NEOSHO, Mo. -- Nine Airmen from the 139th Airlift Wing earned the Schützenschnur, or German Armed Forces Marksmanship Badge, during this year’s Adjutant General's annual marksmanship competition (TAG Match) at Camp Crowder in Neosho, Missouri.
This was the first year guardsmen were able to compete for the German badge. In order to earn the badge one would need to place Bronze, Silver, or Gold. The TAG Match is open to all Missouri Guardsmen, however each wing and battalion is allotted a certain number of spots. This year, the 139th Airlift Wing was allotted two four-man teams.
The match includes shooting with an M4 rifle and M18 pistol in full battle gear while standing, kneeling and prone positions. Competitors shoot as far as 400 yards with the M4 rifle and 30 yards with the M18 pistol. The competition takes place over multiple days and involves spending long hours in the field.
Master Sgt. Rodd Boyer, of the 139th Maintenance Squadron, has been competing in the TAG Match since 1989 in the Army, and began competing on the Air side in 2010. He has been selected by state to compete at the national level multiple times. Boyer discussed how each force competing against one another allows both sides to evaluate where they stand and improve as a whole.
“I believe that just being in the military you should have a good working knowledge of [the] weapons we deploy with in the case that we may actually have to use them,” said Boyer. “I want to be very familiar with each weapon system that I might have to use in the AOR [area of responsibility].”
The nine Airmen from the 139th who earned the German badge are:
Lt. Col. Kirk Teufel, bronze
Maj. Brian Barnette, silver
Maj. Benjamin Gatrost, silver, Governors 20
Tech. Sgt. Arthur Gregorian, silver
Tech. Sgt. Michael Krocza, silver
Tech. Sgt. Cody Grigsby, gold, TAG 20 and top shooter for Army qual (expert marksman)
Tech. Sgt. Jacob Fjellman, gold, TAG 20, first place overall rifle, and 1st place rifle EIC
Master Sgt. Nate Nichols, gold
Master Sgt. Rodd Boyer, gold