Alabama National Guard hosts All Guard Marksmanship Team tryouts

Published On: 09.27.24 |

By: Sgt. Adena McCluskey / Alabama National Guard

Alabama National Guard hosts All Guard Marksmanship Team tryouts

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Guardsmen from across the U.S. and its territories compete in the All Guard Marksmanship Team Tryouts, hosted by the Alabama National Guard’s Lethality Group at Fort McClellan Training Center's Clarke Range in Anniston. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

Eighteen U.S. National Guardsmen from across the country competed in the All Guard Marksmanship Team tryouts Sept. 5-8, hosted by the Alabama National Guard’s (ALNG) Lethality Group at Fort McClellan Training Center’s Clarke Range.

The event is held annually by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center (NGMTC) in Little Rock, Arkansas, to build the National Guard’s premier competitive shooting team. This was the first time another organization was tasked to host.

The focus of the NGMTC is to develop a team of soldiers and airmen that competes with various service rifles and pistols at the highest levels and encourages guardsmen to improve their expertise by taking part in competitive shooting.

“The NGMTC maintains active working relationships with a myriad of training organizations across the 54 states and territories,” said Capt. Garret Miller, NGMTC program manager.

The Alabama National Guard’s Lethality Group poses for a picture at Clarke Range after hosting the All Guard Marksmanship Team tryouts. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

Miller explained that the ALNG’s Lethality Group has long been recognized as a flagship organization known for its deeply invested subject matter experts. One such expert, Staff Sgt. James Ruddick, said his team strives to bring a fresh perspective to the table.

“The ALNG’s Lethality Group was selected to host the competition because of the facilities on Fort McClellan and having our full-time staff to facilitate the entire match,” said Ruddick, the Lethality Group’s noncommissioned officer in charge.

According to Ruddick, marksmanship training units across the country are dying out due to a lack of funding and support for their craft.

“The Alabama National Guard has been very supportive of the Lethality Group with our manning requirements and because of our engagement with other units and assisting with their qualifications,” Ruddick said.

Ruddick explained the importance of supporting competitive shooting as it allows guardsmen the opportunity to refine their skills through repetition and shared experiences, and then to become trainers to their peers.

“Competition breeds excellence,” Ruddick said. “We’re breeding hundreds of shooters that take lessons learned back to their units.”

Guardsmen from across the U.S. and its territories compete in the All Guard Marksmanship Team Tryouts, hosted by the Alabama National Guard’s Lethality Group at Fort McClellan Training Center’s Clarke Range in Anniston. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Adena McCluskey)

Traditionally, marksmanship competitions have required competitors to wear an Army combat helmet, a vest to carry magazines and a belt to carry a pistol. However, the NGMTC is pushing to make competitions more combat-related by adding more physically demanding matches.

“Starting next year, the idea is that we will go to full plate carriers and the fighting load on the body will meet a certain minimum weight to ensure that it is realistic training,” Ruddick said.

This year’s competition alluded to the big push for physical fitness by including matches that involved tasks such as throwing sandbags, carrying weights and running between firing berms.

“These competitions serve as a crucible to forge relevant tactics, techniques and procedures as well as important professional networks,” Miller said.

Soldiers and airmen from states as far away as Colorado, Vermont and New Mexico traveled to Alabama to compete in this year’s All Guard Marksmanship Team tryouts.

“The ALNG support staff were incredibly professional, and we look forward to hosting more events in Anniston,” Miller said.

The ALNG’s Lethality Group also hosts the state marksmanship competition every year and will host the Southeastern region’s next marksmanship competition.

“We want people to know who we are,” Ruddick said. “I think this event definitely had a huge part in that.”