Well, when his best is an Olympic Gold medal, there's the triumphant journey home

When most Olympic champions ascend the podium, they have a small contingent of family and supporters to thank for helping them achieve their dreams. But when Specialist Glenn Eller and Private First Class Vincent Hancock received their gold medals in Beijing, they did so knowing that their family is a little bigger. Over a million of their uniformed brothers and sisters will share in their triumph - especially those who trained beside them at the Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) based in Fort Benning, Georgia.

"I'm extremely proud to be able to represent the Army and my country," said Hancock. "I'm dedicating my gold medal to my fellow Soldiers."

Though considered USA's Shooter of the Year 2006 in his discipline of Skeet, Hancock was not considered a major medal contender, being only 19 years old and having only three years of international competition under his belt. But analysts didn't count on his determination to prove himself Army strong, or his resolve to make America proud.

After a stunning qualifying round in which he set an Olympic record, Hancock was ahead by one shot going into the final. A heartbreaking miss of a single target, and the door was open for Norway to steal the gold. Most expected him to buckle under the enormous pressure. "It just made me more determined," said Hancock, "I knew I wouldn't miss again." With signature strength and composure, he rallied back to squeeze out the gold in a final shoot-out, winning by single perfect point. His final score? 145, another Olympic record.

Hancock wasn't the only one shattering Olympic records on the range. The third time proved to be the charm for Eller, who previously failed to medal at the games in both Sydney and Athens. However, in Beijing, Eller's outstanding qualifying round gave him both an Olympic record and a four point lead going into the finals in the men's double trap.

The field's youngest competitor at 26 years old, Eller looked shaken when he missed his first two targets of the final round. "It was a little dicey there for a second," he admitted. Again, composure and training helped get the shooter back on track. "I just calmed myself down and made sure I went back through my routine-what got me into the final."

Eller made his way into Olympic record books a second time with an impressive final score of 190. He gives credit, selflessly, to his teammates and training at the AMU. "Since I joined the Army in 2006, I've had nothing but the best training facilities and the absolute best teammates to push and support me," Eller said. "It makes such a huge difference, and I truly believe they've helped me fulfill a dream. I don't think this would've ever happened without them."

Both men have trips planned to their hometowns to share their gold medal victory with loved ones. Houston, Texas is throwing a barbecue for SPC Eller, and Eatonton, Georgia is planning on giving PFC Hancock the key to the city. Parties, parades and enthusiastic congratulations assuredly await them, but both Soldiers are undoubtedly excited to return to the AMU and the 32 eagle-eyed hot shots they've lived and trained with. They'll find no shortage of praise from that camp either.

"The Army asked these young men to go and represent their military and the United States, and they certainly made us proud," said AMU commander Lieutenant Colonel Frank Muggeo.

LTC Muggeo is not just pleased with their performance, but with their composure afterwards. "They were professional," he said. "Although when we spoke seven hours later, each of them still had the same grins on their faces that they had at the medal ceremony."

Upon their return to Fort Benning, Eller and Hancock are both slated to be inducted into the AMU Hall of Fame. They will be honored alongside the 22 other Soldiers who have medaled in shooting events since the unit was formed in 1956.

Looking forward, both marksmen are focused on the future, including training, world competitions and the London Olympics four years from now. With their gold medals in tow, one thing is for certain. Win or lose, these two lucky men have an extremely large and entirely devoted family to back them, as Americans and Olympians, but most of all, as Soldiers.

To provide some context to AMU's total performance in Beijing, here is a final summary of our Army Marksmanship Unit Olympians' competitions from AMU Commander, Frank Muggeo....

While two of our Soldiers came back with Gold medals, it was--by any measure--a team effort. All of the soldiers have been competing together for a very long time so they know each other well. Specialists Eller and Holguin, for example, are tied at the hip in all they do and while Eller won the medal, Holguin was the happiest for him. MAJ Anti and SFC Parker have been team members for the past 8 years. In the Olympic Village, they were roommates-- so they were able to keep each other focused on the mission before their events. All of the soldiers worked together to minimimize distractions for each other inside the Olympic Village. Prior to the Olympic team traveling to Beijing, all of our Soldier-Olympians participated in a Pre-Olympic training camp in Changwon, Korea. Mr. Glen Sulser from the AMU Custom Firearms shop was selected to be the Olympic Team Gunsmith for this camp. The camp in Korea afforded the Shooters to receive focused training and have the opportunity for team building with other civilian shooters in all of the shooting disciplines.

International Rifle:

MAJ Mike Anti

Prone- 60 shots in the prone position with a .22 caliber rifle at a distance of 50 meters, after the qualification round the top eight shooters advance to the final to decide the medals. Normally, it takes around a 596 to a 597 to qualify for the finals. On this day, due to the conditions which were fairly windy, the cut off for the final was a 594. MAJ Anti fired a 594 in the qualification round and was tied for a slot with a French shooter for the eighth slot. The rules for breaking ties resulted in the French competitor clinching the eighth slot for the final. International Rifle and Pistol are huge sports in Europe and Asia and they have extensive training programs (unlike the U.S.).

SFC Jason Parker

Air- Conducted from a standing position at 10 meters using a .177 caliber pellet shooting 60 shots-- with each shot worth 10 points. All competitors shoot the qualification round (60 shots) with the top eight shooters advancing to the finals. The finals consist of ten shots fired from the standing position, the score from the additional ten shots is added to the competitors qualification score. The top three scores after the final determine the medals. The cut score to advance to the finals was 595, SFC Parker's score of 591 finished in 23rd place. SFC Parker started off slowly, dropping 4 points in the first 20 shots. While he rallied for the last 40 shots, it was not enough to advance to the finals.

3 position- Standing, kneeling and prone shooting 40 rounds in each position using a 22 caliber rifle. Again the top 8 shooters qualified for the finals. The cut score to qualify for the final was a 1170. SFC Parker had a 1164 and finished out of the top eight. He gave up too many points in the prone and couldn't make it back up in kneeling or standing and did not make the finals.

International Pistol:

SFC Daryl Szarenski

There are 3 International Pistol events, SFC Szarenski shoots Free Pistol. He fires a 22 caliber pistol 50 meters away at a target which has a bulls-eye of under 2 inches round. He fires 6 10-round strings with each round valued at 100 points and in this event needed to average in the mid 90's for each string. 5 of his 6 strings were good enough or above average, but on his second string he shot an 88. Although he fired a 97 on his last string, he did not make the finals.

Shotgun:

SPC Glenn Eller and SPC Holguin

Double Trap- standing behind the target the competitor starts with the stock of the weapon in his shoulder. Once the target is called for, there is an immediate to 3-second wait for two targets to be "thrown". The targets travel in the same directions at speeds that have to carry the target out to 80 meters. 50 shots equals 1 round, competitors shoot 3 rounds for a total of 150 targets. If there is a tie and they go to a "sudden death" tie breaker to determine the top 6 shooters that will compete in the final.

SPC Holguin was in third going into the finals with a two shot lead. He missed 4 of his final 50 targets and finished in fourth, two shots out of third. This is his first Olympics but he has a very calm, even demeanor so it is not believed that it was nerves that caused him to miss (but it probably played some part). He is scheduled for eye surgery within the next few months so issues with his eyes drying out during a match will be removed and we believe he will be very difficult to beat over the next four years.

SPC Eller started out with a lead that no one thought he would give up and he didn't. He did miss his first two shots which are from a "relatively easy" position. He shot a 47 out of 50 in the finals. During SPC Eller's performance he set 2 new Olympic Records

Vincent Hancock

Skeet- PFC Hancock has to move between 8 different stations and shoot either one or two targets simultaneously. A competitor will shoot 125 targets over two days in the preliminaries and an additional 25 in the finals, if he qualifies. During the final Hancock uncharacteristically missed on station 6 which resulted in a tie at the end of the finals round. In the tie breaker the Norwegian shot first followed by Hancock. They shot at two targets that were released at the same time. The Norwegian missed one target on his second pair but Hancock got both of his. SPC Hancock also set two new Olympic Records.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gold Standard: Army Soldiers Achieve Mission of Earning Olympic Gold Medals in Beijing

Elite Army Marksmen Return to Hometowns with Olympic Gold

FORT BENNING, Ga. - Army Strong Soldiers, Private First Class Vincent Hancock and Specialist Glenn Eller, are proudly returning to their hometowns to announce the successful accomplishment of their mission that has been years in the making. Their assignment: bring home a gold medal from the Beijing Olympics. Both Soldiers are members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) based out of Fort Benning, Ga.

"Representing the United States is the ultimate honor. And to represent it in the Olympic games and to win a gold medal and to raise the flag for your country and then as well do it for the Army - there is no greater honor," Eller said.

Spc. Eller will show off his gold medal at celebrations in his home state of Texas over the Labor Day weekend, including a barbecue bash in Houston on Sunday, Aug. 31.

Eatonton, Ga. will declare Friday, Aug. 29 Vincent Hancock Day and honor his achievement with a parade through his hometown. Pfc. Hancock will also be presented with a coveted key to the city on Saturday, Aug. 30.

"I'm very proud to be able to represent the Army and my country which is why I'm dedicating my gold medal to my fellow Soldiers. This is my mission and I've succeeded," said Hancock.

Hancock says winning the gold medal in a sudden death shoot off was like a dream come true and everything he imagined it would be. He is the youngest of his AMU teammates at 19.

"I've dreamt of going to the Olympics ever since I was 12, but I never really thought I would do it. The Army has given me the confidence I needed to make it go from a dream to reality," Hancock said.

Hancock has distinguished himself in skeet shooting since he started competing at age 11. By 16, the Eatonton, Ga., native was competing internationally. He earned accolades including USA Shooting's "Shooter of the Year" in 2006. After graduating from Gatewood High School in Georgia, Hancock enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the AMU in 2007.

Eller set an Olympic record en route to winning his first Olympic gold medal in double trap, earning a score of 190 in the finals to top the previous record of 189. In the event, competitors fire their 12-guage shotguns at five different stations, where two targets are thrown simultaneously from an underground bunker at speeds upwards of 50 mph at set angles and heights.

The 26-year-old from Katy, Texas credits the Army with giving him the edge he needed during his third Olympic appearance.

"I started shooting when I was eight, and I've had a lot of success over the years, but I came in 12th in Sydney and 17th in Athens. Since I joined [the Army] in 2006, I've had nothing but the best training facilities and the absolute best teammates to push and support me," Eller said. "It makes such a huge difference, and I truly believe they've helped me fulfill a dream. I don't think this would've ever happened without them."

The athletes' were welcomed back home to Fort Benning, GA by their large, proud Army family.

"The Army asked these young men to go and represent their military and the United States, and they certainly made us proud," said AMU commander Lieutenant Colonel Frank Muggeo.

Lt. Col. Muggeo is not just proud of their performance, but of their composure afterwards.

"They didn't act like they've never won before, or they never expect to be there again - they were professional," he said. "Although when we spoke seven hours later, each still had the grin on their face that was present at the medal ceremony."

The future road for these Army Soldiers could be lined with more gold according to three-time Olympic Army marksman Lones Wigger Jr. The 70-year-old retired Army Lt. Col. won two Olympic gold medals and one silver medal during his shooting career. He was also inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame this year.

"It was a tremendous honor to be the first shooter entering the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame," Wigger said. "I know that Spc. Eller and Pfc. Hancock have the same Army training and discipline to help them fulfill their wildest dreams too."

Wigger says another honor awaits Eller and Hancock when they are eventually inducted into the Hall of Fame at the AMU. They will join 22 other Soldiers who medaled in shooting events at the Olympics since the unit was established in 1956.

To learn more about the U.S. Army athletes and training, visit

www.usamu.com, www.armyathletesolympians.com or http://www.goarmy.com/events/army_athletes/athletes.jsp
.

CONTACT: To arrange interviews or visits with AMU Olympians, call: (706) 545-1272 /4018

Upon his return to the U.S., I travelled to Atlanta to welcome Army Marksmanship Unit Soldier-Olympian, Specialist Glenn Eller,  home from Beijing in the wake of his Gold Medal victory in Double Trap.  We could not be more proud of all of our AMU Olympians.  SPC Eller and PFC Vincent Hancock, who also won a Gold medal in Skeet, now transition into an ambassadorial role not only for the Army, but for their respective sports.  Here are some photos of SPC Eller's homecoming....

August 17th, 2008 - 9:05 am | Posted by fmuggeo

The 2008 Olympics are over for the Soldiers of the United States Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU). Six Soldiers ranging in rank from PFC to MAJ competed in Beijing and ended up winning 2 Gold medals.  These Soldiers will eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the USAMU and join 21 other Soldiers that have represented their Nation in shooting events at the Olympics and won medals.  Once they return they start right back up again, everything from Mobile Training Teams, the Basic Non-Commissioned Officers Course (BNCOC), to training for the next shooting event.  PFC Hancock and SPC Eller told there families goodbye for awhile because on top of the things listed above they will be traveling around the country thanking Americans for supporting them and the other Soldiers.   SPC Eller says it best, "I never would have made it here without the Army".  Eller leaves for BNCOC soon and I am sure he will excel there as well.  Keep up with these Soldiers at www.usamu.com or at www.goarmy.com . 

BEIJING - Five shots away from an Olympic gold medal, Pfc. Vincent Hancock opened the door for Tore Brovold of Norway with a miss in the 25-shot men's skeet shooting final.

Brovold, 38, and twice the age of Hancock, was given the break he needed by his teenage competitor, who could have buckled from the pressure of being in his first Olympics.

But Hancock, a member of the Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga., is not your typical 19-year-old first-time Olympian.

"It made me more determined," said Hancock, who went on to win gold by beating Brovold in a shoot-out at the Beijing Shooting Range on Saturday.

"Sometimes, I need something to boost my confidence or boost my determination to the next level. That's what happened."

The miss dropped Hancock into a tie with Brovold, who trailed the young marksman by one shot following the qualifying round. Hancock set a qualifying record by making 121 of 125 shots. He and Brovold went on to finish tied after 150 shots with scores of 145, which also set an Olympic record for best final score.

In the shoot-out, Brovold went first and hit two targets, which was then matched by Hancock. Brovold then missed one of his next two targets. Hancock, who was bouncing from one foot to the other and rubbing his hands against his pants as he waited, then ended the drama by knocking off two targets for the title.

"Vincent is a great shooter and a great friend," said Brovold. "I don't see the silver as a failure. I won the silver."

Anthony Terras of France won the bronze medal.

Hancock, who has been shooting in international competition since he was 16, is a former world champion. He was cheered on by his parents, Craig and Susan Hancock, and his wife of three months, Rebekah.

"I can't stop crying, I'm so thrilled and it's an amazing experience," said Rebekah, moments before her husband received his medal.

Hancock was the second member of the Fort Benning unit to win gold. Army Spc. Glenn Eller finished first in men's double trap.

Earlier on Saturday, Army Staff Sgt. Keith Sanderson, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, at Camp Casey, South Korea, finished fifth in men's 25-meter rapid fire pistol. He set an Olympic record in qualifying with a score of 583, but struggled in the finals. He dropped to sixth before climbing back to fifth on his final round. Oleksandr Petriv of Ukraine won the gold medal.

"That was my first time going into a final in first place," said Sanderson, 33. "You try to prepare for it mentally and stuff but there's nothing you can do so it was quite distracting."

Despite the poor finish, Sanderson said he's enjoyed being on this stage for the first time.

"I've never had a match before where I can come off the line saying I had fun, especially if I didn't do well," he said. "But this time I can say it was really fun to be part of the whole Olympic experience, to be representing America.

"I wish I would have represented them a little better a couple of minutes ago, but other than that it was enjoyable. I can't wait until 2012."

By Bob Berghaus - Gannett News Service
Posted : Sunday Aug 17, 2008 9:27:02 EDT

August 16th, 2008 - 12:45 pm | Posted by fmuggeo

PFC Vincent Hancock pulled off a great, if not dramatic, win for the second AMU Olympic gold medal in 2008! Leading by one shot into the finals he fired a 24 out of 25, the second placed competitor shot 25 out of 25. The Norwegian that tied him had to shoot first and he shot both targets clean. Hancock followed with a perfect pair as well. SPC Jeff Holguin's father said, "Everyone get comfortable, this could go on for awhile". Luckily the Norwegian dropped one of his next two and Hancock was perfect on his pair, proving again that the 19 yr old is solid in pressure situations.

Afterwards Hancock said, "I just got really mad when I missed that one and that was the end of it. I knew I wouldn't miss again" During the press conference that followed Hancock spoke with pride about his brother who recently returned from his second tour in Iraq and is also stationed at Ft Benning GA. The respect that each Soldier has for each other is obvious. PFC Hancock is the youngest of 23 United States Army Marksmanship Unit Olympic medal winners.

Tomorrow SFC Jason Parker shoots in the final shooting event of the 2008 Olympics. He will be competing against a tough field of 3 Position International Rifle Shooters.

American Vincent Hancock wins gold
By The Associated Press
Posted Saturday, August 16, 2008 12:42 AM ET

BEIJING (AP) - American Vincent Hancock has won the gold medal in skeet shooting, beating Norwegian Tore BROVOLD in a shoot-off.
Brovold forced the tiebreaker with a perfect final round Saturday, hitting all 25 targets to pull even with Hancock at 145. Brovold and Hancock each hit the first two targets of the shoot-off, but then Brovold missed one of two and Hancock hit both.
Anthony TERRAS of France won the bronze, beating Antonis Nikolaidis of Cyprus in a shoot-off.
Hancock shot a 121 in qualifying for a one-point lead over Brovold, Terras and Nikolaidis. Hancock's one miss in the final round was enough to let Brovold pull even.

PFC Vincent Hancock is positive. His bride is positive, his friends and family are positive and so is everyone else around him. They are positive he is going to win a medal in the Skeet event. The way he is shooting after day one, the color of the medal may be gold. He has a long way to go but he is in the lead by one shot.

The skeet event is a total of 150 shots, 125 in the preliminary and 25 in the final. Today Hancock shot 73 out of 75 and has a one shot lead- something he has to try and sleep on tonight. Tomorrow they shoot 50 more in the preliminary and those that move forward to the finals shoot 25 more.

All targets aren't weighted equally. Mr. Gary Anderson, Olympic official, said, "He is about one third of the way there." The pressure that builds with each step makes those final targets real hard to hit. Having won multiple gold medals as a member of the USAMU, Gary should know.

This is already one of the best years for the USA in shooting in decades, but there is still more on the table. Tomorrow we find out if 19 year old PFC Hancock can add to that.

TRAINING DAYAugust 14th, 2008 - 10:59 am | Posted by fmuggeo

Today was a quiet around here for the Soldiers, no events. Of course they were training and supporting the other Americans shooting but no events for them. We took the opportunity to take some Unit pictures.

PFC Hancock is coming off of a good training day yesterday. He shot three rounds, his first since getting here, and shot a 23, 25, and 25. "I'm right where I want to be." Today he shot another three rounds in some wet conditions. Heavy rains, thunder and lightening interrupted some of the actual events and while they weren't shooting Hancock was.

2004 Silver medalist MAJ Mike Anti also shoots tomorrow. Anti's event is International Rifle. This is his 4th Olympics so he isn't awe struck by all of it and is doing a great job helping out the Soldiers that haven't been before. During practice the other day he shot a 598 out of a possible 600 so he shooting well.

 

Shooting

Going for two
Jason Parker's journey to Beijing now has twice the meaning it did back in March when he first qualified in air rifle. Following that Olympic qualification, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit member turned his attention to the smallbore trials held in mid-May -- specifically the 50m rifle three position competition. After just missing out on qualifying in the even for Athens, the two-time Olympian said his "goal after 2004, I decided, was to qualify in both events." With just one spot available, Parker won the May U.S. Trials in Ft. Benning, Ga. and will team with Matt Emmons in the event in August.

Broken trigger ...
Pain comes in many forms when related to sport. One can snap a bone, tear a muscle, miss an easy game-winning shot, witness a rival winning a championship when you don't -- many chances to ache are present and ready for each competition played. Jason Parker may have discovered a new way to feel the pangs of "sport" in Athens. Not only did his trigger break in his qualification round, leading him to rush back into competition with an un-tested trigger, but after finishing eighth, he also had to watch as his world record fell to the eventual gold medallist, Zhu Qinan, by two tenths of a point (702.7). "You learn some lessons each time out, and I learned a hard one from that," Parker said.

... stronger spirit
Having a trigger malfunction is a fairly common problem -- though it was the first time it had ever happened to Parker in competition. But, the issue was how he approached the shooting afterward. Being that it was a new experience, Parker was unaware that he was allowed to take his time in getting back into the contest and could have practice shots -- the same way a pitcher will take practice pitches after sustaining an injury on the mound. Instead, once his rifle got fixed, he jumped right back into things, and shot lower scores than what he shot pre-broken trigger. His marks were good enough to make the final round, but a full five points and six slots behind the leader, he couldn't make up the ground he needed to. At the time, Parker told the media he blamed himself: "It takes just the right person, the right day. I just didn't do it." But the experience was not a wasted one. "I know the procedures now," Parker said of the processes taken with a broken gun. "If it happens again, I won't go through that again. ... A lot of things go wrong in shooting -- wrong target, firing point issues. ... (The broken trigger) didn't affect things as much as I didn't know (the proper procedures)."

A real celebration
The air gun trials were "a relief" for Parker as he secured his spot for Beijing, but the difficulties of the event didn't end upon its completion. During his flight home to Georgia from Colorado, the plane not only dealt with weather delays but it was forced to make a stop in Memphis to be refueled. A member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit and a first sergeant, Parker did return home safely and, later that week, enjoyed celebrating his Olympic berth with the first anniversary of his second son's birth.

Family matters
It's unknown if Wyatt, 1, or Tommy, 4, will make the trip to Beijing. Jason said his parents, Dale and Sharon Parker, will likely be going in support of their son, but he was unsure if his wife Andrea will be there with their boys. He was hoping that his cousin, Lindsey Hunter -- a setter trying to make the U.S. volleyball team -- will be in Beijing with him. "That's who I really want to see over there," Parker said of what other athletes he'd really like to run into during the Olympics.

Sort of happened
Sgt. Parker will be the first to admit that he didn't expect his shooting to become his career. He started shooting competitively in high school after receiving his first beginner competitive air rifle in his early teens -- he first started shooting at the age of three with a BB gun. He then went to Xavier University, where he met his wife, a former competitive shooter and where his collegiate coach Bill Krilling, also coach of the USAMU rifle team, recommended Parker joined the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. "I loved the people there," Parker said of his initial visit. "I never really made a conscious decision that I wanted to have a career in shooting." He gets plenty of support from his family who support him during training sessions and ISSF competitions with phone calls and by leaving encouraging notes in his equipment.

Still involved
Even though he hasn't seen any time overseas, Sgt. Parker's involvement with the U.S. Army is quite extensive. "The main mission is to enhance the combat readiness of our troops," he said. "There's different sections. We'll train drill sergeants. We'll go out and do clinics." He can always be called into overseas duty, and prepares for his current job and his potential one with a full daily training regimen including spending six hours a day a couple times a week on the firing line for both air rifle and 3-position rifle. He also is "in that same camp" on the belief that consistent cardio and strength programs help in shooting as well.

The excitement from SPC Eller's Gold medal yesterday has everyone he comes in contact with fired up-to include people he meets on the street. The pride you see in Americans as they shake his hand and have their pictures taken with him is fantastic, and the group of people from Minnesota that had their pictures taken with him yesterday will be talking about that for a long time. SPC Eller, who is an easy going guy, was a real class act with all the media interviews. Eller follows football coach Tom Laundry's philosophy on how to handle himself after victory. He didn't act all crazy like he had never won before or he never expects to be there again, he was very professional. Although when we spoke 7 hours later he still had the grin on his face that he had from the medal ceremony, which will probably be there for a long time. 19 year old PFC Vincent Hancock was walking around like a caged tiger yesterday. PFC Hancock is shooting the International Skeet event on the 15th and he can't wait. He has his priorities right also and is staying focused. His family and new bride show up the same day he gets to practice and there is no doubt practice is his priority. Hancock has not been able to shoot since he got here and said, "I just can't wait to get this thing started. I'm really looking forward to match." The confidence from this humble but confident Soldier seemed to grow as fellow USAMU Soldier Eller won and Holguin finished just outside of the medals.

Shooting

Born:
March 19, 1989
Port Charlotte, FL

Hometown:
Eatonton, GA

Residence:
Eatonton, GA

Ht: / Wt:
5'9" / 172 lbs

Event(s):
Skeet

'Why am I not doing that?'
Vincent Hancock entered the three-day U.S. Trials with a four-target lead from the fall shoot and as the top-ranked American in the discipline. He left the first day in second place, with mediocre scores and a relatively upset demeanor. "I don't know why, but I had a shaky confidence," Hancock said. "I was not satisfied with (his day one score of 93). ... I went back and watched video of myself at last year's Italy World Cup (he set a finals world record), and I said, 'Why am I not doing that?' ... It pisses me off when I'm shooting like that. ... The second day, I was still a little shaky, but I had my confidence back." A little shaky or not, confidence was all he needed. Over the next two days and seven rounds of 25 targets, Hancock looked like the champion U.S. shooting expects him to be. After day two, he held a five-target lead; it was eight after day three; he posted a perfect 25 in the final to cruise to Beijing with a nine-target victory over second-place Sean McLelland.

Happy birthday!
Hancock, who enjoyed his win with quick hugs for his mom, Susan, and fiancé, Rebekah Young, actually celebrated more three days after his qualification with his 19th birthday. His aunt baked him a cake with the Olympic rings on it.

Just don't get in his way
Shooters generally focus their energy in a placid manner, never wanting to put too much into any one shot. Not so for the 19-year-old from Georgia. Hancock paces back and forth in between shots, always in need to get rid of excess energy that might plague him on the next shot. "I can't ever stay still," he said. "I use that energy to keep me calm. ... It looks like I'm going crazy out there." Usually, he'll get a song stuck in his head -- his favorites to have there in a match are "Take cover" and "In the cold" by Acceptance -- use it so "no doubt and no fear can creep into my head."

We don't know if he wears red on Sunday
It's not like Hancock has been producing results only in recent months. He was leading the way as a 16-year-old when he was named USA Shooter Male Athlete of the Year and the ISSF Shooter of the Year in 2005 following winning the World Championships in Lonato, Italy, and a sliver medal at the World Cup Final in Dubai. "Everyone that said don't expect to win just fueled me," Hancock said. He recalled a memory that always helped him. "Tiger Woods was being interviewed, and he said, if you don't expect to win, why compete? ... I expect to win every time out. ... One of my teammates told me (after the World Championships), 'Don't expect to do this again.' ... I went out and won silver (at the World Cup Final)." When he speaks, his voice isn't filled with an arrogance, but with confidence in himself. "What I strive for, people see as impossible. ... I strive for perfection each time out."

Even a champion needs help
Hancock is currently a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. He was discovered by the USAMU, because, as Hancock jokingly puts it, "I started beating them all." There was a time though when Hancock believed he would be fine on his own and wouldn't need the Army's help. "I thought I wouldn't need help; I was young and dumb at the time," Hancock said. "I'm still young, but I'm not as dumb or immature anymore." So now, Hancock wakes for training at 8:30 and shoots for five to seven hours before physical training at 4:30. "Obviously the nation's best shooters are there," he said. "Training with them improves me too. We're just one big family." He also returns home to work on his business degree through online courses at Troy University.

The big event's in May
Whether he qualified for the Olympics or not, Hancock made sure last Thanksgiving that 2008 would be a memorable year when he proposed to his then-girlfriend, now-fiancé Rebekah Young. While he's going crazy training on the shooting range, she's not only planning a wedding for May 31 but is also training for nursing school in August. It also might be a skeet thing, but shooter Kimberly Rhode plans to be married in the next 12 months as well.

A nursing couple
While Rebekah is preparing to be a nurse for mothers and babies following birth, Vincent has said that he would like to become a nurse as well following his career as a shooter. "I always wanted to be a doctor as a kid, but with shooting it couldn't happen," he said. His goal is to become a neonatal or ER nurse, as he said that would be the closest thing to becoming doctor.

A thanks to his family
As a kid, Hancock loved playing baseball -- he still loves watching the Braves and expects their reformed pitching staff to make them into a contender this year -- and was near-heartbroken when he had to give the sport up not even halfway through his freshman year in high school. A pitcher and shortstop, he needed more time for his shooting career to train with his dad who served as his coach. Like any situation where fathers and sons train together, Vincent and his dad, Craig, had plenty of spats about the sport. "It's gotten a lot better," Vincent said. "Back when I was a freshman and sophomore (in high school), it wasn't even funny. It was always about the sport (they didn't argue save for shooting). I was wrong most of the time." And though he says, jokingly, that his dad was tougher on him than the Army is on him now, "Shooting's been my life since I was 13; he helped me get through the rough parts. He was literally jumping for joy (when Vincent qualified). ... He's always stood behind me. He and my mom have always helped me whenever I need it."

SPC Glenn Eller won the gold today in the Double Trap event and set two Olympic records doing it. His preliminary event score of 145 was a record and his total score (preliminary and finals combines) of 195 was also a record. SPC Jeff Holguin came in fourth, something very few "experts" expected him to do. SPC Eller is off on a media tour for the rest of today and will be featured prominently, we hope. A great day for our country and our Army!

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE A SOLDIER!

August 12th, 2008 - 6:47 am | Posted by fmuggeo

Shooting

Born:
August 02, 1964
Orange, CA

Hometown:
Winterville, NC

Residence:
Ft. Benning, GA

Ht: / Wt:
5'7" / 140 lbs

Olympics:
2004, 2000, 1992

Interesting friendship
Michael Anti and Thomas Tamas are noted friends on and off the range. Both compete for the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, and each are multiple-time former Olympians. Yet, whenever the two are head-to-head with one another at the U.S. Trials, Anti is the one crushing his pal's Olympic dreams. At the 2008 smallbore trials in Ft. Benning, Ga., with just one quota available to be earned in 50m rifle prone, the two were deadlocked from the start after their first-day combined scores of 702.4. But, thanks to a second day score that was 3.3 higher than Tamas's, Anti pulled out the win and the lone remaining quota (Matthew Emmons secured the other before the Trials began). In 2004, the same result happened in prone competition. Even though Tamas held the lead going into the final round, it was Anti who would prevail. "I knew I could still qualify, but I needed more than just a really good score," Anti said at the time. "I needed someone else to have an off day. Unfortunately, that was Tamas."

Mistakes abound
Much has been made about Emmons' 50m rifle 3-position error in Athens where he shot at a wrong target, costing him a gold medal and sending him into eighth place. What gets lost in the shuffle is that Anti, who was the 3-position silver medalist, actually goofed his way out of a gold as well. He lost two points during the qualifying round, as he had accidentally fired one too many shots during the kneeling portion of the competition. The penalty was upsetting, but it might have been Emmons' mistake that upset Anti more. "Don't get me wrong, I love this silver medal," Anti told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. "But I probably would have been more excited to have heard the National Anthem and seen two American flags from the medal stand."

But he'll take it
Having never finished in the top eight in his previous two Olympic competitions in 1992 and 2000, Anti was delighted with his finish and was rewarded as though he did win gold. "My wife (Anne) picked me up at the airport with our sons, Matthew and William, with signs and balloons," Anti told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. "Then we drove down to Columbus, and when we rounded our street, there were neighbors and friends out to greet me at 11 o'clock. It was really great and it really meant a lot to me. There were a bunch of kids out there for me and they had school the next morning."

Tomorrow is a busy day for the Soldiers of AMU. Both 50-meter Free Pistol and Men's Double Trap compete.

 SFC Darryl Szarenski will shoot a .22 caliber pistol at a target 50 meters away with a bull's-eye under two inches. Szarenski has been working hard and staying focused, so much so that very few people see him here unless it is at the practice range.

So what does SPC Jeff Holguin think his chances are in men's Double Trap?

Both he and SPC Glenn Eller are very humble about their chances but both say, "I came here to win the Gold Medal". Both of their fathers are here and couldn't be more proud of their sons' dedication. "Coming into the Army is exactly what Glenn needed" said Butch Eller.

 They are going to need that dedication to make it to the podium. International Double Trap is no joke! The target is moving 60 mph and is usually seen, targeted, and shot within the first 40 feet of being launched. The clay target is about 4 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Shooting

Born:
January 06, 1982
Houston, TX

Hometown:
Houston, TX

Residence:
Ft. Benning, GA

Ht: / Wt:
6'3" / 161 lbs

Olympics:
2004, 2000

Growing up
Walton (Glenn) Eller made the Sydney and Athens Olympics by training in Texas most of his life. A hunter of birds and deer, he was an athlete as well, serving as a member of his high school's track team competing in pole vault. Eller also won the celebrated British Open Sporting Clay junior title in 1996 -- becoming the first American do to so. Before he entered the professional realm of shooting, Eller enjoyed much success in the junior ranks. He won three medals (two gold and one silver) at the 1998 Junior Olympic Championships and won both the men's and junior divisions of the 1999 National Championships.

Tough to stomach
Qualifying for the Olympic team at 18 in 2000, Eller had been used to a McDonald's diet before going to Sydney. So, when he tried to eat healthy and have something resembling a "ham and salad sandwich," as reported by the Houston Chronicle, he naturally got food poisoning and finished in 12th place. Four years later, after a very respectable first four years on the World Cup circuit, Eller qualified for the Olympics again -- this time he got thrown for a loop by a false positive in a drug screening test and finished 17th. "The Olympics are kind of crazy," Eller told the Houston Chronicle. "It's like (PGA) Q- school. Crazy things can happen, and I've had some crazy things happen to me."

Making a change
He never blamed his unfortunate circumstances for his inability to win a medal at the Olympics, but it was clear that something wasn't right if he were going to succeed in Beijing. So, along with friend Jeffery Holguin -- a double-trap shooter who had enjoyed the bridesmaid role of the double trap team until this year -- Eller joined the Army in Fort Benning, Georgia in order to become a member of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. So, after Holguin graduated from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, the two set off for Ft. Benning and endured the pangs of becoming a soldier.

Difficult road to Beijing
Joining the USAMU isn't as simple as just showing up and having the Army pay you to shoot. Eller and Holguin had to go through 15 weeks of P.T., getting up at 4:30 every morning to train in "a giant sandbox," as Holguin put it. There was even one situation where the two, along with their platoon, were lying in a field in a cold, wet, monsoon-esque situation for hours -- they would later find out that two tornados hit just near their location. Holguin recalled Eller not being too happy with his friend for suggesting the idea of the USAMU at that time. "He did, after we graduated, say, 'Thanks, Jeff, for making me do this,'" Holguin said. "Glenn and I did this for a reason, and we started shooting better as a result."

Elite again
Eller's 2007 season was the perfect lead-in to his first-place finish at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Shotgun Trials in double trap. In '07, he won two World Cup events -- one in Changwon, South Korea and the other in the World Cup Final. He also earned a bronze at the World Cup Maribor while winning the U.S. National Championships of that year, as well.

Ready for Beijing
On April 15 of this year, Eller showed he was ready for August with a silver medal finish at the "Good Luck Beijing" test event. "This is one of the best ranges I have ever seen. I got second place here and it's great," Eller said to the U.S. Fed News. "I have had a lot of practice and I will try my best to get the gold at the Games." The only issue, he said, with the venue were the surrounding catkins, which tended to blow around with a light wind and create a flowery snow-fall

Shooting

Born:
October 24, 1978
Fullerton, CA

Hometown:
Yorba Linda, CA

Residence:
Ft. Benning, GA

Ht:
5'9"

Event(s):
Double trap
 

An army of one
In 2004, Jeff Holguin was too worried about what his opponents were doing -- he admits that now. The same way certain golfers get shaken by what Tiger Woods does two holes away, Holguin became his own enemy in the '04 trials by focusing too much energy on either maintaining leads or trying to play catch-up. "That experience helped me out," Holguin said. "I allowed someone else's performance to effect what I was doing. ... Now, I know you're still shooting shoulder-to-shoulder with (your opponents). And you know what they're doing, but I wasn't looking to 'pull ahead' on shots. You can't put too much emphasis on one shot," as a shooter can't be worried if one shot will maintain a lead or help them come back from a deficit.

Four eyes to Beijing
The weather in Kerrville, Tex., the site of the shotgun trials, was less than ideal. The trap competition was hampered by wind, cold and rain. When double trap competition came around, the cold and rain were gone, but the wind was more vicious as the dry air became enemy No. 1 to anyone wearing contacts - i.e. Jeff Holguin. "I wear contacts; I've only shot with contacts," Holguin said. "With the prescription I have, if I had glasses, they'd be so thick, they'd get pushed around (during competition)." The reason why his glasses would move around is because the comb of the shotgun -- where a shooter puts their head to aim their shots -- would readjust his glasses, making his vision distorted. Considering Holguin knew of the windy conditions normally associated with Kerrville and of his eye ordeal in advance, he was able to prepare. At a large shooting convention in Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend, Holguin found a company serving as the David Tyree to his Hail Mary of a request. The company, which specialized in safety glass, had developed a pair of safety glasses outlined with foam. The foamed glasses rested perfectly on the comb without moving around and allowed Holguin to keep wearing his contacts during the shoot. As he simply put it, "My eyes never dried out."

Why every inch -- actually, millimeter -- counts
One might think Holguin would have his own wind vane and anemometer by now. The way he talks about how air moves during shoots, it might be revealed he's got some good connections with Mother Nature -- or that he watches The Weather Channel more than the average American. Either way, it was his knowledge of currents that allowed him to make a possibly Olympic-berth-saving adjustment on the second and final day of trials competition. "The first day, the wind was coming right at us and pushing the targets down," Holguin said. "The second day it came as a straight tail wind," and pushed the targets up. It was knowing the latter before it happened that assisted the California native. "I watch the weather always ... so I made an adjustment to my gun to shoot a bit higher," he said. "You tell people you're changing something after you shoot (enough for second place and a six-target lead after day 1), and they look at you funny." The change, which was a millimeter adjustment to the shotgun's comb, paid off dividends for Holguin who shot the third-best round on day two to keep his second place standings and then shot a perfect 50 in the finals.

Keeping focus
It speaks to being able to keep his composure in any circumstance, including when feeling pure euphoria. With four targets left in the double trap final, Holguin held a six-target lead with four shots left. Yet, he wouldn't celebrate -- even when his friend, and now Olympic teammate Glenn Eller offered congratulatory remarks to him. "He turned to me, and said, 'Hey, good job,'" Holguin said. While he was appreciative of the friendly sentiment, he responded with, "'Hey, let's finish this.' We were both straight on from there on. We were focused - I finished with a perfect 50. Glenn would have done the same, but one of the other guys walked up to congratulate him while he was still shooting." Eller, who scored a 49 in the final, still won the trials by three shots.

Becoming a soldier
Eller had the Olympic experience; Holguin had none, but both friends agreed that they needed a different approach to their training for Beijing. If Holguin, who graduated from the University of Colorado--Colorado Springs in 2006, were to stay in Colorado and use the USOC facilities there, he would need a full-time job to help support his Olympic dream. Only, a full-time job would hinder his ability to train as much as he'd want. Eller was in a somewhat similar position living near Katy, Texas. There were enough opportunities to train there, as his father owned a range, but other items associated with life would get in the way. Each of them knew of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit in Ft. Benning, Ga., and made the decision to enlist into the army once they found out they would be accepted into the USAMU. Of course, that meant they had to survive basic training.

A not-so-fun road to the Olympics
"I wouldn't want to do it again," Holguin said of basic training. "You take things for granted. ... The 'gas chamber' was not fun. Every recruit has to go through it. In the chamber - they put some sort of gas in there - you have to take off your mask and stay in there for like 15-30 seconds or something; it felt like an hour. Your eyes burn like it's pepper spray, though I've never been sprayed with that." The USAMU member listed off getting up at 4:30 a.m. every day for 15 weeks, having P.T. in "a giant sandbox," and road marching amongst other things he disliked. "Glenn and I did this for a reason, and we started shooting better as a result," Holguin said. Though, there were still other rough memories before the fruits of their labor were seen. Holguin recalls a time when they were in a field as a platoon, lying down in what was called lightning dispersal - fitting as a "cold monsoon," as Holguin called it, was dispersing lightning all around them. "We found out later that two tornados had hit just around us," Holguin said. "But, Glenn looked over to me and said, 'Thanks, Jeff, we could be in Houston having fun right now.' ... He did, after we graduated, say, 'Thanks, Jeff, for making me do this.'"

Training against the best to beat the best
Aside from those in mainstream sports (e.g. hockey, basketball, baseball, etc.), not many can say they get to perform their sport year round as a job. Jeff Holguin, thanks to his 15-week sacrifice, gets to say that he is a soldier who shoots for a living. "It helps that our job is to shoot," Holguin says of his involvement in the USAMU. "We get all the time we want and all the ammo and targets we need. A lot of people don't have that luxury." It also helps when his USAMU teammates -- Eller, Bill Keever and Josh Richmond -- are all world renown in the sport and are pushing each other every day. "All four of us, at one point, were ranked top 14th/15th in the world," Holguin said of his mates who together claimed all four top spots at the U.S. trials. "If one of us trains and has a mediocre day, we're looking up at the others. ... Off the field, we hang out; when it comes to competition, it's all for one."

This blog post from Frank Muggeo in Beijing....SFC Parker did not make the finals yesterday (he has one more event to compete in), but Frank's post does a good job explaining the precision of the sport.

SFC Jason Parker is first up for the USAMU Soldiers. He has earned an Olympic slot in two events and will have about a week "off" in between them. Tomorrow's event is the 10 meter air rifle event. In the Air Rifle event a .177-caliber (pellet) rifle is used in this event. The rifle can not weigh more than 12.1 pounds. Any sight not containing a lens or system of lenses is permitted. Competitors complete 60 shots in 105 minutes. The shots are fired in the standing position at a target 10 meters away that has a center ring 0.02 inches in diameter. Let me say that again-0.02 inches in diameter. Eight athletes advance to the finals, where they each have 75 seconds to fire 10 shots. International Rifle and Pistol are very big national sports in Europe and Asia.

SFC Parker first started shooting when he was three years old with a BB gun. His competitive career began at the age of 13. After Graduation from Xavier University (OH) where he earned a bachelor's in Psychology and was a 7 time All- American International Rifle shooter, he enlisted into the Army. We spoke earlier and he said, "My guns are shooting fine, the ammo is good, now I just have to go out and shoot." I can tell you though that he probably isn't sleeping well tonight and his roommate MAJ Anti is trying to keep the distractions in the Olympic Village to a minimum. I guess if I was shooting standing in the Olympics at a target not much bigger then the period at the end of this sentence I wouldn't be sleeping all that well either.

You might think that with seven Olympics between them that MAJ Mike Anti and SFC Jason Parker would be old hands at this, not at all. I spoke with them today and it was obvious that the combination of the opening ceremony, meeting the President of the United States and their events still pending had them fired up.

Both were going over routines they have used after years of rooming together on the road to keep the tension down. Only half joking, Anti said, "We both know what bothers the other guy and depending on who starts bothering who first it could go on for days."  "You have to stick to your routine" they both said- even if that means finding a McDonalds.

 

The opening ceremony for the athletes lasts for most of the day but Parker wasn't having any of it. "My event is just a few days away and I wasn't going to spend 8 hours in that craziness when I could be getting ready." SFC Parker marched in the ceremony but found a side exit and went back to his room. The rest of the Soldiers don't shoot for a few more days so they stayed for all the media events afterwards and finally got back to their rooms about 2am. SFC Parker has his official training event the 10th and will shoot air rifle, one of his two events, starting on the 11th.

Glenn Eller is a lanky, baby-faced 20-something from Katy, Texas, a cushy suburb outside of Houston. He is friendly, quick to laugh and has an odd affinity for Oreos topped with Cheez Whiz.

He's single.

He's looking.

And when he leaves Beijing after competing in the Olympics, he's going back to Georgia and his day job: teaching other baby-faced 20-somethings how to shoot and, if necessary, kill people.

Walton "Glenn" Eller III -- that is, Army Spc. Eller -- is a marksman trainer in Fort Benning, Ga. And he's one of six members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) that is competing in shooting in the Olympics.

It's not among the sexiest events to watch, so you probably won't catch him on the tube. But just because shooting doesn't make for good TV doesn't mean it's lacking in drama. Not when you consider that our nation is at war.

And members of our military are competing against military personnel from countries we have strained relationships with.

And we're competing in a country with the kind of human rights record that forced the Olympic torch to be hidden from protesters.

So while the latest incarnation of the Dream Team has garnered the most attention, the 14 Olympic athletes in the U.S. military -- six of whom are in the USAMU -- likely feel the most tension.

Then there's this uncomfortable truth: During times of war, a lot of people die. It's up to military trainers, like Eller and fellow Olympians Maj. Michael Anti and Staff Sgt. Libby Callahan, to help make sure the American casualty numbers stay low.

Not to take anything away from Michael Phelps -- whose surgeon-like focus has received a lot of ink recently -- but the word "focus" takes on a whole new meaning when you're not only representing your country but also juggling life and death to protect that country.

But, fortunately, these athletes don't blink. When I talked with these officers recently near their practice range, I asked them if "that sound" ever bothers them. They looked at me with blank faces. Then, after a few beats, Callahan finally asked, "What sound?"

"Um, the gunfire?"

"Oh, that."

Oh, that?

"When soldiers join the army, we swear an oath to God and our country that we will support and defend the constitution of the United States," said Anti, an Olympic silver medalist in 2004. "Our primary mission, and one we take very seriously, is to enhance or increase marksmanship skill throughout the military. With this increased skill and confidence, soldiers are better able to protect themselves, their buddies and accomplish their mission."

But doesn't your heart get a little heavy thinking about what's involved in accomplishing the mission? "I do not think it is healthy to think about what might happen," he said. "If you go through life thinking about death, then you are probably not living life to the fullest."

Or, as Eller put it bluntly: "Our job saves American lives."

Callahan, who at 56 is the oldest known woman to compete in an Olympics, said one of the great things about the Olympics is that it helps soldiers from all over the world forget politics and war, if only for a moment. She knows this firsthand from an encounter she had with an Iraqi soldier at the 1992 Summer Games.

While working out on the track, the Iraqi soldier approached her. Callahan (who is competing in her fourth Games) was wary of having a conversation, but she says he was friendly and the talk ended up being pleasant and informative. This, with oil fields still smoldering back in his home country after the Gulf War.

For all the things that are wrong with the Olympics -- and, believe me, I have my issues with these Games in particular -- the foundation remains true for so many competitors.

Think about it.

There are regions of the world that have been warring for so long, peace is an unnatural state. And yet those who risk the most can set aside their differences in the name of these Games. I guess when you train so hard for so long, only those who have made similar sacrifices can fully comprehend the joy, the relief, the commitment and respect that comes with being part of the Olympic fraternity. And so, for about two weeks, all that will matter for many of the other soldiers/athletes in Beijing is the tie that binds them.

Afterward, Eller and company will go back to work. All of their counterparts from around the world will do the same. And if any of their paths shall cross again, we can only hope the circumstances are pleasant.

Here are two articles that appeared in the Washington Post about our Army Marksmanship Unit Soldiers. At the time of these reports, they were actively preparing for their Olympic competitions in Beijing. The second article--about SSG Josh Olsen--tells the story of one of our returning warriors who was wounded in Iraq--and who is also one of our best shooters. At the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, I watched Josh Olsen shoot a perfect 600--a mainline Olympic qualifying score--in the prone service rifle category. He's an absolute inspiration...

______

July 9, 2008

Pg. E1

These Soldiers Are Olympic Hot Shots: Army Provides Core of Shooting Teams

By Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post Staff Writer

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- U.S. Army sharpshooter Pfc. Vincent Hancock raises his shotgun and fluidly traces the arc of two clay targets hurtling across the range before him at 55 mph, breaking each one with flawless accuracy.

The 19-year-old skeet competitor, headed to his first Olympics next month, knows that he must sustain that perfection to clinch a gold medal. But after setting a world record at the World Cup Italy championship in Milan in June 2007, the young marksman is confident that target is within reach.

"I was just really zoned in, that's what it really takes to shoot a perfect round, to be in your zone," said Hancock, describing the record-breaking round in which he hit 150 out of 150 clay discs -- an accomplishment he says he will have to match to win the gold medal in Beijing.

After surprising himself by shooting the first 100 targets perfectly, Hancock said the last 50 seemed effortless. "It was just so easy, it felt like I didn't even have to try. I would just step on the station and my gun would automatically go to the right spot and break the target every time." The challenge now, he said between practice sessions at the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit ranges at Fort Benning, is to figure out "how to get to that point very easily."

Hancock is one of six marksmen the Army is sending to the Summer Olympics, and the soldiers are expected to prove a core strength of the U.S. teams. Since its creation in 1956, Army Marksmanship Unit members have won more than 40 world championships and 22 Olympic medals, more than half of the U.S. total in shooting in that time. Prospects are good for more medals this year; for example, the U.S. double-trap team boasts three soldiers in the top 12 rankings, including two in the top five.

Three of the Olympic marksmen are on the shotgun team: Hancock in skeet, where competitors fire at targets thrown from high and low houses, and Spec. Walton Glenn Eller III and Spec. Jeffrey G. Holguin in double trap, where marksmen shoot at two clay targets thrown simultaneously from an underground bunker.

Another two soldiers -- Sgt. 1st Class Jason A. Parker and Maj. Michael E. Anti -- are on the international rifle team, and Sgt. 1st Class Daryl L. Szarenski is on the international pistol team.

Hancock said he gains a big advantage by training with the Army team.

"We have the greatest shooters in the nation, and some of the best around the world. Getting to shoot with those guy and girls . . . helps a lot," he said, because on any given day any team member is capable of beating any other. "We are all fierce competitors, that definitely shows on the range."

The military provides ample resources for training that are harder obtain as a civilian, said Hancock, of Eatonton, Ga. He began competing when he was 11 years old, joined the Army in June 2006 and gained a position on the shotgun team last November.

A veteran Olympian, Eller, 26, says the Army team has also assigned a "mental coach" to train the competitors in the critical psychological skills of successful shooting. Eller, who took part in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, is working on ways to keep his mind from getting in the way of his performance.

"Your mind is the biggest part of it. We all know how to shoot," said Eller, of Katy, Tex., who started his marksmanship career in 1990 at the age 8. "I like to put a song in my head . . . it basically lets your subconscious take over," he said, noting that he uses specific songs for different situations.

At the same time, team members say it is important not to overtrain.

"You can actually shoot too much, we refer to it as burning out," said Holguin, 29, of Yorba Linda, Calif., a first-time Olympian. "You lose the motivation, the desire, so leading up to a big competition like . .

. . the Olympic games you want to avoid that."

Training time is already limited, because as members of the Army Marksmanship Unit the shooters have other responsibilities, such as attending promotional events for Army recruiting and teaching better marksmanship to Army drill instructors.

"Our number one mission is to enhance marksmanship skills throughout the Army," said Parker, as he prepared to shoot a round with his Anschutz

.22 caliber free rifle.

Last year, the unit trained more than 3,000 drill sergeants, who in turn teach new privates in boot camp. Skills they focus on range from how to align gun sites to "how to get in a good solid shooting position,"

Parker said, adding, "Lying down is better than standing up or kneeling."

Members of the unit also work closely with gunsmiths to make technological improvements that have been incorporated into rifles used by soldiers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Parker, 34, is heading to his third Olympics this summer, and placed fifth in the air rifle competition during the 2000 Games. Like Parker, about half of the soldiers in the Army Marksmanship Unit were recruited for their proven shooting skills and compete mainly in international contests. Others joined the Army first and then learned to shoot, and participate most often in national competitions using guns issued by the Army such as the M-16 rifle or M-9 pistol.

Led by Lt. Col. Frank Muggeo, the marksmanship unit has six competitive shooting sections and a 260-acre world class facility for training and competition. Its gunsmiths make custom firearms and developed the M-21 and M- 24 sniper rifles for the Army.

Washington Post

July 9, 2008

Pg. E8

Wounded In Iraq, Olson Has Plenty To Shoot For

By Ann Scott Tyson, Washington Post Staff Writer

Staff Sgt. Joshua J. Olson pulls on his heavy canvas shooting jacket and lowers his body to the floor, carefully arranging his prosthetic leg to steady himself for a round of rifle practice.

The 28-year-old Iraq war veteran will compete on the 2008 U.S. Paralympics team in the 50-meter rifle prone event, the latest achievement in a shooting career that has led to a personal resurrection after he lost a leg and almost died in an ambush in Iraq.

On a night patrol in the northern Iraqi city of Tall Afar on Oct. 27, 2003, Olson and his infantry squad came under attack by insurgents firing rocket-propelled grenades. The first grenade hit the back of the truck, wounding two soldiers. The second exploded near Olson, knocking the wind out of him, leaving his left leg limp and blasting his right thigh.

"I reached down and felt a big hole where my leg should be. That's when I kind of knew I was in a little bit of trouble," said Olson, of Spokane, Wash. Had he not been rescued so quickly, within 10 minutes, he said he likely would have bled to death.

Heavily medicated, he woke up a few days later and looked at himself in the mirror. "It sort of hit me. I was in a hospital full of amputees,"

he recalled, instantly realizing that his life aspiration to join the Army Special Forces or Rangers was an impossibility.

"It put a wrench in my plans," said Olson, who had wanted to serve in the military since he was a boy. Although deeply depressed, he gained solace in conversations with other veterans, at times telephoning them at 2 or 3 a.m. Gradually, he regained some hope that "my life isn't really over," he said.

In the fall of 2004, he joined an outdoors program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and one day impressed a physical therapist by hitting 48 out of 50 clay targets in a shooting match. The therapist asked whether Olson, who had been an expert rifleman in the infantry, was interested in meeting with the Army Marksmanship Unit at Fort Benning, Ga. "I jumped at the chance" to stay in the Army and keep working with soldiers, let alone travel the world with world-class shooters, he said.

Olson joined the Army Marksmanship Unit in June 2005 as an international rifle shooter, and has since placed eighth at the 2006 world championships, 12th at the 2007 European championships and fifth at the 2007 Oceania championships.

In the 50-meter rifle prone event, Olson fires 60 shots with a bolt-action gun at a target smaller than a dime. A match lasts 75 minutes, with each shot worth 10 points for a best possible score of 600. Last year, Olson was scoring in the low 580s, but now regularly scores 593 or 594. His goal is

  Shooting

Born:
March 14, 1968
Saginaw, MI

Hometown:
Saginaw, MI

Residence:
Seale, AL

Ht: / Wt:
5'11" / 200 lbs

Olympics:
2004, 2000

Event(s):
Men's free pistol

A close one
Going into the final day of competition at the 2008 U.S. Trials, two-time Olympian Daryl Szarenski was holding onto his second-place lead (and Beijing Olympic berth) over John Zurek by just 0.1 points. While Szarenski didn't record the best score of the last day -- that honor belonged to overall champion and 2008 Olympic air pistol qualifier Jason Turner -- he did distance himself enough from Zurek to come away with a 1.4 victory (1849.3-1847.9). "It was pretty enjoyable," Szarenski said. "After you've already made it (Szarenski qualified for the 2000 and 2004 Games), there's an expectation to make it again."

Not the first time
Szarenski has made a habit of leaving things up to the finals -- or even the final shot. In the 2004 U.S. Trials, Szarenski was tied with Brian Zins for both Olympic spots with Jason Turner trailing each of them by just a point with only one shot remaining. Szarenski and Turner each got the shots they wanted, as the former won the event by 0.8 points. Zins' last shot was 1.4 less than Turner's.

Never fun to put things off
After qualifying in both air and free pistol for the Athens Games, the Sgt. 1st class with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit missed out on the lone quota available for air pistol in March. "It was a relief (to qualify in free pistol in May)," he said. "I came in third (in March), and it was a wake-up call. Like, 'I might not make the Olympics.'"

Can't fall short
What helped and didn't help that time in between the U.S. Trials was the Beijing Olympic test event in April. There, Szarenski put together a great run, winning the bronze medal in free pistol at the same shooting hall where the Olympic event will be shot. So, while winning the medal felt good, it also added to the pressure of making the U.S. team so he could have the chance to win the type of medal that really matters. "It was like, if you make a really good drive (in golf) ... you don't want to mess up that easy three-foot putt," Szarenski said.

'Simple' goal
A Sergeant 1st Class with the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit in Ft. Benning, Ga., Szarenski got his start in shooting when he was a student in Saginaw, Mich. His father Frank, who died in 2001, got him involved at the Saginaw Gun Club when he was in sixth grade. Daryl was invited to participate in the Junior Olympic training camp while in high school and went to Tennessee Tech for college, participating on their shooting teams.

Always time for everything
Szarenski was actually offered the chance to compete with the USAMU out of high school -- think the, "New York Yankees of shooting," as Szarenski puts it, without the hatred that gets directed toward the Yankees. But, his dad told him that he needed to get a college education, so Szarenski went to Tennessee Tech. While at Tennessee Tech, Szarenski succeeded in shooting and majored in industrial technology. Before he finished college, the USAMU came calling again in 1991. Szarenski wasn't about to turn down them twice and wanted to get started on his career in shooting.

Good news?
Never having finished above 13th place in the three events he's competed at in the Olympics, Szarenski may have found the right environment for success. At the Olympic test event this past April, he earned a bronze medal in free pistol at the same location he'll be competing at in August. "