match registration at
Phillips Range
* 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. - Sergeant Major of the Army Combat Team
Match (Match #215) at Parks Range
* 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Assault Team Pistol Match (Match #219)
at Parks Range
* 5 p.m. - All-Army Small Arms Championships Awards Ceremony at
Phillips Range. Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley, commander of the U.S.
Army Accessions Command, is scheduled to be the guest speaker and awards
presenter.

March 16:
* 7:30 a.m. - Rifle Long Range 600-yard training and Long Range
Rifle 600-Yard Match (Match #501) at Maertens Range

March 17:
* 7:30 a.m. - Rifle Long Range 800-yard training and Long Range
Rifle 800-Yard Match (Match #502) at Maertens Range

March 18:
* 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Rifle Long Range 1,000-yard training
and Long Range Rifle 1,000-Yard Match (Match #503) at Maertens Range
* 5 to 6 p.m. - Rifle Long Range Awards Ceremony at Phillips
Range.

To register, contact Clarence Fedrick at (706) 545-6252 or Clarence.Fedrick@usaac.army.mil. A copy of the program/schedule is available on the USAMU website at www.USAMU.com.

Media are invited to cover the matches and ceremony but should coordinate with the Fort Benning Public Affairs Office before coming to post. For more information on the matches, call the USAMU Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436 or e-mail Paula.Randall@usaac.army.mil.