(GunReports.com) — The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s inaugural Army Strong Collegiate Shooting Championships, on course to be the biggest multiple-discipline, shoulder-to-shoulder gathering of collegiate and junior shooters in the history of competitive shooting, will commence next March 13-18 at Fort Benning.
The dynamic format will draw the top college and junior shooters from the entire country competing in four distinct championships: theNational Rifle Association Intercollegiate Pistol Championships; the NRA Intercollegiate Rifle Club Championship; the Scholastic Steel ChallengeCollegiate Championship; and the Scholastic Clay Target Program Challenge.
“The USAMU, home to the absolute best marksman, marksmanship instructors, and gunsmiths in the world, is the ideal location to hold this ground-breaking Army Strong Collegiate Shooting Championships,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Hodne, commander, USAMU. “Our newest generation ofcollegiate champions across multiple shooting disciplines will earn their titles at the ‘Home of Champions.'”
Hosting the most prestigious of matches has become as synonymous to the “Home of Champions” as winning national and world championships. A number of world-class championships have been held on the ranges of the USAMU in the past few years, including two International Shooting Sports Federation World Cups (this past year’s event being the largest international shooting sports event to ever take place in North America,) USA Shooting National Rifle and Pistol Championships, the annual U.S. Small Arms Championships, and countless JROTC, collegiate and regional championships. The USAMU aims to make this an annual event.
The ASCSC is designed to connect the Army with and promote youth and collegiate shooting sports. It aligns directly with the youth andcollegiate shooting programs of the NRA Competitive Shooting Division, SSC, and SCTP, which all foster junior and collegiate participation inprestigious competitions while promoting firearms safety. The USAMU connects to America’s youth through teaching, coaching, and mentoringjunior shooters throughout the year, and Soldiers make ideal mentors and role models for our nation’s youth. In these respects, the Army’shosting of this event a perfect fit.
The ASCSC will be sandwiched around the electrifying Army Strong Experience, hosted by Maneuver Center of Excellence March 15-16. Thisevent showcases the capabilities of the Army through demonstrations by an array of units on the Army post. Spectators can see the “Rangers inAction” demo, featuring the abilities of the world’s most advanced infantry Soldiers, or the “shock-and-awe” of the Hands-on TrainingExercise (HOTEX), which shows off the lethality of some of the Army’s mechanized and armored forces.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to witness the “Airborne 5000” demonstration and Fort Benning Silver Wings Skydivingexhibition, and the jaw-dropping shooting demonstration performed by members of the USAMU Shotgun platoon. The Army Adventure Semi, aculmination of hands-on and interactive systems, will also be on hand enabling the public to get a glimpse of what it’s like to be a tank crewmember, an Apache pilot, or an explosive ordnance disposal team member, among others.
“The USAMU is grateful to the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning for teaming up with us in connecting America’s Army toAmerica’s people in a powerful way through the Army Strong Experience,” Hodne concluded. “There is no better way to showcase our Army and letour fellow citizens experience and witness ‘a Strength like no other’ than seeing our Soldiers in action. The positive Army impressions to begenerated will last a lifetime.”
Check out www.USAMU.com for information on the event and stay tuned for updates as the event draws closer.
