Michael Jordan of shooting,
USAMU four-time Olympian, infantry officer retires

By Paula J. Randall Pagán
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Public Affairs Office

FORT BENNING, Ga. - He's held many titles - officer, infantryman, war veteran and Olympian. But after 20 years of service to his country, an international rifle shooter with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit has put down his guns and said goodbye to the Army. Capt. Glenn A. Dubis, a Desert Storm veteran and four-time Olympian, retired from the Army in March.

During his shooting career, Dubis won the World Rifle Championship three times, the World Military Rifle Championship five times and set or tied six world records. He represented the United States in the Conseil International du Sport Militaire - known as CISM or the Military World Games - more than a dozen times. He is a member of the USAMU International Rifle Hall of Fame as well as his hometown's Athletic Hall of Fame.

"I am proud to have served as an Army officer," Dubis said. "I will miss my Army teammates and U.S. Shooting Team colleagues and the friends I made around the world. I will also miss the pride and satisfaction that comes with representing the U.S. Army and the United States of America. I have traveled over most of the world and made friends in many places all while doing something I had the fortune to be good at and that I also love. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the Army and our nation. It has been a blessing to be able to pursue my goals and dreams in this way.

"The Army and the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit were critical to my success," Dubis continued. "They provided me with the time, resources and infrastructure to achieve my full potential as a rifle shooter. If it were not for the Army, it is unlikely that I would have succeeded. I would certainly recommend the Army as a career to others." Dubis thanked the commanders, past and present, of the USAMU who helped him throughout his career, as well as members of his Army Rifle Team. "I owe the most to Bill Krilling, my coach on the Army Team for 19 of my 20 years of service," Dubis said. "He helped me build my positions and monitor my progress; together we made adjustments, then he just let me do the shooting."

"Dubis was the greatest military CISM shooter in the world and a big asset to the Army team," Krilling said. "He was just a special shooter, easy to work with and had a very positive outlook. Although he was a real champion, he was a humble person. He meant a lot to the team and to me. "He was quite popular in Europe; he'd win a match and his fans would cheer for him," Krilling continued. "He so dominated the CISM matches that his scores would intimidate other shooters. When Dubis showed up at a match, his competitors figured the best they could do was take second place."

Raised in Bethel Park, Pa., Dubis graduated from Bethel Park High School in 1977 and received a bachelor's degree in agronomy from Pennsylvania State University in 1981. In 1989, he completed a master's degree in sports management at the U.S. Sports Academy in Daphne, Ala. "At Bethel Park High School, my coaches Karl Kirschner, Dean Johnson and Buddy Ridge, and Penn State varsity coaches Joe Dilkes, Dick Kummer and Bob Strong and Army ROTC coach Dave Soncek were keys to my development. They contributed to my success and I owe my thanks to them," Dubis said.

Dubis joined the Army Feb. 1, 1982, at which time he started shooting with the Army Marksmanship Unit. In addition to several assignments with the USAMU International Rifle Team, his military career included assignments at the 197th Infantry Brigade, the Infantry Officers Advanced Course, the Combined Arms Services and Staff School and the 2nd Armored Division in Germany, where he was deployed with the division for Operation Desert Storm.

"The USAMU, while small in size, brings many things to the Army's table, such as a positive image to the U.S. public, ambassadorship to the world and support in the Army's recruiting effort," Dubis said. "Besides these, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit brings an institutional knowledge of weapons and marksmanship that is unique in the Army and that translates
directly into combat effectiveness of troops in the field, particularly our Ranger, Special Forces and Delta soldiers. I hope the Army never loses sight of the effectiveness of well-trained and equipped rifle marksmen."

Dubis was awarded two Meritorious Service Medals, 10 Army Commendation Medals, four Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, the Southwest Asia Medal with three battle stars, the Kuwaiti Liberation Medal, the Army Superior Unit Award, the President's Hundred Tab, the Distinguished Rifleman Badge and the Distinguished International Shooters Badge. 

Dubis, who began shooting in 1975, has numerous marksmanship accomplishments. In fact, he has enough trophies, plaques and Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals to fill a small museum. The only prize that ever eluded him was an Olympic Medal. In addition to his three World Rifle Championships and five World Military Championship titles, Dubis won countless other international and national titles. 

"In Europe, Dubis is quite a celebrity," said Robert W. Aylward, USAMU deputy commander. "He's the Michael Jordan of the shooting world. People call the CISM rifle trophy the 'Dubis Trophy' because his name is engraved on it so many times; he's won the CISM Rifle Championship more times than everyone else in the world combined."

After this year's World Championships, Dubis said he will be hanging up his guns. He said he wants to travel, get a coaching position and marry his long-time sweetheart, Melanie Libby, who works in the Competition Department at USA Shooting.

"I heard it said that many people’s favorite candidate for the title 'Man of the Century' was the American GI. The American GI influenced events in more places around the world during the last century than any other person," Dubis said. "I was once an American GI, but now I'm out, happy to join the ranks of the retired veterans. I'm looking forward to the rest of my life. It is impossible for me to have any regrets. I stayed true to my calling and I am happy for the way things turned out."


(Formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to raise the standards of marksmanship throughout the U.S. Army, the Army Marksmanship Unit has been a part of the U. S. Army Recruiting Command since October 1999. The Marksmanship Unit trains its soldiers to win competitions and enhances combat readiness through train-the-trainer clinics, research and development. The world-class soldier-athletes of the USAMU also promote the Army and assist recruiters in attracting young Americans to enlist in the Army. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, paula.pagan@usarec.army.mil or http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/amu/.)