My week with an American hero

I thought I’d share a little about my last week. I spent 8 days training at a location called CSAT (Combat Shooting and Tactics) in East Texas. This is a 300 acre training range owned by MSGT Paul Howe, Ret USA and a Delta Operator for 10 out of his 20 years (check out his name at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Howe). If you don’t know about Paul Howe check him out on Wikipedia.org. He is the real deal and among many assignments was most famous for his rescue efforts during “Black Hawk Down” in Mogadishu, Somalia. He is very humble and doesn’t talk much about his time unless you ask. The many can shoot everything he requires of his students and probably 10 times better.

I wrote up a summary or After Action Report of my 6 training days with him. I thought I’d share that with you. You can read my complete right up at http://www.baileytactical.com/blog .

There are a couple of photos and a short video I posted on my flickr account. You can see the video here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbphotography/3307360059/ .

Here’s a photo of the group of guys I trained with. They came from the FBI SWAT team, Air Marshal Service, US Marshalls, local SWAT teams and a couple of Blackwater private security guys going back for their 3rd and 4th time to Iraq and Afghanistan. I was way out of my league but it made me better at the end of the week and I surprisingly kept up with all of them. On my last test I actually ran the fastest times of the week and hit every target in the kill zone, except I threw 1 shot just outside the kill zone on target. The kill zone is a target that is 6” by 13” over the spine/central nervous system.

Hopefully you’ll find it interesting. I came back sore, bruised, bleeding and a lot better tactically than I had been in years. It was hard but a lot of fun! 2000 rounds of ammo - it's all good!

Peace!

David

Sooners Not Enjoying Miami

THE game turned out to be are really good game.  OU didn't win but at least they came to play this year, as compared to the last couple of years.  They came close but then that is only good in horse-shoes and hand-grenades.  Perfect weather and a competitive game; only thing missing was a win.

Just a note on the Florida fans.  I've read several articles about Gator fans being worse than LSU fans.  I often thought that was impossible.  Well, the Gator fans in Miami were very civil and definitely not over the top when cheering for their team or talking to OU fans.  There are still the young, immature, stupid fan that should not be let out in public without his/her mother.  I would also add that most of the really rowdy fans were probably in Gainesville and didn't have a ticket to the game.  I don't think I would want to go to Gainesville to play the Gators on their real home turf.  Being out-numbered here in Miami by @ 3-1 was bad enough.

Now my soap box comment.  Why are all the Championship games play on the East and West coasts except for the Sugar bowl but it is in the heart of SEC and south.  Mid-America teams will never have a type of home field advantage that Florida did last night, LSU did in the Sugar bowl win OU played them.  I think the Cotton bowl needs to be added to the BSC bowl structure.  I'm done, I'm stepping of my soap box and am going to enjoy the Miami weather and food.

Did I mention Liz came with me???

Sooners in Miami

Liz has given me an early anniversary gift so I'm sitting here in the hotel room working on this blog since tmw is probably going to be a busy day getting ready for THE game.  Hopefully, the Sooners will beat the Gators for the Championship and put to rest many of the negative comments coming out of Florida and Texas, primarily Mac Brown.  That man really knows how to use politics in a sporting event.

Mike (Evelyn and Ron Pilgrim's son) and his wife Cheryl will be meeting us at the game.  They will be leaving at 6 AM Thursday so it will be a long day for them, but I think they will have time for a nap before the game.

The weather is nice (about like Oklahoma every other day) with the temperature in the 70's during the day and 60's at night.  One thing Florida does have over Oklahoma is everything is green year round.

I do believe I would not be considered a senior here, I'm too young!!!  There are old people everywhere.  They're everywhere, they're everywhere.....especially on the roadways.  Look out, here comes another one.  I know I'm going to be one soon enough but here some of the views are interesting.  The women may look old and wrinkly but they don't have to worry about certain parts or should I say pairs of their anatomy sagging.  I Florida a perky old lady has a different meaning than in Oklahoma.

Went to eat in South Beach tonight at "A Fish Called Avalon" and had an excellent meal.  For some reason I kept thinking of Wanda while I was eating.  May go to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. friday, hopefully to celebrate a win or cry in my beer.

Be get to bed to get my beauty sleep and rest for the big game.

Oh, yea, did I mention Liz came with me.

Derral

Happy New Years to all! May your next year be filled with health, happiness and love. Currently I have all of those and it's all anyone really needs. Today is my love's birthday, Happy Birthday Frank. I love you!

A LITTLE FUN IN THE DIRT

Max got a new (used) dirt bike for Christmas (Yamaha YZ 125) and went out riding with his youth group from church called RUSH. Their leader was into dirt bikes and over the last 6 months just about all of them have some sort of dirt bike now.

GOD OF THIS CITY

We sing this song at our church (Fellowship Church) and this has been the anthem this Christmas season for one of our local radio stations (KLTY), that has a program called "Christmas Wish", where listeners nominate those in need, from terminally ill mothers who don't have the money to buy their kids Christmas gifts to veteran families who need help with the rent. It's an amazing song for an amazing program.

Every time I listen to this song I think of how God has worked in my life and my family's life and how I know he will be working in the lives of all Americans in the year to come. He is the God of this city and He is the God of our country and our Universe.

May God bless each of us in the coming year, bring our troops home safely and lead an awakening in America that has never been seen before.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since we are all spread to the corners of the U.S. and we can't be together, I wanted to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope everyone is happy and healthy and remembers all they have to be thankful for. I'm thankful that I married into such a warm and caring family. I wish I could see everyone. Hug your loved ones and know my thoughts are with you. Laura