Author: AGCA Editor

Check Your Mailbox for the March 2022 Postcard!

Last UpdatedLast Updated: March 22, 2022 11:14 pm

Please keep your eyes out for the AGCA postcard that will be mailed to members later this month. The postcard will have news about our upcoming show. But we need your help! The postcard will also contain a website address for our online member census. We’re asking all members to fill out the short online form to make sure our member records are up to date with your current email and mailing address.

We don’t sell this information, it’s for internal AGCA records only. We have a lot of outdated and missing info for our members that we need your help to correct.

Please take the time to fill out the form by using the link or QR code included on your postcard.

AGCA Membership Meeting – 4/24/2022

Last UpdatedLast Updated: April 24, 2022 11:26 am

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! On Sunday, the 24th, at 9am – an hour before the show doors open to the public – the AGCA will be holding a general membership meeting. Attendance will be limited to members and their guests. We have a full agenda including:

  • AGCA board elections.
  • Changes to bylaws.
  • General news and updates

Breakfast will be provided. We look forward to seeing fellow AGCA members there and getting a chance to discuss new ideas and reconnect.

2021 Scholarship Updates, Part 2

Last UpdatedLast Updated: December 21, 2021 4:44 pm

To round out further information on our 2021 scholarship awards, here’s the list of 2021 recipients:

  • Kyndle K. – Concordia College
  • Anastasia M. – Wartburg College
  • Noah R. – University of Alaska, Anchorage

We wish them continued success, and are proud of their accomplishments as a new year begins!

2021 Scholarship Updates, Part 1

Last UpdatedLast Updated: November 11, 2021 12:30 pm

This is news from this Spring, but better late than never – our recent website updates have taken a bit of priority but we’re hoping to publish updates more frequently going forward. This will be the first part of some news on 2021 AGCA scholarships, part 2 will look forward to upcoming awards and schedules.

I’m really happy to share this letter from one of our scholarship recipients, Anastasia M., who sent this to us in April. I’m reproducing it here without edit:

Hi everyone! I wanted to share some exciting news with you.

Two weeks ago, at a trap meet, a scout for a private college told me they wanted me to shoot for their school!
As it is a private college, it is very expensive, and I thanked him but told him there was no way I could afford a private school. He then told me to apply Monday, call him after I did, and he would fast track my application, as well as get the tuition down to what a public college would charge.

Today, I received my acceptance letter!! Along with a letter stating they have granted me a scholarship that cuts their tuition IN HALF!

I will be shooting for Wartburg college!

Wartburg college has 1,500 students, a student to teacher ration of 12 to 1, and has a 97% placement rate in the medical field. (I want to be a surgeon.)

I want you all to know that I could not have done this with out you! All the wonderful people in the AGCA that have guided me, given me advice, and treated me like family, are a huge part of the reason I was able to achieve this!
I also wouldn’t have made it this far with out your willingness to help me with the high cost of this sport. There is simply no way I would have been able to do it otherwise.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I’ll be thinking of all of you when I win my first shoot this fall!!
Love,
Anastasia [M]

PS. I came home from our shoot today with three medals, two in doubles and one in singles! Also, This last summer, I took third place in the Iowa national guard shoot, which I was invited to attend.

Anastasia shared the following photos with us. Congratulations Anastasia, we’re all rooting for you and proud of you! This letter underscores one of the missions of the AGCA and we’re really happy to get letters like this.

AGCA Thanks Our Veterans!

Last UpdatedLast Updated: November 11, 2021 12:38 pm

A big shout out to our country’s veterans today, 11/11/2021. We have many veterans on our membership rolls, and many more that are our friends and family. The AGCA sees you and appreciates your commitment, service, and patriotism.

I remember an AGCA member, a veteran, once remarking at a meeting that if you ever want to thank a veteran for their service, do so by living a good, upstanding life and contributing positively rather than just saying “thanks for your service.” It’s a good call to action and today’s a good day to reflect on how we can live up to the sacrifices so many have made (and are still making), over so many years.

2021 December Gun Show!

Last UpdatedLast Updated: October 28, 2021 11:52 am

Hey Everyone, great news — there will be an AGCA Gun Show at the O’Malley Sports Complex in Anchorage, AK on December 18th and 19th!!

This is just in time for the holidays, so save up your spare change, come join your community, and buy something fun and local!

If you want a table to display part of your awesome firearms collection, you can reserve a table free of charge.

If you want a sales table, please mail your completed application and check to the AGCA as soon as possible. Those reservations paid in advance will receive priority. The sooner you get your application in, the better your odds of getting the table you want.

AGCA 2021 December Gun Show Table Application

We’re really looking forward to seeing everyone again! Please note that there will be a general membership meeting for the AGCA at the same venue on the 19th. More details to come, including time and agenda.

WWII Invasion of Kiska Island

Last UpdatedLast Updated: October 28, 2021 11:36 pm

The July/August 2021 issue of Archaeology had a great article on the field work being done out on Kiska Island in the Aleutian Islands. You can read the article here: The Cold Winds of War – Archaeology Magazine

There are plenty of good contemporary photographs of the artifacts remaining on the islands, including an anti-aircraft installation.

The Sinking of the Nissan Maru, National Archives, photo no. 80-G-11686

The article states, “Historians have frequently portrayed Japan’s invasion of the Aleutians as a feint meant to divert American attention from its real target, Midway. However, [Archaeologist Dirk H.R.] Spennemann argues that the evidence from Kiska makes clear that the Japanese invested a great deal of resources there and saw occupying the island as an important strategic goal in itself. He points to the solidity of the wooden barracks they built, which they surrounded with high barriers of sod cut from the tundra to protect against the wind and cold. By contrast, when the Americans retook the island, they camped in tents with low sod barriers. The Japanese also constructed miles of tunnels on the island to provide refuge from U.S. bombs and even installed a network of cast-iron fire hydrants in their navy camp. ‘All of this indicates a lot of effort and that they intended to stay,” Spennemann says. “You don’t put that effort in for two or three months. This is something the historic data set doesn’t tell you, but which the evidence on the ground shows you.'”

There’s also some supplementary photos they’ve put here, The WWII Battle for Alaska – Archaeology Magazine.

New Website

Last UpdatedLast Updated: August 1, 2021 7:17 pm

We’re migrating our website and domain name from agca.net to agca.us. Content is pretty sparse now, but we anticipate having news on our upcoming events, swag, and some special member-supporting content as we get closer to our fall general membership meeting.