Shooting competition brings troops together under fire

Photo By Spc. Deborah Ledesma | Camp Patriot, Kuwait (December 6, 2006)---Servicemembers from multiple military branches begin to fire their M9 pistols during a recent shooting competition near Camp Patriot, Kuwait.  

12.05.2006

Story by Spc. Deborah Ledesma 

40th Public Affairs Detachment

by Spc. Debrah A. Robertson
Desert Voice Assistant Editor
40th Public Affairs Detachment

The sky was a cool blue, the temperature crisp. Servicemembers stationed in Kuwait and southern Iraq mingled among neatly lined tables. The camaraderie was evident but competition is what brings these people together during the early hours of November.

For six days, the Air Force's 586th Expedionary Mission Support Group, Detachment 1, held its first shooting competition in Kuwait.

The lanes, prepared by the Airmen, looked new. Clean, unused target platforms stood unweathered downrange.

Months of preparations paid off. More than 166 servicemembers from multiple military branches, including the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Coast Guard, signed up for the competition, said Air Force Master Sgt. Chuck Yates, a mission support fight, services, anti-terrorism/ force protection superintendent for the 586th, exceeding the overall goal of 150.

Civilians and Kuwait National Guardsmen were also among the competitors.

"We have been planning the event for over eight weeks," said Air force Lt. Col. Arthur E. Rozier, Commander of the 586th. "The work to get all the things built, briefings developed and rehearsals by the detachment constituted over 150 work hours to prepare for the event."

"We place a lot of pride on the competition," said Yates. "Seeing it happen is rewarding.

Thirty-five Airmen from 14 different Air Force bases around the world came together for the project, he said.

"Our detachment team here at [Camp Patriot] has done everything needed to conduct the event in a safe, efficient and enjoyable manner," said Rozier. "Several of the competitors have commented on the event and said it is the best of its type they have attended."

Tech. Sgt. Michael Somuk, a security forces military policeman with the 886th Expeditionary Security Force Squadron, described the atmosphere at the range as "comfortable with friendly competition."

Competition is important "to enhance the marksmanship ability of all the military members," said Rozier.

"It will put more faith in servicemembers in handling their weapons," said Airman 1st Class Don Luckinbill, also a security forces military policeman with the 886th ESFS.

"It all falls back on training," said Sr. Airman Matthew Krueger, another 886th security forces military policeman. "If we don't know what we're doing, we can't save our lives or the people we work with."

"It gives you more trigger time," said Airman 1st Class Travis Acevedo, a security forces military policeman with the 886th, about the competition. "When it comes time to use [your M9], you're not fiddling with your weapon."

While terrorists are doing the "shoot and pray," U.S. servicemembers are trained and proficient, said Acevedo.

"Overall, the performance [of the competitors] was very good and all the services did well," said Rozier. "It's good to see this much skill in the marksmanship of our servicemembers."

So, after a morning of skillful marksmanship amid quite a few friendly competitors, the sun begins to warm the crisp desert air and the servicemembers begin to turn in their score cards, collect the expended brass and load into their vehicles to travel back to their home camps, some of them hours away.

And the winner is...

GOLD 10 Point Award
1Sgt. 1st Class Donald Gimlen (Army)
2Staff Sgt. Robert Baltimore (Air Force)

SILVER 8 Point Award
3Master Sgt. Dallas Mathis(Air Force)
4Tech. Sgt. Michael Somuk(Air Force)
5Chief Petty Officer Eric Hingley (Navy)

BRONZE 6 Point Award
6Staff Sgt. Sean Nichols (Air Force)
7Lt. Col. Henri Lambert (Air Force)
8Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin Tierney (Navy)
9Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Gautier (Navy)

• Date Taken: 12.05.2006
• Date Posted: 12.05.2006 09:29
• Story ID: 8483