Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Jason Benedict was in CMP Headquarters a few days before the National Trophy Rifle Matches to plan a clinic the Marine Corps Rifle Team was to conduct during the Matches. While he was there, he wrote a prophetic message on a large whiteboard the CMP staff uses to list important tasks to be accomplished. Benedict’s message stated, “prepare M1 Garand for SSgt Benedict.” It referred to the special presentation M1 Garand that the CMP and the National Match Armory of Rendon, Texas would award to the winner of the National Trophy Individual Match that took place at Camp Perry on 31 July.

Benedict’s prophetic message came true when he fired a 497-22X score in the 2007 National Trophy Individual Rifle Match that not only won the prestigious Daniel Boone Trophy, but also set a new National Matches record. The old National Matches record was set by SFC Grant Singley, U. S. Army, who fired a 497-21X score in 2000.

Even though his score was a new record, Benedict did not win an easy victory. Civilian shooter Robert Modica from Peekskill, New York, also fired a 497, but with 14Xs. Just behind Modica in third place was the former record holder, SFC Singley. He also totaled 22Xs, but had one less point with a 496.

The outstanding scores could be attributed not only to great shooting by many of the top shooters in this year’s National Matches, but also to ideal weather. Temperatures were in the mid to high 80s, with light, steady winds. Altogether, over 1,200 competitors fired in the 2007 National Trophy Rifle Individual Match. The National Trophy Individual Rifle Match is not only a contest to see which shooters win one of several important national trophies, but it is also a national Excellence-in-Competition match where the top ten percent of the Non-Distinguished shooters receive EIC points that count towards earning the Distinguished Rifleman Badge. The top Non-Distinguished competitor was the winner of the President’s Rifle Match that took place on the preceding day. SGT Kristopher Friend, USAR, had a 493-22X score in this match that not only made him the high Non-Distinguished shooter and the 13th place shooter overall, but the EIC points he earned gave him the 30 points he needed to earn his Distinguished Rifleman Badge.

A total of 90 Non-Distinguished shooters earned EIC points in this match. 14 of them including two junior shooters “legged out.” That means the points they earned in the National Trophy Individual Match plus the EIC points they previously earned totaled the 30 or more points needed to now receive their Distinguished Rifleman Badges. Twelve of those badges were presented at the National Trophy Award Ceremony on Friday evening, 3 August.

A total of 13 different national trophies were awarded to the high competitors in different categories in this match during the 3 August Award Ceremony. In addition to the Daniel Boone Trophy won by SSgt. Benedict, other trophy winners were:

• Citizen Soldier Trophy (Reserve), 1SG Jack Pardy, USAR; 496-19X

• NG Association Trophy (National Guard), SGT Richard Zolnosky, ARNG; 495-21X

• Police Rifle Trophy (Law Enforcement), Joseph Julian; 482-14X

• Nathan Hale Trophy (Civilian), Robert Modica; 497-14X

• Golden Eagle Trophy (Junior), Kevin Trickett; 491-16X

• Association of the US Army (Army), SFC Grant Singley USA; 496-22X

• Coast Artillery Trophy (Marines), SSgt Jason Benedict USMC; 497-22X

• Lt. Paul Roberts Trophy (Air Force), MSgt Gregory Blackstock ANG; 484-13X

• 25th Infantry Div. Trophy (Infantry), SFC Grant Singley USA; 496-22X

• Capt. Joe Earle Wyatt Trophy (Navy), LCDE Michael Salach, USNR; 487-14X

• CMP Senior Trophy (Age 60 & over), Jim O’Connell; 490-15X

Complete results for the match and each of these special trophy contests are posted on the CMP web site http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/report_matchResult.cgi?matchID=2113. To view a complete collection of photos of the National Trophy Individual Match winner as well as of dozens of other competitors in the match, go to http://www.odcmp.com/Photos/07/NTI/index.htm. These impressive photos were taken by Web Wright, a professional photographer who is also a Triple Distinguished Shooter.

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