TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 325th Security Forces Squadron Combat Arms section hosted an elementary level Excellence in Competition event for rifle and pistol qualifications July 18-21 at the CATM shooting range.
Airmen competed against each other during the competition, using the M16A2 rifle and the M9 pistol.
“Combat Arms is allowed to request one elementary excellence in competition match per fiscal year. There has not been a competition conducted at Tyndall AFB in many years,” said Staff Sgt. David Davis, 325th SFS combat arms NCO in charge. “The competition was a huge success. We have heard nothing but strong, positive feedback from the base populace and will look to host another one in the near future if approved.”
The 325th Security Forces squadron combat arms training section worked in conjunction with coordinators at Joint Base San Antonio for approval of the event.
“It took a lot of paperwork being sent to the EEIC program manager at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, and a lot of instructor practice to get the course down right with no hiccups,” Davis said. “The course took several days in order to get the range set up and to make sure we had all the things to make the competition a success.
Competitors attended a safety briefing hosted by combat arms instructors prior to shooting. Combat Arms instructors ensured the range was set up prior to shooting by preloading magazines and hanging targets.
Participants fired more than 2,800 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition over the course of two days.
The top ten percent of competitors are eligible for the Excellence in Competition Rifle Medal. The participants could score a maximum of 500 possible points in the rifle competition.
Forty-seven Airmen participated in the rifle competition, and the following Airmen are eligible for the EEIC Rifle Medal:
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Tech. Sgt. Jeremy A. Wilkins, 325th Security Forces Squadron, 462 points
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Chief Master Sgt. William T. Hight, 325th Mission Support Group, 456 points
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Tech. Sgt. Joseph M. Meeks, 325th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 448 points
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Master Sgt. Eric M. Ingram, 325 325th Security Forces Squadron, 447 points
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Staff Sgt. Michael D. Mantelli, 325th Maintenance Squadron, 437 points
The pistol competition pitted 52 shooters against each other, firing more than
1,500 rounds of 9mm ammunition over the course of two days.
Competitors could score 300 possible points in the pistol competition.
The following Airmen are eligible for the EEIC Pistol Medal:
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Senior Master Sgt. Stanley J. Harper, 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 269 points
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Tech. Sgt. Joseph M. Meeks, 325th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 265 points
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Staff Sgt. Damien C. Sutton, 325th Security Forces Squadron, 262 points
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Master Sgt. Kenneth M. Guinn, 325th Civil Engineer Squadron, 257 points
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Master Sgt. Andrew H. Peery, 325th Operations Support Squadron, 255 points
Although the next competition date is still to be determined, the CATM team looks forward to hosting another event in the future.