Sgt. 1^st Class Brian Stoa doesn't often shoot issue military weapons on typical military ranges. He is an aerial target shooter and competes in multiple competitive shotgun disciplines, including Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays. This year he earned his way on to the Army Skeet Team to compete in the Armed Forces Skeet Championship, winning in two events both with the team and as an individual. Stoa has earned shooting titles in Minnesota, South Dakota, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Alaska.

“I am an Army Reserve Soldier serving on Active Guard Reserve status and shoot on the Army Skeet Team. I took third place at the Utah State Trap Shooting Championship competing against over 300 competitors, some of which are professionals,” say Sgt. 1^st Class Stoa. “I enjoy traveling the country to shoot at all the different facilities in competition. You don't give up your life when you join the Army, you enhance it!”

Sgt. 1^st Class Stoa is from southern Minnesota where he was assigned as a Reserve Recruiter and is currently stationed in Alaska where he serves as a Reserve Guidance Counselor and Recruiter (MOS 79R) assigned to United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC) at the Anchorage Military Entrance Processing Station. He believes that competitive shooting sports in general and shotgun shooting, in particular, have a largely untapped recruiting potential.

“The Minneapolis Recruiting Battalion found there were more high school kids shooting trap than playing any other sport in that area, “ says Sgt. 1^st Class Stoa. “OCAR says their priority is recruiting and this is definitely a way to do it. I believe that if the Army Reserve fielded an American Trap Team, even if it was for a few events a year, like the Grand American, it would help recruiting efforts tremendously.”