Rifle Club Expert Legacy Continues

The Rifle Club at VFMA has a mission. Under the leadership of VFMA teacher Chris Bechtel and TAC officer Gunnery Sergeant Bill Collier, Cadets in the club learn about firearms safety and marksmanship with a variety of military small arms.

“It is always safety first,” said Mr. Bechtel. “While only 4 percent of VFMA grads go into the military, it is forward thinking to know about small arms.”

The club practices three times per week at the indoor range on campus and uses an outdoor range in central Pennsylvania for full-day events. Cadet leadership are Landon Lewis (President), Cooper Reed (Vice President), and Javier Gonzalez-Corral (Sgt-at-Arms). 

“The Cadets enjoy applying what they practice at the range,” said Mr. Bechtel. “There they can use a variety of weapons including rifles, pistols and do trap shooting with clay pigeons.”

The Rifle Club has a strong legacy with former club presidents going to the US Naval Academy after graduating from VFMA. Both became US Marines and were ranked as expert shooters.