FORT BENNING, Ga. (Oct. 01, 2013) – The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, in conjunction with the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Ga., will host the 2014 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 1.
The “All-Army” competition is open to all Soldiers — active and Reserve component — of all ranks including, West Point and Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets.
The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, or USAMU, hosts the “All-Army” in order to raise the standard of marksmanship across the force and increase overall Army combat readiness.
There is no cost to compete in the championship and ammunition is provided to all competitors. USAMU Soldiers will conduct small arms firing schools and hands-on training prior to each match. Instructors include Olympians as well as world, national and interservice champions. As the Army’s critical intent is to develop combat firing skills at the entry and intermediate level (as well as recognizing superior skill at the highest levels), Soldiers will compete in separate Cadet, Novice, Open and Pro classes based on their competition experience. Soldiers will fire M-16 or M-4 service rifles at distances between 25-500 yards, and M-9 pistols between 7-35 yards in a variety of courses of fire.
There is also a combined arms match, where competitors employ the rifle and pistol in a number of exciting stages of fire that simulate close-quarters marksmanship.
During the pistol and rifle matches, there will be an Excellence-in-Competition, or EIC, Match where all Soldiers can earn points toward their EIC Marksmanship Badges. The prestigious EIC badge takes precedence over standard qualification badges. In addition to individual awards, battalion-level and up teams can compete for team awards and unit recognition.
Range capacity for this event is 240, so early registration is encouraged. Once registration exceeds that number, Soldiers will be placed on a stand-by list for the competition.
For additional information and to register, visit the USAMU website at www.usamu.com or contact the USAMU chief of competitions, at (706) 545-7841.