Iowa Cav Snipers Take 2nd Place in Joint Competition

A Texas Army National Guard sniper team engages targets during the 2014 Winston P.
Wilson Sniper Championship conducted at Fort Chaffee, Ark. April 19-26. PHOTO:
National Guard Marksmanship Training Center (NGMTC).

A 2-soldier sniper team from the Iowa National Guard's Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment (1-113th Cav.) achieved second place in the 43th Annual Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship conducted April 19-26 at Fort Chaffee, Ark.

According to a proud command sergeant major, Sergeants Jeremy Henrich and Jaime Koopman scored 1083 out of 2040 possible points, just 24 points under the team comprising Marine Corps Scout School Instructors Sgt. Daniel Ramos and Sgt. Shaun Garvey.

Seventeen teams competed in this year's event, which tested 16 skills involved in the tactical employment of the bolt-action M40 rifle, the semi-automatic M110 sniper rifle, and the M9 Beretta pistol.

The annual even, conducted by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center (N.G.M.T.C.) to promote sniper training, brings together competitors from both U.S. active-duty and reserve services, as well as those of foreign allies. According to rules, "all competitors must provide proof of current or previous assignment in a TOE/TDA position with an Army Additional Skill Identifier (A.S.I.) of B4 or completion of a service equivalent formal sniper training i.e., the Air Force Close Precision Engagement Course (C.P.E.C.), U.S. Marine Corps Scout Sniper Course, or the Special Operations Tactical Interdiction Course (S.O.T.I.C.)." Competitors must be rank of E3 or above.

Third and fourth places went to sniper teams from the Marine infantry school and the Army's 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

Iowa National Guard snipers Jeremy Henrich and Jaime Koopman,
both sergeants in the Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavelry
Regiment (1-133th Cav.), finished first in fieldcraft events. PHOTO:
1-113th Cav.

Henrich and Koopman finished first in fieldcraft events, which included range estimate, stalk, land navigation, observation, and target detection events.

"This is a remarkable accomplishment for a couple of Iowa National Guardsmen and we couldn't be prouder of them. This team has won multiple sniper competitions and were awarded the Meritorious Service Medal a few months ago for being the best damn sniper team in the National Guard," writes Command Sgt. Major Matthew Strasser on his organization's Facebook page.

A Southwest Times-Record news report includes video taken of the event.

For a PDF reference manual on the 2014 Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship, click here.