MP takes top prize in 45th annual New York National Guard TAG Match

CAMP SMITH TRAINING SITE, Cortlandt Manor, New York - Staff Sgt. Eric Guest, a military police officer assigned to the Joint Force Headquarters (JFHQ), was the overall individual winner out of 46 total competitors at the 45th annual" TAG Match "competition, held at Camp Smith, Sept. 11-15, 2024.

Guest scored a total of 460 points, a combined score for both pistol and rifle shooting. He also received the Novice Individual Combat Rifle Match award, scoring 240 points. The Novice award goes to the first time competitor with the highest score.

The TAG Match, official known as the Adjutant General's Marksmanship Sustainment Training Competition is held annually to promote and provide marksmanship and small arms sustainment training.

The match offers New York National Guard Airmen and Soldiers an opportunity to test their weapons employment and marksmanship skills in a battle-focused competition.

Guest said he really enjoyed the five-day competition. "Overall, it was a great experience. You Couldn't ask for better weather," Guest said.

"I do see myself doing this again next year and I'm going to see if I can get some of my friends who haven't competed yet to give it a try," he said. "You can't beat getting paid to shoot other people's ammo."

Guest was also a member of the four-Soldier team which took home the Team Combat Match Award with a total of 1,310 points. Each team members individual scores were tallied for the overall team score.

Dubbed Team Black Sheep, the team included Staff Sgt. Kevin Heady, and Sgt. 1st Class Adam Scanlon, who are both also assigned to JFHQ; and Master Sgt. Wess Peek, assigned to 153rd Troop Command.

Sgt. 1st Class Jeffery Proctor, one of the state's marksmanship coordinators, said he wanted more Soldiers involved in the match.

"This will be my third year doing this", Proctor said. "I feel like we just need to continue to push this out to the state and get more people interested and participating in this event."

This sort of training helps New York Military Forces members hone their skills so they can train other members of their units more effectively, Proctor explained.

The annual competition is also open to members of the New York Naval Militia, and the New York Guard, the state's volunteer defense force.

Staff Sgt. William Liu, a member of the 24th Civil Support Team, said the competition was challenging.

"The intensity is a surprise; it's definitely different from the regular army qualifying with their weapons system, the competitiveness, and camaraderie," Liu said.

"We got put together in a squad setting, simulating a combat setting which we don't normally do and to be able to experience it is quite phenomenal, "Liu added.

The competitors fired both the M-4 carbine and the M-17 Sig Sauer pistol over the course of the week.

Sgt. Monica Martinez, a member of the Recruiting and Retention Battalions' A Company, said she preferred firing the M-4.

"I'm definitely more comfortable firing the M-4 because of past experience of doing other military events, " Martinez said.

She likes shooting because it shows the male Soldiers that women can perform as well, She said.

"We're keeping up and exceeding expectations," Martinez said.

The competition consisted of multiple stages to determine the winners.

Day one consisted of zeroing weapons and the first pistol match.

Day two brought about the completion of the Combat Rifle Excellence In Competition (EIC), the Rundown, Close Quarter Battle and Combat Pistol EIC.

Day three of the 2024 TAG Match consisted of the Combat Rifle EIC, and the Fire Team Assault. The Fire Team Assault is a match that requires teams to move and shoot as a unit in a high-tempo scenario.

The TAG match closed out with an awards ceremony. There were several awards for teams and individual shooters in other categories. The top scorers will compete in the northeastern region National Guard shooting competition scheduled for July 2025.

Brig. General Isabel Smith, the commander of the 53rd Troop Command, praised the participants for their efforts.

"I know we have some outstanding marksmen in our formation, as evidenced by the fierce competition," Smith said.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.