corps pistol team wins nra competition
18 MAR 2008
The Corps Pistol Team, from left, J.D. Webb, John Stubbs, Brady Boyd, Nick Gruning and Coach Curtis Burns.
For the second year in a row and the third out of the last four years, the Corps of Cadets Pistol Team won first place among several major colleges and military academies in the ROTC division at the 2008 NRA Intercollegiate Pistol Championships held Mar. 10–14 at Fort Benning, Georgia.
The team members are John David Webb, junior, A Company; John Stubbs, sophomore, D Company; Alison Gates, sophomore, Squadron 3; Brady Boyd, sophomore, B Company and Nick Gruning, freshman, Company B-2. Webb placed second in the individual competition and Gruning placed third, receiving silver and bronze medals, respectively.
"The team won by more than 90 points which is very significant in the pistol competition," said Master Gunnery Sergeant Fred Hauffe, USMC (Ret.), advisor to the pistol team. "Many NRA officials and judges personally told me how good the team was and that they were outstanding shooters."
The team also won the Curtis Burns Trophy—new this year and named after current Texas A&M head pistol coach Curtis Burns '52. "I feel that the Corps at A&M gave me the opportunity for a career in the Air Force and I wanted to give something back to the sport other than my volunteer coaching effort," explained Burns.
The perpetual trophy, donated by Burns to the NRA for the ROTC Championship Match will remain at the NRA Headquarters and the names of the team members will be placed on the trophy. The team was very excited to be the first team to win the trophy that is named after their coach.
