It's a girl!

It's a girl! The doctor is not 100% sure but they have clear and convincing evidence and that is enough quanta of proof for me. We're so excited we can't hardly stand it. Our neighbors (and friends) Pat and Melanie are having a boy next door so I started a 15-yr plan to build a high fence! Maybe that would even keep Holly the dog in the yard. It's a no-brainer. I'll just try to grow some grass for right now.

Vanessa got put on bed-rest today until Monday. I love being able to take care of her when she's not actually feeling bad and this will ensure some time at home. Despite the death of the computer power-cord today everything is looking up! Pat bailed us out again for a while so Vanessa could get her lesson plans out. God has an interesting life planned for us and I couldn't be more excited right now.

The reloading lab

Instead of studying for my test or watching woman tv shows with Vanessa I decided to take a few pictures of the lab. I've been wanting to post some pics for a while and I'm finally getting around to it.

I mostly reload .45ACP, .308 winchester, 30-30 winchester, and .270 winchester even though I have dies for all kinds. I'm looking forward to loading up some cool .243 winchester rounds. Believe it or not, all those calibers use the same shell-holders in the press and in the priming tool. The case tumbler is not pictured because I keep it on a different table so it doesn't influence the scales.

So far I have found the key to safe, accurate reloading is reading the directions. Who would have thought? Keeping detailed records in my notebook and always checking the manual also helps. I generally try to keep only two or three versatile powders around instead of a ton of specific powders. I also work up from the minimum recommended load. If you get too hot primers will blow and the primers will not seat next time. Usually the most accurate load is just over the minimum anyway and that is what I prefer.

Thanks Dad for all the reloading equipment! I'll keep testing it for accuracy until you get ready for it.

Savage 10/110

A friend of my consulted me on the purchase of a savage 10 fp (federal/police) bolt-action .308. As I was telling him about this rifle I realized that it could be the greatest rifle of all times.

The same friend consulted another friend of ours that is currently the commander of the US Army sniper school at FT Benning. He said that, despite their hefty budget for sniper-type weapons, they have several Savage rifles they use often.

What makes the Savage 10 the best?

-free floated barrel

-adjustable accu-trigger

-barrel replacement and interchangeability that anybody can do with the proper tools

-affordability (cheapest quality bolt action ever)

-reliability (it's a bolt-action)

-availability (you can get it at walmart)

-out-of-the-box accuracy that rivals (or beats with handloads) that of custom rifles

-two-piece bolt that you can change the face of to accept different calibers

Police departments are also fans of the Savage 10fp for the above reasons. I have a feeling this will be the next bolt-action rifle that makes it into my safe. In .308 no doubt.

Leadership obstacles

Drill went off without a hitch. Except for a lost weapon, missing radios, a heart attack, and substance abuse issues. Ha, no real problems. 3rd platoon just needed a dose of tough love with a little accountability to get thing going. My newness has worn off and they are starting to do the right thing. The most senior NCOs need a little more development. The combined 40+ days we have in the field coming up in the next 6 months should sharpen the dull edges. I'm most excited about working with the Special Forces in California.

Having Dusty over on Saturday night was sure a blast. It was fun to take note of what God has done in our lives on the way back. We need to do that more often! He sure has provided us with great wives to keep us headed in the right direction.

Leadership Blunders

I hate to bring up the former commander and chief but he makes it so easy. Bill Clinton was sleeping at a Martin Luther King function of some type. The videos are all over the Internet. I can't really say that I blame him though. I'm sure it was very boring.

Speaking of leading by example, I had the pleasure of speaking with an idiot yesterday. He personally insulted me, threatened physical injury, and followed up with a speech about professionalism, very ironic. He out-ranks me or I would have demoted him on the spot. I put the mission first and a Soldier's false sense or royalty second. Is it too much to ask to do your easy job for $80,000 a year and be somewhat respectful?

Respect goes up and down the chain of command. Without respect and confidence in their leader(s) Soldiers lose the will to fight and win. This guy has just lost any credibility he has ever had with me and several other Soldiers for sure.

In "The gospel of John" DVD that I watched early in the week I was reminded of the leadership of Jesus. What an amazing example he set for the disciples and others. What a great model to emulate!

All 3 day weekends must come to an end

Today has been awesome. We found out that the gender of our child will be determined on 14 Feb. Vanessa went to the doctor today and everything checked out well. The heart rate is still in the 150 range. I'm ready for the next ultrasound.

We decided to pick up on watching LOST before the next season starts on Jan 31. This is a huge commitment because we had seen 0 episodes before today. I think we watched 6 episodes today from season one. It's hard to find a show that Vanessa and I both enjoy but I think we found one.

I also did some reloading today. I invented a media/case separator that works really well. I only have a single stage press but it is handy when you're out of components. You can get everything ready despite the missing component(s). Hopefully primers will come through tomorrow.

It's time to brace myself for the post 3-day weekend withdraws. This usually starts with finding my uniform and shaving. Time to look somewhat Soldierly again. Ridiculous workout continues tomorrow with cardio/ab nightmare.

Obama and Osama

Obama is still doing well around the US. I thought that America would never elect another president with no military service. The last one worked out so well. Other than having an affair and lying to the American people. Maybe senator Obama has better values that he picked up in Indonesia or Kenya or his islamic reform school. I'm sure this background will facilitate classic democratic ideas such as taking from those who can and giving to those who won't. Eventually those who can won't, because it will make no difference. When Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines lose the will to fight America is done. Is it time to cash out and move to a tropical climate? We could really use Ronald Regan right now!

The tax system has needed an overhaul for a long time. It has been ignored by politicians because they profit from the loopholes and confusion. They obviously will not help the common people because that puts them on an even playing field. Democratic politician continue to place themselves in the same category as illegal immigrants, drug dealers, and mobsters.

Osama Bin Laden's son is driving a Jeep and speaking against his father. Big deal, every kid denounces his father at some point on some issue but there's nothing more American than a Jeep. I'll be happy when Osama Bin Laden is dead and the Afghan people can operate independently. One day maybe they can even live in the 21st century.

Time on our hands

Vanessa and I were talking last night about how it was unfortunate that we were so busy this weekend and didn't have any time set aside for each other. The snow and ice sure fixed that. I'm thankful for the time that I've got to spend with her with the cancellation of the action pistol match, her guest speaker, and even church.

Snow and ice is cool for about one day and then I'm over it. I'm really glad that Pat and I got in some range time on Friday. Our skills shouldn't suffer because of the weather. I need some more components to keep my press up and running. I always run out of components right before some major down time. Murphy's law seems to be present in reloading.

Holly the dog has been very loving today. Is she really a good dog or is this part of her master deception plan? I hope she keeps running away so the neighborhood can have some drama without anything really serious happening.

The new workout plan is killing me. Complacency kills so I'll continue to mix it up. It's really hard to stay motivated when it's just you and it's cold.

I just submitted my first Liberty masters program paper. I personally think it is horrible but those are usually my best grades. I got a C on the best paper I've ever written and a 98 on the worst. I'm very sure that most professors don't even read the papers. The fight to finish the program before mobilization is in full swing. It's tough being a dorky white guy having to shoulder the burden of our country and society, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Snow Day

It's a snow day here in the G.A. This gives us some extra time with our friend Scarlet from Ft. Leonard Wood Missouri. We've done a lot of catching up.

I saw on the news this morning that Sec. of Defense Gates made a statement that our (NATO) advisers are not properly trained to fight a counter-insurgency. NATO flipped out of course. Any body that knows about the way we fight understands that we don't follow our own doctrine. Doctrine is just a guide. The situation will dictate and the overall counter-insurgency mission will remain the same, kill insurgents and/or destroy their mental, physical, or emotional ability to accomplish their mission (insurgency). Everything leading up to the accomplishment of the mission will mold to the situation. That's what sets us apart. Speed, endurance, intelligence, and a little bit of insanity focused in the right direction.

What a load for the .45!

Still experimenting with new loads. The first batch I made were too long and would not feed well. The second batch's primers were seated too deeply. The third batch were too hot and were blowing the primers. I've finally got it I think.

Here it is:

3.5 grains of Hogdon Clays (no. 9 bushing on RCBS little dandy powder meter)

Remington 2 1/2 large pistol primers

200 grain round nose Oregon Trail laser-cut lead bullets

CCI Brass

50/50 ran smooth with no malfunction. Very smooth recoil with limited side to side movement. Maybe this will help on those stations that have to be fired one-handed. Will I be brave enough to run them in the match on Saturday? We'll see.

Recession or Not?

Everyone on the news is talking about a recession. Are we really in a recession? I won't know if we are or not. I don't have enough assets to really notice. During World War II America came to the front and started producing whatever was needed for the war effort. That's why Singer, known for their sewing machines, produced those very collectible WWII era weapons. The war on terror is different for some reason. No one even knows there's a war unless they're looking at death tolls on CNN. I wonder why they don't show the death toll for any major American city for comparison. Anyway, why does our economy ignore the war. Maybe it's not a recession. Maybe we're a nation at war.

I personally, am recession proof. Allow me to explain:
I get paid by the US Army when things get really bad. If they are so bad that I end up overseas, that's tax-free money. Also, I have lots of firearms. The price of firearms go up significantly as situations get worse; the situations can be as minor as democrats getting elected into office. These firearms with other basic knowledge can provide my family and others food if no other means are available. At this point, which is very far out, the stock market and bank accounts won't mean anything. Remember, it was only 78 years ago that everything bottomed out in the great depression. Everything remains relative.

Irons in the fire

I seem to get nervous when I don't have a million things going on. I've always known that I have more fun working under pressure for some strange reason. I've always felt like I'm getting dull if my nose isn't grinding on the whetstone.

Vanessa is online and running strong again. It's a pleasure having her awake. I need to sell the car(s) and I start the masters program at Liberty on Monday. Work is picking up at the Detachment because of a number of factors. Work is also picking up at the Unit.

Soldier's in third platoon have a long way to go before deployment. Literally hundreds of tasks are in the works. I know how to shoot, move, and communicate. The trick is getting my Soldiers to do the same before the trip. I was rejected for the active gig because I make too much money. I wish I had more problems of this nature.

Love, guns, and sweat

Today was a great day. The tuition assistance rush has started at work. I accompanied Vanessa to the grocery store and a romantic dinner at Wendy's. I love hanging out with Vanessa because we get to spend time together while doing otherwise grueling tasks. She is awesome and without her my quality of life would not exist. I especailly love how she calls me out on everything. The pregnancy past 13 weeks is awesome, maybe we will have more kids one day.

I reloaded some Speer plastic practice rounds. They were really fun to shoot out of my 45 acp. They don't cycle the action and they are dirty but they're still fun. I was impressed with the accuracy, they are more accurate than I am. They'll be great for young shooters (age has little to do with it) to train. They have no recoil so it is easy to detect flinch or torque. I've never had so much fun firing a $1,000.00 cap gun. They're reusable too. It comes down to about $.3 per shot, just the cost of the primer.

I've got a ruck march at 630 tomorrow morning. It's only about 6-7 miles, I hope the feet hold out. I haven't had all toe nails since I joined. In WWII the infantry Soldiers walked an average of 22 miles per day. Oh yea, and they were fighting some of the way. I think about this when my body wants to quit. The furthest I have ever rucked is 12 miles. I've done it twice and it hurt bad both times. The first time I had between 55 and 65 lbs and the second 35-45 (about 10 lbs of water) . By the end the weight makes little difference. The human body is an amazing machine and capable of so much more than the average person ever cares to find out. I choose to push the limits and enjoy the endorphin rush for some reason. Oh yea, and the health benefits.

Hiking in the mountains

Police ended up finding the Emerson girl that has been missing from Vogel State Park. Thank God for that so the family can have some degree of closure. It hurts me that we don't live in as safe a place as we think.

I read on AJC.com that Hilton will seek an insanity plea. I feel safe in this because my CJ degree tells me that less than 1% of insanity plea-seekers actually get it. This is due to the fact that it is actually a not guilty plea. There are several boring books on the topic if you are interested.

Certainly nobody is to blame except the guilty party (Hilton is still innocent until proven guilty). I feel guilty that our society, or at least my sub-culture, had not informed the poor Emerson girl about her right to carry a firearm for personal protection. Situations like this are the reason I put up with constant jokes from family and friends and the extra responsibility of carrying concealed. I will be in court claiming self defense and the "insane" can plead dead.

I know from scripture that God is beyond our human understanding and I know that everything is forgivable. I struggle with the fact that the guilty party has a chance to accept Christ, but it is just that. Fact.

Confidence in your equipment

Confindence is a very important element in life. It is almost an emotion and it runs very close to arogance and stupiditiy. Confindence is created by humans and can easlily destroy a situation.

The U.S. Army trains Soldiers to have confidence in their equipment. Especially at the Airborne school! This is tough because their is no tougher critic; the score in the game is determined in human lives. Soldiers called the "Jeep" a jeep because at the time, "Jeep" was the word used for unproven gear. Obviously it became proven but the name stuck. Due to a lack of stopping power the Soldiers in the Pacific during WWII traded their unproven small caliber sidearms for the classic 1911.

In the armed forces and law enforcement (LAPD SWAT) the 1911 style pistol has gained a cult-like following. Confidence in the large, slow, man-stopping 45 ACP has kept the 1911 still in service today despite the plastic pistols. Plastic pistols are tough, easy to maintain, and easier to shoot well. Accuracy with either depends on the shooter's ability and confidence. I feel ability and confidence cannot be mutually exclusive. The mastery of one however, will lead to the mastery of the other if both are addressed.

A Beautiful Life

Vanessa's Grandmother, Eddie Sue Fox, met the Lord this morning. She built a wonderful family and loved watching them grow and succeed. If I can accomplish only half as much and live half as close to God's word in my lifetime I will be pleased. I only knew her for the last seven years of her life but that was plenty of time for her example to have an enormous impact on me. She lives on through the impressions she left on her family and others. She is survived by a family that is as near perfect as I have seen or ever expect to see.

Leadership and criticism

Leadership is surprisingly similar from organization to organization. When Soldiers enter a training situation or combat their effectiveness depends on communication, coordination, and ability. All three factors are influenced by their leader(s). That's why leaders are responsible for their unit and everything their unit does or fails to do. Criticism flows freely after the fact from evaluators that were only present to evaluate or courts that punish Soldiers for acting like Soldiers in combat. It seems that roles are reversed and leadership is validated by non-leaders offering criticism.

I have noticed a theme that people quick to criticise within organizations are weak. No constructive criticism exists to me. Only plausible alternatives and the willingness to develop people and practices within an organization. You are either a leader or a follower in an organization but you can be in different organizations and have different roles. I hope that leaders will lead and followers will follow. It seems that criticism cripples organizations when people want to jump between roles at their own leizure.

Elections

It seems it's time for another popularity contest in our representative democracy. It makes me wonder what the motivation is to enter the world of politics. I think back to all of the political figures that I have seen. To be in such a low-paying profession they sure seem to have a lot of money, land, and helicopters. Maybe they are really good at doing their taxes? My organization will put me and some of America's finest in a helicopter when we need one. I guess a low-paid, public-serving politician with a ton of money, plenty of land, and a helicopter will make that decision.

Changes on the way!!!!

Luckily I get to sleep right beside the best thing that ever happened to me every night. That's my wife Vanessa. Just when I thought things couldn't get any better, we found out she was pregnant with our first child. That's what life's about. Just when you think you're as blessed as you could possibly be, another gift is right around the corner.