Army - The Soldiers' Newspaper

Soldiers from 5/7RAR fire from the standing position during live-fire pistol practices at AASAM. Photo by Sgt Sybelle Foxcroft, 25/49RQR

AASAM 2003

Inf sergeant hits the spot

By Sgt Sybelle Foxcroft
Run fast, shoot straight and that's exactly what a sergeant from the School Of Infantry did better than anyone else.

Sgt Davey said he was taken by surprise at his win and felt honoured to have been chosen.

"Winning the Champion Shot felt like a mix of happiness, surprise and I counted myself very lucky," he said.

"I think all of the Army's marksmen aspire to reach that goal and I feel honoured to be among the esteemed ranks of those who have been awarded this medal previously.

"The competition was both diverse, challenging and the new style competition makes the individual think fast and tactically."

AASAM has undergone changes over the past few years and is now a fully-fledged combat shooting competition.

Assistant Competition Director Maj David Bartlett said the changes were made because the Army recognised AASAM afforded an opportunity to achieve training outcomes required for the battlefield, and to be able to justify conducting the competition with real training outcomes, as opposed to conducting a competition for the sake of it.

"It has been recognised that AASAM is an excellent training vehicle and testing ground to examine doctrine, training standards, assessing equipment and weapons systems," he said.

"The benefit of these changes is that AASAM is now more attractive to unit commanders and soldiers, being a more combat-[orientated] competition, which is a result of unit training.

"Because AASAM follows doctrine, it enables the Army to identify the strengths and weaknesses and incorporate those findings into the management, training and the Small Arms Wing (SAW), which is then incorporated into the rest of the army."

Maj Bartlett said the long-term prospects of AASAM would continue to be reviewed and developed to provide an efficient and effective competition that will continue to meet Army needs and get the best out of its soldiers and resources.

The Malaysian Army Shooting Team took out majority of the awards in AASAM's international competition and were clearly excited by their wins, but it was the Falintil/Forsa Defesa Timor Leste (FDTL) shooting team that shined the brightest.

FDTL 2IC Lt Domingoes Da Costa Soares Dobu said the Timor team did very well and gained a lot of experience for the competition.

"This is very good for us, more experience I can take back to my unit," he said.

"I am part of the Small Arms Training Wing at home, and I can go back to my country and teach my soldiers more of training and discipline.

"We want to come back for next year's competition and try harder from what we have learned."

The FDTL had the only female member in the competition. Pte Judita Cardoso said she was delighted to represent her country and be the only female competitor at the international competition.

"I have been learning more on the rifle and feel very happy to be here," she said.

Competition Director Lt-Col John Edwards said the competition saw some excellent shooting from all of the various nations' competing teams.

"Because this new AASAM competition is combat orientated, the teams will now re-focus their various training programs and are keen to return," he said.

"Other nations have said they are adapting their own competitions into more combat style events as they see this type of assessment as beneficial for the military.

"You would compete at the Commonwealth Games or the Olympics for just sports shooting and I would like see AASAM as the world cup for combat shooting."

International AASAM was hailed a success not only in the new combat style of the events but also in the camaraderie of all the nations competing.