Aussie Is First Foreigner to Win Distinguished Rifleman Badge
This fall, David Waters of Glenbrook, New South Wales, Australia, became the first non-American to earn the Distinguished Rifleman Badge. To accomplish this feat, Waters said he spent $45,000, traveled over 100,000 miles, and shot over 6,000 rounds of ammunition during 50 actual days of competition. That’s dedication! In fact, the born and raised Australian highpower shooter is the first non-U.S. citizen to achieve Distinguished Rifleman status according to contemporary records. Prior to the mid-1980s, National Match and Excellence-In-Competition (EIC) matches were open only to U.S. citizens. It’s believed that the regulation was relaxed when the military draft was replaced by an all-volunteer military.
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Waters clinched the prestigious award at the Texas State Rifle Association’s Excellence-in-Competition Match on 26 October, hosted by CMP and the Texas Army National Guard.
The 37-year old Waters is the founder and president of the Australian International High Power Association (AIHPA). He began shooting at age 10 and fired his first competitive shot at 19. Waters holds include several regional, national and world records primarily in high power and benchrest events. Waters began shooting internationally when he was 26. He shoots nearly every weekend at home and leaves Australia to compete overseas about six times a year. Waters explained: “I mainly shoot high power rifle now, which has been the case for about six years. [But] I also shoot Olympic trench shotgun and police (service) pistol.”
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Story by Steve Cooper from the CMP Online Magazine. Photos courtesy CMP, All Rights Reserved.
