Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. (February 13, 2023): In this photo by Senior Airman Brandan Hollis, a National Guard soldier fires his weapon during competition at the 52nd Winston P. Wilson and 32nd Armed Forces Skill at Arms Meeting Sniper Championships hosted by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. Thirty-five military sniper teams competed for bragging rights at the event hosted by the U.S. Army National Guard Sniper School at the Joint Maneuver Training Center.

Military snipers from all over the world were evaluated on sniper abilities and weaponry in a combat-oriented setting. The events tested the sniper’s skills at long and medium ranges using a variety of weapons including rifles, carbines, and pistols. The competitors must navigate a series of real-world scenarios under simulated operational conditions to those found on modern battlefields.

Considered the “Super Bowl” of shooting events, the competition was open to all U.S. military branches and international shooters including Army, Marine Corps and Special Forces teams.

A sniper team is comprised of a shooter and a spotter to relay data such as wind speed and direction, humidity, and bullet trajectory to the shooter. The teams participated in 20 events to demonstrate their ability to precisely engage long-range targets and closer targets with different weapons systems. Snipers are also tested on their ability to conceal while stalking a target. This competition is the ultimate validation of a sniper’s ability to shoot, move and communicate in a stressful environment.

First place went to the Utah National Guard’s Winston P. Wilson Sniper Team, second place to the Minnesota National Guard squad, and the Massachusetts National Guard squad came in third. The Utah National Guard won the award for the best precise engagement team and the Colorado National Guard won the silent hunter team recognition. 

The competition is named after Winston P. Wilson, former chief of the National Guard Bureau, who was an advocate for integrating National Guard and Reserve units into operations with active-duty ones, rather than using them as a strategic reserve. Wilson also continued efforts to racially integrate the National Guard, including appointing its first African-American general officer.