NY Army Guard Sgt Craig Rowell, an Alden resident, competes at national marksmanship competition

Latham, NY (05/16/2024) — New York Army National Guard Sgt Craig Rowell, an Alden resident, competed in the National Guard's annual marksmanship competition in Arkansas which ran from April 29 to May 3.

The Winston P. Wilson Marksmanship Competition, named after the Chief of the National Guard Bureau who established the national shooting event in 1971, takes place at the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Rowell is assigned to the 152nd Engineer Company, which is based at Buffalo's Connecticut Street Armory

The competition consisted of a variety of events.

These included firing at moving targets, using night vision sights, a reflexive fire course, a close quarter battle simulator, and the Bianchi battle.

This last event challenges the shooters to use three different weapons: the M-4 rifle, the M-17 pistol, and the M-500shotgun to engage target while running 100 yards between each engagement.There was also a mystery event, called the "Xiphos", pronounces "Z-phos".This year that event consisted of individual shooters using an M-4 rifle, an M-17 pistol and an M-500 shotgun. The M-4 shooter engaged steel targets, the M-17 marksman shot the paper targets, while the shotgun shooter downed the clay pigeons.The fourth team member had to run the right amount of ammunition for each weapon forward to firing line.

Rowell said his favorite event was the night firing competition.

"It's awesome how all the training and technology converge and allow us to accurately put rounds on a target in the dead of night just as if it were during the day with ideal lighting," said Rowell.

Rowell also said it was a humbling experience to be in the presence of all the other competitors.

"When we all sat down at the initial briefing, and the OIC ( officer in charge) stated 'you are here because you are one of the best shooters in the world,' it was a feeling like no other," Rowell said.

"I believe that marksmanship and soldier lethality are the most important things that can be trained, and there is no better place to test those skills than the Winston," Rowell added.

The other team members where:

Staff Sgt. Adam Crist, a Buffalo resident, assigned to the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry Regiment.

Sgt. 1st Class Robert Lamorte II, a resident of Mount Vernon, assigned to Joint Force Headquarters operations section.

Staff Sgt. Warren Solomon, a Lewiston resident who is assigned to C Troop, of the 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry.

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