FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. –
Virginia National Guard Soldiers and Airman assigned to units across the Commonwealth made a strong showing at the Marksmanship Advisory Council Region II marksmanship sustainment exercise, with VNG teams taking second place overall at the competition Aug. 23 - 25, 2024, at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.
The Virginia National Guard Combat Marksmanship team placed in the top three of every match, having five members in the top ten in every individual event and placing in the top three of every team event. Sgt. Michael McClaskie and Staff Sgt. Colin Ryan finished in first and second respectively in the individual pistol aggregate, while Sgt. 1st Class Jefferey Ice and Ryan finished first and second in the individual rifle aggregate. McClaskie and Ryan also finished first and second in the combined pistol and rifle aggregate.
Competing against shooters from states that are designated from Region II, which includes Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, New Jersey and Washington D.C. National Guards, Virginia’s competitors used their training and skill to rise to the challenge.
“The MAC II Regional Championships, conducted by the Pennsylvania National Guard Marksmanship Training Unit, is an annual event to promote marksmanship training,” said Sgt. 1st Class Tony Hancock, assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard’s Marksmanship Training Unit, 183rd Regiment, Regional Training Institute. “This training exercise, disguised as a competition, offers service members an opportunity to test marksmanship skills and weapon systems in a battle-focused environment.”
“I believe we represented very well,” said Staff Sgt. Daniel Shumate, one of Virginia’s shooters. “The training helps us understand where our deficiencies are while being able to learn from our peers on how to become more proficient with their weapon. This allows the shooters to learn various techniques and bring back the knowledge along with the experience gained to share with their home unit increasing lethality and readiness.”
“It strengthens retention, some of the soldiers develop a drive to become distinguished and want to be better marksman to get more opportunities to leg in pistol and rifle,” said Capt. Noel Robleto, commander of the Leesburg-based Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment, 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. “It also strengthens marksmanship knowledge that the soldiers bring back to their home units, which breeds results on the battlefield.”
The intense competition proved beneficial for the team’s less experienced shooters as well.
“Regionals for the novice competitors was an extremely humbling experience,” said Sgt. Cameron Hohenschutz. “We looked up to the senior and distinguished shooters and were able to see the level of hard work and dedication at practice transferred to an expert level of execution. Returning to further competitions is going to require more training on our off time to achieve that level of excellence.”
The MTU’s mission is to teach, improve, and refine marksmanship training techniques, according to Hancock.
“When our soldiers and airmen compete and win individual and team awards, this validates Virginia’s MTU training program,” Hancock said. “By design, these shooters will inherently train and advise their perspective rank and file.”
According to Virginia Air National Guard Master Sgt. Ryan Hooper, the training the MTU provides both Army and Air Guard is extremely valuable.
“Marksmanship is a core competency in the armed forces, both Army and Air,” Hooper said. “If all the technology and cool gadgets fail, the only line of defense we have left is a soldier or airmen with his/her rifle and pistol. This experience highlighted the need to concentrate on marksmanship because it is a perishable skill. The MTU and the training we conduct leading up to these matches, which are basically just validation of that sustainment training, are invaluable resources to make Soldiers and Airmen more capable and lethal.”
Team Virginia will now start preparing for two national-level competitions, including the U.S. Army Small Arms Championship, known as the “All Army”. This competition is hosted by the Maneuver Center of Excellence and the Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Moore, Georgia. This event welcomes National Guard teams to train and compete against active-duty soldiers that represent their parent unit or command.
The second national-level competition is the 54th annual Winston P. Wilson Small Arms Championship held in Camp Robinson, Arkansas. This event is hosted by The National Guard Marksmanship Training Center. This is where all states and territories will usually send two teams to compete and represent.
2024 MAC II Individual Results:
Individual Pistol championship aggregate: 1st place - Sgt. Michael McClaskie; 2nd place - Staff Sgt. Colin Ryan
Individual Rifle championship aggregate: 1st place - Sgt. 1st Class Jefferey Ice; 2nd place - Staff Sgt. Colin Ryan
Individual Pistol and Rifle championship aggregate: 1st place – SGT Michael McClaskie; 2nd place – Staff Sgt. Colin Ryan
Individual Pistol and Rifle championship aggregate novice: 3rd place – Staff Sgt. Kyle Jones
2024 MAC II Team Results:
Pistol Team Aggregate: 1st place - Team Virginia
Rifle Team Aggregate: 2nd place - Team Virginia
Rifle and Pistol Team Aggregate: 2nd place - Team Virginia
Virginia Shooters:
Staff Sgt. Daniel Shumate- 3/116th IN
Capt. Noel Robleto- 3/116th IN
Sgt. Cameron Moulton- 3/116th IN
Sgt. John Hohenschutz- 3/116th IN
Spc. Charles Payne- 1/116th IN
Staff Sgt. Colin Ryan- 1/116th IN
Sgt. 1st Class Chad Stigall- 229th BEB
Sgt. Michael McClaskie- 224th AVN
Sgt 1st Class Marcus Barrington- 91st Cyber
Staff Sgt. Kyle Jones- 2-183rd CAV
Master Sgt. Ryan Hooper- 192nd Security Forces (Virginia Air Guard)
Sgt. 1st Class Jefferey Ice- 183rd RTI