48th WPW and 28th AFSAM Sniper Championships
BY SPC. JEREMIAH N. SMITH, PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST, NATIONAL GUARD MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING CENTER
FORT SMITH, Arkansas – Twenty-three, two-person teams of military snipers from around the nation and world competed in the 48th Winston P. Wilson (WPW) Sniper Championship (National Guard) and the 28th Annual Armed Forces Skill at Arms Meeting (International and Inter-Service) March 29 through April 3, 2019, at Fort Chaffee in Barling, Arkansas. The event was hosted by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center. These championships offered service members an opportunity to test sniper skills and weapon systems in a battle-focused environment.
- Sgt. Allen Smith and Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cotton, members of the Louisiana National Guard and winners of the 2019 WPW Sniper Championship and the 1st place Precision Engagement Team pose for a picture with BG Kirk Van Pelt and their awards, the CWO David R. Logan Sniper Team Trophy, Chief’s 50 Badges, and gold medallions. The National Guard Marksmanship Training Center hosted the 48th Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship and the 28th Armed Forces Skill at Arms Meeting at Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center near Barling, Arkansas, March 29 through April 3. (U.S. Army National Guard photos by Specialist Jeremiah N. Smith, National Guard Marksmanship Training Center)
Beginning in 1971, the WPW sniper competition has been held annually to determine the best shooters in the United States National Guard. This year’s winner was from the Louisiana National Guard, represented by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cotton and Sgt. Allen Smith. The winners are recipients of the prestigious Chiefs 50 Marksmanship Badge. The Chief’s 50 Marksmanship Badge was established to provide evidence and public recognition of outstanding marksmanship abilities as demonstrated at the National Guard Championships.
In addition to earning the Chief’s 50 Badge, they took home the Overall Championship Team Trophy, CWO David R. Logan Sniper Team Trophy. They, also, took home the SPC Christopher Horton Memorial Trophy for 1st place in Precision Engagement.
Established in 1991, the Armed Forces Skills at Arms Meeting (AFSAM) is a multi-national competition that was created to promote marksmanship training and competition between United States military forces and allied nations. This year’s winner for the AFSAM sniper championship was the team from the Michigan National Guard, represented by Sgt. Trent Devos and Sgt. Daniel Rillett. This team also placed second overall in points for the combined competitions. The AFSAM event ran concurrently with the Winston P. Wilson Championship and incorporates the same courses of fire.
2019 National Guard Sniper Competition Scores
WPW Sniper Team Champions
- Louisiana Team, Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cotton and Sgt. Allen Smith
- California Team, Staff Sgt. Erik Vargas and Spc. Austin Smith
- Minnesota Team, Sgt. Micheal Graff and Sgt. Christopher Jackson
WPW Precision Engagement Team Champions:
Louisiana Team, Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cotton and Sgt. Allen Smith
WPW Silent Hunter Team Champions:
New York Team, Sgt. Andres Diaz and Sgt. Jonathan Patton
AFSAM Sniper Team Champions
- Michigan All Guard Team, Sgt. Trent Devos and Sgt. Daniel Rilett
- Colorado All Guard Team, Staff Sgt. Micah Fulmer and Sgt. Tristan Ivkov
- Wisconsin All Guard Team, Sgt. Max Henrickson and Sgt. Joseph Prokop
AFSAM Precision Engagement Team Champions:
Denmark 1st BN Royal Guards, Pfc. Jesper Persson and Pfc. Thomas Svensson
AFSAM Silent Hunter Team Champions:
Michigan All Guard Team, Sgt. Trent Devos and Sgt. Daniel Rilett
National Guard Champions 1st Place Overall:
Louisiana Team, Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cotton and Sgt. Allen Smith
International Champions 1st Place Overall:
Denmark 1st BN Royal Guard, Pfc. Jesper Persson and Pfc. Thomas Svensson
For photos click here: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Teams Ceremony and Banquet
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