Shoot With & Support 5th Group Special Forces: 9/9-9/10, Rockcastle Shooting Center

[Matt in TN]

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/lisast...57688915817325

[Matt in TN]

Here's Stage 2: Bucket

[Matt in TN]

Stage 3: Tora Bora

[Matt in TN]

I've been to a lot of matches over the years, but I've NEVER called in an air strike and had artillery simulators going off around me while shooting difficult targets.

Keep in mind when this really happened it was dark (around midnight), there were 20-30 bad guys instead of 5, and they were dressed just like the good guys and wearing suicide vests.

And that 60% of the competitors failed to finish this course of fire that was MUCH watered down from the real thing. "We're not worthy!" doesn't even begin to cover it.

Here's Stage 4: At Tanf

[Matt in TN]

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-Brothe.../dp/B06Y4Q213B

[Wake27]

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-Brothe.../dp/B06Y4Q213B

First I've heard of it, thanks.

[CPM]

I want to take a moment and address this competition as succinctly as I can. I shoot a decent amount, around 1k every month, almost all of it in matches, most with pistols. I shoot around 3k a year through carbines- none of it while standing still in a shooting lane. This match was, without a doubt, the best competition I have ever been a part of.

I didn't get off to a great start, as TSA chose to send my rifles(I was packing for myself and my friend who is AD with the 101st at Campbell) but not send my pistols, ammunition, magazines, or holsters- despite having packed them in strict compliance of their rules. I called Matt from the Nashville airport pretty bummed out having flown in from Texas. He told me to just show up. The next morning at 0630 I had a complete stranger offering me a choice of G17, VP9, or Compact Sig 320 and a full rig for all of them! If you are ever in the Southern Illinois area or St. Louis, please stop by World Shooting and Recreation Complex and say hi to Bart Carson. He's the Range Manager and Match Director who loaned my friend and I his pistols.

One of the things I noticed right off the bat was the complete lack of tough guys. At some, maybe most matches, everyone's chest is out bragging about their gear or accolades, but a funny thing happens when you're surrounded by Green Berets- that all goes away! Everyone was just there to have a good time! The match started off with a speech from the father of a Green Beret who was one of three killed in Jordan last year by a Jordan gate guard. Very moving stuff. The tough Texas shot the course himself, ran the whole thing wearing his deceased son's chest rig and shooting his pistol.

Matt put on an INCREDIBLE match that challenged both the mind and body. As long as it exists I will be buying plane tickets to Nashville. It was an honor to shoot alongside these men. They were beyond kind, and one even gave his phone number to by 11B friend and offered to take him shooting back at Ft. Campbell(He's going to SFAS soon). Great friends, great times. Thanks, Matt.

[Matt in TN]

I want to take a moment and address this competition as succinctly as I can. I shoot a decent amount, around 1k every month, almost all of it in matches, most with pistols. I shoot around 3k a year through carbines- none of it while standing still in a shooting lane. This match was, without a doubt, the best competition I have ever been a part of.

I didn't get off to a great start, as TSA chose to send my rifles(I was packing for myself and my friend who is AD with the 101st at Campbell) but not send my pistols, ammunition, magazines, or holsters- despite having packed them in strict compliance of their rules. I called Matt from the Nashville airport pretty bummed out having flown in from Texas. He told me to just show up. The next morning at 0630 I had a complete stranger offering me a choice of G17, VP9, or Compact Sig 320 and a full rig for all of them! If you are ever in the Southern Illinois area or St. Louis, please stop by World Shooting and Recreation Complex and say hi to Bart Carson. He's the Range Manager and Match Director who loaned my friend and I his pistols.

One of the things I noticed right off the bat was the complete lack of tough guys. At some, maybe most matches, everyone's chest is out bragging about their gear or accolades, but a funny thing happens when you're surrounded by Green Berets- that all goes away! Everyone was just there to have a good time! The match started off with a speech from the father of a Green Beret who was one of three killed in Jordan last year by a Jordan gate guard. Very moving stuff. The tough Texas shot the course himself, ran the whole thing wearing his deceased son's chest rig and shooting his pistol.

Matt put on an INCREDIBLE match that challenged both the mind and body. As long as it exists I will be buying plane tickets to Nashville. It was an honor to shoot alongside these men. They were beyond kind, and one even gave his phone number to by 11B friend and offered to take him shooting back at Ft. Campbell(He's going to SFAS soon). Great friends, great times. Thanks, Matt.

Thank you for the kind words, sir. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, and agree 100% with your assessment. It was great to meet and shoot with you, and I hope you finally got your pistols and gear back!

[Matt in TN]

Because I'm nothing but a giant nerd, here are some stats about the 5k Match only - I didn't collect any data on the 2-Gun Shooters Sunday:

The lightest weight carried was 13lbs. By percent of bodyweight, 5.8% was the lowest. 76lbs was the most weight carried, and by % bodyweight 44.2% was the highest.

The fastest runner carried 42lbs, or 25.5% of his bodyweight. Yes, a Combat Class guy smoked every single one of us!

The average runner carried 42lbs or 22% of their bodyweight. The average .308 guy carried 44lbs or 22% of their bodyweight. 37 out of 69 shooters finished in Combat Class (54%).

The average female carried 23lbs or 17% of her bodyweight. However, I have to point out that the LIGHTEST competitor weighed in at 113lbs, signed up for Race Class, and told me multiple times she was just out there to have fun and that it sure was a beautiful day for a walk in the woods. When I did the math I found she carried 26.6% of her bodyweight over that crazy course and I don't think I EVER saw her without a smile on her face.

72% of the competitors DNF'd Stage 4 (on Saturday - the 60% DNF rate I mentioned with the video was both days combined). 51% of the competitors DNF'd Stage 5. Only 12% DNF'd Stage 3, 4% DNF'd Stage 2, and every single person finished Stage 1.

And here is the firearm data:

[Wake27]

Double.