Almost Done

[Wildgoose]

My wife and I are on the last lap now. All of the money has been laid out, class attended, applications submitted and now its down to waiting for the permits to be issued. Our experience at the Lincoln office of the State Patrol was plesant and efficient. The class we attended was well run, informative and left us with a much better understanding of just what we are getting ourselves into. After all of the above we decided to go ahead and complete the process. The next steps are some range time to polish our skills and some of the equipment we will need to safely and legally comply with the regulations this process requires. Not a simple road and one that requires one to really think about what you are doing but we feel its worth it for the extara ability to protect ourselves if need be.

[sjwsti]

Congrats on completing the process of classroom and permit application. Shouldnt take too long and you will have your permits in hand.

But dont convince yourself that your "almost done". If you were able to save and make time for the required training and equipment you can surely make time to attend a proper advanced training course.

As  CCW instructor I know that the required CCW curriculum teaches you little to nothing about how to survive a violent encounter and properly use your weapon under stress. Unless your attacked by an unarmed piece of paper shaped like a bowling pin "range shooting" wont prepare you.

No one , including myself, is ever done learning or drilling. You must make a commitment to continuing your education, even if its not required by the state.

Once again, welcome to the club. Now get out there and train.

- Shawn 

[SemperFiGuy]

Wildgoose.........

Please bear with me and don't bear offense if I modestly offer that "you're never done" w/CCW.

Well, perhaps you're now done with the coursework, range qualification, and application process.    All well and good.  Now you're started.  However, you will enter into an entirely new level of experience when you start carrying a loaded firearm around on your person.

First time concealed carry of a potentially lethal handgun will most likely raise your consciousness several notches.   Like when you see the "No Concealed Weapons" sign on the way out, rather than on the way in.

And--as Shawn indicates--there's always new things to learn and new levels of skill to achieve.

Chris Zeeb teaches an excellent course entitled, "Legal Aspects of Lethal Force", which is well worth taking.

Anything taught by Shawn will add to your portfolio of self-defense skills.   [Shawn's an EMT and sees blood in the street on a too-regular basis.]

Thanks for listening and thanks for any patience with these comments on your part.

May you never have to draw your handgun in fear nor anger.


sfg

[Wildgoose]

Thanks for the admonishments gentelmen. I certinly did not intend to impart that being "Almost Done" meant that no further training or continuing preperation for possibly having to use a CCW would be either wise or needed. I was refering to the process of jumping through the hoops and legal costs in time and money the government forces on me in order to have the option to defend myself with lethal force. The training that is required dose not indeed prepare one for a violent attack. I have been attacked, actually it has happened to me twice. I will only say that the results were unpleasant in the extreame and I learned first hand just how quickly and easily this can happen. I live with it every day. It is one of the reasons I have bothered to get involved in CC at all. It is inconvient, laden with risks, and in the end no gaurantee that it will keep you from suffering at the hands of someone bent on taking from you your property, peace of mind or even your life. And of course advanced training will increase the possibility that one may sucessfully stop such an attack. Please dont feel that this response is due to my having been offended by your comments. They just made me aware that my original post was lacking in detail and gave the impression that one can approach this very emotional and personal subject in a casual manner.   

[SemperFiGuy]

Wildgoose/RER

My posting here was simply to let you know that---as your own personal Classroom and Range CHP Instructor---I try to practice after-class follow-up on my students.

It was a pleasure to share that excellent experience with you and the others.

Now--Please keep nursing that hand along.   And my best regards to Ellie and the others, as well.



sfg/KGM