This instructor usually formats the public After Action Reports by mentioning the highlights of the major teaching points covered during the event, but will depart from that format to concentrate on the magnificent group of students whom we were fortunate to have last weekend. But in a very short acknowledgement of the marksmanship instruction, remember the three legs of the tripod...building a rock solid foundation (Sling Use and Steady Hold Factors), the proper way to align the sights on target (Natural Point of Aim), and the integrated act of firing the shot (the Six Steps). And that in comparison to the precious gift of Liberty bestowed on us by our Creator, and the incomparable heritage bequeathed us by the Founding Generation, marksmanship is definitely of secondary importance.
Tim, we so enjoyed your cheerful upbeat disposition, your quiet composure, and that awesome .223 you brought. You have the makings of a fine marksman if you persist in your improvement, and we certainly hope to see you again soon. Brandon and Ryan, you were awesome! We especially enjoyed your magnificent enthusiasm, your maturity, and your faultless safety. And your donation to Project Appleseed at the end of the event was deeply appreciated. Your mother and father must be very proud of you. Claudio, you did a fine job, both as a shooter, but more importantly, as a father. Julian and Alex are two fine young men who were also safe, attentive, and very mature. We missed the three of you on Sunday and hope you will be able to join us for another Appleseed event. As a prior student told us, "I came expecting a rifle marksmanship clinic. But what I got was an American experience!" Please come back and join us soon. Grant, I really enjoyed your easy going disposition and your persistence in the face of a resolving physical difficulty which made the experience more challenging for you than would otherwise have been the case. What a great attitude! Tabitha, what a creative and innovative method you developed to meet the challenge of being the coach of your 4H marksmanship team, and with very little experience to guide you, but with the determination to help your daughter and her friends. You have the makings to rise to the very pinnacle of the coaching ranks. And your marksmanship improvement over the weekend was very impressive. Morgan, you were already a good shooter when you came, and your quiet determination and your very high expectations of yourself were most commendable. Which was capped off by your scoring Rifleman. You go, girl! Kim, I really liked your persistence and determination and your willingness to try various expedients to continue your improvement. You are a fine student with a great disposition and you will be welcomed on my line any time. Tom, after all these years of allowing your marksmanship skills to lie dormant, it was wonderful to see you improve so quickly. And I am convinced you are right, the correct kind of shooting glasses will likely do wonders and allow you to enjoy shooting even more. Which you will have to do in order to give Ben a run for his money, which you are quite capable of doing. Ben, I loved your attitude and your willingness to give our methods a fair try. It was an honor to present you with your Rifleman patch, and an even greater one to hear that you intended to join the Appleseed instructor corps. You will make an excellent instructor and I am eager to work with you again.
To all our gallant students, it was a pleasure and an honor to get to know each and every one of you. As the instructors discussed the proceedings during our After Action Report, however, what most impressed and gratified all of us was the rapt attention and the obvious pride you showed during the presentation of the Story of April 19, 1775, and of the individual stories of the Dangerous Old Men, Brave Women, and Gallant Children who had such love of Liberty that they were willing to pay any price to secure it. Huzza, all, and may Liberty increase forever!
I want to second Dr Johns comments. It was a pleasure to attend this Appleseed. Great facilities, great students, it was just a great weekend.
I must commend Dr. John and the other instructors that worked with my daughter Tabatha and granddaughter Morgan on the outstanding course of instruction they presented this past weekend. Even though I didn't shoot, I found this event to be very informative. I would recommend this program to anyone that wants to improve their marksmanship skills, and I also VERY much enjoyed the history presented during the breaks. Thanks for a great weekend!
Thank you Dr. John and all the other instructors for your enthusiasm and instruction this past weekend! You were inspiring to me personally, and I'm definitely going to start down the path toward becoming an instructor.