Midland TX AAR - August 18-21 2022 - Known Distance Camp

[Maximum Ordinate]

The first ever Project Appleseed KD IBC was in July of 2016 and spearheaded by Ramblin' Wreck.  It significantly bolstered KD teaching across the region.

At the request of the Southwest Regional Coordinator, we dusted off that lesson plan and refined it for 2022!

Sixteen volunteers gathered in Midland Texas at the Midland Shooters Association range for for the KD Camp.  My thanks to MSA Rifle Director John K. for his hospitality and generosity!  The students at this KDC came together from Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Florida, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee!

The plan was supposed to be simple - two days of classroom and practical exerises for the instructors and then two more days on the range running a live Known Distance.  However, no plan survives first contact! 

Thursday morning came way too early and it had rained the night before.  Midland is located in the Texas desert... so let's just say that the roads aren't renouned for managing large amounts of water.  Instead of driving straight to the range for the first time, the route could best be described as labyrinthine.  The underpasses were simply unpassable to all but the largest pickup trucks.  Many 4-lane roads were reduced to 2 lanes or fewer due to the flooding!

Once everyone drove, sailed, or scuba'd to the classroom, we got started.  We focused on mastering the ability to plan, prepare, and execute a Known Distance event that focused on the 3 Challenges of a Rifleman.  Thursday was predominantly classroom time and small groups.  Friday we started the day on the range.  We practiced orderly movement of a firing line, an episode of Ball & Dummy that was turned up to 11, and some Range Estimation.  Then, before it got too awfully hot, we retired to the clubhouse for more classroom time and small group exercises.  After getting back into the air conditioning, our focus for the day was Inches-Milliradians-Clicks and the Third Challenge of a Rifleman.

Of course, we're Project Appleseed so history is front and center.  Mrs. Smith shared an overview of the story of the War of Regulation & Battle of Alamance.  Steck shared the story of King's Mountain.  Both presentations covered the themes of the stories and why they are important to us as Americans today.

On Saturday and Sunday, the students of the KD Camp became the instructors, coaches, and mentors for real shooters.  I am proud of how well they did, but that's a story for someone else to tell!   

Some special thanks:  Ghostring - you rock.  Your leadership spirit embodies everything Appleseed stands for.  Tejas - I know how hard you worked to get the range ready and your efforts were appreciated by so many.  Huzzah!  Mrs. Smith - thank you for putting your shoulder to the wheel to make this event happen.  And I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to Lady Di (Tejas's bride) who helped feed us all four days!  You are awesome - thank you for taking care of us.

I've got some pictures below.  Some mine and some courtesy of the TheMenace, who wins the award for longest distance traveled - all the way from FLORIDA!   

In Liberty,
MO


KD Camp group picture!


Our mascot


In the classroom


Steck making a point in her small group


floydf presenting


Desert_Diver showing us how it's done


A young Giant Texas Jackalope, before its horns come in


IMC by Ghostring



Thursday night dinner in an airplane hangar


Friday on the range

[Tennessee Beast]

I enjoyed this Boot Camp immensely!  Thank you for everyone who made this possible.  I learned a lot!

[Steck]

This was a SOLID event, everyone learned a lot.  Real confidence-builder!

If a similar event is being held in your area, GO.

[57plymouth]

Excuse my ignorance, but what do the gray hats symbolize?  I know orange, red, and green.  What's gray mean?

[Maximum Ordinate]

Excuse my ignorance, but what do the gray hats symbolize?  I know orange, red, and green.  What's gray mean?

There are five official Appleseed hat colors.

Royal blue: Applecore / Applecore-RSO.
Orange: Instructor in Training.
Red: Instructor.
Kelly green: Instructor charged with serving as Shoot Boss.  Though most instructors serving as SB sport a kelly green hat, it is an optional wear item for the Shoot Boss of that particular event.  Other SB-qualified instructors wear red at an event.
Grey (silver): Instructor - Senior or Master.  This hat is an optional wear item.  Some prefer to wear red hats instead (as two in our group picture did).

[57plymouth]

What is Applecore?  I'm not familiar with that either.

Gray is for the people that train the orange/red/green hats?

[JustKim]

WOW!  Looks like an amazing event!!

One of these days!!!

[scuzzy]

MaxOrd forgot to mention how he tortured us.

When we all did the ball n' dummy drill Friday he asked us to shoot left handed if we were right handed. And vice-a-versa.

I'd forgot how much of a chore it is for new shooters to get everything down.

Getting a half way decent NPOA wasn't easy.

And I had a hell of a time getting the sight picture shooting right handed - I'm a lefty by the way. Thinking back I remember telling my brother when teaching him 'come on - it's not that hard to get a sight picture.' I stand corrected - it take a bit of doing if you're not used to getting one. It's so easy now that I'd forgot how hard it can be. Make sure no shadow, eye just right distance from scope, etc, etc.

And Jim's benediction on Sunday was one of the best I'd ever seen. Fire and Brimstone.

[Mrs. Smith]

MaxOrd forgot to mention how he tortured us.

When we all did the ball n' dummy drill Friday he asked us to shoot left handed if we were right handed. And vice-a-versa.

There's gotta be something in the Geneva Convention about making people shoot wrong-handed 

Seriously, though, it was a startling reminder of what it felt like to be a new shooter, and what it took to overcome our respective roadblocks.  It was brilliant, really. But you'll never hear me say that again 

*This message will self-destruct in 5 seconds*

[Tennessee Beast]

You don't want me to shoot left handed.  I can model it, though.

[Tennessee Beast]

What is Applecore?  I'm not familiar with that either.

Gray is for the people that train the orange/red/green hats?

AppleCore help with administration and may be a range safety officer if qualified.  AppleCore may or may not have shot a Rifleman score.

Green hats (shoot bosses) make orange and red hats.
Designated Shoot bosses (who also wear green hats) and any Gray hat can make green hats, red hats, orange hats, or blue hats. Both can also run Known Distance clinics.
Gray hats are the quality control for the program. Many of them travel a lot!!!! If qualified (Senior IBC/RBC's), they can run instructor boot camps or rifleman boot camps. 

[Beavertail]

Moved to other thread.

[pennys dad]

Best challenge I have had in a long time.