American Legion Post 104 Presents Students of Junior Shooting Program

On Jan. 23, 2015, American Legion Post 104 introduced to businesses and the public, the American Legion Junior Shooting Safety Program. Working diligently over the past year, Post 104 became the only American Legion Post in the state of Tennessee with a shooting program.

Post 104 recruited 22 students between the ages of 12 and 16 interested in entering into the Junior Shooting Safety Program and those students have now graduated and moved forward to enter the Civilian Marksmanship and the American Legion’s 3 Position Competition Junior Shooting Program. It is from this program, and the competition shooting between the students, that allowed those qualifying, to move on to the American Legion Junior Shooting Program. This program allows for competition shooting in Tennessee and throughout the nation.

These students have begun the training to master the standing, kneeling and prone positions required to compete. There is more to the training than the safe handling of an air rifle and the three positions. Self discipline, self-control, breathing, control of ones posture, and the way you stand or sit are only a few of the difficulties these students must overcome. Each facet of control of self is critical to the ultimate three positions and winning in competition shooting.

In addition to learning the three positions required, they have honed their skills of marksmanship, which could ultimately lead them to college scholarships after high school.

There are over 3 million students nationwide in a shooting program in high school, Junior ROTC or other educational venue. Our students are now preparing to meet the challenge and compete with those shooters from other programs.

Thus, it is with pride that American Legion Post 104 introduces our qualifying students for the 2016-2017 competitive shooting schedule.

Pictured Left to Right: Post Commander Lester Piniak, Shirley Piniak, Savannah Caldwell, Sarah Spears, Taylor Clark, “Gaige” James Gallaspy, Nathaniel Warren, Matthew Mikels, Joseph Savarese, Alex Branam, Ezekiel “Zeke” French, Mitch Combs, David Howard