Combat Center opens Archery Range

Twentynine Palms -- The Combat Center celebrated the opening of Range 3A, an new archery range located at the Marksmanship Training Unit, May 11, 2017.

Members of the Combat Center community expressed the desire to have a range capable of supporting recreational archery. This was done through the installation’s newly-implemented Facebook group, Make the Stumps Better The Facebook group is an initiative proliferated by Combat Center Commanding General, Brig. Gen. William F. Mullen III, in order to solicit opinions and concerns from Combat Center patrons and determine actionable change from leadership.

“At first I wasn’t certain how we would accomplish creating an archery range,’ said Gunnery Sgt. Jaren Wright, staff noncommissioned officer in charge, MTU. “We decided to use Range 3A as the Archery Range over the weekends. As long as the Marines who use the range keep it clean and properly check the range in and out, we may be able to open it to more than just the Marines in the future.”

The range is open on Saturdays and Sundays to active duty and retired Marines. Those who wish to use the range must go to Bearmat, the installation’s range control authority that is located in building 1559, and check out the key to the range and target container. Marines can go at any time during the day to get the keys however, they may only occupy the range during daylight hours. Marines who wish to use the range will have access to the approximately 30 targets was well as hay bales while utilizing the range.

“The members of RTAMS, Range Safety and the MTU all came together to help make this happen for the Marines,” said Andres Fuentes, installation range control officer, G-3, Operations and Training. “The hope of this range is to give the Marines another activity they can do over the weekends.”