Marksmanship is a fundamental skill in the military. Alaska Air and Army National Guardsmen from across the state, active-duty Soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, and U.S. Coast Guardsmen from Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic honed these skills while competing in The Adjutant General’s Match at the Small Arms Range Complex May 20-23.

TAG Match, hosted and organized by the Alaska National Guard’s Marksmanship Program, was a multi-day competition that tested the competitors’ reflexive and precision shooting skills through a series of challenging courses-of-fire with both the rifle and pistol.

Alaska Air National Guard Master Sgt. Jake Seigneur, Tech. Sgt. Alejandro Romero, Tech. Sgt. Zachary Little, and Staff Sgt. Gabriel Pertuset, all HH-60G Pave Hawk aviators assigned the 176th Wing’s 210th Rescue Squadron, comprised the winning Alaska National Guard Team and were presented with The Adjutant General’s Marksmanship Trophy.

The top three individual winners were:

First place – Staff Sgt. Ethan Hopkins, 11th Airborne Division

Second place – Tech. Sgt. Alejandro Romero, 210th Rescue Squadron

Third place – Master Sgt. Jake Seigneur, 210th Rescue Squadron

Alaska Air National Guard Col. Matthew Kirby, 176th Mission Support Group commander, presided over the award ceremony at the conclusion of TAG Match. In addition to trophies for the top team and the top three individual winners, Kirby also recognized the top 20 AKNG shooters and presented them with the Governor’s Twenty Tab that is authorized for wear on their uniform.

By engaging in healthy competition the eclectic group of shooters not only fostered esprit de corps but also gained wisdom and knowledge that they can pass on to their less experienced troops.

In his closing remarks Kirby emphasized the importance of marksmanship as a crucial military skill.

“There is nothing that beats the last 300 meters of American foreign policy which is a small-arms rifle in the hands of one of you, our most lethal warriors,” said Kirby. “I want you to go out and spread the love of shooting to others. Because, if we lose that skill-set of shooting and marksmanship, then we are going to lose the next fight we are in.”