Palm Bay, PMRPC, Feb. 1-2

[malabar]

What a great weekend! We had a week of rain before the shoot, but Saturday rolled around and the clouds rolled back, and we had a cool, overcast day for a great shoot. We had 19 preregs and three no-shows.    They don't know what they missed!

Peter Young came down from Orlando to coach me through my final shoot as SBIT.  He gave us some great history, and instruction. THANKS PETER!

Our shooters saw huge improvement. One improved 100 points in a day. Two patriots made the score (one shooting over 220 twice); three other shooters consistently shot over 200; and several others were shooting in the 180 range.  Most amazing, we had a couple of new shooters that scored high enough to graduate from boot camp.  These shooters rocked!

We did a fun shoot with crackers glued to a heavy target backer, and had the shooters break into knots to shoot the targets -- fastest team wins.  The shooters enjoyed it, but for future reference:  Don't use stale crackers -- or too much glue. <g>

We promoted a couple of IITs and added a new orange hat to our ranks -- welcome Dennis "The Menace" to the ranks of our IITs.

Our history was shared, our heritage was passed on, and sleeping patriots were awakened.

Our community is building!

[frgood]

Spot on! And Major Huzzah to all.

I had a blast. By Sunday afternoon those crackers still looked mighty tasty.

I continue to reel from the education. Every sore muscle (even the newly found ones) and every creak in my bones is a bit of knowledge that will eventually make a whole body. (More puns coming). Being able to drive home, pull out my CZ 452 Ultralux, and look at it with a new found appreciation is something everyone should experience.

It is now Monday morning and I, eagerly, have begun planning my training regiment. Excellent work Tom (and team) and congratulations on being recognized and BMOC (Big man on Campus).

[draken]

Fantastic shoot indeed!

If I have to pick a word to define it, it would be "Perseverance".

Congrats to Guntuckian and TheMenance! I have the privilege of starting my Path with you and now, I have the special honor of you been the first Riflemen that earn their status in my line! (Not  that it really matter  but this is another Appleseed moment I will treasure!). Your perseverance honing your skills made it possible! Huzzah!!!!!

Frgood, Sir, hats of to you! Your are another fine example of perseverance! Seening you in the line, with you bolt action, pushing your limits, with a clear goal of improving yourself was and is inspiring!!! I hope to see you again in the line real soon!

[Guntuckian]

It was a fantastic AS!  The weather was near perfect, with good shooting by all! 

Perseverance was what made it all come together.  Both TheMenace and I started with Draken April last year as first time Appleseeders.  After 5 Appleseeds, at my sixth AS,  I know I have learned a tremendous amount!  And, I have become a Rifleman with my Appleseed friends!  Spending 12 days over 6 'seeds with such fine folks and patriots is truly a blessing!  I doubt the Founders were any luckier!

Many thanks to all the fine instructors who have taught me over 6 'seeds!

Special thanks to nomadichillbilly who has taught me additionally outside the six 'seeds, and to HeidiHeidi, and "Buck" who have both taught and encouraged me through a long hot summer at Appleseeds in Florida.  Shooting in Florida in June, August, and October is a difficult  time of year to stay focused!  Special thanks also to Heidi Rose, who is wise beyond her years!  She also watched and noticed why I missed shots, thereby helping me improve!

My journey is only beginning!  Much as in the martial arts, where a Blackbelt is really the beginning of true learning, becoming a Rifleman is also only the beginning of starting to learn!

Thanks,

-- Gary

[TheMenace]

You guys and gals rock! I can't think of much to add to the prior posts except that I am humbled in your presence. PMRPC AS has become one of my passions.  Special thanks to Gary (Guntuckian) and Ivan (Draken) for pulling me along with them. Every instructor has shown me the AS way and encouraged my progress. I look forward to learning and sharing with fellow instructors and students, both new and old.

[heidiheidi]

Huzzah to Guntuckian and Dennis "the Menace".  Perseverance and commitment you two have shown all along.  Although very different guys, At each AS you have attended you have both brought the teachable attitude.   That makes all the difference and also makes instructing so much fun for orange hats.  Congrats!     Great job to Hannah and Nicole.  Hannah was so excited she "tore up the targets."  Nicole is the sleeper who is the highest scorer in her family.  Nice job Dennis Lloyd getting super gear for your family.  Way to go.  Mark and Chris are closing in to getting their patch.  Thomas and Matt were awesome.  Thomas improved tremendously and had a great attitude.  Matt was memorable shooting his father's historic rifle, single shot, and keeping up with the AQTs.  I am so proud of everyone who attended and gave it their all. 
Personally, as an orange hat I thought a lot about the word commitment during this appleseed.  Commitment to this program goes a lot further than just showing up and helping out.  Commitment includes spreading the word of upcoming shoots to help achieve a firing line full of new people way before the AS begins.  Commitment includes setting up tents and targets and hauling gear and supplies.  It is the instructor who brings extra personal slings, mags, rifles and gear to loan out to new shooters.  It includes some bedtime reading and study.  It means helping instructors who travel long distances and creating friendships to further AS.  Commitment includes adding to after action reports.  What the word commitment means is different for each one of us, but together we are creating something bigger and better than any of us can do singularly.
Thank you, shooters, for your commitment to learn and thank you, team, for your commitment to AS.