Many thanks to Gary and Lady Karen for making this a Fathers Day I shall not forget. The 9:00 to 5:00 session was just the right mix of classroom instruction, video presentations, handgun basics, open discussion, review and testing plus near 100 rounds per student expended at their safe, sheltered range. I had hoped I would learn new things and I was not disappointed. Several additional impressions linger now two weeks later:
- My classmates were first class. And they were familiar with concealable guns and competent with the handguns they already own. If they exemplify who's already packing out there, I'm thrilled. It's no wonder we see headlines such as,
Concealed Carry Permit Holders are One Third as Likely to Commit Murder as Police Officers. http://www.gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/10/concealed-carry-permit-holders-are-one.html- Concealed carry is sober business, and I'm not just talking intoxicants. It's demanding. It takes the situational focus and "event" avoidance employed by every sound motorcyclist, combined with the prep and skills of a skydiver plus a dash of legal smelling salts. This is an excellent class for anyone just considering application for a CC permit. You may decide you don't want to do 530 miles in 28 degree weather... you may decide you don't want to fall out of an airplane at 3,000 feet... you may decide you don't want to face the legal and emotional consequences after a self defense event. This class is a great experience and will make you a better firearm owner, regardless of whether you ever decide to legally carry concealed.
- Gary's range experience is fun but also properly "in your face"... it reinforces the reality of self defense events - they occur up close, they are a brief moment in time, they are to be avoided at all costs, but when a defensive response cannot be avoided it is to be handled with precision and alacrity. A familiarity with your gun, your holster, your concealing clothing, your grip, etc. enable you to get the most out of the range session of the class because these fundamentals are the basic skills you'll need in the field.
- This class will reinforce what you already know and strengthen your resolve. For those of us largely "self taught" - a weakness enabled by the net - to gather face to face with experts and other sound gun owners is just good practice. There is a tangible degree of brotherhood/sisterhood inherent to Gary's course time from the class to the range... and I'm still chewing on it like a fine piece of buffalo jerky. If the measure of the success of the instruction is the degree to which the student desires for more instruction, Gary scored big.
Well, enough ramblings. Again, I thank Gary and Karen for waiving their routine fee for our class, and I thank you both for making it easy for me to contribute to NFOA. The dollars you sacrificed to assist my family will, I am sure, be well utilized by our Association.
Peace and continued success!