So a couple days before Veterans Day weekend, we remember when...

  I have an Appleseed in Redmond this coming weekend, and won't be at my church to honor the veterans, one of which I am. So I will mention it at Wednesday AWANA meeting, and stress the Dangerous Old Men stories on Sunday, since they seem to have all been veterans. My wife is going with other church ladies to do their day of volunteer visit to the Soldiers Home here in Washington. Our fourth graders normally say hello on the third Sunday with a trip on the church bus. I have changed my background and my personal picture daily on Facebook. As we get closer to the event the number of posts about the dead increase although it isn't Memorial Day. But fallen comrades should always be honored and remembered more than we do normally.

   I was never as great a soldier as I could have been, but then none of them are but they are all trying. My grandfather mentioned he was in WWI, not to me ever, but he had really spent the remainder of his life being a minister and missionary and working for International Peace. My father came home and until I got back from Vietnam didn't really talk about his wartime work in the Pacific Theater. He had used his GI bill to learn how to fly, and then raised a family and flew. I often thought that America after World War II was deeply affected and moved by veterans that came back from their war determined to build a better life than that they had lived while in the service.  I do remember my father telling me that The Gallant Men and Combat on evening television were nothing like real war. I enlisted in 1967 because I wanted to be a soldier, Special Forces, having read the Green Beret and having a love of history and heroes. Luckily I didn't ever get exactly what I thought I wanted. My recruiter failed to mention that I was a year too young to enlist for Special Forces so I signed up for Airborne Infantry.

   Shipped off to the Republic of Korea, where my wonderful test scores gained me a slot in an artillery battery (needs of the service) and I talked and worked my way into the Fire Direction Center after making corporal as an assistant gunner on the howitzer.  Like I said, luckily I don't always get what I want, needs of the service, and tours in ROK x2, FRG x3, RVN, 82nd ABN x3, Drill Sergeant 3 yrs, finally retiring in Aug 1994.

Reading Kipling "the 'Eathan" which says it all.

   I was asked by a brother at church what era I was in when I served, I found the term 'era' funny, but told him Vietnam and Gulf War. His son wanted to know if we killed anyone, and did I get hurt. But you can't really tell children what they need to remember when they get older and need your advice, can you? Tell them it was important that you did the best you could while there, don't tell them how stupid and helpless you often felt. Maybe when they get older and into a service uniform and trusting you they may need your best answers - keep talking to them.

  Yes, sir! Veteran of 27 yrs, 5 mos and one day. I have been thanked for my service and I do hope all of yours has been all that the Lord would wish. Mine was.

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: The End is near, Repent...

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: The End is near, Repent...:   So the dramatic unCivil Was has begun, the drama and tension are quickly rising and it is all blamed upon Trump and the Media and the godl...

The End is near, Repent...

  So the dramatic unCivil Was has begun, the drama and tension are quickly rising and it is all blamed upon Trump and the Media and the godless Democrats. But really, it is me, my bad, my fault -- I did so many good and almost great things (only in my daydreams) that I can't get into the current culture, and feel so sad that so many are wallowing in it, like it is the only way to think and be. And it ain't!

   So I am the party of one, exerting some influence upon my lovely lady. And we vote soon, 5 Nov, and have deep questions to help answer. Like why can't they use simple English to write Bills and Referendums and Initiatives? Something simple like the lawyers don't need to be hired to read it for us folks.

    I have been thinking about my age, got good news on the liver, no problems. But on the two issues I vote about both are suffering from stupidity of the media and the politicians. So I am sad. I did sign up for two more Appleseeds, and one new pistolseed preview/presentation for instructors. In eleven years of Revolutionary War Veterans Associations and Appleseeds, it was only my Life Membership in the National Rifle Association that made me a domestic terrorist according to the stupid lady in San Francisco. I know she doesn't know me, and can't send the authorities against me, but she spreads ignorance and doom.

   My only defense is to continue to speak, teach, instruct, coach and love our LORD and Liberty, the Zombies and Walking Dead are on the way. The Media love the drama and build up to the climax so the fools get all the notice, my eleven years of working on the ranges with shooters and other instructors, without accidents, without terrorizing anyone, without mobilizing to stupid conflict and hate -- is no proof of anything. But it will be part of my life, since only the writers can change the history, and some of them have a message without facts just their feelings.

 

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: Great Appleseed weekend... had to be there...

Earl's View, focus on the front sight: Great Appleseed weekend... had to be there...:    I showed up and helped out, and the shooters were awesome. So many Riflemen made and repeated this weekend that the group will be remembe...

Great Appleseed weekend... had to be there...

   I showed up and helped out, and the shooters were awesome. So many Riflemen made and repeated this weekend that the group will be remembered. Officially, 8 new, two repeats and only a few still knocking at the door or wanting to grow a few more years. Saw so many happy people both days, one would wonder why more folks aren't taking the liberty built into our country to have safe marksmanship training and firearms safety instruction and a shared with friends and family event.

Kimber Custom (Ben) presenting me the 100 event recognition

Shoot Boss DRRC. Eagle Creek, OR

    Since I never signed up for this event as an instructor or shooter, there might be no official record. But the efforts of Andy and Ben came to fruition in that they were able to present me with a 100 event pin, a challenge coin and a nice note from Rusty, the National Coordinator.  Done in front of the new shooters was I hope motivating to them.

I have to write to link to the first AAR, HERE! Not the first one I shot at, HERE!

1st IIT at Wade's DAR. Dec 2008

I am retired retired, I can go back to bed twice....

  Great weekend at an Appleseed event, you know a safe rifle marksmanship instruction and shooting event, where they tell stories about April 19, 1775 in Boston, Lexington and Concord, MA. You know the ones that keep being held and no media coverage because - it is safe, it is traditional, and not worth being afraid of.  Hard to make folks fear what they understand and can control.

   Went to the bank on Tuesday, felt a little old. I was in the line with all the others that seem to be grey or white hairs, wrinkled folks. Not trusting their fingers and digital distraction devices to do online banking, (aren't there enough ways to be ripped off in the world, someone has to invent more?) We were all patient and the tellers were kind and helpful, felt good not to be concerned with politics and turmoil of value. Watching too many commercials will do that to those not watching how misled the country has become.

   Discussions after Sunday School, about the coming collapse when Trump loses, or the otherside wins, or whatever. I had to point out that we shouldn't change one bit, still have God, Salvation, and we know the answers that will work. I would guess that unbelievers don't understand how Christians work in the world. The Chinese Communists fear Moslems, Christians, and Liberty - all things that make the individuals and their family and loves beyond the perfect mindless well behaving workers that they depend upon for service to their ideal nation.

later Friday before another Appleseed.

   Finished my liver biopsy, results next week, lots of rage and foolery on the FB feed. Find my brother has been having his first experience with cancer and doctors having to do the operation twice to get it all. But he has it out and his fingers still work, now if he will allow healing to take place at our age it isn't as quick as our imagination always wants. Instant gratification is even slowing down for more profit at Amazon.com, isn't it?

   I remain convinced that Western Civilization is in decline again. There was a fine article that I read about how we couldn't do what our fathers and grandfathers did, although we have a lot of cool toys and warm or cool homes.... but as a nation we can't, the real leaders weren't made on the anvil of failure and frustration. We are looking for heroes that will save us in the two hour max time at the movies. Don't want to know who the McCoy was of the real McCoy items. Yeah, we can google it, just can't be that effective ourselves. We were schooled to be good little students, workers, consumers... and not to get out of line... Don't give up hope, just rely on God, Grace and goodness. Nothing else works. I need to prepare for tomorrow. God bless y'all.

So what wakes me at 1 in the morning...

 Well, maybe rebuilding my life in my mind's eye, where my thoughts are wildly wandering... dusty old stuff all over here. I find myself holding my wife's hand, why? She and I know but we aren't telling, we just laughed at my mother's joyful snapping a photograph of my holding my wife's hand as we strolled among the roses in France, Paris or Lyon in my memory. Her imagination of our love was always less romantic than it should have been. She shouldn't have raised such a wall flower that thought he was just cactus or bramble bushes. Just a frightened fellow that needs a thick skin with visible signs warning of dangers if one bumps into him... lonely level one...

   Well, my monitor tells me it was going to sleep, as I listen to Up on Cripple Creek, because I scrolled across it as I checked out my Course of Instruction for this coming weekend in Ariel, WA. I was doing so much better without the digital attacks of the computers for my attention and consideration and commercial exploitation of my piles of treasure.... but I have a Pacemaker check today, see how Tracy is coming with her treatment or if I have a new tech. I will visit the YMCA after and come home to maintain my Colt AR 15A4 before Beto knocks on my door to take it away... for some reason that is on my pile of political promises I never expect to see carried out, seems they won't make any money at it. If they could gain revenue they would do it, but no money no honey....

  So I sat on a bench outside the YMCA yesterday with an older paratrooper than I, he did the jump school where they learned to assemble the gliders of his day after WWII, then off to Okinawa and Korea in year two of the war... early into Vietnam as an adviser under a just planted MACV. Before SF got hot and we started shipping Divisions over there. He is the smarter than I man that talks to all the ladies as they pass by, asking bout their lives, loves and children. Makes everyone smile. Smiling works fairly well. I went off to buy groceries, stuff I wanted but didn't really need... ha, ha. Worked for me, steak last night, a nice thick one. Now I am listening to Marty Robbins and singing along to the ones I know best, which seems to be more than I thought. Especially all the gun fighter songs. Surprises me how many romantic ballads I know, too.

  Well, it isn't even 4 am now, but I can go back to sleep. Night!