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Passing the torch in Tennessee

Started by Ramblin' Wreck, December 06, 2020, 09:43:52 AM

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Ramblin' Wreck

After an impressive 12 year tenure as Tennessee State Coordinator, Claude "Tennessee Colonel" Morse is stepping down from the post. Most of us can't remember anyone but Claude in the position. He was the shoot boss at my first Appleseed event in 2011 and has been the anchor for Appleseed in central Tennessee from his home range at Arnold Air Force base in Tullahoma. In discussions with other Tennessee Valley cadre we can trace the lineage of most of the "hats" in the area back to him. Health issues have dogged him for a couple of years which prevent him from being as active as he has been in the past. He will continue to be involved with events at the range in Tullahoma which is the gem of the area venues we shoot.

Replacing him will be Robert "Tennessee Beast" Wadley. Beast is one of the most focused focused and energetic volunteers in the program and has already hit the ground running. Please give him your support and encouragement by helping him identify potential ranges in areas that are currently uncovered and achieving our overall program goal for increasing attendance in 2021 by 20% over 2019.
Huzzah Beast!  ^:)^


Ramblin' Wreck
Southeast Region Coordinator
Master Instructor


"If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin."  ― Samuel Adams

KD Requal Huntsville 11/13/22 with scoped Service Rifle 47/50
25m Requal 2/1/2020 with AR15 scored 247
25m Requal 4/17/2021 with .22 bolt gun - 237
61 KD and UKD events run/worked as of 1/18/22

You can't miss fast enough to qualify.

Without a heritage every generation starts over.

Beware an old man who still shoots iron sights.

"War is when your Government tells you who the enemy is. Revolution is when you figure it out for yourself" - unknown

Leadslinger66

Thank you Tennessee Colonel for all your hard work. Prayers and best wishes to you.

Congratulations Tennessee Beast! You will be an awesome state coordinator. Huzzah!
John

"We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor." - the signers of the Declaration of Independence

CarrollMS

Thanks for a job well done Tennessee Colonel
Godspeed Tennessee Beast
"Pro Libertate"
Distinguished,
Known Distance,
Rimfire KD 200

Texas T

First, a hearty "Well-done"!

Second, a sound "Thanks for stepping up"!

Blessings to both of you.
"In the beginning of a change, the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot."  Mark Twain


First Appleseed, September 26-27, 2015;   First Rifleman, September 27, 2015;   First Redcoat, September 27, 2015;   Second Rifleman, September 27, 2015

Thanks Corvette, great instruction!!!

MI IBC, February 2017

Cleveland

Tennessee Colonel issued me my rifleman's patch Patriots Day, 2015. His name is well known in association with Project Appleseed in TN. I've met many people that ask me if I know him when they find out I volunteer with Project Appleseed.

I am looking forward to working with TN Beast as the torch is passed on to him. HUZZAH

Liberty,
Cleveland
The highest level of mastery is simplicity. Most information is irrelevant and most effort is wasted, but only the expert knows what to ignore. James Clear

Rifleman 19April2015
KD Qualified 17Oct2015
Pistoleer™ 12Dec2020
KD Requal 11Nov2021 50/50
Pistol IBC/Charter Pistol Instructor Antioch 2-22
200y RKD Qualified 14May2022

Nashville Stage

Claude has been the heart of Appleseed in the TN area for a long time. He signed my first Rifleman-scoring AQT (the one in my forum photo). He gave a presentation at the Tennessee Firearms Association meeting where I first heard the stories of Appleseed. He's neither loud nor boisterous, yet can command the rapt attention of everyone in a room. People line up to listen just like kids in front of Santa Claus. The work he does to serve others is amazing, including organizing trips to fly veterans who couldn't otherwise make it to visit the national memorials in Washington DC. I'm sure he's looking forward to "Retirement".   ;D

Robert, I look forward to working with you and supporting the work however I can. Thanks for stepping up!
"There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't."

Black Knight

Claude, Appleseed in TN would not have been the same without your tireless efforts over the years.  Thank you so much for the selfless sacrifices you have made in behalf of Appleseed.

Robert, your energy never fails to amaze.  We all lool forward to working with you in the years to come.
Black Knight
1st AS: Tuscaloosa, AL OCT  8-9, 2016
Applecore: Jun 6, 2017
AC/RSO: Jul 12, 2017
IBC: Pelham, TN Feb 23-24, 2019
Pistol IBC: Mar 5,2021

Captain

Thanks for stepping up Tennessee Beast, although I'm not surprised you did!  :) I know state will be in great hands.

Wait a minute "Tennessee Colonel" and now "Tennessee Beast"? Is that a requirement for the SC over there?  :)
There's things that gnaw on a man worse than dyin'. - Open Range

Maximum Ordinate

Quote from: Captain on December 06, 2020, 11:53:38 PM
Wait a minute "Tennessee Colonel" and now "Tennessee Beast"? Is that a requirement for the SC over there?  :)

It doesn't hurt.   ;)



Claude,

Thank you for your many years of devoted service in the cause of Liberty.  12 years as SC... if that's not a record, it's darned close.

Many if not most of the instructors in the Tennessee Valley can trace their roots to you.  I remember the day I earned my patch at your home range and you did a little arm twisting to put an orange hat on my head.   ;D

And I earned my red hat at Manchester shortly after.

Again - thank you!  I'm glad you're around to light brushfires, mint Riflemen, and mentor instructors in our tradition.  My best wishes to you and Bobbie!

best,
Rusty

P.S.  Beast - welcome to the SC job - it's an incredibly rewarding job and you have a great crew in TN!

"... the most valuable of all talents, that of never using two words where one will do."
-Thomas Jefferson


We're in the Liberty business.  Stay on Mission - Stay on Message.

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Mrs. Smith

#9
My goodness, I wish I were free to travel all over the place!  I miss out on meeting some extraordinary folks.

Claude, your dedication to this program for so many years is inspirational, and frankly leaves this baby SC a tad wide-eyed. We follow roads you forged, and what we learn your efforts have made it possible for the rest of us to be that much more effective. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  :bow:

Robert, my friend, you're no doubt better qualified for this bucket than I was when I took mine (and probably more than I am now :cool2: ), but if you need a sounding board for an idea, or anything else at all, please don't hesitate. We're a (loony & dysfunctional) family.  I'm at your service.

Sincerest regards,
Traci
"Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't." - Margaret Thatcher

You can have peace, or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once. - Robert A. Heinlein

"A generation which ignores history has no past, and no future." - Lazarus Long

"What we do now echoes in eternity." Marcus Aurelius

Waco 1-17       Waco 1-19     El Paso 7-19       Alamogordo 5-20     Albuquerque 7-21       Houston 8-21 (SBC)    Colorado Springs  2-22 (SBC)    Midland 8-22 (KDIBC)     Albuquerque 2-23      Harvard 5-23      El Paso 12-23 (PIBC)     Phoenix 2-24    El Paso 3-24

malabar

Claude,

thanks for all the time and energy you've given the organization as state coordinator. HUZZAH!  And thank you for your continued support as a shootboss.

Robert, thanks for taking this on. You've got a mighty big pair of shoes to fill -- but we all think you've got the feet for it. <g> Good luck, and let me know if you need anything.

tk

The Second Amendment is a doomsday provision, one designed for those exceptionally rare circumstances where all other rights have failed -- where the government refuses to stand for reelection and silences those who protest; where courts have lost the courage to oppose, or can find no one to enforce their decrees. However improbable these contingencies may seem today, facing them unprepared is a mistake a free people get to make only once.

-- Justice Alex Kozinski, US 9th Circuit Court, 2003

Tennessee Beast

Claude,
Thank you for all the hard work you have put in over the years to build the Tennessee cadre and range relations.  I plan to build on the foundation you left for me to further the mission.  I have attached a picture of us when I received my red hat (I even shaved for the occasion!!).  If it hadn't been for the events you shoot bossed, it is unlikely I would have volunteered.  Many thanks.  I hope I make you proud.

Everyone else,

Thank you for the kind words.  I will probably reach out to some of you for guidance or help.  I am honored to accept this bigger bucket, and I won't let you down!


In giving us dominion over the animal kingdom, God has signified His will that we subdue the beast within ourselves.
John Lancaster Spalding

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin, 1775

"A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined; to which end a uniform and well-digested plan is requisite; and their safety and interest require that they should promote such manufactories as tend to render them independent of others for essential, particularly military, supplies."  George Washington 1790

"[T]o preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them…"
- Richard Henry Lee, Declaration Signer

Practice every time you get a chance. - Bill Monroe

Roswell

Just now seeing this.

Claude,

I'm sorry I never got to work with you, but thank you for your service sir.

Robert,

Congrats and condolences sir! I'm looking forward to collaborating more in the future.

Huzzah to you both!

In Liberty,
Roswell
Known Distance Qualified: Talladega, AL 12-3-16 - 45/50; Distinguished 49/50 - Talladega, AL 12-8-19
Instructor Boot Camp: Toccoa, GA 7-13, 8-15; Pelham, TN 2-14, 2-16; Columbiana, AL 2-15; Canton, GA 2-18, 1-19, 2-20, 2-21, 3-22, 2-23, 1-24
Shoot Boss Boot Camp and Liberty Seminar: Toccoa, GA 8-14 & Canton, GA 1-19

Pistol Instructor Boot Camp: South Huntsville, AL 5-20; Canton, GA 1-21, 2-24
Pistol Qualified: Spencer, TN 4-10-21
Charter Pistol Instructor Boot Camp: Antioch, TN 2-22 & Canton, GA 1-23

BluegrassColonel

As so many others have and can testify, Claude is the primary inspiration for my involvement in Project Appleseed.  At my first event (October 2013) at AAFB, our family was going through an extremely tough season.  Claude (and the rest of the cadre at that event) encouraged, cajoled, and deeply inspired me. Every volunteer at that event approached me privately at some point that weekend and offered their thoughts and prayers for my family and me. As I got ready to leave after clean up Sunday afternoon at my first event he handed me a USGI sling and sling loops (still in their packages) and asked me to consider volunteering (and I had not even earned my Rifleman patch).  I have to admit, I called my wife on the drive off the base with tears in my eyes and told her she HAD to come to an event.  She did, and she's now a blue hat.

Over the years from then until now (and for the foreseeable future) Claude has been an unfailing encourager to me and every person he comes in contact with. He is a credit to Project Appleseed and the foundation for such a strong program and cadre in Tennessee.

Tennessee Beast, I am happy to know your enthusiasm and energy are being put to great use.  You already know I am here to assist in whatever way I can.

I am honored to be a volunteer in an organization with so many incredible people.

In Liberty!
Greg Seneff, Sr.
"Bluegrass Colonel"
My father didn't serve in WWII.  It wasn't for lack of trying.  He attempted to enlist 3 separate times.  The last time the doctor said he was too short.  He responded that he signed up again because he said he saw a poster that was recruiting short men to be pilots.  The doctor said, "Short, yes.  But this is ridiculous."  In my book, he's still a hero.