WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The 88th Security Forces Squadron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will host an Excellence in Competition match for pistol and rifle categories in April. Registration begins in March.
The pistol competition will take place April 3-6 and the rifle match will be held April 10-13 in the Combat Arms Training and Maintenance facility, Bldg. 296, next door to the main security forces building. An awards presentation will be held April 14. Participants may sign up for either one or both competitions.
EICs are Air Force-wide competitions, and are open to all active-duty, Guard, Reserve, retiree and civil service employees. Contractors are not eligible. The event is free, and space is limited to 168 participants.
Wright-Patterson personnel must register in person at the CATM with a military/DOD civilian ID card. Participants from other bases or locations may register via e-mail at 88SFS.CATM@us.af.mil, with proof of identity and eligibility required at check-in.
Registration dates are:
- Active-duty, March 6-10
- Guard and Reserve, March 13-17
- Open registration, March 20-24
Certificates will be awarded to competitors earning scores in the top 10 percent. These top scorers may wear the EIC badge, in accordance with Air Force Instruction 36-2903.
Staff Sgt. Cameron Mansfield, one of the competition’s organizers and a combat arms instructor, said one of the benefits of the EIC is fostering positive community relationships and showing off the capabilities of the 88th SFS and Combat Arms facility.
Members of the 178th Security Forces Squadron, Ohio Air National Guard, based in Springfield were sharpening their own combat shooting skills, including 360-degree awareness, in full combat gear Feb. 3 at the Combat Arms facility.
Master Sgt. Carl Kanzari, combat arms instructor in the 178th SFS, said he hoped to enter the EIC or work as an instructor for it.
“Being a combat arms instructor, it’s nice during the competition because we can step out of our regular roles and help anybody base-wide who may not get an opportunity to come to the range like us and help them get a skill set they may not have,” he said.
Competitions like the EIC are valuable, Kanzari said, for such skill development.
“Some people who don’t actively carry a firearm every day like we do get a chance to build on a skill and turn that into something they enjoy on the civilian or off-duty side,” he said. “It’s bragging rights, too. If you shoot well enough and get enough points, there is a badge you can wear on your Class As.”
For questions or more information about the competition, call (937) 257-2309.