SINAI, Egypt –
A team of Pennsylvania National Guard Soldiers recently won a multinational shooting competition in Egypt while deployed in support of Multinational Force and Observers.
The six-man team was from 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division was led by Sgt. Michael Landau and consisted of Sgt. Justin McCloe, Staff Sgt. Francis Gaeta, Sgt. T.J. Bennett, Sgt. Bryan Peck and Sgt. Kyle Kott.
During the competition, they went up against teams from other U.S. Army units as well as teams from the New Zealand, Australian, Canadian and Fijian armies. Soldiers from the New Zealand army hosted the competition.
According to Landau, the event offered an opportunity for his teammates to learn more about allied armies and gain appreciation for their abilities.
“It was a unique, rewarding and extraordinary experience to compete against other armies in the world,” said Landau. “We all grew a sense of respect for each other and our capabilities after each match.”
The teams underwent a series of back-to-back firing drills, known as serials. Each serial consisted of different challenges, such as shooting at paper targets accurately within a few seconds, shooting at small boxes within those paper targets or shooting from different firing positions.
Teams competed in a head-to-head tournament style contest with the 1-109th IN team eventually winning the major unit trophy and overall trophy.
Landau and Bennett spoke about the other teams with nothing but praise, specifically pointing out the New Zealand team’s organization, accuracy and lethality. The New Zealand team was their challenger in the finals.
“We all knew we had to bring our best to be able to win,” said Bennett.
The competition underscored the importance of not only maintaining proficiency in fighting abilities, but also showed how powerful different U.S. units as well as units from allied armies can be when they work together.
“The competition provided friendly competitiveness between MFO Contingents,” said Kott. “Our team was formed from two different companies who never worked with one another directly, but we quickly formed a bond training, strategizing and learning from one another.”
For the 1-109th Infantry, this competition also gave the participants and spectators another accomplishment to be proud of as their deployment winds down.
“It is something that I will remember for a lifetime,” said Landau. “I am proud of the guys and how we came together as a lethal, effective, cohesive squad.”
The 1-109th Infantry deployed in March 2022 and has been serving in the Sinai in Egypt as part of the Multinational Force and Observers. According to the MFO’s website, their mission is to supervise the implementation of the security provisions of the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty of Peace and employ best efforts to prevent any violation of its terms. More than 10 countries contribute troops to that mission.