Milton-Freewater Sniper Team Competes In National Championship (Photo) -12/19/24 (Photo)
MILTON-FREEWATER, Ore. — Two eastern Oregon soldiers recently represented the state at a prestigious military sniper competition, demonstrating the unique capabilities of local National Guard members.
Staff Sgt. Coertlandt Bauer and Sgt. Dakota Hodges, both from the Milton-Freewater-based 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, competed against elite marksmen from around the world at the 2024 Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship in Arkansas.
The local team showcases the diverse talent within Oregon's eastern communities. Hodges, who serves as a chief engineer for Amazon Web Services in Hermiston, balances his civilian career with his military role as a sniper team leader. His teammate, Bauer, recently launched the aptly named One Shot Plumbing in Idaho's Wood River Valley, exemplifying the National Guard's citizen-soldier concept.
"Being in the Oregon National Guard has been a great opportunity for me to come to training events like this while still being able to own a business and support my community," said Bauer.
The Milton-Freewater team joined 35 other teams from across U.S. military branches and international forces, including groups from the Netherlands, Italy, U.S. Coast Guard, and Special Operations Forces. Competitors faced challenging scenarios in both daylight and nighttime conditions, using advanced equipment, including the Mark 22 Advanced Sniper Rifle and night vision devices.
For Hodges, who joined the Guard after serving in the Marine Corps, the competition offered valuable training opportunities. "What I take out of this is we get to come out here, shoot, meet new people, and make great connections with other teams," said Hodges. "Everything has changed since I went through sniper school six years ago. We're using different technology and different formulas. Being here, I get to learn that stuff again, update my skills, and prepare myself for future endeavors."
"These championships exemplify what makes the Oregon National Guard the service of choice for Oregonians," said Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, The Adjutant General of Oregon. "When our soldiers train in realistic environments and focus on their specialized skills as cohesive teams, they not only become more proficient warriors but also more effective guardians of our communities."
The competition, hosted by the National Guard Marksmanship Training Center, provides National Guard units with cost-effective access to world-class training opportunities. Participants must meet rigorous qualifications, including expert marksmanship ratings and specific military occupational specialties.
For more information about the Oregon Army National Guard opportunities in eastern Oregon, visit the Milton-Freewater Recruiting Office at 149 S Main, Milton-Freewater, OR 97862, or call 971-355-7503. The local unit, 1/3-116 CAV AR, offers positions including Snipers (11B4), Cavalry Scouts (19D), and Indirect Fire Infantrymen (11C), along with more than 50 other career fields ranging from aviation and medical to mechanics and administration. Visit www.nationalguard.com to learn more about serving your community, state, and country.
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Released Photos:
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Center front, Staff Sgt. Coertlandt Bauer and Sgt. Dakota Hodges, snipers with 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, receive a range brief from competition cadre during the Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship at Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center, Arkansas. The competition tests sniper teams with unknown distance targets and scenarios revealed only moments before engagement. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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Staff Sgt. Benjamin Cotten, National Guard Marksmanship Training Center cadre and NGMTC Sniper School instructor briefs competitors on night fire procedures during the Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship at Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center, Arkansas, Dec. 11, 2024. The night shooting ranges test teams' abilities to engage targets using night vision devices and thermal optics. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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Sgt. Dakota Hodges, foreground, scans downrange through his spotting scope while Staff Sgt. Coertlandt Bauer searches for concealed targets through his Mark 22 Advanced Sniper Rifle optics during the Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Dec. 10, 2024. The Oregon Army National Guard sniper team from 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team worked together to locate and engage camouflaged targets at varying distances. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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A sniper engages a target through a PVS-30 night vision device mounted on his Mark 22 Advanced Sniper Rifle during a night fire range at the Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship, Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Dec. 10, 2024. The controlled burn in the background created a challenging back-lit target scenario, testing competitors' ability to adapt to complex lighting conditions while using night vision optics. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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Staff Sgt. Coertlandt Bauer, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team, Oregon Army National Guard, engages a distant target with his suppressed Mark 22 Advanced Sniper Rifle equipped with a STORM laser range finder during the Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Dec. 11, 2024. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)
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Sgt. Dakota Hodges, left, carrying an M110 rifle, and Staff Sgt. Coertlandt Bauer with his Mark 22 Advanced Sniper Rifle, move between firing positions during the Winston P. Wilson Sniper Championship at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, Dec. 10, 2024. The Oregon Army National Guard sniper team from 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team employed multiple weapons systems throughout the competition. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Maj. W. Chris Clyne, Oregon National Guard Public Affairs)