178 FW Marksmanship Team competes Published Nov. 17, 2009 By Courtesy article 178th Fighter Wing SPRINGFIELD, Ohio -- Servicemembers representing the 178th Fighter Wing volunteered their time and shooting skills to compete in the Ohio Adjutant General and Region IV Combat Rifle Marksmanship Competition Aug. 29 and 30, at Camp Perry Joint Training Center, Port Clinton, Ohio. The 178 FW Marksmanship Team was formed spring 2008. This was the group's second rifle match. During the two-day event, more than 70 Soldiers and Airmen competed in a variety of team and individual events shooting more than 200 rounds each. These events included timed firing and reflexive firing on targets ranging from 25 yards to 600 yards in distance with open-sight M-16 rifles. Participants in the weekend event not only honed their marksmanship abilities, but also learned safe handling and weapons maintenance practices, said 1st Lt. John Kelch, the officer in charge of the marksmanship team here. They also received training on developing marksmanship teams within their home units. The 178th team, which was comprised of Lieutenant Kelch, Master Sgt. Robert Harris, Staff Sgt. Jason Lehman, and Senior Airman Seth Murray, won 3rd place in "Match 345: Maj. Gen. Wayt - Combat Rifle Team Championship Competition." Master Sgt. Kenneth Brown and Staff Sgt. Nickolas Oyler competed on a multi-unit composite team at the event due to team size requirements of four servicemembers per team. "I want to thank all that volunteered their time and participated in the weekend event," said Lieutenant Kelch. The team plans to enter two Ohio Adjutant General competitions each year--rifle in the fall and pistol in the spring--but, hopes to expand their membership and subsequently number of competitions, said Lieutenant Kelch. They have their own rifles, and will add practices to their schedule spring 2010, said Lieutenant Kelch. For information on joining the 178th Fighter Wing Marksmanship Team, please see Lieutenant Kelch. Check "The Thunderer" and base Web site in the upcoming months for the next Ohio Adjutant General Competition.