By Tech. Sgt. Zachary Wilson
JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Staff Sgt. George Reinas likes guns as outsized as his personality and viewers across the country will get to see him shoot off both when season two of the History Channel's "Top Shot" premieres.
Reinas is a security forces sniper assigned to the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's 421st Combat Training Squadron as an instructor. He recently returned from California after filming the series' second season pitting him against 15 world class shooters competing for a $100,000 prize and the distinction of being recognized as the best.
"That's what it was really about for me," he said. "The money was cool, but I really just wanted to go in there and dominate -- I knew I was going to walk in there and shoot with no problem."
The show will feature more than 20 weapons this season including the iconic "Tommy Gun", the .44 Magnum, and a .50 caliber sniper rifle. Not just firearms, the competition also includes archery and primitive weapons as well, according to the show's website.
"I have no regrets -- I let it all hang out while I was out there," he said.
Actual details including how Reinas eventually finished are not able to be disclosed at this time due to contractual issues, but the seven-year Air Force NCO is confident that viewers will get a chance to get to know him throughout the series. Reinas notes that he stayed on the show longer than a month and "was glad I did it, the experience was great."
Reinas became involved with the show after watching Season 1 and noticing a commercial asking for potential applicants to send a video of themselves for consideration for season two.
"I must have sent in the worst video ever," he joked. "They did end up calling me back the same day I submitted it and the phone interview went much, much better."
Soon after, he was headed to Los Angeles to meet with the show producers before formally being invited to participate.
He acknowledges he comes off a bit cocky and arrogant on the show, but he explains that's the mindset he has to have in his line of work to be successful.
"Could you imagine if, here I am, an Air Force sniper instructor, and I went out there and blew it? That would really make me pretty awesome within the Air Force sniper community," he sarcastically noted.
However, he's adamant that thought only crossed his mind after shooting and he felt he was not really pressured.
"That's just my personality," he said. "I knew I was going to be the loudest dude out there and I didn't really care about the cameras or whatever else was going on."
Reinas' background in the Air Force include serving as both a sniper and sniper instructor as well as winning the Air Mobility Commands Rodeo shooting completion as both a participant in 2006 and coach in 2009.
"The Air Force has really given me an awesome career -- my career path is a rarity within Security Forces, I've always had the opportunity to work with great NCOs who have given me great opportunities that most cops don't always get."
Reinas will spend Tuesday night at a local establishment watching the show with a group of his friends. He expects people who know him will not be surprised by his antics on the show.
"I haven't seen it yet so I'm interested to see how it all comes out, but I'm sure it's going to be pretty entertaining for everyone who knows me."
As for how close he gets to earning the title "Top Shot," America is going to have to watch and find out.
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