My introduction to guns officially came through my military service. I was put through training that was a combination of military familiarization training and law enforcement handgun combat training. I did not carry a gun outside of military service after that training because I didn’t want to have to be on my guard all the time to protect my pistol, and I didn’t want to end up having to shoot somebody for trying to steal my gun.
After I watched a man die because I didn’t have CPR training, I learned CPR. (and became a Paramedic). After I was mugged, I learned a more aggressive style of unarmed self-defense. I didn’t want to learn the next lesson the hard way. There seem to be more reports about mass casualty assaults. I knew that I didn’t want to be the one who decided to go barehanded to the next mass casualty incident. I do not want to watch another person die that would not have died if I had chosen to be prepared. And I don’t want you to have to do that either. But it is just as important to me that you don’t take a life by mistake or error in judgment because you received inadequate training.
Once I learned about the training provided by the US Concealed Carry Association, I renewed my familiarity with handguns, got my CPL training and then went for my instructor’s certification. I like the USCCA approach to training for several reasons:
- It stresses the notion that you can avoid danger in the first place and still live a fulfilled life.
- Adequate time is spent on teaching the rules of handgun use.
- As a lawyer, I really appreciate that they also teach you about what happens after you decide to shoot — how your application of those rules will be reviewed by law enforcement personnel and by the courts after the fact.
- My course recognizes that gunfight shooting is completely different than range shooting or hunting.
- You need to learn a fighting style that works with the way your body will naturally respond to a high intensity conflict situation.
Because I thought the questions were serious, I wanted to become an instructor so I could make sure my friends and family could get a quality education to keep themselves safe, both physically and legally.
My philosophy is to focus on what USCCA and I believe to be the most important concepts of the class: being safe around firearms and learning about use of force and the law regarding use of deadly force.
I don’t want to oversell. You won’t learn to become an expert gunfighter after an 8 hour block of instruction and practice. We want to provide the legal and safety information that can start you off on the right foot with a solid foundation to build on, having met the training requirements to apply for your Concealed Pistol License in Michigan.