Before I joined the military at 20, I always had an affinity for firearms, especially big machine guns that you feel in your bones when you shoot. I was fortunate enough to become a .50 Cal gunner and live my dream with my brothers and sister in arms.
It was this moment in my life when I became fixated on learning everything I could about how my guns worked. Learning something new that I was passionate about fuels the fire within my mind to explore the knowledge I wish to obtain.
During my time as a gunner in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), there were countless times that my training saved my life. Even the little things that you don’t consider important while training become vital to your survival in a life and death situation.
I learned that if I train with my equipment and gear enough it will become muscle memory in times of extreme stress. Today, I want to go over some of the weapons and gear I have for hunting, home defense, and the equipment I use to keep my guns running smoothly.
One of the mottos I try to live by is, You’re Only as Efficient as the Knowledge You Possess. As I left the military in 2011, my love for learning led me to pursue a Master’s Degree in History at West Virginia University (WVU).
At WVU I was able to read about people like Plato, Socrates, John Locke, T.S. Elliot, Horace Mann, among others. One of my favorite quotes about knowledge is from John Locke, in which he states, “No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience”. Locke is suggesting that if you want to obtain true knowledge of a topic, you must gain the experience first. For guns, this means training as often as possible.