2015 Grand Muster After Action Report

[Quick Fire]

I have one  big water jug that I'll bring for next year for one of the battle sites.

Quick Fire

[Delmonico]

I have one  big water jug that I'll bring for next year for one of the battle sites.

Quick Fire

Cool, I have just the 2 that I keep iced tea and gatorade in.   

We just keep getting better and better, anyone remember when we had to haul water in the barrel from down at Jerry's house?   

[Pitspitr]

7, July 1876 (+139)

To: The ladies and gentlemen of the GAF at large
Copies to: (Bvt.) Major General U. S. Scout (Ret.),
(Bvt.) Col. Drydock Chief of Staff,
(Bvt. ) Col. Bull Schmidt Adjutant ,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I have the honor to submit my report following the 2015 Grand Muster of the Grand Army of the Frontier

The weather presented its own challenges. With rain nearly every night in the two weeks prior to the Grand Muster Mud and wet conditions made completion of the necessary preparations difficult. When the time for the Muster actually arrived deep and large mud hole in one gate made entry challenging. By Sunday 21 June most places had dried enough that I could do the necessary mowing and by Monday afternoon I was just completing the mowing as my Chief of Staff Col. Drydock arrived. Tuesday morning the two of us traveled to nearby Ord to retrieve the targets. We set some of the targets before family issues required my absence. By the time I returned on Wednesday the Commissary Department Chief Delmonico had arrived and Drydock had finished placing the targets. With their help the preparations were completed by the time the muster was scheduled to begin.
Thursday, Quickfire, Lt. Col. Long, Lt. Col. Ned Neiderlander, Col. Drydock and myself shot the main match stages to ensure that everything was set up correctly and so that we could RO the stages once the main match commenced.

Our mess consisted of 17 shooting participants excluding camp followers.
Also present were a few hardy sutlers. These were: Gripmaker, High Plains Shooters Supply, Plum Creek Leather and Runnin Iron.

Friday morning operations commenced with the Expansion Era Match side match. This year the long range match was shot at targets set at 100, 200, and 300 yards. These targets were cut from armor, thus allowing use of full power jacketed loads. Participants were limited to 15 rounds of ammunition and were required to hit each target 3 times before moving on to the next farther distance. Also new this year was a precision pistol match shot at 25 yards on B-27 silhouette paper targets. A local tradition has been to award a traveling trophy to the person ranking highest in all areas of competition in the Expansion Era Matches while wearing a qualifying uniform. This Year Bat Masterson of Aurora Colorado took home the trophy.

The Main match used the same skirmish format as the Expansion Era Match did. One of the highlights of the Main match was a new target stage called "Over the top" but more fondly known to the troops as "Fort Hell". Another Highlight occurred Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning when the men shot the Fort Scotsman Stage utilizing a Gatling Gun as a guest gun.

Saturday evening we retired to the Comstock Lodge Bed and Breakfast for the banquet. The Ladies and the men seemed to quite enjoy the facilities. While there, door prizes were awarded. The Door prize committee led by River City John had procured enough very nice door prizes that nearly everyone present received four. I wish to personally thank Lt. Col. Mustang Gregg for assisting me in procuring the pistol awarded to (wait for it...) Bat Masterson as the first door prize drawn.

My Chief of Staff totaled the scores Sunday about noon and the certificates were awarded to the men. At this point some of the men broke camp and returned to their home quarters. The rest of us prepared for a memorial service in honor of the men and women of the GAF who have fallen. Chief amongst those present were the family and friends of Stu Kettle who died last winter of, in his words not mine, Ass Cancer. His widow Laurie brought some of his ashes which were fired from 4 mortars owned by Collin Penny of Sargent Nebr.

Here I should thank a number of people: The Broken Bow Lions Club for sponsoring the insurance; Lt. Col. Dusty Tagalon for printing the winners certificates; Lt. Col. Ned Neiderlander, his efforts building camp equipage, Col. Drydock for arriving early and helping set up as well as Lt. Col. Long, Ned Niderlander, Quickfire and Drydock all of whom arrived early and shot the match on Thursday so that they could RO the match for participants. And finally Capt. Delmonico. For those of you who missed this match, the food alone was reason enough to come to this Muster. It is simply amazing what Delmonico can make in dutch ovens. Thanks Glen!

Evaluation of the Muster is ongoing, but the consensus is that the format used this year is optimal but small improvements in target color and facilities such as shade and water can yet be made. I have used some of the Memorial monies donated by Stu Kettle's widow to purchase water coolers.

I remain,
Your Ob'd Servant
Jerry M. "Pitspitr" Davenport
(Bvt.) Brigadier General Commanding,
Grand Army of the Frontier
Results
Main Match:

Brigade Champion: Ned Neiderlander

The Stu Kettle Memorial Gun Shoot Thingy Award: Ned Neiderlander

Division Plate: Nebraska

Smokeless Military Repeater
1st Ned Neiderlander
2nd Col. Diamond
3rd Col. Drydock

BP Military Single shot
1st Dalton Masterson
2nd Quickfire
3rd 1st Sgt. Tom Rhodes

Rifleman
1st Sam Perfye
2nd Tomas Nieve

BP Scout
1st Lonny Meyers
2nd Capt. Montgomery Little
3rd Cactus Rope

Militia
1st Broken Nose Scotty
2nd Coy Wolf

Long Range Rifle
1st Ned Neiderlander
2nd Bat Masterson
3rd Col. Diamond

Precision Pistol
1st Dalton Masterson
2nd Ned Neiderlander
3rd (tie) Sam Perfye Col. Diamond

Dress Uniform Officer
Sam Perfye
Dress Uniform Enlisted
Quickfire

Field Uniform Officer
Bat Masterson
Field Uniform Enlisted
Quickfire

Expansion Era Match

Brigade EEM Champion: Bat Masterson

Regular Military
1st Col. Diamond
2nd Drydock
3rd Ned Neiderlander

Hand Gunner
1st Bat Masterson

Infantry
1st Tomas Nieve

Forager
Quickfire

Civilian Militia
1st Broken Nose Scotty
2nd Scruffy Skippy
3rd Lt. Col. Long

EEM Long Range Rifle

1st Bat Masterson
2nd Ned Neiderlander
3rd Broken Nose Scotty

EEM Precision Pistol
1st Col. Diamond
2nd Bat Masterson
3rd Quickfire

Expansion Era Uniform
1st Tom Snow
2nd Quickfire
3rd Bat Masterson

[Cowtown Scout]

Congratulations Ned and Bat!  I'm sure everyone who attended had a great experience.
Scout

[Sagebrush Burns]

Are the complete scores available anywhere?  Some of us also rans would like to see where we finished.

[Drydock]

Jerry probably needs to recover from severe eye strain after deciphering my chickin sckratchin'.  (Apologies to any poultry)

[Pitspitr]

Are the complete scores available anywhere?  Some of us also rans would like to see where we finished.

Sorry I didn't think of that. I'll double check, but I'm afraid the score sheets may have gone in the trash after the summary was figured. It's raining again here so it may be a day or 2 before I get back up to the cabin.

[Drydock]

I left them piled on the lower bunk in the chicken shed. (Chicken barracks?)  I'll bring a proper file next year!

[Pitspitr]

I left them piled on the lower bunk in the chicken shed. (Chicken barracks?)  I'll bring a proper file next year!

I know, but I picked them up while I was cleaning, but I don't remember if I put them in the wood box in the coop or put them in the garbage barrel outside. My son and one of his buddies camped up there last weekend and I told him to burn up as much trash as possible.  If I put them in the wood box they'll still be ok. If not it's anybody's guess if they are still there.

[Pitspitr]

Good News!
They were in the wood box. It'll probably be a few days before I can get everything compiled as I'm leaving headquarters for a couple of days tomorrow as soon as I get off work.

BTW FWIW I shot better this evening while playing on the long range targets that I did at the muster. I went 10 for 13 at 400 with my Colt (M16/AR15) and 14 for 15 at 50 with my Beretta M9. I would recommend when shooting the long range be sure to shoot full power loads to coincide with the sights of your rifle. You won't hurt the armor targets we use for that.

[Delmonico]

I did Sunday after most every one left, full power 32 mags out of my Ruger.     The 100 was easy once I got the range (took 2) then hit it every time, took 4 rounds to get on the 200, but was hitting it about half the time, never got on the 300 but came dang close on most of them.  But it was windy.

[Bat 2919]

Well now, I'm sure I could have shaved some time off on that long range match if I were allowed to shoot it with a M1 Garand or maybe my M1A.  My son (the Marine) was appalled with my times on the long range match until I reminded him I was shooting the 1903 and Krag.

[Niederlander]

I'm going to get over there one of these days and try it with my M1A.  It will be interesting to see the difference in time!

[Sam Perfye]

To: Command staff and enlisted personal GAF

[Sam Perfye]

Let's try this again, To the command staff and enlisted personal GAF. After retuning home and repairing telegraph(electronic) commuications, the Argentine contingent is able to submit it's after action report. Once again the commisary dept. outdid itself in keeping the troops fortified and able to take the field. Thanks to Del and his staff. The stages were challenging without being overpowering, congratulations to Jerry, Chuck, and Dale for providing another outstanding event. All previous suggestions would only make a great shoot even better. Hope to see everyone, and a few more next year. Al.