Competitor redecorates Camp Perry, one hut at a time

A native of Big Pine Key, Florida, Gladwell has left her mark in some of the lodging hutments that house competitors during the NRA National Matches. In recent years she has come a few days before the pistol phase of the National Matches, which she competes in. Gladwell takes the aforementioned tar paper covered huts and gives them a personal touch.

And these huts need a little tender loving care.

They were initially constructed during World War II as housing for prisoners of war. Although the Civilian Marksmanship Program at Camp Perry has either replaced or improved some of these huts, it has become tradition for competitors to reside in them during the National Matches.

A standard hut will consist of four standard spring and wire twin-sized beds, four shelving units, a rifle holster, a door and two windows. Some huts have had electrical improvements where residents can now bring their own air conditioning window unit to mask the summer heat.

But before we get into why Joan redecorates these huts, it’s best to know a little background about her.

As an avid pistol shooter, Joan competed in her first match in 1952 when she was enlisted in the United States Navy. She would later take part in international shooting where she competed with the United States Shooting Team for six years.

“I was able to shoot in 11 countries including the Pan American Games and World Cups. It was a wonderful experience,” said Gladwell.

In order to earn her spot on the United States Shooting Team, Gladwell had to secure one of the top four spots in the nation at that time. Training and competing for the team took her away from the NRA National Championships for about 10 years. Prior to shooting for the team, Joan was a three-gun shooter. After accomplishing herself on the international stage, Joan wanted to make a presence in the national shooting arena. However, she’s doing it in an unorthodox way.

While staying at Camp Perry, she travels to local thrift stores to purchase furnishings for the hut that she is currently living in. When she comes to base, she either stays in a hut that she has decorated in the past, or in an old hut that has not yet been improved. She has purchased tables, lamps and full length mirrors for each hut. Each year, she arrives at base a couple of days before the first of three phases begins to ensure that all three huts still contain curtains, rugs, hangers and mattress covers. The hut that she is currently staying in is most likely the only hut on base containing a king-sized bed. A budget of about $100 is kept for each hut or for each year that Joan redecorates.

Before she can begin decorating, Joan spends most of the first day cleaning the hut. Transporting the water to her hut to clean the walls, floors and ceiling is usually the most difficult part, she said.

In each of the three huts is a notebook where Joan writes a message describing who she is and her motive behind the renovations. Each resident that has inhabited one of Joan’s huts has the opportunity to add a personal note to Joan commenting or thanking her for the overall ambiance experienced while in the hut.

When Joan stays in a hut she converts the rifle holster into a cabinet. Each year that she visits Camp Perry, she purchases wine glasses from the thrift store and takes them home with her when she leaves post.

“Everyone [from Camp Perry] is allowed to drink out of the wine glasses,” said Gladwell. “If they haven’t been to Camp Perry, then they can’t!”

Joan and her family have stayed in the huts which has been an experience that they will never forget.

“My children, my grandchildren and I have always stayed in the huts when we’re at Camp Perry,” said Gladwell. The inspiration in decorating the huts comes from her aspiration to recreate the times she spent with her family here. She hopes that other families can appreciate the experience of Camp Perry as well. “I’ll just clean up Camp Perry one hut at a time.”



Joan shoots her pistol at the firing line during the Center Fire Championships which took place Friday. Joan has competed in national matches since 1952.