Photo By Cpl. David Walters | The Shively Trophy was awarded to Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 for winning the Far...... read more read more
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IWAKUNI, Japan - Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, hailing from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, became the new Far East Division Matches champions, December 19, 2014.
Division matches are held in Okinawa, Hawaii, Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune each year in a shooting competition.
MWSS-171 began their shooting in Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 8, which led to a two-week culminating process of qualifying for individual awards and taking home the Shively Trophy.
Just as marksmanship within the Marine Corps has special
recognition within Marine Corps history, the Shively Trophy represents its own.
First awarded in 1957, it is returned at the beginning of the tournament each year and handed off to the new winning squadron.
Lt. Col. James S. Whiteker, commanding officer of MWSS-171, picked, coached and mentored his squadron’s team.
“The air wing typically gets the short stick when it comes to what is expected of our Marines, even though we are as professional and work as hard as any part of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force,” said Whiteker. “So it was extra special to take home the pistol trophy over the division, Marine Logistics Group, Marine Expeditionary Force and Marine Corps Installations Pacific Marines.”
Out of more than 240 competitors, the squadron’s personnel took home a significant amount of personal awards to go along with the trophy.
“Five Marines won individual medals with the pistol and two with the rifle,” said Whiteker. “Total, we took home more than 45 percent of the medals with the pistol and 10 percent with the rifle.”
The personal award marksmanship medals are worn in place of the normal qualification badges and identify distinguished marksmen.
Cpl. Richard P. Mauer, a data network specialist with MWSS-171, won a silver medal in the pistol qualification.
“It feels good winning the silver,” said Mauer. “Honestly, going there I didn’t expect to win at all. I had never shot a pistol before and I placed 13th in the qualification.”
Although Whiteker said it has taken him 12 years and four different division matches to bring home the trophy, but it’s not the physical, hand-held awards that mean the most, it’s the mental and traditional rewards.
“Winning is a culmination of hard work and training, but simply participating ensures that the Marine Corps remains true to its ethos: Every Marine is a rifleman,” said Whiteker. “The Division Matches enables the Corps to continue our rich tradition of marksmanship by building more knowledgeable shooters at each participating unit and also enables the Corps to find the Marines who are most capable of being potential candidates for the Marine Corps rifle and pistol teams.”
Whiteker said that his goals now are to lead his squadron in another title-defending victory next year and hopes to inspire other Marines within the squadron to participate.
“I am extremely proud of all my guys who shot in the matches, not just the winners,” said Whiteker. “I know that we have solidified marksmanship as an important skill in the unit and now, we will have even more Marines fighting to get on the team next year. As these Marines move through the ranks, they will be supporters of the program and push their Marines to participate.”
| Date Taken: | 01.09.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 01.13.2015 20:55 |
| Story ID: | 151933 |
| Location: | IWAKUNI, YAMAGUCHI, JP |
| Web Views: | 107 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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