A light wind challenged the six competitors in the fourth annual AER Free Throw Shootout held Thursday outside building 5302.
But the event had its usual outcome.
Ronnie Chronister, deputy commander of the Aviation and Missile Command, won for the third time in four years. He made 25 free throws in three minutes during his turn shooting at a basketball goal set up in the parking lot.
"I paced myself," said Chronister, who sank 36 shots last year. "Doing that for three minutes is pretty tiring. If you try to go too fast you tire yourself out in the last minute."
As the first shooter on a sunny morning, he got into his usual rhythm and set the bar high for the five competitors who followed. "Hey, who's picking that wind up?" he quipped at one point.
Tied for second place with 24 free throws were AMCOM chief of staff Col. Skip Sherrell and Jeremy Bolton, executive officer to the executive director of the command's Integrated Materiel Management Center.
Artro Whitman, director of supply chain management at IMMC, was next with 21. He was followed by 2010 winner John Schocke, IMMC's division chief for personnel/professional development, with 18. Curt Gross, air defense branch chief in the center's Readiness Directorate, had 17.
"This is a lot of fun," Chronister told the approximately 50 spectators afterward. "And thank you all for coming out and supporting this."
The proceeds went to Army Emergency Relief, "to help raise money for a good cause," he said. "Really it's about supporting our Soldiers."
He reminded everyone that there are Soldiers and aircraft that remain in theater supporting this nation.
"This is just a small way for us to help them and pay them back when they need our assistance," Chronister said.
Norman Curry and Stephen Walls, both from the Readiness Directorate logistics assistance program, were the event's organizers. "I would say roughly about $500" was raised, Curry said.
As the competitors and spectators left to resume their work day, Chronister smiled and had a final thought about the contest, "Excellence prevailed."
Social Sharing