Kirtland Airman represents AF at national pistol competition Published June 25, 2015 By Ryan Stark Nucleus writer KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- A full-time job in the Air Force and a family would be enough for most people. Staff Sgt. Terrence Sears of Kirtland's 705th Combat Training Squadron isn't most people. Sears, a Texas native, serves as the non-commissioned officer in charge of the Air Force's National Pistol Team, a group of Airmen from across the country. "You work your day job and you go to the range when you can," Sears said. He splits his time between his day job, his wife and two young children and his preparations for competitive pistol shooting. He also exercises at home to strengthen his shooting by lifting dumbbells and dry-firing his pistol to build muscle memory so his body knows the exact amount of force needed to release the gun's hammer. "Everybody should be doing a lot of dry-firing," Sears said. "I have a target hanging on my wall and do it while I'm watching TV." Sears and his Air Force team have competed against an Army team whose full-time job is competitive shooting and a Marine Corps team that spends about half the year training for national competitions. By contrast, the Air Force team only gets together three times a year. Yet Sears took second place in the service-pistol competition during the 56th annual Interservice Pistol Championship Matches at Fort Benning, Ga., which took place From June 7 to 12. In that part of the competition, Sears fired the U.S. military's standard service pistol, a 9 mm Beretta M9. Teams from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy participated in the matches, firing multiple types of guns. Sears also received a Distinguished Pistol Shot badge, the 413th such award to be given out since 1958. And he was chosen to be one of the "President's 100," the 100 best pistol shooters in the armed forces. Sears is heading back to compete soon, joining the Air Force team at the National Trophy Pistol Matches on July 6 at Camp Perry, Ohio, which will include military, civilian and law enforcement competitors. Although he just won an award using a 9 mm Beretta, Sears prefers to use a .45 caliber 1911 pistol. "It's easier to make more accurate," Sears said. "We stand at 25 and 50 yards from the target free-standing, one-armed, so you need a gun that shoots really good groups." Like Sears, most military members prefer to compete using 1911 pistols, he said. Just representing the Air Force is the biggest thrill and the most important aspect of the competitions for Sears, though. "We're a part-time team and we don't have a lot of resources, but when we beat other teams, it's sweet to know that we can compete," he said.