New York National Guard holds annual shooting match at Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill

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A New York Army National Guard Soldier engages targets during the 2014 Adjutant General's Match at Camp Smith Training Site.

CORTLANDT MANOR, NY (05/29/2015)(readMedia)-- National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from across New York gather at the Camp Smith Training Site here this weekend to test their marksmanship skills with the M-16 rifle, M-9 pistol and M-249 light machine gun.

Members of the press are invited to attend the annual Adjutant General's Match shooting competition which begins on Saturday, May 30.

WHO: About 125 members of the New York Army and Air National Guard and National Guard members from other states may take part as well.

WHAT: The 36th Annual "TAG (The Adjutant General) Match" Combat Rifle and Pistol Championships Match shooting competition in which participants fire for score using M-4/ M-16 rifles, M-9 pistols and M-249 light machine guns.

WHEN: Media Access on Saturday, May 30 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call Sgt. Michael Davis at 914-944-6522for access.

WHERE: Camp Smith, New York State Training Site in the Town of Cortlandt Manor located near the intersection of routes 202 and 9.

Coverage Opportunities:

Video of participants firing basic small arms. Opportunities to interview Subject Matter Experts on marksmanship and speak with participants during breaks in the action.

To obtain access to this secure facility, members of the media must contact Call Sgt. Michael Davis at 914-944-6522 Media members will need a current press card and photo ID for access to Camp Smith.

BACKGROUND:

Marksmanship training and competition has long been a key component of National Guard training. During the 1800s Annual New York National Guard shooting competitions in New York City and at Camp Smith, then known as Peekskill Camp, were reported by the New York Times and other newspapers.

The state's armories are filled with marksmanship trophies won in local, state, and national competitions and proudly displayed.

Today the tradition continues with a 3-day training event that allows units and individual Soldiers the opportunity to improve their level of marksmanship training, engage in healthy competition, and pick top contenders to represent the state in national competitions. The modern Adjutant General's Match requires participants to employ the weapons used on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Participants in the match learn to improve their shooting skills and take those lessons back to the other soldiers in their units as trainers.

The match consists of eight timed constraint events that include the use of a pistol, rifle and machine gun - to include close quarters combat, casualty, and nuclear biological chemical (NBC) drills.