2013 After Action Reports from other Sources

[hogfamily]

Our October Appleseed blog post.

http://hogfamilyalaska.blogspot.com/2013/10/october-appleseed.html

[Nero]

A blog post from a shooter at the October shoot in Nampa, ID:

http://thebucketwoman.wordpress.com/2013/11/02/keep-your-booger-hook-off-the-bang-switch/

[scuzzy]

I'd received this report yesterday from Natalie Numbers who is the head of the TN chapter of The Well Armed Woman. She'll be posting this on their website shortly. So without further ado here's her report.


  History. Marksmanship. Heritage.


These are the words that embody the spirit of the Appleseed Project, which hosts two-day clinics that combine rifle training with American history. Indeed the two topics are intertwined, as the Appleseed focus is on the same traditional skills that enabled our ragtag colonial militias to prevail against the full might of the British Army. Their message is clear: there is no need for expensive equipment, fancy training, or special abilities. Grab a basic rifle, a simple cotton sling, and be willing to learn - you'll leave not only a better marksman, but a better American as well, with a deeper understanding of our founders' sacrifices for our freedom.


The Appleseed Project caters to all groups of people and even hosts women-only events nicknamed "Ladyseed" clinics, but at a typical clinic you will find a good mix of men, women, and even many children. One of my favorite parts of Appleseed was this strong presence of youth - from kids with their parents or grandparents, to adolescents proudly wearing their Instructor-in-Training orange hats. It was so encouraging to see the younger generation - our future - get involved and not only participate, but also help out. It was great seeing the older attendees take guidance and instruction from the teenage volunteers. That spirit of fellowship is one of our best American qualities and brought a great sense of community to the program.


The overall pace of an Appleseed is pretty hectic and definitely packed with information, so do keep that in mind when bringing younger attendees. I showed up at 8:30 am on a crisp Saturday morning in Tennessee. An instructor ticked off my name, handed me a name tag and a T-shirt along with an Appleseed brochure and informational materials, and directed me to a pavilion. Our group of about 30 participants was treated to an introduction to the staff and the Appleseed Project, as well as administrative items, before plunging into the day's curriculum with a history lesson: the "First Strike of the Match", which is the first of three history portions taught at intervals throughout the day. But this lesson is not a dry recital of Revolutionary War facts; it is a narrative delivered by knowledgeable and passionate instructors, who do their best to bring the colonials to life and challenge the audience to imagine what those brave men and women must have thought and felt as they lived through the night and day of April 19, 1775 - the battles of Concord and of Lexington, the start of our War for Independence. It was obvious that every instructor not only knew their topic thoroughly, but cared deeply about these people of long ago as they brought them back to life for us through the lesson. There were tears held back and choking voices as they imagined the heartbreak of fathers leaving their families, knowing they would never see them again; of mothers seeing their young sons killed by the British Army in the town square. We were all riveted and wanted to hear more despite our eagerness to get started on the firing line - I can't imagine anyone leaving the clinic without the inspiration to learn more!


By mid-morning it was finally time to shoot. Rusty, the main instructor, gave us all a safety briefing before we gathered our rifles and gear and set up on the range. Then the other instructors went through blocks of instruction to teach us sling holds, the prone position, and the six steps of firing a shot. Did I mention that there is a LOT of material covered in a short amount of time? Although you do not need any special skills or experience prior to an Appleseed clinic, I would not advise rank beginners to attend until they are at least somewhat comfortable with the basics of shooting a firearm of some kind. If you do have some experience, then you will find that much of the instruction is a very thorough break-down of foundational shooting skills. True mastery of the basics is at the heart of the Appleseed shooting philosophy, which was a message that deeply appealed to me as I have found it echoed by professionals in every shooting discipline time and time again. With this mastery, you can use the basic Liberty Rifle - the nickname for Appleseed's suggested firearm, the well-known Ruger 10/22 - and reliably hit targets at 400 yards (from prone) with nothing fancier than open sights and a sling. I can assure you that the Appleseed instruction lives up to this promise, but it may take a few clinics - and some home dry-fire practice - before you achieve the coveted "Rifleman's Patch" that all their instructors must earn. Luckily the informational materials handed to participants include a review of the instruction, so you can easily refresh your memory afterwards. It may take a while to get truly comfortable with the sling holds and the application of all six steps.


The targets used were based on the AQT, or Army Qualification Test, posted at 25yds and scaled to simulate targets at 100yds, 200yds, 300yds, and 400yds. There is also a whimsical "Redcoat" target with the silhouettes in red, and a small rectangle representing a roof shingle at 250yds which was the supposed shooting test for the militia group led by Capt. Daniel Morgan. If you could hit it, you became a rifleman; if you couldn't you became a cook. An Appleseed challenge is to leave as rifleman if you arrive as a cook! The first part of the afternoon was spent shooting simple black targets in grid squares for grouping practice and sight adjustments, but the end of the day, and most of the second day, saw us shooting the AQT targets over and over using our slings and the standing, sitting, and prone positions.


The Appleseed instructors are all volunteers - there isn't a paid position in the entire program. They really stand out for their dedication to the program and the participants. I had such difficulties with my rifle and sling the first day, but the instructors were almost constantly by my side to check on me, help make adjustments, and offer encouragement and advice. The next day I was offered the loan of an instructor's beautiful personal rifle in order to help me enjoy the shooting more and stop struggling with the frustration of the previous day. In talking to other attendees at the end of the second day, many more stories surfaced of instructors addressing individual concerns, offering assistance in any way they could, and finding ways to coach and assist shooters past their difficulties. Every single instructor was incredibly kind and generous with their time, knowledge, and advice - they are really an incredible group of professionals.




So what does it take to attend one of these Appleseed Projects in your area? Well, it is a nation-wide and ever-growing organization, so chances are that you can find a clinic not too far away. It is absolutely worth a quick road trip and overnight stay, especially if you decide to make it a family adventure! I highly recommend attending both days if possible - although if you have to pick one day only, make sure to attend the first day as the second day is mostly review and shooting drills, with less instruction and less history than the first day. Costs are very reasonable - $60 per adult, and only $20 for an accompanying child. Active duty military, law enforcement, and Revolutionary War re-enactors in full costume may attend for free. There are loaner rifles available in limited quantities if you need one; other than your firearm, you just need a simple mat to lay on for the prone positions, a brick of .22 ammunition, eye/ear protection, and lunch/snacks for the breaks.


I think you can tell that I highly recommend these fantastic clinics, and can promise you that the training you receive will rival many a high-priced weeklong course. It was very helpful to slow down and re-focus on the basics, which uncovered several key areas I had been neglecting! Thanks to the relentless shot analyses - remember, "your target never lies" - I was able to relearn these skills and finally earned my own Rifleman's patch by the end of the second day. Even - maybe especially - experienced shooters will benefit from this focus, since the challenge is not just to shoot well, but to do so on basic equipment with the simple sling holds and positions covered in the clinic. Many veteran shooters may be surprised by the struggle to achieve a Rifleman's score in this way, with the insistence again and always on true mastery of the marksman's skills.


There is room for growth and improvement in any program, and the Appleseed Project, although excellent, is no exception. So here's my short list of suggestions:

   
• Firstly, although event organizers do indeed send out a list of required items, many have the flavor of suggestion or are left vague enough for confusion. The truth of the matter is that it should be clear that you ABSOLUTELY need: a rifle with adjustable sights, quick-release sling attachments, and a simple sling with a sling buckle so you can quickly form an adjustable loop. Reserve a loaner if necessary, but don't try to "make do" with something different - especially not the sling and sling hardware - because you will become very very frustrated by the difficulty in keeping up with the instruction. Don't ask me how I know.
• Secondly, the only downside to the instructors' depth of knowledge of American history was that they were so familiar with the stories and historical figures that it was often hard to keep up. This was emphasized by having different instructors narrating the separate portions, the result of which was a lack of flow and coherent story structure. Characters were introduced as they entered the story, with details often added in later or referenced in a different section so they became difficult to keep track of. I did enjoy the variation of emphasis and style among individual instructors, but I think the program would be well served by a central Appleseed text divided into instructor blocks, that could present the history in an organized fashion and give each person in the history his/her proper introduction and emphasis. This would allow the instructors to add their own details and flair without adding confusion or losing the flow of the narrative. I would also like to hear more of the history, especially on the second day! Our colonial heritage is the hallmark of the Appleseed Project, so I'd rather sacrifice some shooting time than abridge the rich history that makes these clinics so special. Of course, when you go home you'll want to order Paul Revere's Ride, the source text for much of the historical information. Perhaps those books could be made available for purchase at the clinics as well.
• Thirdly and lastly, the pace of the program is frankly hectic, especially on the second day. Most people need much more time to apply the sling techniques and the positions properly. Several attendees mentioned their continuing struggles to become comfortable with the sling loop, and my own experience was that I spent the whole first day using my sling improperly despite instructor assistance. The instructors do a great job but they cannot spot every error that everyone is making, and here is where slowing down the pace, and investing the time in getting the positions right, would really pay off on the second day which was mostly spent shooting the AQT repeatedly in an effort to help people earn their Rifleman patch. Slowing down would also be a great way to add more peer interaction to the clinic. We did have a brief session of student-on-student coaching that everyone enjoyed; the opportunity to interact and coach each other was tremendously helpful, as we identified errors and swapped tips. I would like to see more of that, and more focus on achieving proper, comfortable application of positions and sling uses, with time to play around a bit with them (for example the sitting positions) with simple targets for grouping - there's no need to waste a lot of time by running out to check targets after every course of fire! Just pure practice time to achieve stability, comfort, preferences, grouping, that could use peer pairings and small groups to mix people up and build the feeling of community we all value and enjoy. I honestly believe that this would lead to a richer pay-off in shooting satisfaction, lessen a lot of frustration, and result in more qualifications with fewer AQT drills.

The overall experience of the Appleseed Project was one I will treasure for a long, long time, and I am deeply grateful to have been invited to attend through their outreach to The Well-Armed Woman, an organization devoted to supporting women in the firearms industry in which I serve as a Tennessee chapter leader. I can't wait to go back to the Manchester Appleseed next year and will certainly be taking my husband and older children while encouraging our friends to join us! This is an incredibly valuable program that distinguishes itself through it's challenge to become better guardians of our sacred American freedoms. The rifle training alone would be more than worth the time and cost, but in the reverence for our Founders, the understanding of our history, and the passion for our nation, the Appleseed Project should be regarded as a national treasure. More than a civic duty, this is a duty you should fulfill to yourself - to earn the skills and knowledge of our forefathers in order to preserve this heritage for future generations. I hope to see you at an Appleseed clinic in the near future - and who knows, you may even see me wearing the orange hat!

[SureShotSpartan]

Great article!! Thanks for posting.

[Nero]

An article (in German, PDF) by the magazine Waffenkultur, with details by scuzzy here.  I have done a translation, here.

[hawkhavn]

Nice report from a Texas A Girl and a gun AS:
http://www.agirlandagunclub.com/alejandra-montez-earns-rifleman-patch-at-san-antonio-appleseed/

Great job Bullet!

These clubs are popping up nationwide and are another great group to partner with.

HH

[Skateteacher]

Piru 12-14/15 After Action Report

Before I get into all the details of my after action report I want to say that in a span of 24 hours I went from being the biggest newbie of all newbie's ( think, Don't be that guy) to just another shooter on the line. While this may seem like a disappointment to some, it was a huge achievement for me. Every member of the Appleseed team, Brian, Pete, Johnny, Bob, Justin, and Steve made this transition possible. I will be forever grateful for the time, attention and effort they put into me. Prior to Saturday, I had never shot a .22, my last long gun excursion was a 12 gauge shotgun shot in the twilight of my 15th year here on earth, some 33 years ago.

First off, the instruction was excellent. I learned more than I ever thought was possible to know about shooting a rifle. Johnny kept mentioning something about the "63" things you needed to do to make the perfect shot and I haven't a clue where they fit in with the six steps,  laying in the prone position, don't dare drag the wood(something I'm most good at),  and the thing about the click's, minute's, and angles. All I know is I looked at the sight inside my scope, breathed and shot that sucker for all it was worth.

What I got out of the weekend:

I tell you the truth. The most important thing I got out of the weekend was how important and awesome it is to be an American. We live in a fractured society. Everyone is a hyphen this or a hyphen that. As I drove home something occurred to me. Was there enough evidence in my life that if I was charged with being an American I would be convicted?  Sadly, I've become what so many other "American's" have become. Lazy when it comes to my history, scared when it comes to my heritage and afraid of fulfilling my birthright.

No more! Johnny told us that after today we had a choice and I know after Appleseed today my choice and my path. I am an American and darn proud of that fact. I have nothing to be ashamed of. There is no such thing as an "ugly American." America is the greatest country on the face of the earth. Look at America's response to the veritable plethora of disaster's in the world. Whether it's an earthquake, typhoon or other disaster, America is there with open arms, a blank check and a can do attitude that is unrivaled, unseen and unmet anywhere else in the world. Look at the devastation in the Philipines after the recent typhoon. How many other countries did you see stepping up to lead the rebuilding effort? What I saw was
Everyone waiting for the American's to come in and make things right.


Wow, how did I get from learning how to shoot a .22 for the first time in my life to this? Simple. 6 guys reminded me, that's how.  Being an American is the greatest feeling there is in the world. There is no other place I'd rather be and there is no other country I'd rather be a citizen of. I'm not a hyphen-American. I'm a marksman, self-reliant, self-controlled, constitution believing American from the little town of Fillmore in the state of California in the great country called the United States of America.

I'm an American, baby, and I'm darn proud of that fact. I wish it didn't take an Appleseed to figure that out but at 48 I'm old enough to admit my mistakes and make a positive change for the future.

Thank you again, Brian, Pete, Steve, Justin, Johnny, and Bob. You are all a treasure and I found the map.

I will get an AQT score above 210 in 2014 and hopefully teach alongside these great Americans sometime in the future.

Best,

Dave

[Unbridled Liberty]

Piru 12-14/15 After Action Report

Before I get into all the details of my after action report I want to say that in a span of 24 hours I went from being the biggest newbie of all newbie's ( think, Don't be that guy) to just another shooter on the line. While this may seem like a disappointment to some, it was a huge achievement for me. Every member of the Appleseed team, Brian, Pete, Johnny, Bob, Justin, and Steve made this transition possible. I will be forever grateful for the time, attention and effort they put into me. Prior to Saturday, I had never shot a .22, my last long gun excursion was a 12 gauge shotgun shot in the twilight of my 15th year here on earth, some 33 years ago.

First off, the instruction was excellent. I learned more than I ever thought was possible to know about shooting a rifle. Johnny kept mentioning something about the "63" things you needed to do to make the perfect shot and I haven't a clue where they fit in with the six steps,  laying in the prone position, don't dare drag the wood(something I'm most good at),  and the thing about the click's, minute's, and angles. All I know is I looked at the sight inside my scope, breathed and shot that sucker for all it was worth.

What I got out of the weekend:

I tell you the truth. The most important thing I got out of the weekend was how important and awesome it is to be an American. We live in a fractured society. Everyone is a hyphen this or a hyphen that. As I drove home something occurred to me. Was there enough evidence in my life that if I was charged with being an American I would be convicted?  Sadly, I've become what so many other "American's" have become. Lazy when it comes to my history, scared when it comes to my heritage and afraid of fulfilling my birthright.

No more! Johnny told us that after today we had a choice and I know after Appleseed today my choice and my path. I am an American and darn proud of that fact. I have nothing to be ashamed of. There is no such thing as an "ugly American." America is the greatest country on the face of the earth. Look at America's response to the veritable plethora of disaster's in the world. Whether it's an earthquake, typhoon or other disaster, America is there with open arms, a blank check and a can do attitude that is unrivaled, unseen and unmet anywhere else in the world. Look at the devastation in the Philipines after the recent typhoon. How many other countries did you see stepping up to lead the rebuilding effort? What I saw was
Everyone waiting for the American's to come in and make things right.


Wow, how did I get from learning how to shoot a .22 for the first time in my life to this? Simple. 6 guys reminded me, that's how.  Being an American is the greatest feeling there is in the world. There is no other place I'd rather be and there is no other country I'd rather be a citizen of. I'm not a hyphen-American. I'm a marksman, self-reliant, self-controlled, constitution believing American from the little town of Fillmore in the state of California in the great country called the United States of America.

I'm an American, baby, and I'm darn proud of that fact. I wish it didn't take an Appleseed to figure that out but at 48 I'm old enough to admit my mistakes and make a positive change for the future.

Thank you again, Brian, Pete, Steve, Justin, Johnny, and Bob. You are all a treasure and I found the map.

I will get an AQT score above 210 in 2014 and hopefully teach alongside these great Americans sometime in the future.

Best,

Dave

One of the best shooter AAR's I have read in a while!     Thank you Dave.  And thanks to the California cadre.   

UL

[grunt soldier]

Piru 12-14/15 After Action Report

Before I get into all the details of my after action report I want to say that in a span of 24 hours I went from being the biggest newbie of all newbie's ( think, Don't be that guy) to just another shooter on the line. While this may seem like a disappointment to some, it was a huge achievement for me. Every member of the Appleseed team, Brian, Pete, Johnny, Bob, Justin, and Steve made this transition possible. I will be forever grateful for the time, attention and effort they put into me. Prior to Saturday, I had never shot a .22, my last long gun excursion was a 12 gauge shotgun shot in the twilight of my 15th year here on earth, some 33 years ago.

First off, the instruction was excellent. I learned more than I ever thought was possible to know about shooting a rifle. Johnny kept mentioning something about the "63" things you needed to do to make the perfect shot and I haven't a clue where they fit in with the six steps,  laying in the prone position, don't dare drag the wood(something I'm most good at),  and the thing about the click's, minute's, and angles. All I know is I looked at the sight inside my scope, breathed and shot that sucker for all it was worth.

What I got out of the weekend:

I tell you the truth. The most important thing I got out of the weekend was how important and awesome it is to be an American. We live in a fractured society. Everyone is a hyphen this or a hyphen that. As I drove home something occurred to me. Was there enough evidence in my life that if I was charged with being an American I would be convicted?  Sadly, I've become what so many other "American's" have become. Lazy when it comes to my history, scared when it comes to my heritage and afraid of fulfilling my birthright.

No more! Johnny told us that after today we had a choice and I know after Appleseed today my choice and my path. I am an American and darn proud of that fact. I have nothing to be ashamed of. There is no such thing as an "ugly American." America is the greatest country on the face of the earth. Look at America's response to the veritable plethora of disaster's in the world. Whether it's an earthquake, typhoon or other disaster, America is there with open arms, a blank check and a can do attitude that is unrivaled, unseen and unmet anywhere else in the world. Look at the devastation in the Philipines after the recent typhoon. How many other countries did you see stepping up to lead the rebuilding effort? What I saw was
Everyone waiting for the American's to come in and make things right.


Wow, how did I get from learning how to shoot a .22 for the first time in my life to this? Simple. 6 guys reminded me, that's how.  Being an American is the greatest feeling there is in the world. There is no other place I'd rather be and there is no other country I'd rather be a citizen of. I'm not a hyphen-American. I'm a marksman, self-reliant, self-controlled, constitution believing American from the little town of Fillmore in the state of California in the great country called the United States of America.

I'm an American, baby, and I'm darn proud of that fact. I wish it didn't take an Appleseed to figure that out but at 48 I'm old enough to admit my mistakes and make a positive change for the future.

Thank you again, Brian, Pete, Steve, Justin, Johnny, and Bob. You are all a treasure and I found the map.

I will get an AQT score above 210 in 2014 and hopefully teach alongside these great Americans sometime in the future.

Best,

Dave

this is a beautiful thing!  congrats sir!