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(Standing from L-R) SRA Chris White, SSGT Troy Proctor, SSGT Ryne Chaney, SPC William Allen, SPC James Tucker, MG Eddy Spurgin, SPC Christopher Cole, CPT James Crady, LTC Donald Tryce, SSG Tom Campbell, (Kneeling) LTC David Patten, CW4 Rick Tanner, SFC Charles Blackwell, TSGT Scott Fuller

TXMF once again won the Winston P. Wilson (WPW) Combat Arms Matches held at Camp Robinson, in North Little Rock, AR. 8-11 October 07. Team members consisted of LTC David Patten Joint Force HQ, CW4 Rick Tanner Joint Force HQ, CPT James Grady III APMS TX A&M, SFC Charles W. Blackwell Joint Force HQ, SSG Tom Campbell Joint Force HQ, SRA Chaney 136th AW, TSGT Scott Fuller 136th AW, SSGT Troy Proctor 136th AW, SPC William Allen 124th CAV, SSGT Ryne Chaney 136th AW, SPC Christopher Cole 1/141 IN, SPC James Tucker 1/124 CAV and SRA Chris White 136th AW. LTC Donald R. Tryce TXSG, acted as advisor for the team.

Outstanding stars included SFC Charles W. Blackwell who placed third over all in the open competition and SRA Ryne Chaney who placed second over all as a novice. Five of the team members made the Chief's Fifty. They were SFC Charles W. Blackwell, CPT James Grady, SSG Campbell, SSGT Ryne Chaney and TSGT Scott Fuller. The Chief's Fifty is awarded to the top fifty competitors in the WPW competition. This year saw over 364 guardsmen and 72 teams compete for top awards.

In the Team competition, Texas placed second or third in four team events. Teams were required to engage targets at various distances out to 600 yards in limited time frames. They were also required to fire crew served weapons as well as endure physical obstacles that made target engagement more realistic.

CW4 Tanner (Team OIC) and SFC Blackwell (Team NCOIC) deserve special praise since they were responsible for training the Texas team and preparing them for this very physical and mental challenging event. Their coaching skills were evident by the number of awards presented to the Texas marksmen.

On a special note, SSG Campbell was promoted to staff sergeant at the team banquet by BG Spurgin, ADC (M) 36th ID and SFC Blackwell was promoted to sergeant first class at the WPW award ceremony by BG Spurgin as well. SFC Blackwell has been competing for over twenty years and is a recognized as a national and international champion by the National Guard and the US Army.