Mods - I'm not sure exactly where this post belongs.  Please feel free to move it if it fits somewhere else better:

Spread the word! This event is designed to accomplish 3 things:

1. Share the heritage and legacy of Legion since 9/11
2. Challenge your rifle and pistol skills over a physically strenuous course
3. Raise funds for the Special Forces Association

CHOOSE YOUR CHALLENGE:

SEPT 9 – 5k Run & Gun
Shooters will complete 5 combat-based stages over the course of a 5k route through the woods and hills of Kentucky, negotiating obstacles along the way.

-OR-

SEPT 10 – 2-Gun Stages ONLY
Shooters will compete in the same 5 combat-based stages without the 5k run and obstacles.

BACKGROUND:

When the United States was attacked on September 11, 2001, the country needed a response. The Green Berets of the 5th Special Forces Group, known as “The Legion,” answered that call. From crushing the Taliban in Afghanistan, to dismantling Al Qaeda networks in Iraq, and combating the Islamic State in Syria, The Legion has carried the torch in the fight against America’s enemies. Many of the battles have been fought in the shadows, known only to those who were there. This 9/11, the Special Forces Association invites you to honor the dedication and sacrifice of The Legion by participating in the first annual Legion 9/11 Memorial 2-Gun Match.

This match is an opportunity to test rifle and pistol skills in stages based on combat situations faced by members of The Legion since 9/11.
All proceeds from this match will be donated to the Special Forces Association, Chapter 38 – an organization dedicated to supporting the Soldiers and families of the Special Forces Community.

Registration Opens on Practiscore 05 AUG.

More details can be found on their Facebook Event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1623...tab=discussion

Here are some more details for anyone who hasn't done a Run N Gun/Centerfire Biathlon before. These only apply to the Saturday Match.  The Sunday Match will be a more traditional squadded 2-gun match in which you DON'T have to run between shooting locations carrying all your gear!

Intro:

The Legion 9/11 Memorial 2-Gun Match is a centerfire biathlon – competitors will complete a 5K run combined with a shooting competition. The event is a test of man and equipment alike. It is intended to give participants an idea of how being hot, cold, exhausted, and challenged by the environment affects their shooting, and to test the effectiveness of their gear under field conditions. This event is not intended for inexperienced shooters – all participants are expected to be familiar with the operation of their firearms, and to observe basic principles of firearm safety at all times. With the exception of emergencies, Range Officers (ROs) are not allowed to help participants in any way. Good attitudes are a must. If you are the type of person who gets upset when minor changes are made to a plan or when you don’t always get your way, this is not the event for you.

Sorry for multiple posts - it's limiting me to 2000 characters per post for some reason...

Basics:

Participants will receive both a score for their run based on how long it took them to complete the course, and a score for their shooting based on how long it took them to clear each course of fire. The run score and shooting score will be equally weighted in determining the participant’s final score. This is true run-what-you-brung field-style shooting, with only two equipment classes:  “Combat Class” in which you must carry at least 25% of your bodyweight in gear (simulating a full load-out), or “Race Class” in which anything goes.  For the most part, if you want to carry it for 5 clicks, be our guest.  Shooters are expected to have all their firearms sighted in and all their gear ready to go on the morning of the shoot. There will be no zeroing at the event. Think of this as a test of how you and your equipment would perform in a Second Amendment situation if you had to go take care of business at your current state of readiness, whatever that is. Run order will be more or less random. We will try to be accommodating to participants who wish to share firearms or equipment (we can have one person run in the morning and the other in the afternoon), or to those who wish to run together.

Equipment:

The only equipment that is strictly required to participate is a safe center fire rifle, a safe center fire pistol, enough ammo to clear the course (at least twice the minimum required hit count is recommended), eye protection, ear protection, a flashlight, and some form of stopwatch.  The rifle must shoot rifle caliber ammo (no 9mm PCC), and the pistol must shoot pistol caliber (no .223 “pistols” for the handgun targets).   Everything else is up to the participant, but water and a pen and notepad are highly recommended.  Shooters may use any type of gear they want to carry their equipment with, the only requirement being that pistols must be carried in a secure holster that covers the trigger if they are to be carried loaded. Rifles may be carried any way you like, as long as they remain pointed in a safe direction.  You may not use tracers or armor piercing bullets that have a hardened penetrator core, as we will be using lots of steel targets that we don’t want to see damaged.  To be safe – if your bullet attracts a magnet or has a green tip, leave it at home.  

Rules:

First and foremost, all participants will be expected to comply with basic firearms safety at all times. If you demonstrate inability or unwillingness to follow basic firearm safety, you will be asked to leave, with no refund and no apology. Muzzles must be pointed in a safe direction at all times, and fingers must be off the trigger unless the firearm is pointed at a target. Rifles shall only be loaded when a shooter is at a rifle stage, after the RO has given the “fire” command. Shooters may leave their handguns loaded at all times. However, loaded handguns must remain securely in a holster unless the shooter has been given the “fire” command on a shooting stage.  Some stages will be active, involving moving and shooting.  Firearms may remain loaded during movement, but strict muzzle discipline must be maintained.

Procedures:

Every shooter will be given a score card that he will be required to carry through the course.  The card is how we record your score.  Do not lose it or we will not be able to give you a score for the event.  When a shooter approaches a station, he will be required to show a RO an empty mag well and empty chamber on his rifle. If another shooter is currently on the stage when he arrives, the one who just arrived will be instructed by a RO to start his stopwatch to keep track of his wait time (this will be subtracted off the participant’s run time when his run score is calculated). It is purely the shooter’s responsibility to keep track of his wait time. The ROs have no responsibility whatsoever to help you do this. Even if a RO offers to help you keep track of your time, you have no one but yourself to blame if this is not done. When the shooter is ready to shoot the stage, he will hand the RO his score card, and the RO will record his wait time if any. The shooter will be given a quick summary of the course of fire. The RO will ask if the shooter understands the course of fire. If the answer is yes, the shooter will be given the “fire” command, at which time he may load his rifle and/or draw his pistol and begin shooting the stage.  All stages will have a zone where the shooter must fire from -- either a particular hole in a barricade that you must shoot through, or a marked zone on the ground, in which every part of your body or equipment which touches the ground must remain inside of when you fire.  Hits made from outside the designated area will not count toward completion of the course of fire.

Every shooting stage will have a 3 minute time limit.  This is to keep the runners moving and to prevent large backups of shooters waiting to shoot a stage.  At the end of that 3 minute period, the shooter will be stopped and time penalties applied to their score for any target not fully neutralized as per the course of fire requirements.  If for any reason the “cease fire” command is given, you will immediately cease fire, holster your handgun, and unload your rifle.  You will do likewise when you complete a stage, or time out. The RO should tell you your time for the stage. The RO will record your time on your score card.  You may want to carry a pen and notepad to keep track of your score in case you lose your card, or if there is a mix-up with the scoring. Every shooter must show a RO an empty mag well and chamber on his rifle before leaving each stage. A RO will give directions on where to go to continue down the trail. Shooters are NOT required to leave their rifle’s bolt open during the run… this is actually discouraged, as it will allow lots of that beautiful Kentucky red clay to accumulate inside the action. There will be ample opportunity for this to happen on the course.

The Run:

The total course length is 3.2 miles.  The path for participants to follow will be marked with brightly colored flags and/or tape. Shooters must stay close to the marked path. Do not cut corners.  Failure to follow the marked trail may take you into the impact area of a hot range!!!  If the trail takes you through some difficult terrain, this is on purpose!  Parts of the trail will be down a county road.  Keep to the left edge of the road and watch for traffic.

Your Fitness:

This event is in a remote area, and you need to be aware of over-exertion. We should have some folks with medical skills on hand, but your health is your responsibility.  If you start having problems, slow down... drink some water... listen to your body!  There is no shame in walking the course; know yourself and your limitations.  

Accommodations:

Attendees are highly recommended to stay at the onsite lodge for the full experience.  There will be people on site all day Friday, as the ROs will be running the course.  Porta-potties will be on site at most shooting locations.  Registration opens at 6:30 a.m. and closes at 7:30 a.m Saturday morning.  The safety briefing begins at 7:30 a.m.  Anyone who does not get signed in by 7:30 will not be allowed to participate, so be on time.  The first runner will be sent out at 8:00 a.m., and another runner will be sent out in a uniform interval thereafter. The ROs will have run the course the day before. They will be scored along with all the other contestants. After the last runner has crossed the finish line, we will calculate the results. The winners will be announced, trophies will be given out, and a drawing will be conducted for all the prizes contributed by the sponsors.

How to Sign Up:

The registration fee for the Legion 9/11 Memorial 2-Gun Match is $50 ($30 to Active or Retired 5th Group members).  Registration will be limited to 55 competitors from the general public – all of the other slots are being held for 5th Group members.  If you are 5th Group and have trouble registering, email me directly at [email protected] and I will get you in.  Registration will be handled through Practiscore, and Rockcastle will collect the match fee and have you sign waivers the morning of the match.  Make sure you are familiar with all of our rules and procedures before signing up.  All participants must register under their true names.  Tickets are non-transferable.  Pre-registration is mandatory, and no walk-ons will be allowed on match day as space and time is limited.

Directions:

The start and finish line are both located at the Park Mammoth Resort Lodge at Rockcastle Shooting Center.  The address is 22850 Louisville Rd, Park City, KY 42160.  This is almost exactly halfway in between the Nashville International Airport (BNA) and the Louisville International Airport (SDF) – about an easy hour and a half drive from either.

And for people who did the 3G4V Run N Gun in March, this event will be similar with some important differences you should note:

1. The shooting stages will be more difficult/complex, and there will be a higher round count overall. "I would NEVER shoot something only twice!" is what I was told when I asked how many hits should be required to neutralize paper. After some internal discussion, it was decided that pistol targets need 5 shots to neutralize and rifle targets need 3 shots (paper only - steel is still 1 hit).

2. There will be two divisions/classes: "Combat Class" in which you carry 25% of your bodyweight or more (simulating a full load-out), and "Race Class" in which you can go as light and fast as you want. Everything else is open.

3. The only obstacles are the hills. After shooting the stages, you'll understand this much better.

More coming soon!

Registration will open on Practiscore at 10am Central Time on August 5th.  

Telling you now in case anyone needs to make plans to be near a computer then.  ;-)

Does weapons count toward 25% of your body weight? I can't see how ammo would as it would get depleted as your move thru the course.

Yes - the weight if your guns, ammo (at the beginning), and all your gear counts.  You'll get a "no gear" weight when you register first thing in the morning in just your clothes.  Then right before you run (with all your gear on), we'll weigh you again.  As long as you're over 25%, you stay in Combat Class.  If you're not, we kick you down to Race Class.

If you want to parade naked through the lobby at registration to game a few last pounds, that's up to you - but I can't vouch for your safety or your legal costs if you do.  ;-)

The idea is for guys who want to wear their armor or bug out bags to have a place they can compete against like-minded individuals.

Awesome! Makes sense...thanks for the quick response.

I will go ahead and carry the extra 3 pounds vs getting weighed nekked

We ALL thank you for that!  

For anyone who still doesn't know what a "5k 2-Gun" or a "Centerfire Biathlon" is, here's a video from a similar event we had in March. This one will be slightly different (see previous posts for details), but this should give you a better idea what to expect:

https://youtu.be/sNiVxX9fVp0

Edit:  Well crap.  Can anyone help me embed a video here?  I've tried every which way and a link is the best I can do.

There will be 49 required rifle hits, and 60 required pistol hits. I highly recommend carrying AT LEAST twice that many rounds if you're running the 5k - there's no going back to your car for more if you run out.

And the 5th Group Guys usually have no idea what they're about to walk into when they get sent out, so there will be no stage descriptions released before-hand. The first you'll hear about the stage is when you run up to shoot it. I will tell you the most difficult rifle shot will be a 10" steel plate at about 320 yards, and there will be everything from extremely close and fast to 320 yds.

I will also tell you that the shooting stages are based on actual operations 5th Group personnel have been through in the past - some of which are public knowledge and some of which are not so public. You will learn the true story behind every stage at the match - but they may not all be made public beforehand. Some of the details are sensitive and we don't necessarily want them blabbed all over the internet.

However - as a "for instance": Read through this actual description of a Silver Star award for a 5th Group hero, and try to imagine how you might try to reproduce that in a way civilians could do it in under 3 minutes. And be thankful we have people like Master Sgt. Anthony S. Pryor on our side...

https://www.army.mil/article/1662/sf-soldier-gets-silver-star-for-heroism-in-afghanistan

Registration opens at 10:00am sharp tomorrow morning. Below is the link for the 5k Run N Gun/Centerfire Biathlon on Saturday, September 9th.

https://practiscore.com/legion-9-11-memorial-5k-run-n-gun/register

Below is the link for the 2-Gun Match (the shooting stages only, with no running in between and no obstacles) on Sunday September 10th.

https://practiscore.com/legion-9-11-memorial-2-gun-match/register

And no, the registration doesn't work yet! Be SURE you register for the correct match, as there are two separate matches with similar names.

And it turns out I lied about the obstacles - there will be SEVERAL obstacles in addition to the shooting stages.  You'll crawl, climb, slide, and carry heavy things.  This is gonna be fun!

This match is not about beating other people, it’s about beating yourself. And your Self is the toughest opponent you will ever face.

Start training. If you sign up, show up, and just START the match you’re ahead of every other “internet couch warrior” out there. If you FINISH the match, no matter how long it takes you, you win. One thing I can promise you – is that NO ONE will make fun of you for getting out there and trying. You will only hear words of encouragement and support*, pushing you to keep going and finish this thing.

*Marines and Army Drill Instructors have their own special way of giving encouragement and support, and I have a few as RO’s. If they yell at you, know it’s because they love you. They are the only exemptions from this statement. If some lone douchebag tries to prove me wrong on this and makes fun of you for struggling, being too fat, too old, or too slow - give them a swift buttstroke to the side of the head with your rifle and just keep going. As you trample over their crying body, tell them "Matt says hi".

I got some more humbling news today:  Gold Star family members who were directly tied to some of the individuals the stages are based on will be at the event.  Gold Star families are those who lost an immediate family member in combat.

Help me honor these people by not only showing up in great numbers, but putting your best feet forward and showing them how much we appreciate and understand their sacrifice.

I've had a few questions on how people can donate if they can't come to the match. You can donate to the SFA at anytime through their website, but that only goes to their general fund (still a great cause). If you want to donate to the Chapter that specifically takes care of 5th Group, it has to be done the old-fashioned way via snail mail. Here are the details:

Check/Money Order TO: 
Special Forces Association, Chpt 38
NOTE: Legion 9/11 Memorial Match

Mailing Address:
Special Forces Association, Chpt 38 
ATTN: CSM (RET) Frank McFadden 
PO Box 223 
Ft. Campbell, KY 42223

If you've never been to Rockcastle before, you should know that it has some wicked hills! Below is an elevation map of the course.

http://i.imgur.com/KdsZFXe.jpg

Post here how you're going to deal with those hills to help keep each other inspired/motivated. You have FOUR WEEKS to get ready - post up when you do something for training!

If you run four times a week already and this is no big deal, just post a weekly update so people don't get overwhelmed by your awesomeness but can still see what's possible. Extra points if you've never done anything like this before and struggle just to walk a mile. Post something here every single time you walk that mile!

Don't worry about it not being "long enough" or "fast enough". All that matters is that you got off the couch and did SOMETHING. If you did more than you did yesterday, you win. Celebrate it here!

I'll start: I've been stuck on hotel treadmills for the last two weeks "simulating hills". Tonight was my first run on a real road: 3.66 miles at a 9.1 min/mi avg pace (with no weight) on the hilliest route I could find close to my house. Goal #1 is no walking - check. Goal #2 is to average at LEAST 90% of my peak heart rate throughout. I hit 89% tonight, so I have some more work to do. The plan is 3 weightless runs a week and a weighted run on the weekends.

Who is next???

http://i.imgur.com/VvqIrfu.png

There are still plenty of slots left open - talk your friends into joining you, and motivate each other to prepare.  Don't put this off - sign up and start training TODAY!!!

Really?  I was logging on at 11 est sharp last weekend.

Oh, practice.  Running this week between 2-5 miles.  Start with my gear, sans rifle, on Monday.

Yeah - the last one sold out in 20 minutes, but it had 6 months of talking it up before-hand.  This one had exactly one week of promotional time before registration opened, so word hasn't quite gotten around yet I guess.  It's always hard to tell how these things will go!

I had to move some MOLLE around on my Run N Gun rig to make the change from FAL/G41 to AR10/G17 tonight, and I realized I have one less G18 mag than I thought I did. So I'll be ordering a G18 mag this week to finish this set out. A quick run around the farm and some rifle dry fire in various positions made a good basic gear test, but it needs more before I'm comfortable with it.

How is everyone carrying the giant loads of ammo required for this match? I'm going with 4x25rd AR10 mags, 3x33rd G18 mags, and a 21rd G17 mag in the pistol for a total loadout of 100 rifle and 120 pistol.

Things you'll experience that aren't at most matches:

Incoming "artillery strikes"
Machinegun fire WHILE you are trying to focus on shooting
Calling in your own JDAM strike
Shooting while under attack (I'll let this one be a surprise!)
Experiencing the "fog of war" and trying to identify friend and foe
Rescuing multiple casualties
Carrying all your gear for 5k while shooting and overcoming obstacles

And of course all of the outrageous things that are only "normal" to Rockcastle:
Shooting in the complete darkness of a cave
Shooting from/around a vehicle
Shooting and reloading on the move and from behind cover

There are still some slots open - register NOW at: https://practiscore.com/legion-9-11-memorial-5k-run-n-gun/register

And if you have absolutely no interest in carrying 20-50lbs over a 5k running course, but still want to experience the awesomeness of the shooting stages and support the 5th Group Special Forces Association, come on out to the Sunday 2-gun match where you can do exactly that. Even better, shoot BOTH matches back to back.

You know you'll want another shot at these stages after shooting them Saturday, so you might as well sign up for Sunday too so you can try them fresh again! Here's the link for the Sunday match:  https://practiscore.com/legion-9-11-memorial-2-gun-match/register

5th Group had a good week this week - picked up Spikes Tactical as a match sponsor and Trijicon as a stage sponsor.  Just the first of many more to come, I'm sure!

People always have questions about scoring. I admit this can be confusing - especially since every Run N Gun is a little different. Scoring for THIS match reflects the priorities of the 5th Special Forces Group, so while it is pretty similar to what we did here in March there are a few differences. 

First, the similarities:

Your total score is made up of 50% run time and 50% shoot time, so you have to both run fast and shoot well to score well overall. To break this down further - the fastest runner overall will get 500 points. Each runner below that will get a percentage of 500 points based on how much slower than that fastest runner they are. The fastest shooter at Stage 1 will get 100 points, and every shooter below that will get a percentage of those 100 points based on how much slower than the fastest shooter they are. And so on for all five stages. Since there are 5 stages, there are 500 possible points for shooting. So theoretically - if someone was the fastest runner and won each and every shooting stage they'd get 1,000 points and win the match. That has yet to EVER happen, so the actual match winner is always someone who balances shooting well with running fast - which is as it should be.

Now, the differences (from March):

For each target you Fail To Neutralize (FTN) as per the stage description, we will add 10 seconds to your shoot time for that stage. For each "No Shoot" you hit (once or multiple times), 10 seconds will be added to your shoot time for that stage. And since 5th Group never quits - neither can you. You have to keep shooting until you've either hit all the targets or your 3 minutes are up. You CANNOT just quit early and "take the penalty." The only exception to this is if you THINK you hit all the targets, but didn't. For example: you shoot 5 times at a paper pistol target, think you hit it all 5 times, and move on - but when it's scored they only find 4 hits. You'd have 10 seconds added to your shoot time as an FTN penalty for that stage.

So even if you do not finish the shooting stage, you will still get some points based on how many targets you DID hit (unlilke in March).

And two Match DQ penalties (you get a zero score for the match and get sent home early) that may be new to some:

1. If you get caught with a loaded rifle ANYWHERE but immediately after you are given the "fire" command or the start buzzer goes off
2. If you drop a loaded pistol ANYWHERE in the course

Any questions?

I wish my body wasn't broke from service, this looks so much more reality based and if I wasn't in constant pain, I'd attend and train up for in a heartbeat as this type of training and competition motivates me

Any chance you could come out on Sunday?  For Sunday's match you just shoot the stages, without the run, obstacles, and gear carry.  Although you still have to carry several training dummies as part of the stages...

I can't give you the stage details, but I can show you the course map to give you an idea where you'll be going.  I won't make you plot bearings and count steps, but navigating and following a simple map IS a part of this challenge.  We'll have paint on the roads, signs with arrows at every turn, and caution tape marking the trail through the woods - but every year someone gets lost or confused. Study the map and know where you're going.  Print it out and bring it along if you'd like to be sure.

If you were here in March, you'll note that the course is VERY similar and the shooting locations are identical.  Also note that the small dogleg off of Slave Cave Road is gone.  We've moved all the obstacles to be just prior to the stage locations this time, so there was no reason for the bypass off the road.  That has the added bonus of cutting back the mileage to a perfect 5k, and adding an extra hill!

http://i.imgur.com/phYUKjM.png

Rule Change:  5th Group decided a pre-run weigh-in was too easy.  You must be carrying 25%+ of your bodyweight when you FINISH the run to qualify for Combat Class.  We'll weigh you before the run so you can know where you start out on the match scale - but the weight that counts is when you finish.  If you're not at 25% or more, you'll be kicked down to Race Class and have carried all that weight for nothing.  

Sorry for the mix-up - I assumed we do this like we did before and never even asked them what they thought.  You can kick me as you run by if you scan still lift your legs by then!

For those that don't know, I'm doing all the match admin stuff while my 5th Group counterparts give me direction on what they want to see and take care of the sponsorships and prize table stuff.  I am amazed (but not surprised, given what these guys make happen on a regular basis) how much they've been able to accomplish in the three short weeks since we hatched this idea.  Here's all the sponsors they have on board already:

http://i.imgur.com/UpsFagE.jpg

For anyone NOT coming - you will be sorry you didn't shoot this match when you see the video and pics. I wish I could share more ahead of time - but $50 match fee, all these sponsors, a great cause, awesome stages you won't see anywhere else - you've got nothing to lose!

And don't even think of using your current fitness level as an excuse. ANYONE can finish this course, no matter your fitness level. And I promise you, you will never have so much fun working so hard in your life.

We have only 16 slots left open for the 5k, and PLENTY still available for the shooting stages only ("2-Gun Match") on Sunday.  Don't wait.  Just do it.

Alright - we're less than two weeks out.  And we have a few slots still left open.  It's not too late to sign up!

For those of you who have trained your whole lives for something like this, this match will be awesome! You will finally have a place you can put all of your skills together in a match that plays to your strengths, and you'll feel like a thoroughbred finally set free to run.

For those of you who have NEVER attempted anything like this, are intimidated by all of the crazy workouts posted here, and are having severe second thoughts lately - it will be even better. Whatever you do, JUST DON'T QUIT. The satisfaction and self-image you will get from just finishing this course will stay with you forever, and is something no one can ever take away from you. Many people have found matches like these to be a turning point in their lives, and in a year or two you may not even recognize the person you have become. Just remember - for every person you see pass you, there is someone behind you wishing they could keep up with you.
And before ANYONE judges anyone else as being "too slow, too fat, or too lazy" - bite your tongue and listen to their story first. Across the country at matches like these we've had people recovering from recent strokes, heart attacks, cancer, pregnancy, amputations, and any other issue you can think of; just because "F#$K CANCER", that's why! Give them an encouraging word when you pass them - it really makes a difference.

Even better - if you pass someone really struggling on the course: finish your race, set down your gear, and run back out to find that person. You can run beside them and offer them all the words of support and encouragement that you can think of - you just can't physically help them in any way. I would love nothing better than to see the last and slowest competitor of the day, trudging their way up the last hill, accompanied by 40 of their newest friends. Help me make that happen.

Let's do this.

Ok folks - Saturday is officially "sold out" now!  There are still plenty of slots open for Sunday's match (shooting stages only - no run or obstacles).  You might as well sign up now and book a room for Saturday night -  you know you'll only want a hot shower and a few beers after Saturday (as opposed to a long drive home), and then a 2nd chance at those stages on Sunday after all the "man, I wish I would have..." talk over drinks after the match.

Some pretty cool stats from registration:

91 total competitors
35 are active duty 5th Group
60% are signed up for Combat Class

This last one blows my mind - we've had a handful of nuts run "heavy" at other matches for various trophies or bragging rights.  Maybe 5 people at most.  This match has FIFTY FOUR!  I am REALLY looking forward to seeing all these maniacs work through this course!

And I'd still encourage anyone interested to sign up for Saturday and get on the waiting list.  We had several last minute cancellations in March, so it wouldn't surprise me if we had a few here too.

Those who know Rockcastle have already figured this out from the course map - but for everyone else: Stage 3 occurs in the complete darkness of a cave. YOU WILL NEED A LIGHT. If you show up at the cave without a light, you will not be allowed to enter the cave and will zero the stage. You cannot borrow a light from a buddy or an RO - you must carry it for the entire race.

Weaponlights are fine to use while shooting, but there are portions of the cave you must navigate BEFORE you shoot, and if you unholster your loaded pistol and start waving it around (with other competitors and ROs in front of you) to see where you're going, you'll get a Match DQ and be sent home. Plan accordingly.

Here's a video from the March match that shows the basics. The actual shooting portion of this match will be different than March, so don't let that get into your head!

[youtube]https://youtu.be/hq52C43sXD4[/youtube]

Another reminder - you will need eye and ear protection for this match.  Yes, running with glasses on sucks.  Either deal with it, or take the extra time to take your glasses off when you run and put them on before you shoot.  

We just have too many opportunities for ricochets and plenty of loud noises to let this go.  If you show up to a shooting stage without eye and ear protection you will not be allowed to shoot and receive a zero score for the stage.

Another reminder for newbies:  you will need a STOPWATCH of some sort.  There's a good chance when you run up to a stage there will be someone shooting there already (and quite possibly a line of people waiting to shoot).  At that point, the RO will tell you to start your wait time.  Start your stopwatch, and let it run until it's your turn to move forward.  During your wait time you are NOT allowed to sit, take off your gear, eat, drink, or do anything but just stand there exactly as you ran up - it's like a "timeout" and it should not give you any advantage over those who didn't have a wait time.

This wait time may occur in different places depending on the stage - sometimes before the obstacle (so you have to beat the obstacle and then immediately start shooting), sometimes right before the shooting.  The RO will guide you for those details.

Because the entire point of the weekend was remembering those fallen and trying to understand just a little of what our 5th Special Forces Group brothers and their families go through, I'm taking a different tack with the match videos this time. It is beyond difficult to try to summarize in a few short minutes the amazing and humbling experiences of this weekend, but this is my effort so others may try to understand.

Here is Stage 1: AL JAFR

https://youtu.be/lvoxAI6Autg

All the pictures my awesome wife took are now uploaded on Flickr. Feel free to use them however you wish, but please give a photo credit to Lisa Stennett if you do.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lisastennett/albums/with/72157688915817325

I can't seem to get videos to work here for some reason - but if you go to my youtube page (click the link above) you can see all the stage videos there.

While we were prepping for match, one of the 5th Group guys at one point said, almost as an aside,

"You haven't seen Legion of Brothers?"

"No" I said. "Is it pretty accurate?"

"Yeah" he said.

As with most things, I really didn't understand what he was saying at the time. I thought it was something like Blackhawk Down - maybe a little Hollywood'd up recreation of an event with some actors. But if he said it was pretty accurate maybe I'd watch it and be entertained while I learned a little bit more about what they did. I was wrong.

This is a documentary - with the actual guys and their families involved in the stories. I finished it tonight, and it is so much more than I first thought it was.

Buy it and watch it. We will never understand like those who were there, but I feel it is our duty as civilians to TRY to understand and not let all of what these guys and their families go through just get swept under the rug while the next "So You Think You Can Dance" episode comes on. It's sad that I'd never even heard of this movie until it was mentioned in passing just by happenstance.

With all they have sacrificed, the least we can do is try to understand and remember.

https://www.amazon.com/Legion-Brothers-Nutsch-Pennington-Amerine/dp/B06Y4Q213B

This sounds like it would've been a BLAST!