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Army marksmen lead at sniper competition

FORT BENNING, Ga. — The Army Marksmanship Unit held on to its lead yesterday — the second day of the sixth annual International Sniper Competition.

The weeklong event is sponsored by the Army Sniper School and features teams from the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force and the British, Canadian and Israeli militaries. The Israeli team features the only woman competing in this year’s event.

Sgt. 1st Class Jason St. John and Staff Sgt. Robby Johnson led the 25-team pack after two grueling days of combat-focused events on the training ranges here.

Staff Sgt. Joe Lynch and Staff Sgt. Michael Rach, of 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, at Fort Benning, were in second place, while Sgt. Michael Gerniglia and Sgt. Christofer Kitto, of 1st Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, at Fort Benning, were in third place.

“I want to clearly identify the best two-man sniper team in the world,” said Capt. Marc Messerschmitt, who is in charge of this year’s competition.

The event also is an opportunity for competitors to pick up lessons to bring back to their units and share tips with one another, he said.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Ron Batts, of the 786th Security Forces Squadron at Sembach Air Base, Germany, is a first-time competitor.

“It was an opportunity of a lifetime,” he said. “It’d be my pleasure to do it again.”

The two-man sniper teams competed in events designed to simulate combat.

Smoke grenades, Stryker vehicles, Humvees, gunfire and Muslim prayers broadcast on loudspeakers all played a role in the scenarios.

By the end of the first day, one team had been eliminated for negligent discharge.

During Sunday’s urban stress shoot, the competitors fought their way to an infantry unit that had been pinned down by the enemy.

The combat-focused events of the first two days were new additions to the competition.

“I think the battlefield is much more fluid” these days, Messerschmitt said. “Snipers need to be more adaptive and be able to engage the target [at] no matter what range.”

The competitors seemed to enjoy the weekend’s events.

“It’s a lot more combat-oriented and physical, which I think is a good twist,” St. John said.

Lynch said he feels the field of competitors is pretty evenly matched.

“You’ve got to keep on your toes … and do the best you can,” he said. “The toughest part of the competition is probably not knowing what you’re going to be doing and preparing yourself mentally.”

The competition resumes today and will culminate with more than 24 hours of back-to-back events Wednesday and Thursday.

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See photos from the weekend's events.