2016 Grand Muster AAR

[Pitspitr]

Will post full report in a few days. In the mean time here are the complete results.

[Drydock]

Gentlemen, my apologies, we forgot the GAF GST (Gun Shoot Thingy) award for lowest overall time.  This years winner is Dale Beethe!  He will be receiving a fine bullet perforated range prop to hang on his office wall.  Congratulations!

[Pitspitr]

6, July 1876 (+140)

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 2016 Grand Muster of the Grand Army of the Frontier

By Monday afternoon I had completed the mowing and most of my other preparations when my Chief of Staff Col. Drydock and Commissary Department Chief Delmonico arrived. Tuesday morning Drydock and I traveled to nearby Ord to retrieve the targets. Wednesday Drydock an I finished placing the targets and set up the frames for new shade flies.
Thursday, Quickfire, Broken Nose Scotty, Lt. Col. Silver Creek Slim Lt. Col. Ned Neiderlander, Col. Drydock Col. Sagebrush Burns 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 27 shooting participants excluding camp followers.
Also present were a few hardy sutlers. These were: Gripmaker, High Plains Shooters Supply, and Runnin Iron.

Friday morning operations commenced with the Expansion Era Match side match held at the target stage called "Over the top" but more fondly known to the troops as "Fort Hell". 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 once again took home the trophy.

The Main match used the same skirmish format as the Expansion Era Match did. All of the stages this year commemorated the 140th anniversary of the Bighorn and Yellowstone Expedition and most were set at the Battle of Little Bighorn.  A new stage area was used this year for the stage named Water Carrier Ravine.

Saturday evening we retired to Fort Hartsuff SHP 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 several.  Winning the Ruger 10-22 donated by Col. Sagebrush Burns was Bat Masterson.
Sunday morning while breakfast was being prepared Lt. Col. Little led a prayer service with a splendid sermon on the necessity of always being ready. My Chief of Staff totaled the scores and about noon the certificates were awarded to the men. While Drydock totaled the scores Lt. Col. Little presented a memorial service in honor of Salt Creek Rick, late of the Commissary Dept. of the GAF. At this point most of the men broke camp and returned to their home quarters.
The Stu Kettle Memorial Gun Shoot Thingy Award was awarded to Ned Neiderlander for having the lowest total time.

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 Cpl Broken Nose Scotty, Ned Niderlander, Quickfire, Silver Creek Slim and Micah, Sagebrush Burns and Drydock all of whom arrived early and shot the match on Thursday so that they could RO the match for participants. Hornady for their generous door prize donations and Kawasaki for donating the use of a "Mule" to bring the shooters and crew back up out of the new stage called Water Carrier Ravine. And finally Capt. Delmonico.
Evaluation of the Muster is ongoing, but the consensus is that the format used this year is optimal but improvements can yet be made.

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

[Pitspitr]

I am also requesting that other participants post their observations here as well.

[Delmonico]

As the General said, the Commissary Department  arrived Monday afternoon, un-loaded, made iced tea and a humble supper for Col Drydock and myself.   As time passed and more showed up the meals got bigger and more elaborate.  They last meal being served was on Sun nick and was leftover meatloaf served to the remaining troops.   Meatloaf seems to be the most popular dish as well as the biscuits and gravy which has became a Sunday morning tradition in camp.

The troops were very good about hydration, very important in camp as well as electrolyte replacement.   My memory says about 40 gallons of Gatorade were consumed with perhaps 75 of iced tea from my jugs, Thermo-Tabs were also provided for those who chose that route.  (I must confess after the hot winds and low humidity on Thurs I should have taken a couple before retiring because all the Gatorade I drank was not quite enough.  Many thanks to Quick Fire and Broken Nose Scotty for the help in finding my glasses in the dim light after the 5:30 am leg cramp on Fri morning.)

I jumped started Silver Creek Slim Mon morning and loaded my gear, did a quick police of camp and departed.  The trials and tribulations of the trip home have no reason to be told here, however I made it home about 2:30 pm one week plus 4 1/2 hours after departing, with 453 miles showing on the trip thing on the Field Marshall, with it being almost exactly 200 miles from my barracks to camp the others reflect the mileage to town and back.

I also want to thank The Corner Market in Sargent for being there and so close, it makes my supply situation a lot better and easier, they are a wonderful store I am glad to patronize and I they seem to be glad to see me and told me they look forward to seeing me next year.  Many in larger towns do not understand the struggle of small town grocery stores in making a profit and I'm glad to help them and always try to patronize the local places on my trips. 

I would also like to than Dale Beethe for the nice table, water jug stands and the fantastic water heater.   I also give special thanks to Micah Brooks for being so kind as to get up in the wood wagon and loading The Field Marshall with wood several times, I don't think he realizes what a big help that was to me.   

I remain,
Your Ob'd Servant
Glen Carman aka Delmonico
GAF Commissary Department

[Quick Fire]

General, Sir, I can't imagine there being a better shoot than this years Muster. You all did a first rate job. I'll be back next year.

Quick Fire