CONTACT: Maj. Joe Martellaro, 845-857-7587

FOR RELEASE: Saturday, May 05, 2012

ON SITE: Maj. Joe Martellaro, 845-857-7587

CAMP SMITH, CORTLANDT MANOR, N.Y. (05/04/2012)--Media members are invited to observed and speak with members of New York’s military forces firing M-16 rifles, M-9 pistols and M-249 Squad Automatic Rifles during the annual "TAG Match" shooting competition May 4-6 at the New York National Guard’s Camp Smith Training Site. The host unit for the match is the 53rd Troop Command, headquartered at Camp Smith and commanded by Brig. Gen. Michael C. Swezey. WHO: 150 members of the New York Army and Air National Guard and the New York Guard and New York Naval Militia, the state’s volunteer defense forces, as well as representatives from other state National Guards. WHAT: The 33rd Annual "TAG (The Adjutant General) Match" Combat Rifle and Pistol Championships Match shooting competition in which participants fire for score using M-16 rifles, M-249 Squad Automatic Rifles and M-4 pistols. WHEN: May 4, 2012 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. WHERE: Range 2 at Camp Smith, New York State Training Site in the Town of Cortlandt Manor. 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. In order to obtain access to this secure facility, members of the media should contact Maj. Joe Martellaro, 845-857-7587. 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 TAG Match requires participants to employ the weapon used on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. Participants in the TAG Matches 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. This year’s defending Team Champions are members of the 107th Security Force Squadron, part of the 107th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard, based in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Posted Friday May 04, 2012 at 02:00 pm by New York State Division of