Over the last couple months, we have been giving you a heads up on a deal we were going to feature on Groupon. We were going to offer an awesome deal on the permit class. We had signed contracts and a July date set. But at the last minute, Chicago-based Groupon began questioning the deal. First we got word from the local contact, Jack Konys, that part of our deal wasn't setting well with the "higher-ups". Ok, fine. So we simply removed that part of the deal. Well, about a week later, Mr. Konys, emailed us back with this update:

"I've been fighting my way up the ladder to get Range USA featured because I believe it would be something our Memphis subscribers would love to see. Unfortunately, I was given word today from the very top that Groupon is putting all features related to handguns on hold indefinitely. While I personally see no issue, I have to abide by our directors' decision. I apologize for taking up your time."

We then asked for an official comment from Groupon about their policy on firearm related offers and they replied with this:

"The deals sold on Groupon are largely determined by our customers and their feedback. We avoid deals that involve polarizing issues....gun control is a polarizing issue and thus, we avoid related deals. We make a point not to have a public stance on guns, but knowing the interests of our subscriber base, we don't want to set you up for failure or see your business slandered on our site. Being on Groupon opens the doors for your biggest PR day ever, for better or worse - this is a decision made to protect both you and us."

Of course, I sent an email back expressing my thoughts on their decision. I have also tried on several occasions to contact Jack Konys' boss, Regional Director, Doug Kadison, with no luck. If any of you want to contact Mr. Konys or Mr. Kadison to express your disappointment in their decision, they can be reached at 312-662-7588 and 312-242-2023, respectively. But, please remember to be polite and pleasant - they have the right to not run any deal they choose to, and we have the right not to do business with them.

I write this article to inform our customers about the status of the Groupon deal we had been alluding to. I know many of you were looking forward to it and I felt like I needed to explain why it wasn't going to happen. I don't endorse the whole boycott thing and I'm certainly not calling for that; I simply want people to be informed about the companies they are spending their hard earned money with. You make up your own mind and do what is best for you and your family.

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BUT, let not your heart be troubled! We don't need Groupon! Range USA is going to do our own promotion. Details to come, but if you know anyone who wants to get their permit, they need to become a "fan" of Range USA on Facebook and watch our website closely. We will be running an amazing promotion soon! You won't want to miss it!

Close Quarter Handgun

For July's organization, we chose the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation (SOWF) began in 1980 as the Col. Arthur D. "Bull" Simons Scholarship Fund. The Bull Simons Fund was created following the Iranian hostage rescue attempt, to provide college educations for the 17 children who survived the nine men killed or incapacitated at Desert One.  It was named in honor of the legendary Army Green Beret Bull Simons, who repeatedly risked his life on rescue missions.

Following creation of the United States Special Operations Command, and as casualties mounted from actions such as Operations "Urgent Fury" (Grenada), "Just Cause" (Panama), "Desert Storm" (Kuwait and Iraq), and "Restore Hope" (Somalia), the Bull Simons Fund gradually expanded its outreach program to encompass all Special Operations Forces.

In 1995, the Family Liaison Action Group, which was established to support the families of the 53 Iranian hostages; and the Spectre (Air Force gunship) Association Scholarship Fund; merged to form the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

In 1998, the SOWF expanded its scholarship and financial aid counseling to include the families of special operators killed during training since 1980. This action made 205 more children eligible for college funding.

The Special Operations Warrior Foundation mission is to provide a college education to every child who has lost a parent while serving in Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps Special Operations during an operational or training mission.

Nearly 70,000 miliary special operations and support personnel are stationed in units throughout the United States and overseas bases. Some of the largest concentrations of Special Operations Forces are at military bases at Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Hurlburt Field, Florida; Coronado Naval Station, California; Dam Neck, Virginia; MacDill AFB, Florida; Fort Lewis, Washington; Fort Stewart, Georgia; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Little Creek, Virginia; Fort Carson, Colorado; Royal Air Force Base Mildenhall, United Kingdom; and Kadena Air Base, Japan.

The Warrior Foundation is committed to providing scholarship grants, not loans, to more than 800 children. These children survive more than 700 Special Operations personnel who gave their lives in service to their country, including those who died fighting our nation's war against terrorism, as part of "Operation Enduring Freedom" in Afghanistan and the Philippines; as well as "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

To date, some 160 children of fallen special operations warriors have graduated from college.

On Thursday, July 28th from 8:00am-5:00pm, Range USA, Inc. will be hosting a Glock Armorers Course. All GSSF Members are eligible to enroll in this course! Learn everything you ever wanted to know about the Glock pistol. For more information and to register for the course, click here.

In each TN Handgun Carry Permit class, while explaining when deadly force can be used (only when intent, ability, and jeopardy are present), the 21 foot "rule" almost always comes up. Students in the room will argue that if I had a knife and was a distance from them, that I would be too far away to stab them before they could draw on me (keep in mind these are students who have yet to learn to draw and fire). So, in the spirit of that argument I offer you a blast from the past.  This article "How CLOSE is TOO CLOSE?" by Dennis Tueller was published in SWAT magazine in 1983.
 
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The "good guy" with the gun against the "bad guy" with the knife (or machete, axe, club, tire-iron, etc.).  "No contest", you say. "The man with the gun can't lose." Or can he? A great deal depends on his ability with that gun and the proximity of his opponent.

If, for example, our hero shoots his would-be attacker at a distance of 20 yards, he loses. Not the fight, you understand, but most probably his freedom because he will almost certainly be charged with murder. The only thing that justifies your shooting another human being is the immediate need to stop him from trying to kill you (or someone else), remember?

If, on the other hand, our hero waits to fire until his attacker is within obvious striking distance, he may still lose. His shots may not stop his attacker instantly enough to keep him from using his knife.

So, what is the answer - just how close is too close?

Consider this. How long does it take for you to draw your handgun and place two center hits on a man-size target at seven yards? Those of us who have learned and practiced proper pistolcraft techniques would say that a time of about one and one-half seconds is acceptable for that drill.

With that in mind, let's consider what might be called the "Danger Zone" if you are confronted by an adversary armed with an edged or blunt weapon. At what distance does this adversary enter your Danger Zone and become a lethal threat to you?

We have done some testing along those lines recently and have found that an average healthy adult male can cover the traditional seven yard distance in a time of (you guessed it) about one and one-half seconds. It would be safe to say then that an armed attacker at 21 feet is well within your Danger Zone.
 
..... even if your draw and shots are perfect, you are cutting things awfully close (no pun intended). And even if your shots do take the wind out of his sails, his forward momentum may carry him right over the top of you, unless, of course, you manage to get out of his way. And if you are confronted with more than one assailant, things really get tricky. So what's a pistol-packing person to do?
Having analyzed the problem, the following suggestions come to mind: First, develop and maintain a healthy level of tactical alertness. If you spot the danger signs early enough, you can probably avoid the confrontation altogether. 

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The article goes on to say that retreating to cover is a good option, but it really comes down to "your ability to smoothly and quickly draw your pistol and hit your adversary, and do it all reflexively. And the only way to develop these reflexes is through consistent, repetitive practice, practice, practice."

 
Of course one can only practice once they learn the skills.  In our Self-Defense Handgun class we will train you to draw and fire two rounds to the center of mass in less than two seconds. Practice is then needed to retain the skill and make you faster and faster. And if you still aren't convinced, ask one man from my Self-Defense class a month ago. He came to learn how to draw and fire, shoot on the move, and shoot from cover because he was pistol whipped by an attacker.  He was wearing his gun - just didn't react in time. Thankfully, he survived.  Will you?
 
Kristen Bauer

Instructor
 

- CRAWFISH BOIL - Saturday, July 2nd! Come out for Date Night or just to eat and partake of our very first Crawfish Boil! Crawfish, sausage, red potatoes, corn on the cob and whatever else goes into a boil! Then after you get full, go watch the fireworks in Bartlett! What a great way to celebrate the Independence Day weekend!

- Beginning on August 1st, 1776 will begin serving "plate suppers"! The plate lunches have been so successful, we have expanded it to the supper meal. The plate supper menu will be different from the plate luch menu and will be available Monday-Thursday from 5:00pm-8:30pm. Upgrades will be available for the Monday night Date Nights.

- Beginning in May, you can get breakfast on Saturday mornings at 1776 starting at 8:00am. The menu will initially consist of bacon, sausage, eggs, hashbrown casserole, toast, coffee, milk, and juice, but will expand as the weeks go on. Come out on Saturday mornings, enjoy a great breakfast and be the first ones on the range for some trigger time! Then you have the rest of the day for errands and honey-do lists.

Range USA and 1776 now has Free Wi-Fi! Come on in and work on homework, surf the web, or get on Facebook to invite friends to Range USA!

1776 has changed up their menu a little! Come check out some of the new additions. And, the daily plate lunches have started. Stop by for some good home-cooked plate lunches. The weekly plate lunch menu is posted on Facebook every Friday - click here  to see 1776's Facebook page. Be sure to "like" the 1776 page and get updates on promotions, coupons, give aways, and contests!

Also, ask about hosting your business meeting at Range USA - 1776 can cater it! 1776 can also cater off-site events! The possibilities are endless. If you are having or thinking about having any kind of event and you want it to be different and memorable, check with Range USA!

And, don't forget about Trivia Night at 1776!

Range USA Rewards Cards  - you get points, which equal Range USA dollars, with every purchase you make at Range USA. Then you can use those points to make future purchases at Range USA.

Youth/Adult Airsoft League - if you are interested in joining the Range USA Airsoft League, email contact us. More details will be announced in future newsletters.

July 2nd - Crawfish Boil at 1776! 

July 4th - Independence Day - 1/2 price lane fees (open 10:00am-5:00pm)

July 16th - Member Appreciation Event 

July 28th - Glock Armorers Course

August 1st - Plate Suppers in 1776 begin!

August 12th - SoulMate Live!

From the Mouths of Babes - The Musings of My 5 Boys and The Lessons They Teach Me Everyday

At 3:00am, I am awaken by, Caden, our 2 year old (almost 3), crying loudly in his bed. (There is something about your child crying or throwing up, that jerks you out of a deep slumber and right out of bed. Alarm clock makers need to cash in on this fact and add those sounds to their alarm sound options.) So, I rush into his room trying to dodge any pain-inflicting toys that might still be on the floor, such as Legos or toy trains. As I get to his room, I see him curled up in his bed, tightly clutching his blanket, crying. I knelt next to his bed and began to comfort him. I began rubbing his head and whispering, "It's ok, buddy. Daddy's here." This helped a little bit, but he was still whimpering. He told me that he was scared and that he had a bad dream about a worm getting him. So, I pulled him a little closer and wrapped my arms around him and began to gently rock him back and forth, loving on him. This helped a little more than just rubbing him and telling him that everything was going to be ok. But, he was still awake and still had an uncertain look on his face that everything actually was going to be ok. So, I scooped him up and took him back to mommy and daddy's bed to sleep for the rest of the night. Once we were in bed, he snuggled up real close and buried his head under my arm. He wriggled up as close as he could to me. Then, once he was as close to me as he could possibly get, it wasn't long before he was back asleep and stayed that way until morning.

As Caden slept there next to his daddy, I realized a few things that night. Basically, my son was scared about something and he didn't want to be scared anymore. He became less scared once his father showed up. He became even less scared once his father began speaking to him and loving on him. And, he became even less scared when his father wrapped his arms around him and began gently rocking him. Then, once his father picked him up and took him back to mommy's and daddy's bed where he could get as close to his father as he could, he wasn't scared anymore. The fear was gone and he easily drifted off to sleep without a care in the world. That is exactly what our Heavenly Father wants for each of his children. He wants for us to cry out for him. He wants us to tell Him what is scaring us. He wants to love on us and comfort us. He wants us to climb up in His lap and be with Him. He wants us to have that relationship with Him. And, we can have such a relationship through prayer - talking to Him - talking to our Father.

Caden taught me another lesson that night. Many of us are going through some very scary things right now. Many are battling sickness, divorce, the loss of a loved one, unemployment, life in general, or a number of other things. Caden taught me that the closer we are to our Father, the less scary things are. The closer we get to Jesus, the more comfort we experience. And, we can get closer to Jesus by spending time in His Word and by spending time talking to Him.