Rebranding, or rustling with a running iron?

The RWVA Forum is just full of comments and ideas and chatter of great potential... check it out. I have to laugh, at myself, in the first few days I commented a couple of times. But I stopped. I am a volunteer and all those professionals, don't need me to add my foolish thoughts - I have Facebook! I can swim in foolish all day long there. There have been some serious emails about Appleseed events without Shoot Bosses and shooters, and crew. I find even volunteers can't do it all. Just getting it put on a host range schedule doesn't make ammunition available, get to the local or a couple county away shooters. Much of the discussion is about how to get to them.

As my links on the side show, I have been working Appleseed pretty steadily, met lots of great shooters, people that are worth my attention and fun to be with on line. Lots of them. But out of a hundred and sixty million gun owners in America - only 70,000 have been to an Appleseed. So we think we should stretch out and reach some more. The how to do that is where the professionals come in, or the lack of firm organization and leadership? Hmm, I have no idea about how it could be, I have never been to the great shooting schools, I have never worked for the firearms companies, I have a long association with the NRA, but really, I have been instructing and coaching more shooters on Appleseeds than I ever did with the NRA. The National Rifle Association does have qualified instructors and great programs for a shooter. It just seems to me they want political influence and money. Appleseed wants your participation, your time and talent and if nothing else - speak well of us and send more shooters to our events.

One of the secret goals of the RWVA and Appleseed is to ignite the shooters with a mission of finding out how our country started, heritage. There are people that think the ship of America is sinking, off course and out of control... and most of the passengers are still sitting in deck chairs talking about the latest sitcom on cable. We instruct the shooting because that would get the shooter to feel empowered, and challenge them to reach Rifleman (only ten percent of shooters will get that high). Of the Riflemen, only like half a percent will volunteer to become a member and aid in the events and instruction, going through all the training to become a Red Hat. Then, because life is in the way, they slow down their participation - I mean, shooting isn't the beginning and the end of everything. There is family, friends, work, politics, aging -- a lot of reasons to slow down on the Trail... but speak well of us.  Especially all you shooters that talk to shooters, family and friends that don't shoot. We aren't Hollywood, we aren't anything but marksmanship and heritage.

Bean counters... what could we do without them? Much more... much...

Numbers are wonderful and often useful, but bean counters can get in the way. Sure I am certain that if you don't feed your army, don't have any arms and ammunition that it isn't going to always win. But having been soundly defeated by the media and the loving Left at home in America, I did notice that the Army deciding that it would win if the bean counters could tally up lots of VC/NVA bodies.... and that counting doesn't work. Does not mean they won't still try to score more before the period ends or the game is over... the numbers aren't worth dwelling on since the second half hasn't started - and someone is tired and hurt, and others think they are going to win big.

So if you are part of an effort, organization or cause - don't start using bean counters to tell you if you are winning. Honestly, you should feel good about the fighting, the struggle, the little victories, the improved morale, the bragging based on reality... bragging that only someone else that has been there understands. So if your church coffers are close to empty, and the parish pews aren't full - it doesn't mean you didn't save the one soul that the Lord needs for His work. If attendance is off at the theater, in your dinner or hot dog stand, if you can't get some help for the effort to cure some deadly ill of mankind - don't go to the bean counters, they can give you numbers, they can make reports, they can hire pollsters to help counting - and pay themselves well along the way - if you listen to them loud enough - they could give you a business model that really doesn't win battles - but it should have, just put some more money up and twist the product a bit this way or that... call it by a new name! And still you aren't winning, but the numbers say we should be, this has worked before - everyone knows our good intentions, it should be supported by all! The bean counters didn't keep the Continental Army under George Washington in the field. More beans would have been helpful. All the pretty uniforms and wonderful weapons and drill under General George McClellan couldn't win him a war nor a Presidency, but gosh he looked good, and the numbers said Lee had to surrender.

My point, especially in a volunteer (till their hearts burst with pride of success and joy of victory) organization, is keep it light - don't count wild numbers just praise for one more done well, because the next effort is going to be harder and the reward only comes to those that were there on St Crispin's Day. Not the bean counters, of the French or the home court.

I have the pleasure of telling all two of my faithful readers - that The Admiral: Roaring Current is a fine foreign film with great English subtitles. It is about a Korean hero Tan Gun Yi, Sun-shin -- there is lots of the History left out, both the Japanese and the Korean - although the hints of the political struggles of both nations is texture easily seen in the level of trust and demands of obedience... and it isn't for children, very well done battle scenes, properly blood drenched. The music if not distracting, but you can't hear birds singing nor crickets chirping. Like I said, I will own the DVD, it is that good. Even the best love story, works, although it is almost magical. If I had any real complaints, it would be that young Korean men have had enough plastic surgery and make up to make me wonder if they aren't really women. But then there are some real women and you can figure it out after that. No bad language nor sexual perversions - so it isn't designed for a decadent American public... just honest blood and gore and strange things like honor and sacrifice and duty.... no matter what.  Oh, I guess most current culture won't want to see it, not politically correct enough.

Go to the range more often... sure

Friday, visit the YMCA, which is still cleaning up floors of the main courts and walking loop, and unsettling people set in their ways... so I just do a light workout of eleven point four eight miles, bike and rowing. Clean up and drive to Range 15, of Joint Base Lewis McChord. The ranges on either side have real Army units shooting pistols or M4s, and I can tell they aren't buying their own ammunition. They do shoot fast and even automatic, sounds good, hope they hurt the targets.

I am out for my first taste of shooting my Lady Liberty 03 A3, thank you Kool Aid and Remington. I set up to fire prone, in sling and advertising Appleseed, cause we need more shooters on our ranges.

I am using a 1907 leather sling, and the wind is coming straight at me, so extra staples in the target to hold the paper to the cardboard. I start with four rounds for zero, no time monkey, I have all day to get it done.

 The target says I am right and high, so I go Left four and Down two, and I am just learning the sighting system. I split the next four, but still want down two more, and I worry about my sling slipping down my arm, ought to do more biceps and triceps building (such an olde man). I am not wearing a shooting jacket (it is in the Caravan, I am lazy).

My next four are vertical strung and a touch to the right again, hmm,  I don't like that but don't want to change sights, think about changing shooter. Last four of the zero, right two, are all touching but a vertical string again, I am blaming working a bolt and the sling slip... that is my story and I am sticking to it.

 

I move the target from the twenty-five yard line to the 100  yard berm, and remove the sighting square target for a clean large target. I mark the inside holes with orange pasties so I know where the new holes are, and I go and fire four, prone with sling and no change in sights. I am happy for all except the final round which killed the nine on the target, my sling slips a bit and I think I could have had another ten, like I have ever scored my holes before, the other three are fine. Even counting my 'flyer' it is still a group that would take the deer or elk. If they would just stand still during hunting season.

 I move the target out to 200 yards, walking it out. Then running (okay, jogging gently) back to the firing line. Yep, I am the last shooter, but the only one to be shooting 200 yards. I will drive to pick up the target next time. And when I am going to do the hundreds in the future I will drive and get my jogging gently somewhere else. Could trip and fall in a mole hole or hill on this range.

Two groups of four, sling slip, dropping aiming point, one off paper low right, one low right above that one, three in a group and then three with more vertical stringing. I must, must, do more shooting long distance - and lock my sling and position when I am engaging the target... really.

More dry practice, more position practice, don't be too lazy to button up and wear the shooting jacket and watch out for that sling slip, slipping away. That can't help my technique. See how much I learn as I go to the range?  Hope you are getting  enough time on target where you are. See you on the trail!

The coming collapse...

There are signs out there that the whole thing is falling apart, and that the government is preparing to hold the civil unrest down and make everything better.

Duh, you are looking in the wrong direction. The collapse is never with the citizens and the peoples - it is always the failure of the government. Probably because the people that believe they are in charge - stop being effective leaders, rulers, or elected representatives. They stopped working like they owned the title.

A leader in the Army will always be the one making things happen. There are official leaders and un-official leaders - may your units always have the two working together to make the mission work and get everyone back to safety for rest and recovery... sometimes they don't.

So, if the TEA Party is part of the problem with the Democrats in the Senate not being able to pass a budget, or a much needed law - the idea that the TEA Party is the problem is not a solution. Duh. Excuses don't make things happen, they just make everyone no longer feeling bad about failure. David Crockett's ghost talking to Jim Bowie's ghost about how they should have done it different, just doesn't matter - they made a big enough statement that even in their failure the die was cast and Mexico lost Texas. No one really outside of Texas celebrates the other places the little Napoleon of the West killed everyone in rebellion. In Mexico nor Texas - the idea that dictators are going to be good guys, someday... doesn't pass the History test.

There was lots of great leadership, political, military and economic in Russia during WWI but they didn't share a common goal -- some nobles thought they were, duh. And workers wanted to be united and oppressed because they didn't see the changing rulers didn't make the world brighter... The current government failures and continued beating their heads and ours against the wall of stupid silence and political correctness - none of that will fix the nation. Selective hearing, pretending that if feels good and we should do it harder and longer and make more noise about it.... won't bring back America. America is the land of the free the home of the brave... and most of what was America, is waiting for SWAT to descend on their party and ruin it for everyone.

Historically, all government collapse is before the civilian folks and peoples give up, the peoples will fight long after their kings, presidents and thugs in charge are dead and gone.... really. Look it up.

YMMV or AFAIK or SOS.... duh...

  I am not a text-er, so after a life full of FEBA, LD, JSOC and DZ,LZ, PZ... I don't really do alphabet words and sentences outside of limited professional need --- cause AAR might mean something else to one not in the know. But there are those that love to be in the know, and flaunt their knowledge constantly, as they make little grammatical errors or spell checker misses something. It is alright, Google search will bring me into the know - or I can make something up.

  Today is the expected delivery date of the rifle, happy sigh. It is on a delivery truck, put there in Dupont, WA, which is just down the road and I pass by there when I go to many of my Appleseeds. So close... and so far. I am reading a story about WWI, getting my mind set and delaying the waiting by filling my mind with something interesting and 'can be done in the privacy of your own home...'  Wasn't that a slogan from some long ago product?  On Facebook my friends and family have caught my comment about the wait...how did I get to thinking that was a real conversation? Hmmm.

I received a book, signed and the digital camo poncho liner. Changed the sling to a 1907 Remington 38407??, with lots of ammorer markings on the stock I will have to look up. Today is a YMCA loss... but I had best clean up the packing material from the reading room, shouldn't I. Cannot say Thank you enough.

Trouble in paradise...

  I was very disturbed by the RWVA forum today, the word manslave was used... and I had enough problems with the junior high boy mentality that thought 'the floggings will continue until the marksmanship improves'. And that was on the official Instructor sweatshirts. Sigh.


  So if the California PC crowd that ruined Colorado and Washington States is going to take over the RWVA forum and make mockery of men, many for many good reasons do need mocked. Well, I don't have to be among the ones wondering where the 4MOA and three strikes got hijacked for silly stuff.

  I figured that if one is to build a country, or rebuild a country - you don't leave out important parts of the building blocks. You don't leave women out, you don't leave children out, you don't leave loners out -- everyone is welcome on the line or in the programs. So they do want to extend outreach - and will do Libertyseeds for those that don't shoot, but want to share the history of April 19, 1775. And they will help the National Guard with their marksmanship, and the Scouts, and others. And if there are women that would be more comfortable in a Ladyseed, they have those available, too. I don't work Ladyseeds, because I am a man, and I am not a 'manslave' any day of the week, and won't accept that from anyone. It would have been a game changer in the military - but then I always knew the officer corps had to be smart enough to know they couldn't do without me, and when they discovered they could - I retired.

  Getting older and crankier, maybe I should hibernate again. Is the program going to survive the lack of ammunition, the twisting of effort to make the RWVA acceptable to more folks? I don't know, it may not be worth considering. When I get cute on the line, I might not be as safe as needed, might miss someone not being the best shot they could be while their sling slips down their support arm... one needs focus, and distractions are only such, if I were in the rifleman's bubble I wouldn't hear the fools calling me names, would I?

Have you been listening....

I saw a bit of news on Ferguson, MO. And they said that rioters were looting a store, sure enough there was someone looting a store. While the police were tear gassing the protestors, and there is unrest in Ferguson tonight. Because the good people of that town, went to bed, not wanting to be on television/cable news, and they had jobs to go to in the morning. Now if I had been writing the story, the looters ran lawlessly through the community striking at will. The pushy protestors were being quelled by heavily militarized police forces, having more in common with Storm Troopers than they wanted. This is all brought to you by eTrade, where you too can make Warren Buffet look conservative.

As I finally fixed my yard like I should have long ago, and made my wife concerned but happy, I was thinking of the old television. Tennessee Ernie Ford Show - and others. Where I heard people singing Gospel standards, and patriotic songs. I must be on the wrong planet, because they only seem in my memory. I have a cousin's son that sings in a quartet - they are still doing traditional music, I guess.  Of course that is my traditional music, not the music my son has grown up with -- I am so much of a long gone away era. As I dumped a bunch of WWI books and manuals into my kindle, I may be reaching back into my grandfather's era for no good reason, except I haven't been there for awhile. Maybe I find the current shouting and pounding no longer rocking but frightening... and I might be afraid, very afraid.

Truth is: stay off the cable, find my music and listen to it, and for sure read more about the New Springfield, the 1903 A3, cause I don't want to be behind.  Did you hear that some ammunition manufacturer is hiring more worker? Great news! I have also been following the Camp Perry competitions, great work, and no one was robbed nor attacked by all those military style weapons, but then the targets are all those big circles way down there many hundred yards away. And some of those rifles are almost a hundred years old - at least in design. Why are those shooters smiling? Cause they know very well what they are about.