Project Appleseed

Despite the threat of constant rain, 18 shooters joined us for a weekend of history and marksmanship at Strategic Edge Range in Chapel Hill TN. The rain did deliver for most of Saturday with lightning halting the event for about an hour.

Our first hits count target told us we had work to do. The afternoon hits count showed that the shooters listened and greatly improved.

We had a nice mix of youth and adults. It was a family weekend for some as well.

Due to challenging equipment issues and the weather stoppage, we called it a day before teaching sitting. We picked up where we left off for Sunday and completed the COF. We shot 4 AQTs and incorporated a refresher mag change drill.

When it was all said and done, Noelle requalified with scores of 216 and 244. We welcomed two new Riflemen as well: Kyle with 232 and Matt with 213. Congrats to all!

We had a great time, thank you again for the time and effort put into the kiddos.

Our oldest now wants to move up to the sling for our next appleseed later this year. I hope to get to a KD this year too, Lord willing.

Thanks again ArmyVet, Tennessee Beast, Boonie, Tony, and the IIT ( I cant remember your name but got many helpful suggestions from you!)  for all that you all do to keep this movement going!

I cant post without sharing my youngest flying leg 

Moving up to the sling is a great goal! Remember,  it's about progress, not perfection! The flying legs were a constant source of amusement. Your kiddos were great but I think you did more coaching than we did.

Thanks for bringing the family!

Well, I had a big old long post last week, but it timed out and I lost it all. So, brevity maybe is required.

This was a really great event despite the rain. And my 19yo daughter shot rifleman again. 216. Teen girls are, or um, can be, particular, headstrong, opinionated, prickly, antisocial, etc. So, after the 216, I asked her if she was done. At the last Appleseed, she shot rifleman once or maybe twice and sat out the rest of the afternoon until the Redcoat target. She likes clearing Redcoats. She informed me she was going to do another AQT. She wasn't satisfied with her performance. She posted a 244. I was amazed, shocked and very pleased and proud. Noelle doesn't get a lot of wins. She doesn't participate in competition things where she gets a lot of affirmation. She doesn't have a lot of friends. She struggles in academics and flourishes in arts, but art is very subjective and not objective. It's hard to measure. Getting rifleman a few years ago was incredible for her. She went from 150s at one Appleseed, to consistent rifleman scores at the next. She has since demonstrated consistency. This is something she is objectively GOOD at, not compared to girls her age, or women of all ages, but EVERYBODY.

ArmyVet was especially affirming, from recognizing her when she arrived, to giving her the benefit of doubt when it appeared two bullets may have entered the same hole. "The way she's been shooting, it wouldn't surprise me." It seems like a simple thing, but it's probably something that she'll remember her entire life.

i want to thank all of you. I know sometimes it may be harder working with kids. They have trouble focusing, they have trouble being consistent, they hear, and then forget, or just don't do it, or think they know better. But the consistent, kind, excellent instruction that you bring, the willingness to get right down there with the kids and examine what is going on to try to improve on one aspect of the skills of marksmanship, it is much appreciated. ArmyVet reminded my son to squeeze the trigger and hold it back. Repeatedly. Tennessee Beast came by, and also reminded him. Finally Beast grabbed a piece of paper and had him hold the piece of paper in place on the trigger as he fired and reset, to try to teach him this one aspect. It would be easy to just move on and think, "He's not listening, he won't learn, maybe when he is older." The patience in the face of repetitive instruction is not quite saintly, but I probably owe you a drink.

Thank you all for your investment in me and my children through the years. One rifleman among my children so far. Two more to go. My daughter might be accepting an orange hat, and if she does, my boys might take blue hats until they get their rifleman patch. We'll see.