South Carolina National Guard's Small Arms Readiness Training share their skills and experiences

By Spc. Chelsea BakerOctober 31, 2017

South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
1 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
2 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
3 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
4 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Kevin Pritchett with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
5 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
6 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
7 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
8 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
9 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
10 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Regina Barber with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant w... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
11 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Regina Barber with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant w... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
12 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chris Churd with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
13 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chris Churd with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participa... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
14 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Soldiers with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant was required to ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
15 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Lawrence with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each par... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
16 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Kevin Pritchett with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
17 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Master Sgt. Rene Wilson with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participates in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each partici... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
18 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Lawrence with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each par... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
19 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Mack Williams with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant w... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
20 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Wes Linder with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participan... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
21 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Regina Barber with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant w... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
South Carolina National Guard's Elite Marksmanship Team
22 / 22 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Sgt. Mack Williams with the Small Arms Readiness Training section, South Carolina National Guard, participate in the South Carolina Regional Pistol Championship Competition in Orangeburg, South Carolina, October 27, 2017. Each participant w... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ORANGEBURG, S.C. - In December of 2005, U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Lawrence became a member of the South Carolina Army National Guard Small Arms Readiness Training Section, an elite group of marksmen who compete against other service members and civilians across the country. They also train Guardsmen in South Carolina, but many don't even know they exist.

Lawrence, the State Marksmanship Coordinator, has served 19 years in the South Carolina Army National Guard. With 16 Soldiers in the unit, they not only travel around the state to compete in marksmanship competitions, they also travel around the state to provide training to Soldiers who need additional improvement with their shooting capabilities.

"A lot of people get the misconception that we are just a shooting team, but we are more than that. We also bring an asset to the state," said Lawrence.

Marksmanship is something that every Soldier needs to be experienced and proficient in. In the National Guard, it's sometimes hard to get enough practice to become more proficient since units typically go to the range only once a year. That one time a year, Soldiers must zero their weapons and qualify all within that one weekend.

This can put a lot of pressure on the Soldiers to successfully qualify. The SCARNG Small Arms Readiness Training Section can provide very valuable information and different training techniques to help Soldiers who don't have the opportunity to practice shooting skills outside of drill weekends. This allows them to get more hands on practice and feel more comfortable when it's time to go to the range.

"Non-combat Soldiers don't have as many opportunities to get to the range," said Lawrence "We bring knowledge to those who need help with shooting and train them on how to improve their shooting abilities."

Whey they compete, the Small Arms Readiness Training Section is a force to be reckoned with. They compete in local competitions as well as National Championships where they have returned with multiple trophies and awards. Almost every year, they have had the highest National Guard shooter in the National Rifle Association (NRA) or the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP).

Additionally, they have several Soldiers who wear the President's 100 Tab, which is earned if you place in the top 100 of 700 people who attend nationals. Those 700 people they compete against range from all military branches, civilians, women, seniors and law enforcement agencies. This makes the competition a lot more difficult but makes winning that much more rewarding.

"When you go to a competition or event and people notice us because of our flag or our blue hats, it's rewarding and we feel a sense of pride for our state," said Lawrence.

The SCANG Small Arms Readiness Training Section is dedicated to share their skills and experiences with those who are seeking help.

"I have a lot of passion for teaching marksmanship just because there are so many myths when it comes to shooting," said Lawrence. "My teaching methods have been instilled in me from the people who were here prior to me. This drives me to continue to help individuals as well as units to be better prepared and have a better understanding for shooting."

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