AMU’s Rettmer Earns CMP Highpower Rifle Championship Aggregate Win at 2021 National Matches
August 5, 2021
CAMP PERRY, Ohio – SPC Luke Rettmer, 22, of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU), started strong in his 2021 National Matches rifle series appearance, claiming the overall competitor spot in the Service Rifle category of the 2400 Aggregate Match. The competition was held on the famous Camp Perry Viale Range and hosted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) as part of the CMP Highpower Rifle Championships.
“I was happy with my performance,” Rettmer said. “Every day I step on the range, my goal is to shoot all the shots in the 10- or X-ring, regardless of the outcome of the score – and I feel like I almost did that.”
A Washington native and Distinguished marksman since 2015, Rettmer joined the AMU Service Rifle Team in November 2019 after completing Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Also in 2019, he added U21 World Long Range champion to his long list of achievements that includes past winner of the Col. Bill Deneke Trophy, which is awarded to the top overall junior athlete of the National Matches President’s Rifle, National Trophy Individual and National Trophy Junior Team aggregate. He even made the prestigious President’s Rifle 20-person shootoff – the only junior to do so in 2018.
“There were a couple shots that got away from me,” he went on of his 2400 Aggregate showing. “But I felt that my performance reflected my training well.”
Team CMP’s James Fox, 36, of Albany, Oregon, was the Service Rifle High Civilian each of the three days of separate 800 Aggregate Matches. Fox claimed the overall aggregate win in 2019 and landed in second behind Rettmer at this year’s event, trailing by only two points and marking an outstanding 131 X-count.
High Junior of the Service Rifle Aggregate was Dustin Carr, 19, of San Diego, California, who fired a score of 2363-101X. SSG Amanda Elsenboss, 32, of the Army National Guard earned the honor of High Woman after compiling a score of 2373-120X for seventh place overall.
Outside of Service Rifle, the Aggregate was also open to Match Rifle competitors. Leading the 2400 Match Rifle Aggregate and named High Military competitor each of the three days was SFC Brandon Green, 36, of the AMU. High Civilians during the daily matches included Benjamin Pickel, 41, of Crystal Lake, Illinois, Fritz Hempelmann, 61, of Wheeling, West Virginia, and Team CMP’s own Robert Gill, 62, of Visalia, California.
Other leading scorers of the CMP Highpower Rifle Championships were:
4-Man Team Match:
Service Rifle Overall: AMU Green (SFC Brandon Green, SP4 Luke Rettmer, SGT Brandon Muske, SSG Erin McNeil) – 1991-112X
Match Rifle Overall: X-Philes (Fritz Hempelmann, Jack Jones, Allen Castle, Terrence Paul) – 1970-83X
CMP 2400 Aggregate:
Service Rifle Overall (295): SPC Luke Rettmer, 22, U.S. AMU – 2385-103X
High Junior: Dustin Carr, 19, San Diego, California – 2363-101X
High Woman: SSG Amanda Elsenboss, 32, ARNG – 2373-120X
High Senior: Donald Bauer, 70, Mendota, Illinois – 2334-52X
High Grand Senior: Michael Borkon, 71, Mission Hills, Kansas – 2326-66X
Match Rifle Overall (19): SFC Brandon Green, 36, U.S. AMU – 2391-132X
High Senior: Fritz Hempelmann, 61, Wheeling, West Virginia – 2371-113X
High Grand Senior: Jack Jones, 75, Akron, Ohio – 2354-97X
800 Aggregate Day 1:
Service Rifle High Civilian: James Fox, 36, Albany, Oregon – 794-40X
Service Rifle High Military: SSG Verne Conant, 25, U.S. AMU – 795-44X
Match Rifle High Civilian: Benjamin Pickel, 41, Crystal Lake, Illinois – 795-33X
Match Rifle High Military: SFC Brandon Green, 36, U.S. AMU – 797-41X
800 Aggregate Day 2:
Service Rifle High Civilian: James Fox, 36, Albany, Oregon – 795-50X
Service Rifle High Military: SSG Amanda Elsenboss, 32, ARNG – 798-51X
Match Rifle High Civilian: Robert Gill, 62, Visalia, California – 792-40X
Match Rifle High Military: SFC Brandon Green, 36, U.S. AMU – 797-44X
800 Aggregate Day 3:
Service Rifle High Civilian: James Fox, 36, Albany, Oregon – 794-41X
Service Rifle High Military: SPC Luke Rettmer, 22, U.S. AMU – 796-32X
Match Rifle High Civilian: Fritz Hempelmann, 61, Wheeling, West Virginia – 793-37X
Match Rifle High Military: SFC Brandon Green, 36, U.S. AMU – 797-47X
View a complete list of results of this and other 2021 Camp Perry National Rifle Matches at https://ct.thecmp.org/21nmrifleresults.
Photos of this and other National Matches rifle events can be found and downloaded for free on the CMP’s Zenfolio page at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f641171691.