I feel a little guilty about this, but I'm going to shamelessly plagiarize a Facebook post from Bluegrass Colonel for my AAR. (Thanks, Greg!!) I will add that it was truly a pleasure to be able to spend the weekend with this crew. You guys worked hard and made it a great weekend! :bow:
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This past weekend an Instructor Bootcamp was held at the Stones River Hunter Education Center in Antioch, TN. The Instructor-students had the benefit of having Diana Chambers ("Google"), Deputy National Coordinator and Senior Instructor, as Shoot Boss; and Rusty Bonkoski ("Maximum Ordinate"), National Coordinator and Master Instructor as Instructor. Stephen Mitchell ("Old Navy Doc"), Mark Carroll ("CarrollMS"), Robert Wadley ("Tennessee Beast"), and Greg Seneff ("Bluegrass Colonel") all served as small group leaders helping the students apply what they were learning.
There were 13 students, all of whom were very engaged in all of the presentations. After presentation of most blocks of instruction (steady hold factors, natural point of aim, six steps of firing the shot, and more), the students broke out into small groups and made their own presentations. The history presentations assigned each student and leader were impressive and many introduced new information about various aspects of the events and people surrounding April 19, 1775 and beyond. Tennessee cadre's ability to passionately present history is impressive.
Recognition pins were presented to 3 attendees: TN Beast (25), Living Hand (25), and Bluegrass Colonel (50) events. Huzzah!
One of the students ("undefined") provided beef brisket for lunch the first day and it was fantastic! Thank you, undefined! Everyone else pitched in and it was quite a meal.
This year there will be upwards of 22 Project Appleseed events in Tennessee. The Instructor-students who attended this event have sharpened their skills to fulfill the mission of Project Appleseed.
We want to thank TWRA Officer Tim Turrentine and all of the other officers and volunteers at Stones River Hunter Education Center for making us feel welcome and allowing us to use their wonderful facilities. Thank you as well to Google and Maximum Ordinate for coming from Alabama to Middle Tennessee to invest in the Tennessee cadre!
Group pic (missing undefined):
(https://i.imgur.com/Zk7Yllh.jpg)
Maximum Ordinate holding class:
(https://i.imgur.com/7n2k7xU.jpg)
Tennessee Beast receiving an award for his improvement and dedication to the mission:
(https://i.imgur.com/DLenW2L.jpg)
Prone exercise:
(https://i.imgur.com/YYeJlaJ.jpg)
Standing practice:
(https://i.imgur.com/GRsH4kz.jpg)
The finer points of standing:
(https://i.imgur.com/KrqoCgK.jpg)
TN Beast making sure everyone has their patches:
(https://i.imgur.com/EqjSSZK.jpg)
I had a great time and appreciated the opportunity to be a group lead. Many thanks to Bluegrass Colonel, Google, Ramblin' Wreck, and Tim Turrentine (TWRA) for making this event possible. As always, I appreciate Maximum Ordinate taking time to spend with us (I ALWAYS learn something from him). The brisket that undefined provided was probably the best brisket I have had, so HUZZAH! I was honored to be recognized for my improvement and promise to keep improving. I feel fortunate to have so many great instructors close by that I can lean on as well as the opportunity to travel to visit other great instructors. I can hardly wait until my next IBC!
For the IIT's I worked with, I think you did a fabulous job. You will make great instructors. I have seen improvement in several of you since the last time I worked with you.
I would like to encourage every "hat" to participate in an IBC annually. I know it helps me improve and keep up with current changes in the program. Additionally, it is a great way to get to know your fellow instructors better. As a reminder, you don't have to be a volunteer to come to an IBC, but I will almost guarantee that you will be one before you leave. ;)
CarrollMS also received a Tennessee State Patch for coming down from KY to be a group lead, but wasn't included in the picture due to an error on my part. My apologies to him.
I had a blast! IBC's are incredibly enjoyable as well as inspiring and motivating. If you every feel like you need a little boost, do an IBC and rekindle amazing friendships while preserving our heritage.
Google was superb at herding us cats and covering the entire COF without us feeling rushed. Undefined has spoiled me for good with his brisket and his inspired history presentation.
Thanks to all for your attentiveness and effort. I look forward to working with you all this year.
Doc
Well done, guys!!
And Undefined's brisket?!?!?!? (http://www.914world.com/bbs2/style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif) O0
We're definitely spoiled with so many senior and master instructors who are willing to give their time & come teach us the finer points of running an event. Combine that with awesome food, and I feel sorry for anyone who didn't make it to the Antioch IBC (2-20!) It's always a good day when spent in the company of good people.
I am humbled "Google" used my Facebook post. I meant every word!
In my Facebook post I originally failed to thank my angel - "Little Shine" - for helping with the registration check-ins, etc. She typically has very busy weekends, so her clearing her schedule to help out is appreciated. I will be adding that note.
"Undefined's" brisket was wonderful and I appreciate everyone chipping in to make it a great meal.
Like several have already expressed, I am thankful to be in the Tennessee Valley - Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia cadre. The resources, help and passion are nearly bottomless. That said, I would encourage every AC, IIT, Instructor, and above to continue encouraging shooters to volunteer. We need to sustain our event growth in Tennessee. To do that without burn out we need more hands on deck.
Thanks again to "Google" and "Maximum Ordinate" for investing in the TN Valley!
I am proud to be on the Appleseed Trail with everyone who participated.
In Liberty!
After 2 Appleseed events as a shooter (2017 & 2019), this was my first instructor (IIT) event and was so genuinely impressed with the comradery, dedication, commitment and passion for carrying the vision and mission forward by teaching others and living the practice. Sincere thanks and appreciation for those in attendance and support of the weekend!
Copied from the other thread:
This might not be the right place for an AAR, but I wanted to take a moment to thank Google and Maximum Ordinate (and also Bluegrass Col, and Booney Stomper, and Old Navy Doc, and everyone else that helped me out, which is pretty much everyone else that attended) for such an amazing weekend.
It was an honor and a pleasure to meet and learn from all of you.
I forgot to mention - depending on the dates for the next event at Stones River, I'm more than happy to bring the chow again. Sharing good food, American history, and marksmanship hits all three of my main passions.
I am still kicking myself for both going over the allotted time for the history briefing and not working in "His Rotundity" as I had planned. Oh well, I suppose that is a story for another day.
What a great IBC! Thanks to Google and Max Ord for doing a great job. It was nice to see the Instructors I already knew again and very good to meet the ones I hadn't met before. I learned a lot during the blocks of instruction and also in conversations with everyone. I left feeling refreshed and ready for another season of Appleseed. A very worthwhile event.
Boy I hate that I missed this! I would much rather have been with fellow patriots than doing what I was about but my efforts are finally going to pay off with the sale of the property we've had on the market for TWO YEARS. I'm sure I'll see everyone on the line somewhere in the coming months.
One message I wanted to convey if I'd been there is that we really need another range, or two, someplace between Nashville and Memphis to expand our coverage in middle and west Tennessee. If you have any suggestions please send me a PM and we'll get to work on it.
Thanks for all you do. See you on the line.
Wreck.