‘Defenders’ test marksmanship during Police Week showdown

Personnel from the 88th Security Forces Squadron gathered to test their skills with the M4 rifle and M18 pistol.

Pistol competitors had to fire a total of 30 rounds. The first 10 rounds were fired one-handed from the standing position in 2 minutes, 30 seconds. Next, 10 rounds were shot two-handed from the same position and time frame.

In the final string, participants fired five rounds over a 20-second span.

Airmen competing with the M4 rifle fired 60 rounds each. Shooters were tasked with adjusting their own sighting, allowing for 10 rounds not counted toward final scores.

In the rifle competition’s first phase, shooters fired 10 rounds from a standing, unsupported position in under 60 seconds. In the second phase, they were given 45 seconds to fire 10 shots from a kneeling position. The third phase allotted participants 45 seconds to get off 10 shots from a sitting position.

The contestants finished up by shooting 20 rounds in under 60 seconds from a prone position.

The winner of the M4 rifle competition was Tech. Sgt. Steven Fried, 88 SFS unit deployment manager.

“It felt great. I feel like it was a great time to do this, to use your fundamentals that you learn all the time,” he said after triumphing over 37 other shooters with a score of 436. “It was just nice to put all the training in competition mode since we normally don’t get to do that.”

Staff Sgt. Shane Ruark won the M18 pistol competition with a 267 total.

“It was a great time. I love shooting the pistol,” he said. “This was a great event for comradery.”

Rifle competition winners:

1st place – Tech. Sgt. Steven Fried, 436

2nd place – 2nd Lt. Justin O’Brien, 431

3rd place – Staff Sgt. Eric Whitt, 425

4th place – Staff Sgt. Shane Ruark, 422

Pistol competition winners:

1st place – Staff Sgt. Shane Ruark, 257

2nd place (tie) – Master Sgt. Jesus Gonzalez and 2nd Lt. Justin O’Brien, 248

4th place – Tech. Sgt. Justin Van Niman, 238