CMP Sees Increase in Attendance at Eastern Games
May 30, 2024
By Jennifer Green, CMP Contributor
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) hosted the Eastern Games at Camp Butner for the 19th time. Events included Pistol, Highpower, Rimfire, Mid-range, Long Range, and Games matches on several ranges. This year boasted a 9.8 percent increase in competitors and a 35 percent increase in event entries.
Eastern Games is a part of the Travel Games series, hosted by the CMP, which brings the competition and excellence of the National Matches on the road to different corners of the country for all to enjoy. This year, the week-long event hosted over 450 participants, numbers that haven’t been achieved since before the Covid-19 Pandemic. The air was filled with excitement, camaraderie and a competitive spirit.
The weather was picture perfect, slightly cool in the mornings and warming up mid-day with clear skies—no doubt contributing to great performances seen throughout the week. Eric Herrin, who is currently working towards his pistol Distinguished Badge, claimed the overall top spot in the Revolver Pistol EIC Match with a score of 351-5x, an honor that is not common for non-distinguished competitors. Jonathan Shue dominated the field in the any sights category and secured eight pistol match wins including Overall Individual Pistol Aggregate and the 2700 Pistol Aggregate.
Victor Betzold won the As-Issued Carbine, Long Range Match Rifle Day 1, and achieved three High Senior distinctions. Keith Schachle managed to snag the win for both the Three & Four Gun Aggregates. The Army Marksmanship Unit joined the competition halfway through the week for the Highpower Rifle Matches, and SSG David Bahten was victorious in the Highpower 2400 Aggregate with a score of 2383-122x, edging out SFC Erin O’Neill by only three points.
The newest addition to the event line up is the Long Range Matches. Competitors were excited to see these matches on the schedule, as they normally have to travel to the National Matches at Camp Perry in Ohio to compete in that discipline. KTS (Kongsberg Target System) electronic targets were used for this match as well as all other rifle matches. Fritz Hempelmann made history winning the first ever CMP Travel Games Match Rifle Aggregate with a score of 789-37x.
The offerings don’t stop at just match entries. The Civilian Marksmanship Program put on a number of clinics including a Pistol Small Arms Firing School (SAFS) attended by 28 students, Rifle SAFS attended by 42 students, a GSMM New Shooter Clinic, and a Garand Maintenance Clinic. The SAFS classes featured Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) Matches with the opportunity for the top 10 percent of participants to earn their first 4 EIC points.
Overall Results of the 2024 Eastern CMP Games:
M9 Pistol Match: SFC Joshua Farmer USA (ret.), Hopkinsville, KY – 253-1x
M16 Rifle Match: Richard Mast III, Forest, VA – 378-4x
Mid-Range 3×600
- Match Rifle: John Skowron, Raleigh NC – 596-30x
- Service Rifle: Scott Johnson, Columbia, SC – 584-21x
- F-Open: MGySgt Larry Crabtree USMC (ret.), Bridgewater, VA – 572-14x
- F T/R: Ronald Turkett, West Columbia, SC – 588-33x
- AR Tactical: SFC Dwayne Lewis USAR (ret.), Greenville, SC – 594-27x
Garand Match
- Overall: Tim Bloss, Keyser, WV – 289-3x
- High Senior: Thomas Morley, Washington, PA – 287-10x
- High Grand Senior: Robert Hathcox, Macclenny, FL – 276- 5x
Springfield Match
- Overall: Keith Schachle, Jasper, GA – 293-6x
- High Senior: Robert Hathcox, Macclenny, FL – 287-9x
- High Grand Senior: Jerry St. John, North Vernon, IN – 281-9x
Vintage Military Match
- Overall: Maj Ian Swisher ARNG Rockville, MD – 286-11x
- High Senior: Keith Schachle, Jasper, GA – 286-8x
- High Grand Senior: Robert Hathcox, Macclenny, FL 281-6x
Three Gun Aggregate: Keith Schachle, Jasper, GA – 859-21x
Modern Military
- Overall: Nick Till, Howell, MI – 294-13x
- High Senior: Thomas Morley, Washington, PA – 294-10x
- High Grand Senior: Robert Hathcox, Macclenny, FL – 277-3x
- Unlimited: TSgt Christopher DeForge USAF, Tampa, FL – 296-14x
Four Gun Aggregate: Keith Schachle, Jasper, GA – 1139-35x
Unlimited Garand Match: Daniel Duitsman, Fredericksburg, VA – 284-9x
Rimfire Sporter Match
- O- Class: Jason Cisarano, Chapel Hill, NC – 577-16x
- T-Class: Ethan Durham, Hamptonville, NC – 590-25x
- High Junior T-Class: Anna Reeves, Leicester, NC – 584-19x
- High Senior T-Class: Victor Betzold, Bel Air, MD – 590-22x
- High Women T-Class: Erin Wills, Staley, NC – 583-21x
- Tactical Match: Andy Miller, Coshocton, OH – 588-24x
CMP As-Issued 1911 Pistol Match
- Overall: Jonathan Shue, Liberty, NC – 379-15x
- High Senior: Victor Betzold, Bel Air, MD – 371-4x
Military & Police Service Pistol Match
- Overall: Jonathan Shue, Liberty, NC – 384-15x
- High Senior: Victor Betzold, Bel Air, MD – 377-10x
Revolver Pistol EIC Match
- Overall: Eric Herrin, Raleigh, NC – 351-5x
CMP .22 Rimfire Pistol EIC Match: Jonathan Shue, Liberty, NC – 290-10x
Pistol EIC Match: Jonathan Shue, Liberty, NC – 295-16x
.22 Rimfire 900 Aggregate
- Any Sights: Jonathan Shue, Liberty, NC – 893-53x
- Metallic Sights: Ben Lassiter, Hampton, VA – 843-24x
- .22 Only: John Van Swearingen, Raleigh, NC – 849-24x
Center Fire 900 Aggregate
- Any Sights: Jonathan Shue, Liberty, NC – 874-38x
- Metallic Sights: MSgt Nicholas Capko, Fredericksburg, VA – 810-14x
- .22 Only: William Trowell, Raleigh, NC – 854-28x
.45 Pistol 900 Aggregate
- Any Sights: Daniel Kupar, Whitehall, PA – 882-33x
- Metallic Sights: MSgt Nicholas Capko, Fredericksburg, VA – 828-16x
- .22 Only: William Trowell, Raleigh, NC – 858-33x
Match Pistol 2700 Aggregate
- Overall Any Sights: Jonathan Shue, Liberty, NC – 2627-121x
- Overall Metallic Sights: MSgt Nicholas Capko, Fredericksburg, VA – 2478-55x
- Overall .22 Only: John Van Swearingen, Raleigh, NC – 2544-62x
Overall Individual Pistol Aggregate: Jonathan Shue, Liberty, NC – 1695-60x
Carbine Match
- Overall As-Issued Carbine: Victor Betzold, Bel Air, MD – 368-7x
- Overall High Senior As-Issued Carbine: Sean Leighton, Enola, PA – 357-7x
- Overall High Grand Senior As-Issued Carbine: John Kerrigan, Annapolis, MD – 342-3x
Vintage Sniper Team
- Overall Manual Vintage Sniper Team: Hard Leg VI – 394-16x
- Terrence McCoy, Kensington, MD
- Joseph McDonald, Milton, DE
- Overall Semi-Automatic Vintage Sniper Team: Shenanigans – 382-10x
- Ryan Brady, Dade City, FL
- Cody Kornegay, Seffner, FL
- Overall Vietnam (Category B) Vintage Sniper Team: Dangerous Da Nang Duo – 396-20x
- Daniel Henk, Tryon, NC
- Shawn Risdon, Inman, SC
Vintage Sniper Individual Overall: Daniel Henk, Tryon, NC – 199-11x
Long Range
- Day 1
- Match Rifle: Victor Betzold, Bel Air, MD – 393-14x
- Service Rifle: MSG Christopher Gervasio USAR, Romney, WV – 367-6x
- F-Open: Van Dyke Bergen, Wells, VT – 376-0x
- F T/R: Rusty Chasteen, Charlotte, NC – 377-5x
- AR Tactical: Tim Bloss, Keyser, WV – 387-10x
- Day 2
- Match Rifle: Fritz Hempelmann, Wheeling WV – 397-23x
- Service Rifle: Scott Johnson, Columbia, SC – 367-3x
- AR Tactical: Dwayne Lewis, Greenville, SC – 385-6x
- Palma: James Fox, Albany, OR – 394-12x
- Aggregate
- Match Rifle: Fritz Hempelmann, Wheeling WV – 789-37x
- Service Rifle: Scott Johnson, Columbia, SC – 731-9x
- F- Open: Habib Barakat, Suffolk, VA – 693-2x
- F T/R: Ismael Perez, San Juan, PR – 738-10x
- AR Tactical: Dwayne Lewis, Greenville, SC – 768-13x
CMP 4-Man Team Match
- Service Rifle Team: USAMU Utah – 1977-93x
- SSG David Bahten USA, Phenix City, AL – 497-24x
- SSG Verne Conant USA, Cataula, GA – 496-25x
- SFC Erin O’Neill USA, Fortson, GA – 494-19x
- SP4 Zevin Linse USA, Columbus, GA – 490-25x
- Match Rifle Team: VFB – 1955-55x
- Dwayne Lewis, Greenville, SC – 494-16x
- Christopher Blankenship, Holly Ridge, NC – 492-16x
- MSG Christopher Gervasio USAR, Romney, WV – 485-11x
- Daniel Duitsman, Fredericksburg, VA- 484-12x
4-Man Team Individual Overall: SSG David Bahten USA, Phenix City, AL – 497-24x
Highpower Rifle
- Day 1
- Civilian Service Rifle: James Fox, Albany, OR – 789-29x
- Military Service Rifle: SSG Verne Conant USA, Cataula, GA – 794-44x
- Civilian Match Rifle: Fritz Hempelmann, Wheeling WV – 788-31x
- Day 2
- Civilian Service Rifle: James Fox, Albany, OR – 792-29x
- Military Service Rifle: SSG David Bahten USA, Phenix City, AL – 794-38x
- Civilian Match Rifle: Fritz Hempelmann, Wheeling WV – 794-42x
- Day 3
- Civilian Service Rifle: Nathan Russell, Emlenton, PA – 786-25x
- Military Service Rifle: SFC Erin O’Neill USA, 796-39x
- Civilian Match Rifle: Christopher Blankenship, Holly Ridge, NC – 792-28x
2400 Aggregate Overall: SSG David Bahten USA, Phenix City, AL – 2383-122x
EIC Service Rifle Match: Nathan Russell, Emlenton, PA – 490-11x
View full results at https://ct.thecmp.org/EasternGames24Results. Photos may be viewed and downloaded at https://cmp1.zenfolio.com/f796423849.
SAVE THE DATE: The 2025 Eastern CMP Games, Pistol and Cup Matches will take place April 25-May 4, 2025.
For information on upcoming CMP Travel Games events, visit https://thecmp.org/competitions/cmp-travel-games/.
I was there the first three days: 6 matches with 6 different rifles!
M1 Garand, M1903A3 Springfield, M1 Carbine (all WW2 rifles).
M1917 (a WW1 rifle made in 1918).
A non-match grade AR-15 for Modern Military.
An AR-15 in .22lr for rimfire sporter.
Thank goodness for electronic scoring! I could not have gotten this much shooting in only three days without that.
Stayed in the Huts for $5 a night.
See you next year. 🙂
Daniel,
Glad you had a great time and enjoyed the electronic targets! We’d love to see this match grow – please share your experience with your friends and encourage club members to join us next year.
Thanks,
Christine