ROBINSON MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Ark. -- The Washington Air National Guard sent eight marksmen from the Western Air Defense Sector, 194th Wing and 141st Air Refueling Wing to the Winston P. Wilson Championship in Little Rock, Ark., April 7-10, 2019.
The Winston P. Wilson (WPW) Championship is an annual marksmanship competition help by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center. Teams from every state, as well as a hand full of international teams, gather at Robinson Maneuver Training Center to compete for honors. For five days, teams were mentally and physically challenged on three ranges with over a dozen courses of fire.
WPW is not only about competition. The focus is really on training. You will find some of the best marksman in the world mixed in with those who are brand new to the game. No matter their current level, every participant learns valuable skills to enhance their shooting proficiency. Strangers work together as a team. A community is formed, and those more experienced provide good mentoring.
“The one thing I really appreciated was receiving advice from someone on another team. We were there to compete against each other, but there was a sense of camaraderie and the willingness to help each other out,” said Mast Sgt. Ryan Rathbun, 194th Medical Group.
As the Washington National Guard continues to build the foundation for the state’s Marksmanship Training Program more opportunities like this will be announced by Joint Tasking Orders. The selection process for next years’ WPW teams should start before the end of the year.
Members of the 2019 Team are:
Team ALPHA:
Lt. Col. Richard Gockley, 141st Air Refueling Wing Plans and Programs Office
Master Sgt. James Achen, 141st Logistics Readiness Squadron
Master Sgt. Ryan Rathbun, 194th Medical Group
Senior Airman Richard Delinsky, 194th Comptroller Flight
Team BRAVO:
Master Sgt. Shay Brockman, 225th Air Defense Squadron
Master Sgt. Eric Poe, 225th Support Squadron
Tech. Sgt. Cameron Riedl, 225th ADS
Staff Sgt. Shane Key, 225th SS