Finished up? or just finished?

Only the rifles, my food and I are not in the Caravan, the other stuff is. Targets, ammunition, t-shirts, study material, markers, pens, staplers, staples, books, water (and it will rain most of Saturday somewhere). Sunday might be sunny.

As I prepared for this and the other Appleseeds I looked at the long list of the ones I have helped with or attended for a day, and wonder where some of these other RWVA folks are? Wheeler44, RL. OLDGEEZER,. Ducko, Fredness, - shucks I am still trying to figure out where Joe went with IIT hat he took from me only three weekends ago. Not a peep from that new guy.

I guess, like any volunteer organization - churches, Boy Scouts at the very local level - they just keep the volunteers as long as the volunteers volunteer. On April 19th, 1775 - three or more things happened.

The militia was called out, Captain Isaac Davis marched away from his home and family when there were thirty of his Minutemen assembled. Marched off with certainty, courage and resolve to defend all he believed in and to lead from the front. He died suddenly at North Bridge, and remembered ever after by the statue with the hat and the plow beside his feet.

James Nichols, born in England but immigrated to Lincoln, fell in with the militia but was not eager to confront the Regulars, getting someone to hold his musket he went down to talk to the soldiers at the North Bridge. After a brief talk he returned, secured his musket and declared he was going back home. Which he did - a volunteer organization and nothing to defend nor attack that threatened James Niclols.

The third thing that happened was not realizing the Regulars were out at all. No Paul Revere nor other rider came calling in the dark. So the town of Waltham woke to normal Wednesday chores, work and thoughts - feed the family, animals, clean the area, plow, seed, and whatever else one would do in a New England Spring day. There was plenty to do without watching FoxNews or MSNBC. 

I was once the Division NCO of the year, and was flown back to the United States with the Division Commander, Command Sergeant Major and the Soldier of the Year. To the 1st Armored Division annual reunion of those that served in WWII. Around 1980, wonderful stories good men and nice families that supported their get-togethers. But they having served, and having come home and grown older, and older, have continued to pass on to more glory, and pass on the traditions to the younger folks.

Not only the RWVA, but perhaps the ideal of America, the America of the middle of the last century has to find again those volunteers to return it to its potential. Does seem like too many just reclining on the couch.