Citizen's Academy

A blog post by Xavier reminded me of something that I have actually meant to talk about here in the past.

At one time, I was firmly convinced that I didn't want to work in the engineering field, that I wanted to take my four year college degree and use it to find a job in federal law enforcement. As time went on, and I never heard anything back from the federal positions that I applied for, I looked to the idea of possibly getting involved in local law enforcement.

When I first move to Indiana from PRNJ in 2007, I was firmly in the midst of attempting to locate full time local police work. I had the opportunity to attend the Evansville Police Department's Citizen's Academy in the fall of 2007. I was hoping that attending the academy would give me a leg up in the future.

The Citizen's Academy is a great educational experience. We attended sessions ranging from the motor patrol group, to the K-9 teams, to the SWAT, to the firearms guys, to the homicide detectives. It was an awesome couple of months. At the time, class was once / week for several hours in the evening.

If you have any interest in law enforcement, or just want a better look at what the guys in blue do for a living, what they have to put up with, attending a citizen's academy like the one that EPD does is probably worth your time.

I wish Xavier nothing but the best in his experiences, and may he teach us all something :)

--Jim

Just Wow...

Curiosity of SayUncle, we get this priceless gem.

I'm sorry, but... WOW..

That's all I can say.

Those guys need some more fun time with an AR-15 or an M4.

Random Gunny Pic

Ruger 22/45 Mark III, 5-1/2 SS barrel

Schoolteacher Suspended for Facebook Gun Photo

Gotta love this story on Fox News out of Wisconsin, although as one of only two states that does not allow any form of concealed carry, maybe it isn't so surprising. Sad yes, but definitely not surprising.

BEAVER DAM, Wis. —
A Beaver Dam Middle School teacher is on administrative leave after
school officials discovered a photo of her with a gun on Facebook.

In the photo, Betsy Ramsdale was training a rifle at the camera.

In an e-mail to WKOW-TV in Madison, Ramsdale said she removed the photo
immediately and that she is not "interested in any controversy.

Schools superintendent Donald Childs says a concerned staff member brought the photo to the district's attention.

Childs says the use of the photo "appears to be poor judgment" and is unaware of any sinister intent.

Ramsdale's biography on the district Web site states she is in her first year at
the school. Department of Public Instruction records show Ramsdale has
been licensed to teach since 1996.

Glad I didn't decide to become a school teacher, because I'd be fired over the number of gun pictures that I post. And to her co-worker, get over you Hoplophobia, and hurry, you look like an IDIOT.

Teaching People to Shoot Update

Update to my post over here, and on the main page of the blog.

By way of Captain and a Crew of One we find that Mulligan over at Do Over is keeping up with this list of people willing to introduce new people to the shooting sports. I left my contact info asking to be added to the roster.

UPDATE: I've been added.

--Jim

30 Days - Gun Nation

Xavier led me in the direction of this episode of 30 days, where a citizen disarmament advocate spends 30 days living in the home of a gun nut.

I remember hearing about this show when it first aired, but didn't get a chance to watch it on TV originally. I'm glad Xavier pointed the show out to me, and led me to where it could be viewed online.

The show is about 40 minutes long, and it's amazing to see the changes in Pia's attitude as it goes on.

I didn't grow up in a house with firearms, and my mother was extremely opposed to me having any in the house. As a matter of fact, when I purchased my first two pistols, I had to store them at a good friend's house, who had firearms of his own.

I started reading about the gun rights movement, and attempting to make an informed decision long before I bought my first two guns. I became interested in firearms and shooting while I was still in high school, and practiced with a mentor at work whenever he had the time and inclination. I knew long before I got to college that I would purchase my first pistols as soon after passing 21 I would.

I don't know that I've changed the minds of anyone, but I have definitely taken a bunch of people to the range who have never been before. Much of it happened when I was in college, had a nice range close by, and a huge pool of people to draw from. I've continued the tradition of introducing new people to the range and gun ownership whenever possible.

I even bought my girlfriend her first pistol for Christmas, and have taken her shooting several times since then. More on that at a later day.

To me, the single greatest thing that we can do to help ensure the future of Second Amendment rights to to introduce new people to the shooting sports, and get them to enjoy it.

I'll share my personal opinions on how to introduce someone to the shooting sports for the first time later :)

San Antonio Blogmeet

A bunch of the bloggers from the central / southern Texas areas are meeting at the Braken Rifle and Pistol Recreational Range just to the North East of San Antonio. The group is meeting at 0900 on Saturday 02-07-2009, but I'm driving down the night before.

From what I'm gathering, it looks like I'm going to have to pay for each gun that I want to shoot. I've never been billed for a range that way, so it'll be interesting to see. I've offered to the host of the meet to bring up to 7 different firearms, as seen in the pictures below.


I'm planning on bringing the following:

• Bushmaster AR-15, 5.56mm
  
• Henry .22LR Lever Gun, .22LR
  
• Ruger 22/45 Mark III, .22LR
  
• Ruger Single Six, .22 LR
• Glock 19 with CT grips, 9mm
• Springfield XD45 Service, .45ACP
• Kimber Custom TLE II/ RL with CT grips, .45ACP
  

And I laid the rest of my supplies in today for the blogmeet. I visited Champion Firearms in College Station and picked up the following:

• 200 rounds .45 ACP
• 100 rounds 9x19
• 200 rounds .223 Rem
• 50 rounds 7.62x25
• 40 rounds 7.62x54R

Also picked up a Serpa holster for XD45, a package of snap caps, and a set of Radians Electronic Muffs. I'll post a review of the new muffs after I get a chance to try them out at the blog meet.

Unfortunately, Champion was SOLD OUT of .22LR ammo. As a gun shop, how do you sell out of ammo for a .22? I headed over to Gander Mtn and picked up 1000 rounds of .22LR for the Henry and Ruger pistols.

Anyway, if you live in the San Antonio area, or want to make the trip, you're more then welcome to join everyone who's going to be there. Just for the record, I have never met any of the guys who are meeting up before.

New Idea...

I do most of my reading of blog posts through Google Reader, and that definitely has some advantages.  However, it also has some disadvantages.  I followed a link tonight from Murdoc over at GunPundit to the Armed Canadian.  When I first opened up the page, I noticed the header that AC has on the top of his page regarding taking people to the gun range for their first ever visit.

I want to make the same offer, and I'm going to put a similar message on the header of my blog.  Just wanted to say thanks to AC for giving me the idea!