How to Select a Training Course

There's no such thing as too much training. Even when we're hot, tired, hungry, and beatdown, we want more. There's always something new to learn, but often when the word 'training' comes up, many just associate it with firearms or self-defense. There's more to it than that, though. You may need or want to become better at fitness, business, biking, or even knitting, and when that simple want to improve a skill becomes a burning desire, you'll seek out professional instruction. But how do you choose? There are often so many choices, and so many price points and time requirements to consider. How do you get the most bang for your buck?

Every member of the team here at Independence Training has a shared goal of continuing our educations, both professionally or recreationally. To help you choose your instructors and training organizations for whatever skillset you may be pursuing, several of our team members put together a short list of what they look for.

Glen Stilson
Referrals from friends, family, or associates are really important to me. Fancy marketing does little when someone I know and trust won't recommend the instructor. I also want to know if the instructor has a solid knowledge base of the subject. As an example, I recently got some rock climbing instruction from a guy who could hands down do everything he was teaching me to do, but didn't need to do it every minute of the time we were out there to impress me. Which brings me to another point, and that's humility. I appreciate that an instructor may be well on their way to mastering a certain skill, but if my training dollars are just to pay them to show off, then I'm not interested. Student reviews can tell me a lot about that.

The availability of information concerning an organization's or certain instructor's classes is also very important. We are in the age of email, websites, Facebook, and online discussion forums. If someone doesn't have a 'digital presence,' how am I supposed to find student reviews, current course offerings, information about other members of the cadre, class pictures, or contact information? I like to try and speak with an instructor or at least a representative of the organization before putting my money down, and if all I get everytime I call is a voicemail or they never respond to my emails, then I'll pass. I also want to make sure they are actively instructing on whatever skill I am seeking to improve so that I know they are up-to-date on the current methods and equipment.


John Pinnix
Here is a bullet-point list of what I look for:

• Reputation of the Organization - what do others have to say about it
• Price Point of the Entire Training Package - it's got to be affordable
• Student Reviews - I like to actually communicate with prior students
• Instructor Attitude - when possible, I speak with the instructor ahead of time
• Instructor Credentials - I'm more concerned about whether the instructor can effectively teach me their skills, not where they learned it

Matt Shozda
I start my search for anything on the internet.  The website doesn't have to be professional but if it looks like crap, then I figure that's a good indication of the customer service I'm going to get.  I start with the course offerings to see if they have something of interest and are fairly priced (compared to their competitors and for the time and material covered).  At that point, I'll take a look at the instructor bios and company info.  I'm not concerned with an extensive military or law enforcement background, as long as what is there is in line with the training offered.  I'm not going to take a SWAT class from a guy that spent four years in the Special Forces.  I'm also looking for an indication that they are passionate about the subject, and blogs, forum discussions and similar venues can tell me that.  Depending on the cost of the training, I might give them a call to get a better idea of how they handle people.  Referrals from people I know would also be very important.  I'm a big proponent of learning by doing and trial and error, and I'm most likely to seek outside training when I hit a wall or when I have a good foundation and want to take it to the next level with some new techniques and ideas.

Steve Dorothy
When I'm looking to spend money on additional training, in the back of my mind I remember the value of the money I'm planning to spend.  It took blood and sweat to make those funds, so I want to make certain I get equivalent (or better) value from the training. My goals with firearms training, for example, are generally to improve proficiencies in weapon handling, malfunction clearing, utilization of cover, and speed of deployment.  I don't head to a training course specifically focused on shot accuracy, what I look to do is face as much adversity as possible in the course because I have the benefit of an educated instructor to help me come up with more efficient, speedy or safe ways to overcome those adversities.

Once I've decided what type of training or course I need, the first (and most important) step I take is to get on the telephone and speak with the instructor directly.  From this I can glean much of the other information I'll need to make the decision as to whether or not I'll be happy handing over my cash.  I'm not overly concerned with letters behind someone's name on the business card.  Are they NRA certified?  Great - all that other stuff is nice to have, but my primary goal during a call is to discern 3 things: 

Attitude:  Does the instructor have a gleam in the tone of his or her voice?  Does he seem happy and excited to speak with a potential client, or does he give the impression that he's just going through the motions and you're wasting his time?  Do you detect any condescension?  If so, eject now, as it's likely a prelude to his rangeside manner. 

Aptitude:  Have a very short list of a few questions about the course, and provide an abbreviated background of any previous training you may have had if any.  How are your questions answered?  Does he really sound like he practices what he preaches, or are you getting vague answers when you pose questions about the course or weapon handling? 

Intelligence: A bit more subjective, but this speaks to how creatively the instructor will be in helping you overcome some of the adversity you may face in the course.  A quick wit and ability to answer a question without fumbling around too much for the answer shows me the instructor is comfortable in what he does and will likely teach me some new skills.

One final note on choosing instructors and courses: it doesn't matter how much you pay, or how big the organization is, or where the instructors have been or what they have done - if they treat you like a paycheck and not a person, then take your money somewhere else.


Stay Aware, Stay Safe, and Train Hard.

Dangerous Misinformation

As a shooter, a hunter, and an instructor, I have heard many crazy statements concerning the use of firearms. Any of you reading this could say the same, I'm sure. Everything from "all you have to do is rack the shotgun to scare bad guys away" to "I carry .22LR because when I shoot the bad guy in the head the round will bounce around his skull and destroy his brain." Somethings you hear are just crazy nonsense, while others are based on something that really happened at some point but have since been diluted and are now passed around as fact.

As an example, here's a few things that we've heard from our students, which have been relayed to them by any combination of the above mentioned sources:

- You should load the first two rounds of your revolver with blanks, so that in case your kid or someone else startles you at night and you draw down on them, the first two rounds won't do anything, and you'll notice it before you fire the third round, which is live. If, by chance, it is actually a bad guy, then those first two blank rounds will probably scare him off.

- If you don't have an Arizona Concealed Carry Permit (CCW), you cannot carry a handgun with a round in the chamber.

- A shotgun will spread shot patterns so big that you just have to aim anywhere in the area of a bad guy to take him down.

We are not saying that people who help to spread these misconceptions are stupid, they are simply victims of dangerous misinformation, and it's important that we all understand how this can affect us.

Let's take a look at the casual shooter. Without much or even any formal training, it is quite possible that there are things this person "knows" that are not true. Perhaps advice from a gun counter, a trusted friend, or even an old retired police acquaintance. It all sounds reasonable enough, and so they pass it on to their friends, over their email, etc. The problem with misinformation given about firearms and lethal force is that is not the same as misinformation given about an iPod or a car paint job, though it is often treated with the same casual attitude. Such misinformation can cause the loss of life or freedom of law-abiding citizens and cause the continued breathing of bad guys, two things we want to avoid.
Consider this: your friend tells you that you should put birdshot in your shotgun to prevent penetration to your walls, keeping your kids safe. And you don't have nothin' for a handgun if you don't have a .357 Magnum, but you can just practice with .38 Specials so that it's cheaper and only load .357 Magnum when you carry it. And you should definitely get that little pink .22LR for your wife, because just having a gun scares bad guys away. Until bad guys show up. Because that birdshot that won't penetrate walls? Turns out it doesn't penetrate bad guys either. And that .357 Magnum that you never fired? It's got quite a bit more recoil and muzzle flash than those .38 Special target loads, and making a follow-up shot in the dark (something your friend said you'd never have to do with a .357 Magnum) turns out to be next to impossible for you. And that .22LR? Yeah, it's laying on the ground several feet from your wife as she gets assaulted, because she never trained with it and loaded it up with Federal Bulk Pack ammo from Wal-Mart. The two poorly placed shots she did manage to get off were barely felt by her attackers.

And how about this: You want to save a few bucks to get some training, and that guy who fixed your water heater or coached your kid's soccer team also teaches CCW courses on the weekends to make some extra money. He charges less than everyone else, and his course seems easy enough. So you attend, and he's a good teacher and you enjoy the class, plus you get your CCW. And this guy tells you some interesting tactics, things like you should drag a body back into your house after you shoot a bad guy breaking in, because you don't want the body outside when the cops show up. And if he doesn't have a knife in his hand, you should put one there. Sounds reasonable enough, or so you think. Now you find yourself in a lethal force situation, and there on the stand at your trial sits your weekend instructor. He's being questioned about you, your performance, and his material. Oops - he didn't really inform you about those new laws that got passed, because he didn't have time between working 40 hours a week and hanging out with his buddies to update his course information. And he's not even teaching anymore, once he discovered how much work it really was. And there you sit, your freedom on the line, having saved a few bucks years ago and spending thousands more now trying to make up for it. And unfortunately for you, ignorance of the law is no excuse.

And lastly, consider this: your friend deployed overseas 4 times in defense of freedom, and he's a seasoned combat veteran. He even spent the last deployment attached to some high-speed low-drag Special Ops unit. This guy knows tactics, and he knows how to shoot. So you go out and train with him, and he teaches you to be a man-killer. Along the way, he imparts some of the great wisdom he learned while in uniform, such as how to close-with and destroy, and how to lay down suppressive fire while moving to a position of advantage. You feel awesome - you can reload in 2 seconds and put rounds downrange almost as fast. Then you get involved in a real force-on-force incident, and you realize that this ain't Fallujah, and you operate under a whole other set of Rules of Engagement than your buddy did overseas.

These are just a few examples of the things I come in contact with every single day, and I'm sure several of you have had similar experiences. The point I want to make here is to be careful of who you take advice from and the information that you pass on to others. Your life, the life of your family, your financial future, and the lives of innocent bystanders may be on the line. Misinformation can be very dangerous - question everything. How does it apply to you, or does it apply to you? What are you trying to learn, and who can teach you? And not just show you, but teach you. Believe it or not, everything you read on the internet is not true (gasp!) so the best thing to do is to learn for yourself, through research, study, and training with those who have a like-minded approach. Only then can you be sure that the techniques you plan to use and the laws you plan to abide by are correct and the most effective and up-to-date.

UPDATE 03/28/2012: I found a story today that gives a great example of what I am talking about. This kind of advice could potentially get a good person killed: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/mar/28/armed-homeowners-use-force-policy/



Stay Aware, Stay Safe, and Train Hard.

Blinded by Sweat

Thank goodness it's over - the coughing, that is. For a couple of weeks in January, I had a cough that only struck when it was time to sleep. And when it was gone during the daylight hours, the body aches, sore throat, and pounding in my head would remind me of the joy that was to come when I laid down again that night. My doctor told me it was a virus, something I just had to "get through" and that it was going around and lots of people had it. For what it's worth, lots of people did have it, and each one I talked to seemed to experience the same symptoms I had. It was torture, and yet I trained. Because the wolf still had no sympathy for me, and no mercy. Throughout me being sick, bad guys did not stop being bad guys.

So through the coughing and the head pounding, I headed to the range to complete shooting drills and wind sprints. I spent hours in my office completing iterations of dry practice. I even did some overnight backpacking into rugged country. And I learned more about what my body is capable of than I do when I train under ideal conditions. It's why we here at Independence Training don't cancel courses because of a little cold or a little rain. Mud? Time to get dirty. Hot temperatures? Bring on the sweat.

No, we're not gluttons for punishment, but as our own John Pinnix says, "Real training sucks, EMBRACE the suck." You do not know when that moment will arrive where your skills will be needed. Will it be a sunny 70 degree day after a restful's night sleep when the wolf comes to your door? Do car accidents only happen when you are 100% healthy and the ground is nice and dry? Do emergencies only happen during the daylight hours? How you train is how you'll respond in a stressful situation, when fine motor skills are lost and your mind and body switch on to auto-pilot and rely on pre-existing muscle memory. Regardless of what you may have heard, it is seldom that anyone "rises to the occasion" - you will always, however, sink to your highest level of training, and if that is nothing, then that is what you will have to handle your emergency.

Now this isn't to say that you should go out and get yourself hurt (or worse) by training or practicing when you haven't slept in 48 hours. You need to know your limits; that is, what you can handle based on your experience level and your competency with your equipment. But you should always be pushing yourself to the limit - doing only that which you are comfortable with will not advance your skill sets. If all you do is stand in front of a target with a handgun and blow the center out of it, for example, and in real-life you have to do that on the move, how do you think you will do? Now imagine it's raining. Now imagine it's dark, you've been shot, and you have a nasty head cold that kept you up the night before. Have you thought about this? And more importantly, have you trained for this?

It is true that most people will likely never have to use their firearms in a self-defense situation, or use their first-aid kit beyond bandaging up a skinned knee. But every day, every single day, someone out there does have to fight off an attacker or plug a wound or respond to an emergency of some kind. Maybe today is not your day, but tomorrow may be. Or 10 years from now. Or maybe never - but is that a bet you're willing to make?

Keep in mind that there is no learning in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the learning zone. You must push yourself beyond the limitations in your mind. The human body is a powerful and amazing piece of machinery, but you will not know your limits until just before you punch through them. Be sure to maintain safety and a good situational awareness, however, as pushing yourself or someone else into a hospital bed or a grave is quite counter-productive.

I'd like to sum up this concept with a story from when I was in Basic Training. We were on a company run, the total distance was unknown, and it was hot. The platoon guide from my platoon was leading us in a running formation, and he asked our drill instructor how far we were going to run. Our DI replied by saying, "When you get blinded by sweat, you're still a mile out."


Stay Aware, Stay Safe, and Train Hard.

Pinching Pennies

One of the most commonly asked questions after we demonstrate a piece of gear or a firearm in one of our courses is "How much does that cost?" Let's face it: budget plays a larger role in more purchasing decisions than most people would like to admit. There is some fantastic equipment out there for survival, emergency preparedness, shooting, and self-defense that is very expensive (and often over-priced), and therefore not feasible for a lot of average citizens. One of the reasons that Independence Training was created was to deliver cost-effective training options to the average person, and in doing so the instructors here all try to maintain a certain level of affordable gear that we use in class and on a daily basis. In fact the vendors and manufacturers that we do business with are specifically chosen based on the quality of their gear as well as the price point of their merchandise.

With all that said, there is some equipment out there that is just not quality-built, and I wouldn't bet my life on it, or the lives of my loved ones on it. With the "tactical" movement so huge, there are a plethora of companies out there who produce packs, vests, holsters, ammunition magazines, and even firearms that are just not worth the money you will put down for them. There are many people out there who will buy equipment that will never get used - it sits in closets or in cabinets and provides a certain "peace of mind" to the owner that they'll "have it in case they need it." They won't train with it, and they likely won't need it, so the particular build quality of that $20 backpack from eBay or the $10 holster from the swap meet isn't necessarily of particular interest to them. But the sheepdog doesn't think that way.

You see, the sheepdog knows that there's a time and a place to pinch pennies. Training ammunition is a great example of a place where you can save a few dollars and get a product that is just as effective as the more expensive stuff. But when it comes to buying equipment that your life may depend on - such as medical supplies, firearms, or quality load bearing equipment - now is not the time to debate over $20. As an example, there's a company out there called BLACKHAWK! and they make many different packs, vests, holsters, and various other types of quality equipment. You know how they got their start? Former Navy SEAL Mike Noell, founder of BLACKHAWK!, was operating overseas and working his way through a minefield. The straps on his pack suddenly busted, dropping his gear to the ground . . . . in a minefield! Luckily nothing happened, but Mike swore then and there that he would create a quality pack for soldiers, sailors, and Marines so that they would never have to worry about that kind of equipment failure from his gear. And when he got home he designed a new rock-solid pack and his now international company was born.

Now this is the part where most people say "But I'll never be navigating a minefield, so I don't need a $200 pack!" And they're probably right - they don't need a $200 backpack. But the chance is very good that they'll need more than that $20 backpack if they have to carry anything further than a few miles, or under adverse conditions, or have it last more than a few months. In my time in the outdoors, in the training world, and also operationally, I have broken and wore out a lot of gear. Most of the time, it was because I or someone responsible for my gear was trying to save a few bucks. Luckily my life was never on the line when my equipment failed, but let me ask you this: what is your life worth? Now of course this is an impossible question to answer, because the answer isn't really realistic. But if you had to bet your life on a piece of equipment, what would you be willing to pay? Would a $40 difference matter if it meant your life could potentially be saved?

I don't want to come off here sounding like you need to buy only the best - again, one of our focuses here at Independence Training is to encourage people to maximize the use of what they have, whether that's a $200 handgun or a $1000 handgun. Work within your budget, certainly, but also put a realistic priority on your purchases. Would you want to skydive with the cheapest parachute? Climb a rock face with the cheapest harness? While those pieces of equipment would most likely still work just fine, I want to ensure that equipment that has a direct correlation to my safety is as good as I can possibly get.

Recently, I took a friend of mine out gun shopping for his very first firearms purchase. As we're standing there discussing the pros and cons of each model of shotgun, I figure that, like many other buyers, the least or second least inexpensive shotgun was probably catching his eye. Were these bad choices? Not at all. Would I bet my life on either of them? Absolutely. But the benefits of the slightly more expensive shotguns were of particular use to this friend of mine, and certainly made for a more quality shotgun. It was about this time that my friend turned to me and said "If you were buying your first shotgun, which one would you get? And don't just pick based on price, because this is a lifetime purchase for me." At this, my mouth spread into a grin - here was someone who got it! Not only will this shotgun outlast him, his kids, and his kids' kids, but his life may literally depend on its functionality one day, and he was willing to skip a few weeks of eating out for lunch in order to make sure that he got a piece of equipment that was made to last.

So I picked out a shotgun for him. It wasn't the most expensive, not by a long shot, but it wasn't the cheapest one, either. And now he has a shotgun that will take care of him as long as he takes care of it. And so it should be with you - every purchase decision which results in the procurement of gear that will or may potentially be used under extreme conditions, whether a screwdriver set, a holster, or a rifle, should be weighed against your budget but also against the potential it has to keep you breathing or living happily.

Is there anything wrong with carrying a $10 first-aid kit, or putting a $20 red dot on your $800 carbine? No - they are still functional and may meet your needs. But if one day your needs are higher than that equipment can deliver, you do not want to find yourself in an emergency where you are saying "I wish I would've spent the extra few bucks."


Stay Aware, Stay Safe, and Train Hard.

Reading is Fundamental

As an avid reader, it amazes me how fewer and fewer people these days seem to enjoy sitting down with a good book. Even with devices out there such as the Amazon Kindle, which can hold up to 1,400 books in a space barely larger than the palm of your hand! As someone who is continuing along the path to being a better sheepdog, I am a student of how the past, the present, and the future may influence my life, my liberty, and my safety. I am a pupil of those who have experienced things which I have not, and that also makes me an observer of those who do not share my beliefs, since I must learn all I can about their way of life. There is so much knowledge to gain from so many sources, and the internet is certainly a great resource for doing so. That being said, it is important to ensure that the advice and/or knowledge you gain which you want to incorporate into your life comes from reliable sources who actually know what they are talking about, or at the very least have some experience on the subject matter.

Over the years I have read a great many books, and while so many of them have been excellent sources of both entertainment and education, there are a few that stand out as exceptional, and certainly applicable to what we teach here at Independence Training. I'd like to give you a short list of just a few of these titles, and if you end up reading them, or have already read them, please leave your own review in the comments section below.

"On Combat" - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman. This book is for civilians as much as it is for law-enforcement officers and military personnel. Part of our concept of Sheep, Sheepdog, and Wolves is derived from this book, and I recommend it to every responsible citizen that I meet. Grossman does an excellent job of detailing, in plain language, the effects of lethal force encounters, from slowed time and altered realities to parasympathetic response and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). At one point in the book, Grossman takes a side path to talk about one of his major areas of study - the effects of media violence on kids - and while this section is interesting by itself, I didn't feel it had a place in "On Combat," but that's my only major gripe.

"Lone Survivor" - Marcus Luttrell. The story of a Navy SEAL mission in Afghanistan gone awry, Luttrell was the lone survivor of his team after a massive enemy ambush. Wounded, outnumbered, outgunned, alone, and way behind enemy lines, Luttrell evades capture, aids the resistance, and ultimately survives. Now a spokesperson for the NRA as well as a motivational speaker and national icon, Luttrell is the embodiment of the warrior spirit. I recommend this book not only as a glimpse into the harrowing combat situations that our special operations fighting men encounter, but also as a look at how mindset and determination are the ultimate deciding factors any rough situation.

"When All Hell Breaks Loose" - Cody Lundin. Most urban survival books fall into one of two categories: over-the-top survivalist or fictional zombie apocalypse. Cody has his own category: realistic. Whether it's a power outage or an economic collapse, this book will show you how to make the most of what you have, and how to survive despite potentially overwhelming odds. His often comedic approach to the proper preparation and mindset needed to get the job done will keep you engaged throughout the book, and there are lots of illustrations and pictures, as well.

"After You Shoot" - Alan Korwin. What you do after you use lethal force in a self-defense situation is a topic that not many people consider. Most see themselves as getting a pat on the back from the police and then going about their merry way, perhaps a little shaken up but none too worse for wear. The reality, however, is much different than that, and if you carry or keep a firearm for self-defense, you need to read this book. Period.

"How To Win On The Battlefield" - Rob Johnson / Michael Whitby / John France. Battlefield tactics aren't necessarily something that I recommend as reading material to our students, but in this case the book is so well put together and so clearly written that I highly advise it. There's a lot to learn about overwhelming your enemy by studying battles from history, and with sections such as 'Counter-Attack' and 'Deception and Feints', a lot of the information contained in this book falls right in line with what we teach in our courses. While it's geared towards a larger force, the tactics and techniques outlined can still be used against a handful of attackers.

"One Second After" - William R. Forstchen. The only fictional novel on this list is the story of life and survival in American after an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) essentially sends us back to the Dark Ages. This book portrays such a realistic look at the effects of EMPs that it has been discussed amongst members of Congress and at the Pentagon as a book that every American needs to read. This book could have gone on for another 500 pages and I would have happily continued to read it.

So there's a few books for you to consider, and I hope that you will take the time to purchase or borrow them and then spend the time necessary to digest them from cover to cover. Remember, being a sheepdog is not a destination - it's a journey, and it's a journey that you need to be well-informed on.


Stay Aware, Stay Safe, and Train Hard.

Carry Condition: it makes a difference

Depending on the type of firearm you carry, you may have multiple choices when it comes to carry condition; which is to say that you may be able to carry with safety on, safety off, chamber empty, chamber loaded, hammer back, magazine loaded, etc. Many of my students ask my opinion on this, and except for a few rare circumstances, my response is the same: "Locked, Cocked, and Ready to Rock." Why carry a firearm if it's not ready to be used? If you need your firearm, you need it RIGHT NOW! I have seen and heard the arguments favoring the carry of handguns with an empty chamber; safety is paramount amongst them. Some of the reasons I hear include: "What if my child gets a hold of my gun?" Why does a child have access to your guns? "If the bad guy takes my gun away from me, I will have time to attack him before he can shoot me." Are you capable and physically ready to be involved in hand-to-hand combat? Consider this instead: You draw your handgun in a self-defense scenario but your other hand is carrying your child or shielding a loved one and you need to shoot NOW! Perhaps an attack comes suddenly and without warning, and the bad guys are on top of you and within bad breath distance; you must use your handgun in close quarters, tight to your body, and there's no room or time to rack the slide. Or maybe you accidently hit your magazine release during your draw - the magazine hits the ground, the bad guy knows it, and now you have ZERO rounds in the gun.

I have watched as people tried to demonstrate to me their ability to draw and manipulate the slide in one smooth motion. That is until I start yelling at them. Or I "cripple" one arm. Or I attack them from very close distances. Or they are fighting from an improvised position. Or it's dark, rainy, and cold. Suddenly their motor skills start to deteriorate, and with that certainly goes the ability and often the opportunity to rack the slide as part of the draw technique.

Consider the following video, taken from security footage at a jewelry store in Agra, India. The store owner is carrying a firearm with the chamber empty, but when armed robbers burst into the store and he draws his firearm in self-defense, his ability to get a round into the chamber and drive off the attackers suddenly becomes a task that he cannot master, as he tries in vain not just once but twice to manipulate his slide and load his weapon.

**WARNING** This video contains violent images of a man being shot and ultimately killed. But if you carry a firearm for self-defense, you need to see this. (If the video doesn't load, you can see it on our server by clicking here.)

The most important part of owning a firearm for self-defense is actually having access to it, such as carrying it! It still surprises me how many of my students do not carry regularly - I carry my firearm the same as I carry a spare tire in my truck, a medical kit nearby, or chapstick in my pocket. When I need it, I NEED IT! What condition you carry your firearm in is just as important, however. I wouldn't think to carry a flat spare tire so that I could air it up when I needed it. I wouldn't carry a medical kit not stocked with the life-saving tools I need most. I wouldn't carry an empty chapstick tube, and I certainly won't carry an empty firearm. And neither should you.

Stay Aware, Stay Safe, and Train Hard.

Limitations of your Training: are you willing to accept them?

It's June 20th, 1994, and Dean Mellberg enters the Fairchild Air Force Base hospital carrying a MAK-90 rifle. He heads straight to the office of Major Thomas Brigham and Captain Alan London, both of whom had recommended that Mellberg be discharged from the Air Force following a psychological evaluation. Mellberg opens fires on the two men, killing them both. He then starts walking around the hospital and shooting at everyone, eventually wounding 22 people and killing an additional 2, including an 8-year-old girl.

A quarter of a mile away, Senior Airman Andrew Brown was patrolling base housing on his bicyle, part of his duties with the 92nd Air Force Security Police Squadron, when he gets an emergency call on his radio about trouble at the hospital. As he pedals into the parking lot, he sees Mellberg in the parking lot shooting randomly at people who are trying to flee. Andy ditches his bike, draws his 9mm Beretta handgun, and drops into a kneeling position. He then orders Mellberg to stop, to which Mellberg replies by turning and opening fire on Andy, who fires 4 rounds at Mellberg. Two rounds hit Mellberg - 1 shot in the shoulder and the other literally right between the eyes, killing Mellberg instantly and ending his reign of terror. The distance between the two men was 70 yards.

Massad Ayoob, famed firearms instructor, has this to say about the event:

There are those who will tell you pistols are short-range weapons, and it is indefensible to fire them at distances as far as 70 yards at armed and violent perpetrators. That's bullshit. Andy Brown's experience is a classic example.

 There are those who will tell you you can't hit an opponent 70 yards away if you're only armed with a pistol. That's bullshit, too. On a June afternoon in 1994, Andy Brown proved it, firing a Beretta 9mm issue pistol. The witnesses confirmed at the moment of truth that Mellberg, age 20, was firing at Brown, then 24, with a rifle as Brown simultaneously returned fire with a pistol. Mellberg missed Brown. Brown hit Mellberg with 50-percent of his gunfire and killed him where he stood. End of story.

 When you are the one who is under fire––and, more important as I read Andy Brown's perceptions, when helpless innocent people are under fire and you have sworn an oath to protect them––"minimum" training and practice is not enough. Andy Brown had taken his oath so seriously he bought the closest gun he could afford to the relatively expensive Government-issue Beretta, simply to practice with on his own time, at his own expense. Anyone who doubts this dedication on the part of this individual member of the United States Air Force to serve those within the mantle of protection went above and beyond the call of duty, is probably too clueless to enter a discussion of the matter.

 Even the staunchest advocates of un-aimed "point shooting" agree at longer distances, the sights must be used if you expect to deliver a fight-stopping hit with a handgun. Andy Brown did so, and proved the validity of "focus on your front sight" as the tactic that will win such a fight.

 Andy's experience highlights a fundamental principle of surviving any life-threatening experience: focus on the task, not the goal. Seeing a deadly, well-armed killer shooting at him 70 yards away, a distance he perceived as half that or even closer, Andy didn't think "Oh, my God, I gotta somehow survive!" No, he thought about focusing on his front sight and carefully pressed his trigger straight back, and he hit his opponent with two out of four shots at a distance many would consider "out of range" . . . . and he killed the killer and stopped the mass murders. Starting with a 75-round magazine in his rifle, Mellberg had already shot 26 people at the time Andy Brown stopped him with a bullet literally between the eyes. Andy remembers now, "There were 19 rounds left in his gun at the time he went down. It made me feel good I stopped him before he took any more victims."

Ayoob is absolutely correct (as usual) in that "minimum" training and practice are just not enough. There are plenty of scenarios where just having a weapon won't give you the opportunity to engage with it, just as there are plenty of scenarios where one armed citizen can make all the difference.

In my experience, many people who get their concealed weapons permit, or who attend one training course, or who shoot just a few times a year, have their firearm as a sort of 'talisman' against the bad things in the world. They can put it by their bed, strap it on a belt, put it in their pocket or in their purse, or otherwise have it near them as a sense of comfort or security. Proficiency and practical application are concepts that they don't consider; they don't ask themselves, "What are the limitations of my skills and what are the limitations of my equipment?" While there are many "armed" citizens in this great nation of ours, a relatively low number of them could probably effectively draw and engage an attacker, much less multiple attackers, assuming they are even carrying their firearm.

So the question you must ask yourself is this: If the time comes to use your firearm to save a life, will you actually be ready to do it? Only you truly know what your mindset is and what your firearms skills are. But don't lie yourself - because when the time comes, I'd sure rather be like Andy than Mellberg.

Stay Aware, Stay Safe, and Train Hard.