FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas -- Eventually every soldier has to perfect breath control and target alignment at some point in his or her Army career.
For Sgt. 1st Class Paul Miller those techniques were crucial in proving his archery skills at the Vegas Shoot, the world's largest and most prestigious indoor archery festival held in early February. This year the festival in Las Vegas broke attendance records, with 3,480 archers from 45 different countries competing in the event.
The competition itself lasted three intense days, with each competitor firing 30 arrows apiece at a distance of 20 yards each day.
"On the surface, it sounds easy and truthfully it is," said Miller, who is assigned to the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick. "The hard part comes with the target."
The infamous Vegas target face is scored sequentially with target rings valued at 10 through one, with a bullseye ring for a tie breaker. Miller knew his shots would have to stay within the 10 ring during the competition for him to remain competitive in his class of 1,200 archers. To put that in perspective, the 10 ring is roughly the size of a 50 cent piece. (Smaller still is the bullseye, which is the size of a penny.)
Throughout the three days of competition, Miller went outside the 10 ring just once, achieving a total score of 899 out of a perfect 900 to win the title in his category.
Growing up in Middletown, Maryland, Miller kept a bow in his home that his uncle had given him some time ago. While he was stationed at Fort Detrick, he found that his team leader was an avid bow hunter. When his leader asked if anyone would be interested in hunting deer as part of the installation's deer management program, Miller figured he would pull out his dusty bow and give it a try. His first shots were horrible.
"It took everything just to hit the bale of hay," Miller recalled.
But after just a few shots, Miller was hooked. In his first year, he managed to take down six deer using the bow. In recent years, he became heavily involved with an archery group called Tuscarora Archers, who taught him the correct way to shoot and introduced him to competitive archery. Today, he is a range captain with the group.
With the Tuscarora Archers, he began shooting in local archery competitions, which he used as a springboard to enter bigger and tougher competitions. His first competitive event was the Lancaster Archery Classic in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The event also marked his first exposure to competitors who make a living shooting a bow.
"It's an awesome sport," Miller said. "Everyone is so friendly and always giving each other pointers. The other thing is, regardless of gender, disability or age, this sport can be done by everyone as long as they can pull the string."
Miller still remembers watching a shooter during one competition who was legally blind. He was in awe of the shooter's skill.
"This really is a sport for anyone," Miller said. "Take Matt Stutzman for example. He was born without arms and is arguably one of the best archers in the world and does everything with his feet. He won silver in the 2012 Paralympic Games."
While stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Miller managed to become a three-time Texas State Champion and a member of the 32nd Medical Brigade shooting team. In 2014, that team went on to the Army Small Arms Championship at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he finished in the top 10 percent in the Army.
Miller continues to progress in the sport and hopes to have his certification to instruct by fall 2017.
"I just like to shoot," he said. "It's my way to relax, and so far 2017 has been a good year for me."
In 2017, he plans to compete in the Maryland State Championship and more local tournaments.
To date, Miller's career highlights include:
-- 2017 Champion World Archery Festival in Las Vegas.
-- 2016 Maryland State Champion.
-- Three-time Texas State Champion.
-- Two-time NFAA Southern Section Champion.
-- 7th place at the National Marked 3-D Championship in Redding, California.
Social Sharing