FORT MOORE, Ga. – U.S. National Guard marksmen have earned a reputation for their consistent triumphs in shooting competition. Army and Air National Guardsmen from across the country traveled to Fort Moore, Georgia, to participate in the 2024 U.S. Army “All Army” Small Arms Championships March 10-16, 2024.
Once more, the Army National Guard aims to reclaim the top position at the All Army Small Arms Championship. Staff Sgt. John Jordan, representing the South Carolina National Guard, secured the title of 2024 All Army Champion at the U.S. Army Small Arms Championships held at Fort Moore, Georgia, March 10-16. Adding to the achievement, Jordan’s team, South Carolina Alpha, also emerged as the 2024 U.S. Army Small Arms Team Champions. 2024 marks the 9th year the National Guard has won the championship.
The week-long competition brought together over 230 shooters, including soldiers and cadets from all components of the U.S. Army such as Active-duty Army, Army National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve, United States Military Academy and Reserve Officers’ and Training Corps to demonstrate their technical and tactical proficiency through a series of individual and team events. The Air National Guardsmen are also allowed to participate due to the National Guard’s joint nature in their states. Each team consisted of four firing competitors with either a coach or a captain.
The training platform used by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center (NGMTC) has been tested and proven to remain focused on precision through lethality. The goal of NGMTC is to produce humble competitors who can teach others the value of marksmanship through their own level of proficiency. The soldiers associated with NGMTC will constantly seek to be and remain the best version of themselves possible.
“I’m so proud of our novice shooters this year as they did extremely well in their perspective category, our hopes are that those novice shooters will become the future of NGMTC and the next generation of Pro/All Guard competitors,” said Capt. David Morris, NGMTC Competitive Marksmanship Program Manager. “What they learn and take away from the coaches now is what they will teach in 10 years.”
Total of 50 teams including 15 National Guard teams who represented the Alabama National Guard, Delaware National Guard, Michigan National Guard, Missouri National Guard, North Dakota National Guard, New Hampshire National Guard, New Mexico National Guard, Ohio National Guard, South Carolina National Guard, Vermont National Guard, and Virginia National Guard competed in 14 courses of fire consisting of service rifle, pistol, and multi-gun matches.
National Guard teams and individuals brought home 15 of the possible 33 top awards, including taking 1st place in six of the 11 categories.
The U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is viewed as a training opportunity for the Guardsmen whose duties do not include a lot of time at the range, building proficiency and taking those skills back to their units. Another reason Guardsmen look forward to this and other marksmanship competitions is the opportunity to see how they stack up amongst their peers.
About Us: Established in 1968, the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center (NGMTC) is the National Guard Home of Marksmanship. NGMTC is the National Guard Bureau’s center for managing marksmanship training courses and competitive marksmanship programs with the intent to advance small arms lethality, demonstrate National Guard marksmanship capability, and enhance marksmanship effectiveness in combat. NGMTC serves all 54 states and territories and is located on Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock, Arkansas. NGMTC is headquarters for the “All Guard” competitive shooting teams: service rifle, service pistol, multi-gun, and international combat teams. The NGMTC is also home of the annual Winston P. Wilson National Championships, where guardsmen may earn the NGB Chief’s 50 Marksmanship Badge. For more information call 501-212-4518 or find us on www.facebook.com/NGMTC, https://www.instagram.com/ngmtc/, and https://linktr.ee/ngmtc
2024 U.S. Army Small Arms Championship Results:
Overall All Army Champions (Individual):
1. Staff Sgt. John Jordan, South Carolina Army National Guard
2. 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister, U.S. Army SERE School
3. Sgt. Mack Williams, South Carolina Army National Guard
U.S. Army Service Rifle Champions (Individual):
1. Staff Sgt. John Jordan, South Carolina Army National Guard
2. 1st Sgt. Josiah Noble, Security Force Assistance Foreign Weapons Course
3. Tech. Sgt. Nicolas Poirier, Vermont Army National Guard
U.S. Army Service Pistol (Individual):
1. Sgt. 1st Class Richard Willis, Army Reserve Careers Group
2. Staff Sgt. John Jordan, South Carolina Army National Guard
3. Sgt. 1st Class Jason Deal, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion
Multi-Gun Champions (Individual):
1. 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister, U.S. Army SERE School
2. Sgt. Colt Edwards, Marksmanship Master Trainer Course
3. Chief Warrant Officer Two Matthew Downing, U.S. Army SERE School
Novice Class Overall Champions:
1. 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister, U.S. Army SERE School
2. Staff Sgt. Louis Gillaspie, XVIII Airborne Corps
3. Sgt. Wyatt Griffith, Missouri Army National Guard
All Army Cadet
1. Cadet David Blackwell, University of North Georgia
2. Cadet Aidan Chretien, Vermont Army National Guard
3. Cadet William Buettner, University of North Georgia
Open Division Champion
1. Sgt. Michael McClaskie, Virginia Army National Guard
2. Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Russell, Missouri Army National Guard
3. Tech. Sgt. Galen Topper, Vermont Air National Guard
All Army Champions (Team):
1. South Carolina Army National Guard (Alpha)
2. 2/11 Airborne Division
3. Michigan Army National Guard (Michigan Blue)
Multi-gun Champions (Team):
1. Team Novosel, USAACE
2. 2/11 Airborne Division
3. South Carolina Army National Guard (Alpha)
U.S. Service Pistol Champions (Team):
1. South Carolina Army National Guard (Alpha)
2. XVIII Airborne Corps – York
3. New Hampshire Army National Guard (Alpha)
U.S. Army Service Rifle Champions (Team):
1. Delaware Army National Guard
2. 2/11 Airborne Division
3. Army Reserve Careers Group Gold
Col. Ralph Puckett Trophy for Excellence
Staff Sgt. Louis Gillaspie, XVIII Airborne Corps
Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley Trophy
Cadet Aidan Chretien, Vermont National Guard
High Drill Sergeant:
Staff Sgt. Andre Ciont, MED COE
Seven Recipients of U.S. Army Distinguished Rifleman Badge:
Sgt. 1st Class Dan Whitner, Kentucky Windage Kings
Sgt. 1st Class John Staats, Arkansas National Guard
Sgt. Michael McClaskie, Virginia National Guard
Tech Sgt. Matthew Jasper, North Dakota National Guard
Cpt. Patrick Randall, New Hampshire National Guard
Sgt. Daniel Shumate, Virginia National Guard
Staff Sgt. Nathan Staskiewicz (485th Double Distinguished Soldier)
Three Recipients U.S. Army Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge:
Capt. Andrew Leupp, Spearhead
Staff Sgt. Evan Bayer, Alabama Army National Guard
Staff Sgt. Christopher Brookings (486th Double Distinguished Soldier)
