ATE-UP
"Ate-up", wow, I hadn't heard that one in awhile (a few decades).
My wife, like me, is former military. As junior enlisted in the early 80's, we both knew that "ate-up" was synonymous with "lifer", as a derogatory term for the other junior enlisted who were "buying into this".
When I started putting in a little extra time as part on my SBit, my lovely bride commented to me that Appleseed is lucky to have someone as ate-up as me. I laughed it off and proceeded out the door to my pre-shoot instructors meeting.
On Saturday morning, in the pre-dawn cold, it dawned on me; "She's right." I am ate-up. But I'm not alone.
Instructors setting up the three lines, hanging the flags, lighting heaters, putting up the maps, greeting shooters, shooters showing up, the firing line being addressed, mats being placed, assignments being made and accepted, no-one shirking, everyone asking what next, safety brief and Redcoats, 10 strings of fire; all at 3-15 degrees Fahrenheit. Ate-up.
The smell of propane heaters mixed with the perfume of spent powder, and the garbage can was full of ripped open "Hot Hands" hand warmer wrappers. It was game on; Winterseed in Alaska. We had a ball.
A full cadre and 11 shooters populated a very cramped shooting line on Saturday morning and it got even more crowded on Sunday as a few of the Orange Hats rotated out to take their chance at earning the coveted Winterseed qual.
It was awesome in the context of what it was. Marksmanship was taught and embraced, history was taught and several questions answered, new friends made and old friends reaffirmed, all done while you could watch every breath. Winterseed in Alaska is it's own thing. 80ish shooters became 120ish shooters, 140ish shooters became 190ish shooters. Very sadly, we could not get anyone over the 210 hump and add to our Rifleman total. As a positive, we did gain 7 Winterseed qualified instructors.
So, as we bust down the target line and listen to the benediction; "ate-up",, guilty as charged. As are the 20-25 folks, instructors and shooter alike, in that 50 yard by 50 yard range……..I think it's probably a good thing.
--FourFans
HUZZAH!
Well said fourfans, well said...
Photos by Gracie.
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2807.JPG_zpssf96pjvd.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2807.JPG_zpssf96pjvd.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2813.JPG_zpsnazreey2.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2813.JPG_zpsnazreey2.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2811.JPG_zpspzsk3aga.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2811.JPG_zpspzsk3aga.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2810.JPG_zpsyuwvzbsq.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2810.JPG_zpsyuwvzbsq.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2809.JPG_zps7dneqfqi.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2809.JPG_zps7dneqfqi.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2798.JPG_zpsupmlzs2a.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2798.JPG_zpsupmlzs2a.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2797.JPG_zpsrosninqe.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2797.JPG_zpsrosninqe.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2795.JPG_zpsz6q90b2f.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2795.JPG_zpsz6q90b2f.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2794.JPG_zpstaieyc3g.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2794.JPG_zpstaieyc3g.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2792.JPG_zpsftcqltsj.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2792.JPG_zpsftcqltsj.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2789.JPG_zpsbbcdpjvs.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2789.JPG_zpsbbcdpjvs.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2788.JPG_zpsqarbqmit.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2788.JPG_zpsqarbqmit.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2786.JPG_zpsc17p1oy4.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2786.JPG_zpsc17p1oy4.jpg.html)
(http://i361.photobucket.com/albums/oo59/hogfamilyak/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2821.JPG_zpscghd6qid.jpg) (http://s361.photobucket.com/user/hogfamilyak/media/Birchwood%20AS%203-17/IMG_2821.JPG_zpscghd6qid.jpg.html)
Awesome pics!
You got my good side.
;)