Davilla, TX AAR!

[Junior Birdman]

AAR for the Davilla, TX Appleseed, 10 & 11 November, 2007:

This Appleseed was the follow up from the Davilla Boot Camp of the previous week and the last Appleseed event of 2007. Total shooters on the line for Saturday was 65, with about 50 sticking it out for both days.
The target line had to be turned 90 degrees after the BC to lengthen it for the numbers anticipated and stretched over 100 yards long when finished. This may be a record for the longest single line at an Appleseed event.  This necessitated  having several IIT's echo the range commands from the center out to the ends and also to form 2 groups when doing position demonstrations and explaining things.  The line ran very well after the first couple of hours and continued to run well the next day.

Course of Fire, (COF) was basic Appleseed: Start off with the "Red Coats" target, which yielded typical results of half the shooters qualified at 100 yards and the rest not qualified at all or smatterings of 2, 3 and 400 yard shooters. A few intrepid marksmen shot the rectangle.

We then settled into the "4 Minute squares" targets for work on the 6 steps and position work. Next came the CAQTs, side by side for repetition work on the first 3 stages.  Rapid magazine changes were taught, as well as transitioning from standing to sitting , and when all seemed well, we shot the dreaded AQT in stages, allowing the shooters to see the results each time.  We ended the day with a CAQT target posted  and allowing for a "Mad Minute" for the shooters to put 20 rounds on the targets from the proper position in just a minute. OK, we gave them a few extra seconds

Shooters were treated to short, but exciting segments of the events of the most important day in American history; 19 April, 1775, as presented by The Guy. They got to hear details from the story throughout the day on both Saturday and Sunday.  It might be a while before they get another rendition as stirring as the one we got at this event.

Sunday broke wet and foggy on the range, but the shooters were on the line in a most unusually punctual time. They must have been ready to shoot!   The menu for the day called for  another "Red Coat" target, shot with spirit, and then more 4 Minute squares to warm things up. More repetition on the stages and we began hammering out Riflemen on the anvil of the AQT!  Scores were improving, but more importantly, shooters were improving!  They were learning about their rifles and how to make the best use of it.   More 19 April, more lunch, more shooting, and at the end of the day......More Riflemen!

We culled 4 more Riflemen from the ranks of the shooters there, including one from our very own Boot Camp, as "Sleepy Joe" pulled out a Riflemans score after working so hard at it all week.  Wade came in at last with a 209.  A 209!   And nobody at that Appleseed had worked harder for it!  But he knows that it will come, with sweat, perseverance, and  practice.  At least he didn't finish with a 210, since there really wasn't a body of water near enough in which to toss him.

The last "Red Coat" of the event was shot "Bunker Hill" style, after a rousing rendition of "Dangerous Old Men" by The Guy.  Tallying up the casualties after the fight showed that once again, the Regulars might have won the battle, but at a most terrible cost

Awarding the Riflemen's patches at the end of the day showed that we not only had "Men among us who knew what they were about", but women also!  "Smilin' Dan"'s Mom had shot a 215!

Dust, noise, wind, and riflery.......Man! Is this a great country or what?

Thanks to all who made the trip and shot, and a very special thanks to the gang down on the left end of the line with the blue shirts! Y'all are what we are about!  (And Vicki.....just hold the trigger back!)  JB

[voortrekker]

Thanks for the report JB.

Leaving Saturday night still sits in disagreement with me that I could not be there Sunday.

I want to say simply, THANK YOU for helping me realize that goal I set two years ago.

AND, thank you to the other instructors who were on the line at BC.  You ALL had a part in my earning my rifleman patch.

Your dedication to this project frankly leaves me in disbelief.

I have a hard time getting people just to email their representatives, yet these instructors travel hundreds of miles to make new riflemen ACROSS our Republic AND not even being paid for their time teaching us. 

God Almighty, there definitely are men and women amongst us who know what they are about!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would venture to say that the Davilla BC and Appleseed weekend just lit a serious white hot flame in central TX.

The Guy did an outstanding job on Saturday with the "Three strikes of the match" speech.  Very inspiring.  I wish I would have brought a video camera.

brett out.

[booray]

Me and my lonely FAL had a great time.  I'll be back, with more people next time

[The Guy]

I saw something new at this Appleseed.

A man buying a "bunch" of .22's for a group of youth, then bringing them out shooting.  I understand he emptied out a pawnshop or two getting these rifles.

I wonder if he knows the impact he has had on these men and women of tomorrow?  The future looks bright indeed.

The line was long, but the new Insructors, straight from the RBC, ran the line fairly well to begin with, then we running like a "well oiled machine" by the end of the weekend, to quote JB.

It was nice as always to put faces to screen names, and to meet new folks.

Scout needs to be comended on the effort he put forth on the range.  Thank you!

Texas seems to be a better place now, or at least a better shooting place.  Maybe Fred will get off their back a bit.  (?)

LOL!

Guy

[Windage and Elevation]

Fred might say he wasn't there, at the Davilla Appleseed. Fred might think he was filling back orders (or some other mundane task) at home, instead of being 'On the Line' at Davilla. But if he thinks that, Fred is wrong! How many times has that been said? I went to Davilla looking for Fred - I found him there, too - Fred was a really helpful guy from far away who spent time with the FNG on Sunday trying to remind him how to be a Rifleman. Fred was "The Guy" who got down in the dirt with me, and repeatedly quietly and confidently encouraged and corrected me while I shot - no recrimination, just good, calm, instruction - always delivered with a smile, and genuine encouragement. Fred was on the trailer (stage) telling us about the "Dangerous Old Men" of The Revolution, and making us wish to God we could have been there - feeling like maybe some how we WERE there. Fred was in the camraderie, respect and emotion that ran through ALL of us. Fred was the one who told the 13 year old boy on the lane next to me "I'd have you on my fire team" - and  later that day told him "I'd be on YOUR fire team". I wish you could have seen his face! He tasted manhood that day. I am so honored to have been there. I WAS there, even if just for a Sunday. But it changed me. How can you be in the company of such Patriots and not be changed? Maybe next 'Davilla' I'll meet the Old Man, too....

[VAshooter]

Windage and Elevation,

I didn't get to meet you because I had to catch a flight on Saturday morning but I certainly hope you will continue as part of the Appleseed Family. We need people who can shoot but we also need people who can put words to paper in such an eloquent manner.

VAshooter

[LabRat]

Howdy all!

Just wanted to say a giant Thank You to everyone at Davilla, instructors, hosts and shooters alike. I haven't had such fun, met so many great folks or learned so much about myself in years. It's nice to know you still have the capacity to surprise yourself once in a while. No one screamed at me, gave me a hard time in any way or made fun of my 5.56 poodle-shooter. Hey, what can I say...I'd love an M1A, but having a rugrat makes it harder to scrape up the funds. One day, though! Not that I used it, but I've ditched the bipod as, thanks to Appleseed, I never see the need for it again. Anyone want a slightly used bipod for cheap? 

The first day was tough, no foolin' but with a lot help from the instructors and a little buckling down, I finally made "rifleman" on the second day. I really got into the groove and was able to focus. I guess having a toddler at home was good training for ignoring loud noises and flying objects and concentrating on what's important: NPOA and the six steps. I will definitely be back, but in the meantime, I'll practice, practice practice. The AQT is only a baseline for me and I now know where I need to hone my skills. My only regret being that my little boy at home isn't (yet) big enough to attend! Spreading the word, too, as I've already got some interest in next year's shoots from some people I've been talking up the event to.

Thanks to all the instructors who came so far and donated time and knowledge to us attendees, as well as the level of enthusiasm and patience shown. You can tell these folks do it because they love it and believe in what they are doing. We'll all try to be worthy of your investment! The Guy, JB, Scout, Greg, Dan, Mark and everyone else whose names are jumbled together in my head with all the dust, gunfire, fun and instruction. Special thanks to Greg for the loan of the web sling, it made all the difference and I take it as a sign of the success of Appleseed that I can't find one for sale anywhere for love or money. Scout for hosting. The Guy for the fantastic history lessons unflagging encouragement of everyone.

Thanks to Fred, too, for making it all possible and having the gumption to do this in the first place. I was (only slightly) disappointed not to meet Fred, because I wanted to see if he had horns and fangs like I'd heard , but maybe he'll take it a little easier on us Texans now that he's shamed us into showing up with all his SGN columns!

Didn't get a chance to talk much after the shoot because I was bushed and had to get home to get ready for work the next morning, but if anyone needs anything, please email or PM me here. I've got a place to shoot if any Appleseeders in the Central Texas area want to practice. It isn't geographically feasible for a full-sized Appleseed (maybe a mini-shoot) but at least people wouldn't have to go to a range and pay fees.

[Old Dog]

Slings?  Gunshows, gunshows, gunshows.  Everytime I go to a gunshow here in Richmond I buy a couple of brand new (cotton web sometimes, nylon other times) slings for $10 each.  Why do I buy a couple every trip?  Sooner or later someone at an Appleseed or RBC needs one so I pass on the good savings and put the money away for the next trip.

There are other places to get slings, most internet "stores" that sell surplus stuff sell slings, but I haven't seen anyone selling brand new ones for $10 including the S&H charges.

Hit some gunshows, buy some spares and pass them on at cost to the other Riflemen in training you meet along the Appleseed Trail.

[ken grant]

 CDNN has brand new USGI web slings in cotton, $6.95 I seem to remember.
Gun Parts has used USGI web slings in Nylon about $7.00
Gun Parts has the extra sling clips(if you use one on front of the sling for quick detach)  for $1.10 ea. ( $.90 ea if you buy 10)

The prices may not be exact but they will be close.

[Junior Birdman]

  Well, I "donated" another sling at Davilla. That makes 5 now. I just hope the guy who stole it.....er...borrowed it until the next event.....gets some good use out of it. I'd hate to think of it lingering in the gun cabinet for months on end when it could be traveling the country with me, seeing the sights and helping make Riflemen!

   And Lab Rat- Don't think your kid can't attend an Appleseed!  One of the instructors brought his little boy when he was nigh on to a couple of months old!  And as I recall, he had on a cool Appleseed related T-shirt.   JB

 

[LabRat]

Yeah...been checking on the slings. CDNN is out of them (like I said, a testament to Appleseed's success) and I couldn't find any at Gunparts (if that's www.gunparts.com, that is). I'll keep looking, though. There's a gunshow in town this weekend. I'll see if I can't get there and pick up a sling or two. Sorry you involuntarily donated one, JB. Let me know and I can pick up an extra or two for you if I get to the show this weekend. I'll keep that in mind about the critter, too. He could always use another T-shirt. Is Fred going to be available to babysit while I do the long-distance AQT? 

[cannonman61]

Hey Labrat,

Bring him to Hinesville in March. I teach Kdg, believe it or not, and I bet I can have the little guy field stripping an M1 by the end of day one. My god daughters can swear to that. (Much to their mothers chagrin- I told her not to make me the god father! )

Plus, kids LOOOOVE cannons!!!

CM61

[ken grant]

http://www.e-gunparts.com/product.asp?chrProductSKU=954300A-----Nylon Sling

http://www.e-gunparts.com/DisplayAd.asp?chrProductSKU=537280&chrSuperSKU=&MC=---- Sling Hook

[LabRat]

Thanks Ken! I should've thought of Numrich earlier! Going to order a few to have extras in case of "donations" or if anyone wants one.

[LabRat]

Hey Labrat,

Bring him to Hinesville in March. I teach Kdg, believe it or not, and I bet I can have the little guy field stripping an M1 by the end of day one. My god daughters can swear to that. (Much to their mothers chagrin- I told her not to make me the god father! )

Plus, kids LOOOOVE cannons!!!

CM61

At this point, he'll get the M1 apart (like a lot of other things) but not sure he'll get it back together. Your Kdg classes must be interesting. Do you shoot off the 3 pdr to signal the end of recess?  And yes, kids love cannons. Every time we drive past the local VFW post, he points to the old 8" "Atomic Annie" they've got out front and sez, "Kannun!!" I'm so proud!

[Junior Birdman]

  OK, just a gentle reminder folks......if it doesn't have to do with the title of the post, it doesn't belong. Use a PM or post it in the general section. This goes double for me!    JB

[Grin Reaper]

More AAR info at http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=1219.msg13410#msg13410.

[Sir Not Appearing In This Film]

I want to thank those who made my first RBC an outstanding experience, most especially Jr. Birdman, Scout (does he ever rest?), Dragonwood, VA Shooter, The other Doug, Smilin' Dan and of course The Guy as well as many others behind the scenes. If I've omitted mentioning someone it's not intentional. Every part of the event was handled in a most professional and candid manner and Scout was the perfect host. I still hear Jr. Birdman saying "Quickly!" in my head. What an awesome week!

I'd attended and enjoyed the Mingus, TX 2006 Appleseed last year with Beaner-Schnitzel (who's currently very busy serving in a Stryker Battalion in Iraq), my highest score being a 107. The AR's we used at Mingus were plagued by bad magazines (ban era "rebuilds - great for malfunction drills and little else) and crappy Olympic ammo, but got a good understanding of the Appleseed concept and what it would take to make Rifleman. After the event I bought 4 GI slings from Fred. Shoulda bought more.

Somehow, I failed to fire even a single live round between that Mingus Appleseed event and Davilla RBC2. I did at least spend a lot of time dry firing, which helped a lot. Mingus taught me to dislike iron sight AR carbines short sight radius. I managed to con, er, I mean convince my long time friends Sleepy Joe (Dragonwood gets credit for his moniker) and DT to attend RBC with me. I built a 20" upper for the former carbine AR I used at Mingus to loan to Sleepy Joe so he wouldn't be handicapped by the short iron sight radius of my carbine upper.

At Davilla RBC2, my trusty, well broken in Ruger (my first gun ever from back in the day), now in LTR trim, was along. My AR's redeemed themselves from the malfunction curse with new mil spec magazines and new U.S. produced .223 ammo  - eliminating malfunctions on the AR's allowed me to focus more attentively on the 6 steps. After Sleepy Joe corrected my late afternoon math on Tuesday Nov. 7th, I found I had a AQT score of 216 - my first Rifleman Score.   


Some of my most vivid memories in between the Range commands, dirt, dust, powder residue, bore solvent, hot brass, cold days (well, chilly for Texas) and hot days:

Getting to know all of the RBCr's. Everyone was unique, different and a pleasure to be with. Jr. Birdman has it right - "It truly is better among Riflemen!"

Voortrekker being an impressive shooter from the get go.

Mark making Rifleman with an AR carbine and Barnaul 55 gr. .223.

Sleepy Joe decided to install a scope on his 10/22 after using factory Ruger iron sights for most of the week. After he mounted the scope I was calling his shots while watching through binoculars to expedite things. I recall Dragonwood saying to me - "He should be calling his own shots." She was right!

Dennis and his impressive, inexpensive Sarco kit AR build (around $500). Very accurate with (relatively) inexpensive 55 gr. reloads. It was every bit as accurate (if not more than) as my $750 build and factory new ammo.

Big Rusty being my "brass catcher" on the trailer when firing at known distance.

Finding fired .30 cal projectiles with rifling marks but no damage just behind the haystacks on the known distance range.

Greg with his wife and daughter's participating. If I ever choose to marry I hope my family will participate like that. Near the end of the event Greg gave me a firearm tool that I'd been seeking for some time without success. Thanks again ever so much!

Wade exercising the statement that a Rifleman always persists! The distance he drove! A 209 score is so close!

The Guy reciting the "3 strikes of the match" from memory and making me feel that I was there.

Smilin' Dan's mom's reaction to her making Rifleman.

My long time friend DT putting aside his own Rifleman aspirations to help on the line during Appleseed.

Sleepy Joe, who's brand new 10/22 had been plagued with malfunctions all week (cotton pickin' painted Ruger receivers!), took a break on Saturday and part of Sunday to help with the line. He got back on the line Sunday afternoon shooting AQT's and his ornery rifle finally behaved long enough to get a 216 (same as mine) Rifleman score on Sunday, Nov 11th.  What most don't know is he'd had a call earlier in the day that his young adult son was in the emergency room (kid will be OK) that would have taxed the mind of most parents. This proved to me that Sleepy Joe definitely has step 4B down pat.

The Friday evening "instant berm" was something I'll never forget.

After much thoughtful consideration, I was on the line as an Instructor in Training beginning Saturday. I was impressed by all of the RBC attendee's that chose to be on the line running the Appleseed. Everyone had many strengths that manifested during the day as we became more confident in our respective roles. I think my favorite part was yelling the "FIRE" command. I felt I had a very small taste of what an ancestor of mine must have felt like yelling the same command to his men, in a battle long, long ago.

I saw more than a few Mingus "veterans" at the Davilla Appleseed. Nice to see familiar faces and new ones as well.

Early in the day I'd borrowed an Appleseeder's M1A for a position demonstration (same guy later made Rifleman). I felt bad about changing the Appleseeder's sling and returning it to him, so when I had the chance I asked Sleepy Joe to retrieve one of my AR's so it could be used by instructors to demonstrate positions and preclude the need to borrow a rifle from an Appleseeder. During a demonstration I gently set the bolt on the chamber flag so it wouldn't fall out. After we finished I grounded the rifle on a mat. When firing began again and the line was subsequently cleared, I'd left the AR it that condition - chamber flag in, safety on, but bolt forward against the flag. Next scene is The Guy loudly declaring that anyone with a hat lying on top of his or her rifle was in violation of a safety procedure. Nothing quite like having that sinking feeling when I realized The Guy's own red hat was on my demo AR. Needless to say, I didn't allow that violation to happen again and on Sunday as Right Side RSO I was a bit obsessive in checking for safety violations when I walked the line after it was declared clear. I found none.

RBC registration? $200   

Assembling a 20" AR upper 3 days before RBC when you should be packing? - $450 

The shame of having The Guy's red hat on your rifle? Priceless!       


SNAITF out.

[Junior Birdman]

  I had lots of pics, but here's a few:

[Junior Birdman]

Top pic: the fire ring where we had our camp fires.

Next is the 25m line coming together

Third is the backers going on the 25m line

4th is 3HolePete doing a beautiful example of "cross Ankle" position

5th is a few of the Riflemen who were awarded patches, early in the week

Last is the 100 yard long 25m line for the Appleseed being built.

[Scout]

JB had the RWVA engineers humming on Saturday before BC. And again on Friday night before the Appleseed. Thanks to all who showed up early, or stayed up late to help.

[Fred]

    JB: That's mighty unkind, putting those pics up, leaving the rest of us weeping because we couldn't be there.

     Seriously (no smiley face, only weeping Elmer, here )

     There's a story of "The RWVA Engineers In Action" waiting to be told.

     Then we can have a poll to see which wins - the recent Phoenix "Battling the Wind Engineers" - or "The Davilla Line Expanding Engineers".

[Junior Birdman]

  Battlefield engineer/ master at adaptation, improvisation, and overcomation.  Just another tool in the Rifleman's tool bag!  The shooters  pitched in with the work and in no time we had one of the most beautiful 25m lines I've ever seen ready for the RBC shooters. Then again, after it was over on Friday night, they pitched in, and following Scout's lead, had a target line 100 yards long in time for supper!  It's amazing the things you learn at a Boot Camp!  JB

[Scout]

Whenever you go on different firearms forums on the internet, one of the things you will regularly see is someone complaining about not haveing a place to shoot. Or some "Practical Shooting School" talking about "we are just a host range away from having a rifle course". This, usually after they have talked down the Appleseed program, so you find out that they are not even actually teaching, just talking, because they have no place to teach shooting.

But if they did, their teaching would be soooo much better than ours. They just need someone to build something for them, and boy, then they will sure show us.

And, I don't want to get sidetracked, but how much more "Practical" can you get than Appleseed? I mean, our slogan could well be "We teach you to hit what you aim at with the rifle you happen to have in your hand" But I digress...

So, while the rest of the "schools" are waiting, I hope they won't mind if we just go ahead and build our own ranges all across the nation and set up our firing lines in rain and snow, hurricanes and 50+ mile an hour winds, and then shoot them in that same wind after all the other groups, CMP, NRA etc. fold up their tents and leave the range, "you can't shoot in this wind" they said, (oops!, we didn't know that  ) even go from no range to a one hundred yard firing line, capable of holding one hundred shooters in one day and night.

And continue to teach our shooters to shoot their (obviously under-par) four minute of angle shooting skills, from multiple positions, with standard no frills rifles and off the shelf surplus ammo.

In some cases, taking people who can not get on paper day one, to people who can clean a redcoat out to 400 meters by day two. That is three shots apiece on four targets, and one on the fifth, with the last being a one inch square from 82 feet,(in a little over one minute). Two days of instruction at a cost of about $3.50 and hour for the instruction, for each attendee. Man, that is not even minimum wage.

You have read about the RWVA Engineers already in many adventures including the AAR from Phoenix where they had their range built, commercial target stands actually disentegrating in the wind and blowing all the way back up range to the firing line.

What did they do? Pack up and go home like the rest of the rifle organizations? Ummm, no. They got wire and rope and made stakes. Reinforced their target holders and staked them down, then went back on the line and got down in the dirt and "fired, Appleseed shooters fire, for God's sake they fired, as fast as they could". Shooting one of the timed portions of the AQT where you have 50 seconds to put ten rounds in a target smaller than a quarter from 82 feet, without any support other than your sling, and most people using iron sights.

How, I ask you, do you get more practical? How to solve multiple real life problems and shoot in adverse conditions in one fell swoop. What will we do with these Appleseed people?

Our last RWVA Engineers feat was performed at the Davilla Texas Rifleman's Boot Camp and then again at the Davilla Appleseed.

At the Boot Camp, Junior Birdman found out we would be having triple the number of usual participants the night before the start of boot camp and had the RBC guys put up a completely new firing line Saturday evening that was double the length of old one. Also covering the line with plywood and marking the line and the safety line and setting up the instructors area.

Near the end of the boot camp on Friday morning, RifleWoman sent an email to the instructors at Davilla. She said "hey guys, you are about to get almost 70 shooters tomorrow, do you have enough room for them?"

Uh-oh.....

We only had room for about 15 more shooters on our current line, and it had to be used all day to run the "mock Appleseed" for the new instructors. So what to do. JB did the only thing he could do. "Scout" he said "we need the RWVA Engineers".

To: Scout      From: RWVA Engineers Headquarters      Subject: Attention to Orders....

"Greetings....."

A call was quickly put in to the RWVA engineers (myself and a couple of the other guys who were not instructing). I called in a fellow with some heavy equipment and a dump truck and brought my own tractor with front loader up to the line. We then proceeded to remove about 400-500 cubic yards of material working right up to the very edge of the still hot and firing line. Trees ,rocks, and sand were removed and piled ten feet high to make a one hundred yard long berm for the shooters the next day.

Then, when the firing line went cold at the end of the day, when the sun was going down, the real work began. We marked out a straight line and pounded in end posts and made anchors for them. Then we measured out the intervals and pounded in about 25 or so more posts. Then barbed wire was strung between the posts and stratched tight and connected to the standing posts. I had scrounged another 20 or more sheets of plywood this day also and we added it to our existing wood and drilled and mounted about 40 sheets of plywood to the line.

Now, keep in mind that all of this except the first popping of the straigt line was done by the light of tractor floodlights and truck headlights.

We then marked the shooting line, the instructors line and safety line,moved the instructors area, moved all the shooting mats and the American Colonial Flag to their new positions and we were ready for the Davilla Texas Appleseed.

We did not marvel at the new range, as it is all in a days work for the RWVA Engineers. We did however, retire to the RWVA commissary and have a nice meal of inch thick brisket steaks and plenty of chickens and hams and beans and cole slaw for a nice dinner for all the Engineers.

A quick Instructors meeting was held after dinner and we were set to go for the next day's Appleseed, which as it turned out, was another roaring success.

Appleseed.

That's really the only word I have to say about that
   


I want to make clear that I did not do all the work. When the firing line went cold, JB, The Guy, VA Shooter and all the rest of the instructors and most of the students put our shoulders to the wheel together.

 

[Grin Reaper]

My pulse actually picked up as I read that, Scout!

And

Then barbed wire was strung between the posts

The Texas contigent is hard-core!  We just used whatever wire was cheapest!

[Nickle]

Now, I would've figured texans for being Army types, seeing that there's so many Army posts there (Air Force, too, and they used to be part of the Army).

But, I'm apparently wrong, must be SeaBees, as those guys down there work just as hard as the proverbial SeaBees.

Yup, a Rifleman persists, and I see some of them Texans just won't let anything get them down.

Job Well Done, folks.

[Groundhog]

Just wanted to check in here and say a couple of things.

First, thanks for the kind words in a few earlier posts.

Second, thanks to all who put this RBC and Appleseed together for us.  It was truly one of the most memorable times my family has had since we became a family!

Third, I'll see some of you at the Appleseed in January.  I look forward to more training in calling the line... 

I have a ton of pix and a write up on the event that I need to get posted.  I'm still recovering from the whole thing somewhat and being in the middle of trying to sell my house and the approaching holidays, it's been a touch hectic.  I hope to have that stuff up and posted by the end of the long weekend coming up.

[Scout]

Thank You Greg. You are one of the fellows I was talking about earlier in the engineer post above, who worked into the evening hours in the dark pulling barbed wire and setting target backs. One of the "Workers". We could not have done it without you and the rest enlisting as RWVA engineers. Thanks

I look forward to seeing you working the line at the Jan. Appleseed if not before.

[VAshooter]

Scout is right. He didn't do all the work at Davila but anyone who was there will tell you he did way more than his share.

VAshooter

[PJEVANS]

Scout reminds me of two folks, my neighbor and the Energizer Bunny, he just keeps going and going and going.  I am proud to be associated with him, its people like Scout, JB and the rest of the staff that make this country and Appleseed a wining proposition.  Davilla was a wonderful time, can you believe it, eight (8!) days of shooting and more importantly associating with like-minded individuals.  And on top of that getting to be part of a plan to save the country!  Is this great or what!  I cannot wait to get on the Appleseed Trail in 2008.  Hopefully we can come up with an Appleseed Midnight Engineer rocker to complement the Davilla RBC2 patches.