By Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO

FORT BENNING, Ga. — The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit will host the 2012 Maneuver Center of Excellence Combat Pistol and Rifle Championships in February. The pistol matches will be held Feb. 14-16 at Parks Range. The rifle matches will be at Easley Range Feb. 22-24.
           
All military personnel assigned to a unit on Fort Benning or attending a school on post are eligible and encouraged to attend. Army ROTC cadets or cadre from any Georgia or Alabama college ROTC unit are also eligible to compete. There is no cost to attend and ammunition is provided for all competitors. There will be trophies and plaques presented to the top individuals and teams.

Servicemembers and units on Fort Benning have a unique opportunity at their doorstep. The post is one of the only installations in the military to conduct its own small arms firing championships. It is an opportunity for Soldiers to hone their marksmanship skills in a fun and competitive environment prior to a deployment, National Training Center rotation, or simply as a unit training function.

Additionally, the course of fire and ranges are the same ones that will be used a few weeks later during the U.S. Army Small Arms Championships, enabling local Soldiers here to gain an advantage and range familiarity before the busloads of shooters arrive for All-Army in the first week of March.
Shooters will be broken down into three classes: open, novice, and cadet. The novice class is for any competitor who has never fired a shot, individually or for a team, at the U.S. Army Small Arms Championships, Interservice Championships, or national matches.

Both the pistol and rifle matches will have excellence-in-competition matches, enabling competitors to earn points towards distinguished badges in each discipline. The Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge and the Distinguished Rifleman’s Badge, along with the Distinguished International Shooter Badge, are the most prestigious marksmanship badges Soldiers can earn in their military career and are authorized for wear on their uniform in accordance with Army Regulation 670-1.

Soldiers from the USAMU will be on hand to pass along their expertise to those competing, first with classroom instruction and then on the range during the matches. The unit will also be scouting potential future members that they can carry with them for the summer competition season and possible permanent assignments.

For more information, go to the unit’s web site, www.usamu.com or email michael.behnke@usaac.army.mil.

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit will host the 2012 Maneuver Center of Excellence Combat Pistol and Rifle Championships in February. The pistol matches will be held Feb. 14-16 at Parks Range and rifle matches will be Feb. 22-24 at Easley Range. There is no cost to participate in the event and ammunition is provided by the USAMU. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit will host the 2012 Maneuver Center of Excellence Combat Pistol and Rifle Championships in February. The pistol matches will be held Feb. 14-16 at Parks Range and rifle matches will be Feb. 22-24 at Easley Range. There is no cost to participate in the event and ammunition is provided by the USAMU. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)