Coeur d"Alene, ID - Pre-Patriot's Day Event - April 14-15 - AAR

[TruTenacity]

Wow!  What an event!

The weather was exceptionally pleasant on Saturday.  The rain hit just as we were wrapping up the day.  Sunday greeted us with some slight mist in the morning hours, but the clouds never did open up and shower upon us.  The rest of Sunday remained cool with a slight breeze coming up the valley.

We accomplished a lot on Saturday.  After I welcomed the students and gave an introduction of what Project Appleseed is all the Instructors introduced themselves.  I then gave a brief introduction to the events leading up to April 19th, 1775 followed by various Instructors presenting the safety brief.  We then had the students bring their rifles to the lines.  They posted their Red Coat targets and the first rounds went down range at 10:05.  Sling use, prone position, Steady Hold Factors, Six Steps of Firing a Shot, Natural Point of Aim, Inches-Minutes-Clicks, talking targets, Carding the Sights, and Ball and Dummy were done before we broke for lunch at 12:45.  During lunch the 1st and 2nd Strikes were told.  After lunch more 5 squares were posted.  After fine-tuning the sights another 5 square target was posted and the sitting position and magazine changes were taught.  Next an AQT was posted and used to teach standing and transitions.  We squeezed in an AQT for score prior to finishing off the afternoon with a Red Coat.  We gathered to hear the 3rd strike.  Before the benediction, eert had the privilege of handing out two rifleman patches to two first-time riflemen.  Forrest, a first time Appleseeder, and Chris, job well done!  Our day was wrapped up by me giving the benediction message.

After a brief welcome and a "Thank you, Captain Parker" letter were read actineon reviewed the safety briefing from Saturday before the attendees brought their rifles to the line.  The shooters posted their morning's Red Coat and the first rounds of day two went down range at 9:35.  After shooting a 5 square target to get loosened up as well as fine-tuning their sights both lines posted a practice AQT then proceeded to shoot two more AQTs for score.  Lunch on Sunday rolled around at 12:20.  While the attendees enjoyed a bit of sunshine while eating, a few Instructors told the Dangerous Old Men stories.  A new story, "A Couple Committed to Liberty, The Story of Richard and Dorcas Richardson" made its debut, too.   Prior to moving into Known Distance instruction Eert and actineon shared the joyous task of acknowledging repeat riflemen, and handing out Rifleman Patches to Project Appleseed's new riflemen and riflewoman ... Tom was a repeat rifleman, Chris showed us his ability from Saturday was no joke, Tom's son, Ross, as well as Jim C. and Jim E. shot rifleman scores after attending prior Appleseed events, and finally Bob and Bobby, Nick, Steve, Smitty, and Stacy joined the Riflemen/Riflewoman ranks as first time Appleseed attendees (two father/son teams and one husband/wife team).  How fun is that!  Eert also took time during lunch to recognize and present the youth patch to the twelve youth that attended this event and thanked their parents for bringing them.  I gave a twenty minute Known Distance presentation, the attendees put away their lunches, and we went back to the lines.  The upper line couldn't accommodate all the attendees to shoot known distance so they were split up.  The lower line pumped out five AQTs with some fun targets thrown into the mix.  The upper line spent the rest of the day applying the KD instruction while shooting either their .22lrs out to 100 yards or their centerfires out to 400 yards.  4:15 rolled around and both lines finished up with shooting a Red Coat.  A group from the Sherriff's department had the range reserved for night training beginning at 5:00 pm so the Instructors and attendees hustled to clean up and put both lines back together before I gave some closing remarks and Reformed Redneck presented Sunday evening's benediction.

Thanks to Fernan Rod & Gun Club for hosting this event.  The location is always beautiful and this is one place where KD out to 400 yards may be attempted.

I personally want to thank the Instructors for demonstrating their ability to teach both our heritage and the elements of rifle marksmanship well while being flexible with the course of fire as we sought to optimize our time while giving attention to individual student instruction whenever possible.

To the students, thank you for coming.  Thank you for listening well, for not drowning even though we shoved the fire hose down your throats, and for being such an encouragement to us as we watched the lights go on and your groups shrink.  Keep dry practicing, keep reading about your heritage, keep yourself informed as you exercise the third option the Founders fought to give us, and keep spreading the word about Project Appleseed.

Let us never forget these words from our Founders:
"Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of.  Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free and heaven and earth will aid the resolution.  On you depend the fortunes of America.  You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn.  Act worthy of yourselves." - Joseph Warren, Boston Massacre Oration, 1775

"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost this present generation to preserve your freedom!  I hope you will make good use of it.  If you do not, I shall repent in Heaven, that I ever took half the pains to preserve it. - John Adams.

(No doubt replies and pictures will soon follow.)

[Roland]

First allow me to say that I am truly sorry that I couldn't make it out for the weekend. I think this is only the third CDA shoot I have missed since I became an Orange Hat two years ago, but I had a previous commitment.

I believe I saw some names I recognize up there. Congratulations to all of out new riflemen/women, especially those repeat shooters for persisting.

Jim (The one I have worked with before), It's great to see you were able to remember 2 2, 3 3, even without my reminders . I had no doubt you would make it.

This thread needs more pictures!

Allow me to add one more quote: "How sad it is that a brother's sword has been sheathed in a brother's breast, and the once peaceful plains of America are either to be drenched in blood or inhabited by a race of slaves. But can a virtuous man ever hesitate in his choice?"- George Washington. (Apologies if I misquoted, reciting from memory.)

Dirk/Roland

[Evenstar]

This shoot was so fun! It really reminded me of the 'good old days' of Appleseed events in CdA, two lines and everything! Everyone came ready to listen and learn, which made our jobs as instructors that much easier, even if there wasn't a whole lot of time for much 1-on-1 instruction, at least on Saturday. Thank you all for coming out for the the weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone at future events.

It wasn't only the marksmanship that people were thrilled to hear about. I overheard one lady's comment to her friends after lunch on Saturday: "In high school, history was boring and dry. I am loving how this history is up close and personal."

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll just write up my AAR and insert the pictures along with my comments. I hope to see some of you attendees posting here too!

Betsy, I hope you can fill in with some pictures of some of the Rifleman being awarded their patches. A few of mine didn't turn out. Also, I'm looking forward to seeing pics from the lower line.

Alright, here goes...

Fernan Lake, on the way to the range. The reason everyone should Appleseed at CdA.


My only artsy shot this weekend; we were busy!


Saturday's group on the upper line


Mother and son


Half of our line with Still Learnin' doing some coaching


Cedarpole and I taught NPOA



Jim E. and Stacy E. team up for 'carding the sights'


TruTenacity oversees Zach and Jeremiah


Here's the full group together for lunch on Saturday. Cedarpole tells the 1st Strike.


Still Learnin' and BrassyLassie go over the seated positions


BrassyLassie has a great, straight standing position


Full upper line, with the three Young Marines at the left end


Eert told the 3rd Strike in the afternoon


Sunday morning - Brother and sister: Jess and Sam. Jess was a Sunday-only attendee, so I got to spend a lot of time with her, getting her up to speed. She had never shot a rifle before, only BB guns. Four of her five first shots on the 5 square target were all touching.  Oh, and she'll be back for more soon. I'm looking forward to it Jess. I think it's awesome that we share birthdays.


Did I mention she was having FUN!


Zach is a left handed shooter with a right handed bolty. He adapted, improvised, and overcame, and had fun to boot!


Sam definitely wasn't dragging wood


Aubrey working on prone.


Jim C.'s quick mag change


Jim E. shot KD


Reformed Redneck got a chance to shoot out to distance too!


Jeremiah


A Marine loaned his rifle to Jack to try out this past weekend!


The upper line on Sunday


Angie


Jess is now asking for her dad to get her a .22 for her birthday.


Sam tries the red dot scope at 100 yards.


....and this is headed home. It's Spring in Idaho folks. Just thought ya'll should know.

[Evenstar]

OK, here are the Rifleman pictures, along with a shot of the youth patch presentation.

Forrest and Chris made their scores on Saturday.



The rest of our Rifemen were forged before lunch on Sunday. Jim and Stacy E. shot matching scores of 210, but we were nice and they didn't get buckets of water dumped over their heads.


Nick


YEAH JIM C.!!! It was awesome to see you finally make that score! Angie and Aubrey are next!


Ross finally made that score too


Tom is a repeat Rifleman


Our Riflemen and Riflewoman minus Forrest, who couldn't make it on Sunday.


At lunch on Sunday, eert passed out youth patches. You guys were awesome!

[Evenstar]

Here is a video I got of our left handed shooter working his right handed bolty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2eEJ3venkI. (Yep, that was a misfire at the end there.)

OK, that's all I've got. Really looking forward to hearing from everybody else.

[TruTenacity]

Here's the link to the Northwest Region Project Appleseed facebook album for this event:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.372284752815184.85108.163235577053437&type=1

[Roland]

That's... That's an ACR. Wow.

[IC2(SS)19Z50C5]

WOW!!!!!... BRAVO ZULU!!!, Those are really great pictures, I sure hope to make a training event in Coeur d"Alene, ID. Impressive to see so many folks out shooting so early in the season..

Best Regards to All!!!

[Betsy]

More pictures.  Sorry I didn't get candids from the lower line.  With only 2 orange hats and one line boss for 17 shooters, we were too busy "flipping the switch" between RSO and instructing to have time for photos.  Not that we didn't have some "Kodak moments" that we would have liked to share.  Wish we could have given more individual attention to more shooters, but everyone persisted.