An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : Article View
NEWS | Oct. 24, 2016

Michigan National Guard wins 2016 International Sniper Competition

By Michigan National Guard

FORT BENNING, Ga. - A team representing the Michigan National Guard was named the winner of the 16th annual International Sniper Competition at a ceremony Oct. 21.

Sgt. Saykham Keophalychanh and Sgt. Nicholas Mitchell topped the field of 42 two-man teams from around the world.

A team from the Special Forces Sniper School placed second.

Rounding out the top three was a team representing the 19th Special Forces Group.

Teams from the Army, Army Reserve, National Guard, U.S. Marine Corps, Department of Homeland Security, and the Covington, Georgia, Jacksonville, Florida, Louisville, Kentucky, and Maryland police departments, as well as teams from the Australia. United Kingdom, Denmark. Ireland, Canada and Germany competed in the event.

The competition took place on firing ranges across Fort Benning and tested the competitors' physical fitness and their mastery of sniper skills to include target detection, stalking, land navigation and marksmanship.

 

 

Related Articles
Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, the adjutant general of Illinois and commander of the Illinois National Guard, and Portuguese Lt. Gen. Rui Freitas sign the formal agreement creating the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program between the Illinois National Guard and the Portuguese military on Jan. 12, 2026, at the Portuguese Ministry of Defense in Lisbon. The State Partnership Program is a Department of War initiative led by the National Guard that supports the security cooperation objectives of U.S. combatant commands and aligns with U.S. State Department strategies. Photo by Cpl. Justin Malone.
Illinois Guard, Portugal Formalize New State Partnership Agreement
By Cpl. Justin Malone, | Jan. 13, 2026
LISBON, Portugal – The Illinois National Guard and the Ministry of National Defense of the Portuguese Republic held a ceremony Jan. 12 to officially establish a new State Partnership Program agreement between the two armed...

Pennsylvania National Guard and Côte d’Ivoire military officials announced Jan. 13, 2026, that the Pennsylvania National Guard has been selected to partner with Côte d’Ivoire through the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program. Graphic by Wayne V. Hall.
Pennsylvania Guard, Côte d’Ivoire to Partner Through State Partnership Program
By Pennsylvania National Guard | Jan. 13, 2026
FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. – Pennsylvania National Guard and Côte d’Ivoire military officials announced Jan. 13 that the Pennsylvania National Guard has been selected to partner with Côte d’Ivoire through the Department of War...

Participants and judges of the 2026 Connecticut National Guard Innovation Challenge pose for a photo inside the Governor William A. O'Neill State Armory, Hartford, Connecticut, Jan. 10, 2026. This challenge provides a forum for service members to pitch practical solutions directly to senior leaders to improve readiness, efficiency and communication across the force. Photo by Spc. Emmanuel Gibson.
Connecticut National Guard Teams Drive Innovation
By Sgt. Kaitlyn Quinn, | Jan. 12, 2026
HARTFORD, Conn. – Three teams of Connecticut National Guard service members presented ideas on how to improve their organization to a panel of judges Jan. 10 during the 2026 Innovation Challenge at the Officer’s Club of the...