. . .at the rifle range is William R. Snelling of Hemingford, NE. and members of the 1/66th FA National Guard Unit out of Alliance, NE. came away with nine trophies from the 1996 Adjutant General Combat School held Sept. 6 through 8 in Hastings.

The Combat Shoot is held each year for all National Guard marksmanship training unit members in the state. Snelling took 2nd place in the combat sniper individual novice class, and1st place in the combat sniper team shoot.

He was teamed with Michael Strasburger of ellsworth in that class. Strasburger also took 1st in combat sniper open class. The team Snelling was a part of also took 2ndplace in combat rifle obstacle course and combat rifle T. A. G. Other team members were Wayne Morgan and Rusty Kendle, both of Alliance, and Gary Ropers of Hasting. Ropers also took 2nd place in new shooter combat rifle.

Other trophies included a 1st place in combat rifle falling plates match and 3rd place combat rifle obstacle course by other Guard members from Ellsworth, Scottsbluff and Ogallala.

This is the fourth year of competition, with Snelling ranked third in the state last year out of 318 competing in combat rifle. Snelling is employed by Mike and Jack Manning. The Mannings have won the Employer of the Year award, two years in a row due to their support of a Guard Member working for them.

. . . 10 2000, 8.30AM, I had a confirmed kill of 1313Yards ,of a prairie dog in the western Nebraska panhandle. This kill placed me in the 1000 yard club in the "Varmint Hunter Magazine". I used a custom rifle ( Owned by Max Reppel, of New Orleans, LA,( Rem. 700 LH, 280 ACK IMP, HART BARREL 27 1/2 inch long, barrel Holland Break and recoil Lug, Lepold 8X40X56 Scope W/DOT, the bun know as the "ugly gun" named by a well known gunsmith. The bullet was a 168GR match king by Serria. The shot only took 45 RDS to get this kill. The weather was great!

. . . the National guard in April 1990 and have been very active in helping out with fires and disaster relief. I served my country shortly after Sept 11th attacks, I went to the 2002 winter Olympics I salt lake city Utah and trained with the secret service there, mainly in security and performing vehicle searchers Again I was activated in Dec 2002 for the Iraq freedom tour I was in FT Carson Colorado from Jan 2003 till April 2003 , then I shipped out to Kuwait and was in Iraq till April 2004, 370 days in the sand. I performed various truck missions ,security and roving patrol. along with convoy commander missions