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41st Winston P. Wilson Combat Match 2012

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Edward Stefik
  • 107th Airlift Wing
Eight members of the New York State Army & Air National Guard made up the States Combined Arms Team for 2012. On April 22nd to April 28th, these soldiers and airman competed in the 41st Annual Winston P. Wilson National Skill at Arms Match, Camp Robinson, North Little Rock, Arkansas. The team was made up of members of the New York Air National Guard's 107th Airlift Wing, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station & the New York Army Guards 152nd Engineers, Connecticut St. Armory, Buffalo. Members from the 107th included Master Sgt. Edward Stefik, Tech Sgts. Christopher Doherty and Warren Jones and Staff Sgt. Brian Aldinger. Members of the the 152nd included Staff Sgts. William Snyder and Michael Kapela, and Sgts. John Roe and Timothy Jacobson.

 
The team tested their marksmanship skills against the finest military marksmen in the world. There was no finer format to evaluate their professional ability with small arms than training events like the Winston P. Wilson. This event has a remarkable history and fosters a tremendous spirit of competition and camaraderie across the nation.


The N.Y. Team was lead by Stefik, 107th Security Forces . "The goal for
each participant is to leave the match validating perishable marksmanship
skills, and enforce the lessons learned with fellow service members, and to
ensure the success of future military operations", he said. All team
members have been forward deployed and understand the importance of personal
readiness and combat-oriented training. With 16 individual and team
matches, the week long event was both physically and mentally demanding.
There was approximately 400 participants from every state in the union and
territories.


Stefik ranked fourth in the Combat Frontal Assault Match and eighth in
Combat Reflexive Fire. Jones finished in the top 10% of the Combat Pistol
matches. Both members ranked in the top percent of their individual
aggregate scores. New comers to the match, Aldinger and Jacobs also
finished in the top percentages of the novice ranking. Doherty has competed
in the State TAG match and regional matches. " At every match all
participants still have a healthy and enthusiastic attitude open to
learning, no matter what marksmanship level they are at," he stated. " From
this experience all team members return to their units with solid training
in combative disciplines."

New York State Command Sgt. Maj. Frank Wicks attended the competition
representing Major General Patrick Murphy, New York State Adjutant General.