Lieutenant Simington charges in during the Bayonet attack at AASAM 2011.
The Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) 2012 is being held over the period 07 – 17 May 2012.
The competition is designed to allow for the assessment of current in-service small arms system capabilities, equipment and targetry, and training analysis of combat shooting techniques, weapon training doctrine, and small arms practices.
AASAM identifies the best combat marksmen for selection in the Australian Army Combat Shooting Team, to represent the Australian Army at overseas international skill at arms competitions. The Champion Shot of the Army is also contested.
The three major components of AASAM are:
• The Champion Shot of the Army, where Army’s Top 20 marksmen compete to be recognised as the Army’s top shot.
• The Australian Army Individual and Team events, where up to 14 teams from Forces Command, and unit teams across the Navy, Army and Air Force compete against each other, and
• The international competition where up to 15 International Teams compete.
This year AASAM welcomes competitors from the United Kingdom (British Army), United States of America (United States Marine Corps Shooting Team and the United States Army), Canada, France (French Forces New Caledonia), New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Brunei, Timor-Leste and for the first time Japan. China and Tonga are attending as observers with a view to participate in 2013.
Commandant of the Combined Arms Training Centre, Colonel Sean Ryan says that this is the fifth year the meeting has been conducted at Puckapunyal by the Combined Arms Training Centre staff.
“AASAM guarantees to test the marksmanship capacity of every individual competing and serves to provide a benchmark to validate standards, equipment and training systems for individuals, unit teams and international competitors alike.
“I trust the individual Champion Shot, the best Unit Team and the best International Team are given rigorous and hard fought competition so that the best deserve to win. Good shooting,” Colonel Ryan said.
Over the course of AASAM 2012, competition and key event updates will be provided. Competition updates can be viewed via the AASAM 2012 page.