Its 1:30 am and I Just got home from the Region 5 conference, and I
could not go to sleep without taking the opportunity to tell all the
KLO members how proud I am, (and how proud you should be) of Amber
Hartman and George Walters.

As most of you know when we started KLO one of the main goals was to
start a pistol team, and once we got the appropriate permissions,
Amber and George were among the first members.  Our pistol team spent
many weekends sitting in extra classes and on the range in order to
prepare for competition.    When it came time to go to the Region 5
2009 Conference, George and Amber were ready.

When we got to the conference at the Eastern Kentucky University
Campus, I admit I was impressed, the college was huge - (they are
co-located with the Kentucky Police Academy), all the other LAE
chapter's members were wearing fancy T-Shirts with funny slogans, and
they all seemed to be talking about past conferences.  But Amber was
enthusiastic, and when they asked us if we were going to participate
in the contests she wanted to do them all.  That lead to a problem.
Team events have to have three members.  We were told that we could
compete together, but that since I was a professional, we ALL had to
compete as a professional team.  That meant, that while Amber and
George could do individual contests against other lower collegiate
students (Associates Degree and Lower), they would be judged against
the college advisors, full time law enforcement, firearm instructors,
and the servicemen in attendance.  George and Amber did not care, they
wanted us all to shoot as a team.

After we signed in we went to our first activity, a mixer at a nearby
bowling alley, (that was not a contest luckily, because I bowled a 38)
the only strike I got was while talking on the cell phone with Mrs.
McKissick, and I threw the ball without looking....  Amber and I
quickly got tired of bowling and soon after the 4 foot tall beers
appeared we went to the arcade and started feeding quarters into the
gun video games (every bit of practice counts).

Friday was academic testing and the crime scene.  We made sure to all
do at least 2 tests each , but in one way or another, a KLO member
participated in each academic test.  Once we were done with the exams
we decided that since we were going to do crime scene, we should learn
about crime scenes, so we went back to the hotel and spent about 30
minutes on the Internet cramming.

We went to the crime scene (at the actual crime scenes used to train
Kentucky State crime scene techs) and did really well.  George's
attention to detail, and Amber's great searching skills worked really
well together.  Mostly I screamed at the judge asking for reports and
getting in the way.  While this is the ONLY event that we tried but
did not win an award in, the judge said we found evidence nobody else
found.  We solved the crime correctly, but unfortunately, we
discovered a key piece of evidence just a little to late to prove our
theory without a reasonable doubt.  We left there and went to the
regional business meeting.

Most of you know that LAE started as a professional only organization,
and later allowed students to join.  We elected a good mix of both
students and professionals to your new regional board.  The president
is a grad student, the vice president is a full time Florida police
officer, that is a nationally recognized firearm instructor.  In his
speech we learned than a few weeks ago he was involved in a shooting
with a fugitive bank robber who was on the run for murdering two Texas
cops.  I tried to nominate Amber for a regional position, but she said
she would "whup me" she wants to stay at our local level.

We spent the evening cleaning guns and getting in one last practice
dry fire practice session, then we watched the weather channel praying
that they would not cancel the firing range for lightning.

Saturday Morning got us up early, no breakfast on our nervous stomachs
(except for me, I ate a big bunch of biscuits and gravy, because I
KNEW we would win) We got to the range an hour early and spent it
talking to the range director from the police academy.  When everyone
got their, instead of sitting under the dry bleachers with everyone
else, we asked if we could help prepare, so we stapled targets.  After
the safety brief for the pistol competition (which was dubbed by the
range master the first annual Region 5 Combat Scuba Challenge) they
asked for volunteers to shoot the first relay.  I cannot describe to
you how wet and muddy it was,  It was a DOWNPOUR, but true to KLO
Kaplan spirit, George jumped up, grabbed Amber and said they would go
first.  Everyone else wanted to see if it would stop raining.

These guys did exactly like they were trained, and did WELL.  Amber
was the only one with a wheel-gun, but she reloaded that six shooter
as fast (or faster) than most of the pistol shooters.  It was awesome.
Seeing those smiles even in the bad weather was what it was all
about.  We quickly switched guns, so I could shoot (we were sharing)
and after my relay, we raced back to change and check out of the
hotel, and then back to help clean up the range.

They were a little nervous and I could tell they were upset because
they thought they did not do as good as they did in practice, but for
dealing with the stress of their first competition, in the pouring
rain, against full time law enforcement, I think they did awesome.

We visited with George's family while waiting for the awards banquet.
Once again I have to be honest, going to a formal dinner with such a
distinguished group was a little intimidating, all the matching
uniforms, suits and dresses was a little much for us, but when they
started naming awards we lost all thought about the formality, and
only beamed with pride.

Your KLO representatives came back with:

1st place Professional Division Pistol Team
1st place Professional Division Pistol Individual
3rd place Lower Collegiate Pistol Individual

Top Academic (means we beat everyone in all divisions in total
academic testing scores)
2nd place Professional Criminal Law Academic Testing
2nd place Professional Juvenile Justice Academic Testing
2nd place Professional Corrections Academic Testing
3rd Place Lower Collegiate LAE Knowledge.

We also impressed the host chapter at Eastern Kentucky University so
much that they invited us to train with them, and want our pistol team
to meet them in a few weeks at the Knob Creek KY machine gun shoot for
a chapter event.

Amber and George were the most professional and enthusiastic team
mates I believe I have ever competed with.  I am so proud to be both
their KLO Advisor, Pistol Coach, and team member.   I am happy to say
they are serious about starting fund-raising and training for the
Nationals in Portland Oregon in the beginning of 2010.  If your a
member and interested in going please see Amber or George.  If you
want to join KLO please see an officer (names on the KLO board
upstairs).

You should congratulate George and Amber for a job well done.  And
remember, I told you we would bring home a win.  Amber and George
worked hard so I could keep my promise.  Kappa Lambda Omega trains
hard so that the fight is easy.

David Nash
KLO Advisor