Page 108 - The Bugle 2018

Rfn Barker, Rfn Lapthorne, Cpl Frost, Cpl Gough (PSI), Rfn Gibson, L Cpl Ackerman in Germany
YES, THE ARMY HAS EVEN MANAGED TO CREATE AN ACRONYM FOR FREE GIFTS
Shooting
The 2018 journey for the 6 RIFLES Operational Shooting Team began in March when the Battalion Operational Shooting Competition was held on ranges in Sennybridge. Shots were fired, scores were kept and the team was selected from a combi- nation of those with the best results, and those that were available to attend the competitions.
After a check-zero on the 25m range at Chepstow in April, competition season started in May with the long drive north to Wathgill Camp for the 1DIV competition. Two days of shooting saw the team finish in 4th place out of 12 teams. The top three finishers 253 Med Regt, 2 R Irish and 158 Regt RLC are the same every year, so we could safely be considered “the best of the rest”.
With June came the build-up to the AROSC
in Pirbright, leading up to which the team spent several days on various ranges collecting valuable data and practising the various shoots. The goal was to break into the top 50 individual firers which sadly wasn’t achieved this year, but the experience gained has set us in good stead for next year. The biggest take-home is that in order to achieve the best results on the competition ranges, zero your weapons and gather your shooting data on the competition ranges.
Finally after a tough couple of competitions in the UK, those team members that were available were given the opportunity to take part in the International Bavarian Military Competition in Lechfeld, Southern Germany. It’s fair to say that the Germans know how to host a safe but fun shooting competition. Firers used a variety of unfamiliar weapons including G36, G3, MG3, MG5, P8, MP5K, “grenade pistol” (somewhat lost in translation) and biathlon air rifle over two days of entertaining shoots, incorporating obstacles, dribbling a football through cones and, at one point, riding 4-up on a quad bike. In the end our two teams came 18th and 22nd out of 30, but the scores were fairly close with only 400 points separating 1st (1,399) and 22nd (1,000). The US Air Force team took top honours.
Moving forward we’ll be looking to consolidate some great foundational experience in 2018 into a stronger effort in 2019 and hopefully bring home some silverware. I’m sure the rest of the team will join me in giving massive thanks and appreciation to WO2 Jones, Sjt Smith, Cpl Gough and CSjt Low for all of their efforts in organisation, training and partic- ipation.
Rfn Barker
Alternative shoots; quad bike and G36
114 SIXTH BATTALION
THE RIFLES