Don't Forget ALL the Heroes

I was cruising around the web as I am prone to do on off days and I was thinking. You know what? We are losing a precious resource of heroism and common sense. It's being ignored but old age is what's taking it away.

Who takes the time to remember and honor the veterans of WW2 anymore? We all should because if they hadn't done their duty, then the west half of this country could be speaking Japanese while the east half spoke German.

As you're out and about and you remember to approach a Vet and thank him or her, don't forget the WW2 era vets. Take the time to talk with them and benefit from their wisdom and memories. It will be time well spent and their efforts kept us free from the tyranny that was Japan and Germany of the day.

If you are or know a WW2 vet, know that I salute you. Thank You for what you gave to keep this free country free. Know also that I honor your dead. I am proud of each and every one of you.

I want to hit on this again

A couple of weeks ago, I posted on an article that I found at Front Sight, Press about tactics. I thought it was a dandy article but since then, I've been looking around the web a bit and I have noticed that most of the articles on defensive shooting are talking about what to do when you get confronted by a goblin. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, but you're not always alone are you bucky? I'm not. I have my own thing I want to bring out here.

What do you do when you're with your loved one(s) when you're confronted by a goblin?

If you're me, then my first priority is to get my girlfriend to safety. In my own mind, if I have to sacrifice my life to do this, I will. Her safety comes first. Now when I'm alone, the only one dying is the goblin, no doubt about that, but I put my girlfriend above me on the must survive list. I'm a sheepdog that way.

So, let me ask a question or 2 here. When was the last time you took your girlfriend or wife or whatever, to the range with you? What? She's never heard your gun fire? Bad, bad shooter, bad, no bone. Take your significant other (S/O) to the range with you. Even if said S/O doesn't shoot, they should watch you shoot and most importantly, they should experience your gun firing. Why, you ask? Simple. What was your first reaction to hearing a gun fired? Think about it. Now admit it, you froze. You did didn't you? You bet you did, and you don't want your S/O to freeze when the black flag goes up. So take your S/O with you and have her nearby while you shoot so that he/she is used to the sound of your gun.

Next, now that she's familiar with gunfire and doesn't freeze when a gun goes off in close proximity, you have to teach her about the tactics that you intend to employ. She needs to know where you're going to go. You don't want to move and run over her, tripping yourself up, nor do you want her to just stand there while you're putting distance between you and the goblin. You need to teach her how you're going to move so that she can either...move with you or move in an opposite direction possibly distracting the goblin for you. Whatever you decide to do, you need to do it in advance so that you have some kind of a plan before the stuff hits the fan. If you have kids, the whole picture changes, she needs to get those kids the hell out of there and fast. You become the delaying action that keeps the scum off your family so they can escape to safety.

Eventually, you may want to teach her to shoot and get her her own CPL so that she can also engage the goblin. That may be down the road some, but it would be nice if eventually, if she's the "I won't leave your side" type, she can handle your gun if you go down. I'd rather that mine just ran and kept running until the shooting stops then call 911 but your mileage may vary.

Any way you choose to go, your S/O must know to stay calm. What to do and where to go. Most importantly, don't freeze on the first shot, just do what you need to do to be safe. We carry to protect ourselves and our families. While you're training to protect you, you need to train to protect them as well.

Time to Lift a Glass

I just spotted this and it made me sad. I always liked Quiet Riot too. R.I.P. Kevin, I'll miss you.

Advance Apology

I just have to get this out of my system...

I followed all of the given directions for joining the People of the Gun and even sent 3 different e mails to 2 different given e mail addresses and I never got added. I'm either too ugly or too uncool I guess as that was 2 weeks ago and nothing. So I guess I'll just get out a crying towel and sit over in the corner and cry a while.

Or, I'll just keep doing what I do and if they don't want me then :P

Something New

Because I love you all so much....and because I saw it at Front Sight, Press. Syd has posted about a new site called carryconcealed.net. I went and checked it out and they have some really interesting info over there including a concealed carry trip planner! I think you should go and check it out.

I Just HAVE to do This

I just saw an article over at KABA which I feel compelled to comment on just because there is one particular part of it that screams for me to say this, but I'll get to that in just a second. The subject of the article is an off duty cop that got drunk, drove and killed some people in the process.

I like law enforcement officers generally. During my 12 year EMS career, I hid behind a bunch of them. Most are professional enough but still quite human. Some, like the idiot in this article seem to have forgotten that their job requires them to behave to a higher standard. As a law enforcement officer, you need to set the standard for behavior for the community. Act the way you would prefer the community to act. I would bet you'd never catch the LawDog being stupid like this, he helps set the standard.

OK, here we go:

Police said Thursday an off-duty Chicago police officer has been charged in connection with a crash that killed two men in their early 20s. According to a Chicago police department statement, John Ardelean, 33, was charged with one count of DUI and driving left of center stemming from the crash that occurred in the 2900 block of North Damen Avenue at approximately 3 a.m.

Wait, wait, wait....he got charged with driving left of center? Shit...you could charge the whole state with that.

To My Faithful Readers

I wish you all a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

I also wish the same to our troops serving, your sacrifices make this day one to give special thanks.

Blogroll Addition

I just found out that I have been added to the blog roll at Red's Trading Post. I am very honored by this because he does a lot to help educate the KABA world about what's going on. I recommend that you visit him often and support him in his ongoing struggles with the stormtroopers of the BATFU.

I think it should go without saying that a reciprocal add has already been taken care of. Welcome to the blog roll Red's.

Now That's Supporting the Troops

I just saw this posted over at Blackfive and it made my heart swell with pride. A group of artists have gotten together and made a CD for the troops over in the sandbox. What makes this extra cool is that if you're over there and you have a valid military ID card, the CD is free for you.

That just rocks! And just in time for Christmas, glorious.

Oh, here's something to think about

Again from Syd over at Front Sight, Press is a nice article on a recent shooting at a highway rest stop. These are places where you really need to crank up your situational awareness. You just never know when some scumbag is going to corner you. There's all kinds of crazies out there and you do not want to be caught unarmed or unaware.

There's lots of great tips in this little missive and you should take all of them to heart. Try to remember some of the most important little rules when traveling our nation's highways.

1. Route yourself around GFW states like Illinois and Wisconsin. If they won't let you carry, don't go there.

2. Keep your head on a swivel. There is no excuse for someone sneaking up on you.

3. Practice, Practice, Practice. Have someone behind you screaming in your ear. Shoot on the move. Practice rapid reloads. The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in combat. Ratchet up the stress on your practice time.

4. Take the time to sit with your loved ones and explain to them precisely what you want them to do if the black flag goes up. In all of the writings I have seen on defensive shootings, I very rarely see any that address this. Your loved ones have to know what to do if you get encountered by a bad situation. You need to know where they're going to go and they need to know where you want them to go. That is for everyone's safety. Your and theirs. In that situation, you're drawing your weapon to protect your loved ones, make sure they know what to do also.

Just Too Cool NOT to Copy and Paste

I saw this over at Front Sight, Press and it's just too good not to share. Great post Syd, this is why I think you rock.

I don’t carry a gun…

November 13th, 2007 by Syd

… to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don’t carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don’t carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m angry. I carry a gun so that I don’t have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don’t carry a gun because my sex organs are too small. I carry a gun because I want to continue to use those sex organs for the purpose for which they were intended for a good long time to come.

I don’t carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m a cowboy. I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don’t carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don’t carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don’t carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

I Am Honored

I was reading through the links like I usually do and I noticed that over at KABA, I have been linked. Red's Trading post supplied a link to my rant about the new head stormtrooper at BATFE.

I'm pretty honored to be linked over there.