Photo By Staff Sgt. Sebastian Rothwyn | New York Army National Guard Sgt. Craig Rowell, a member of the 204th Engineer...... read more read more
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JERICHO, Vermont – Thirteen New York Army National Guard Soldiers competed for top small arms marksmanship honors against 61 other National Guard service members from the New England states during a three-day shooting competition at Camp Ethan Allen Training Site in Jericho, Vermont.
The National Guard 26th Annual Marksmanship Advisory Council Region One Combat Championships, dubbed the MAC1, was held from August 19 to 21.
Guard shooters from six states competed in ten matches directed by the Vermont Army National Guard’s Small Arms Readiness and Training Section and the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
The first two days consisted of individual competitions, and the third day was for team matches.
Sgt. Craig Rowell, a member of the 204th Engineer Battalion’s 152nd Engineer Support Company, placed 3rd in the novice individual class for the Close Quarter Battle Match competition.
The New York National Guard “Alpha Team” of four shooters -- Staff Sgt. Steven Bastardo from the 1569th Medium Truck Company; Sgt. Adam Crist, and SPC Christian Leenhouts, who are both assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry and Sgt. 1st Class Robert LaMorte II, assigned to the 42nd Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade; took 3rd place in the anti-body armor match.
“This competition provides National Guardsmen the opportunity to test their skills against their peers from around the entire region,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Cara Krauss, the MAC1 chairperson and Vermont’s state marksmanship director.
This was the first time the New York Soldiers competed at the regional level, except for LaMorte II who competed in a national-level machine gun competition in July as part of a two-Soldier team.
Rowell said that he felt blessed to have the opportunity to compete with his fellow guardsmen from across New York.
It was” a phenomenal thing” to compete alongside them on a regional level, Rowell added.
Bastardo, a motor transport operator, said that he was proud of the team for coming together for the first time from different units across New York, adjusting to each other, and working together well.
Soldiers representing the 53rd Troop Command were:
• Staff Sgt. Steven Bastardo, 1569th Medium Truck Company; 369th Special Troops Battalion.
• Spc. Denver DeGroff, 152nd Engineer Support Company, 204th Engineer Battalion.
• Sgt. 1st Class Rapheal Ramos, 152nd Engineer Support Company, 204th Engineer Battalion.
• Sgt. Craig Rowell, 152nd Engineer Support Company, 204th Engineer Battalion.
• Sgt 1st Class William Walker, 152nd Engineer Support Company, 204th Engineer Battalion.
Representing the 42nd Infantry Division were:
• Sgt. Sean Brosnan, A Battery 1st Battalion 258th Field Artillery.
• Pfc. Carson Hotaling, A Battery 1st Battalion 258th Field Artillery.
• Spc. Brandon Nugent, A Battery 1st Battalion 258th Field Artillery.
• Pfc. Eliseo Rodriguez, A Battery 1st Battalion 258th Field Artillery.
• Sgt. Adam Crist, Headquarters Troop 2nd Squadron 101st Cavalry.
• Spc. Christian Leenhouts, C Troop 2nd Squadron 101st Cavalry.
• Spc. Seth Schoenfelder, Headquarters Troop 2nd Squadron 101st Cavalry.
• Sgt. 1st Class Robert LaMorte II, 42nd Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade.
The regional competitors were picked during each state’s Adjutant General's Combat Marksmanship Skills competition.
Region One consists of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont. Rhode Island was the only state not represented at the event this year.
Sgt. 1st Class Pierre Sume, the New York Army National Guard marksmanship coordinator said that his expectation coming to the Vermont competition was for the soldiers to learn, train, compete, and bring some knowledge back home so they could motivate others to become more lethal.
Some of the New York Soldiers will have the chance to compete at the National Guard’s Winston P. Wilson shooting competition in 2023.
Sume said that he was most proud of seeing soldiers that were not even aware of this program a couple months ago, winning awards.
It's all about making this better and improving readiness, he said.
| Date Taken: | 08.25.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 08.26.2022 15:28 |
| Story ID: | 428152 |
| Location: | JERICHO, VERMONT, US |
| Web Views: | 140 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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