Published: October 22, 2008
Former U.S. Army Shooting Team member calls Raider Brigade home
By Sgt. David Hodge
1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B
FORWARD OPERATING BASE FALCON, Iraq - At the age of ten, Karyn could shoot a rifle better than the local high school boys from her hometown of Livonia, Mich.
Thanks to her mother's hobby and her own interest in the sport, Karyn set the tone for a memorable shooting career at the collegiate and U.S. Army levels.
Capt. Karyn Manges proudly displays her President's Hundred Tab, which is one of four tabs authorized by the U.S. Army for permanent display on the uniform.
Soldiers of the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Multi-National Division - Baghdad in southern Baghdad's Rashid district, sometimes question its meaning, mistaking the tab for some form of Secret Service organization or an indicator of the Old Guard.
Capt. Karyn Manges, a physician's assistant assigned to the 4th Support Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, gives a Soldier a checkup Oct. 21 at Forward Operating Base Falcon in southern Baghdad's Rashid district. Manges served on the U.S. Army Shooting Team from 2000-2004. Manges, a native of Livonia, Mich., finished in the top 100 of the President's Hundred Match in the Service Rifle category. Approximately 2,000 competitors compete in the match each year.(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David Hodge, 1st BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B)
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The four-and-a-half-inch marksmanship identifier worn on the left shoulder is a lasting testament to her ability in competitive shooting.
"I grew up around shooting ranges, so I would always bug my mother to teach me," Manges stated.
Karyn continued practicing the sport throughout high school and used her talent to land both a rifle team and educational scholarship from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
"When I was at Xavier, I was an All-American shooter for four years, and I was the NCAA Champion in 1998," Manges stated.
A year after graduating college Manges, decided to join the U.S. Army Shooting Team at Fort Benning, Ga., to pay her student loans.
"The Army Shooting Team recruiters were always trying to get me to enlist," explained Manges, who at the time was among the top collegiate shooters in the country.
Capt. Karyn Manges, a physician's assistant assigned to the 4th Support Battalion, shoots her M-16 on a range during her four-year tenure on the U.S. Army Shooting Team from 2000-2004. Manges, a native of Livonia, Mich., competed in the President's Hundred Match in 2004 and finished in the top 100 during the competition, which draws approximately 2,000 servicemembers and civilians each year. Manges is currently serving a deployment with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.(Photo courtesy of Capt. Karyn Manges)
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She enlisted as a medic in October 2000 and immediately became a part of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, a unit that is dedicated to representing the Army at shooting events.
The years with the Army Shooting Team brought many memorable competitions and experiences, explained Karyn.
"I competed in international competitions for three years visiting places throughout Europe and Asia," Manges explained. "The goal of the unit was to shoot, compete and represent the Army."
At the competitions, Manges fired the M-16, which is considered part of the Service Rifle Category. Other rifles that fall into the category are the M-1 Garand and AR-15.
While Manges was not competing in shooting matches, she developed Soldiers throughout the Army in both basic and advanced marksmanship skills.
"When I was not shooting, I was training other Soldiers in the Army," Manges said. "I went out to train drill sergeants, snipers, Special Forces, Rangers and squad-designated marksmen."
"I was the only female, and I was a specialist, so everyone got a kick out of being trained by me," added Manges.
Capt. Karyn Manges, a physician's assistant assigned to the 4th Support Battalion, poses for a picture with her M-16 rifle after a competition. Manges was part of the U.S. Army Shooting Team from 2000-2004. Manges, a native of Livonia, Mich., competed in the President's Hundred Match in 2004 and finished in the top 100 during the competition, which draws approximately 2,000 servicemembers and civilians each year. Manges is currently serving a deployment with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.(Photo courtesy of Capt. Karyn Manges)
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Manges said that she believes women typically do very well in the sport of shooting.
"For me, shooting the M-16 wasn't very technical," she said. "It was like - get down, align the sights, and pull the trigger."
The method seemed to work for her during her last year of competitive Army shooting.
"Over the course of the year, I shot the M-16 at 1,000 yards and won some national titles," Manges explained. "When people ask me how far I can shoot, I tell them at least 1,000 yards."
Karyn also made a trip to Camp Perry, Ohio., during her last year on the team to participate in the President's Hundred Match, which is a nationwide competition sponsored by the National Rifle Association, recognizing the top 100 marksmen in the country.
Approximately 2,000 servicemembers and civilians compete each year in both the Service Rifle and Service Pistol category to win a coveted President's Hundred Tab.
"Basically, I went out there and didn't have any spotters or warm-up runs, so the weapon had to be zeroed, ready to go," Karyn explained.
Capt. Karyn Manges, a physician's assistant assigned to the 4th Support Battalion, shoots her M-16 next to her husband, Tim, on a range during her four-year tenure on the U.S. Army Shooting Team from 2000-2004. Manges, a native of Livonia, Mich., competed in the President's Hundred Match in 2004 and finished in the top 100 during the competition, which draws approximately 2,000 servicemembers and civilians each year. Manges is currently serving a deployment with the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.(Photo courtesy of Capt. Karyn Manges)
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The competition consists of 40 shots throughout the day, including various shooting positions, so it ends up being a long day, she added.
The day of the contest was windy and overcast, Karyn stated.
It's a situation where even good shooters struggle because of the conditions, she explained.
Manges said that she does not recall exactly which place she finished in the competition, but she earned a Distinguished Rifleman's Badge along with her President's Hundred Tab for her efforts.
"I think the tab is neat because anyone can get one," Manges explained. "You just have to go to Camp Perry and try."
In 2005, Manges finished her stint with the Army Shooting Team and received her commission into the Medical Corps to become a physician's assistant and now serves with the 4th Support Battalion, 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B.
"I miss the dirt; I miss the smell. I miss cleaning my weapon, and I miss all that stuff because I am a competitive person," said Manges, who is currently a captain and works in the Forward Operating Base Falcon Troop Medical Clinic.
Manges said she will never shoot for the Army as a full-time job again because she enjoys helping Soldiers as a physician's assistant.
"In addition to being technically proficient at her job, she is also devoted to training medics," said Capt. Jim Silverstrim, commander of Company C "Cobra," 4th Spt. Bn., 1st BCT, 4th Inf. Div.
In her time at the Cobra Clinic, Manges developed a medical training program for the Soldiers, said Silverstrim, who calls San Antonio his home. The program focuses on medical conditions and procedures commonly seen in theater.
Manges also organized the Trauma Jump Team, a quick response medical team that can operate outside the FOB in emergency situations, added Silverstrim.
"For me, I only wanted to compete for a few years ... I wouldn't make it a career," Manges explained. "I didn't want to look back later in life and wish I would've tried to do it."
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