How'd we all get here in the first place?

[PHenry]

I was over at the WI state board and saw a post that caught my eye and frankly warmed my heart a bit. DragonFly has posted an "I was an American Doofus" section asking for others to relate how they found Appleseeds and why they joined. http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?topic=17338.0;topicseen

It's a great chance for all of us to recall why we are here and help us focus on our common goal - to save our country by passing on our unique American heritage before it is lost to time. Below is what I posted. Please join me in relating your own experiences in finding Appleseeds. 

Confessions of a reformed iceberg counter.

I read all the books and I could see all the icebergs that were in America's path. It all began when a certain Congress was considering banning a certain class of rifles. Made me concerned. I had always wanted to get into shooting, but had not got round to it. I figured I'd best get going, as it looked like time was running out for that tradition. I asked around and found a "gun nut", who taught me what to buy and so I set about acquiring some "power tools" of my own.

In the process, I began buying SGNs from a local news stand for cash (not getting my name on any lists right?). I came across Fred's articles. They were right in line with my own thinking at the time (we have both since been healed by Appleseeds) and I was intrigued at the idear of attending a RBC. But, they were only in NC then and I couldn't take a week and a half off, so I just kept counting icebergs and buying tools.

Then one day, I open SGN and see that an event is scheduled for Davenport, FL (Jan of 2007 as I recall) - about 2 hours from me. The time for excuses had passed. I gathered up three buddies and packed up my travel trailer. I brung three rifles and near every accessory I owned (all of which were found to be useless, save an old Vietnam era "silent sling). I learned more about shooting in two days than I had in years of practicing on my own, because practice does NOT make perfect - only perfect practice makes perfect. I can still recall the frustration I experienced at how poorly I was shooting from position (I was pretty good from a bench rest!).

At lunch first day, I dumped an M4 in favor of an AR10 with an Eotech and did a little better, but still not 210. JuniorBirdman was my instructor and he had us run a rapid fire AQT (not done any longer for safety reasons, as it involved trans with a loaded rifle). I was so annoyed that I shot 216, but could not repeat the deed on Sunday.

Fred told the history and he got a little choked up in the process. That was what really caught my attention. I mean JB was truly excellent at instructing and I leanrt a lot, but seeing a growed man get teary talking about a war that ended two centuries ago - that made an impression. I was hoooked.

A second event came to Myakka City (Feb 2008 according to my pictures) and this time, the SB was a woman. She was sharp-eyed and very focused. I brung one buddy with me (all I could drag there) and we arrived early and asked if we could be of any help (silly question). Well, DragonWood put us straight to work on parking lot patrol and on Sunday (after I had once agin scored Rifleman by skin of my teeth) asked me if I would consider instructing. I ate the red pill and never looked back.

Then the mentors lined up to bring me along - Atticus, Fred, DW, DonD, HawkHavn, TC, and the list is still growing. Before long Fred and FunFaler were hammering me to get venues and promote events. Atticus petitioned Fred for a red hat for me (was done by the "nod" system in them days), and Fred relented. Atticus handed me my red hat at the NRA Whittington Center in NM, at the first event there. TaosGlock and BlueFeather were attendees! I still wear that same hat - it's more of a "dusty rose" color now.

I was now the entire Florida chapter and FF was dogging me even harder. I suckered, er I mean, invited ItsanSKS to take over SC duties so I could focus on staffing. He took the red pill too. We eventually added a promo boss - caseyblane and recently an admin man - marrandy.

Florida will hold something like 35 events this year and we now have a great team. The mentoring continues and what was taught to me, is now taught by people I have yet to meet, to others. I knew we were on our way, when I saw the first promotion I had absolutely nothing to do with.   

[caseyblane]

Hello, my name is caseyblane and I count icebergs. 

I was once a sort of college activist, political science student, that got sidetracked from saving the world via politics by finding a wife and having kids. In the fall of 2008, I was suddenly slapped in the face and reawakened by the reality of how disconnected I believed our government to be. I assumed the end of the world as we know it was upon us and it did not look good for my fledgling family. A few months later, I was on the internet actually reading about techniques for surviving the end of the world as we know it when I came across someone suggesting AS as a cheap way to learn to handle a rifle. I went to the web page and was hooked. I saw real hope. The first event I would be able to attend was months later in Hinesville, GA. I was so excited about the program, I started inviting my friends and passing out AS flyers before I went. I was able to bring my step-dad, preacher and his son and an old friend who I hadn't seen in years along. All I had was my grandfather's old tube feed Stevens .22, which I quickly followed up with a LTR. I had the pleasure of learning from and sitting around the campfire (still learning) with Son of Martha, Appalachious, Jollymeister, Sanderman and a few others I can't recall. I was hooked and felt at home amongst these active Americans. Shortly thereafter I had a CMP Garand and had met up with the Florida crew.

After finding that the Florida crew was just as determined and honorable as the fine men I had met in GA, I made the Saint Augustine event my promotional baby and with some success was soon asked to try to coordinate promotions events state wide as the Promotions Boss. So far my other responsibilities have allowed that job to consist of getting promotional supplies in to the hands of other 7th steppers, running the Florida Appleseed facebook page and creating a monthly email newsletter. I tell this in order to encourage others to get involved. There is so much to do, don't hesitate, if you see something that is not getting done, in regards to promotions, by all means grab it by the horns and get it done. Most of my "Appleseed work" gets done via computer once the kids are in bed.

Oh yeah, 3.5 events later and I still haven't shot a rifleman score. To be honest, I want to get it done, but it does not concern me near as much as helping other people find out about Appleseed and getting active in saving their country.

[Heimdhal]

I had heard of AS for a few months from friends of mine up state.  They highly recomended it.  Problem was there werent any close by that I knew of and I couldnt afford an 8 hour trip one way to attend one up there.

Then, last March a local friend of mine researched more about appleseed and found the Myakka range.  She told me and another mutal friend of ours "thats it, were going to this appleseed thing, so pack yer stuff and git"  So we got.  I had no idea really what it was about and didnt know it centered around april 19th, 1775.  Turned out, our first shoot was april 17 and 18, so it was an extra special event.


When we got there I, like so many others, kinda huffed a little "Oh, I can shoot THOSE targets at 25m, thats nothing."  My first AQT scored somewhere in the 160's and I shut up real quick   

I had done good at the 100 yard standing, since I had been doing defensive carbine and pistol courses at sub 100 yards (usualy sub 100 feet!) but was absolutley ashamed that I was not the rifleman I thought I was.

I was very impressed (and tired) after the first day with the course of instruction and the history.  Particularly the history as I had been a History major and there were some stories I'd never even remotley heard of.

THe second day I got out the .22 and got back to basics and knocked on the door of 200 a few times, but nowhere close to that coveted 210.  In fact, it wasnt until the LAST AQT of my second Appleseed that I scored my rifleman and I was immensly proud of the feet after having spent the whole day getting just under 210.  I went home with a 219 and rifleman patch.

I was even more proud that my first event that I participated as an IIT was Thaifighters first as a shoot boss.  He had been an IIT at both my appleseeds in myakka and gave me a world of help and personal instruction and really helped me focus and get that patch.

[9mm4545]

Hmmm...I think I heard of Appleseed via some online gun forum or another or some now forgotten gun blog. Can't rightly remember. Anyway, it sounded like fun with guns and how hard could it be anyway? I had shot competitively while in college about a million years ago and thought I knew something about shooting. (yeah, right) My political leanings were towards the "oh crap, it's all going to hell in a handbasket" but a real clear plan for saving the country seemed somewhat obscure. At my first Appleseed I learned that shooting skills are perishable (or perhaps they were better in memory than actuality) and that I knew precious little about our unique American heritage. I came close enough to making Rifleman that I was bound and determined to try again. By the second event a month later, I was ready, willing, and able--and successful. More importantly, I came to realize that gaining a Rifleman patch was only the first step and that the path offered through Appleseed did indeed have the promise of real change in our country. I learned that the efforts of the individual can make a difference and that the only failure is not trying at all. If we can awaken our sleeping fellow countrymen, we do have a chance and most importantly, the sacrifices of those who went before us will not have been made in vain. It's all we can do. It is better to live with hope and possible failure than to live without hope and certain failure.

[PHenry]

This is great stuff guys - just what I had in mind. Keep 'um coming! 

[NHale]

Anyone else?

[ItsanSKS]

Where to begin?

Back when I was in high school, my forensics (debate) class was discussing (arguing) the merits of the Brady Act.  I tried and tried to convince my classmates that this 'common sense' legislation was 1: unconstitutional, and 2: would be abused, and twisted to the point where many, many folks would be denied the use of arms.  When neither argument worked, I began to lose faith in my fellow Americans.  I knew, even then, that those around me had no idea what the words in our constitution and bill of rights actually meant.  I struggled with this knowledge for years, and became exceptionally apathetic- the country was going to hell in a hand basket, and I was powerless, alone, to do anything about it. 

Having been a life-long hunter and avid outdoors man, I *knew* I knew how to shoot.  A good friend of mine introduced me to Fred's articles in the Shotgun News.  "Save the Country" He says.  "Wake up your fellow Americans" he says.   I was skeptical, but interested, so I called up the person listed as the Point of Contact here in Florida- one PHenry. 

As I learned what the "Appleseed Project" was all about, and began to really consider attending my first event, I started to help promote it, by passing out fliers, and speaking with friends and coworkers about the program.  Lots of interest, but no takers- they wanted *me* to be the Guinea Pig.   

Attending my first event was an eye-opener, in more ways that I can relate.  Meeting so many folks that truly cared about this country was first an foremost the most important aspect.   Not just the instructors, (who really didn't have time to chat) but my fellow attendees- folks from all walks of life, who came to find that 'something' that would help them turn things around.  At that first event, I was surrounded by seekers, and we had found an Oracle, and he called himself PHenry, in honor of that cantankerous Virginian of old. 

I knew that I had found something worth doing.  That I could be proud of my association with this group.  After 'swallowing the red pill' as PHenry puts it, I haven't looked back, except to see many so-called friends disappear into their daily dose of apathy, ignorance and laziness.  The friends that I have made through this program, men and women from literally all over the country, are closer than some of my kin.

I am convinced that this program works.  Not only to teach people about rifle marksmanship, but more importantly, that it can have a positive affect on our fellow Americans.  The story of the birth of our country, when given the significance it deserves, can inspire folks to reach beyond the realm of possibility, and to make this country a better place for our children and grandchildren. 

I am in debt to that friend of mine who introduced me to the articles in SGN.  I am even further in debt to the folks who have passed on such a great wealth of knowledge. 

I welcome each of you who read this to help us spread the word- it is only through the actions of our fellow Americans that we will facilitate change, and for that to happen, we need each and every one of you to get the word out!

-ItsanSKS

[ID_Hezekiah]

For some strange reason, since pre-teens I've been fascinated with firearms.  This puzzled my folks, as my Father wasn't really a hunter or shooter.  I have to admit to not being much of hunter, either, but I AM a shooter.  I went through a string of air rifles and graduated to a couple of .22s and a .410 single-shot shotgun in high school and did some small game hunting with uncles and cousins.  As soon as I turned 18, I bought a Colt MkIV Series 70 .45, and very quickly learned that handgun shooting was a whole different game.  I joined the Navy right out of high school, but as a nuclear sub sailor, I didn't get much riflery training.  I did, however, get permission to carry my personal .45 on and off Norfolk naval base and I fell in with a group of bullseye shooters and spent many, many hours honing some reasonable pistol skills.  I continued my pistol shooting into college on the GI Bill and began to collect a few more long and short guns, but primarily shot them in club matchs on indoor ranges.  I got heavily involved in IPSC/USPSA shooting in the early 80's and really devoted a lot of time to that.  Since early in 1990, I've been almost exclusively dedicated to Sporting Clays shotgun competition, but have amassed quite a collection of pistols and military rifles.  I really like shooting the military arms with iron sights. With all that biography said, I had first heard of Appleseed about 6 months prior to the recent event here in Blackfoot, ID.  With the state of our country, I was very intrigued by the AS message, and I was excited to get a chance to do some real marksmanship with quality instruction.  As discussed in other threads, I thought myself a pretty fair marksman, but having never had full military rifleman training I was duly humbled in my first excursions to the line.  In addition to being nearly 60 and having a bit of trouble going up and down for the stages, I had never ever shot a single-loop sling.  In spite of blistered elbows, sore knees, full-body muscle aches and 684 rounds expended, I failed to qualifiy in that first AS.  But, I learned more than I ever thought I would ever obtain from the shooting and I was both moved and inspired by the legacy and history.  I have been tuning and practicing the proper methods wtih most of my guns, set up a 10/22 and just qualified with it on my second pass this afternoon.  I also shot an AQT with my M1 Garand, and turned a nearly 200 score, even with the 2/8 reloads on every stage - more fun that eating ice cream!  I will attend every AS that I possibly can in the future and I suggested it to several folks before my first, but I guarantee that I will be dragging them out by their collars to the next local event!

[AdobeWalls]

I grew up in suburban Memphis TN, a medical doctor's son.  MLK was murdered in our town in 1968, and it was open season for all kinds of violence for about a week and a half, cops withdrew from whole precincts, turned parts of the city over to the National Guard, and simply announced that anyone carrying weapons would be arrested and put in the 'jail,' the football stadium.  I never have felt the same about living in a town that has such a facility.  Dad was called to work in the city hospitals, I was a 16yo chauffeur for that, two runs a day, got into a couple scrapes then, solo, got through it, but felt different about almost everything.
Ten years later I was running an all-night diner.  Guy robs us - a customer - shots fired at me real close but missed, nothing ever happened to the shooter, but I thought, That's it, I'm looking out for myself from now on.  Went to Cooper's school in Arizona, qualified expert doing things like shooting targets through the plywood screens - supposed to be no-shoot.  I didn't care.  I was determined.  Worked great there and back at home where the problem was.
I don't have that lifestyle any more.  I've changed.  :-)  Things are tamer now.  But my daughter expressed an interest in shooting, she's 24 now and in NYC, where they probably don't do a lot of ridin' and shootin' so I took her to a local range with her husband, an Englishman. Shooting is one of those things where over-thinking it doesn't help.  I explained the short version, did a demo with a .22 single shot bolt rifle I'd never fired before, hit the target, demo'd it again, hit the target.  Handed the rifle over to them, and they had a fine time sending .22s downrange in a general direction, not hitting one thing. I decided right there to make a rifle that would be easy to shoot - something Cooper had remarked in person and in print. 
I had a fine lever rifle in .308 with a box magazine, wanted to adapt it as a Cooper-style scout rifle.  Bought a booklet called Poor Man's Scout Rifle, all sorts of rifles made up in that configuration, and in that book an expert was cited with email address.  Chief AJ, who in 1987 shot 40,060 hand-thrown airborne pine blocks, in a row, before he missed one.  Chief AJ is evidently one of the most knowledgeable persons in North America about what sight bases fit what rifles to mount scout scopes, so I wrote him, had my answer in one day.  I thought that was pretty neat, so I read more about Chief AJ, learned that he used Ruger 10/22s for his world record exhibition shoot at age 50, had to tune all 18 borrowed rifles so they shot similarly, making him a 10/22 tune-up expert.
At the same time, I happened to read an email from E Arthur Brown, a benchrester who promotes lots of Ruger 10/22 aftermarket stuff, and he mentioned he had only recently learned about the Appleseed Project.  I looked up Appleseed Project.  For me, the hook was Fred's remark that we Americans assume, with no basis, that we can pretty much do anything we set our minds to.  Well, setting aside what 'setting our minds to' means, Fred accurately pointed out that in fact most things in life worth doing are not easy to do, and we do a pretty poor job most of the time.  I see this all around me in my job, every day, and have for - well - at least 20 years, maybe more.  I am amazed we have (so far) escaped the consequences of this, it offends my basic sense of justice.  You don't see a lot of justice around these days, although there's a lot of windy talk, always a lot of windy talk.
I did a lot of things late in life, out of the usual order.  I finished college late, went to professional school even later, and like that, but I got to do interesting things in between.  I studied ancient Chinese history and modern Chinese language in college, then lived there for two years.  The modern history of China is one of unending calls for reform - of the government, of the tax system, of the patronage system.  None of those reforms ever worked, and none of us would want to live there, not now, probably not ever.  It is a totally corrupt, venal, closed Third World country.  Now we hear calls for reforms in our own country, as if there is some happy time we can return to, but we can't return to that time.  Because WE have changed.  We are no longer the people who founded, worked for and built this country.  No reform will turn us into those long-dead people.  But we can change ourselves, through improvement.  Character, like countries, is built, piece on piece.  I'm not talking about morals or ethics.  Or religion.  Certainly not politics.  Just character.  What is a country but the sum product of the character of its people.  We can build our own character, person by person, and those qualities that make up good character are right here in the Appleseed Program.  That's why I am an Appleseed shooter, and that's why I am an Appleseed instructor.  That's how I got here.

[caseyblane]

HUZZAH! AdobeWalls.

[ThaiFighter]

It was so dark...

there were so many...

I woke up in a hotel bathtub packed in ice with a "shoot boss" cap on my head...

[ewag316]

My older brother lives in San Diego and went to Appleseed out there a few months ago....I'm not sure how he heard about it.....but when he got back all he did for a few days was send long e-mails about all he learned and how awesome it was.  You gotta be like your big brother right?  So I had some interest in going, but although I'll waste $80 on a dinner, I was reluctant to spend $80 on Appleseed....why?  Because I use to waste ground hogs with .22 in high school for farmers (who hated ground hog holes in their field) and I knew everything I needed to know about shooting!!!

At the San Diego event, they did some sort of contest and my bro wound up winning a certificate for free AS event.  He sent it to me and took away my excuses, so I somewhat reluctantly decided to go and give it a chance.  The event was so worthwhile that I'm tossing the idea around in my head of how I could go to a boot camp and get my but kicked there for 5 days.  My brother and I have also started talking about meeting up somewhere in the mid-west next year and attending an AS event together. 

He made Rifleman at his first event....I was knocking on the door at my first and only event.....I have to "even the score" now for sure.

[Sly223]

Let the lust of liberty burn in your soul. Hopefully, you two realize, after your patch O0le thirst for knowing all the things you realize you don't yet know! Good luck on the trail. I'll be back in a few weeks and hope to cross paths on the AS trail.