Marksman hits target
Rachel Riley
HE is one of the Australian Army’s best marksmen but Corporal Jake McDermott doesn’t have any big secrets when it comes to making his shots count.
“Practice makes perfect,” he said.
Corporal McDermott, from the 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion’s 102 Field Workshop Company, said he was a member of local Townsville shooting clubs and practised in his own time twice a week to perfect his sharp eye and steady hand.
That commitment to training and determination for success saw him recently win the coveted Samurai Trophy at the International AASAM Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting for the highest overall individual combat shooting aggregate for rifle, pistol, machinegun.
The AASAM, held at the Puckapunyal Military Area in Victoria, is a combat- focused skill- at- arms competition that encompasses current in- service small arms systems, competed at individual and unit levels.
The competition is designed to allow for the assessment of current in- service small arms system capabilities, equipment and targetry, and training analysis of combat shooting techniques, weapon training doctrine, and small arms practices.
AASAM identifies the best combat marksmen for selection in the Australian Army Combat Shooting Team ( AACST), to represent the Australian Army at overseas international skill- at- arms competitions.
Cpl McDermott said it was his fourth time competing at the annual contest but this was the highest individual honour, finishing just 20 to 30 points ahead of his nearest rival from Indonesia.
“I think consistency is the key across all the different weapons,” he said.
“The pistol, machine guns and rifles all fire differently and they can really separate the competition.” Cpl McDermott is scheduled to fly to England at the weekend where he will spend a month and participate in the Army Operational Shooting Competition based at the headquarters of the National Rifle Association ( NRA) at Bisley Camp.
He will compete alongside seven other Australian soldiers but will be the only one based out of Townsville.
“This will be my first competition overseas so I am fairly excited to go,” he said.
“I don’t know exactly what the competition entails but if it’s anything like the one in Australia I think it should have very similar aspects so hopefully I do well.
“I have been working on fine- tuning my skills so I’m ready to go.”