The world-renowned National Pistol and Rifle Matches at Camp Perry has long been a staple of summer along the western shore of Lake Erie. To prepare for the thousands of competitors and spectators expected in attendance, those behind the scenes of the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) spend countless hours preparing for the Match events ahead.
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CMP’s Tommy Whitten (left), Stan Halstead (center) and Steve Clabaugh (right) ensure that the range preparations are made before National Matches begin.
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“The competitors come back year after year because they enjoy it. All the work is worth it. It’s fun.”
Steve Clabaugh has been working for the CMP for four years. A seasoned vet of the National Matches, he was also the facilities maintenance superintendent for the state of Ohio at Camp Perry for 34 years, managing all of the buildings and roads.
“Everything that went wrong on Camp Perry was usually my responsibility,” he said.
Those working during match time have no problem staying consistently busy. Being unable to predict what the future holds has become a form of job security for those around Camp Perry.
“There’s never a point where you can just call it a normal day. Every day brings something different,” said Tommy Whitten, CMP logistics department manager. Whitten has been with the CMP since 1994, marking his 19th season of preparation for the Matches.
In June 1998, two weeks before the National Matches, a tornado ripped through Camp Perry. The grounds lost 27 buildings, including part of the CMP building. Though it was thought the Matches might have to be cancelled, those working the events decided to carry on, with success.
Along with damage control of Mother Nature’s wrath, Whitten and his crew are also in charge of building target frames for the carbine and rimfire matches, setup and tear down of ranges, servicing the bleachers, hanging of the banners, establishing contracts with some outside parties, moving trophies and other odd jobs essential to the Matches.
While some of the work takes place over the winter, preparation for the National Matches starts around April. It’s at that point that Whitten begins ordering items and priming his department for the work ahead.
“We all work really good together. There’s not much we can’t do,” said Clabaugh.
Also assisting Clabaugh and Whitten are Stan Halstead, who has seen ten Matches with the CMP, and Brad Reynolds, who will be celebrating his fourth season.
“It’s nice to have a little bit of a faster pace than what normally goes on around here,” Reynolds said. “And I like meeting all the people that come through here.”
With the many different areas of the Matches, those in the CMP logistics department can often be bombarded with an array of tasks to complete. But, with determination, the crew is always able to conquer their challenges, and they even enjoy it too.
“Events grow. Competitors grow. We have such a small crew, we get spread really thin. It’s managing chaos for a month,” said Whitten. “But I like the action.”
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CMP’s Bob Bell (right) is one of the associates that helps tremendously during the rush of buyers at the CMP North store.
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Another chaotic area for CMP and the hotspot for a lot of visitors during National Match time is the CMP North store. It’s the responsibility of those within the inner workings to obtain as many guns and ammo as possible from the CMP South location to prepare for the multitude of Match-goers who will be looking to buy.
“We want to wait as close as we can to the Matches before we do inventory so we have enough. And we’ve got plenty of guns,” said Mike Conrad, North Store manager.
Though the inventory truck generally brings the popular items gun collectors usually expect from CMP, there is also the possibility of a few “surprise” items not on the list, to dazzle the crowd.
“We have a few things coming that I think people are going to like,” Conrad admitted, with a smile.
The CMP employs an extremely hard working and dedicated staff that does all they can to ensure the Matches are fun and enjoyable for all who attend. However, they aren’t the only organization responsible for the successes of the National Matches year after year.
“We work hand in hand with the NRA. We really couldn’t do it without them,” said Whitten.
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Crews from the NRA are on hand throughout the Matches to build ranges and tear them down after use.
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The National Rifle Association (NRA) brings in around 60 area youth each year to assist with target pasting, range construction, grounds maintenance and other small but necessary jobs around Camp Perry. With a strong admiration for the NRA, those within CMP are thankful for the partnership the two organizations have been able to uphold. And, the feeling is mutual.
“CMP, oh man. They are our best ally,” said Joe DeCosta, range engineer for the NRA National Matches for the past 30 years. “We work together. There are no disputes, we’re all just thinking the same thing, It’s great. Really a good partnership.”
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Thousands of targets are pasted together and placed in stacks, waiting for the highpower shooters to arrive.
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The combined efforts of the CMP, NRA and the Ohio National Guard that maintains Camp Perry have been crucial to the continuing success of the National Matches each year. Whether a competitor waiting for a turn on the firing line or a spectator sitting on the bleachers, remember to say a quick thanks to those who made it all possible.
The National Matches run July 8-August 14, 2013 at Camp Perry in Port Clinton. More information on the National Match events can be found by logging on to
http://www.thecmp.org/NM.htm.
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