First Shot Ceremony to Inaugurate 2006 National Matches
By Gary Anderson, DCM
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| Lt. General H Stephen Blum, the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, will be the First Shot Speaker at the opening of the 2006 National Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio on 10 July. |
The Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Lieutenant General H Steven Blum, will be the guest of honor at the 2006 National Matches First Shot Ceremony at Camp Perry, Ohio. The First Shot Ceremony is the traditional opening ceremony for the annual competitions that attract over 5,000 competitors and school students from all over the United States and several foreign countries. The leading rifle competitor in the 2005 National Matches was Sergeant First Class Norman Anderson, U. S. Army. He became only the fourth person in National Matches history to win both the President’s Rifle Match and the National Trophy Individual Rifle Match in the same year. Anderson and his Army teammates will compete in the 2006 matches.
A native of Maryland, Lt. Gen. Blum currently serves as the 25th Chief of the National Guard Bureau. As Chief, he is the senior uniformed National Guard officer responsible for policies, programs and plans affecting Army and Air National Guard personnel throughout the United States. He was appointed by President George W. Bush in January 2003, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in April 2003. He has been a Special Forces officer throughout his career, and has commanded at every level since taking charge of a detachment in the Maryland Army
National Guard’s 20th Special Forces in November 1977. As NGB Chief, he serves as the Army's and Air Force's official channel of communication with the Governors and Adjutants General. Prior to his current assignment, General Blum served as Chief of Staff, United States Northern Command. The U. S. Marine Corps Pistol Team won the 2005 National Trophy Pistol Team Match. Their intense rivalry with U. S. Army, U. S. Army Reserve and All-National Guard teams will continue during the 2006 Nationals. The Ohio Adjutant General's Department, the NRA and the CMP cooperate to conduct the Matches. Of the over 5,000 competitors and school students who participated in one or more phases of the 2005 National Matches; 3,900 of those individuals attended the CMP National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches or Small Arms Firing Schools.
This year’s First Shot Ceremony will take place on Camp Perry’s Rodriguez Range on Monday afternoon, 10 July, starting at 5:30 PM. Numerous national, state and local political and military leaders as well as leaders representing the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) and National Rifle Association (NRA) have accepted invitations to attend the colorful ceremony. The public is invited to attend this event.
The guest of honor is the “first shot speaker.” After his comments, he will have the honor of firing the ceremonial first shot to open the National Matches. This year Lt. Gen. Blum will fire the first shot with a specially selected M1 Garand rifle. This revered and historic rifle was the standard U. S. military rifle in World War II and Korea and it continues to be used in the National Matches where it is fired in the popular John C. Garand Match. This match is the biggest single event in the National Matches and
is expected to attract 1,400 to 1,500 competitors in 2006.
Major General Gregory L. Wayt, the Adjutant General of Ohio and the 2005 First Shot speaker, welcomed the participants to the Ohio National Guard facility at Camp Perry. “I am pleased that thousands of shooters make the trip to Camp Perry each year for the National Matches. Through our partnership with the CMP, the NRA and the community of Port Clinton, we intend to continue to improve the experience for the participants, to highlight the facilities at Camp Perry, and to support the National Matches as one of the premier tourist events in Northwest Ohio. Good luck to all of the participants!”
The 2006 National Matches will be the 86th in this historic series of national rifle and pistol target shooting championships. The U. S. Congress and President Theodore Roosevelt approved legislation in 1903 to establish the National Matches. The matches came to Camp Perry, Ohio in 1907. Since then, Camp Perry has been the traditional and permanent home of the matches.
The National Matches continue until mid-August. They include National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches that are mandated by federal law and conducted by the CMP, Pistol and Rifle Small Arms Firing Schools conducted by the CMP and the U. S. Army Marksmanship Unit, and NRA National Pistol, Smallbore Rifle and Highpower Rifle Championships, conducted by the NRA.
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CMP-Sponsored Events in
2006 National Matches (for information on CMP-sponsored events, contact the CMP at 419-635-2141, ext. 1114 or competitions@odcmp.com:
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The 2006 National Matches feature three new competition events. They are an M9 Pistol Excellence-in-Competition Match, an M1 Carbine Match that already has well over 500 entries and a Hearst Doubles two-person service rifle team event. With three new events and entries in several events already exceeding previous records, the 2006 matches promise to be among the biggest ever.
For rifle and pistol shooters, it is not too late to enter either the Small Arms Firing Schools or the Pistol, Rimfire Sporter and Service Rifle Matches. Official match programs are posted on the CMP web site at
www.odcmp.com. Individuals who wish to enter can do so on-line through the CMP web site at
http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/matchUpcomingSearch.cgi.
Camp Perry is an attractive tourist destination located on Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. Visitors and media are welcome to visit the National Matches at any time although it is always best to check the schedule (a schedule is posted on the CMP website at http://www.odcmp.com/NationalMatches.htm). Among the most colorful and exciting events are the First Shot Ceremony on 10 July and the Springfield and John C. Garand Matches on 4-5 August. In a tradition that traces back to 1904 and President Theodore Roosevelt, the winners of the President’s Pistol and Rifle Matches on 16 and 31 July respectively, receive letters of congratulations from the President of the United States. The National Matches see some of their greatest rivalries during the National Trophy Team Matches. Last year Marine Corps teams won the National Trophy Pistol Match and the National Trophy Infantry Team Match while the Army won the National Trophy Team Match.
With so many competitors and visitors coming to the National Matches, there are lots of other fascinating activities in addition to the competitions. A large Commercial Row offers shooting equipment sales firms’ displays and sales. The CMP Store with its popular surplus military rifle sales is open seven days a week during the matches. Many shooters also allocate time to visit attractions in the surrounding area.
There is much to see and do at Camp Perry, Ohio during the five weeks of the National Matches. It all starts again with the 2006 National Matches First Shot Ceremony on 10 July.