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Shaw promotes small-arms excellence in competition

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Vincent A. Mouzon
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Shaw's combat arms branch recently demonstrated the Air Force's commitment to the preservation and advancement of marksmanship with a small-arms excellence-in-competition program Aug. 19 to 20.

Out of the 120 Airmen who competed, only three shot well enough to qualify for the badges. 

Elementary EIC bronze rifle badge
-Senior Master Sgt. Richard Kelly, 337th Recruiting Squadron, 455 points
-Tech. Sgt. Joseph Brockman, Component Maintenance Squadron, 460 points

Elementary EIC bronze pistol badge
- Master Sgt. Davis Watkins, 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 286 points

Airmen competed with the M-16A2 rifle and the M-9 pistol for the distinguished rifle and pistol badges. The EIC badge is not the same as the ribbon earned through the Air Force qualification course. Shooters say the competition for the EIC badge is more challenging.

"There's a possible 500 points, but there is a minimum cutoff that they must achieve before . . . (any) possibility of being awarded the medal," explained Staff Sgt. Gary Chapin, 20th Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor. "You have to score the minimum of 455 points and you also have to be within the top 10 percent. So, say 90 people show up. We are only authorized to give out nine medals."

The EIC program is open to any Air Force active duty, Reserve, or National Guard member. Participants says the competition helps build self confidence in all competitors and promotes a spirit of professional competition. This was the first competition held at Shaw since 2004 due to the increase rate in deployments.

"This takes a lot of logistics, a lot of time and preparation," Sergeant Chapin said. "We have so many personnel going out on deployment that we have classes every single day. If we're not teaching, we're inspecting weapons. If we're not inspecting weapons, we're fixing weapons."

"Shooting the M-9 was a very good experience," remarked Tech. Sgt. Donald Miller, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron. "I've always wanted to. I've seen everybody carry them around, and I've always wondered what it's like to shoot . . . I've always shot the M-16. So I finally got to shoot the M-9 and apparently I'm not a bad shot at it."