Bullets n Bourbon Podcast

An Intelligent Hutch

In this episode, we Interviewed a good friend of mine Chris Hutchison. This was a very fun episode where we all got very passionate about what we were talking about and gained some good perspective on just being a good representative of the organizations we represent.
We covered:
-Training in Ranger Regiment and the Special Missions Unit.
-Benefits of training to the modern warfighter.
-Successes in getting other active-duty service members in the shooting sports.
-Training Philosophy.
-Goals.
-Upcoming matches.
-Duskin match
-Being a brand ambassador.

A Captain, Unicorn, and Gunny Walk into a Podcast...

In this episode Frank and I sat down with Dan Horcharik, we had a great conversation covering a multitude of subjects.
-MCMC East and Championships.
-Starting a Shooting Club.
-Milestones and Goals.
-Adventure races.
-Closing the gap in fitness and marksmanship.
Dan also created his own Patreon site where he will be pushing out content to spread the good word. Give it a listen and we hope you enjoy it. https://www.patreon.com/horcharik
 

Oh Captain, My Captain

In this episode, we sat down with Chris Scott and got updated on:
-What he's been doing since we last spoke.
-AMTP?
-Marine Corps Championships.
-What it's like being a cyborg!
-Most memorable trip.
-Most memorable match.

George Dorbert-Second Responders can shoot too!

In this episode, I sat down with George Dorbert, a firefighter from Maryland. George has been a good friend and competitor in the 3gun community, and he exemplifies what it is to be a competitor and mentor for those starting out.
 
-Goals
-Training
-Battle for the South
-Upcoming matches
-Sponsors
-Words of wisdom
 
After this episode, all episodes will include my good friend and co-host Frank Gao.

Parker Tomasi and his Mental Strategy

Introduction: hometown, military history, current billet
 
Can you detail your journey to becoming a distinguished rifleman for us?
 
How early does your preparation process start for a match? How does your mental preparation differ between a local and national level match?
 
The path to any achievement worth celebrating involves some form of disappointment along the way. Can you describe a loss or setback, how you overcame it, and how it made you a better shooter?
 
Support systems are important, especially for those of us involved with a demanding and intense competitive scene. Can you describe how you balance family, work, and your hobbies? For any Marines out there struggling with that balance, how do you recommend approaching that conversation with a spouse/significant other?
 
Now that you've distinguished in rifle, what's the next milestone, and how do you plan to prepare for that goal?
 
You and I recently got done shooting MCMC East and Championships back to back. What are your takeaways from that experience, and any other thoughts on those events?
 
You come from a traditional high power background. What are your thoughts as to the viability of bullseye shooting in promoting lethality amongst Marine Corps riflemen?
Instagram:
@tomasi_shooting
@tankusthefrankus
@mfgundlach

Marine Corps Championships

In today's episode, Capt Frank Gao and I discuss this year's Marine Corps Championships and give it a very objective review.

Frank and Jared’s Tactical Games and MCMC

-Introductions
-How long have you been a competitive shooter?
-What disciplines do you shoot?
-Can you talk about how you got into the tactical games?
-How did you and Frank prepare for the WV Games in terms of shooting and fitness?
-Recap of the events:
            Axel Bar two-man carry
            Farmer’s carry while partner is shooting, and sandbag over yoke
            5-mile run
            Yoke, Sandbag, Farmer Carry
            Sled, sandbag, husafell stone relay
            El Cartel
-How do you feel you did, based on your level of preparation and experience?
-How do you recommend Marines who are interested in Tactical Games prepare (timeline, shooting, body maintenance, game day maintenance)
-You shot your first MCMC at Stone Bay, any thoughts on those two weeks?
-What are some lessons you learned from TTG WV and MCMC East that you are going to incorporate into your personal fitness and shooting training?
-You are PCS’ing to 3rdMarDiv this summer- what are some aspects from TTG and the MCMC that you plan on bringing to your unit?
-Anything else you’d like to leave listeners with?

Starting a Shooting Team

If you are a Marine and want to start a command-sponsored shooting team, this is an episode you are going to want to listen to. Capt Frank Gao breaks down the processes he took to start his own shooting team aboard Camp Lejeune.
How did you convince your command to allow you to start a team?
Selling the concept to the right people
Winning your commander’s approval
What are the benefits of starting the team?
-marskmanship proficiency (ARQ scores for promotion, identity as Marines)
-leadership development (developing instructors)
-personal pride and motivation (CIAP medals, discipline, accomplishment)
What resources did you use in order to develop a process in emsuring you had all the logistical requirements?
The logistics- how many wpns does your unit have?
Security order 5300 series- ctrl f competition
Transportation of wpns and ammo
Ammo request
From a leadership perspective what are some obstacles and triumphs you have gone through and achieved during this process?
People are more likely to follow something with momentum and initiative
The institution does not make it easy to start new things
Lots of sticks in the mud and gatekeepers- you need to have done your homework. 
What kind of relationships have you developed and how have you utilized them along the way?
You will need good relations with: s4, s3
Find advocates- some conversations are better had at the right level, capitalize on existing relationships (comm to msb XO’s)
You still need to be good at your day job! Avoid bad Marines (poor performance, trying to get out of work, etc)
This will be extra work! Use friends, and expect to work some long hours
What resources did you utilize in order to get participation and develop interest from Marines?
Advocacy- email? Flyers? Social media? Talking to shooters at local matches?
Use commstrat
Face to face interactions are key- do a recruiting pitch, hold info sessions
email:
frank.gao@usmc.mil
Instagram:
@mfgundlach
@tankusthefrankus

Ian Norris

In this episode, we sat down with Ian Norris. He is an avid 3 gun competitor with years of experience behind him and gave a breakdown of how he trains in order to achieve his goals.
Introductions
Who you are.
What do you do for a living?
 
Talk about your time in the Marine Corps
Deployments you’ve been on.
The training you’ve received.
 
How would you describe your skills now, compared to when we served together?
 
What are your goals for this upcoming season?
 
How do you train?
Maximize time for live fire.
Dry-fire
What specific skills are you focusing on right now?
How do you train when preparing for specific matches?
What matches are you planning on being at this year?
Talk about your sponsors.
What matches are your sponsors supporting?
The impact they’ve had on the community.
What they’ve done for you.
Instagram:
@mfgundlach
@guns_up_0331

Kevin Kolenda from Phoenix Trinity Firearms

Today we sat down with Kevin Kolenda from Phoenix Trinity Firearms. We discussed everything Phoenix Trinity and what they offer the competitor and the direction they are looking at going.
Switch from Athlon to the opportunity you received at Phoenix Trinity.
Who is Phoenix Trinity?
What kind of company?
How long they’ve been around?
What do they offer?
1776 vs Morph?
Honcho’s
Options Available
Characteristics
What you get
Where is PT looking to go?
Who is currently representing PT in 3-gun?
What matches are you going to be at this year?
Any plans to break away from 3-gun and compete in any other disciplines?
Instagram:
@mfgundlach
@kilted3gunner
@phoenixtrinityfirearms