After firing more than 500 rounds in 11 matches throughout the week, an Alabama National Guard team and a first sergeant from the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence (AVCOE) claimed the top team and individual champion titles at the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships at Fort Benning, Georgia, March 9-15.

The overall champion team and individual competed side by side with more than 200 other marksmen from across the U.S. Army, all four components in fact. That brought soldiers from active duty, Reserve and National Guard units to the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCOE), as well as cadets from university Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) programs.

The week-long, live-fire training event, which is commonly referred to as All Army, began with competitors receiving a Small Arms Firing School block of instruction from the host unit, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU). Once they hit the range, soldiers’ marksmanship skills on both rifle and pistol were tested in various challenging courses of fire. This included the popular culminating event, the multigun match, where competitors quickly navigated through scenarios with their rifle and pistol.

Scores from the rifle, pistol and multigun matches were combined to find the overall champion team and individual.

The Alabama National Guard team, Alabama Alpha, who claimed the All Army Team Champion title for the 10th consecutive year, beat 45 other teams with an aggregate score of 4401-60x. Team members were Sgt. Maj. Stephen Murchison (coach), Master Sgt. Joseph Spradlin, Sgt. Gavin Blackwood and Spc. Cameron Drake.

Alabama National Guard also won the Rifle Team Champion title.

The Overall Team Champions at the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships are the Alabama National Guard Team: Alabama Alpha. Team members were Sgt. Maj. Stephen Murchison (captain), Master Sgt. Joseph Spradlin, Sgt. Gavin Blackwood and Spc. Cameron Drake. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Champion is 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister from the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister from AVCOE at Fort Novosel in Alabama claimed the All Army Champion title over 224 other competitors with an aggregate score of 2004-42x, and only four months remaining in the U.S. Army before retiring.

“It was a good way to cap off a career. I had a lot of fun,” McCallister said. “I’ve always wanted to compete in All Army, but last year was my first year to finally make it out.”

In 2024, McCallister’s first All Army experience, he placed second in the Overall Champion Category and won the Multigun Champion Category. This year, besides winning the Overall Champion title, the aviator placed first in the Open Category, second in the Multigun Champion Category, first (as a team member) in the Pistol Team Category, as well as earning the Distinguished Pistol Shot Badge.

While winning titles, bragging rights and badges is fun and motivational, All Army is open to soldiers and cadets of all skills levels, making it a great place to learn, said Cadet Hunter Schmick, Auburn University ROTC.

“I would recommend this event 100 percent. I have had no prior experience with this type of stuff. So it’s a very friendly environment. It does say it’s a competition, but I consider it more like a training event, though.”

Norwich University ROTC leader Capt. ReLeana Griffith, agreed that All Army was more than just a place to have her cadets send a lot of rounds down range. The entire experience was about knowledge and camaraderie.

“We have (noncommissioned officers) and officers from all walks of life – active duty, Guard and Reserve – as future lieutenants in either one of those components, they are now meeting people who they will soon network [with] as the Army is a big, small family.”

Giving cadets the opportunity to see what right looks like will give them an edge when they commission, explained Griffith.

“In order to be the best, you gotta train and learn from the best. We train as we fight, so we might as well learn from the ones who know what they are doing.”

Soldiers’ marksmanship skills on both rifle and pistol were tested in various challenging courses of fire. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

Soldiers’ marksmanship skills on both rifle and pistol were tested in various challenging courses of fire. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

Soldiers’ marksmanship skills on both rifle and pistol were tested in various challenging courses of fire. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

Soldiers’ marksmanship skills on both rifle and pistol were tested in various challenging courses of fire. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

Soldiers’ marksmanship skills on both rifle and pistol were tested in various challenging courses of fire. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The goal of gathering knowledge was not just for cadets, but for all soldiers, said Staff Sgt. Edward Chavez, New Mexico National Guard.

“Combat marksmanship is the foundation for increasing lethality among, not only the National Guard, but the United States Armed Forces in general.”

Experience on the range was just one valuable lesson gained at All Army. Soldiers from all four components had a week of interacting with each other, learning and networking.

“The more I can learn here from interacting with shooters from all across the Army, all components of the United States Army, is something I can spread to my soldiers and to my home unit, and across my entire state,” said Staff Sgt. Hunter McDowell, Michigan National Guard.

With all the different courses of fire through the week, there was one consistent theme, and that was seeing just how much the fundamentals of marksmanship pay off in every scenario, said 1st Lt. Beau Kewley, 227th Infantry Battalion out of Hawaii.

And for this reason, Kewley said he highly recommends All Army for soldiers who want to increase their tactical marksmanship knowledge.

“It’s 100 percent worth it, as an Infantry Battalion coming here. A lot of the guys here shooting are on competition teams and whatnot. And even though that is not necessarily what we do, we are still able to translate all the marksmanship into what we do on the line, and being able to bring back the marksmanship fundamentals to make a more lethal Infantry Battalion.”

Other category winners are:

• Rifle Team Champions: Alabama National Guard.
• Pistol Team Champions: Aviation Center of Excellence.
• Multigun Team Champions: Texas National Guard.
• High Drill Sergeant: Staff Sgt. Matthew Leib.
• Novice Champion: Staff Sgt. Adam Brown.
• First Place Cadet: Cadet Paden Howard.
• Open Category Winner: 1st Sgt. Andew McCallister.
• Rifle Champion: Staff Sgt. Kendall Miller-Mather.
• Pistol Champion: Staff Sgt. Louis Gillaspie.
• Multigun Champion: CW2 Matt Downing.
• Ralph Puckett Trophy: Staff Sgt. Adam Brown.
• Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley Trophy: Cadet William Buettner.

Pistol Shot Badges were earned by Capt. Victor Liwanag (now double distinguished), Master Sgt. John Zanoff, 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister, Master Sgt. Jeremy Jackson, Tech. Sgt Eric Reifsnyder and Tech. Sgt Michael Strempfer.

Distinguished Rifleman’s Badges were earned by Staff Sgt. Evan Bayer, Capt. Parker Deese, Sgt. 1st Class Seth Demers, Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Heier, Staff Sgt. Adam Brown, Master Sgt. Joseph Spradlin, Staff Sgt. Charles Stevener (now double distinguished) and 1st Lt. Nathan Villemain (now double distinguished).

The 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Champion is 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister from the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The first place Open Category winner at the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister. McCallister was awarded the Master Sgt. Earl D. Plumlee Trophy, which is presented to the Soldier with the highest aggregate across all individual rifle and pistol matches in the Open category. ‘All Army’ is the annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The High Drill Sergeant at the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is Staff Sgt. Matthew Leib from the 198th Infantry Brigade at Fort Benning, Georgia. ‘All Army’ is the annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Rifle Team Champions are the Alabama National Guard Team: Alabama Alpha. Team members were: Sgt. Maj. Stephen Murchison (captain), Master Sgt. Joseph Spradlin, Sgt. Gavin Blackwood and Spc. Cameron Drake. The U.S. Army Rifle Team Championship is an aggregate of matches 9T, 10T, and Infantry Trophy Team Match. During the matches, competitors engaged targets from 25 to 500 yards, in either the standing, kneeling and prone positions. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The Pistol Champion of the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is Staff Sgt. Louis Gillaspie from the XVIII Airborne Corps. The U.S. Army pistol individual championship is an aggregate of all individual pistol matches during ‘All Army.’ ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The First Place Cadet at the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is Cadet Paden Howard. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The Rifle Champion of the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is Staff Sgt. Kendall Miller-Mather. This Michigan National Guard Soldier received the Sgt. Maj. Thomas P. Payne Trophy for excellence in marksmanship, which is presented to the soldier with the highest aggregate across all individual rifle matches. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

Staff Sgt. Adam Brown won the Col. Ralph Puckett Trophy at the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships. This trophy is presented to the top Novice shooter from all the rifle and pistol Excellence in Competition matches during ‘All Army.’ ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Champion is 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister from the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

Cadet William Buettner won the Lt. Gen. Benjamin C. Freakley Trophy at the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships. This trophy is presented to the top cadet shooter having the highest combined score from all rifle and pistol excellence in competition matches during ‘All Army.’ ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The 2025 Novice Champion at the 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Championships is Staff Sgt. Adam Brown. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Champion is 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister from the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event that is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)

The 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Multigun Team Champions are the Texas National Guard Team. Team members were: Capt. Parker Deese, 1st Lt. Samuel Slichter, 1st Sgt. Stephen Duron, Staff Sgt. Charles Stevener, and coach, Capt.Deese. The U.S. Army Multigun Team Championship is an aggregate of the individual scores from Multigun Match 15 at the U.S. Army Small Arms Championships. During the match competitors were required to demonstrate weapons proficiency with both their primary and secondary weapons in timed, scenario driven stages. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. The 2025 U.S. Army Small Arms Pistol Team Champions are the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence Marksmanship Team. Team members were: CW3 David DeAvila, CW3 Jacob Freeman, CW2 Matt Downing, 1st Sgt. Andrew McCallister and captain:, Maj. Nicholas Barwikowski. The U.S. Army Pistol Team Championship is an aggregate of matches 4T and 6T. During the matches competitors were required to engage targets from 10 to 35 yards from the standing, kneeling and prone positions. ‘All Army’ is an annual, week-long training event is hosted by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Georgia. (Lt. Col. Michelle Lunato/U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit)