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The following biography was written by Steven E. Wright

Distinguished Rifleman Badge #1799

Submitted by Lt. Col. Steven E. Wright, USAF (Ret.)

This is the story of my 14-year, 10-month odyssey to become a Distinguished Rifleman.

First, I must provide some background information to my story. I have known of Camp Perry and service rifle competitions since the 1970's. The problem was, I was an Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Officer working normal 10- to 12-hour days, five or six days a week. I asked the Deputy Commander for Maintenance, a Colonel, if I could have some time off to participate in off-duty sports. His reply was: "Captain, do you want to play games or have an Air Force Career?" My choice was a career. I did shoot well in the Air Force. I qualified "Expert" every four years (that was the standard for shooting fire arms) with either a Model 15 S& W, 38 special revolver or an M-16. For that achievement I wore the Air Force Expert Marksman ribbon with a bronze star device (denoting I had qualified with two different weapons) on my service dress uniform.

While stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany (1979-1982), I shot with the German Bundeswehr in Trier, Germany, and with the Luxembourg Reservists in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. I was invited to a shoot at a multinational competition at Gerolstein, West Germany, on 15 May 1982 with participants from the USAF, Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg. The course of fire was to shoot the G3 Gewehr, 7.62 mm rifle, Uzi 9 mm machine "pistole" (as the Germans called it) and the famous P-38 9 mm pistol. At the end of the match I had placed first and qualified for the Federal Republic of West Germany's Schuetzenschnur der Stufe in Bronze (Shooting rope with Bronze medal) It was presented to me in Speicher, West Germany, on 16 July 1982. It was the first shooting medal that I had earned, and I proudly wore it on my Air Force service dress uniform. The German military personnel were astonished that an officer, let alone an American Air Force officer, could shoot so well. In the Bundeswehr, shooting was an enlisted man's job only!

After 21 years and 10 days I retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel on 1 September 1991. I now had time to pursue my dream of shooting service rifle and hopefully become a Distinguished Rifleman. During the spring of 1991, I met Technical Sergeant Richard Torbert who was on the USAF Rifle Team and stationed here at Cannon AFB, Clovis, New Mexico. I had seen an article in the base newspaper about his shooting on the Air Force Rifle Team. I asked if he could help me get started in shooting service rifle.

He showed me all the equipment that was needed and his match-grade Springfield M1A. I had a standard grade Springfield M1A and started with it. He taught me the basics, the commands of the course of fire and the shooting positions. Practice and shooting matches are really important in order to learn. That is a major problem here in eastern New Mexico. The closest range at Roswell, New Mexico, is a two-hour drive; Capitan is a four-hour drive; Albuquerque a 41/2 hour drive and the NRA Whittington Center at Raton, New Mexico, is also 4 1/2 hour drive--all one way. I shot my first match at Capitan on 2 Sept 1992. I felt lost and way behind everyone during the match, but I got through it.

Since I was a new kid on the block, I was given all the assistance I could have asked for. Shooters would share their equipment with you until you found the funds to buy your own. That was my first exposure to the fraternity of highpower shooters which continues today. They are a group of individuals who are willing to share and help you in your quest to shoot better. They do not play the "I've got a secret” game and leave you to figure it out yourself! They will do anything and everything to assist a new shooter, or any other shooter, in their quest for excellence.

In November 1992, I was happy to receive my Marksman Classification Card. I spent all of 1993 working on my shooting skills and buying necessary equipment to make shooting a little better--thus my scores started moving up. Early that spring my standard M1A wasn't capable of shooting as good as I could hold it. I asked around to find out who could match grade my M1A. I was told of an ex-civil service rifle armorer from the Crane Naval Warfare Center, Indiana, who would do an excellent job. I sent my M1A to Neville Smith and when I got it back my shooting scores improved once again. In September 1993 I was reclassified as a Sharpshooter.

During the New Mexico High Power Rifle Regional at the NRA Whittington Center June 1994, I met David Tubbs and asked for some guidance on how I might improve on my shooting. He asked to see my data book. He browsed the entire book, handed it back and advised me that alI I needed was to shoot five or six times a month. But the lack of close ranges prevented that. I kept up my normal routine of shooting two times a month from April through October each year.

August 1994 saw my first long drive to Camp Perry for the National Trophy Rifle Matches. I was awestruck to just be there, let alone be able to shoot among the masses. The huts were a real experience by themselves. Where else in the world of shooting can a Sharpshooter like myself be put on a relay to shoot the President's Match with a Junior from Virginia, an Army Sergeant from Puerto Rico, and a heart surgeon from Pennsylvania who was a Distinguished Rifleman. Then for the National Trophy Individual Match I was squadded with two young Marine Corps corporals. I was just amazed on how easy they made it look as they shot the match, and, of course, they both were Distinguished. What a learning experience--from the minute one gets up until one goes to bed each night. I repeated the trip to Perry in 1995, 1997 and 1998 still as a Sharpshooter and knowing that I could never place high enough in any of the matches. But because it was Camp Perry, the experience was priceless.

In the spring of 1998 I figured since I wasn't getting any younger that maybe I should change rifles and see if I could improve my score. I was stuck in the high Sharpshooter scoring range and would shoot Expert scores every once in awhile. I got a NM AR-15 right out of the box and shot my first match with the "Black Gun" at the Regional Highpower Rifle Championship at the NRA Whittington Center on 13 June 1998. I placed first in Individual Match in the Sharpshooter Class--boy, was that a boost in confidence. By the end of 1998, I had earned my Expert classification.

I was back to the slow learning curve with the AR and the slow climb in my scores in the Expert class. I shot all the matches I could attend in New Mexico and went to Perry in 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2003. On 23 July 2000, I was X'd out for my first "First Leather" during the Leg Match at Capitan, New Mexico. That sure did hurt, but it built a fire within me because I knew that I could shoot good enough to place in a Leg Match. I started then a regimen of dry firing and working on my positions five days a week. My goal was to increase my score 7-10 points each year until I was in the top of the Expert Class so I could place in a Leg Match.

On 21 July 2002, at Capitan, I was X'ed out again for my second "First Leather". At least I was still in the hunt for Leg Points. On 25 August 2002, at Capitan, I placed second and earned my first eight points. I figured I was on my way at last. Well, it just didn't work that way! The years of 2003 and 2004 saw no major improvements in my shooting or in any upward movement in the Expert Class. Then in 2005, things started to change. I placed second again on 17 July 2005, at Capitan. I now had 16 points. I placed second for the third time on 27 August 2005 at Capitan. I now had 24 points. I had to wait until 2006 to shoot in my next Leg Match. I shot it in EI Paso, TX, on 5 March 2006, the end result was my third "First Leather."

23 July 2006 at Capitan, NM, was to become my banner day. At the end of the Leg Match with only two places awarded I placed second for the Bronze and 6 points. That gave me my 30 points--I had "Legged Out! What a journey it had been. It had taken 14 years, 10 months and 37 Leg Matches to earn my Civilian Distinguished Rifleman Badge #1799. One interesting fact was I "Legged Out" exactly six years to the day on the same range where I had received my first "First Leather". Funny how things work out! Shooting on your home range seems to work rather well also!

Shooting Service Rifle is not just a young person's sport. I started this quest to become Distinguished at end of my 44th year and I will be 59 years old in four months. I believe youth would have been nice to have. I wouldn't have needed to shoot with glasses or change to a diopter in the hood of my rear sight so I could see clearly, especially at 600 yards. I wouldn't have needed to take Motrin for two days following a match for my sore muscles nor hobble around afterward. But, the goal can be achieved--no matter what your age is! The service rifle community is outstanding, and I thank everyone for the assistance they provided to help me achieve my goal.