ANNISTON, ALABAMA - It was a busy year for the CMP’s State Directors (SD) across the country and many directors representing the majority of the U.S. attended their first ever two-day workshop here in October. The workshop entitled “Getting Back to the Grass Roots” was held at the CMP Marksmanship Center - South on Friday and Saturday, 1 & 2 October. It’s the SDs’ mission to provide leadership, resource and program information, coordination, networking, motivation and publicity for shooting organizations within their states.

CAMP PERRY, OHIO - Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force JROTC rifle teams kicked off their 2010-2011 competition year as they competed in the 2010-2011 JROTC Air Rifle Postal Competitions. For the past eight years, the Civilian Marksmanship Program has overseen the scoring of JROTC 3x10 three-position air rifle postal competitions. These annual postal matches determine which JROTC unit teams and individual cadets advance to compete in their respective service’s JROTC shoulder-to-shoulder Championship.

ANNISTON, ALABAMA & CAMP PERRY, OHIO – Connor Davis, 17, of Shelbyville, Kentucky, cruised to victory in the precision air rifle class and Tessa Howald, 17, of Ozark, Missouri, set two new Army Junior ROTC records en route to winning the sporter air rifle class at the 2010 Gary Anderson Invitational 3x20 tournament. The matches were fired concurrently at identical CMP shooting facilities in Alabama and Ohio.

CAMP PERRY, OHIO – On Thursday, 2 December, Gary Anderson, Director of Civilian Marksmanship Emeritus, made good on the CMP’s plan to present a retirement gift to COL (Ret.) James H. Chisman for his years of service as former Ohio National Guard Fort Ohio Installations and Camp Perry Training Site Commander. We had planned to present COL Chisman a personalized M1 Carbine at his retirement party, but he didn’t stop working long enough to plan a party,” Anderson said.

Mike Gingher, former CMP Armorer, Passes at Age 67 - CAMP PERRY, OHIO – Former Civilian Marksmanship Program armorer, Michael D. Gingher, 67, of Thorncreek Township, Indiana, died 3 December, 2010 at Glencrest Nursing and Rehab Center in Chicago where he was admitted after an extended illness. Gingher was a CMP armorer, specializing in the service of M1 Garand and AR15 rifles shortly after the privatization of the CMP program in the mid to late 1990s. He was considered an diligent armorer and was instrumental in assessing the quality of Danish M1 rifles and their eventual acquisition by CMP, having traveled to Denmark, according to former fellow workers.

USAMU’s Olson Continues Pursuit of a Marksmanship Dream - Sergeant First Class Josh Olson, a member of the US Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) rifle team, lost his right leg to a rocket propelled grenade attack during a routine patrol in Tal Afar, Iraq in October 2003, but thanks to an engaging rehabilitation program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and a USAMU initiative to retain wounded warriors who demonstrate excellent marksmanship skills, he has resumed his dream of serving his country in ways he hadn’t imagined before.

Zerr and Sylvia Win Overall Aggregate Titles while GySgt Stephens Goes Distinguished at Western Creedmoor Cup Matches - Ronald Zerr, 48, of El Paso, Texas won the match rifle overall aggregate and Joel Sylvia, 40, of Hayward, California was tops in the service rifle aggregate at the Western Creedmoor Cup Matches on 24 October.   Marine Corps GySgt Christopher Stephens, 39, earned his Distinguished Rifle Badge, winning eight EIC leg points. Five other shooters garnered leg points including junior Travis Burian, 18, of Surprise, Arizona, who earned an impressive 10-point leg as the high Non-Distinguished shooter in the EIC match.

ANNISTON, ALABAMA – A pair of US Army Marksmanship Unit heavyweights took the top two podium spots in the open category of the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s second annual Dixie Double Precision Air Rifle and Air Pistol Event, but University of Kentucky and USA Shooting’s Ashley Jackson, 22, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio wasn’t far off the pace. Despite a calendar crowded with airgun events taking place nationwide and abroad, several of the country’s top air rifle and air pistol shooters brought their talents to the CMP Marksmanship Center and shared their wisdom with junior shooters during the 60-shot-times-two standing event, held Saturday and Sunday, 13 and 14 November.

2010 Dixie Double Event Provides Airgun Shooters Opportunities for Improvement

ANNISTON, ALABAMA – The 2010 Dixie Double Precision Air Rifle and Pistol Event gave junior and veteran shooters alike an opportunity to improve their game in a challenging environment at the 80-firing point CMP Marksmanship Center, 13-14 November. Selina Curren, 14, of Pelham, Alabama picked up a BB gun for the first time a year ago and began shooting competitively with her 4-H club and has shown rapid improvement. At the 2010 Alabama Sports Festival she placed first in the 13 to 15-year-old class BB gun championship, second in the .22 rifle silhouette match and third in three-position .22 rifle match.