USAMU Article: 3-P at Camp Perry (very interesting!!)

[Capt. Morgan]

2003 National Competitions
MAJ Anti 2003 National Smallbore Rifle NRA 3-Position Champion
By
Walter Clark
88th RSG Public Affairs Office
CAMP PERRY, Ohio - The festive atmosphere of tents, vendors, and even a roving ice cream truck hid the intense and passionate competitive
environment the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit faced at the Smallbore Rifle, Three-Position phase, of the National Rifle and Pistol Matches on the shores of Lake Erie, Ohio.
In smallbore Three-Position, athletes fired .22-caliber smallbore rifles, firing 20 shots each from the prone, standing, and kneeling positions at targets 50 meters downrange. Maximum score is 600 and the 10.4-millimeter 10-ring, worth 10 points, is smaller than a dime. Three position team matches are fired using metallic sights and any sights. The course of fire in smallbore varies with 20 to 40 rounds in varying time frames and shot records depending upon the category.
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit International Rifle shooters took nine total championship positions from fourth to first place throughout the match, but the blustery weather proved a challenge for Army participants and support as well.
Major Michael E. Anti, the U.S. Army's senior military participant and his team faced strong side winds, a change in range location, and stiff competition, but he singularly rode victorious to the top to become National Champion, with a Three-Position overall score of 2,297 points with 100 Xs by the end of the match. Anti still holds the National Championship record set in 1994 of a score of 2,303-91. Anti secured the Any Sight National Champion and the Service Champion for the event as well. Anti received the Frank Parsons Memorial trophy plaque, a gold-plated National Champion Medallion
and a donated Knight Muzzeloading rifle, which he held over his head in a triumphant pose while standing on the winner's podium at the awards ceremony. Major Anti is assigned to the USAMU and is part of the Army's World-Class Athlete Program.
Twenty-five year USAMU team veteran and coach Richard N. Hawkins expressed total gung-ho confidence in AMU's pending victories on Saturday morning but found some frustration by Sunday afternoon with consistently strong winds blowing perpendicular across the firing line all day. "It got windy, real windy, and it came right in on our shooters' positions in an open area," said Hawkins, "plus we were relocated." Hawkins' observations were well founded; the AMU team was moved earlier in the day to the west side of the range where unsheltered shooters faced 85 degrees and a stiff-flying field
flag most of the day. And AMU's Hawkins' athlete-soldiers knew what they were up against, and fought hard for the winner's circle on the range.
As the wind blew across the range the 88th Regional Reserve Command's
Support Group's Signal and Range teams scrambled to replace commo-wire
sandbags being commandeered by shooters looking for something to tie down equipment. The Sunday blow was in contrast to a bluebird-sky shooting venue on Friday and Saturday. "If the weather's not changing, it's not Camp Perry," said 88th RSG's 1SG Alvin Evans. "We have a challenge on our hands when the weather's changing quickly."
Placing in a number of events was USAMU shooter Specialist Four Karyn E. Manges. Manges expressed enjoyment in placing but said with closed fists and a bright smile, "I was so close!" Manges shot competitively, placing in four events: second place woman in Metallic Sights, with a score of 1,138-47; second place overall woman, score of 2,278-95; third place woman in Any Sights at 1,140-48; and a third place overall Service score of 2,278-95. Another enlisted USAMU team member, Specialist Four Trevor D. Gathman, ended up in second place in two events. Gathman scored 2,292-93 in the Service category, and was second in the Any Sight Championship with a score of 1,147-43.
"We had an additional layer of challenge in the team match with many of our good shooters preparing for the Pan-American games," said Anti. Late Sunday afternoon after the Team Competitions the weary AMU team stood by in hot leather shooting coats and pants. They disciplined themselves to be positive for a team portrait, even though they knew this year they didn't take the team trophy. Topping the score were the Pennsylvania Rifle and Pistol Club in third, the United States Army team in second, and the Optimist-Acorn Junior Rifle Club in the first place Any Sight Champion spot. "We knew what
we were up against, and did our Army best," said Hawkins. Other team members nodded in agreement.
Press release provided by the 88th RSG PAO Office, Camp Perry Training Site,
Building 2100, Port Clinton, Ohio, 43452; (614) 336-6280 and fax (614)
336-6232; e-mail: walt.clark@us.army.mil

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