Patriot Nurse - RN, Medical Preparedness Trainer, Youtube Star and Jewish Markswoman

Today's Jewish Markswoman goes by the online pseudonym The Patriot Nurse.  She is a medical professional, who specializes in training people in medical preparedness for extreme circumstances.  According to her web site:

The Patriot Nurse is an actively practicing RN, with a BSN.  In addition to her work in the United States, she has also traveled extensively for medical mission work.

I take a very balanced approach to prepping that is decidedly reason-based.  Many people, after prepping for awhile, being to realize their preps are covered in the food and weapons arenas.  Medical preparedness is decidedly less glitzy, but it is integral to a well-rounded plan for thriving during times of difficulty.  My work fills that void for the average Joe.

I first learned about The Patriot Nurse when she appeared on Youtube in a pro-gun rights video with a prominent firearms trainer:

As the video proves, American Jewish women often have pro-gun views every bit as strong as anyone else who supports the Second Amendment.  The Patriot Nurse was kind enough to participate in email interview:


1.  Where did you grow up?

The Hills of Southern Appalachia....Shalom Y'all!

2. What do you do for a living?

I'm a practicing RN in my day job, and I also travel around the country teaching my Medical Preparedness classes.

3. Who introduced you to firearms?  How old were you the first time you went shooting?

My father gave my brother a BB gun for the Holidays one year when I was 8, and I was insanely jealous.  Pretty soon, I made a habit of regularly 'borrowing' my brother's BB Gun to target shoot.  When I was 21, I bought my first handgun for self-defense.  And the rest is History :)

4.  What do Jewish family members and friends think about your shooting?

One of my fellow tribe members has a saying, "There are two types of Jews:  The ones that do your taxes, and the ones that clean your rifles."  I happen to be the latter type ;)
For the most part, the community I am a part of is extremely supportive of my decision to arm myself.  Of course, many of them share a strong admiration for the Black Forest Partisans-- our brothers and sisters who fought and resisted the systematic extermination perpetrated by the Nazis.

5.  Why do you think many American Jews are hesitant to embrace firearms?

Many of our brothers and sisters came to this country as a result of the expulsion of Jews from western Europe and Russia.  Especially in the case of the Russian Jewry, pogroms and other acts of violence were perpetrated against  them by people with GUNS and other weapons.  Naturally, when one is the continued victim of having a gun pointed at him, he remembers the gun itself, and not necessarily the man behind it.  It's just the way the human brain works.  Consequently, a generational aversion arises to the 'threat'.

6.  Do you have any recommended resources for Jews who are on the fence regarding the decision to own and carry a firearm for self defense?

   YES! :D
  1) Resistance:  Untold Story of the Jewish Partisans (movie)
  2) Partisans of Vilna (movie)
  3) The War and the Jew by Vladimir Jabotinsky (book)
  4) Jews for the Preservation of Firearms   http://www.jpfo.org/

7.  Is there anything else you would like to say to the readers?

History favors the prepared, and there is no moral superiority in Victimhood. We have the right in this country to arm ourselves to the teeth for defense.  It is the right of every person to take steps to protect him/herself and their families.  We should embrace it, for ourselves and the mishpacha!

Her web site is http://www.thepatriotnurse.com.  She also has a facebook page and youtube channel.  Check it out!

Israeli Mauser Watch 2/15/13 - Czech Lion

Today on gunbroker.com someone is selling a Czech-made Israeli Mauser.  Unfortunately the pictures are not so good, but I what I really like about these is that the receiver sports a beautiful lion crest.  Someday I hoped to find one stripped to add for my collection, but at a starting bid of $499, this one is too rich for my blood.  That said, with matching receiver and bolt numbers, collectors pay a premium and this one could possibly go for that price and more.

As always, buyer beware!

Jeffrey Chosid - Missouri Service Rifle Champion and Jewish Marksman

Today's Jewish Marksman is Jeffrey Chosid.  Jeffrey has a distinguished competitive shooting career and shares his experiences with us below.  He also mentions that his daughter Kiki and Alex are both shooters, with Kiki achieving competitive shooting acclaim of her own.   From my email discussion with Jeffrey:

I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri.  I attended college in St. Louis, meeting my wife of thirty-six years at Maryville University.  We are still in St. Louis.  I’ve traveled to thirty-eight countries (If I can include a few U.S. Territories) but have never been away from St. Louis for more than two weeks at a time.   We have two grown children, Kiki and Alex.  I own a distributorship of printing supplies.

My father, a disk jockey and radio announcer was not a shooter but did have a number of firearms.  Most were interesting wall-hangers, but he did have a couple of modern (?) handguns, each with a legend attached.  The Spanish 38 Special revolver was supposedly loaned to a policeman in Illinois.  When it was in his possession, he killed a man with it.  I assume the event was in the line of duty.  The other was a Walther PPK my uncle took from a German lieutenant in Kaiserslautern, Germany.  My Uncle Walter said that the German, considering his physical condition, didn’t need it any more.

In 1968, a few weeks before the Gun Control Act of 1968 took effect, my father bought a Remington 513T and a High Standard Supermatic Trophy for me.  I was fifteen.  There was an indoor range a few minutes from our home.  I joined the club and shot weekly.  I shot the rifle a bit but really took to Bullseye Pistol.  I still shoot informal Bullseye.

Over the years, I bought and sold a few firearms and did some hunting around Missouri.  Shooting was not a focus in my life.

My neighbor and friend, Mike B., was an active and successful NRA Highpower competitor.  In 1996, he introduced me to competitive rifle shooting (NRA and CMP).  In 1993, I had purchased a Colt AR-15 because I thought it was an interesting rifle.  When I became involved in Highpower, I sent the rifle to a gunsmith and had it configured for Service Rife competition.  In my first match (200 yard Reduced Course), late in the 1996 season, I took second place.  My first NRA Classification Card arrived in 1997, with an Expert Classification.  I was never a Marksman or Sharpshooter.  Within about eighteen months, I held Master Across-the-Course and Long Range Classifications.  

In 1997, I made my first trip to Camp Perry.  I competed at the National Matches, every summer, through the 2005 season.  In 2000, at Camp Perry, I made the President’s Hundred (#99) on Tuesday and legged out on the following day, receiving Distinguished Rifleman Badge #1447.  I again made the President’s Hundred in 2002 (#56).  In 2005, I became the Missouri State Service Rifle Champion.  Then I quit.

Highpower Rifle competition attracts a wide range of shooters and most are wonderful people.  Not all, though.  There was a certain faction that made no secret of their anti-Semitic and racist views.  I was unsuccessful in getting either the NRA or the state association to take any action.  Due to the complicated circumstances, I don’t blame either organization.  After two seasons of a hostile environment, I quit.  I was still the State Champion.  I said I’d never shoot competitive rifle again.

Over the next two seasons, my son and I shot IDPA and had a great time.  It wasn’t my passion, though.  Although I wasn’t competing any more, my gun collection continued to grow.  That’s rather easy when you are an FFL holder.   

I hunt often.  On September 1st, I hunt dove on opening day.  I like dove.  Later in the fall, I go deer hunting because I want to spend the weekend with my friends David D. and his father, Mike D.   Both, by the way, are Jewish.  I do not like venison.  During the winter, I spend many days hunting (controlled) pheasant, chukar and quail.  I don’t like any of them.  I do this to be with my dear friend Mitch P. and my God Daughter, Scout (Scout is a German Shorthair Pointer and is not Jewish) Scout is assisted by Gem and Gem’s daughter, Radley.  All are German Shorthair Pointers.  In November 2012, I hunted wild pheasant in South Dakota. As of this writing, they are still in the freezer.  Later in the season, I hunt duck with my friend Don S.  As far as I’m concerned, wild duck is inedible.   I have never shot anything in the wild that is remotely as good as a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

My hunting passion, though, is the prairie dog.  I lie in bed thinking of killing them.  2013 will be my ninth season helping the Lakota Sioux rid Rosebud Reservation of the vermin.  In 2011, I spent sixteen days hunting prairie dogs in South Dakota and Southwest Kansas.  In 2012, this was reduced to eight days.  This type of hunting is a true rifleman’s sport.  It’s all about accurate rifles, high quality telescopic sights, binoculars and lasers.  I’ve spent a small fortune on prairie dog hunting. 

Prairie dog hunting is very difficult.  The targets are small, about the size of a beer can.  You are shooting at unknown ranges and typically with variable winds.  It's a challenge.
After being away from Highpower competition for five years, I returned to the sport at the end of the 2011 season.  In 2012, I returned to Camp Perry.  I didn’t shoot well but still made the cut in the National Trophy Individual Match.  I’m currently building a Match Rifle and will shoot it and Service Rifle in 2013.  Reservations have already been made for a condo at Camp Perry.
Starting in 1999, I became a columnist for Precision Shooting Magazine, writing articles about handloading, Highpower shooting equipment and a few military subjects.  Through my Highpower competition, I met many active-duty military members.  My acquaintance with the commander of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit resulted in the Army inviting me to visit Ft. Benning and writing an article about the USAMU.  In 2004, I received a contract from the U.S. Army to teach advanced marksmanship at Ft. Hood, during the early days of the Squad Designated Marksman program.  An article about that experience was published in 2005.

I’m an NRA Life Member and CCW holder.  I think my Reform Jewish family thinks I’m a bit crazy and, at family gatherings, they avoid these subjects.  You don’t choose your family but one does choose their friends.  Most of my friends are involved in shooting.

My daughter, Kiki, is also involved in competitive shooting.  After graduating high school, she received an athletic scholarship to University of Nebraska, shooting on the Women’s Rifle Team.  While a Junior (20 and under), Kiki held a Master Across-the Course and High-Master Long Range Classification.  She also received her Distinguished Rifleman badge while a Junior.  In 2004 she made the President’s Hundred.  She has been my shooting partner since 1997.  Alex, my son, is an active shooter and hunter.  Both Kiki and Alex share my passion for prairie dog hunting.

I’m glad to be back shooting Highpower Rifle.  I am enjoying my return to competitive shooting.  This winter, I'm building a Match Rifle since my 59 year old eyes are having problems with the post front sight of a Service Rifle.  I continue to collect interesting guns, make custom holsters for friends and hunt.  

In most endeavors, your success might be due to so many factors such as friends, contacts, good luck, etc.  Not so with competitive shooting.  If you succeed, it’s completely due to your own efforts.  You stand up on your back legs and shoot.

Mazal Tov to Jeffrey and the Chosid mishpacha!

Israeli Mauser Watch 2/13/13

For sale now on Gunbroker are two German captured Israeli Mausers.

The first one is a 1945 dou, which has cool markings, including what looks like 2 Stars of David.  Unfortunately, it has some kind of import stamp not just on the barrel, but also on the receiver.  Some people might like that stamp, some not (I'm not sure why the importer stamped the receiver...my understanding is that only the barrel needs to be stamped...).  The bidding starts at $350...with a shot-out barrel I don't see it fetching much more than that.

The second one is very old, 1918.  It has some rare German markings, but no visible Hebrew on the receiver, but some Hebrew on the barrel band.  Personally, no Star of David is a deal breaker for me, but bidding is already at $500, and due to the age, condition and markings it wouldn't surprise me if it goes for $800-$1200.  Just think, in 5 years that rifle (well the receiver at least) will be 100 years old, and is probably still very capable.

As always, buyer beware!

UPDATE: I waited too long to followup, sale price no longer published...

17 year old Jewish Marksman Josh Black Wins State Title

Jewish Marksman Josh Black, a young air rifle champion, has transitioned to smallbore (.22LR) with great success:

Sarah Osborn’s and Josh Black’s return to small-bore shooting has been rewarded with tickets to the USA Shooting Junior Olympic National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo., in April.

The duo, representing the local Patriot Shooting Club, earned their tickets by winning state titles in the small-bore qualifying matches held at three locations in the past two months.
The official results weren’t announced until last week.
...
Black, 17, a former Yorktown resident whose family now lives in Richmond, had to win a tiebreaker to take the men’s small-bore title over Daniel Cliff of Fairfax. Both shot scores of 573 out of 600. Black also finished third in air rifle with a score of 573, and second in air pistol with a 521.

Crawford felt winning state in small-bore was a major accomplishment for both Osborn and Black, especially since they hadn’t been competing in that rifle category for more than three years.

“This is a big item on Josh’s résumé for a college scholarship,” Crawford said.

Mazal tov!

Joshua Wander - Politician, Prepper, Soldier and Jewish Marksman

Today's Jewish Marksman is Joshua Wander.  From his website:

Josh Wander ‘Survivor’ received his Bachelor’s degree in Talmudic law from a prestigious rabbinical college in Jerusalem. He then served as a commander in the IDF and officer in the United States Air Force aux. before graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a Master’s degree in Public and International Affairs and a global studies certificate in conflict resolution with a regional concentration in the Middle East. Politically in Israel, he served as an adviser in the Israeli parliament and as the online content editor and political corespondent for The Jerusalem Post. In the US, he was an elected PA State Constable, an appointed Committeeman and a commissioned Notary Public. Wander has been assigned and loyally served in global hot spots including: Iraq, Lebanon, Haiti, Northern Ireland and Israel. A certified NRA instructor and a Range Safety Officer, he founded Jewish Preppers, People without Borders and the D4DR Club. He has also been featured in the National Geographic series “Doomsday Preppers”. 

1.  Where did you grow up, and where do you live now?

I was born in Mckeesport, PA. Went to high school in Baltimore, MD and moved to Israel where I lived for most of my adult life. I returned to the US several years ago in order to work on my degrees. I finished my Masters and then started my PhD.

 2. What do you do for a living?

Security Consultant, Politician and Student.

 3. Who introduced you to firearms?  How old were you the first time you went shooting?

My first introduction was shooting bb guns in my back yard as a child. I eventually, "graduated" to larger caliber firearms as I grew older. When I moved to Israel, I served as a commander in the IDF. I was in combat in Lebanon for a year and a half. I eventually became an NRA certified instructor if pistol, rifle and shotgun. 

 4.  How did you get involved in shooting sports?

I am dabbed in shooting sports over the years from CMP to Trap and Ipsc. 

 5.  What shooting sports have you competed in?  Have you earned any awards or classifications?

I have not formally competed, nor have I won any awards. (unless you consider army citations) 

6.  What do Jewish family members and friends think about your shooting?

There are mixed reactions. I try to get everyone involved by inviting them to my training courses. 

 7.  What do you like most about the shooting sports?

I love educating Jews about the fun and necessity of being proficient in shooting.

 8.  Do you have any goals right now in the shooting sports?

My main goal is training Jews in self-defense. I believe strongly that we are fortunate in this country to have a second amendment and that we should take full advantage of it.

 9.  Is there anything else you would like to say to the readers?

Yes! I run a website called, "Jewish Preppers" (jewishpreppers.com) Our goal is to spread the word about emergency/disaster preparedness. It includes a lot of information about defensive shooting and second amendment rights.  

Preparedness is a Jewish tradition. We have unfortunately had to "bug out" repeatedly throughout our history. From the Exodus to Expulsion from Spain, we have had to defend ourselves and more often than not, not having the ability to defend ourselves we have been forced to survive. 

Survival is the key to Jewish continuity. Fortunate are we in this day and age to have most Jews living in the United States, where there is a Constitutional right to bear arms and in Israel where we have our own army for the first time in over 2000 years. 

But the art of survival is not lost, we continue to hewn this skill and prepare for whatever the future may bring.

Jewish Marksman's New Rifle

As loyal readers know, last month I finally teased an Expert class score out of the Israeli Mauser, and decided to end that adventure.  I have basically been out of "serious" competition for almost a year, but had a lot of fun and changed some local club members' perspectives on vintage rifles.  So this month it was back to business, sort of.  

So the new rifle?  It's a Remington 700 action with a 30" .308 barrel with a palma chamber, housed in an Eliseo RTS tube gun chassis.  I will take a picture when I can.  The tube gun chassis allows me to adjust just about everything on the rifle to fit me perfectly, and I'll blog in the future about all the different tweaks and experiments I'm tyring.  This is a bolt action rifle, and I'm using "irons", aperture sights front and rear with adjustable irises but no lenses.

Actually I used most of the month to do an annual tune-up of my pistol proficiency, and didn't really touch a rifle until a week ago.  I only got in about 4 dry-fire sessions and never practiced any rapid fire with the bolt.  I was really just hoping to go to a local 100yd reduced match and get a good 100yd zero, so I would be good to go for a real XTC course.  Once you have a good zero at one distance, it's fairly easy math to at least get "on paper" at other distances.

But notwithstanding the lack of practice, I shot very well.  Offhand I tied for the best score, just a 187 but that's not shabby.  Actually I would have done better, as I shot a couple of 8s before I realized that my rear sight had wiggled loose.  Things wiggling loose would be the theme of the day, as both the front sight, rear sight and butstock wiggled loose, each in a different stage of the match.  Basically I just need to apply some lotctite to the sight base screws, which I've been avoiding until I'm sure I have the sight exactly where I want it.  

I finished the day with a Master score, and a great 197 prone score, shooting the target above.  There are actually 20 shots there, compared to a typical poker chip.  You can see how the pattern sort of slants upwards, which is probably the path my pulse beat follows.  I have a different sling on the shelf to try and see if it does a better job of dampening the pulse, as the one I have now, the strap that wraps the arm is directly connected to the strap that hooks to the rifle, making it easier for pulse to transmit from my bicep area.  It was nice not to shoot any 8s or 7s, something I could never quite do with the Israeli Mauser.

Rapids were a bit of a challenge, as the new bolt is not as smooth as the Israeli Mauser's bolt.  I also had some issues with the magazines until I figured out which one was sticking, and just used that as the last magazine in the bunch.  My rapid scores were a little sub-par, but once I get that knack of that bolt things will get better. Not having to move my head from the rifle makes such a huge difference over the Israeli Mauser.

I think 2013 is going to be a great year, and I'm confident this rifle will get me to High Master, or at least give me a fighting chance.  There is still a lot to tweak, but I'll get there.  In the meantime, I do plan on shipping the bolt out to have some work done, as the primers are cratering too much.  Apparently Remington has been widening their firing pin holes for some reason, and while this may not actually ever result in a pierced primer, it still makes me uncomfortable.  I'll talk more about this in a later post.

David Mamet - Hollywood Director, Writer and Second Amendment Supporter

You may not immediately recognize the name of Jewish Hollywood big-wig David Mamet, but you've probably seen his work, as cataloged by Wikipedia:

Best known as a playwright, Mamet won a Pulitzer Prize and received Tony nominations for Glengarry Glen Ross (1984) and Speed-the-Plow (1988). As a screenwriter, he received Oscar nominations for The Verdict (1982) and Wag the Dog (1997). Mamet's books include: The Old Religion (1997), a novel about the lynching of Leo Frank; Five Cities of Refuge: Weekly Reflections on Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy (2004), a Torah commentary with Rabbi Lawrence Kushner; The Wicked Son (2006), a study of Jewish self-hatred and antisemitism; and Bambi vs. Godzilla, a commentary on the movie business; and The Secret Knowledge: On the Dismantling of American Culture (2011), a commentary on cultural and political issues.
Mamet's feature films, which he both wrote and directed, include Redbelt (2008), The Spanish Prisoner (1997), House of Games (1987) (which won Best Film and Best Screenplay awards at the 1987 Venice Film Festival and "Film of the Year" for the 1989 London Critics Circle Film Awards), Spartan (2004), Heist (2001), State and Main (2000) (Winner of a Best Acting - Ensemble award from the National Board of Review), The Winslow Boy (1999), Oleanna (1994), Homicide (1991) (nominated for the Palme d'Or at 1991 Cannes Film Festival and won a "Screenwriter of the Year" award for Mamet from the London Critics Circle Film Awards and Best Cinematography for Roger Deakins from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards), Things Change (1988) (which won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at 1988 Venice Film Festival for Don Ameche and Joe Mantegna), and most recently an untitled TV movie in 2012 about Phil Spector starring Al Pacino as Spector, as well as Helen Mirren and Jeffrey Tambor.
Mamet has also written the screenplays for such classic films as The Verdict (1982), directed by Sidney Lumet, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), The Untouchables (1987) directed by Brian De Palma, Hoffa (1992), Ronin (1998), Wag The Dog (1997), The Edge (1997), and Hannibal (2001).
Mamet is also the creator, executive producer, and frequent writer for the TV show, The Unit.

David recently wrote an opinion piece for Newsweek, exhibiting his strong opinions in favor of private firearms ownership.  He makes many great points in the article, but this line sums it up:

The individual is not only best qualified to provide his own personal defense, he is the only one qualified to do so: and his right to do so is guaranteed by the Constitution.

Mazal Tov.  It is good to know we have more Jewish friends in Hollywood!