Straight shooters
After a 12-year absence from the international shooting arena, Air Force marksmen came back with a vengeance, PLTOFF Jamie Purdon reports.

The rifle team of Sergeant John Caples, and Corporals Garry Sherwood and Steve Bowling on the range. It was the Air Force team’s first appearance in internation competition since 1991.

Leading Aircraftman Murray York shows his skills with the Mag 58, aided by his number two, Flight Sergeant Dave Gay. Photos by SGT Bill Guthrie

Flight Sergeant Gay lines up a target in the pistol event. The pistol team placed in the middle of the field in a very strong competition.

THE Air Force Combat Shooting Team took to the range in Brisbane recently to contest the international component of the Australian Army Small Arms Meeting (AASAM), the first time the Air Force had competed as a team in the international combat shooting arena since 1991.

Personnel had competed in the domestic competition of AASAM with some success but because of changes the invitation for Air Force to participate in the domestic competition was removed.

Fortunately this year the Chief of Army extended an invitation to participate in the international phase, which CAF accepted in August.

With only three-weeks notice, 11 personnel from Darwin, Amberley, Richmond, Williamtown, Sale and Canberra nominated for the squad and after three gruelling 14-hour days, under the tutelage of team coach Flight Sergeant Dave Gay, the team composition was decided with the talent and fitness levels of the applicants being the deciding factors.

Accordingly, a four-man rifle team, a four-man pistol team and a machine-gun pair were formed to fly the Air Force flag. The rifle team of Sergeant John Caples, Corporals Garry Sherwood and Steve Bowling, and myself worked well as a team with respectable scores achieved.

Problems with the Enhanced Optic Sight caused near heart failures when two failed on the last day of training and another during day one of competition.

But a quick zero with new sights put the team back on track with middle-of-the-field results achieved throughout.
The rifle team competed in several combat-related events including obstacles and firing from gun pits out to distances of 600m.

Injuries prevented the team from competing in the section match events that included 2.4km of running with webbing and rifle before engaging targets at various ranges.

The rifle team joined FSGT Gay, Sergeant Bill Guthrie and Leading Aircraftmen Matt Robinson and Murray York to form an eight-man complement to compete in the international service rifle championship on the final day.

Competition was fierce with the Air Force achieving sixth place out of a possible 12.

The four-man pistol team of FSGT Gay, SGT Guthrie and Corporals Derek Morris and Scott Tuckey achieved respectable placings averaging again in the middle of the field. They were joined by SGT Caples, CPL Sherwood and LACs York and Robinson to contest the international pistol championships.

Unfortunately our star pistol shooter had to withdraw on the morning of competition, which allowed Pilot Officer Terry Johnston the chance to show his skills. PLTOFF Johnston was actually the rifle team reserve but showed the pistol shooters how it was done when he top scored for Air Force.

Considering he had only undertaken initial pistol training two weeks before it was an outstanding effort.

By far our greatest success was LAC Murray “Chainsaw” York who was given the chance to grab a MAG 58 machine-gun, something he had not done in two years.

He achieved the best results for the team, gaining fifth place in the machine-gun falling plate event.

Partnered by FSGT Gay as his number two, LAC York sprinted 100m with the 12kg weapon and 30 rounds of ammo and proceeded to knock down the required amount of plates in just over 38 seconds.

The shooting team would like to thank Peter Alomes and the board members of the RAAF Amenities Fund for providing the team with a one-off grant to purchase team tracksuits and other necessities to help the team compete and look like a team at official functions.

The results achieved by the Air Force Combat Shooting Team were realistic considering the timeframe in which to train the team.

In the future it is hoped that funding will become available that will allow the team the opportunity to be better prepared and equipped.

It is, however, great to be competing on an international level and representing our service.

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