Opinion
Ft Collins, CO –-(Ammoland.com)- “Let us not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless when facing them.” ~ Rabindranath Tagore
USMC “Poolee”
Last weekend here in CO, we conducted a live-fire program in the serious use of military rifles.
Attendees were all young USMC “Poolee.”
All patriots who have been enrolled by local USMC recruiters, and are waiting for their “ship-out date” to USMC recruit basic training (usually sixty days or less), are called “Poolee.”
My Grandson is a Poolee!
In the interim, local recruiters work with Poolee regularly in an effort to get them into good mental and physical shape in preparation for basic training. Their relentless efforts pay-off in terms of low drop-out rates.
On his own initiative, my dauntless Grandson organized his fellow Poolee into a one-day Training Class at an outdoor range, and a group of local DTI Instructors and I spent a day getting these magnificent young men and women, who have so audaciously stepped forward to wear their Country’s uniform and defend this nation, up-to-speed in modern small-arms technique.
Naturally, we run a hot range. I explained to my young students that they would likely not see a hot range during their enlistment, but that they needed to learn everything they could from us, and then be good students once on active duty.
We brought a number of M4s for them to use.
We worked on using sighting systems, running a trigger, running the manual safety, moving with the rifle, effectively engaging threats at various ranges (including moving targets mixed-in with bystanders), and host of other subjects.
It was an intense day.
Yet, what stands-out most is the way this program affected me, and my DTI Instructors.
After seeing the outstanding learning attitude of these splendid young men and women, seeing that they are not afraid of failure (they are not afraid of anything), that they are willing to work tirelessly improving their skills, that they stepped-up to the line again and again, that they literally cannot be discouraged, I’m no longer nearly as pessimistic about our future as I was last week.
My attitude has improved.
It is our honor and privilege to pass-on to this magnificent current generation several millennias-worth of hard-learned lessons. Later in the year, we’ll be working with the recruiters themselves.
We’re just getting started.
/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor John Farnam will urge you, based on your own beliefs, to make up your mind in advance as to what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to make sure that their students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to the Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
Thank you John Farhan, and those other volunteers, for your interest in, and generous efforts on behalf of those young men and women! It’s one thing to talk a good game, but quite another to not only provide your experience, time, rifles, and probably free ammo! I applaud each and everyone of your volunteers and yourself! And also your grandson’s initiative!
HOO RAH and Semper Fi to my future bretheren!
Outstanding!!
I completely agree. Great start.
I was quite shocked by the comment “Naturally, we run a hot range. I explained to my young students that they would likely not see a hot range during their enlistment,” though. When did Marines stop using a “Hot Range?”
They didn’t..!
That had to be a misprint or some other human error, because PI is about training for combat and have always (even back in 1965) and will always have a LIVE FIRE or HOT RANGE…!