#####National Rifle Association Whittington Center July 29-30, 2017#######

[TaosGlock]

Here at the National Rifle Association Whittington Center, on the NRA WC Adventure Camp Pistol Range, 20 of America's finest citizens showed up to be immersed in the founding history of our nation on April 19th, 1775.
And as always, we taught the fundamentals of precision marksmanship.   

It was our marksmanship skills that birthed our nation.

A third of the shooters were from WC or the WC's Adventure Camp.  The shooters ages were from 9-64!

A huge thanks to my instructor crew for making this an awesome event!

Cool temps and the monsoon rains keep the temperatures cool for the weekend.

We had Hannah and Andrew of Bartlett Productions here doing some filming for Project Appleseed and they were great to work with.

This event started early in the murky half dawn of July, 29, 2017.



Loading up the backers on hotairbill's van:


Waiting for the shooters to arrive:


Instruction begins:




...more later as we are just rollin' in.

[TaosGlock]

Back in colonial times, homeland security was a nation of riflemen.
This country was founded on the principles of effective marksmanship.

Therefore, "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people
to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
"Well regulated" means well trained. The minutemen were a prime example back then.

Full quote of Lord Percy:

"During the whole affair, the rebels attacked us in a very scattered, irregular manner, but with perseverance
and resolution, nor did they ever dare to form into a regular body. Indeed they knew too well what was proper, to do so.
Whoever looks upon them as an irregular mob, will find himself very much mistaken.
They have men amongst them who know very well what they are about, having been employed as rangers against
the Indians and Canadians, and this country being very much covered with wood, and hilly, is very advantageous for
their method of fighting."

Meet our new Riflemen! Men and Women who also know very much what they are all about!
Congrats to Left to right, Traci, Jason, Corey and Ken! We had another one later on making 5 Riflemen total!
Huzzah!!

And thanks to Jason for taking the Orange Hat!! Double Huzzah!!

These folks persisted and scored Expert on the Army Qualifying Test.
Minimum is 210 but these folks were in the high 220's to high 230's!
Huzzah again!



The coveted Rifleman's patch (thanks Traci for the pic of your patch!):


"Turn out, turn out the Regulars are out!", spoke Paul Revere on that fateful night.
Ken and Traci easily cleaned the Redcoat!  So.....those pesky Redcoats better go back to England!


Our Riflemen on the line. Corey and Jason are the first two:



Traci with an AR and Ken with an M1 Garand:


It is the M1 Garand that was the main infantry rifle during WWII.
Our success in that war ensured what the Founders fought for was preserved.

[TaosGlock]

That American Rifleman spirit is alive and well at the National Rifle Association Whittington Center.

In today's world of 24-hour news cycles, changing technologies, and push-button gratification, it's a challenge to stay connected to the values that our great country was built on. Ideals like integrity, commitment, and personal responsibility are what our founding fathers relied on to win our independence and to then make America a great nation. At Project Appleseed, we're dedicated to keeping these timeless values alive. We promote civic responsibility through the teaching of colonial history and the American tradition of rifle marksmanship. Even after all of these years, there is much to be learned from our forefathers' examples of perseverance, commitment, and civic virtue. With a full calendar of shooting clinics and events, Project Appleseed is here to make sure these timeless principles live on for generations to come.

The Northern New Mexico Project Appleseed crew has it's home in Raton, New Mexico at the prestigious National Rifle Association Whittington Center.

Shooters on the line!  Check out those new T-Shirts! A big Huzzah to the AOC!

[TaosGlock]

After the French and Indian War, King George decided to break his agreement with the colonists and decided to tax them to help pay off the massive debt incurred by the Crown. England was in social and economic shambles but the rebellious colonists were thriving with opportunity. Naturally the colonists revolted with even the smallest tax infraction. War with the Crown was inevitable and the militias started in earnest their training.  The fundamentals they learned have changed but a tiny bit, mostly in regards to modern equipment.



We are the descendants of those fearless men and women who earned our freedom on the battlefield.

Parker's Revenge:


We honor their pursuit of liberty by passing along the skills and knowledge that aided them in securing it.
Today's Rifleman understands that owning and mastering a rifle is part of his/her American heritage.
After all, this country was founded on the principles of effective marksmanship.

It was common everyday folk who turned up on April 19th, 1775. With their principled skill at arms, these embattled farmers", shopkeepers,
and school teachers, successfully repelled the British Army in an embarrassing defeat :



Whether you're a new shooter or a seasoned marksman,
Project Appleseed can help transform you from a person with a rifle into a principled and skilled Rifleman.

Have things in our country changed much from this?:


If you do not know your history, how do know where you came from or where you are or where you are going?

You can't write the story of America without including several chapters about the skill and bravery of our forefathers.


On April 19, 1775, at Lexington Major John Pitcarin yelled, 'Disperse ye rebels and lay down your arms". They stood their ground and many got shot in the back a few moments later as they walked back to their families who were watching the event unfold.

..and at Concord's North Bridge where "The embattled farmers fired the shot heard 'round the world".


....American colonists stood with muskets in hand and faced down the British forces that were trying to seize their arms. The colonists did it with grit, determination, and superior marksmanship. They were real marksmen: nobly and ably putting their skills on the line in pursuit of liberty.

"Unhappy it is...to reflect that a brother's sword has been sheathed in a brothers breast, and that the once happy and peaceful plains of America are either to be drenched with blood or inhabited by slaves. Sad alternative! 
But can a virtuous man hesitate in his choice?-George Washington


Would you be willing to make a similar choice if the need arose?

...as our Founders handily did, but not without sacrifice, on April 19, 1775.
Below a pic depicts Maj. John Buttrick of the Concord Militia who for the first time in American history told our militia to fire on the British Regulars. He had had enough of their firing without orders that day onto our men when they were merely standing their rightful ground.. His words were: "Fire, for Gods sake fire...fire as fast as you can!'

[TaosGlock]

The Founders of this Nation fought for a Republic NOT a Democracy.
They knew the difference, do you?



Additionally, from the Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776, the Birth Certificate of our Nation ..."That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it,
and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." 

Translation: "We the People" in a simple majority hold the legitimate authority to override any and all decisions that government officials impose.

Guess why we have the  Second Amendment?



Ever wonder what happened to the signers of this world stopping document?
Read this:


Project Appleseed is a CMP approved  course of fire. Attending a 2 day event allows one to immediately purchase an M1 Garand and ammo. This will be delivered directly to your door!

Order here:  http://thecmp.org/cmp_sales/rifle_sales/m1-garand/



BlueFeather, Senior Instructor for Project Appleseed, "loops up" with her own M1 Garand as she readies for her turn at the 1125 yard White Buffalo at the prestigious NRA WC.

There is no other range like this one in the world and it is a Rifleman's paradise whether for marksmanship instruction, training, education or competition.

[TaosGlock]

Can you hit a target at 25 yards? How about at 500 yards? Whether you are new to the shooting sports or a seasoned shooter Appleseed will be able to teach you a thing or two.

For the new shooter we can teach you to use your rifle safely and also be able to hit your target. For the seasoned shooter we can teach you to shoot more accurately - even out to 500 yards.

Project Appleseed can help transform you from a man with a rifle into a Rifleman. A Rifleman is more than a man (or woman) with a rifle. A Rifleman understands that owning and mastering a rifle is part of his heritage as an American. And he knows why: This is a nation founded by Riflemen -- men and women skilled in the use of arms.

Those skills served the colonists well when they stood up to the British on April 19, 1775, at Lexington and Concord, and routed the British forces that tried to seize the colonists' arms. They did it with grit, with determination, and with superior skill in marksmanship. They pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to the task. And they didn't stop until they had won. Throughout history, Riflemen have embodied personal responsibility and been pillars of their communities, characteristics that are becoming ever more rare in our nation.

At Project Appleseed, we want to return America to being a nation of Riflemen. And we want you to join us
Before the Points of instruction at an Appleseed, the first target often looks like this...not the kind of marksmanship that would birth a nation.


...and after 2 days of applying the fundamentals of precision marksmanship.
Lady Liberty would be proud!


We are currently suffering a greater per capita amount of oppressive laws and taxes.
Will America prevail using the non-firearms tools the founders gave us, so we do not have to suffer what they went thru?


These flags are more than just pretty representations of the American Revolution. They represent a challenge to tyranny.
Slogans like "Live free or die" and "Give me liberty or give me death" were not just rebellious statements bandied about like bumper stickers today.
The slogans represented a code that was a way of life that defined the American Revolution, which is not the same as the Revolutionary War.

[TaosGlock]

Meanwhile on Lexington Green the militia was led by the very well respected, Capt. John Parker, aged 46 a hardened warrior from the French and Indian War. He was in the late stages of TB and his voice was raspy and hard to hear. Parker's youngest son had just celebrated his 4th birthday.
Parker had his drummer boy, William Diamond, sound the muster drum and 77 of his men were now ready. They range in age from 16-60 and are all related in some way or another. There are fathers, sons, brothers, uncles and cousins.
After the regulars, without orders fired upon Parker's men, 8 of Parker's militia were killed, 9 were wounded.  Most were shot in the back as they were retreating.



Captain John Parker of Lexington in his own words regarding April 19th, 1775:



Rev. Jonas Clarke later testified it was "the Second of the British officers that fired a pistol towards the retreating militia".
"After that "shot", the Regulars opened fire without orders onto Parker's men."

American heritage and marksmanship. For Americans, one can't exist without the other....
The map of Battle Road for April 19th, 1775 with 2 rifles that embody the spirit of marksmanship and patriotism, The M1A and the M1 Garand.
Wood and steel, blood and courage. It is all interwoven to create/maintain liberty.

[TaosGlock]

At the target line... 
Shooters ask themselves, "Where is my group and how big is my group"?



There were six young folks attending this event, two were 9, two were 11, one was 13, one was 15.
They did not miss a beat.





A Rifleman persists on the AQT.


These youth are our posterity. As John Adams said:

[TaosGlock]

We are a results oriented organization and the spirit of our mission is:

1)  Inform our fellow Citizens on their heritage of self-governance and the blessings of Liberty, bought by the sacrifices of our Founders, who threw off the shackles of British colonial rule by standing in armed opposition to the forces of tyranny on April 19th, 1775;

2)  Instruct our fellow Citizens on the proper and effective use of a rack-grade rifle and, using surplus ammunition and no other support than a sling, engage targets successfully from a distance of 25 meters to 500 yards with a four minute-of-angle standard of accuracy;  and to

3)  Produce men and women who are able to light a fire for Liberty in the minds of their fellow Citizens, and make them the finest rifle marksmanship Instructors on the planet.


A huge thanks to the shooters who attended this event!

Thanks to my awesome instructor crew!
Huzzah to Warren (Captwa), Jon (desert_diver), David (pballer2oo7) and Bill (hotairbill)
and my lovely wife Gillian (BlueFeather).

 
A huge thanks to Andrew Bartlett and Hannah Kenney of Bartlett Productions for doing the, not released as of yet, photo work to help advance and promote Project Appleseed! Their efficiency meant we did not have to miss a beat during our event. Double huzzah!

Thanks to the NRA Whittington Center staff for all their support and the use of the NRAWC Adventure Camp Range!


The sun sets on another fantastic NRA Whittington Center event..
Along the Santa Fe Trail, where this statue of Charlton Heston sits right near the original tracks of the historic Santa Fe Trail.




And thanks to our Founders who had the guts to make hard choices and sacrificed their all to form a new Nation.

[scuzzy]

Best AAR I've seen.

[BlueFeather]

Awesome job Dan on this AAR... It's like an Appleseed travel brochure!

We had awesome instructors and a really fabulous bunch of students, many of whom are returning in September for our sold out UD event! Huzzah!

[TaosGlock]

For those who have not visited this range here are a couple of promotional videos.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video+nra+whittington+center+a+shooters+paradise&qpvt=video+nra+whittington+center+a+shooters+paradise&view=detail&mid=AA907E2D38CBFBC5A51EAA907E2D38CBFBC5A51E&FORM=VRDGAR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC6TCNc9lYA

[Two Wolves]

It's still on my bucket list   

[pballer2oo7]

Thanks, everybody! Was a fun shoot. See you next time.


David

[Captwa]

Hey All,

  We had two SBIT's that I just met and if indications are true they will be Great shoot Bosses!
I have learned something from every AS instructor I've had and worked with and shamelessly taken lessons from them to add to my bag of tools.
If I am at all effective I owe it all to them.

   My best to all AS ,Wa

[hotairbill]

Thanks to all for letting me be a part of this great time.  Special thanks to Dan and Gil and Jon and Warren and David for sharing your knowledge and skills and letting me play too!  19 incredible students, the Wittington Center and their great staff, WOW.  Let's do it again.

[desert_diver]

It was a great Appleseed.  It was great to see so many young shooters on the line. 

The Whittington Center is an incredible place - beautiful scenery and amazing ranges.

Jon