165 ASOS Airmen medal at Fort Gordon's Schützenschnur

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  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael Ashurst
  • 165ASOS
Augusta, Ga. --  Tech. Sgt. Michael Ashurst, Tech. Sgt. Tony Nickell, Staff Sgt. Matthew Wainwright, Staff Sgt. Robert Jacoby, Senior Airman Paul Cobb, Airman 1st Class Mark Eiden, and Airman 1st Class Joshua Crawford participated in the Schützenschnur (German Shooting Proficiency Badge) at Ft. Gordon near Augusta, Ga. on June 21, 2013. Seven medals were earned including one gold, two silvers, and four bronze. The event, hosted by the Georgia National Guard Military Entrance Processing Station in Atlanta, Ga., tested shooter's abilities in four courses of fire. A cadre of five German soldiers and sailors administered two M-9 Berretta and two M-4 Carbine tests. Each shooter was required to receive a bronze or better in each test to qualify for the event with the overall qualification being based off of the lowest earned qualification. The course of fire, which normally consists of all German weapon systems was modified with approval for the German cadre.

Staff Sgt. Wainwright and Airman 1st Class Eiden were awarded the Austrian Alpine Badge which is awarded to the Austrian, Swiss, and German Alpine Troops who train in mountainous regions and are able to hike up and down the mountains under heavy loads. The test for the award consisted of a 3 mile hike up the mountain while carrying a 55 pound rucksack, completing a 50 foot rappel down the face of the mountain, and hiking another three miles within the allotted time.