On March 9 Pershing Rifle Company M-4 set out to Jacksonville, Florida for National Conference and Competition (NATCON 2017). Twenty-seven Pershing Rifleman and Captain Brown attended from the Mountaineer Battalion. The entire event had over 300 Pershing Rifleman, Pershing Angels, and Black Jacks in attendance from all over the country.
NATCON's first event was a Memorial Drill Competition for General Pershing. M-4 competed in every event which was platoon and squad regulation drill, platoon, and squad exhibition, duet exhibition, individual exhibition, and color guard. M-4 walked away with a second place trophy in platoon regulation, commanded by Benjamin Ramirez, and a third place trophy in squad regulation, commanded by Brett Aldridge. Two individuals in M-4 were also recognized at the awards ceremony. Troy Jones received the Bronze Achievement Medal, and Sam Boyles received the Silver Achievement Medal.
After the drill competition, the society met up for a social at the Black fin Pub where current Pershing Riflemen and alumni socialized. It was a good opportunity for the society to experience exactly what it was all about, brotherhood.
The next day is when legislative and informative meetings were held. These meetings ranged from company commanders meeting with the national staff to discuss the future of the society to updated policies on subjects such as hazing.
Later that night the formal dinner took place where many honors were given. M-4 was recognized three different times for Best Company, the Gold Achievement Medal (given to Phillip Wagner), and Jeremy Tuggle received a scholarship for $2,000. That night the honored guest speaker was the granddaughter-in-law of General Pershing, Sandra Pershing. She is the last surviving person that bears the name Pershing. The rest of the evening the society celebrated another successful year for NATCON.
Squad regulation placed third overall.
NATCON 2017- 'Best Company" --ASU ROTC's Pershing Rifle Company M4
