FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. –
Soldiers and Airmen from the Pennsylvania National Guard competed in the annual Adjutant General’s Combined-Arms Match here June 4 through 6.
A total of 45 service members were put through different rifle, pistol and shotgun challenges to test their marksmanship skills and physical fitness.
Chief Master Sgt. Edward Altmeyer of the 171st Air Refueling Wing was named Combat Pistol Individual Overall Champion, Combat Rifle Individual Overall Champion and Combined Arms Individual Overall Champion, and the 171st ARW was named Combined Arms Team Aggregate Champions.
“Seeing the new guys come out and really taking the time to take it all in and learn the matches is what I enjoy about the competition,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Tompko, deputy director of the TAG Match and acting sate marksmanship coordinator. “I like seeing the veteran shooters come out, year after year because we are all friends and it is good to see them out here … and also watching them help other guys progress through the match.”
The TAG Match is held annually and organized by the Individual Training Branch's Marksmanship Training Unit. Its purpose is to promote overall marksmanship training.
The competition tested the skills and knowledge of the participants in a battle focused environment; using differing positions, running between obstacles, and more.
“We came out and shot a nice combination of weapons," said Staff Sgt. Delonte Palmer, one of the participants and an information systems noncommissioned officer with the Pa. National Guard. "It was timed and it got intense, but everyone made it through safely. I think we shot as well as we could under the pressure, and we had fun doing it."
One of the biggest challenges for Palmer wasn’t the shooting portion, but what competitors had to do between shooting events.
“Shooting wasn’t really the hard part,” he said. “It is in between rounds, they had us sprinting from one round to the next. Getting situated, getting your rounds and everything ready, that can get a little crazy if you do not focus, but overall I do not think it was too difficult.”
For Tompko, he encourages future competitors to look forward and try to get into the competition next year.
“Come out and shoot and don’t get discouraged by your scores,” he said. “Some guys are going to come out and do really well their first time around, but they are going to see scores that some of the guys may think are low but for a new shooter is actually quite good.”
The top competitors with the highest combined rifle and pistol scores, and the 1st Place team will be invited to be assessed for state team selection to represent Pennsylvania at the Marksmanship Advisory Council Region II (MAC II) Regional Competition in August.
The winners of the different categories of this year’s TAG Match:
- Combat Pistol Individual Overall Champion
1st Place: Chief Master Sgt. Edward Altmeyer, 171st Air Refueling Wing
2nd Place: Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Fusco, 111th Attack Wing
3rd Place: Chief Warrant Officer 4 Richard Jones, Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site
- Combat Rifle Individual Overall Champion
1st Place: Chief Master Sgt. Edward Altmeyer, 171st Air Refueling Wing
2nd Place: Staff Sgt. Nicholas Yackovich, 171st Air Refueling Wing
3rd Place: Sgt. Jason Goodling, PA Joint Force Headquarters
- Combined Arms Individual Overall Champion
1st Place: Chief Master Sgt. Edward Altmeyer, 171st Air Refueling Wing
2nd Place: Chief Warrant Officer 4 Richard Jones, Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site
3rd Place: Staff Sgt. Nicholas Yackovich, 171st Air Refueling Wing
- Combined Arms Team Aggregate Champions
1st Place: 171st Air Refueling Wing
2nd Place: PA Joint Force Headquarters
3rd Place: Eastern Army National Guard Aviation Training Site