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Fort Benning Ranger duo stakes claim to top snipers in the world

By Tony Adams
Sniper teams from around the world traveled to Fort Benning to compete in this week’s 17th Annual International Sniper Competition. The competition included a gauntlet of rigorous physical, mental and endurance events that test the range of sniper skills. Those include long-range marksmanship, observation, reconnaissance and reporting abilities, as well as abilities to move with stealth and concealment. --
Sniper teams from around the world traveled to Fort Benning to compete in this week’s 17th Annual International Sniper Competition. The competition included a gauntlet of rigorous physical, mental and endurance events that test the range of sniper skills. Those include long-range marksmanship, observation, reconnaissance and reporting abilities, as well as abilities to move with stealth and concealment. -- Markeith Horace Maneuver Center of Excellence

The U.S. Army Rangers led the way during this year’s International Sniper Competition at Fort Benning.

A duo from the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment took home top honors in the 17th edition of the sniper event, which included 29 teams from around the globe. It took place Monday through Wednesday.

The top winners, announced Friday, are Staff Sgt. Jonathon Roque and Sgt. Brandon Kelley. A team from the National Guard took second, with third going to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Taking part in the event over three days, the military installation said, were teams from the Army, Army Reserve, National Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, and police departments from Covington, Ga., San Bernardino, Calif., and Maryland. There also were international teams from Norway, Denmark, Canada and Germany.

The competition played out on various firing ranges at Fort Benning, with participants being tested, naturally, on their marksmanship skills, but also their physical fitness, target detection, stalking and land navigation.

Here is an online link to photos of the event.

This story was originally published October 20, 2017 at 12:34 PM with the headline "Fort Benning Ranger duo stakes claim to top snipers in the world."

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