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Mentor/Recruit program ANNOUNCEMENT!

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  • Mentor/Recruit program ANNOUNCEMENT!

    Any of you who have read the "sticky" notes that are posted at the beginning of the new "Cav Camp of Inst," forum will be familiar with the Mentor and Recruit program and it's goal of getting our best and most seasoned veterans in a teaching/instructional mode with our new recruits to the mounted side of this hobby. We have to retain and we have to grow in proficiency.

    With this in mind, I am happy to announce that we have actually had a young man of wonderful attitude, who has been on the A/C for a while and thus would be "grandfathered" into the program actually come forward and ask to go through the recruit program! In todays environment of "I know it all" it is sure refreshing to see this type of attitude. I am not releasing his name as we did not discuss it for public consumption, but it is admirable all the same. I can announce that our own "Wizard of the Tack", Ken Knopp, has said that he would like to work as a Cavalry Mentor in order to gain a better understanding of this new role (Wow!! Makes me want to sign up as a recruit!!).

    This brings up a point that we want your feedback on. If you are seasoned in this hobby and would like to help as a Cavalry Mentor, we would like to hear from you ASAP! You can contact me or Ken on this, by pm or email. We have such a wealth of knowledge and experience out there and the authentic mounted side of the hobby, needs your expertise in this regard. Just for reminder, here is the description listed in the opening "sticky" for this position:

    "A/C Mentor Cavalryman: 1. Current veteran members who have proven themselves to have a solid understanding of accurate history, equipment, tack, and horsemanship and are also longstanding veterans of the demands of recreating the cavalryman of the War Between the States at reenactments, living histories, etc.
    2. Have the willful and expressed desire to mentor recruits in the Camp of Instruction Program. This “A/C Mentor Cavalryman” title can also be used on member avatars."


    So, I ask you to please let us know if you would be interested in this most important of jobs. We need you now!!

    thank you,
    Mark
    Last edited by Mark Choate; 09-07-2011, 11:21 AM.
    J. Mark Choate
    7th TN. Cavalry, Co. D.

    "Let history dictate our impressions.......not the other way around!"

  • #2
    Re: Mentor/Recruit program

    Mark, Whether we be student or mentor we all are still learning and none of us know it all... I learn from everyone on here. If I can help, I will; we all should be willing to. We were all farbs once, I've seen some of the pictures and burned some of them too... Z
    [B][FONT="Book Antiqua"][SIZE="4"][I]Zack Ziarnek[/I][/SIZE][/FONT][/B]
    [email]ill6thcav@yahoo.com[/email]

    Authentic Campaigner since 1998... Go Hard or Go Home!

    "Look back at our struggle for Freedom, Trace our present day's strength to its source, And you'll find that this country's pathway to glory, Is strewn with the bones of the horse." Anonymous

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    • #3
      Re: Mentor/Recruit program

      I'll help, though I totally believe what Zack said. I'm still "unlearning" some stuff that was beat into my head long ago! The more we research and the more we share, the more it benefits all of us.

      On here since '99

      Moderator 2001-2003
      Mike Ventura
      Shannon's Scouts

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      • #4
        Re: Mentor/Recruit program

        Mark,
        Count me in as a mentor for the federal Side of the house.
        Dave Myrick

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        • #5
          Re: Mentor/Recruit program

          I think we're making this harder than it has to be. But I'll help out up here unless you find someone better.
          William L. Shifflett
          Valley Light Horse and Lord of Louisa



          "We are still expecting the enemy. Why dont he come?" -JEB Stuart

          In Memory of 3 Sox, 4th Va Cavalry horse, my mount, my friend. Killed in action January 9th, 2005.

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          • #6
            Re: Mentor/Recruit program

            Mark,
            I will help.
            Jerry Ross
            Withdraw to Fort Donelson Feb 2012



            Just a sinner trying to change

            Hog Driver
            Lead ,Follow or Get out of the way !

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            • #7
              Re: Mentor/Recruit program

              Gentlemen,

              My hat's off to all of you for offering to help with this as with our small and ever-dwindling numbers I know of no more important thing that we can be doing than sharing so much of this knowledge with knew folks who want to learn and improve and perpetuate these efforts that some of us have been making for two decades. Mike and Zack, you are dead on that we are all still learning and in some cases "unlearning" things and we will still be doing that when we either lay the hobby down or die (whichever comes first). So, thanks again for your attitudes and Ken and I will be in touch with you (and others that are interested) to shape this into something that gives us a consistent format to work from.

              Oh, and William, you are quite correct that this is the hard way to do this. You're right! It really would be much so easier to sit around and do nothing with the three new recruits that have already contacted us except berate and embarrass them so that they quickly tire of it and go join a mainstream unit, ride ' 04 Mac's, carry lots of revolvers and ride with women. Now, that's easy!"

              Improvement is not easy but it is necessary.

              regards,
              Mark
              J. Mark Choate
              7th TN. Cavalry, Co. D.

              "Let history dictate our impressions.......not the other way around!"

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              • #8
                Re: Mentor/Recruit program

                Mark,
                I think most of the sour grapes around here have stopped posting but the AC as a whole has a bad rep for being a bunch of jerks. But since there are people out there that want to learn and if this is what it takes to get them off the fence then ok lets do it. I just know this whole thing could have been avoided if some people had controled their emotions better.
                William L. Shifflett
                Valley Light Horse and Lord of Louisa



                "We are still expecting the enemy. Why dont he come?" -JEB Stuart

                In Memory of 3 Sox, 4th Va Cavalry horse, my mount, my friend. Killed in action January 9th, 2005.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Mentor/Recruit program

                  Gentlemen,
                  Please allow me to chime in here....I have been a bit distracted lately (I am a Financial Advisor in the real world so perhaps you can imagine) and as a rule, normally reticent and reluctant post personal comments but I would like to say a few things....
                  First, that the whole purpose of this new recruiting effort as well as clear "rules of engagement" that we have put together is to "change the direction". We want to build the hobby by being more inclusive but NOT compromise our ideals or standards. Considering everything... including the 150's, the costs to do cavalry, the economy, the current pervasive and growing Political Correctness and the fractionalization of the hobby in general- perhaps this is a small way we can alter course for the betterment of all of us that truly love the cavalry so much. This is not the only way of course, but it is one way. Everyone of us cav guys can help. Not just here on the AC (we hope you will) but at every event and with everyone you touch out there. "We" are all we have guys and, we are dwindling in number but..... we can grow to be more with a little extra effort. Help us.
                  Let me close by saying, my hats off to Mark Choate for working so hard on this forum and in the cavalry hobby in general- all of the time (and I mean that). I know Mark very well and no one I know puts more passion, thought, effort and time into improving this cavalry hobby of ours- not for himself, no, for the benefit of everyone! Most of his labors are well behind the scenes, tremendous amounts of emails and calls everyday, planning, traveling, personal expense, etc. (you really cannot imagine) .....and he doesn't do it for personal reasons (rank or recognition)- just for the love of what we do as cavalryman and the guys we do cavalry with.
                  So please, I encourage everyone to participate either as a "Recruit", a "Mentor Cavalryman" or just as a "Cavalryman" by posting here and by all means- lets all get to some good events over the next few years and have fun!


                  Ken R Knopp
                  Mentor Cavalryman and "Part time" Mod
                  Last edited by Ken Knopp; 08-27-2011, 04:32 PM.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Mentor/Recruit program

                    Hi Mark,

                    I'd be happy to participate in your—I should say our—"mentor" program from a federal and largely eastern perspective.

                    Clearly some of us are best informed on tactical considerations, some on tack and horsemanship, some on the social history of period cavalrymen or specific regiments, some on ordnance, and some on interpreting those elements in a reenactment setting. Will you organize your stable of mentors by area of expertise?

                    Andrew German
                    1st Maine Cavalry
                    Andrew German

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Mentor/Recruit program

                      Andrew,

                      You bring up a very good point that quite honestly, I had not considered nor have Ken and I discussed. That being spheres of expertise that some have over others. It really is a good idea. Of course the basic concept here is to take the new recruit and give them sort of a "personal trainer" to help them through the beginning minefields so that they come out on the other end fundamentally sound and with no chance of backsliding. This first level mentorship would not have to go into extreme levels of detail with the newbie, but I can definitely see troopers gravitating to certain areas that they may like more than others. We could categorize by sections such as tack, clothing & personal items, weaponry, accoutrements, Federal vs. Confederate, tactics & drill, etc.

                      It might be something for the next echelon of trooper to be exposed to after those fundamentals are sound. Really a good idea! At the risk of inflating any egos, we do have a wealth of knowledge about this subject matter on this forum and not using it to its fullest potential would be a shame.

                      Nice suggestion, Andrew and once we get this basic thing off and running, maybe we can dig into this deeper!

                      regards,
                      Mark
                      p.s. Oh, and you are exactly right .......it is "our" program, not mine.
                      J. Mark Choate
                      7th TN. Cavalry, Co. D.

                      "Let history dictate our impressions.......not the other way around!"

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Mentor/Recruit program

                        Mark & Ken,
                        I'd be happy to help out any way possible. I'm learning just like everyone else and can look back to me in 95' and just shake my head. MAybe Chris and I can team up a bit on the leather and tack.
                        Cpl. Joseph Lambert
                        7th TN Co.D

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                        • #13
                          Re: Mentor/Recruit program

                          Put me where you need me! Whatever roll, I'll help where I can.
                          Dan Chmelar
                          Semper Fi
                          -ONV
                          -WIG
                          -CIR!

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                          • #14
                            Re: Mentor/Recruit program

                            I wish I had more to offer but I am always looking for ways to help and promote and "spred the love". whatever you need...just ask plm
                            Save me a place at the fire,

                            Paul L Muller

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                            • #15
                              Re: Mentor/Recruit program

                              Gentlemen, you may count me among those seeking an education. I may be experienced in many other facets of Civil War living history, but I am learning daily when it comes to the cavalry arm. I'm discarding any "grandfathering in" for myself - I could use a mentor. I currently am a historical interpretor at a museum in Tampa, and as such would love to be able to present detailed presentations and interp on the rich cav history in the Tampa Bay area, including the Florida Special Cavalry "Cow Cavalry" and the 2nd Florida Cav (US). Jeff Gibson has provided alot of personal education to me, since he's local, but I look forward to any and all assistance as I put together my kit (I'm getting it all gradually, one quality piece at a time). I'm looking forward to every nugget of wisdom I can pick up here
                              Ross L. Lamoreaux
                              rlamoreaux@tampabayhistorycenter.org


                              "...and if profanity was included in the course of study at West Point, I am sure that the Army of the Cumberland had their share of the prize scholars in this branch." - B.F. Scribner, 38th Indiana Vol Inf

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