14 minute read
MEET AMU AND PRS SHOOTER BEN GOSSETT
Competing for the Army Marksmanship Unit in the Precision Rifle Series, soldier has six wins since 2019.
PHOTOS BY BEN GOSSETT
At the beginning of 2014, when he was finishing up his last year in the Marine Corps, Ben Gossett’s ambition and desire for competition steered him toward the world of precision rifle shooting. So he got his first dedicated long-range setup, an FN A5M chambered in .308, and spent a year using it at local matches.
“The first match I shot I think I finished almost dead-last and my competitive nature couldn’t handle that, so I really put everything into PRS-style matches from that point on,” says Gossett. “I shot my first national-level PRS match in March 2015 and finished 11th and was absolutely hooked to the series and fell in love with the community.”
Gossett later joined the US Army and in January 2017 was assigned to the Army Marksmanship Unit. Formed in the 1950s to establish the US as an international shooting power, AMU provides small arms marksmanship training for soldiers, facilitates Army recruiting, and participates in global shooting competitions, including the Olympics. Staff Sgt. Gossett became an AMU gunsmith, “mainly building precision bolt-action rifles and also working on international competition firearms, from Olympic air rifles, .22 LR smallbore rifles, to trap and skeet shotguns,” he explains.
Earning a spot on the US Army Marksmanship Unit’s Shooting Team supercharged Ben Gossett’s interest in long-range shooting. He competes for AMU in the Precision Rifle Series.
Gossett made a 1,454-yard first-round hit, his furthest, during a competition earlier this year.
The following year, Gossett earned a spot on the prestigious AMU Shooting Team. “I have been very fortunate to shoot as a part-time shooter for the AMU for PRS,” he says. “The first match I shot for the unit was the 2018 PRS finale where I was gunsmith support for our shooters.”
In a typical year, Gossett shoots seven to 10 pro-level national matches, and “I compete and plan on only ever competing in the open series due to the extremely high level of competition.”
His most memorable match, he says, is his first PRS win, which came in 2019 at the Alabama Precision Rifle Challenge.
“I had a bunch of top finishes leading up to that and just couldn’t seem to seal the deal with a first-place finish until it finally happened there,” recalls Gossett. “It was a huge confidence-builder in my shooting career and I feel like I finally was able to shoot to my true potential. This win allowed me to be invited to the very prestigious AG Cup match in 2019, which I was honored to be a part of the top 20 shooters in the nation.” So far in his PRS career, Gossett has won the top military class for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, and has earned 24 top-10 finishes, 18 of which were top-five finishes and six were national-level wins. That sixth win came earlier this year at a match in
• 6mm Dasher with 105 hybrids, Lapua brass, primers and Varget powder • Impact Precision 737R receiver • Masterpiece Arms BA chassis • Tangent Theta 525P scopes • Proof Research and Bartlein barrels • Triggertech diamond triggers • American Precision Arms muzzle brakes • Hawkins Precision scope mounts • Accuracy First scope levels
Gossett and his wife live in Georgia and have two active sons.
Missouri where he got his furthest ever first-round hit at 1,454 yards.
When he’s not competing or working, Gossett keeps busy with his young family. “I spend most of my time chasing my two boys around!” he says. “My oldest just turned four and my youngest is almost two.”
Marine. Soldier. Competitive shooter. Family man. A winner in every sense of the word.
Including his first top-place finish at a 2019 Alabama match, Gossett has six PRS wins and two dozen top-10 finishes, and was also 2019’s and 2020’s top military class shooter. Editor’s note: For more on the Precision Rifle Series, visit precisionrifleseries.com.
Lance Craig, a retired US Army Special Forces staff sergeant, takes a moment with “Toad” after confirming the shot on the trophy central Washington bull elk estimated to have been 13 years old.
Retired Army staff sergeant battling terminal ALS enjoys Outdoors For Our Heroes-sponsored 'bucket-list' hunt for a trophy central Washington bull elk.
STORY BY KELLI SCHUELER • PHOTOS BY OUTDOORS FOR OUR HEROES
Army veteran Lance Craig had never harvested a bull elk and the goal of his “bucket-list” hunting experience sponsored by Outdoors For Our Heroes was to take anything legal. The hunt surpassed all expectations when Craig ended up taking home a particular bull known by locals in Kittitas County, Washington, as “Toad.”
OFOH is an all-volunteer, donor-funded organization that provides countless servicemen and -women with burden-free outdoor experiences that support healing and improve quality of life. In April, OFOH joined forces with Got Your 6 Fishing (GY6F). Together, they serve veterans through fishing excursions and support military heroes through hunting and outdoor adventures, all at no cost to participants. They exist to show gratitude for sacrifices made by veterans and first responders.
“As separate groups, we have been serving the veteran community in western Washington for a combined total of 14 years,” said Jason Brown, president and founder of OFOH. “We always shared information, our veteran base and advice. Working with the same goals and mission to serve our heroes by offering no-cost outdoor experiences, we decided to merge so we could share our many resources that directly live up to our mission of ‘United We Stand, Divided We Fall.’”
The team takes the time to get to know the applicants of the program and works diligently to accommodate the individual’s needs.
Craig rides in a side-by-side UTV.
They work with all physical limitations and make a point to focus on engaging with the individual to make a positive impact on their mental health as well. OFOH’s strategy works to match the person with their interests and abilities up front to ensure an enjoyable experience.
WHEN CRAIG APPLIED to be a
part of the program, the OFOH team knew that they had to make Craig’s dream hunt a reality. Craig had a robust military career serving in the United States Army, retiring as a Special Forces staff sergeant in 1999.
In his 20-plus-year career, his service included tours in Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, Korea, Grenada and Kuwait. He is also a long-time member of the Brothers In Arms Motorcycle Club in Washington state and is currently battling Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as ALS, with a terminal prognosis.
With the support of numerous volunteers, hours of planning, financial resources and coordination, this hunt happened in the face of many challenges, including wildfire closures on public land, permit hurdles and timing challenges. But through OFOH’s dedicated team and commitment to show “gratitude for sacrifice,” the team was finally able to get all the green lights needed to make this hunt experience possible.
“Our focus is to make a hunt like this as seamless as possible for the veterans and first responders we are supporting,” said Tony Leingang, OFOH vice president for hunting. “Lots of contingency planning is in play to ensure that once the time comes, things come together. This includes having other volunteers ‘at the ready’ in case personal scheduling conflicts come up within our volunteer support team and in preparing our equipment for the hunt.”
The OFOH team that made this hunt happen for Craig included Brown and Leingang, as well as OFOH board member Kris Brown. Volunteers Joe Meitmann, Mike Arns, Steve Wright, Jeff Gibson, Cory DeYoung, Ron Vessey and Michael Mosher were also critical in coordinating the details and camp setup. The hunting support team included local volunteers Marc Eylar, Levi Stolen and Marcus Mays.
Toad barely fit in the back of the side-by-side. CRAIG WAS ABLE to share his hunt experience with his wife Barbara and his companion shooter and long-time friend, Jeremy “Wally” Wallsinger. The 4 a.m. start times came early for Craig, who said he “wasn’t used to getting up before watching Bonanza on TV Land midmorning,” and for him, the trip felt a bit awkward at first, not knowing the OFOH team on the hunt that well. This all quickly changed as the days went on and “what started out as uncomfortable turned into a bond with friends and a new support system with like-minded camaraderie,” stated Craig. “We enjoyed the camp and company as much as the hunt. It was a great team and you can tell that it is all from the heart; they really care and want to build relationships with the hunters they are supporting.”
When Toad was located on Monday evening after a few days of hunting, the group was on land that was opened to them by a generous local landowner. This owner was one of many who had learned of Craig’s “bucket-list” hunt, all of whom were committed to making this experience happen for one of our nation’s heroes.
After some considerable maneuvering to get into position –
and a double-check from volunteer Stolen confirming, “He’s right there!” – Craig was ready to take the shot. The bull was bedded down, not moving, and appeared to be more of a big rock than an elk in the distance. “Aim for that big rock,” Eylar said, to which Craig quipped, “He reminds me of me.” Craig squeezed the trigger, and the big bull was taken quickly. As Craig approached and confirmed the kill, things took an emotional and respectful tone.
“This experience made me feel alive. From one old warrior to another, there is no way to thank him enough. I have a renewed sense to fight and show him the respect he has shown me,” said Craig. He added, “OFOH’s hard work and dedication to make my dream come true and Toad’s sacrifice is beyond comprehension. I’m not dying, I’m just redeploying.”
Craig’s elk was a six-by-six typical Rocky Mountain bull elk with a 397.5 gross green score. In other words, he was massive. He made the state book and came awfully close to stacking up against some of the largest bull elk ever legally harvested in the area. Toad was the last of five bulls tagged years ago and was believed to be around 13 years old.
“We are here to help fulfill a ‘bucket-list’ wish for a very deserving individual who made sacrifices for our country and I am thankful to support the program,” said Eylar. “Sometimes you don’t get the chance to connect with the hunters, but with Lance, it was a pretty immediate friendship and connection. It was a great experience for everyone on the hunt.”
HUNTS LIKE THESE take a village, from the coordination of getting the hunt set up to the camp and food. After hunters like Craig have secured their animal, it must be field dressed, hauled out by volunteers, and processed. Toad was taken down around 6:30 p.m. on Monday evening and the team worked into the early morning hours of the next day preparing the animal for transport.
For this to happen, the team was lucky to have the support of Teanaway Custom Meats in Cle Elum, Washington, and DJ Taxidermy in Tumwater, Washington. Steve Plesha, owner of Teanaway Custom Meats, donated the processing, cut and wrap in full, and Dave Jones of DJ Taxidermy donated his services, taking large financial burdens off OFOH.
Barbara Craig was able to experience this adventure with her
GROUPS PARTNER TO OFFER OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES FOR DISABLED VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS
GOT YOUR 6 FISHING AND OUTDOORS FOR OUR HEROES COLLABORATE ON THEIR WORK TO SHOW ‘GRATITUDE FOR SACRIFICE’
Long-time outdoor groups Got Your 6 Fishing and Outdoors For Our Heroes announced in April that they have joined forces. The groups organize and provide for outdoor activities, including fishing and hunting, to injured first responders and military veterans who have selflessly served their country and communities.
The all-volunteer, donor-funded organizations ensure men and women have a burden-free outdoor experience that supports healing and improves quality of life. GY6F serves veterans through fishing and OFOH serves heroes through its hunting and outdoor adventures, all at no cost to participants.
“We know that nature and the abundant activities and quiet it provides can be a healing force in a person’s life, particularly in the lives of those who have sacrificed serving our country and put their lives on the line to serve and protect their communities,” said Ryan Caldwell, founder of GY6F. “Our mission to support our heroes hasn’t changed. In fact, it’s actually been made stronger by our groups joining together to provide support for our heroes in the best way we know how – through nature.”
In September, the now-combined groups hosted a week-long moose hunt near Delta Junction, Alaska. Six deserving disabled veterans were drawn randomly for this limited special permit opportunity (see October 2021, American Shooting Journal). It was a “bucket-list” trip for many of them, who were supported by volunteers from OFOH and GY6F.
Both Caldwell and OFOH’s Jason Brown say the work they are doing is about showing gratitude for the sacrifices made by veterans and first responders.
“As a team, we simply want to continue to give back in ways that are meaningful and offer healing experiences to those who have given us so much,” they said.
ABOUT OUTDOORS FOR OUR HEROES AND GOT YOUR 6 FISHING
Jason Brown, president and founder of Outdoors For Our Heroes, is an avid hunter, outdoorsman, athlete and dedicated supporter of America’s armed forces. Brown is a successful tenured production manager, having worked with established entities such as Washington State Department of Transportation and Vigor Marine, as well as other organizations. In his role with Outdoors For Our Heroes, Brown is determined to provide the resources and business acumen needed to build strategic partnerships and enable fully supported hunts for our service-connected disabled veterans.
Ryan Caldwell, founder of Got Your 6 Fishing, is a combat-wounded veteran who has served the country through multiple deployments around the world. After being medically retired, Caldwell sought solace in the peaceful waters of Puget Sound and its tributaries. He began to invite other veterans to join him on these excursions and quickly figured out they find it as cathartic as he does. Ryan has provided over 1,000 fishing trips. With your help, he can continue to provide this much needed therapeutic recreation for other veterans and active duty military.
husband and will never forget it. “It was all about Lance and making the hunt happen for him. The team went above and beyond, and we will be forever grateful for this experience.”
These hunts would not be possible without the support of OFOH’s countless volunteers and donors. “We want to make special mention and thank all the hands that made this hunt for Lance a reality,” said Brown, as he reflected on the hunt.
“The team went above and beyond, and we will be forever grateful for this experience,” said Barbara of the volunteers and hunting support team who helped her husband (in orange) harvest the elk, including (standing) Marcus Mays, Levi Stolen, (kneeling) Joe Meitmann, Mike Arns, Royce Stolen and (bottom left) Mark Eylar. Editor’s note: For more information about getting involved, donating to the cause or applying to participate in an outdoor experience, please visit OFOH’s website at outdoorsforourheroes.org.
