North Dakota National Guard airmen and soldiers gather at Camp Grafton South, for a two-day marksmanship contest July 17 and 18. The N.D. National Guard Adjutant General's Combat Marksmanship Match takes place annually, and offers soldiers and airmen in the North Dakota National Guard an opportunity to test their marksmanship skills and weapon systems in a shoulder-to-shoulder competition.

Story and photo by Senior Master Sgt. David H. Lipp, North Dakota Air National Guard

Some of the best shooters in the North Dakota National Guard gathered at the firing range at Camp Grafton South July 17 and 18 to test their skills in the N.D. National Guard Adjutant General’s Combat Marksmanship Match. 

The marksmanship match is an annual state competition held “to promote battle-focused marksmanship training and to enhance overall marksmanship proficiency,” said Lt. Col. Stephen P. Herda, of Mandan, who works with the North Dakota National Guard’s Joint Force Headquarters. “This match offers soldiers and airmen in the North Dakota National Guard an opportunity to test their marksmanship skills and weapon systems in a shoulder-to-shoulder competition. The Adjutant General’s Match is designed to test and improve the capabilities of our National Guard forces in a tactically oriented environment.”

The competition involves the use of both pistols and rifles in various shooting scenarios.

A team from the 817th Engineer Company, in Jamestown, took top honors in the event and produced the best individual shooter, Sgt. 1st Class Gary Varberg.

Varberg and the 817th – which is comprised of many members from the former 141st Engineer Combat Battalion’s Company B – are no strangers to the winners’ circle. Varberg has been the best individual shooter 29 out of 30 years, by his own account, and his team has finished first all 30 times that he’s competed.

Varberg, of Cooperstown, has competed on the national-level All-Guard Shooting Team several times and has traveled to places such as Australia, South Africa, France, Germany, Canada and England with the team.

“I’ve qualified to shoot for the Queen’s Medal Match, held in three different countries. I’ve even had dinner with the Queen. Marksmanship has taken me places that I thought I’d never see. It’s been awesome,” Varberg said.

The North Dakota Air National Guard team finished a respectable sixth place out of 12 teams in its first time back to the competition in several years.

“We have had great support from our leadership at the Wing for this contest and we hope to make a better showing next year,” said Tech. Sgt. Joshua VonBank, of Fargo, the North Dakota Air National Guard’s team leader. “The North Dakota Air National Guard can have as many as four teams in the competition. It’s a good time… a good experience.”

The top scoring team and individuals move on to a regional competition at Camp Guernsey, Wyo., and the top finishers at that contest will advance to the Winston P. Wilson National Championship, which will be in Little Rock, Ark., later this year.