Tactical Training Specialties
Girls Gone West!
Pictured here are Farley (left) and Fiona (right) near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Fiona discovered an opportunity that piqued her interest. In November she took a job leading adventure tours by dogsled into the U.S. National Forest. It seems like this is something that everybody would like to do. I say that because everyone I have shared this with in the past three months has had the same response that you just did…a great big smile! The name of the outfit is Snow Buddy Dog Sled Tours and there are five guides to include the husband and wife who started the company and who own the business. They have about 40 dogs, many of which are former Iditarod or world-class racers who have retired and been adopted. Fiona is one of three seasonal employees and she went out several weeks in advance of the season to train. During her training, and before the snow began to accumulate in November, the dogs would pull the team members on 4-wheelers along common routes for practice while also putting scent down. If an unexpected whiteout were to occur creating zero visibility, the dogs are still able to find their way home!
Fiona says that she has learned a lot! She relates the skills and family activities we have followed over the years have put her in a good place with a positive, winning mindset to be prepared and take care of herself and others while having a ton of fun! She says that seeing delight on the face of first-timers, especially kids, is very rewarding. In her personal kit she carries 3 different ways to make a fire as well as medical supplies and communication and signaling gear. Kudos to her for maintaining such excellent physical condition just like her firefighter sister Farley. She ramped up her workout routine in the months before she left because she knew that altitude could be an issue. She lives and works at elevations in the 7,500 – 9,000 feet range. Her days average 14 hours beginning with equipment prep, logistics, and feeding the dogs with high protein food and meat. The dogs are given a meat broth to supplement their protein and electrolytes instead of just water. Then it’s time for the 30-minute shuttle drive to fetch customers from Steamboat and bring them to the trailhead. Halfway through the sled tour, they have a wilderness camp set up for snacks and warm drinks. The team takes photos during the adventure so the customers have a permanent keepsake to take with them. When the tour is over and the participants have been returned to Steamboat, there is still much to do in caring for the dog teams. We talk or FaceTime with her in the evenings but not during the day. There is no cell service on the mountain. She works 6 days a week and Sunday is her only day off.
If you are interested in an excellent outdoor adventure with friends and family she can make it happen for you. Farley went out to visit and had a great time. The dogs are not only hard workers, they are “mush balls” and love attention from visitors. It’s a great family activity. Book your adventure soon, the season ends near the end of April when temperatures rise above 40 degrees. Joan and I are visiting in March!
Listen – I truly hope your year is off to a good start. In addition to my wife and two daughters, I offer a most sincere THANK YOU to each of you who has shared a smile, a kind word, or a charge of positive energy with us in these uncertain times. Let’s keep our focus on Him and take care of one another. It’s easy to dwell on the negatives that are in our face every day if we let that happen, just as it is easy to focus on fear during a crisis or emergency unless we practice, prime, and prepare ourselves and our families to do otherwise. Hey, did I mention that my daughter is mushing dog sleds in the National Forest???
On behalf of my family and our dedicated cadre of coaches…Thanks!
In This Issue:
Did You Know…
On February 3rd the U.S. Justice Department released a publication studying over 50 years of information regarding public mass shootings. Researchers have developed a publicly accessible database including traits of the shooters. The aim of the database is to build a broader understanding on the part of the public, the justice system, and the research community of who mass shooters are and what motivates their decision to shoot multiple people. You can view the report HERE.
Training Calendar
March 5: Low Light Pistol Skills (4 hours, indoors)
March 19: Practical Pistol Skills (4 hours, indoors)
April 2: CCW1 (also on June 4 and August 6)
April 9: Youth Firearms Camp at Green Valley Rifle & Pistol Club
Free of Charge, Firearms Provided, and Open to Public!
More to follow, you may contact Green Valley for more information.
May 7: CCW2: The Principles of Personal Defense
June 18: AR-101
July 9: Tactical Shotgun
October 29: CCW3 – Prevailing In Low Light
November 4 & 5: Tactical Rifle Camp 2022
Note about our training courses: Remember that “repeat offenders” are welcome to a $25 discount if they return to repeat any course other than CCW1. The discount for repeating CCW1 is $10. Our CCW1 course remains a bargain at $100, and we have not raised this price in 18 years! Significant changes occurred to Missouri State Statutes in 2016, and of course, our class reflects those updates and changes. Many folks have come back and retaken CCW1 and commented how glad they were that they did. Recertification is not required but think about the good faith investment you are making when you voluntarily participate in accredited training led by professional instructors. I am aware of no other course that offers the instructor-to-student ratio that ours does. Also, remember that all of our courses are approved by the Missouri Department of Public Safety – Police Officer Standards and Training Commission and our medical courses are valid for continuing education credits through the Missouri Bureau of EMS.
What’s the Problem With The Second Amendment Preservation Act?
by Dale Roberts
Editor’s Note: This is one of the most misunderstood pieces of legislation I have ever seen. Dale Roberts does a fantastic job of unpacking the issues and making sense of things. The SAPA legislation is being maligned by chief law enforcement executives and those in positions of governmental leadership. KWOS radio in Jefferson City reported that when Senator Caleb Rowden was asked if he would support efforts to gut SAPA, he replied, “Absolutely, there is support in the Republican caucus.” Why is this happening? Please read on…
Missouri’s “Second Amendment Preservation Act” (SAPA) was signed into law by Governor Parson on June 12, 2021, and because the legislation included an emergency clause it became effective immediately.[1]
But various police chiefs, mayors, and other civic ‘leaders’ are bemoaning the effect of the law and alleging SAPA was written to allow criminals to go free. Really? Why would Governor Parson, who served more than 22 years in law enforcement, including 12 years as the sheriff of Polk County, endorse such a thing? Do they really think a man who dedicated his life to law enforcement would sign into law a piece of legislation that would “allow criminals to go free?”
The legislative intent behind SAPA was simple. Missouri should not cooperate with the federal government’s efforts to infringe the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Missouri citizens. Let me unpack that for you.
- The law only protects Missouri citizens, not visitors or aliens.
- It explicitly protects “law abiding citizens” only.
- If you’re a criminal dealing drugs, robbing or raping, this law won’t protect you or limit what law enforcement officers can do in the execution of their lawful duties.
- It only protects the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Missouri citizens.
- There is no language in the new law to attempt anything else.
In order to accomplish the stated goal of the legislation, this new law:
- Prohibits Missouri law enforcement officers from working with federal employees, in an effort to enforce federal gun laws, in any manner that would,
(a) infringe the Second Amendment rights,
(b) of a Missouri citizen,
(c) who is a “law-abiding” individual.
Is that so complicated?
Why, then, are police chiefs of Kansas City and St. Louis[2] filing lawsuits and vocally attacking the Second Amendment Preservation Act? Are they that opposed to allowing you to exercise a right which was enshrined in America’s Bill of Rights and has been repeatedly recognized by the U. S. Supreme Court since 1857? If you haven’t seen those opponents on the news, they’re quick to say “We support the Second Amendment, but…” They go on to say, “We can’t do our job because of this law,” or, “The criminals we would otherwise catch are now going free because of this law.”
One of the most amazing comments they’ve made, when they challenged the law in the Cole County Circuit Court, was when the attorneys from Kansas City and St. Louis told the Judge: “Oh no. The effect of SAPA will be to defund our police departments.” WHAT? Isn’t that exactly what the bureaucrats in KC and St. Louis have been doing for the last few years? They actually said that with a straight face.
So why is SAPA so repugnant to the largest cities in Missouri? Is it really so restrictive as to prevent them from performing their lawful duties? Law enforcement agencies in countless other Missouri cities and counties have no complaints and continue to enforce the law as they did previously. The big city chiefs argue they cannot aid federal law enforcement or federal prosecutors with a case against a drug dealer who has illegal guns. By now you’ve read the part(s) of SAPA that say it only protects “law-abiding” citizens. A drug dealer is a criminal suspect and not a “law-abiding” citizen.
What then, could be the real reason(s) for their attacks on SAPA? Scholars have offered a few possibilities.
- On October, 2nd, 2019, Candidate Joe Biden published his campaign webpage promising to “ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines by Executive action if necessary”[3] and President Biden has repeatedly stated he wants to ban 9mm handguns.[4]
- For Missouri to enact legislation saying Missouri will not enforce any such federal laws might be viewed by the current administration as a direct challenge to this administration’s authority.
- Could this be a reason for the Biden administration to order the ATF to stop working with local law enforcement? Local agencies have said immediately after SAPA went into effect the ATF “left town” and stopped helping them.
Or could the loss of additional money that came from the federal government to the local agencies be a reason for the complaints? Surely they aren’t placing money above Constitutional rights? But there are two facts to consider:
- The Federal Equitable Sharing Program is an end-run around Article IX, Section 7 of the Missouri Constitution and Chapter 513.623 of state statutes. Those Missouri laws require proceeds from forfeitures to go to public schools. But when a local law enforcement agency is working with a federal agency under the federal Equitable Sharing Program the local law enforcement agency gets to keep 80% of the cash (or goods) that are seized from the criminals. BUT ONLY if they are seizing property under FEDERAL law. Those funds would no longer be available when agencies are not cooperating with the feds. NOTE: Former Columbia Police Chief Ken Burton referred to such funds as “pennies from Heaven…that we use to buy a toy or something we can’t get (approved) in the budget.[5]”
- Another source of the financial incentive is the Federal per diem payments which go to local jails for housing federal prisoners. The federal government pays 2 to 3 times more per prisoner, per day, than the state pays. However, if those defendants are not charged under federal law, the jails stand to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in Springfield, Kansas City and St. Louis. The three cities that are actively opposing SAPA are the same three cities that stand to lose the most money because of SAPA.
Conclusion: The plain language of the Second Amendment Preservation Act does not prevent local law enforcement agencies from continuing work with federal agents to investigate, arrest, and prosecute drug dealers, criminals illegally using guns, or countless other types of criminals. But there are other reasons, especially financial reasons, for those agencies to oppose SAPA.
Read the law yourself, it’s follows below. What do you think?
About the author: Dale Roberts is an attorney who handles firearms law issues and is certified by the Missouri Department of Public Safety as a Specialist in Firearms instruction. Dale may be reached at MoGunLaw@gmail.com and has recently started an online presence at MoGunLaw.com and MoGunLaw on Facebook.
What does the Second Amendment Preservation Act actually say?
“I’m from Missouri, you have to show me.[6]” If you would like to read SAPA for yourself, this condensed copy omits all the legalese but remains an accurate restatement of SAPA.[7]
1.420. Federal laws deemed infringements of United State and Missouri Constitutions. — The following shall be considered infringements on the people’s right to keep and bear arms, …
Tax, registration, prohibitions, confiscation, and tracking of firearms by law-abiding citizens;
1.430. Invalidity of federal laws deemed an infringement. — All federal laws that infringe on the people’s right to keep and bear arms shall not be recognized by this state, and shall not be enforced by this state.
1.450. Enforcement of federal laws that infringe on right to keep and bear arms prohibited. —
No LEO shall attempt to enforce any federal law infringing on the right to keep and bear arms “Nothing in (SAPA) shall prohibit Missouri officials from accepting aid from federal officials in an effort to enforce Missouri laws.”
1.460. Violations, liability and civil penalty — 1. Any agency that employs an officer who knowingly violates section 1.450 shall be liable to the injured party for a penalty of fifty thousand dollars. (You must prove the officer knew it was a violation and did it anyway.)
1.470. Employment of certain former federal employees prohibited… (similar to 1.460, but it prohibits hiring former federal officers who previously violated your Second Amendment rights.)
1.480. Definitions — acts not deemed violation. —
- The term “law-abiding citizen” means a person who is not otherwise precluded under state law from possessing a firearm (it does not include illegal aliens.)
*** This is critical. SAPA only protects “law-abiding citizens” not criminals.
- “Material aid and support” to federal agents means providing lodging, communications, facilities, weapons, personnel, transportation, or other physical assets.
- However, it shall not be a violation to provide material aid to federal agents in pursuit of a suspect (who isn’t located in Missouri) who has committed a crime in any other state.
*** And, this the other critical part of SAPA…
- It shall not be a violation of SAPA to provide material aid to federal prosecution for:
(1) Felony crimes against a person when the prosecution includes weapons violations similar to those in Missouri statutes as long as the weapons violations are not the primary offense –
(2) And it is not a violation to provide material aid to federal agents for ‘A’ felonies or ‘B’ felonies for illegal drugs even if the prosecution includes weapons violations similar to Missouri laws so long as the weapons violations are not the MAIN charge but are only part of the drug dealing.
[1] Article III Section 29 of the Missouri Constitution allows legislation to be designated with an emergency clause by a two-thirds vote of the members elected to each house (both Senate and House of Representatives.)
[2] Springfield and Columbia to a lesser extent.
[3] Biden’s October 2, 2019, anti-gun campaign web page: http://web.archive.org/web/20191002110353/https://joebiden.com/gunsafety/
[4] https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2021/07/21/joe-biden-cnn-town-hall-transcript/8051311002/
[5] https://themaneater.com/police-chief-ken-burton-calls-forfeiture-funds-pen/
[6] “I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockleburs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.” Statement made in 1899 by Missouri’s U.S. Congressman Willard Duncan Vandiver. See: Rural Missouri, Volume 42, Number 3, March 1989, page 16.
[7] Read it yourself at: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=1.410&bid=49534
Low Light Pistol Skills Returns Saturday, March 5th:
INDOOR COURSE for ALL SKILL LEVELS!
Last year we offered this NEW course that was very well received. No ammunition is required. This is a perfect precursor and companion class for our fall training CCW3: Prevailing In Low Light which takes place in the afternoon and evening. We offer CCW3 only once each year, but statistics show that most armed encounters take place in diminished lighting conditions or from 6 pm to 6 am. Low Light Pistol Skills will better prepare anyone who carries a firearm to respond correctly in challenging conditions. Return and train with us on October 29th for the live-fire CCW3 class!
Saturday, March 5: Low Light Pistol Skills! This training is held indoors, no ammunition is required, and it is 4 hours in length (0800-1200). We are pleased to partner with the Hallsville Baptist Church and they allow us to use their multipurpose building that is well-suited to this activity! Since there are no windows, it allows us to work in a variety of lighting conditions including complete darkness.
This class will allow us to practice similar skills we offer in CCW3 and not only get more repetitions but also practice deploying in a real-world environment such as a church. We will also have the benefit of hallways, both large and small rooms, doorways, and varied lighting conditions in different areas. One of the most often heard comments from graduates of our trainings is, “I didn’t know what I didn’t know!” This is particularly true when deploying a firearm and a flashlight, what we fondly refer to as a “high intensity white light fighting tool.” There are 8 specific principles for fighting in low light. All of the base skills we train in CCW1 and CCW2 are valid and apply, and there are additional skill useful for prevailing when the lights are low. Handling a flashlight and a pistol at the same time requires an additional skillset and repetitive motor skill drilling.
Another benefit we planned for and are pleased to announce is that all skill levels are welcome! This course is appropriate for the new pistol handler as well as the seasoned veteran or professional first responder. There is no prerequisite training required for Low Light Pistol Skills. In order to take CCW3 in October you must first 
complete our CCW2 training in order to verify that you have the skills to safely continue forward at a more advanced skill level. Low Light Pistol Skills allows everyone at any level to begin preparing for an engagement in low light and building the necessary skill set to operate in this type of environment.
Priced at only $100, this course is budget-friendly and there are no additional expenses such as ammunition.
CLICK HERE to enroll in Low Light Pistol Skills on Saturday, March 5, 2021!
What is Most Important to a Leader?
By Mike Martin
I consistently stress, for the benefit of readers, of audiences I speak to and of myself, what is most important to a leader is the people they lead. Their needs, their goals, their well-being along with holding those they lead in higher regard than themselves. It is a conscious act of the leader to place themself under those they are leading in order to serve them, provide wind in their sails and sparking the flame of intrinsic motivation within them. This is what enables team members to freely give of themselves and sacrifice, without reservation, for the good of those they are a teammate to and for the team and its goals.
For years, and recently, we have seen examples of when a leader loses sight of what is most important in their leadership. It is heartbreaking to see the fall-out that results from this occurring. The manifestation of this is usually seen by allegations being made against a leader and their team, program, or company. The adage of “where there is smoke, there is fire”, usually prevails. It typically comes to light that rules and laws were broken, and team members were protected instead of held accountable. The leader chose to act as though nothing wrong happened, even though they knew it did. Many times, the leader is also guilty of breaking rules and laws just as are team members in the same period.
A leader protecting themselves or being protected by other levels of leadership or the leader protecting a team member who have done wrong, instead of holding them accountable, is a compromise against the team and the team’s culture. Compromise results in the diminishment of character and integrity at all levels because something is always having to be done to further protect those who have done wrong. This diminishment trickles down into the team members character and integrity. They know when the leader or a teammate has broken a rule or compromised the culture of the team. When the leader does not exercise integrity to the team and hold themselves or the team member accountable, or when other levels of leadership do the same, they are telling the entire team that “Anything goes and don’t worry, I will have your back”.
We saw evidence of this in a recent report LSU commissioned from an outside law firm about what was going on in their football program under the leadership of Les Miles. (Note – I am not throwing stones at anyone here -merely restating the first-hand testimony of a former staff member under Miles, who remained anonymous in the report. I am a firm believer in the phrase, “There but for the grace of God, go I”). There were allegations of sexual misconduct against Miles and members of his program. The anonymous staff member said, “It was the University’s [protection by another level of leadership] mishandling of the Miles allegations, that fueled a culture of misconduct within LSU’s football program”. This is a sad, but accurate depiction of how the diminishment of character and integrity will trickle down to the team members.
It was said in this report by this same anonymous former staff member that it became a “win at all cost” environment within the football program. Leaders must continually remind themselves and recite throughout each day what is most important to them in their leadership role, which is those they lead. They must protect against being incorrectly (or corruptly) influenced to lose sight of what is most important. The pressure to win, be it internally or externally imposed, cannot out-weigh the importance of serving those you are leading; it cannot become, “win at all cost” in any area of leadership. When that becomes the mentality of the leader, they often invite problems into their program or team. They lose sight of what is most important and put the focus on themselves and their goal of winning, and not those they serve.
In this environment, leaders most often shift to a mode of desperation for one thing: talent; after all, they must win at all costs. If they are merely pursuing talent without regard for the character and integrity of the perspective team member, they can potentially be introducing the recipe for disaster and downfall to their team.
A leader must do their homework, seek out input about the recruit or perspective team member, from people that would not know the leader or why they are asking about them. The truth may be they find out a highly touted candidate is known as the most selfish teammate and is rude to everyone. They may find out from the local store clerk they steal a can of soda every time they come in because they think they are “entitled to it”. You may hear from a coach or business associate, that perspective team member won’t put any effort into what they do. That they barely give just what is required of them, even though they have been asked to give more effort. The reality of that recruit or perspective team member is, they have talent, great talent. But they lack the integrity and character traits that will make them a good teammate and, it is likely you will have all kinds of off-field or out-of-office behavioral problems with that person.
It is the responsibility of the leader to bring people into their team and program that will display the characteristics and integrity that uphold the established culture of teammates serving each other and working hard for each other and willingly sacrificing for the good of the team. A culture where TEAM is the focus, and everyone understands their behaviors and actions must honor the team and the team’s members. Talent is only a small component of what it takes for a team’s success and for a team member to be a contributing member of a team, and helping it successfully achieve its goals. Larger components are the character, integrity, selflessness, and work ethic the team member possess and how she/he applies those to the team and the (positive) impact on other team members that will result.
I have always seen examples, in sports and in business, where applying and maintaining a servant-minded approach to leading a team, resulted in the team exceeding expectations and consistently achieving the goals it had set for itself. This is because the leader convinces the team they care about them, they consistently hold the team members in higher regard than themselves and they are determined to serve the members of the team. Those we lead are always most important.
Train With Us!
CCW1: Carrying a Concealable Firearm
April 2, June 4, August 6, 2022 0730-1600, $100
This 8-hour program which will qualify you to obtain your permit for carrying a concealed firearm according to Missouri State Statute. This is also an excellent class for those wanting to learn or refresh firearms safety and basic marksmanship skills. Our coaches are credentialed operators and instructors with significant experience and we enjoy helping others learn. Our course is approved by the Missouri Department of Public Safety – Police Officer Standards and Training.
Concepts are based upon the military model of Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TC3) and the most current information and case studies from the United States military’s Special Operations Command (SOCOM). We have offered this course to police, fire, and EMS professionals across the country for several years. This is much MORE than a first aid or “stop the bleed” course. We will address how to recognize and immediately treat common traumatic wounds and medical emergencies in the minutes before advanced life support arrives or in the event that additional help will not be available for some time. CPR is an important and valid skill but due to time constraints it is not included in this day of training.
This dynamic and skill-oriented class addresses the realities of combat and the skills necessary to effectively fight and defend yourself with a firearm. We use a building-block approach to ensure that participants learn safe, proven, and tactically sound methods of handling and manipulating their firearm, and they are comfortable with how their firearm operates. We ensure that this occurs through repetitive drilling with constant positive and constructive feedback.
This class is 1⁄2 day requiring no ammunition. It is cost-effective and completely skill-oriented! We focus on motor skills, how to make your equipment work, and how to move in a crowd with your pistol in hand. We will show you practical applications, use scenarios and case study examples that have actually happened. You will practice threat assessment and awareness skills so you can make tactically correct decisions while under duress and in a compressed time frame. Participants should be in good cardiovascular health and capable of moderate physical activity, mostly walking. We will provide you with a study guide and an after-action summary for practicing and training at home.
The Super Belt – Now Sold Internationally!
I have been wearing a Super Belt, made right here in Mid-Missouri, for about 3 years. I use if for both IWB and OWB carry and I have been very happy with it’s performance and wear. It has several characteristics that uniquely qualify it as the perfect stabilizing platform for mounting a holstered pistol upon. A couple of my friends who are U.S. Secret Service agents are currently wearing this belt on protection assignments. Ellis Benus is the owner/operator of The Super Belt and he has made a short video explaining exactly what The Super Belt is, options you can choose, and why you should have one – it’s a fun watch! You may also take advantage of a 10% product discount if you enter the coupon code “tacspec” at checkout. Good stuff! Watch Super Belt video here!
Folks We Trust and Do Business With…and You Should Too!
ADVERTISING – THIS IS HOW WE ROLL…Many have asked how much it costs to advertise in The Shooting Times. The answer is ZERO. I don’t currently accept paid advertising. The folks you see in our newsletter are people I know and trust and do business with myself. They share the good word about me and I do the same for them. Same kind of barter thing that helped get our country going. Still works today. So when you see an ad, a business card, or a referral in The Shooting Times, they didn’t pay for it…they earned it! Thanks everyone!
Custom Hearing Protection
Columbia’s Indoor Firing Range
Carhartt, Liberty, YETI, Luminox, Surefire and more!
500 East Broadway, Columbia, MO 573-443-2565
Columbia’s Indoor Archery Range
Exercise Your First Amendment Right…Let Us Hear from You!
Take a minute to respond to what you have read, learned, agree or disagree with. Use the “leave a comment” section at the bottom. The authors, staff, and coaches who offer our training and education services value constructive feedback, and we want to keep this FREE newsletter going in a direction that honors God, our country, and our families. Many man-hours go into the construction of each edition. We invite you to share your thoughts with us!
Our Participants and Graduates Comment…
The comments and positive outcomes explained below reflect WHY we do what we do!
“Todd, A quick e-mail to let you know I really enjoyed the class this past Saturday and am much more comfortable with the AR platform. When you began class with the Pledge and Prayer I knew I was in the right place. Keep up the great work. Thanks, Doug.” Participant in AR101
“Todd, Thank you again for a fantastic class. I had some equipment malfunctions that pulled my focus and frustrated me. But once again, your instructors were so helpful and never once made me feel less than or anything! This class made me aware of what I need to work on and I greatly appreciate that. I know I can shoot in a non-stress environment. Today I got a little stressed and my form suffered. All things that I can improve upon. I am encouraged once again by the work that you do and your attitude in doing it! Have a great evening and may God bless you and your family. Thanks, Ben.” Participant in CCW3
“It was a bit hectic after the course on Saturday as everyone was leaving and waiting to speak with you. I wanted to thank you for your time and sharing your skills. Also, send my thanks to your instructors who assisted. The course surpassed my expectations and I look forward to continuing my education with you. Thank you, Christean.” Participant in CCW1
“Hey Todd, I am glad to hear your family is doing so well and all of the staff. I feared last year was going to be a monetary killer for you. Praise the Lord he guided you through! I was going to retire at the end of 2020 but the Chief promoted me to the number two spot, so I guess I need to stick around a little longer. At least I don’t have to work nights anymore! You have always treated us well and I want to thank you for all you and your staff do to make sure we have the skills to pass on so that all of our officers go home every night. Take care and stay safe!” Tom, Police lieutenant and Graduate of Firearms Instructor (3 Gun)
“The unique scenario of bringing (my son) and spending 3 weekends with you and your coaches probably makes it understandable for anyone interested in coming back a second time to CCW1. You and your family make this world a brighter place. The patience and kindness you display are favorable in our Lord’s eyes, I’m certain of that! I will see you at Practical Pistol, hopefully (my son) will be able to join me. I will continue to sing your praises and direct (good) folks your way. Peace, Craig.” Participant in CCW1, CCW2, CCW3, Practical Pistol Skills.
“Todd, First I want to thank you soooo much! This class was beyond words! I would like to share a story with you and whoever else you feel needs to hear this. Growing up, firearms were not permitted in our household just for the simple fact that my alcoholic father was not responsible with them as he had proven several times. Later in life, in my early adulthood, I was faced with a situation an 18-year-old should not have had to face. I was young and naive and involved with people I should not have been around. I was on the phone one afternoon and heard what I thought were firecrackers but in reality, it was someone being shot and killed. Someone in class today spoke of following your gut and being aware of your surroundings. Well before I came to know of the entire situation I came face to face with this murderer and as I spent time with this man I remember telling myself that I was not going to come out of this situation alive (mind you I did not know about the murder at this time). My gut and instincts were telling me that there was danger near and I had absolutely no way to protect myself. After learning the truth and the entire situation that I had so blindly walked into I told myself that I would never let myself be that vulnerable again. I made a bucket list of things that I wanted to learn to better protect myself and my family. So after years of counseling and working to strengthen myself mentally I have begun working on all the physical things I can do to be able to protect myself and my family. So I want you to know that I truly appreciate what you are doing, and what you and your volunteers helped me accomplish today. In case you are wondering, the man was convicted and is serving life in prison because I risked my life and spoke up about the situation, even though I was threatened not to breathe a word.” Stephanie, Participant in CCW1.
“Todd, This week our SWAT team participated in CMTOA, our local Tac Officer Association, with (several) other teams. Part of the training was a timed two-gun competition. My team took the top team award as well as 4 of the top 5 individual times. Which was of course rewarding. However, the real reward was one of the facilitators, a competition shooter, pulling one of our guys aside and asking about our training after everyone had gone through it. He was complimentary on our weapons handling, professionalism, and not throwing tactics to the wind for the sake of competition. He stated he never had to remind us about muzzle direction, safeties, finger index, etc. Other teams needed multiple reminders. I owe this to you as I always try to train purposefully, and use our training time wisely. He was surprised when told we spend a large amount of time dry firing, even when we’re only allowed two training days per month. I appreciate your coaching and mentorship, and I don’t think we would receive that praise if I didn’t follow the ideals you taught me.” Thank you, [name withheld]. One of our coaches and a certified Police Firearms Instructor.
“Todd, I wanted to thank you for the job you and the other instructors do. I don’t know if you ever hear of the profound effect that you and your team have on those whom you train. I am thankful for the training I got with my weapon but more thankful that that training came from godly men who sincerely care for those they train. The greatest thing I took from the classes was the lesson in humility. I learned my own pride not only stood in my way of learning, but it also stood in my way of hearing God and acting on his wishes.” Scott, Participant in our 4-day Pistol Camp.
“Thank you Todd, I feel you have helped make me the instructor I am today. I have learned a lot from your teaching and hope to continue doing so in the future. I’ve been to several classes where the instructor made it apparent they were better than me or the students and most time would ignore any ideas or suggestions. This is something that you and your team have not shown and you should be very proud of the quality you bring to the table. Thanks again, Craig.” Graduate of Tactical Firearms Instructor and one of our coaches.
As always, it is a treat and an education to receive this newsletter; an affirmation good people are out there. Greetings from your Texas neighbors and..y’all come!