2008 Ft Benning 3 Gun

[cheryl]

Squad 9 rocked. We had two DQs, but they continued to help the rest of the squad get through the match without sucky attitudes. Heck, ShooterSteve evey offered his rifle to me for Stage 8. I declined, but what a guy. Great weather, people & stages. Thanks to all.

Cheryl from Tallahassee

[Charles Bond]

Another item to recall at any match is that if you can not shoot on Cheryl's squad, shoot on the one just in front. It is really special coming off your stage as Cheryl is coming on and be met with a smile and a hug and a butterscotch cookie!

[Tim Sr]

We shot on Friday and were around on Sat & Sun, so where and when did the Shooter Tokens get distributed? I would have loved to have received one.

Thanks,

Tim Pack

[JohnMc]

This was my first trip to Benning,and I was really impressed with the stages and all of the hard work that went into this match. My thanks to the AMU and everyone that put this match on. If I have the chance to do it again, I will be better prepared. The "Challenge Coins" are Bad Ass.

Thanks JohnMc

[uscbigdawg]

Tim - The AMU soldiers gave them out at the shooters' meeting on Saturday morning.

Rich

ETA: It was nice meeting and shooting with you and your son.

Edited December 8, 2008 by uscbigdawg

[gb32]

Great match from my perspective. I was the first DQ as I was the first shooter on our first stage on Friday. No problem, happens to everybody. I think it bummed KurtM out more than me. Spent the rest of the day Soing the squad and cheering them on. Worked on a great crew Sat and Sun on Stage 8. All total pros and a pleasure to work with. Saw some great shooting out there. Thanks to all who make this match possible.

Gary Byerly

[whiskey1]

Thoughts on the 2008 FB3G challenge (really just random observations). Here goes:

AMU rocks. There were many, many world class shooters working their butts off on their home ground so we could come play there, and they were not interested in self-aggrandizement one bit. I really, really classy group of guys. Just what you would expect when the senior NCOs display the type of leadership obvious at this match.

The soldier ROs were friendlier and more professional than any other group of ROs I have ever met and I have met some good ROs. The Challenge coin will serve as a reminder of the attitude these fine ladies and gentlemen displayed without exeption throughout the match.

I was lucky enough to shoot 11 or 12 major matches this year (depending on how you define major match) and this was the single best one. It also contained the single most fun action stage I have ever shot (stage 7). Somebody please put up some video.

Don't mess with Linda. Do ask her questions if you want to learn about match administration.

Stage design was very well thought out. If you have a weakness they will find it, but the match was not overly heavy in any one particular area. Alot of the stages would have been considered real hose fests under USPSA scoring but the Horner method added a certain amount of control- rewarding accurate shooting as is appropriate.

I am already looking for Linda's e-mail and planning to be logged on waiting to hit send at the appropriate strike of the clock to register for FB3G Challenge 2009...

Oh yeah, the prize table was real good too. An Eberlestock pack for nearly 30th place...wow!

[HRider]

This Match was AWESOME!

Many Thanks to the Army Marksmanship Unit and the Staff that made this match happen. The match was well run and World Class in my opinion. The only "issues" that I had were due to "Operator head space and timing".

The only suggestions I have for next year is maybe shooting the tank on stage 8 with Ma Duce, and then retrieving your rifle and shooting the rest of the stage (I really wanted to shoot the tank).

The trench stage was my favorite of this year, but the Stryker ride, M203 and captured AK were cool also.

By far the most treasured item I have from any of the matches that I have participated in is the "Chalenge Coin". Knives are cool, but the coin cannot be topped.

Again, many thanks to all who worked to make this match happen, and a big Thank You to everyone that is serving our Great Nation.

Hurley

[Benelli Chick]

Well, that was definitely worth 48 hours of driving!

Like everyone said, the Medal of Honor Citations were inspiring, the coins were awesome, and I had a blast.

Things went very smoothly! I think (Linda told me it was Kurt's fault) that having an off period between most stages helped the timing a great deal. Shooters were more willing to stay around and watch their squad and work because they didn't need to hurry to get their guns ready for the next stage!

I met a lot of new and great people in squad 8, and it was awesome to shoot with them.

Thanks so much to all the army: gold medal winners and beyond. They were running and doing their very best all day every day. That poor guy who kept jumping out of the cage on 6 for every squad! Good grief! Once was more than enough for me, but I might be just a little older!

I appreciate the army and non-army RO's. It's a hard job, you never shoot your best, but we couldn't play without them!

Robbie did an amazing job! The stages were interesting and fun, even if a did tank a few of them. When I approached 8 and saw them thawing off the roof, I panicked, but, that's the army. They worked their butts off making it work. I hear the trench was a joy, ALL the times they got to dig it out, and I'm glad they did! It was a hoot!

The stats went smoothly! Congratulations to all the winners! It was a tough match!

Great match! Thanks for all the time and energy!

Denise and JJ

P.S. If anyone has a guaranteed slot they would like to sell me for full price, I need one for my driver! I would come alone, but it's too long a drive! Help!

[ChristianHE]

This year was my first at Fort Benning. I'd shot Area 6 for the first time also and the great guys on my squad there HIGHLY recommended it and now I got to see why. Almost too many reasons to list:

Getting to meet Steel Challenge champ and record holder K.C. Eusebio, Gold medal skeet shooter Vincent Hancock, Service Rifle champ Sgt. Tomlinson and other great AMU guys like Sgt. Ruiz made it "most excellent".

Amazing coordination by Linda and SFC Hampton and the AMU.

Being run in stage by famous RO's like Kurt Miller... (And Alan Shepard

I actually finished without being DQ'd!

Getting to spend a couple days with my squad which was full of awesome, friendly, helpful people like Maj. Cotty and others.

Getting to ride a Striker, sit in a Bradley, fire an auto AK, a 203, shoot on the same range as the part of the sniper competition.

Talk with the Cadets!

Receiving a unit/challenge coin. (I told my dad, who went to N. Africa during WWII with the Army and he asked me "are you sure that's what it is?" YES DAD.

Snag a prize from the table.

As I was driving out of Ft. Benning I had a grin that was like a cramp in my face!

WOW.

[uscbigdawg]

Christian,

We're going to have to work out a deal on me trying out your rifle.

Rich

[benelli2]

So what is the verdict on 2 day or 3 day match? I'll play either way. I understand 3 days lets you have more stages or people but may be a bit harder on staff and RO's. Hope everyone gave their input to Robbie or Hamp, maybe needs to be another thread oops, This match ROCKED!

I shot the USPSA Nationals in the old days when it was 5 days and you only shot 2 stages a day, I don't care how many days this match is as long as I can get in I will be there as it is better than any Nationals I have ever been too.

IMHO- Support logistics becomes the greatest challange as match time increases, staff issues, hotel & food costs, etc, I think the shooters will be there regardless, shoot, worst case it may take a full second to fill next year!!!!!!!

Hamp/ Robbie/ Linda we are all so grateful for your efforts and those of the awesome group of folks you pull together, it makes us look forward to the end of the shooting season more than the start, what a way to end the year

jc

Edited December 9, 2008 by benelli2

[Jim Norman]

I just want to add a brief Thank you to all the ROs and Staff. This was one of if not the BEST run and built match I have been to. Fantastic Stages, Great People.

Jim

[ShooterSteve]

I wanted to say "Thank you" to all those involved also. I know it takes a lot of work to do a match like this. The AMU works their butts off to set up and tear down, and they work all weekend. I'm sure they are all beat. I have never met so many people who are so friendly and helpful, even when there is a disagreement over something. Thanks to Linda and all the stats crew. I got DQ'd early on Sat morning (thanks a lot Trapr!). I'm just joking, it was a straight up DQ as my pistol popped out when I went prone on Stage 2, but I still think he threw it down there when I wasn't looking!! My DOH is screwed down tight now! Probably give myself a wedgie at the next match!! We had a good time with everyone on squad 9, tons of fun. I'm looking forward to next year, but our 25th anniversary is that weekend so I'm not sure...decisions, decisions. Some of you girls out there fill me in.. How long will she be mad? I really need to know.

Thanks again to the AMU and everyone involved.

Steve

HEY NICK, YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIND YOUR WAY HOME EASILY BY THE LIGHT OF THAT BEAUTIFUL CAROLINA MOON

[abn-rgr]

How does one get advanced notice of registration for this match? I will definitely try to go next year.

[uscbigdawg]

Linda will post ALL the info you'll need to ATTEMPT to get into the match.

Jeff - As for the 2/3 day match format, with 3 being totally do-able and open up more stages (11 discussed), from RO'ing this match and shooting 8 stages on Friday and getting done at 8pm, I'd say we need to factor in an earlier start than 8am (since it was light at 7-730). Too, so the match doesn't go too far into the preceeding week, that maybe there's a rotation of RO's to finish shooting their stages on the match days.

How about RO's shoot 5 or 6 stages on Thursday and then 2/3 stages on Friday and Saturday. Just a thought.

BTW, the 1 hour breaks between squads is a HUGE help.

Rich

[SGDM]

Several of us shot it in one day. Keep the 2 day format and it will be easier to sell to the Army as well.

[kellyn]

I'd like to thank the Army, the AMU (particularly Sgts. Hampton and Johnson), and the civilian staff for putting on a fantastic match. This match keeps getting better in management, scoring, and stage design. I'd really like to thank the Army for keeping Daniel out of the match! The prize table was fantastic as always.

The stages were all good and some required a bit of thinking. Stage 1 required a knowledge of how well one shoots the pistol. Stage 8 required some thinking on how to engage the long range rifle targets. Stage 3 really required some thinking on how move throughout the stage. The others were pretty straight forward but provided for challenging shooting nonetheless. The trench stage! Crazy. The bridge? Can we run it over with a Bradley or shoot greandes AT it as opposed to shooting FROM it?

Rifle shots were from 1 to 415. Many shooting on Sunday really got creamed by the wind, always a danger with long range stages.

I thought the application of the Horner scoring system worked out smoothly and I, for one, prefer it to the "2 Ds is good shooting" system. You could definitely see many (not all though!) people slowing down just a bit to aim and call their shots.

Finally, kudos to Bruce Piatt who put on the finest shooting I saw at the match, shooting Stage 8 with only one makeup shot with iron sights, shaming all of us scoped shooters. Amazing.

[abn-rgr]

Linda will post ALL the info you'll need to ATTEMPT to get into the match.

Rich

Post it where??? Thanks.

[uscbigdawg]

Here.

[Charles Bond]

On the subject of the present format vs adding another day, all of us have to keep in mind that this match is at its core a marketing effort of the US Army in general and the AMU specificially. Given the demand they have for additional slots from additional shooters and given that the best market plan is the one that touches the greatest number of souls, the desire for more shooters and more stages is completely understandable and I completely support it. More shooters and more stages at this match would benefit everyone.

Let us keep in mind that what presently exists is not a two day match but rather a day and a half match. The AMU has wisely planned to finish shooting around noon on Sunday so awards can be completed with everyone on the road by the middle of the day on Sunday. If we add a day we go from a day and a half to two and a half days. Adding stages will further encourage those who come from far, far away to enjoy the match.

Some have noted that we might be able to start shooting earlier but let us keep in mind that we did not have heavy cloud cover at the match this year. We might have been able to start as early as 7:30 am but I would not have been excited about shooting stages 7 or 8 that early especially with a heavier overcast. And to be fair to the range staff, 8 am is early enough.

Based on the quality that AMU has historically given us in this match, I am quite confident that based on the demand, what the crowd communicated by a show of hands during the awards, and in the tradition of bigger and better each year, we will likely see a day added to the match in 2009 and I would be very excited about that possibility.

Charles Bond

[brian_glusing]

This was my first 3-gun match ever, and my first shooting competition of any type since 1990. I can't think of anything that would have made it more fun. It was a perfect first exposure to the sport. I can't wait until the next one. Linda, AMU, and everyone else involved, thanks a million for an amazing weekend!

[bigbrowndog]

Todd, all that video coverage is OK!!!!!! but the video WE ALL want to see features Rob Romero and Eric Lund on stage 2. Someone on the squad has to have the footage, it REALLY NEEDS to be shared with the members of the forum.

I just got back and unpacked,........................... the match is truly a terrific undertaking and I'm quite sure requires untold fortitude and patience to put on. That said, I will come back every time that I can!!!! just to show my appreciation for all the hard work that AMU puts into it. The Challenge coins have already been tested and honored I cannot fathom how AMU and Sgt. Hampton will top them next year, in keeping with the appreciation for all their hard work I made a point of getting mine from Sgt. Hampton.

The stages were deceptively easy/hard, the wind on stage 8 was just as deceptive. I personally liked the stages, they listened to the suggestions from last year and fixed everything. The only thing I saw that proved to be a problem again was that RO's could not finish all the stages in one day, I think trying to fit more competitors into the match and use the RO day to accomplish it causes longer stage times and delays.

Seeing the Westpoint cadets take to the sport was very pleasing.

Listening to the CMH recipients stories was very humbling, and makes one hope that when the time comes, you would have the same fortitude and courage.

Congrats to all the winners and especially to AMU.

Trapr

[LChico]

The only thing I saw that proved to be a problem again was that RO's could not finish all the stages in one day, I think trying to fit more competitors into the match and use the RO day to accomplish it causes longer stage times and delays.

Trapr

Trapr - The problem was not the number of Friday competitors. We actually had fewer Friday shooters this year than last year. They were just on 6 squads, rather than 7 (since we had one less stage). We DID put more shooters in the match by adding one hour of shooting on Saturday (ending at 5:30 rather than 4:30).

Friday is NOT the "RO day." Yes, it is the day the staff shoots, but we have always used that day for active duty shooters, and vendors who will be 'working' in the tent over the weekend.

We could not start shooting on Stage 8 until 10:00

At the end of Friday, we has 13 shooters who did not get to stage 8. The hour and a half that we couldn't shoot on the stage was the major reason for shooters not being able to complete the match Friday.

Linda Chico (L-2035)

2008 Ft Benning 3 Gun Statistician

Edited December 10, 2008 by LChico

[slowsure]

Well another FB3G is over. Linda and Daniel need to set up a count down clock to next years match on their FB3G sites.

I think this years match has again moved the bar a little bit higher for top tier 3 gun matches. The forethought and attention to detail made this years match a slick, smooth, well ran event. The time, phone calls, letters, forms meetings, late nights, well you get the picture, it must take to pull this off must be mind boggling.

I want to say thank you to the entire AMU team. Aaron, Robbie, Daniel you didn’t stop the entire weekend. Linda, we shooters should keep rose pedals in front of your steps THANK YOU. Travillan, Sewallace, you two are hardest working RO's I ever had the pleasure of working with! Again THANK YOU to ALL the AMU. Wilson thank you for putting a full tilt body block on my buddy Dan, allot of people have wanted to do that for a long time, but are just not big enough.

ChristianHE...why yes I am famous, being mentioned in the same sentence as the famous Koot Milker put me in a class all my own.

The coin is awesome. Very cool way of receiving it too!

This match has taken on a different feel for me this year. The combination of the coin, the reading of the citations, the words from LTC Muggeo before the prize table really humbled me, we have allot to be grateful for in this country and we should be reminded of it more often! I heard all 8 citations and one citations 16 times but the one I heard 16 times never lost any of the power of the man it was written about, once. Amen?

A couple of first's for me this year:

I have never ever, until this match, had to call for a M203 grenade launcher calibration.

Finished on the first page of the results pages. I usually start at the bottom and work up.

Scraped that much ice off my windshield Friday morning that far south.

Watch a inadvertently dropped rifle magazine activate a drop turner and clamshell

Watch a shooter hit a 6" plate at 50 yards with M203 grenade launcher and be honest enough to say. I was aiming at the wall.

The match hotel was awesome. The pillow marked "hard" was good for blocking snoring and the "soft" was good for blocking snoring. Just right. And those cinnamon rolls!!!!!!!

Congrats to the winners. Thank you SPONSORS!!!! What a great match to be associated with. We shooters do appreciate the swag.

Good to see my 3-gun friends again old and new.

As far as how many days the match should be? Aaron, you set the dates and I'm there.

Aaron I have this idea about a stage, you start in the back of a striker, door closed, bayonet attached, hand grenade in your pocket and then...............

Almost forgot, the food on the range was very good. The truck smelled of ribs all the way home!

Alan Shepherd