BOARDMAN, Ore. The Oregon National Guard staged its inaugural Oregon State Sniper Qualifier from Sept. 46 at the Raymond Rees National Guard Training Center and the Boardman Training Area, establishing a standardized pathway for Guard sniper teams to measure themselves against national benchmarks. Organizers characterized the multi-stage event as a deliberate break from routine range work, with courses of fire built to mirror real operational problem-solving rather than simple accuracy tests. Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Graham, a section sergeant and course manager with the 249th Regional Training Institutes infantry training programs, outlined the purpose plainly: build a competition and training program that prepares Oregon teams for the next level. In practice, the qualifier emphasized scenarios that required shooters to think under pressure, process incomplete information, and make correct, timely decisions. The winner earns the right to represent Oregon at the Winston P. Wilson Sniper Competition, with strong performance there potentially opening a path to the International Sniper Competition. Course design pushed teams beyond familiar comfort zones. One stage at Boardman imposed a hard 18-minute cap encompassing a 300-meter movement under load, rapid identification from an unknown firing position, a target string engagement, movement to elevated positions for additional shots, and a return to the start point. Time management was consequential; miss the clock and the score for that event zeros out. Make it back within the window and points accrue regardless of how many targets were struck, rewarding disciplined pacing and team coordination as much as pure precision. Across three days, competitors faced nine stages blending precision rifle tasks, controlled movements, and culminating events meant to test all aspects of team performance. The RTI built the qualifier on a compressed planning timelineroughly June to early September after receiving approvalforcing creative use of available range space, including periods on the Boardman machine gun range to stay within approved training parameters. Despite those constraints, cadre leveraged Impact Scoring, a mobile match-management app common in civilian precision circuits, to streamline administration and automate scoring without paper bottlenecks. Sgt. 1st Class Robert Gillam, an infantry training battalion branch chief at the 249th RTI, connected the new event to the states competitive record, noting prior strong showings and a near-miss at Winston P. Wilson that underscored the need for a fair, statewide selection process. The intent, he said, is to ensure every qualified sniper in Oregon gets a transparent chance to compete for the top slot. Early feedback suggested the format resonated beyond state lines, drawing interest from Special Forces elements, neighboring states, and multiple law-enforcement agencies for future iterations. Instructor bench strength underpinned the events training value. The RTI cadremany Bravo-4 sniper-qualified with national-stage experiencedesigned stages to align with tasks teams will actually face when they step onto larger platforms. Organizers also pointed to 2026 expansion plans, using additional training areas at Boardman to widen the ladder from local qualifier to national and international contention while reinforcing sniper skillsets as an asymmetric tool for commanders. By tying movement, observation, identification, communication, and precision fire to unforgiving time standards, the event aimed to strengthen decision-making under stress just as much as marksmanship.