JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - Top shooters from U.S. Army Alaska claimed third place overall at the U.S. Army Small Arms Competition held at Fort Benning the first week of February 2015.
Twenty-five teams from across the Army to include the regular Army, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard competed at the event.
The teams consisted of four competitors each, along with a coach.
The USARAK team was well represented by a diverse group from its two main Alaska installations, Fort Wainwright and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.
Representing USARAK at the competition were: Staff Sgt. Robert Blanton, an infantryman with the 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division; Staff Sgt. Nathan Hilmanowski, an infantryman with the 1st Squadron (Airborne), 40th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th ID; Staff Sgt. Jean-Noel Howell, an infantryman with the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st SBCT, 25th ID; and Staff Sgt. Samuel Bartlett, an infantryman with the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 1st SBCT, 25th ID.
The coach for the USARAK team was Master Sgt. Byron Humphrey, who is assigned to the 4th IBCT (ABN), 25th ID.
"They were phenomenal," said Humphrey, speaking on his team's accomplishments. "We sent a team of guys who literally trained for three weeks and they placed third overall. That's huge!"
Team USARAK had a very experienced pistol shooter in Staff Sgt. Jean-Noel Howell, who placed first overall in the individual pistol shooting category. He was the only member on the team with a "Pro class" rating. The other three were all in the "Novice Class," meaning they had not previously been in any official shooting competitions.
One rule in the competition was at least one team member had to be novice. The USARAK team had three novice members, which further enhanced and signified their third place overall achievement.
A significant factor at the competition was fitness. The team was able to complete a 1.5-mile run while donning a full-kit of military gear in a very respectable time, which awarded the team with bonus points, helping to propel it toward the top of the competition.
Accuracy and focus were paramount as the team negotiated the target range, firing from the 400-yard mark, sprinting to the 300-yard mark, firing as accurately as possible, then, sprinting to the 200-yard mark, and so on.
Coach Humphrey did his best to keep the team motivated and focused.
"While they were running from yard line to yard line, I was running with them coaching them all the way along," said Humphrey. "They were shooting all iron sights. M16A4, iron sites, no special bullets, just regular green-tipped ammo from 500 yards, 400 yards, three, two, one, I mean they're shooting from some pretty far distances."
Other challenges included engaging targets from multiple side-to-side angles while moving through the course.
All of the team members said they enjoyed the competition very much, and said that even though they went there to win, they were proud to earn the third place award.
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