National Guard snipers hit their marks at Fort Chaffee

Fort Smith Times Record
·2 min read

FORT CHAFFEE - Two-person teams of military snipers from around the worldcompeted in the National Guard's 52nd Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship and the32nd Armed Forces Skill at Arms Meeting Dec. 2-9 at Fort Chaffee.

The National Guard Marksmanship Training Center hosted the competitive shooting between 36 teams.

The competitions tested sniper skills and weapon systems in a battle-focused environment, states 2nd Lt. Daniel Condit, National Guard Marksmanship Training Center.

Since 1971, the WPW annual sniper competition to determine the best shooters in the United States National Guard. This year’s winners are from the Utah National Guard, represented by Master Sgt. Guy Mellor and Sgt. 1st Class Elijah Putnam, according to a news release from the Arkansas Army National Guard.

Alessio D’emidio, left, and Alessandro Friscini, right, from Italy, maneuver through the wooded fields of Fort Chaffee during the 2023 international sniper championships. D’emidio and Friscini scour the woods for items hidden at specific locations.
Alessio D’emidio, left, and Alessandro Friscini, right, from Italy, maneuver through the wooded fields of Fort Chaffee during the 2023 international sniper championships. D’emidio and Friscini scour the woods for items hidden at specific locations.

The Winston P. Wilson sniper team champions were from the Utah National Guard in first place.

The Minnesota National Guard team took second place.

And the Massachusetts National Guard team placed third.

In the precision engagement team championship competition the winner was the Utah National Guard. The silent hunter team champions were from the Colorado National Guard, according to a news release.

In the Armed Forces Skills at Arms Meeting sniper team championship, the 2nd Special Warfare Training Group took first place. The Naval Special Warfare team took second place. The Marine Special Operations Command took third place.

The Armed Forces Skills at Arms Meeting's precision engagement team champions were the Marine Special Operations Command. The silent hunter team champions were from the 2nd Special Warfare Training Group.

Col. Kevin Cox, National Guard Marksmanship Training Center commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Winkle present champions Sgt. 1st Class Mark Williams and Staff Sgt. B.J. Underkofler with the 32nd David R. Logan Sniper Team Trophy. Military sniper teams competed at the Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center December 2-9, 2022.
Col. Kevin Cox, National Guard Marksmanship Training Center commander, and Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Winkle present champions Sgt. 1st Class Mark Williams and Staff Sgt. B.J. Underkofler with the 32nd David R. Logan Sniper Team Trophy. Military sniper teams competed at the Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center December 2-9, 2022.

The winners are recipients of the prestigious Chiefs 50 Marksmanship Badge.

The Chief’s 50 Marksmanship Badge was established to award outstanding marksmanship abilities.

Pictured from left to right, Col. Kevin Cox, Master Sgt. Guy Mellor (Utah National Guard), Sgt. 1st Class Elijah Putnam (Utah National Guard), Sgt. Benjamin Haller (Minnesota National Guard), Staff Sgt. Michael Graff Minnesota National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Winkle, Arkansas Army National Guard. Four members of the National Guard became recipients of the Chief’s 50 Marksmanship Badge December 8, 2022 in a ceremony at Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center.

In addition to earning the Chief's 50 Badge, the Utah team took home the overall championship teamtrophy, David R. Logan Sniper Team Trophy.

The second place winners from the Minnesota National Guard, represented by Staff Sgt. Michael Graff and Sgt. Benjamin Haller, and are also recipients of the Chief’s 50 Badge.

Established in 1991, the Armed Forces Skills at Arms Meeting, AFSAM, is a multi-nationalcompetition that was created to promote marksmanship training and competition between UnitedStates military forces and allied nations. This year’s winner for the AFSAM sniper championshipwas the team from 2nd Special Warfare Training Group, represented by Sgt. 1st Class MarkWilliams and Staff Sgt. B.J. Underkofler, according to the news release.

The competition is designed as a training tool for U.S. and allied armed forces, immersing them into situations they could encounter in the real world. Attendees learn how to maneuver and shoot in a battle-like environment. T

U.S. military service members can earn excellence in competition, marksmanship badges and credit points toward their distinguished rifle and pistol designation, the release states.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: National Guard marksmen hit the mark at Fort Chaffee