Tennessee provides fierce opponents at National Marksmanship Competition

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee National Guardsmen scored high in the Chief National Guard Bureau Postal Match that took place May 20-26 at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock, Ark.

The Tennessee team consisted of five members of the Army and Air National Guard within the state. Air National Guard members were Staff Sgt. Allen Hendryx, Master Sgt. Brian McDonald, and Lt. Col. Keith Stiles, all from the 164th Airlift Wing based in Memphis, Tenn. Army National Guard members were Sgt. Christopher Fischer of Detachment 1, 268th Military Police Company, based in Alamo, Tenn., and Capt. Andrew Hahn of the 268th MP Co. out of Ripley, Tenn.

Hendryx took first place in the Combat Rifle Excellence in Competition, second place in the 3-Gun Shoot Out Championship, and third place in the General George Patton Combat Rifle Match.

Hahn took first place in the Rifle Individual Champion, and in the Close Quarter Engagement Matches; second place in the General George Patton Combat Rifle Match, Close Quarter Battle, and Rifle Run Down; and third place in the 3-Gun Shoot Out Championship and Reflexive Fire portion of the competition.

McDonald took third place in the Pistol Positional Match, and Stiles took third place in the Rifle Run Down.

All members made the top 20 of the Overall Individual CNGB Postal Match Championship: Hahn – 8th, Hendryx – 11th, Fischer – 12th, McDonald – 17th, and Stiles – 20th. 

Team Tennessee proved to be fierce opponents in several of the matches that make up the entire competition. Out of the approximately 20 different matches, the Tennessee National Guardsmen achieved positions in the top ten 38 times. Most matches had 52 competitors, but several had nearly 100.

Additionally, Tennessee recently held its state level Adjutant General Pistol Match on May 19-21. The Tennessee Air National Guard’s 118th Wing, Joint Base Berry Field, Nashville, Tenn., took first place team for the competition. The Volunteer Training Site in Tullahoma took second and the 269th MP Co., based in Murfreesboro, Tenn., placed third.

Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Aaron Davis of B-Troop, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, Clarksville, Tenn., took first place in the individual competition. Army National Guard Sgt. Charles Wright, 1/230th Assault Helicopter Battalion at Joint Base Berry Field in Nashville, Tenn., took second in the individual competition. Finally, Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Michael Carey, 118th Wing, Nashville, Tenn., placed third in the individual competition.

The purpose of the state level competition is to train and learn. Regional and national level competitions are meant to showcase your skills. While safety is paramount at all shooting events, participants do get some down time to relax and meet their fellow Guardsmen from across the state.

Tennessee National Guard Soldiers and Airmen participate in the annual Adjutant General’s Pistol Match May 19-21 at the Volunteer Training Site in Tullahoma, Tenn.  (Tennessee National Guard photo by MSgt Robin Brown)