Monthly Archives: March 2013

Good Training?

Carbine / Subgun Instructor, Kent, WA. March 18-22, 2013
High Risk Warrant Service, Spokane, WA. April 15-17, 2013
SWAT Team Leader, Lakewood, WA. May 6-8, 2013
Hostage Rescue, Spokane, WA. June 18-20, 2013
High Risk Warrant Service, Kent, WA. August 12-14, 2013
Ballistic Shield User, Spokane, WA. August 26 & 27, 2013
Carbine/Subgun User School, Kent, WA. Sept. 16-18, 2013
Tactical Pistol, Kent, WA. Sept. 23 & 24, 2013
SWAT Team Leader, Spokane, WA. Dec. 16-18, 2013

If you’re interested in attending a class or if you want to host one, please contact me for information.

The Kent Carbine/Subgun Instrucotr School went well. The guys in the class were all trying to pick up what I was putting down. The teach backs were all solid and hopefully the dudes self diagnosed and their next class will be better. This one course does NOT make you an instructor! That would be the same as saying one run gets you ready for a marathon or one range session prepares you for a gunfight. Just like shooting, Instrucotrship is a process and a journey. No one is perfect, we keep attending training and refining and improving the craft to the best of our ability.

I was fortunate to attend a one day carbine and one day pistol class last week from Frank Proctor of Way of the Gun. Frank is an easy going dude and he shoots his guns well. I was able to pull down a few tips and drills that I plan to incorporate into my personal training regimen and in my classes. The nice thing about attending as an instructor is to be able to see how other instructors run their game. By and large I dont demo alot at speed, I typically do demos slwo to show what I’m doing. I think I might start even though in the past I have felt like it was show off time. Students didn’t pay to watch me shoot, they paid to shoot and be coached. One man’s thoughts anyway.

Last the DM gun has it’s last part being shipped on Monday. It is a working gun right now and I think I have what I want. I do need to give it alot of reps to see if it will hold up to the pressure. The full break down is on my facebook page with a picture.

As always, I apologize for typos.

Leaders are Readers

Carbine / Subgun Instructor, Kent, WA. March 18-22, 2013
High Risk Warrant Service, Spokane, WA. April 15-17, 2013
SWAT Team Leader, Lakewood, WA. May 6-8, 2013
Hostage Rescue, Spokane, WA. June 18-20, 2013
High Risk Warrant Service, Kent, WA. August 12-14, 2013
Ballistic Shield User, Spokane, WA. August 26 & 27, 2013
Carbine/Subgun User School, Kent, WA. Sept. 16-18, 2013
Tactical Pistol, Kent, WA. Sept. 23 & 24, 2013
SWAT Team Leader, Spokane, WA. Dec. 16-18, 2013

If you are interested in hosting a course or attending any of the courses above, please contact me to get scheduled.

So I got feedback on my blog posts this past week from several people. It’s always interesting to me that some of my close friends read the blog, even though I see them pretty often and have probably said alot of the same stuff to them in person.

One guy told me he thought the posts were insightful, but if he didn’t know me he would think I was an asshole. He also said they were funny. I’m not trying to be a jerk, but sometimes people take me that way. I find humor in almost everything, so I’m glad the comedy is worth the trip. Another dude sent me comments that one particular post was excellent. I’m glad it resonated with someone.

No matter what, I hope that most of the blogs make you think. Even if your thoughts and conclusions are completely opposite of mine. That’s the point, make you think, reconsider and reapply what you know and believe about any of the stuff that comes across these pages.

During the course of my years as an Army dude and a Cop, I have gone back and forth on a variety of topics. Some of that has been driven by the courts, other stuff based on the gaining of new knowledge or insight from other people. My opportunities to learn each day are limitless. Some of these are personal lessons, some are gifts from smarter people than me. It is always amazing that I can hold onto something for a long time, beleive it is gospel, and then have that goblet busted right over my head. I mean, I try to be thoughtful about this shit and then someone will hit me with such common sense change that you have to wonder if you’re not an absolute idiot for not thinking of that sooner. It is true of shooting, gear, tactics, techniques and procedures. That doesn’t mean I am hit by lightning every day, but I’ll be damned if it isn’t frequent enough that it kicks your ego right in the nuts. 

My Dad and most leaders talk about keeping your ego in check. Be humble. You dont know everything. If we all preach that crap and believe it, finding opportunities to learn become more frequent. I liove picking up new ideas, new techniques and new ways of doing things. That doesn’t mean I flip-flop what I’m doing at the drop of a hat, but I do consider if the change is worth it. If the change makes me take a step back to allow me to take 3 steps forward, then I have to change and put in the work to get those 3 steps.

I remember a leadership class where the instructor said “Leaders are readers”. In addition to reading relevant, pertinent information about the skills and knowledge you need for the job, I believe she also meant to read opinions that were different than my own. Put thought into it, try to see the authors point, and then develop my own opinions. I think she also meant reading typo laden drivel like this helped exercise the brains, and nobody wants a fat brain. So, thanks for reading AND thinking about what I am saying.

Carbine / Subgun

Rapidly approaching the start of another Carbine/Subgun Instructor Course. I like teaching this class because most of the time the agency sends their better shooters. AS such, ususlaly not much to teach as far as running the guns goes. Little tweaks, a little expanded info on the gun, a few thoughts on running ranges.

Here is the interesting and often forgotten part of this class. The whole thing, start to finish, is meant to be an INSTRUCTOR course. So my expectation and my thought behind the class is that you spend every minute thinking about how YOU will set up your user programs for NEW shooters! I know you can shoot good, I’M NOT IMPRESSED!!!

You should be refining and fine tuning your ability to deliver material so the student gets its. You should be taking notes on what I do well during the class, and what I suck at so you dont do the same. Instead of shooting my standards drills and then clapping your self on the back, recognize that my standard may be too low for you, or maybe too high for your agency. What will you do to change them so they work for your students.

This class is truly more about teaching others to shoot than your shooting ability. ALL of us miss shots during the week. All of us will flub a reload, drop a magazine, or whatever. No big deal. We cannto afford to miss the mark when it comes to the students and the information we are trying to pass on. Their very lives may depend on the information we are trying to relay. Being an “Instructor” is more than a red shirt and a whistle.

As always, sorry for the typos.