AAR Cloverdale, IN May 7, 2011

[DaveD]

What a Beautiful Day!

Day started overcast with weatherman threatening 70% chance of thunderstorms. But he lied! Day turned mostly clear, cool and breezy with blue sky.  Clouds moved back in as we closed up shop at 6PM .......so indeed a beautiful day for Appleseeding.

Met Bull13 just after 0700 and the shooters started appearing at 0730.  Sixteen preregistered shooters signed in ....then walk-ons and more walk-ons!  When all said and done we had 27 shooters on the line!

Equipment to the line, Introductions, 1st Strike, Safety Briefings finished by 9:45 and we are on the line making room for extra shooters. (What a nice thing to have to do).  Red Coats are posted, rifles on the line, line commands given and  the Red Coats meet their match, then on to the 1" squares.  How many MOA?

Instruction comes quickly. The shooting improves just as quickly - remember those "Talking Targets" -  they don't lie.  Prone Steady Hold Factors, Six Steps, NPOA, IMC, Rifleman's Cadence, Carding the sights.  Morning goes quickly, so on to Lunch and the 2nd Strike.

Afternoon brings Ball and Dummy, (where the students get to be instructors), Standing and Sitting positions, transitions............ HQ demo's an AQT and the grind is on.  We will finish 3 AQT's this afternoon before clean-up, 3rd strike and benediction.

I was proud to present three Orange Hats at this shoot,  Bull13, KYWindage, and stagehand steve, welcome aboard gentlemen!

To all who attended,  thank you for spending this day with us.  You were a great group to work with.

PS:  I'm pleased to announce, that yes, the "Tactical Cricket" is proven capable of Rifleman status! And It happened at Cloverdale!!!

Photo's are coming, but not from me -  as photographer I ain't.

[yellowhousejake]

What is it about Cloverdale that makes it a great place to have an Appleseed? The shooters are different every time, the weather changes, the instructors change, must be the Shoot Boss.

Sometimes it is good to just toss the hat aside, and lay on the line with the shooters for a day.

YHJ

[techres]

Could not agree more YHJ.  Thanks DaveD for letting me and mine visit with your line.  Nothing better than father/kids time on an Appleseed!



There were some great shooters on that line and a some wonderful instructors as well.  After the shooting ended I got to help grade some AQT's and saw a lot of very good groups.  I saw youth and women and all sorts of guys.  I very much hope to see each of you very soon when I am on the clock and not on the line myself as a shooter.

You all did great and should feel proud for it,
Techres

[yellowhousejake]

So do you get the AR back when she gets a Barrett?

"Here daddy, you can play with mine, I like the big one." 

YHJ

[techres]

So do you get the AR back when she gets a Barrett?

"Here daddy, you can play with mine, I like the big one." 

YHJ

Way to dis the boy with the mo-hullet! (mo-hullet = mohawk + mullet)

The reason I have the cricket is because I let him and his sister play with the AR.  When they get their hands on a AR10, I might get the AR22 back.  Maybe.

[HQ]

Maybe because I brought all of my raingear - but we had absolutely gorgeous weather on a day that was predicted to be miserable.  I do hope that everyone made it home before the storm hit!  SPQR, Shifty and I had to run in through some pretty incredible raindrops but only had to drive in it for less than a mile or so.

I had a lot of fun at this shoot and look forward to working with everyone again!  Here are a few of the pics that SPQR and I took over the day.


This is my very favorite shot of the day.  The line looked great with the long line of people stapling up those 5 squares and green coats!


ATM running the line


Squeeeeeeeze the trigger!


Ball and Dummy


and some more


DHolder and ATM going through standing steady hold factors.


Do I even need to be here?


Future rifleman here for sure!


ATM never stops moving!


Great pair here!


Me demo-ing the AQT for the day.  [I need to get down on the line more]



Prepping for yet another AQT!  3 in a one day!


See if you can spot Indiana's great Red/Blue Hat [perhaps we should get her a purple hat?] and wonderful National Applecore Coordinator!  Dressed to the nines AND on the line!


Here are our new IIT's!!!  (Sorry I forgot about the flash, I so rarely use it. . .)


And 4 GREAT youth shooters getting their patches from DaveD


Just a gorgeous line!  Thank you, everyone, for coming out!!!

[HQ]

And of course.  The Crickett AQT.  What will he come up with next? 
[Stay tuned, he was discussing plans after the shoot. . .]

[SPQR]

Had a blast.  Thanks to all of the instructors who made this a SAFE, FUN, and Informative shoot.  I had a blast!

[AuntieBellum]

Lol - LOVE the tactical Crickett.  Congrats, Techres!

And congrats to our new orange hats - I can't wait to work with all of you!

A BIG thank you to everyone who came out yesterday - a record-setting line at Cloverdale - AWESOME!   
It was a pleasure to shoot with all of you this weekend, and I hope to see you all back again!

A full line of Red Coats.



A closer look at those Red Coats.  A good start in the morning, but there were definite improvements at the end of the day!



HQ working the target line.  "Quickly, quickly!"  Okay, I have no idea what she was actually saying at the time, but she certainly kept on our shooters and helped set a good pace for the day.



DaveD chats with Shifty about his target.



Bill of Rights talks our shooters through the loop sling with HQ modeling.



And then the prone position.



ATM giving us the 6 Steps.  Do you remember what they are?



YHJ can't help himself.  He went to shoot, but here he is obviously helping out the shooter next to him on the line.   

[GoldFish]

Congrats on the Rifleman score with the 'Tacitcal Cricket' tech!!!   So uh, have you mounted that 37mm to it yet to make it the 'Ultra Tactical Cricket'?

[ATM]

There is no place I'd have rather been than sharing the line with you fine folks.
I just can't imagine a much more perfect day (alas... no thunderstorms... ). 

The line was filled with families and friends ranging in experience from having never shot a rifle, to some prior Appleseeders, and even a few of our Hoosier Instructor crew getting in some valuable trigger time.
It was great to see so many that I already knew and an absolute pleasure to meet everyone else. 

The marksmanship improved and you all really did an exceptional job as the pace steadily quickened throughout the day. You ground out those 3 AQTs at a pace we normally reserve for day 2 of a normal Appleseed event! 

Then, as we wrapped up the history and closing, there was that sense of connection in the air. As if we'd all shared more than just a Saturday together. We share something bigger - a precious heritage of Liberty which was secured for us at great cost. I have renewed hope that we will endeavor to make the most of it.

You have everything you need to practice by the numbers and hone those skills. Tell everyone you know and bring them back with you to the next event. A Rifleman perseveres. 

Another safe, invigorating and fun shoot!    At the end of the day, I kinda hated for it to end...

Congrats and welcome to our newest Orange hats, thanks for stepping up!

Thank you all and I'll see you on the trail.

[stagehand steve]

Thanks HQ for the pictures.  I helped the one with KYWindage and I out a little.

Had a great day!

-ss

[Uncle Davey]

I was on the line between SPQR and Auntie Bellum, boy I wanted to show off! Having shot Rifleman at Bedford with a scope, I wanted to do it with iron sights but came up short..watch out  next time though! Great job HQ on the 15min AQT, my best score came from that @ riflemans cadence (something to think about Shoot Bosses!) more later...

[yellowhousejake]

So do you get the AR back when she gets a Barrett?

"Here daddy, you can play with mine, I like the big one." 

YHJ

Way to dis the boy with the mo-hullet! (mo-hullet = mohawk + mullet)

The reason I have the cricket is because I let him and his sister play with the AR.  When they get their hands on a AR10, I might get the AR22 back.  Maybe.

I am shamed, tell him and Zora I hang my head. I will pay more attention next time. I honestly never saw him up at the line shooting!

YHJ

[TruTenacity]

Just in from the RWVA e-mail account.  I'm sending her this AAR link.

Good job folks!

Cloverdale was AMAZING!  All the RWVA people were AWESOME!  We are still in awe of it all.  Loved it, loved it, loved it!

I was so thankful my husband was able to go with us.

My son had his picture taken with the other kids when they received their patches for attending under age 15.  Do you know where I could find those pics?  I would love to see them.