IRON MIKE MAGAZINE April 2016

Featured Articles 12

COST OF A DESK JOCKEY

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TAKE TWO OF THESE AND GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE

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Chris Hernandez tells his story of interference from leadership back at the FOB. Jason Kenney’s disturbing experience in the Veteran’s Administration system

THAT OLD RELIC

Don’t count out the grizzle and wisom of age and experience.

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From the Editor

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The 26th Legion Major Richard Winters

28 Photo Gallery by Schultz Photography 42 Gear TCB TOTAL CARRY SYSTEM 65 Food Blackened Redfish 46 Travel Adventure: Big Bend National Park 56 Drink Five Whiskeys Every Man Should Know 60 Pipe Hitters Union 2016 Calendar 66 History Texan Stand At Salado Creek 70 Directory 72

Events

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Iron Mike Magazine was started a few years ago with a purpose. I wanted one place that I could find information and articles about the things I cared about. The magazine has taken many forms and included all sorts of things I like without much consistency.

Bringing the publication to a digital magazine format is what I have wanted to do all along. I hope you like what we have inside. The publication will be updated monthly with a new issue. All past issues will be archived. I’d love to get feedback from my readers so please email me at info@romtx.com to let me know how we’re doing.

Sincerely,

Bryan Editor and Owner Iron Mike Magazine

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Editor and Owner Bryan Dolch

Contributors Scott Casey Jeffrey Denning Bryan Dolch Chris Hernandez Gerald Hook Jason Kenney Robert H. Johnson Robert Patrick Lewis David W. Peters Glen Stilson Joe Stojek

Copy Editor Robert H. Johnson

Advertising Sales and Design Bryan Dolch

Iron Mike Magazine is a Publication of Red Oak Marketing P.O. Box 310584 New Braunfels, Texas 78130 Contact us at info@romtx.com

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I’m starting a new section of Iron Mike Magazine with this article. I think its fitting that we have a section that honors the men and women that the magazine is supposed to represent. The posts may be quick and simple but I would like to at least highlight the accomplishments, sacrifice, service and courage that they have put forward for their brothers in arms, and the Republic they served. I want to make this interactive with our fans. So if you know someone you’d like to nominate please email us at info@romtx.com and we can collaborate to get your nominee on our magazine! Each inductee will become a member of the 26th Legion.

Lenta Fortis Inspirare – Tough Brave Inspire, Bryan

It’s fitting that we start with Major Richard Winters. You see his statue every time you visit Iron Mike Magazine. Winters was born on January 21, 1918 in Pennsylvania. He grew up in Lancaster where he graduated from Lancaster Boys High School. He attended college at Franklin Marshall College where he studied business. Seeing war on the horizon after he graduated he enlisted in the Army in August 1941 before he was drafted.

THE

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ARMY He attended basic at Camp Croft in South Carolina. After graduation he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning in Georgia. While at Benning he met Lewis Nixon that was with him during his entire war service. After OCS he completed parachute infantry training but was returned to Camp Croft in order to train new soldiers while he waited for a position within a parachute unit. Eventually he was assigned to the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) and sent Camp Toccoa. The famous station of the Airborne Regiment in Georgia. He was immediately assigned to the fabled E Company, 2nd Battalion, of the 506th PIR. 2nd Lieutenant Winters was assigned as the platoon commander for 2nd Platoon of ‘Easy Company’ for a short period but was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. With this promotion he became the Executive Officer of Easy under the notorious Captain Herbert Schobel.

In 1943 the regiment was formally attached to the 101st Airborne Division and left for England in September. The regiment was stationed in Aldbourne, Wilshire where they prepared for the invasion of France. During this period of their training Winters began to question the ability of Sobel to lead men in combat. Sobel decided to make a move against Winters by bringing charges against him. Lieutenant Winters challenged them and requested a review for Court Martial. The charges were dropped by the battalion commander. Sobel hit him again with more charges the next day. While things were being sorted out by battalion Winters was moved to mess duty.

Several NCOs confronted their regimental commander Colonel Robert Sink telling the colonel that Sobel must go. Sink was not happy about the move by the enlisted leadership of Easy Company but he did come to a decision about Sobel. He had to go. At this point Winters was brought back from mess duty and took command of 1st Platoon in Easy Company. The command of Easy Company was given to 1st Lieutenant Thomas Meehan in early 1944.

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NORMANDY In the early morning hours of 6th June 1944 the 101st along with the 82nd Airborne Division were on their “rendezvous with destiny”. During the landings Winters was dropped near St. Mere-Eglise. He had lost his weapon in the jump but began to build a mixed unit of paratroopers from both the 82nd and 101st. Winters guided his men to a meet up point were he learned that Meehan was missing. At this point he was put in charge of Easy Company until Meehan was located to take over. Unfortunately, Meehan would not return. The C-47 that he was flying in was shot down by antiaircraft fire killing everyone on board.

On June 6th, artillery was pulverizing the invasion beaches. A battery of howitzers were located near the Brecourt Manor.

With 13 men Winters moved to take out the position which approximately 50 Wehrmacht soldiers occupied. The assault was successful in knocking out the guns and produced a map that provided information on several other gun emplacements throughout the Utah Beach landing zone. He would receive the Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership and actions at Brecourt Manor. He was also promoted to Captain in July 1944. He remained the commander of Easy.

After the Normandy campaign the Airborne Divisions returned to England to regroup and prepare for their next assignment.

HOLLAND The next jump for the Airborne men would be into Holland for Operation Market Garden.

Winters made the jump in September to help secure 3 bridges that were vital to hold so British unites could move up and into Germany quickly.

October 5th a German counterattack hit the flank of 2nd Battalions flank. A patrol had located German units dangerously close to the Easy company command post. Winters acted fast with a squad and moved into position near a crossroads. They immediately took out a machine gun position that was engaging Americans to the south but then began to receive fire from a supporting German position. Reinforcements were called in and another assault was put into action. The assault pitted 1st platoon against what was IRONMIKEMAGAZINE.COM | 9

later discovered to be more than 300 Germans.

During the fighting in Holland the battalion executive officer Major Oliver Horton had been killed. At this point Winters took over as the battalion XO. After the failed attempt by the allies to cross the Rhine Operation Market Garden was ended. The men in the Airborne Divisions were moved back off the line to recuperate and reorganize.

THE BATTLE OF THE BULDGE Desperate to stall the allies the Germans made a surprise attack into the Ardennes Forest aiming for Antwerp on the coast.

The port city would shut down the Allies supply lines in mass along the front. It was a huge gamble for Hitler. The attack was launched on December 16, 1944. Winters and his men were trucked in on the 18th and assigned a sector north east of Bastogne a major road intersection in Belgium.

It was a key strategic point for the German attack. The men of Easy took their stand near the town of Foy. Supported by parts of the 10th Armored Division the paratroopers of the 101st division held off 15 German Divisions for almost a week. The men were finally relieved when the U.S. 3rd Army broke through German lines around Bastonge. Even though they were relieved the fighting in the Bulge was not over. The men of Easy attacked Foy on January 9th 1945.

THE END GAME AND OCCUPATION Winters was promoted to Major in March as the Battalion was moved to Haguenau, Alsace. Not long after his promotion the 2nd Battalion commander was moved to a IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

new assignment and Winters duties were elevated to the Battalion’s command position. As the war was in it’s final act the men were moved to take Berchtesgaden, Austria. The men reached the Eagle’s Nest around noon on May 5th 1945 just 3 days before the German surrender. Even though he could have returned home Winters decided to stay in Europe to help in the process of occupation and demobilization. He returned home in November 1945.

CIVILIAN LIFE AGAIN On November 29th he took terminal leave until is official separation from the Army in January 1946. Winters went to work for his wartime friend Lewis Nixon at Nixon Nitration Works in New Jersey. During this time he returned to school and attended Rutgers University. He did get called back by the Army in 1951 for service in Korea but was not ready to take on another war. He tried to prevent his return explaining that he had seen enough war but the Army would not hear it. So like before he took on the challenge and volunteered for Ranger School.

After graduation he received orders for Korea. While waiting to leave he was offered the option to resign his commision which he did.

After this second departure from the Army he spent some time in manufacturing before moving to a farm in Pennsylvania. He remained in agriculture for majority of his remaining life. He raised two children with his wife Ethel who he married in 1948. He retired in 1997.

After suffering from Parkinson’s disease for several years he was laid to rest on January 8, 2011. At his request the service was unannounced and private. He is buried in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. His wife, Ethel, died two years later.

On June 6th 2012 a memorial was unveiled in his honor. An Iron Mike that stand 12 foot tall near St. Marie-Du-Mont. Winters, the humble warrior that he was, made sure that he was not the only one honored. He required the statue be dedicated to all junior officers from the D-Day invasion.

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Second, interference by “leaders” far from the battlefield helped us lose those men.

Two captains on duty in Tactical Operations Centers denied repeated requests for air support. They did this despite a radio call from one of the doomed Marines, “We’re surrounded! They’re moving in on us! If [you] don’t give me this air support, we are going to die out here.” One of General Colin Powell’s principles was, “The commander in the field is always right and the rear echelon is wrong, unless proven otherwise.” That principle was ignored in Ganjgal, and five American warriors died.

Third, a very young Marine Corporal named Dakota Meyer was awarded the Medal of Honor for his efforts to save his fellow Marines. This was one of the few good results of the battle.

Fourth, Army Captain Will Swenson, who spoke out against the higher-echelon second guessing that helped kill five brave men, was recommended for a Medal of Honor. And his recommendation was somehow “lost”. An award packet that consists of numerous witness statements, after action reports, photographs and radio transcripts, saved as an electronic file and sent to numerous individuals for review and approval, was “lost”.

Which meant the statements by Captain Swenson criticizing the rules of engagement and chain of command were also “lost”. Fortunately, the Army “found” the recommendation and Captain Swenson is finally going to receive the medal he deserves.

Last – and most personal to me – the month before the Ganjgal battle, I had the worst day of my military life. I was in a battle, attached to an Embedded Training Team, and we

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lost a fight. One American and three Afghans were killed, a few others wounded.

Higher leaders made the decision to pull us out of a valley after we took those losses. We could have stayed. We could have kept fighting. But we weren’t allowed to.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t look back to that day and see it as anything but a defeat.

More than any other incident, that engagement motivated me to write. The decision to pull us out instead of letting us hold ground left me feeling angry, disappointed, maybe even betrayed. I’m still furious when I think back on it. But I also remember something else, something that Captain Swenson’s video brought back to the forefront of my memories.

The day after that fight, I was on my firebase and ran into another American Soldier. This Soldier was a Sergeant First Class like me but had been a regular Army infantryman, an Airborne Ranger, for many years. He was big, blond and muscular, the kind of guy who just looks like a Soldier.

He hadn’t been in the valley with us, but had heard about it. He asked me if I was okay.

I gave him a halfhearted nod. I guess I was “okay”. I briefly told him about the fight, and the close calls we all experienced. I described the death of the brave young American, and how frustrated I was at our inability to save him. I told him how angry we were at being ordered out of the valley before the fight was over.

As I spoke to him, two regular Army MPs stood close by, listening in silence. One IRONMIKEMAGAZINE.COM | 15

was male and one female and they looked about 15 years old. Their eyes were averted, but I knew they were following every word.

I finished the story. The tall blond sergeant shook his head sadly. Then he did something I’ll never forget.

He said quietly, “I’m glad you’re okay, brother.” And he hugged me.

This sergeant and I were friends, but not close. We were on different teams, and he was a regular Army infantryman whereas I was a National Guard support guy. Outwardly, we didn’t have much in common. But that one small gesture cut through any differences we had. For a moment we were two Soldiers, serving in a complicated, frustrating war, caring for each other like members of a close family. Before the hug, and afterward, I was bitter and disillusioned. But for those two seconds of closeness, I knew a brother had my back. And I needed to know that.

Captain Swenson’s video reminded me of those two seconds. But as I watched Captain Swenson’s and Sergeant Westbrook’s last moments together, I realized something. The memory of my brief moment, of a reassuring hug from a brother Soldier, holds about one thousandth the emotion Captain Will Swenson shared with his dying friend in the Ganjgal Valley.

Captain Will Swenson, congratulations on the honor you earned. I hope I get to shake your hand someday.

Sergeant First Class Westbrook, and the other American and Afghans lost that day, rest in peace.

Chris Hernandez is a 20 year police officer, former Marine and currently serving National Guard soldier with over 25 years of military service. He is a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and also served 18 months as a United Nations police officer in Kosovo. He writes for BreachBangClear. com and Iron Mike magazine and has published two military fiction novels, Proof of Our Resolve, Line in the Valley and Safe From the War through Tactical16 Publishing. He can be reached at chris_hernandez_author@yahoo.com or on his Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ProofofOurResolve).

A NOVEL BY CHRIS HERNANDEZ

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by Jason Kenney “I want you to close your eyes and think of nothing. Relax yourself. Let everything go blank. Empty your mind.”

I closed my eyes and began to drift. This was a skill that came to be in the early days of OSUT. Turn your mind off. Let it drift. It’s a skill that became necessary to survival in combat. You’d never be able to face the moments after any action if you didn’t know where your switches were and how to flip them. The world went dark, like a movie theater in those anxious seconds between the end of the previews and the beginning of the featured film. I went black.

“Empty your mind. Put yourself in a state of complete relaxation.”

The curtains slowly slid open. The show was about to start.

“Breathe in deeply. Relax yourself……”

Radio traffic ensued….”Gun 3 this is 2….he blew by me coming off the side road. White Toyota coming to you.”

“I want you to calm yourself……breathe deeply….empty your mind……”

Muzzle flash…..a red tracer……a ricochet off the pavement in front of the car…..thoughts in my head..”Come on…..please stop…” Another squeeze….another flash……tracer in the grill….

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“You are completely relaxed now….let your mind go back in time now….”

Another squeeze….another flash…….glass splintered into spider webs….a hand on my leg….shaking it….a voice in my ear…over the internal coms….”KILL THAT MOTHERFUCKER YEAH!!!” A brief realization that there were 3 other cars around him…a woman’s face….then a 3 inch circle….my sights…..his head…..squeeze…..flash flash flash flash flash………The car drifted to a stop……The bloody face inside looking at me as I emptied the rest of my rounds into his passenger door.

Radio traffic….”This is 3….he’s stopped……..” “3….this is four…….we got him…..move out”……..

“You are in a state of calm…….breathe deeply…..relax…….relax…..”

“3 this is 4….he’s moving again……” the M2 sings……

“You are safe………I want you to let yourself drift to those places now…”

“3 this is 5….that fucker is dead…..” Echoes……

My experiences with the VA had led me here…..to hypnosis. It was an out of pocket expense, not covered by the VA or the government….about a grand per visit. I had been having nightmares that wouldn’t quit. These, and other moments, would replay at will.

Not all of them combat, not all of them of Iraq. Some were replays of moments that were residual of all the above…those phone calls home finding out this relative died or some apocalyptic relationship change. These visits were supposed to stop all that.

I had taken my prescriptions from the VA dutifully. Three pills in the morning, three pills at night…..a sleeping pill on top of it. I knew one thing. I wasn’t being helped, I was being drugged. Any person with half a brain can tell the difference between dealing with problems and masking them. The fact that the government says “Here, mask them with these pills……” doesn’t differ greatly from a bartender saying “Here, mask them with this beer” When the buzz ends, the problems are still there. But still, this was supposed to help right? Keep the faith. Even after my stint with the facility dedicated to mental health being everything but a helping hand, I still believed.

I went back for my first appointment with the VA since I’d checked myself in with them.

After an hour of waiting, I met with another doc. Now, I get to tell this story again. Hasn’t anyone figured out that if you write this down you can read it? But hey, you have to deliver yourself from it all somehow. This is the U.S. Government and the U.S Military taking care of it’s war fighters. We have designed bombs that go through windows from 10,000ft. We can see in the darkness. We have mapped the world so well that we can be within 3 meters accuracy of any point, anywhere, any time. We have drones that fly around in the night and can take out targets surgically. There is no way, no possibility that the country that has that much capability for complete and utter decimation of its enemies hasn’t pre-planned how to deal with those people who execute that destrucIRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

tion. This has to get better. I’m just at the beginning steps. Everything is messed up in the beginning. I kept the faith.

Thirty minutes with the doc. That’s what you get. 1 year overseas in a land where the road explodes, mortars and rockets rain down from the sky almost hourly, rounds ricochet off everything around you, dead bodies, screaming brothers and an hour of waiting in a lobby and you get thirty minutes for all of that. But wait….there’s more.

“Johnny…….tell us what our lucky veterans get in that thirty minutes….”

You get an empathetic response that is most likely the same response given to the person before you and will be given to the person after you of “You have been through a lot.” Or a grimace of sympathy with the words “Unbelievable” Immediately followed by, “Have you been taking your medication?” It’s immediately clear that drugs are the solution in the eyes of them all. Don’t fix anything, don’t think outside of the box and contemplate the problems themselves. Throw pills at it. Zombie veterans are happy veterans.

It’s immediately clear to you that these people, whether they have the best intentions or not (I believe some actually do) are winging it. They have no plan to deal with you or anyone like you. They learned nothing from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam or Desert IRONMIKEMAGAZINE.COM | 21

Storm. There are no protocols in place to deal with the unfortunate side effects of the price of freedom. Effectively, your visits to the VA actually become a trigger for you. Because you have functioned in the most efficient, most effective fighting force the world has ever seen in history, contemplating the fact that the entity responsible for caring for its members is so ham handed and disorganized enrages you. You are less angry for yourself and infuriated for those brothers in the lobby who are still carrying around Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm in their heads. After all of these conflicts, all of these wars, their expert opinion and solution is to ‘throw pills at it until they die or go away’.

That’s all, that’s it.

How is this possible? I can take a squad of teenagers outside the wire and make contact. Within the same engagement, those teenagers can evaluate their obstacles adjust their behaviors and overcome and destroy them with almost instinctual efficiency. Our armed forces have a methodology and procedure for everything from taking an objective to building a toilet. How is it that the United States Government, after multiple decades of multiple theatres of combat has resolved itself to taking those who serve in its conflicts and decided that the only solution is to throw pills at it?

There are people paid to think about this, to evaluate it, to adjust it. What in the hell have they been doing? How is it that someone, probably a team of people making over 100k per year, hasn’t understood that this just doesn’t work? Why is it that nothing is being changed until the civilian media broadcasts it? Why is it that they didn’t listen to the hundreds of thousands of those who gave all when they said it wasn’t working? Why aren’t you, America, screaming about this? 22 Veterans a day in this country, 1,892 suicides in 2014 alone (and counting) and what is being done?

These are the thoughts a great majority of our service members leave the VA with on a daily basis. Some of them are out. Some of them are still in and still serving. Some of them are dealing with the stigma of asking for help and the ostracizing that can come from asking for it, only to be brushed aside like so many crumbs off the government’s plate. Some got fixed by hypnosis out of their own pockets and faced the music and consequences of their lives before they got help only to get handed orders telling them they would be mobilized to deploy back to the same place that started it all within the next 24hrs and they would be thankful for the chance to prove themselves again.

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by Scott Casey “You know what you are Gunny Highway? A dinosaur.”

Many have heard the line and watched the scene where a less than experienced officer attempts to degrade Marine Recon Gunnery Sergeant Tom Highway (Clint Eastwood) in the movie Heart Break Ridge. To which Highway responds with the patented piercing Eastwood narrow stare. Unfortunately, the “only fought in the sand model room” officer is wearing his stare proof egocentric armor and carries on berating the combat veteran.

Fortunately, as the movie progresses to the battlefield of Grenada, with the university students safely in Marine hands, Gunny Highway exploits his opportunity to return verbal fire and the “Desk Pilot” is outed in front of the commanding General.

Is that a far cry from reality? Is it possible for those with zero combat experience to wipe their nervous pee off the floor of impending battle with the blood and sweat of our most battle hardened vets? It is as close to reality as the chocolate cake in a package of MRE’s. In fact, following my tour it happened to almost all of us in varying degrees, regardless of rank. There were those that had not yet experienced the adrenaline pumping firefights and horrors of combat who were all to ready to vilify those of us who had.

Left is Staff Sgt. Don Nicholas who was at 59 years old one time the oldest soldier on the battlefield.

As a steadfast rule, which I employ in any situation today whether it be tactically or civilian employment wise, is listening intently to the old dogs. They have a plethora of knowledge and wisdom that can make your life a hell of a lot simpler or even more importantly, save your life or that of your buddies. It makes my head spin, blood boil, and fists curl when I witness a young buck rolling his eyes when a veteran passes on solid information and angrier still when it is a person in a leadership role doing the eye rolling.

The men who have truly been there do not go out of their way to try and bore the hell out of you, they speak with the thought that you might pick up even the slightest shred of knowledge. So you might make it home on the correct side of the rubber bag. Because let’s face it, those things stink like death.

Classrooms, teachers, the books and doctrines within them are slow to adopt the newest of battlefield lessons. Not for lack of desire, but simply because it is not logistically possible to have it any other way. Books are expensive, and if they are updated with any frequency, are updated every two years. A lot can happen to how a soldier IRONMIKEMAGAZINE.COM | 25

behaves in two years. Those of us with combat experience realize change almost immediately. We watch and listen to every detail and employ that fresh knowledge in short order; much faster than computers and infinitely quicker than hardcopy. Even if the gathered intelligence is loaded to an online knowledge source it must first be scrutinized, formatted, written in a way it can be learned from, uploaded, and finally kept secure from prying eyes. Although it is quicker than traditional publishing it still takes time. This is why it is imperative to take the time to learn from those who have a direct line. What is the quickest and most productive means of advertising? If you guessed “word of mouth,” you guessed right. There is a reason for that of course and it’s simple.

It’s immediately effective because humans are interactive creatures. Advertising like any other conversation will be taken in, processed by the individual and depending on their preconceived notions will be stored or discarded at that moment. It is no different with the passage of tactical information. Another example of the quickness of old school SOPs is the passage of intelligence as soon as possible following a patrol. Take a Recce or Recon of an objective, as soon as the members return from intelligence gathering at the objective they disseminate all the info to the remainder of the patrol. This is done for a couple of reasons. One is in case the patrol is compromised and takes casualties and secondly, to provide instant intelligence updates for the rest of the patrol. Should there be a new discovery during the conduct of the patrol, for its survivability, that info can be passed immediately to patrol peers upon return to the objective rendezvous. It would be foolish to scoff at real time tactical advice.

So the next time you are milling about and a combat vet who is in your midst let’s you in on some prehistoric information, shut your gum, open your ears, and enjoy the immediate history lesson. There’s a good chance that old relic has forgotten more than you’ll ever know.

Scott J. Casey was born in British Columbia, Canada. He enlisted in the Canadian Forces as an infantryman with the Royal Canadian Regiment at age 18. In the spring of 1992 his unit was deployed to former Yugoslavia. He served in Croatia and the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia. He was honorably discharged in 1994. After his release from the military he moved back to British Columbia became a professional truck driver. He is currently employed as a heavy equipment operator. His writing includes a forthcoming book “In the Devil’s Courthouse” which is currently being reviewed by a major publisher in Canada.

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After 12 years in the Army, Nathan Schultz was medically retired and had a new challenge to take on. He has taken the drive and determination that was learned in the military and applied it to his photography.

Nathan has always been an adrenaline junkie and kept it going with his pictures. If its a day on the range

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TCB TOTAL CARRY SYSTEM

by Jason Silz If you carry a gun everyday it won’t be long before someone asks you, or you ask yourself, how can this be done more comfortably? Like most things in firearms culture, it is a constant balance.

Speed vs. Accuracy Concealibility vs. Accessibility Comforting vs. Comfortable Retention vs. Access I have had many conversations (and seen even more in life) that makes this relevant, and something I talk about every chance I can. This is part of my business platform and our training programs, how do gun owners achieve that balance? The answer is not is a gimmick or even a product being sold to you. It is in my opinion a different way of looking at what has been perceived before as a single issue. It is what I call the “Total Carry System.” Being a gun guy for the past few decades I, like every other gun guy, have a box (a very large box actually) full of holsters that I don’t use. Some are leather, others nylon, some more are Kydex and a few of space age polymers. Many were way too cheap, and some way to expensive. But, like most of you, I went on the search for “the One.” That amazing holster so great it would cure all of my ails. I even started a holster manufacturing company to achieve that. This is when I looked at the bigger picture.

Most people that carry a gun for defense worry about the “gun” and not all of the other essential items. While your firearm of choice is the foundation, like any other structure we need to start there and build upward.

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1. Quality gun– I do not care about brands, models or much else. If you are going to use this for defense, I highly recommend a caliber equal to or greater than 9mm. The most important factor in firearms selection is one that you can efficiently manipulate and put effective hits on target with. As Frank Proctor says, “He who scores the most points fastest wins.” This is true in sport and defense. Do not choose a defensive handgun because your dad, brother, preacher or TV star carries it. Buy the best you can afford and that you can work.

2. Quality Ammo– A gun is almost worthless without ammo. There are much better bludgeoning tools out there than an empty handgun. Do not cheap out on defensive ammo. Again, I do not advocate a certain brand, bullet style, caliber or grain. What is important is that it runs in your gun (test this BEFORE you carry it) and helps you put those positive hits on target. The one style recommendation I do make, is that anything you carry be factory ammo labeled “for personal defense” or similar. There is some debate on the necessity of this, but to me why risk it.

3. Quality Holster- I admit I am a little biased on this, but brand/style is not my goal in this article. The important thing is that the holster is designed for your weapon. You would not wear “Crocs” to run a marathon, even though I hear those are extremely comfortable and have seen many nurses wear them on extended shifts. Don’t buy a “one size fits many” holster. Snaps, buttons, and levers (unless required by your SOP’s or job contract) serve little to no purpose in civilian carry, they are often added to increase the “one size fits all” scenario. Concealed means concealed. Avoid Nylon please, it is not IRONMIKEMAGAZINE.COM | 43

durable or rigid enough for a daily concealed carry holster. Look to high quality, purpose designed leather, Kydex, or injection molding.

4. Quality Belt– If you are going to carry a gun, buy a GUN BELT. By the time you put the loaded handgun, spare ammo, knives, a phone and/or other gear you have a few pounds hanging of the belt. It does a lot more than hold your pants up, it is literally the band that ties this together. There are several manufacturers that make everything from dress belts, work belts and nylon belts specifically designed and made to carry that additional weight.

5. Quality Mindset– This is last on the list, but at the top of the required essentials when carrying a gun. There is one way to truly develop this particular skill set, TRAINING. There is only so much training and research that can be done on your own. I cannot plead with you enough to seek out quality professional training. This will give you the skills you need and a start on the list of questions you don’t even know to ask yet. This is never ending, and must be revisited as often as you can afford.

This is just the beginning of it once you start down the path of true defensive carry. As your training and skills progress some more items may appear in your EDC (Every Day Carry) such as flashlights, med kits, knives and more. Just like carrying a gun these items should be carried all of the time or none of the time.

Carrying a gun is a “lifestyle” choice, and one that should be taken with the utmost preparation. We all practice, train and carry to “Stop the Threat,” but how do we do that in reality? We put gaping holes in vital organs and either removes the fight from the threat or the threat from the fight. This is as real deal as it gets, there are no second chances and serious liabilities to even carrying let alone God forbid you have to employ your weapon. I also carry my attorney’s contact information, a reliable phone, and a small stash of extra cash money. Be as flexible as you can on some of these, as I was developing my person “Total Carry System” I changed guns, carry position and holster.

The only constants I maintained were my belt and training schedule. Please think about this and make your adjustments as needed. Stay safe, and have fun.

Jason Slisz is the owner and operator of TCB Firearms & Holsters. Jason is active in the shooting sports, training, and firearms industry helping other armed citizens become better.

For more information on TCB Firearms & Holsters visit their website at tcbfirearms.com

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ADVENTURE: BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, TEXAS IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

by Bryan Dolch

One Family’s Travel Guide I had been there once before. Twenty one years ago. The details of those memories are sketchy. I remember it was March or April. The weather wasn’t too hot and it even was cold at night. I remember stars filling the sky. My friend Jason and I were in our early twenties. I was a couple months from bootcamp and Jason unbeknownst to him was about 9 months away from the yellow footprints. ‘Man planning’ was in full effect. We threw our gear into our packs, hopped into Jason’s car and headed west. I can’t remember for sure but I think we started driving at night and got to Big Bend from Houston in the early morning.

This was pre-internet so we didn’t do our research. We checked into the front gate and headed to the most desolate trail we could find. The trail was in the lower desert area on the east side of the basin but it climbed into some mountainous terrain. I remember that Elephant Tusk was one of our check points along the way. We only saw one other person along the trail. A ‘Grizzly Adams’ type with a horse and mule laden with gear passed us by heading back to where we came. Our water supply eventually ran a little short and we turned back. ‘Man planning’ had cut the trip a little short.

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Fast forward twenty one years, a wife, and three young boys. Its vacation time. What do we do? We have always been perhaps more cautious than others when it has come to ‘long distance’ family drives. Our thought was that our boys had dodged that bullet long enough. Colorado Springs was our first thought. We looked at all the tourism websites and my wife signed up to fill our mailbox with pamphlets and other crap. I also have close friends in Colorado Springs so it was a natural starting point. Wherever we planned to go hiking and the outdoors was going to be the main focus of events for us.

We knew Colorado Springs would fill that requirement. As we started planning, no ‘man planning’ was authorized, we had to accept reality. I had just quit my job and started my own landscape company. I could easily make the time but leaving for a longer trip left us vulnerable in the pocket book. My wife had been talking with another lady that she worked with about her trip to Big Bend in the early summer break. We began to think about it and it just made sense. The trip was less than half the distance than Colorado Springs. The cost of taking the trip was definitely going to be less. It would also give us a change to test the waters of long distance family travel. But what really made it a no brainer was the ‘guide’.

My wife and her family had taken many trips to Big Bend when she was younger. She knew where to go and had the trip planned in her head. We had a four day window in July. Missing two days of work wouldn’t do to much to set me back. So we planned to leave early Thursday morning and comeback Sunday. We live north of San Antonio so we were looking at about a six and a half to eight hour drive depending on stops.

Camping is defined diferently in my wife’s head. While I grew up an on the camping on ground or in a tent, my wife was conditioned to a trailer camping style. So ‘camping’ was out of the question. BUT, there just so happens to be a lodge in the Chisos Mountain Basin. Which was actually perfect base of operations for the trip. I can still be the tough guy in a tent but after building rock walls in 110 degree heat all week, an air conditioned room at the end of the day was going to be a plus.

I made reservations with the Chisos Mountain Lodge. The lodge is essentially in the middle of the park at The Basin. The lodge is run and operated by a private company called Forever Resorts. There were a couple of options for the stay. The choice was between the Casa Grande Rooms or the Rio Grande Motel Rooms. According to my wife the Rio Grande rooms were a little smaller and are situated behind the Casa Grande buildings. We chose the Casa Grande rooms which run about $150 a night. I think they vary with the time of year that you book as with most other hotel bookings.

After handing my dog over to my parents we packed up and prepared for an early morning start on Thursday. We have a Ford Expedition that is the longer version so we have plenty of room in the back. We packed relatively light for five. I found some travel trunks

by Plano last year for a river trip to Bandera. We packed four of the Plano® 1819 SportsIRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

man’s Trunks that I bought for $30 each at Academy. Two were packed with clothes and two were packed with dry goods and food. We also brought a Igloo MaxCold® 152-qt.

Cooler.

We set the alarm for 5:30 am on Thursday. The plan was to start out early and get through the San Antonio traffic. Once we were out of SA we would stop for some breakfast. We took the US 90 route rather than going I-10. 90 just seemed to be a little more of a direct route. There was some concern about hugging the border for several hours.

US 90 heads west from south San Antonio directly into Del Rio which is a border town of Texas. We made Del Rio by about 10:30. Del Rio has a lot of places to offer for gas and food. We chose to stop at Rudy’s. It was a familiar place and we knew it would be a clean place to stop. I went ahead and topped off and grabbed some more ice. Then we were on our way again.

Our next stop, Langtry, Texas, was around lunch time. It is worth the the stop. Langtry is the site of Judge Roy Bean’s saloon and Court. The museum is outstanding, although it is small it is kept up and worth your time. Some of you may remember Paul Newman’s portrayal of the judge in the 1972 movie The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean.

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After a quick lunch we drove on. We made another stop inComstock then on to Marathon, Texas. I’d recommend fueling up before you get to Marathon. Fuel gets more expensive as you get closer to the park. I filled up for $3.34 a gallon when we left home. I did fill up in Marathon and paid about $4.00 a gallon. Regardless, make sure you have a full tank going into the park. There is a fuel station near Panther Junction inside the park but its always good to plan to have no access to fuel once inside the park. The trip from Marathon, the last town outside of the park from the north, is a 70 mile trip to the park headquarters.

It was late in the day and we looked for a place to eat in Marathon. There were a few options but in the long run we decided to make the last shot to the Basin and check in. We threw the kids some chips and moved on.

Usually the July temperatures are at least in the 90s and usually in the 100s but as we were driving south towards the park gate we hit some thunderstorms. This was a blessing because the rain in the area kept the temps about 10 degrees cooler than normal for the rest of out trip.

We drove up into The Basin that evening. The grade gets pretty steep but the bigger concern is the switchbacks. If you have a trailer with you be cautious on the turns. There

IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

are about three turns that are about 180 degrees. I think there was a sign that even restricted trailers over twenty feet. I’d call ahead and check that number though.

Our room was in the B building. For future reference I would plan to see if there is availability in the A building as it faces The Window ( a main attraction of the park). Our room had two double beds and a fridge. No televisions were available, a plus by the way, but there was WiFi and it was sketchy at best. I had no cellphone services in the Basin either (another plus). I did have to request a fold up mattress. Lets just say it was not a comfortable option. I took the mattress off the frame and slept on the floor. I think they charged me for it so I plan to just bring a bed roll for our next trip.

The first night we did a quick recon of the surrounding lodge area. Several trail heads began just feet away from our room. There is a store that has a few items like ice and beer (the essentials). It does close at 6:30 pm so plan accordingly. The lodge staff hangs around till about 9:00 pm so if you have requests let them know before hand.

Like I mentioned our guide, my wife, had our itinerary planned out. Friday would include a trip to Santa Elena Canyon and Castalon. Then a drive back to the Basin for the Lost Mine Trail for a hike. The drive to Santa Elena Canyon is about 30 miles and does have some 10% grades along the way. The terrain changes dramatically from the 6-7000 foot elevation of The Basin area. The Chihuahuan Desert increase by about 10 degrees once you reach the lower elevation.

We reached the Rio Grande and the mouth of the canyon early in the morning. Unfortunately, the rains from the previous day had filled Terlingua Creek which prevented us from crossing and taking the trail that went into the canyon. The 1500 foot cliffs overlooking both sides of the river provided us a view that was still worth the drive. We had also come across a few javelinas on our way in. As we were leaving a group of canoe’rs were setting up to drop into the river. There are river tours available and will be on my bucket list for future trips. After some rock skipping and pictures we made a short trip to Castalon. An old US Army fort and trading post now serves as a store where you can find some refreshments (beer) and other tourist items. There are campgrounds in the area in some cotton wood trees. Its my understanding that they fill up in the spring and fall. We headed back to base camp for lunch and a quick break before we tackled the Lost Mine Trail.

The trail head for the Lost Mine Trail is a short drive from the lodge and has good parking availability for July. I can imagine that the spring and fall it would fill up quickly. The trail is about 5 miles round trip. The elevation change takes you from 5,700 to almost 7,000 feet. The grade isn’t too bad and doesn’t require ‘climbing’ skills. My sons are 10, 8, and 6. Ice cream for all sealed the deal and they made it to the top with little complaint. The view at the top made it well worth the effort. Round trip was about 3 hours.

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We headed back to the lodge for an easy night. Unfortunately for us thunderstorms still lingering in the area had knocked out the power in the basin area. This meant know AC and refrigerator, but more importantly our ice was getting low. We needed more.

The store had already closed as well. I should have bought more ice. Always remember the comforts in Big Bend can’t be counted on and plan to lose them. The room was bearable but stuffy. There are small window with screens on them but air does not flow through them very well. Fortunately we were getting down to the low 60s at night. It would have been miserable for my wife (and so then me) and kids if we weren’t having such good weather. There were enough bugs out as well that opening the doors was not an option.

The next morning we woke up at about 6:30. The bats were still out making rounds thinning out the fly and mosquito population. The plan for the day was The Window trail.

Its recommended to do this hike in the morning. The close quarters of brush along the trail can make it a little warmer than most areas in The Basin. The Window trail is a must on your visits to Big Bend. There is more chance of seeing the Mexican Black Bears and other wild life along this trail than most others hikes in the park. As luck would have it we had already seen one of the bears the previous morning. Talking with a ranger the bears become active in the area in July. On our way down the trail we came across what looked to me like an animal had thrown up blood. I wasn’t sure what it was so we kept on moving. About twenty yards down the trail my middle son was the first to see the young bear.

He was only about 20 yards away across a dry creek. The young bear then went out of sight into some brush. We slowly moved on down the trail looking for signs of him.

We found him up in a tree. We sat and watched him for a few minutes pulling on the branches of the tree. Apparently, after talking with the rangers, he was getting berries off of the trees. We came across one more bear further down the trail. We only saw this one for a few seconds before it disappeared into the brush. Our trek continued on and as you get closer to The Window you move into a tight turning canyon area. The parks services has constructed steps to help you navigate up and over several large boulders and slopes through this portion of the canyon. The Window is a spillway for water rushing out of the Basin and has become very slick over thousands of years. So going to the edge is not a smart choice. I went withing about 5 feet of the 75′ drop. The immediate drop is not huge but the view provides a view that goes out into the lower desert which is a few thousand feet below the Window. After some picture we turned back and headed to the room. The trail is about 4.5 miles round trip and has two starting points. It took us a little over two hours to complete.

When we returned the power was finally back on. So we took time to re-situate our cold goods and grab some lunch. That evening we hung out around The Basin and hiked some smaller loop trails. At 9:00 pm we went to a small telescope viewing put on by the IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

park. The stars in Big Bend are amazing even without a telescope. We thought we were in for a treat. Unfortunately, the ranger started talking about being scared of the dark and included some freaky pictures of zombies and chupacabras. My youngest freaked out. No stars for us so we decided to call it a night.

The next morning we made our final trip within the park. Boquillas Canyon is on the south end of the river and in the eastern part of the park. This area is much flatter than the western portion of the park. The canyon has large 1500 foot cliffs like Santa Elena. But one of the cool features is the sand dune that runs up a portion of the wall. It makes for a good climb. On the way into the canyon we were stopped by a Caballero that had crossed the river from Mexico herding his horses. The young Mexican cowboy rode bareback in shorts and a tank top through the dense brush to see if we wanted to buy some trinkets. The town of Boquillas in Mexico is not far away. Apparently it is not uncommon for the villagers to cross and peddle there wares. It is illegal however and if they are caught they are shipped to Persidio about 100 miles away. In reality, I don’t know that this really happens. I think the relationship with the villagers is such that the rangers and border patrol turn a blind eye. The villagers don’t want trouble. They just want to make a some money and go home. Bring and extra set of clothes if you have young kids. You’ll want to strip them down before they get back into your car after floundering in the sand dune. After some fun we packed up and headed back to the room.

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I thought we had until noon to check out but another couple told us check out was 11:00 am. We had an hour. After a quick scramble we loaded up and made our check out in time. We did not get a break on the room because of the power. So do not expect it if it happens to you. You stay you pay.

My planned route for the road back home was to connect with I-10 in Fort Stockton.

The thought was that it may provide us with better eating opportunities on the ride home. The speed limit is 80 mph on the majority of the drive west of San Antonio as well. Let’s just say I would rather have gone back on US 90.

This was a great trip for our family. No television, phones, or other distractions. Just us bonding together in nature. My boys are already wanting to go back next year. The Big Bend area is a place of desolation and unexpected beauty. This park should be on your bucket list for places to visit.

PLAN YOUR TRIP Big Bend National Park: Official Website Brewster County Tourism: Visit Big Bend In Park Lodging: Chisos Mountain Lodge

Big Ben National Park

1 Panther Dr Big Bend National Park, TX 79834

(432) 477-2251

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1. FOUR ROSES SMALL BATCH BOURBON Distilled in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky this bourbon is a balance of four bourbons. The bourbon is blended by their Master Distiller at the peak of maturation.

The result is a spicy, rich, mellow, fruity, sweet oak and carmel bourbon. Four Roses Small Batch finishes soft and smooth.

90 Proof 45% alcohol by volume.

Gold Medal Winner of the 2014 Denver International Spirits Competition

2. BLANTON’S SINGLE BARREL Colonel Albert B. Blanton believed the best aged and tasting bourbon is found in the middle of the H of the warehouse. He called this the "center-cut". Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon comes from this stock.

The distillery was started almost a century ago. This bourbon was resereved for the most important guests such as ambassadors, dignitaries, family and friends. The taste profile is sweet with citrus and oak.

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3. BULLEIT RYE Bulleit Rye is an award-winning, small batch, straight rye whiskey.

Released in 2011, it continues to enjoy recognition as one of the highest quality ryes available.

Russet in color, with rich oaky aromas. The flavor is notably smooth, with hints of vanilla, honey, and spice. Finishes crisp and clean, with long, lingering flavors.

4. 1792 RIDGEMONT RESERVE Using a signature “high rye� recipe and marrying together a few select barrels carefully chosen by our Master Distiller, 1792 has an expressive and elegant flavor profile.

Unmistakable spice mingles with sweet caramel and vanilla to create a bourbon that is incomparably brash and bold, yet smooth and balanced.

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5. PAPPY VAN WINKLE’S FAMILY RESERVE 15YR 15 Year, 107 Proof A younger version of their famous 20-year-old Pappy Van Winkle’ Family Reserve.

Crafted with a family wheated recipe.

It has a smooth, oak flavor that blends well with the barrel proof.

This batch is selected from barrels in the heart of their Kentucky warehouse.

'Pappy' Van Winkle started the family business in the 1870s after working for W. L. Weller & Sons liquor wholesalers of Louisville.

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PIPE HITTERS UNION 2016 Calendar Featuring World-Class Female Shooters, Veterans and Weapons Enthusiasts

Michelle Vicusi, Amanda Furrer and More Round Out the Calendar’s All-Star Lineup Texas-based lifestyle apparel company Pipe Hitters Union (PHU) may be known for its ultra-masculine aesthetic and roots in the Special Operations community, but it is decidedly not for men only. The outfitter proved as much when it announced the release of its 2016 calendar, which features some of the military and weapons-enthusiast community’s most powerful and best-known female figures.

With backgrounds ranging from combat veterans to an Olympian shooter to survivalists and fitness pros, the women of the PHU 2016 calendar are not the typical “gun bunnies” usually seen modeling weapons and tactical gear. The lineup includes: Michelle Viscusi (U.S. Army vet, owner of Defensive Depot and professional shooter for GLOCK), Amanda Furrer (Olympian—USA Shooting Team), Jacqueline Carrizosa (U.S. Navy Vet, competitive shooter and Motocross racer), Brittany Paus (U.S. Air Force vet and Wishes for Warriors Ops Coordinator), Danielle Harris (avid shooter and owner of Dragon Fire Armory), Giselle Falla (owner of Redback One, fitness professional and Labrada Nutrition spokesmodel), Tawny Lynn (avid shooter and survivalist), Alex Rogers (competitive shooter and fitness professional), Breanne Ryan (avid shooter and spokesmodel), Leah Hill (U.S. Army combat vet and fitness professional), Jill Hensley (avid shooter and brand ambassador), and Rachel B (avid hunter and firearms enthusiast).

We’ve pulled out all the stops and flipped the script on what has come to be the standard tactical female calendar. The PHU 2016 calendar IS NOT chalked full of half-naked gun bunnies that look awkward and out of place who wouldn’t know the difference between a butt stock and muzzle device. In true Pipe Hitter style, we’ve teamed up with Straight 8 Photography to produce a calendar worthy of the Pipe Hitter name and have loaded it with strong, beautiful, badass women from across the industry, said PHU president Lincoln Osiris.

Fans can order the calendar by visiting the PHU website, www.pipehittersunion.com.

About Pipe Hitters Union Pipe Hitters Union (PHU) attitude apparel was founded in 2004 as an informal way for those who live the warrior lifestyle to show their unity. Although its roots are in the military and Special Operations community, PHU’s skull and crossbones logo has become a banner for anyone who appreciates PHU’s authentic, no-nonsense message. PHU is most commonly seen in the military, law enforcement, private military contract (PMC), and mixed martial arts (MMA) communities.

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IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

BLACKENED REDFISH I lost my stomach for fish almost 20 years ago. While on a West Pac the low grade ‘fish’ smell permeated the galley walls of my ship (the USS Peleliu) and found its way into the birthing where I slept. I couldn’t take the smell. The sailors did their best to mask the ‘fish’ with what they had. Layers of butter never made it better. After that depolyoment I could not stand the smell of any fish or the taste for that matter. I missed out on some good meals with friends and family as they hit the seafood houses of Htown. I would always settle for a burger or another land animal. Then aobut 8 years ago I decided to take a step back into the fish arena with fried catfish. It wasn’t bad.

Since then I have been able to enjoy most fresh and saltwater fish. Blackened is the prefered style for me. Last year I went on a company fishing trip to Rockport, Texas. Our guide Capt. Brent Hopkins was awesome. If you are ever down in the coastal bend of Texas look up Ace In the Hole Guide Service. We hit our limits before 8:00 am. He cleaned them and prepared them for our trip home. I’m not sure how much his fees were because I was a guest on the trip. For more information visit his site, Ace In the Hole Guide Service.

Here is a blackened Redfish recipe that I think is pretty good. I found it last year while looking through recipes for the fish I caught on my trip. Enjoy!

Takes about 25 minutes.

Ingredients 3 teaspoons salt, optional 1/2 teaspoon red pepper 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 2 teaspoons paprika 8 skinless, boneless fillets of fish, preferably redfish, pompano or tilefish, about 1/4 pound each 1/2 cup melted butter Preparation Mix the salt, red pepper, white pepper, black pepper, thyme, basil, oregano and paprika into a bowl.

Dip the fish on both sides in butter. Sprinkle the seasoned mixture on both sides of the fish.

Heat a black iron skillet over high heat about five minutes or longer until it is beyond the smoking stage and starts to lighten in color on the bottom.

Put the fish into the skillet and pour a little butter on top of each piece. Be careful and watch for the butter flaming up. Turn the fish after a minute and a half and pour a little more butter over each piece.

Finish each piece with another minute and a half on the skillet. Serve them right after you take them off the skillet.

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TEXANS STAND AT SALADO CREEK

By Bryan Dolch The years after victory at San Jacinto were precarious for the young Republic of Texas.

Countless skirmishes and disputes over territory continued until the final decision in 1848. The Mexican War finalized a decade long border disagreement between Texas and Mexico. In 1842 one raid by Brigadier General Rafael Vasquez on San Antonio set things in motion for an legendary battle in Texas history. After Vasquez’s raid Texan volunteers met in the ‘City of the Missions’. Their plan was to conduct a punitive raid into northern Mexico. An unexpected release of prisoners from the Texan Santa Fe expedition initiated a pause by President Sam Houston. The plans to raid Mexico were now on hold.

A few weeks later the peace was dissolved with another incursion by the Mexican Army.

A French soldier of fortune by the name of Adrian Woll made San Antonio his target.

With over 1,500 men they marched on the city.

About 200 militia under the command of Captain Mathew Caldwell marched to meet Captain John Coffee Hays’ band of 14 Texas Rangers. Hays was sent into reconnoiter the area around San Antonio by Caldwell. They hoped to also draw Woll’s men out of city where they planned an ambush near Salado Creek.

Thirty eight men rode to fester the Mexicans into an attack. Mid morning the detatchment of Texans arrived at a spot they found suitable for an ambush. From there six men including Captain Hays and Ranger Henry McCulloch advanced into town within a short distance of the Alamo. The bait worked but the number of Mexican cavalry was much larger than they anticipated. Up to 500 Mexicans pursued the Texans past the ambush point on towards the rest of the Texans waiting on Salado Creek. Unbeknownst to the Texans the Mexicans had already been preparing to move against the Texans. When the six man squad arrived in San Antonio they were already for a fight.

As the small band reconnected with the other men waiting in ambush Hays ordered retreat. They had to move quickly to rejoin the larger Texan force a few miles away in their IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

camp. The Mexicans were over a mile behind but began to quickly gain ground on the Texans. Hays and his men had their sights on a timber line that they knew would provide them cover and a good defensive position. McCulloch and Creed Taylor were the last two providing a rearguard action against the approaching cavalry. Although within a couple hundred yards the Mexican rifle fire was inadequate and no man was injured in the retreat.

Around ten in the morning the Mexican Army had found their position for attack. Fortunate for the Texans the distance was too great to create worry. The Texans held the better defensive ground and manned their posts ready for the fight. Caldwell sent his men out and around the Mexican postion to persuade them that the Texans were a much larger force. No major movement was made by either side throughout the day. Then as if they had enough skirmishing the Mexican left and right moved to attack. As the attack

unfolded the Texans slaughtered the oncoming force. Woll tried to rally his men but the attack faltered. At nightfall the fighting faded. Over sixty Mexicans lay dead with scores wounded. The Texans lost one man with no more than 12 wounded.

Many Texans wanted to counter attack to reclaim prisoners in the Mexican lines. In the early hours of the next morning several Texans had slipped into the Mexican camp planning to reign terror on the resting army. They found the camp empty with burning fires.

The next morning Caldwell and Hays followed in pursuit but were delayed by heavy rains that swelled the Medina river south of San Antonio. Hays moved forward of the main group with his Ranger company. He reached the Mexican rear guard and charged.

Hays luck carried the moment because the position being attacked stationed an artillery piece. The attack happened so quick the cannon could not be put into action and the Mexicans retreated to the main body of the retreating army. Two Texans were wounded and Hays’ horse was shot from beneath him. Hays, satisfied, moved back to a creek bed and waited for the advancing Caldwell.

A council of war was called on the second night of the engagement. Woll in the meantime continued to flee for the Rio Grande. The heavy rains became the barrier that would prevent the continued harassment of the Mexican army. Some believe that if the weather had been less severe the army could have been wiped out by the Texans before it escaped into Mexico.

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AMERICA GRIP: FIREARMS ACCESSORIES

BEE TACTICAL: KYDEX PRODUCTS

BRIM-IT: HAT ACCESSORIES

DEAD GOOSE SOCIETY: FIREARMS MANUFACTURING

DECISIVE ACTION: TACTICAL TRAINING

FIGHT THE NOISE: POLITICAL ORGANIZATION

FIRE ARMS POLICY COALITION: POLITICAL ORGANIZATION

TEXAS FROG FEST: CHARITY EVENT

HEROES MEDIA GROUP: ONLINE RADIO

INDEPENDENCE TRAINING: TACTICAL TRAINING

KENAZ TACTICAL GROUP: TACTICAL TRAINING

KRIS ‘TANTO’ PARONTO: PUBLIC SPEAKER IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

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DIRECTORY CONTINUED

LONE STAR GUN RIGHTS: POLITICAL ORGANIZATION

MILLER TACTICAL GROUP: KYDEX PRODUCTS

PIPE HITTERS UNION: APPAREL

RAIDER PROJECT: VETERANS CHARITY

RED OAK MARKETING: MARKETING AND PUBLICATION

SCHULTZ PHOTOGRAPHY: PHOTOGRAPHER

SONORAN DESERT INSTITUTE: ONLINE COLLEGE

TEXAS FIREARMS FESTIVAL: FIREARMS EVENT

THE ARMS ROOM: PODCAST

WISHES FOR WARRIORS: VETERANS CHARITY

If you have a company, organization, or a need to reach our readers let us know. The directory is here for you. It's an affordable way to let people know who you are. Email us at info@romtx.com for more information on getting listed.

IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

APRIL 1ST The Raider Project – The Raider Project Transition Seminar April 1-2nd APRIL 2ND Independence Training- Private Handgun Course Kenaz Tactical Group - NRA Range Safety Officer Course Kris “Tanto” Paronto - Guest Instructor at Sun Mountain Gun Club Shooting Event - Coarsegold, California APRIL 3RD Kenaz Tactical Group - Intro to Defensive Handgun APRIL 4TH Independence Training – Sniper Fest April 4th-6th APRIL 7TH Independence Training – Youth Safety Education - PACE Academy Kenaz Tactical Group - Advanced Fighting Pistol April 7-8th APRIL 8TH Independence Training - Veterans Action Shooting Match Kris “Tanto” Paronto -Meet The Heroes of Benghazi Sponsored By Southcrest Christian Schools - City Bank Auditorium in Lubbock, TX APRIL 9TH Indpendence Training - Wilderness First-Aid ARC Certification Course Arpil 9th and 10th IRONMIKEMAGAZINE.COM | 71

APRIL 9TH CONTINUED

APRIL 19TH

Kenaz Tactical Group - Defensive Pistol 1

Kris “Tanto” Paronto - Keynote Speaker - Fort Wayne Base Community Council in Indiana

Kris “Tanto” Paronto -Keynote Speaker For Buncombe County 2016 Lincoln Reagan Dinner Asheville, NC APRIL 10TH

APRIL 20TH Kris “Tanto” Paronto -Benghazi Hero To Appear on Red Eye w/ Tom Shillue | Fox News

Kenaz Tactical Group - Medical / Trauma 1 APRIL 22ND APRIL 11TH

Kenaz Tactical - Tactical Rifle / Carbine 1

Kenaz Tactical Group - Tactical Rifle / Carbine 1

Kris “Tanto” Paronto - Modesto Center Plaza in Modesto, CA

Kris “Tanto” Paronto - Keynote Speaker for Oath Keepers in Long Island, New York

APRIL 23RD APRIL 12TH

Kenaz Tactical Group - Intro to Carbine – AR15

Kris “Tanto” Paronto - Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO

Kris Paronto - Keynote Speaker -The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund 11th Annual Dinner/Auction at the MGM in Detroit

APRIL 13TH Kris “Tanto” Paronto - To Speak At Embry-Riddle, Arizona

APRIL 24TH Kenaz Tactical Group - Intermediate Carbine 2

APRIL 14TH

APRIL 28TH

Kris “Tanto” Paronto - Jewish Voice Ministries in Phoenix, AZ - Private Event

Kris “Tanto” Paronto - To Speak At Private Event In Indian Wells, CA

APRIL 16TH

APRIL 30TH

Independence Training - Defensive Carbine Course

Independence Training - Basic Handgun/AZ Concealed Carry (CCW)

Kenaz Tactical Group - Defensive Pistol 1

Kenaz Tactical Group - Colorado Concealed Permit Course

Kris “Tanto” Paronto - To Speak In Sauk Rapids, Minnesota

Kris “Tanto” Paronto - To Speak At Fundraiser for Sportsmen for Warriors in Park City, Utah

APRIL 17TH Kenaz Tactical Group - Defensive Pistol 2

IRON MIKE MAGAZINE | APRIL 2016

If you're interested in listing in event contact us at info@romtx.com. This is a great way to reach out to our readers and let them know what you are up to.

Shots ring out! You're on the move with not only yourself, but your family. Do you know how to properly engage targets while going mobile? This type of scenario is more and more common in our increasingly violent world. Active shooter scenarios play out every day on the news.

Are you prepared to get you and your loved ones away from the threat safely? A static target is a dead target. Mobile Dynamics is a 4 hour specialty class that focuses strictly on shooting while on the move. You will be put through a portion of the same rigorous training regimen that our High Threat Security Operators go though before they deploy with a security team. In this class, we will teach you using the same Executive Protection techniques our operators use while shooting and moving. You always have your loved ones with you while out in public-- that is why it is so important to know the correct way to shoot and move while getting your loved ones to safety. In any situation involving a gun, you most likely will not be standing still. We train you to retreat while engaging targets. You are also trained in forward engagement and shooting moving targets while you yourself are mobile. This is an action-packed class that is not only focused on mobility, but on giving you that bodyguard style mentality while shooting and moving. #TrainLikeYourLifeDependsOnIt DecisiveAction-US.com IRONMIKEMAGAZINE.COM | 73

I'm often asked where the Iron Mike name came from. In the beginning of the magazine creation I wanted to represent the best of what America was and can be. The inspiration came when I was walking in our local town square. There in the middle were two statues. One of a soldier from the Civil War. The other statue was of a soldier from World War I. The light bulb went off. Throughout our history for me the most inspiring men and women were veterans. They were the everyday people that were called to do extraordinary things in places that risked their very lives. Doing some quick research I found a few pictures of "Iron Mikes" in Quantico, Parris Island, and at Fort Bragg. I immediately knew that this was the perfect representation that I wanted for my magazine. My tagline had been Forge On for a few years but it was something I settled on. I never really felt that it was the perfect motto. Also, there has been another group that has used the Forged motto after I established mine. They are a much bigger group and I didn't want issues with my motto. I have chosen a new motto and I believe it is much better for the Iron Mike brand. LENTA FORTIS INSPIRARE: TOUGH BRAVE INSPIRE. As you also know The official product line for Iron Mike Magazine is 26MIKE. The name is the same but a little encrypted. 26 is the atomic number for iron. I hope this gives you a little more insight into my magazine and the brand. Thank you all for your support! Bryan