GSDF Soldiers Support State Marksmanship Clinic

Support group comprised of Georgia Army National Guard Soldiers and Georgia State Defense Force Soldiers. Photo by PV2 Bernard Cameron

Ft Stewart, Georgia, August 21-28, 2015, By 2nd LT Ted Burzynski – Soldiers of the Georgia Army National Guard (GAARNG) and Georgia State Defense Force (GSDF) and Airmen from the Georgia Air National Guard participated in an eight-day State-wide Marksmanship Clinic.

This clinic was the first ever held by the Georgia Army National Guard. The goal of this clinic was to provide a venue for Georgia Guard personnel to improve their marksmanship skills.

For eight days, instructors led by Sgt. 1st Class Jakob Raven (GAARNG) of the Georgia Garrison Training Center (GGTC) worked to improve Soldier‘s basic marksmanship skills across a wide array of weapons and techniques. These ranged from pistols, rifles, shotguns to crew-served weapons.

SGT Christopher Lowry coaches Georgia National Guard soldier on the M249 Machine Gun. Photo by SPC Jon Van Holm

Fifteen Soldiers from the GSDF led by Maj. Don Lankford, Executive Officer, 5th Brigade assisted in the marksmanship clinic. GSDF Soldiers served as range safety officers, coaches, and support personnel on the ranges; manning ammo points, cleaning weapons and scoring targets.

Georgia State Defense Force Soldiers field strip and clean M249 Machine Guns. Pictured left to right: CPT David Bignaught, SGT Christopher Lowry, WO1 Howard Seay, SPC Jon Van Holm, SSG Cindy Dunlap. Photo by PV2 Bernard Cameron