A Word Of Thanks
A slight diversion from my usual rants to do some thank you’s. For the past two years I’ve been in the Lassen Community College Gunsmith program in Susanville, CA. I am proud to say my time there is now complete. This was an extremely intensive program covering all aspects of the classical gunsmith trade and I can now look forward to applying the skills and experience learned here with confidence. But it would have never happened without the incredible friendship and assistance of my compatriots.
I was very lucky on so many things associated with this program. Not just to be able to get accepted to the program when I did, but to be able to come in with such a great group of fellow students. Not that any group of incoming students wouldn’t be good, but I believe this was an exceptional group. Not only that, but to be able to get into a work group with talented and supportive friends.
Gunsmith students are an interesting lot and not what you would expect the typical community college student to be. Most are older — or a lot (damn) older — and working towards second or third careers. Single, married, some with children, even adult children of their own. Each uprooted and relocated from their homes, families and lives all over the western US. All with their own unique love of just about every kind of firearm.
Now imagine cramming all of these talented and opinionated oddballs into limited shared spaces, 12 & 13-hour days with long lists of skill development deliverables and homework. Homework?!?! At my age?!?! What the hell!!! Yup, in addition to learning the trade, it is still a college course. So, homework. :(
Throughout these two years we all went through a lot, both in the program and in our own lives. An African proverb says it takes a village to raise a child. Well, I’m going to say it takes a great group of fellow students to raise a gunsmith.
I know for me, I would never have been able to make it through this without the support and assistance of my teammates. I know there were many times where I ran full speed into a brick wall and if I didn’t have someone to toss stupid questions by, ask for a fresh set of eyes and a clearer mind, give me a helping third hand or 11thfinger, or simply a kind word, some understanding and a bit of encouragement to continue on, I would have never made it. I know I learned as much from my teammates as I did through the course curriculum. We shared lessons learned, bad experiences and issues with guns likely designed by Satan himself. My success through the program, and now being able to take what I have learned out into the world is a direct result of the exceptional people I was lucky enough to work with here.
To say that I am beyond ecstatic of being able to be home with my own family now is an understatement, but I am also sad that our time here is over. Over the past two years, I’ve spent more time with my teammates here than I have with my own wife. During that time we became very good friends and I will miss this group of insane characters more than I ever would have expected.
While I am sad that we are all going our separate ways to different corners of the country, I am also confident that we will keep in touch and continue to share our personal and professional adventures as we have here. I know in my heart that I will see my teammates again as the thought of not doing so would be intolerable to bear.
Thank you my friends. It was a hell of an adventure and I can’t imagine going through it with anyone else but you. I’m proud of what we accomplished together and know that we will continue to learn, innovate and achieve based on what we did together.
Godspeed to you all.
Rodd
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