MARSEILLIES, IL (08/01/2011)(readMedia)– Despite temperatures reaching higher than 100 degrees, more than 100 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers competed in this year’s Adjutant General’s combat rifle and pistol competition July 23 and 24 at Marseilles Training Center.
The annual competition is designed to highlight and evaluate the marksmanship of Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers, said Sgt. Terry Pody of Machesney Park, the state rifle competition team coach with Joint Force Headquarters in Springfield.
This year’s match encompassed individual and team events that tested competitors’ abilities to engage multiple targets from different positions including the standing, kneeling and prone.
Soldiers also participated in a fallen comrade drill. During the event, teams of four Soldiers conducted a live-fire drill engaging numerous targets 100 yards away while two of the four Soldiers evacuated an “injured” troop.
“It was tough, but our hard work and training paid off,” said Sgt. Dimar Vasquez of Chicago, a squad leader with Company C, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment in Joliet and recipient of the prestigious Governor’s Twenty Tab.
“Soldiers prepared months in advance,” said Pody. “Range time and physical training are so important when preparing for an event of this caliber. Coordinating all the elements to make this event happen took a lot of work and careful planning.”
Upon completion of the competition, Soldiers were awarded plaques, tabs and certificates by Maj. Gen. Dennis L. Celletti of Springfield, the Illinois National Guard’s Assistant Adjutant General – Army.
“The more and more you guys can shoot professionally, the better your skill sets become,” Celletti told the crowd of competitors in the packed auditorium armory. “These rifle, pistol annual matches are a critical element that identifies the top shooters out there in the field. You Soldiers set the standard and I’m very proud of each and every one of you. Holding our Soldiers to these high standards of rifle and pistol marksmanship are what exemplify the true meaning of troop welfare and core values.”
The top Soldiers will now compete at the regional and national levels in the next few months.
Below are the overall winners of the competitions:
Pistol Match
1. Sgt. Jeremy Gebhardt of Springfield, with the 333rd Military Police Company (MP Co.), Freeport
2. Staff Sgt. Andrew Rotman of Lawrenceville, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 766th Engineer Battalion (Eng. Bn.), Decatur
3. Staff Sgt. Shawn Cannamore of Metropolis, with Company C, 33rd Brigade Support Battalion (BSTB), Carbondale
4. Staff Sgt. John Daniel of Chicago, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry Regiment, Aurora
5. Staff Sgt. Tracy Mix of Marseilles, Company A, 33rd BSTB, Marseilles
Rifle Competition
1. Staff Sgt. John Jones of Robinson, 631st Eng. Co., Lawrenceville
2. Staff Sgt. Gabriel Cullers of Carrier Mills, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Marion
3. Sgt. Jeremy Gebhardt of Springfield with 333rd MP Co., Freeport
Rifle Novice
1. Chief Warrant Officer (2) Ryan Landon of Chandlerville, 3637th Field Support Maintenance Company, Springfield
2. Spc. Kalin Durbin of Decatur, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Litchfield
3. Staff Sgt. Dimar Vasquez of Chicago, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Litchfield
Pistol Open Competition
1. Staff Sgt. William Thorpe of Millstadt, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Marion
2. Master Sgt. Jeffrey Stoudt of Sheridan, Joint Force Headquarters, Marseilles
3. Sgt. Jeremy Gebhardt of Springfield, 333rd MP Company, Freeport
Pistol Novice competition
1. Chief Warrant (2) Jeff Hughes of Quincy, 1844th Transportation Company, Quincy
2. Staff Sgt. Henry Baez of Chicago, 135th Chemical Company, Machesney Park
3. Spc. Lucas Kinkelaar of Carterville, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Effingham
Team Rifle Competition
1. 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment
2. 766th Eng. Bn.
3. 135th Chemical Company
Overall Pistol Team
1. 333rd MP Co.
2. 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment
3. 135th Chemical Company
Governor’s Top 20
1. Chief Warrant (2) Landon Ryan of Chandlerville, 3637th Field Support Maintenance Company in Springfield
2. Chief Warrant (2) Jeff Hughes of Quincy, 1844th Transportation Company in Quincy
3. Spc. Lucas Kinkelaar of Carterville, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Effingham
4. Staff Sgt. William Thorpe of Millstadt, HHC, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Marion
5. Sgt. Jeremy Gebhardt of Springfield with the 333rd MP Co., Freeport
6. Spc. Kalin Durbin of Decatur, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Effingham
7. Staff Sgt. John Jones III of Robinson, the 631st Eng. Co., Lawrenceville
8. Staff Sgt. Gabriel Cullers of Carrier Mills, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, West Frankfort
9. Spc. Kevin Riggle of Wheaton, 933rd MP Co., Waukegan
10. Sgt. Benjamin Nolden of Dekalb, Headquarters, Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry, Kewanee
11. Staff Sgt. Dimar Vasquez of Chicago, Company C, 1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment in Joliet
12. Staff Sgt. David Waters of Dixon, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Litchfield
13. Staff Sgt. John Hunter of Elburn, A Company, 405th Brigade Support Battalion, Streator
14. Spc. Scott Vanduker of Marion, Headquarters, Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Marion
15. Staff Sgt. Terry Bowers of Cambridge, Headquarters, Headquarters, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Marion
16. Sgt. Daniel Pitariu of Wheaton, 135 Chemical Company, Machesney Park
17. Staff Sgt. Mathew Madiar of Bensenville, Troop C, 2nd Squadron, 106th Cavalry, Aurora
18. Sgt. Malachi Johnson of Mansfield, Company B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment, Effingham
19. Spc. Nolan Murray of Ottawa, A Company, A Company, 405th Brigade Support Battalion, Streator
20. Staff Sgt. Henry Baez of Chicago, 135th Chemical Company, Machesney Park
photo 1) U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jason Dorsey, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment/ Spc. Derek E. Morrow, of Springfield, with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment simulates a casualty awaiting medical evacuation during the fallen comrade challenge event at the Adjutant General’s combat rifle and pistol sustainment training exercise July 23 and 24 at Marseilles Training Center in LaSalle County.
Story and Photos by Spc. Jason Dorsey, 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
Photo1 Spc. Derek E. Morrow, of Springfield, with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry Regiment simulates a casualty awaiting medical evacuation during the fallen comrade challenge event.