Hometown Military News for March 25, 2016:
Small arms readiness and training team competes in championship at Fort Benning, Georgia
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois National Guard Joint Force Headquarters Small Arms Readiness and Training Team (SARTS), competed from March 12 through March 19 in the 2016 United States Army Small Arms Championship at Fort Benning, Georgia. The team consisted of 5 members total. The team competed in individual and team matches.
Team Awards:
1. U.S. Army Overall Team Champions
2. U.S. Army Rifle Team Champions
3. 2nd Place Multi-gun Champions
Individual Awards:
1. Staff Sgt. Brandon Hornung, of Mendota, Illinois – 1st place novice overall champion and 1st place novice Multi-gun and Gold Medal for Excellence in Rifle Competition
2. Sgt. 1st Class David Perdew, of Rushville, Illinois – Gold Medal in Pistol Macth 3 and 5 along with a Bronze Medal for Excellence in Rifle Competition
3. Sgt. 1st Class Shelby Stockton, of Petersburg, Illinois – Silver Medal in National Match for Excellence in Competition
4. Staff Sgt. Jacob Blount, of St. Louis, Missouri – 1st place in novice service rifle match and 4th overall placing in the novice class
5. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kyle Gleason, of Lincoln, Illinois – Gold Medal in Rifle Match 7
During the competition soldiers competed in separate classes: cadet, novice, open and professional. The classes were determined on the Soldiers’ previous competition experience. Competitors fired at targets ranging from 10 yards to 500 yards with a service rifle and pistol using iron sights and rifle combat optics. There were approximately 43 teams and 229 individuals that competed in the Army Wide Competition.
Sheridan National Guard soldier re-enlists during underwater ceremony in Cuba
GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA – Staff Sgt. Aleah Castrejon of Sheridan re-enlisted for an additional six years with the Illinois Army National Guard during an underwater ceremony at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on March 20.
Castrejon enlisted in April 2004. She deployed to Iraq in 2006-2007 and deployed for a second time to Sinai, Egypt, from 2010-2011. In June 2015, Castrejon mobilized with the 139th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment out of Springfield, Illinois, for a nine-month deployment to Cuba. The unit is expected to return home in early April.
“I am reenlisting because my experience in the Illinois National Guard has been rewarding, fun and I continue to feel a part of something bigger,” Castrejon said.
When Castrejon first enlisted, she said she planned on serving her original six-year commitment and getting out. However, the military became a consistent part of her life.
“The camaraderie of the servicemembers is largely why I stay in the military,” Castrejon said. “The leadership experience, continuous education and travel are also reasons why I continue to stay. This is my third job in the military and thus far, the most exciting, challenging and rewarding job I have done.”
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