Military

Vermonters best pistol shots in U.S.

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By Sgt. Denis Nunez

The Winston P. Wilson Small Arms Championships, the premier National Guard combat shooting event, concluded this week in Arkansas. This annual weeklong competition, named in honor of Major General Winston P. Wilson, who served as Chief of the National Guard Bureau from 1963 to 1971, has a storied history dating back to its inception in 1971. The championships are designed to test and enhance the marksmanship skills of National Guard members across the United States.

The Vermont Army National Guard Small Arms Readiness Training Section delivered an outstanding performance, securing 6th place overall in the Team Aggregate and clinching 1st place in the Pistol Team Aggregate. Vermont’s remarkable success in the pistol matches has earned them the title of the best combat pistol team in the National Guard, a distinction they will hold for the next year.

Two Vermont shooters, Tech. Sgt. Nicolas Poirier and Tech. Sgt. Galen Topper, were awarded the prestigious Chief’s 50 Badge. Additionally, Tech. Sgt. Poirier achieved an impressive 2nd place overall in the Individual Pistol Aggregate.
“I’m really proud of what we were able to accomplish at this competition.”, Said Tech. Sgt. Poirier, “We practice a ton, and it’s awesome to see us putting out high level performances like this.”

A particularly notable achievement was by Master Sgt. Derik Mumley, who received the Staff Sgt. Millard Butler Trophy. This trophy, dedicated to retired Sgt. 1st Class Millard Butler, a legendary Vermont National Guardsman and one of the best combat shooters in history, which honors the top new shooter on the winning pistol team. Master Sgt. Mumley’s accomplishment highlights Vermont’s dedication to excellence and marksmanship.

“It really all comes down to repetitive training.”, Said Master Sgt. Mumley, “We spend a lot of time practicing and it shows when we come to these high stakes competitions.”

The Vermont Army National Guard Small Arms Readiness Training Section members who participated in this year’s championships were:

Spc. Samuel Austin (A TRP 1-172 CAV)
Master Sgt. Troy Johnson (158th AMXS)
Tech. Sgt. Jacob McNiss (158th SFS)
Sgt. Thomas Montgomery (172nd LE DET)
Master Sgt. Derik Mumley (158th MSG)
Tech. Sgt. Nicolas Poirier (158th AMXS)
Tech. Sgt. Galen Topper (158th AMXS)
Sgt. Kenneth White (HHT 1-172 CAV)

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Categories: Military

6 replies »

  2. It’s great to see good guys with guns showcased in the news instead of the usual dirtbags from southern New England coming up to Vermont exhibiting their brand of firearms prowess…congratulations sirs.

  3. And to all you gun grabbers: McDonald v Chicago 2010 is a landmark Supreme Court case that is important to understand. In its most basic form, the decision dismisses the proposition that a State (e.g., NY, IL, CT) or lower government (e.g., Chicago) can supersede or ignore the rights guaranteed in the Constitution, specifically the Second Amendment.

    “None of the Court’s precedents forecloses the Court’s interpretation. Neither United States v. Cruikshank, 92 U. S. 542, nor Presser v. Illinois, 116 U. S. 252, refutes the individual-rights interpretation. United States v. Miller, 307 U. S. 174, does not limit the right to keep and bear arms to militia purposes, but rather limits the type of weapon to which the right applies to those used by the militia, i.e., those in common use for lawful purposes.”

    This ruling clarifies the principle that Americans can keep and bear arms that are equivalent to those in common use by the National Guard, which the court considers an example of a “well-regulated militia.” We have a RIGHT to the SAME arms and accessories issued to the National Guard that they use in defense of the United States.

    The National Guard’s rifle of issue (and rifle in common use) is the 5.56×45mm (.223) M16A2 a lightweight, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, shoulder or hip-fired weapon designed for either automatic fire (3-round bursts) or semiautomatic fire (single shot) through the use of a selector lever and has a magazine capacity of 30 rounds. Civilians can only own (except with the purchase of a special tax stamp from BATFE) the semiautomatic version called the M15 or AR15 not the M16 military rifle version.

    The present pistol of issue to the U.S. Army is the Sig Sauer P320- M17 or Sig Sauer P320-M18 in 9mm with a 17 Round magazine. The Vermont National Guard uses the Sig Sauer P320- M17

    https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article/2791159/vermont-guardsman-solves-m17-training-round-extraction-issue/

    Congrats VT National Guardsmen!

  4. Congratulations, GMB shooter’s!! Carry on and do us proud. SMSgt Bruce Bailey, VTANG Rifle, ret