[regret] Yes, there are times when even I will dissuade a newbie from attending a match. [/regret off]
Woo boy....might be a little ambitious to go and participate if you're never
done it before. These are, after all, the National Matches. No one will have the time to explain how to get a 200, 300, or 600 yard zero, how to pull pits efficiently and correctly, or how not to crossfire onto several hundred target frames that look just like yours (we'll be trying not to do that ourselves!)
There is a Small Arms Firing School on Aug 1 or 2 and that would help you get a start, and if you want to attend any match you should consider the SAFS as a required class. Take a look at
www.odcmp.com for more info on the National Matches. You can still get a packet and sign up, or sign up at the matches in person.
Please don't take offense at anything I've said. Its just that the Nats aren't the place for a newbie to just dive in, IMHO. I have been shooting Highpower Rifle fr two years and I am just now allowing myself to go to Nats with a clear conscience. A huge part of the game is providing pit service to other shooters and I wanted to understand everything about that as well. A pit puller can affect a shooter's score tremendously. Perhaps, instead, you should come out to Perry and watch, come down and check out the pits, and just get the general idea of the thing. I'l be there for CMP Highpower Rifle week and NRA Highpower Rifle week. That's from Aug 4-15 or so.
If you have a Garand you could shoot in the Garand match and NTIT with a Garand team, and that would be a great way to step into the game without drowning in the fast water.