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© 2013 KentuckyGuard
By Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond, Kentucky National Guard Public Affairs
Kentucky National Guard Airmen and Soliders compete in a rifle match at Fort Knox, Ky., July 25, 2015. The Guardsmen fired M4 rifles and M9 pistols in a variety of events during the annual Adjutant General Marksmanship Match. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
FORT KNOX, Ky. — Annually, the top shooters in the Kentucky National Guard gather to prove their skills and compete for the exclusive Governor’s Twenty patch. More than 50 Soldiers and Airmen took to the firing line at Fort Knox, Ky., July 25-26 for the Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Match.
“This event showcases what the Kentucky National Guard has to offer as far as marksmanship is concerned,” said Sgt. 1st Class James Dean, Kentucky Marksmanship coordinator. “Shooting, I think, is in a Kentuckian’s DNA.”
An Airman fires during a pistol event at The Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Match in Fort Knox, Ky., July 25, 2015. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
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The Kentucky Guard awards the “Governor’s Twenty” tab only to the top 20 participants who have accumulated enough points over the two days of matches. Those that have earned the tab must also out perform those that may have already earned it, meaning if 18 of the participants currently ranked in the top 20 have previous been awarded the tab then only two will be awarded, which happened this year.
Master Sgt. Edwin Garcia of Joint Force Headquarters, and Staff Sgt. Shahid Iqbal of the 238th Training Regiment were the only two awarded the tab this year.
Kentucky Guardsmen compete in a pistol event during The Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Match at Fort Knox, Ky., July 25, 2015. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
“When all the many things we as Soldiers and Airmen have to do to satisfy yearly training obligations are complete, we still have to be a confident and competent operator of small-arms,” said Dean. “Thankfully the Kentucky National Guard’s leadership has already seen the importance of these events and once again stepped up to ensure its success.”
Guardsmen also compete for the “Top Gun” award, which is given to the participant who achieves the highest point total over the two days. This year there were five individual matches that created the aggregate score. Staff Sgt. Jacob Fuller of 123rd Civil Engineering Squardron, 123rd Air Wing was the winner of the award. Fuller was also the top rifle marksman for the weekend, while Dean brought home top honors for pistol competition.
A Soldiers fires during a rifle event at The Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Match at Fort Knox, Ky., July 25, 2015. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
Capt. William Wilford, Kentucky’s senior marksmanship coordinator said the Small Arms Readiness Training Section’s (SARTS) mission is to stand ready to be a combat multiplier to commanders across the state via clinics, or by sending SARTS NCO’s to their training events to assist in training Soldiers.
“From basic qualifications of individual weapons, to training in the live-fire Shoot-house, we have the tools available to meet a commander’s intent,” said Wilford. “This yearly training event allows a wealth of knowledge to gather to assist new soldiers and airmen in some of the finer arts of marksmanship and to simply become better at their jobs.”
Kentucky Guardsmen review their targets at The Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Match in Fort Knox, Ky., July 25, 2015. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Raymond)
Story by Capt. Gus LaFontaine, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Soldiers fire during the combat pistol team match at the annual Adjutant General’s Kentucky National Guard Rifle and Pistol State Training Event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Gus LaFontaine, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
FORT KNOX, Ky. — Thirty-six competitors from the Kentucky Army and Air National Guard competed at Ft. Knox July 26-27 in the annual Adjutant General’s Kentucky National Guard Rifle and Pistol State Training Event.
Participants were competing for a chance to represent Kentucky at regional and national shooting matches as well as the distinction of becoming one of the state’s Governor’s Twenty.
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Spc. Katherine Hix of the HHD 103rd Chemical Battalion fires during the annual Adjutant General’s Kentucky National Guard Rifle and Pistol State Training Event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Gus LaFontaine, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
Spc. Brian Levine of Alpha Company 149th BSB is in his third year of competition in the event.
“The Governors Twenty is open to every company in the state. Soldiers and Airmen can come out and compete as a four-man team. Based on how well you shoot in that competition, the top 20 members will make the Governor’s Twenty.”
Levine spoke about the benefits of competing.
“You get to shoot with some good people that have been doing it for a long time. You’ve got some guys that have been doing it for over 20 years so they’ve got tons of tricks and tips. There are a lot of things that you can learn and take back to your unit and teach people.”
The weekend-long event is broken into team and individual matches. Competitors fire the pistol and rifle from a variety of shooting positions and ranges. At the completion of shooting, each competitor’s score is added and the Governor’s Twenty is identified.
Spc. Katherine Hix of the 103rd Chemical Battalion competed for the first time this year.
“You get a lot out of this event. A lot of experience, a lot of training, and it’s a lot of fun.”
Staff Sgt. Jason Woolum of the 1/149th Infantry Battalion HHC zeros his rifle in preparation for the combat rifle match at the annual Adjutant General’s Kentucky National Guard Rifle and Pistol State Training Event. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Capt. Gus LaFontaine, 133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)
Sgt. 1st Class Cory Goatley is the Assistant State Marksmanship Coordinator in the Small Arms Readiness Training Section (SARTS). He is also part of the Governor’s Twenty. This was his fourth year competing in the event. He explained that Soldiers interested in competing should express interest to their commanders. The competition is regularly held in July. In April a Letter of Instruction is sent to commanders outlining the procedures for entry into the event.
“In April Soldiers that are interested should start inquiring from their commanders,” Goatley said.
Goatley expressed a desire to see the event grow each year.
“We would love to see 100 shooters a year.”
Goatley has a message for Soldiers that are interested in competing against the best shooters in the state.
“Come out and test your skills, gain some advanced skills, come to the state match and show us what you’ve got. We will help you master those skills as you move forward.”
By Airman Joshua Horton, 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Tech. Sgt. Don Yeats, a radio frequency transmission craftsman from the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron, fires an M4 rifle during the Adjutant General’s Kentucky National Guard State Rifle and Pistol Training Event on July 27, 2013, at Fort Knox, Ky. Fifteen Airmen from the 123rd Airlift Wing competed in the contest July 27 and 28. The 123rd took first place in the pistol team competition, rifle team competition and overall aggregate. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Phil Speck)
KENTUCKY AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Three teams from the 123rd Airlift Wing scored multiple victories against members of the Kentucky Army National Guard in the Adjutant General’s Kentucky National Guard State Rifle and Pistol Training Event held at Fort Knox, Ky., on July 27 and 28.
To see all the photos from this story, please click HERE!
The annual contest is sponsored by the Kentucky Army National Guard Small Arms Readiness Training Section to promote full combat readiness with a friendly competition, said Senior Master Sgt. Darryl Loafman, ground and weapons safety manager at the 123rd Airlift Wing here.
Awards are given for multiple team and individual competitions using pistols and rifles shot at life-size targets with distances ranging from 25 to 400 yards for rifles and 15 to 30 yards for pistols.
“Military members don’t normally get this opportunity to receive advanced marksmanship training at this level,” Loafman said. “This training goes well above and beyond the Air Force qualification course.”
This year, the 123rd’s A team took first place in the pistol team competition, overall competition and aggregate score. The B team took first place in the rifle team competition, while Loafman won the individual pistol competition and placed second overall.
“You really get to learn what people are made of,” Loafman said of the contest. “You’re building a team. You have all those personalities out there you have to be able to deal with, but you learn a lot about people when they’re under stress.”
Senior Master Sgt. Darryl Loafman, pistol team captain for the 123rd Airlift Wing marksmanship team, fires an M9 pistol during the Adjutant General’s Kentucky National Guard State Rifle and Pistol Training Event on July 27, 2013, at Fort Knox, Ky. Fifteen Airmen from the 123rd Airlift Wing competed in the contest July 27 and 28. The 123rd took first place in the pistol team competition, rifle team competition and overall aggregate. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Phil Speck)
“I’ve been shooting a long time,” added Loafman, whose first event with the marksmanship team was in 1998. “Whether it’s different positions or new equipment, it’s fun just to compete and learn new things.”
Loafman encouraged all interested Kentucky Air Guardsmen to join the team.
“We’re always looking for new, young shooters to come out and represent the Kentucky Air National Guard.”
Fifteen Airmen from the 123rd Airlift Wing competed in the Adjutant General’s Kentucky National Guard State Rifle and Pistol Training Event July 27 and 28, 2013, at Fort Knox, Ky. The 123rd took first place in the pistol team competition, rifle team competition, and overall aggregate. (Courtesy Photo)
Fifteen Kentucky Air Guardsmen participated in the two-day contest, joining 40 Soldiers from the Army Guard.
Nine Airmen were added to The Governor’s Twenty, an exclusive list that represents the top 20 shooters of the competition. They were Loafman, Senior Airman David Farc, Senior Airman Jacob Fuller, Senior Airman Abe Hilbers, Tech. Sgt. Randall Ford, Tech. Sgt. William Pentecost, Master Sgt. Travis Keehner, Master Sgt. Timothy Kenney and Senior Master Sgt. John Siebert.
First-place rifle team members were Senior Airman Amber Updike, Ford, Pentecost and Keehner.
First-place pistol team members were Fuller, Hilbers, Loafman and Siebert.
