SkirmNotes: Is Recruitment Key to Long Term Survival?

CivilWarTalk

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On March 27th, 2010 the N-SSA will embark on a new experiment in Skirmishing: the Recruitment Skirmish. This will be a hands-on experience for those with an interest in learning to skirmish along side the rest of us. Muskets, Carbines, Smoothbores, Repeaters, even Mortars and Cannon are planned to be demonstrated and more than that, aimed [...] Related posts:
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With any business, just like with any organization of this sort, recruitment is only part of the puzzle (as your graphic in the full article implies) and must also be supplemented and reinforced by effective retention. I don't see the organization growing all that fast, but there are a couple of dozen new members listed in each issue of the "Skirmish Line" and only a few deaths, so that suggests that there is another form of attrition. I wonder how many prospective skirmishers join and stay in a couple of years, then drift away due to changing interests, expenses, or perhaps getting tired of the organization and some of what is going on (non-shooting) in it.

I've been in for a couple of years and have literally (and willingly) spent 2-3 times as much in "start-up costs" on this pastime as any in the past, including other shooting disciplines, yet I have had second thoughts about continuing and look harder at the cost of additional skirmish stuff vs selling what I already have and getting into something else. I still love the actual shooting time I put in, and the fellowship around the fire at my campsite, and the thrill of the chase at Sutler's Row is still there, even if I don't need to find quite so much just to get along, but all the squabbling and infighting in the organization is starting to be a little much to ignore, and having seen a couple of other similarly sized and specialized organizations being ripped apart by similar events (eerily similar, I might add) I have to wonder whether the investment of my time, money and emotions worth it.

I think it would be worthwhile for the "Powers That Be" to consider how to retain current members at a higher rate by making general membership more friendly and less argumentative. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Froggie
 
It's a good start, but I think it would be better to hold these on a local scale, and at ranges that are NOT the usual N-SSA haunts.

For example...I live in Deep Southern Maryland. Washington is over an hour's drive up the North road, Winchester a solid three hours of driving each way. The odds of anyone living here traveling up to Fort Shenandoah to try this out are not terribly good.

But there are enough Skirmishers, from several teams, in the area. Enough to hold a recruiting Skirmish at the local range, which is close enough for people to visit without consuming an entire day.

When I got started in the late 1970s, shoots were held all over. Today, the N-SSA has gone into garrison...certainly in the greater National Capital area. Everything is at Fort Shenandoah, simply because it is so very convenient. Which is fine for shooting, but lousy for recruiting.

We need to get out of garrison if we want to recruit effectively.
 
Mike,
You have hit part of the issue. Other parts are:

Where is there a suitable range? remember, we need a very wide range and those can be hard to find.

As has been said, when are the powers at the Fort going to fully realize that promoting Skirmishing at other venues is actually quite good for the entire N-SSA?

Just a couple of thoughts. As for driving 3 hours to a Skirmish, once you're hooked, it should not really be an issue. I make 11 Skirmishes a year and several of those are in the 2 to 3 hour drive area. Only two are as close as an hour drive.
 
Greg, I think I might not have been clear. I don't think we should try to hold full-blown Skirmishes at every range in the area. I merely think we should hold recruiting skirmishes at new venues.

I see a recruiting skirmish as a small-scale affair, with three to six teams participating, and even those not full-sized. The point is not for us to shoot, but to get newcomers to try things out.

And I'm making ~7 skirmishes a year. All at Fort Shenandoah, 3 hours each way. The point is that for a potential recruit, three hours each way is a long way to travel. Better to bring the hook to the fish.
 
A recruiting skirmish is what is needed to bring new folks in to the N-SSA. Down here in FL there are no teams and also no ranges that I know of that we can shoot. I am sure there are places to shoot, but at this time I do not have contact with them.
During the last several months I have been setting up a recruiting table at some of the events in Florida. My goal is to find the people to form at least two teams in the Central Florida area. It would be nice to have one Confederate and one Federal team, I would like some seasoned Skirmishers to help out the new folks with out robbing them from other teams. A good source of knowledge is always good.
I have hopped to find active members of the N-SSA to help me in this effort but so far I have failed. Lately I have been finding it harder and harder to put any effort in to this project without the help. I am not sure what to do at this point.
Next month I see a chance find a few folks who are down here. With luck I will be fired up and ready to push forward with my effort to find some prospective Skirmishers.
 
Mike,

Yes, I do see what you're saying about the drive for a newbie. We still need to look at range requirements though. We need a minimun of 30 feet for an 8 man squad and that has to be 100 yds deep too. Even if we say 4 man teams, six of them is 60 feet wide and everybody is crammed next to each other.
Ranges that fit our needs are hard to find and getting permission for the time needed, even harder. I really like your ideas, I'm just not sure how to bring them about.
 
Mark, you've reminded me of another couple of issues. My father lived in the Orlando area for about 6 years, and while there was a lot of interest in round ball shooting, there was little interest in Skirmishing.

One thing that can be done is to allow members of existing units to be "cadre members" of new units...to attach themselves to a unit being formed as an instructor without losing their standing in their old unit. A lot of Skirmishers retire to Florida, and have no desire to leave a unit they may have been shooting with for thirty years or so. But they are willing to help organize a unit, train its members, etc.

A second thing would be to put together a "Unit Start-Up Kit". This would contain all the paperwork and instructions.

Third, I would work to curb what I see as uniform requirements creep. According to the Skirmish Rules, a uniform consists of your hat, your outermost upper garment, your trousers, and black leather shoes. It does not require shell jackets, vests, knapsacks, canteens, brogans, etc. A Skirmisher may acquire these things over the years, but they are back-breaking to a novice who is trying to get a musket, carbine, and revolver.

Finally, I would like to see units allowed to stand inspection at their respective Regional Skirmishes. In the National Capital area, it is no great hardship to travel to Fort Shenandoah. But in the more distant regions, a trip to Winchester is a rare treat, not a monthly occurance. By allowing units to stand inspection at their Regional Skirmish, we cut start-up costs.
 
I do see points where a simple uniform would make things easier. It is going to be hard telling the new folks about the double standard that the older teams get under the grandfather clause. But I do know a thing or two about uniforms.
Getting my hands on a unit start up kit is one thing that I need to work on. I have been looking on the N-SSA website. I will contact some of the big wigs and ask them.
I have ran in to many of the older members who shot with the N-SSA a long time ago. Many give the I am too old to shoot again answer when asked.
 
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