PHOENIX, ARIZONA – By scoring in the top 10 percent of eligible shooters in the Special As-Issued M1 Garand Excellence In Competition (EIC) Match during the 2010 CMP Western Games, seven Non-Distinguished shooters earned four introductory or “leg” points of the 30 required to earn a Distinguished Rifleman Badge, a coveted honor among marksmen.
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Six of seven winners of introductory M1 Garand EIC points are Chris Clay, Royce Chezem III, Thomas Simonsen, David Van Bramer, George Gaskill and high shooter Greg Volker. Marty Black, unavailable for this photo is pictured below.
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Though somewhat obscure, tradition has kept the term “leg” alive as it relates to earning a Distinguished Badge; however, the term now refers to a point system rather than three symbolic legs of a trophy stand or stool upon which a trophy sat. Legend has it that winning the same match three times (all three legs) earned the shooter the right to have his or her name added to a trophy.
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Marty Black was unable to attend the EIC awards presentation but received his pin the following day from CMP Chief Operating Officer, Orest Michaels.
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Today becoming Distinguished requires competitors to earn several smaller leg points available in a limited number of qualifying matches each year. In any case, becoming a Distinguished shooter is a hard-earned honor that signifies excellence and dedication to marksmanship.
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Michael Soock, 58, of Sun City, Arizona, takes aim in the prone phase of the M1Carbine Match, fired at 100 yards.
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Those earning their introductory leg points during the M1Garand EIC match at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility on 17 October were:
• Greg Volker, 59, Petaluma, CA (371-5X)
• George Gaskill, 63, Chino, CA (365-2X)
• David Van Bramer, 50, Friendswood, TX (364-5X)
• George “Marty” Black, 59, Pismo Beach, CA (359-3X)
• Thomas Simonsen, 65, Jackson, MI (359-2X)
• Royce Chezem III, 52, Simi Valley, CA (357-4X)
• Chris Clay, 58, Rohnert Park, CA (356-4X)
Volker, 59, of Petaluma, California, received a Bushmaster DCM-XR Competition
Service Rifle, donated by Bushmaster Firearms as the high Non-Distinguished EIC points winner. Overall match winner and Distinguished rifleman, Don Rutherford, 58, of Tallapoosa, Georgia (385-8X) won an engraved CMP plaque and a Criterion M1 Garand rifle barrel, donated by Criterion Barrels, Inc. The top Senior EIC shooter, Arland Anderson, 60, of Las Vegas, Nevada (also Distinguished), won an engraved CMP plaque as well, firing an aggregate score of 369-5X.
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Edward Hotz won the 2010 CMP Western Games M1 Carbine Match with an aggregate score of 362-5X. Here he is presented with a Fancy Grade M1 Carbine rifle stock from the Dupage Trading Company as the overall winner by CMP’s Orest Michaels.
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Edward Hotz won the 2010 CMP Western Games M1 Carbine Match with an aggregate score of 362-5X. The 56-year-old shooter from Costa Mesa, California, won a Fancy Grade M1 Carbine rifle stock from the Dupage Trading Company as the overall winner. Hotz’ scores of 96-2X, 90-1X, 91-1X and 85-1X in slow and rapid
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M1 Carbine shooters fired four phases including prone slow-fire and rapid-fire, sitting and standing. Competitors beat the desert sun with shaded visors and plenty of hydration.
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LTC Barry Bean, USMCR, 56, of Vista, California, placed second (353-3X) and Lee McKinney, 64 of Rio Rico, Arizona, took third overall and won a CMP engraved plaque as the High Senior, firing a 348-3X.
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Lee McKinney, 64 of Rio Rico, Arizona, took third overall and won a CMP engraved plaque as the High Senior, firing a 348-3X.
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For complete results of the M1 EIC and M1 Carbine matches, log onto
http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/report_matchResult.cgi?matchID=6118.
To view written descriptions of the evolution of the Distinguished marksman tradition and badges, log onto
http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions.htm and scroll to “Distinguished Shooter Badges.”
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