The 14th Annual Warrior Competition has successfully concluded at KASOTC in Amman and the judges are compiling the final results, reports Bob Morrison.
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Firstly, please accept my apologies for not bringing readers an update from Jordan since early yesterday (Tuesday) morning, but the last 36 hours have been pretty manic. Despite my best efforts, it seems the candle really can only be burned at both ends!
On Tuesday all 38 Warrior teams participated in two different styles of competitive event, LAST CHANCE and STEEL ARROW, to test both their Close Quarter Battle (CQB) skills and their shooting prowess and physical stamina out and about on KASOTC’s many live fire ranges. This time the AWC Organisers granted JOINT-FORCES unrestricted access to all areas of the site, for which I am incredibly grateful, resulting in me being able to photograph teams competitively firing 9mm pistols, 5.56m assault rifles and .308 sniper rifles on the ranges on Monday, so yesterday I opted to concentrate on as many teams as possible tackling the CQB Shoot House. If all goes to plan I will pen a full illustrated feature on this specific aspect at a future date.
When the scores of LAST CHANCE and STEEL ARROW had been compiled by the judges on Tuesday night, the 38 teams were pared down to just the top 15 and the news of precisely who would be partaking in today’s KING’S CHALLENGE was broken to all attendees at the 22:00 to 23:30 Team Leaders’ Briefing. One doesn’t get much chance to sleep at KASOTC as the Armoury opens for firearms issue at 05:30 with first teams required to depart for the Start Line by 06:30 for the day’s event/s. What’s that saying? If you can’t take a joke…..
The first three teams to turn up at the Commando Tower today for the start of KING’S CHALLENGE, i.e. those with the highest scores at close of play on Tuesday, were: Royal Omani Police Special Operations; Rwanda SOF Team 1; and Kazakhstan KAZSOF 2. After photographing the first two teams from ground level as they abseiled to terra firma, I climbed to the top to capture the Kazakh operators followed by two of the three remaining Jordanian teams stepping out into space, before making my way to the next stage of the Challenge ~ but that is a story for another day.
[© Bob Morrison]
Tonight I intend to switch off the alarm on my phone because, just like the international band of Warriors competing out here in Jordan, I think I may have earned a bit of a lie-in.
To be continued…
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