Shooting rifles before I lost my sight was a big part of my life, but for 10 years I felt uncomfortable with the idea of shooting blind. Why do I feel differently now, maybe I have accepted things more, maybe I am more adapted and comfortable with my blind skills. Whatever the reason is, I have decided to pursue shooting with the same passion I once felt and expressed during my sighted years.
Exploring my old sighted ways can be very frustrating and heartbreaking for me though. I am deeply reminded of who I once was and during those uncomfortable moments, there is something within me that tries to tell me not to shoot. The inability to feel things in my left arm and the inability to safely scan where I will be shooting are all reasons for my anxieties. I feel though that I have mastered techniques to get around my physical disabilities and I have learned how to communicate better to people who are willing to help me pursue my wild goals. Ultimately, after shooting my rifle at 100 yards and 200 yards successfully, I felt empowered and accomplished.
Personally, I believe this could be a great program for other blind veterans and their sighted counterparts. The Ballistics Unseen project is slowly making me feel better about what is possible with blind marksmanship and long distance shooting. Do you think a program like one I am suggesting should exist? I imagine a 4 person program that lasts for 3 or 4 days. Sighted veterans from my local community will be teamed up with the 4 participants and a therapeutic marksmanship program will be executed. The program could have training in proper communication, Safety, long distance marksmanship fundamentals, detailed gun ballistics and target shooting.
Giving a veteran the opportunity to pursue something they feel is impossible and turning that feeling around, can help individuals grow and heal.
Do you have questions or comments? Visit the contact page and drop me a note. Tell me hell no, don’t even consider this, or encourage me to build on this idea, you won’t hurt my feelings.
Blind Veteran, Adventurer and Speaker