ASEAN members to join Army shoot meet in Tarlac

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/11/20/08/asean-members-join-army-shoot-meet-tarlac

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/20/2008 9:50 PM

CAMP O'DONNEL, TARLAC - Eleven-member countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will show their finest forms during exhibition and competition games using various kinds of rifles in the Army Rifle Meet slated on Dec. 10, military officials here announced.

The six-day friendly competition’s primary objective is to promote good relations among Army soldiers in ASEAN member countries, said Army Capt. Vicky Agoncillo, Public Information Office (PIO) chief of Light Armor Division (LAD), stationed here.

"This is a great undertaking by the Philippine Army (PA) not only because the activities will hone the marksmanship skills of each soldier but it would also foster brotherhood with all the Army units of ASEAN-member countries," said Agoncillo, adding the event would be an interesting one.


ASEAN-member countries include Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Taiwan, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Army units in the Southeast Asian countries, Agoncillo said, have signified its interest to join in the competition, the Army official said.

Agoncillo said the Army Rifle Meet will be the second to be held in Central Luzon. She said the first was more than a decade ago and was held in Fort Ramon Magsaysay, home of 7th Infantry Division, in Palayan City in Nueva Ecija.

Security preparations are in full swing as construction of additional firing ranges are in near completion, said the woman Army officer adding the shooting range would not be so sophisticated as the Olympic games shooting range, but the scoring system would be computerized.

Army Rifle Meet hosting, Agoncillo said, rotates or passes from one country to another, and "for this year the Philippine Army was chosen to sponsor the activities which is considered as one of the biggest event in the history of the Armed forces.

Agoncillo had extended her invitations to various media organizations from Pampanga and Tarlac to cover the event.-Jess Malabanan

as of 11/20/2008 9:50 PM