I wish I could find more time to write in this blog, even more I wish I wasn't always writing about a tragedy that is so horrific. Alas, here we go again.....
I have seen death, death does not bother me. The hardest part of my job as a police officer, the only part of my job that ever kept me up at night, was the horrors I saw visited upon children. Things I would not have believed possible until I saw them for myself. I do not miss that part of the job, and I still have nightmares about some of those calls. Unfortunately I am no longer surprised to see these incidents on the news. Saddened, yes, broken hearted for the families of those children, yes, surprised no. There is evil in this world, so horrible that it is beyond imagination, at least until you see it for yourself. Monsters are real ladies and gentlemen, pretending otherwise is nothing but wishful thinking.
Now is the time to mourn, to reflect on the lives of the victims. To support those who have lost, and begin the process of rebuilding. Now is NOT the time for rash actions, and calls for legislation one way or the other. I have heard left-wing nuts and right-wing extremists pose their solutions to this problem and I can't help but shake my head at the stupidity of it all.
Mr. President this is NOT the time to split the country over more legislation, this is a time to bring the country together in mourning and support for Newton.
Gun Control is not the answer. Some people are broken, they are just broken, and when they decide to do something like this they will find a way. I'm from Oklahoma, and we Oklahomans know better than most, guns are far from the only way to commit mass murder, they are also a long way from the most effective way to accomplish the goal of terror and mass murder. Around here we will never forget what two nut-jobs and a u-haul full of fertilizer can do. As terrible as this is, imagine how much worse it could have been. First, gun control won't take away the guns from anyone but the law abiding citizens. Second, even if you could somehow recall all of them and stop selling anymore, there are plenty other methods to commit mass murder, many of which are far more horrific. The instrument is not the issue it is the operator that must be addressed.
.....ahh that makes sense, then we should arm the teachers that would put an end to this. WRONG
Consider this, SWAT officers train countless hours in the use of special weapons and tactics, which can be applied in situations like this with reasonable success rates. REASONABLE (not perfect). Teachers are not police, they are not special forces (unless they are retired), they are NOT trained for that type of situation. Imagine you are a teacher in this school. Suddenly you are responsible for saving a classroom full of 26 kindergarten students. You have to keep track of them, keep them calm, and do what you can to keep them in, or get them to a secure location. Do you believe you can do that, and properly utilize a firearm to neutralize an attacker? 99.9% of gun owners can't even hit a head size non-moving target, while standing still, taking their time to aim, in a controlled environment, at 10 yards, with 100% focus on shooting anymore than 50% of the time. And you want to turn them loose in a school, full of children with a handgun or rifle? I think not. When dealing with an active shooter in an environment like that, especially a school, you must consider your backdrop 100% of the time. If you take a shot and miss, that bullet my penetrate the wall behind your target and strike a child on the other side. Could you live with that? Maybe you hit your target, but the round over-penetrates and upon exiting the attacker strikes a child, is it worth it? Teachers/Principals are not trained for that type of combat, nor should they be.
There is no one answer to the problem, the fact is some small portion of the population of the world, and by extension this country, are just broken. They are capable of terrible acts, we can't always diagnose, predict, or prevent them from carrying out these horrific crimes. The best we can hope for is to make sure we are as prepared as possible, so in the event we have a chance to stop it, we are able to act quickly and decisively to do so.
In my opinion, the first logical step is access control to the schools. I'm not talking about glass doors with buzzers. I mean good doors and windows, with ballistic glass. Limit the entrances and exits (of course emergency exits that only open out will be required for fire), use metal detectors, and have a police presence at all times observing access points. Limit access to the buildings to staff, students, and police ONLY. Have an atrium up front if needed for parents to meet with teachers/students if they must come into the building, but do not allow them access to the actual classrooms. We waste billions on social programs, welfare, unemployment etc, if you clean up a fraction of those programs you would have all the money you need to provide this in every public school in this country.
However, even this is not fool-proof, nothing is. Where there is a will there is a way, but this would go a long way towards making it more difficult to pull off this type of massacre, and at least give the schools a fighting chance to stop the next tragedy before it really begins.
Who is to blame? Well it seems clear the mother of the suspect knew he had severe mental issues. She told a former babysitter to never take his eyes off the boy, she went so far as to tell him not to go to the bathroom because that was too long to leave the child unsupervised. Clearly she did not get the help she needed, clearly she failed to secure her firearms properly knowing someone that disturbed would have access to them if she did not..... And clearly she paid the ultimate price, murdered by her son, with her own gun. Unfortunately her lack of action cost many other innocent people their lives. Hate her if you want to, but she's already dead better to save your energy.
Improvements in mental health diagnoses could also help, however how to treat someone who has committed no crime becomes a bit of an issue even if they are severely mentally unstable. My problem with this approach is that mental health diagnosis is highly subjective. There are no tests that are accurate 100% of the time, in the end it falls to the opinion of a human being to determine what diagnosis fits, if any. If you diagnose the suspects mental health condition early, do you lock him away, even though he has yet to commit a crime? At the very least you could have warned his mother, who I suspect knew anyway, that he was dangerous and must not have access to firearms, cars etc.
We are left with more questions than answers, and realizing that there are no definitive answers does not make us feel any better. As for me, I will do what I have always done. Hope for the best, but having seen the evil in this world, I will continue to train and prepare for the worst because I know, Monsters are real.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
So you want to carry a firearm......
You sure about that?
There is a lot of talk about when to carry, what to carry, how to carry. I will discuss training, equipment, mindset, and general best practices in another post. However the question almost no one asks, the elephant in the room in almost every firearm permit class is this:
Are you willing to look another human being in the eye and take his or her life?
This is the most fundamental question behind weather or not to carry a firearm on your person. Ironically it is also the most overlooked. Do not take this question lightly, give it the long thought and introspection it deserves. Remove the pride, fantasy, and bravado from your mind, you must look at this question carefully. If you cannot answer with a resounding YES, you should not carry a firearm.
It's not a pleasant thought to dwell on, and it may take you some time to ponder. In truth you won't know for sure until the situation presents itself. But, if you have doubts when you are sitting calmly thinking over the matter, you very likely will have the same doubts when that critical moment arrives. Those doubts will get you, and your loved ones killed (quite possibly with your own firearm). Worth noting is the fact that you will also have to live with your actions. Preserving your life is not much use if you fall into a well of self-pity and depression so deep you might as well be dead.
Will all confrontations involving your firearm result in death? The odds say no, not even close, but if you are well trained and practiced the odds begin to shift (and you will be well trained and practiced right?). You never shoot to wound, you shoot to stop the threat, and frankly there is a very real possibility that stopping the threat may result in the death of another human being. If you are unsure there is no need to read on.
....You are still here, I will assume that you have either considered the question posed to you earlier carefully and made your choice....or you are just terrible at following directions. Regardless, let us continue....
Most states require you to take some type of class before obtaining a permit to carry a firearm. While these classes (at least in my state) are largely a joke, they do offer very helpful insight into the laws of your specific state, and you will need to know the law, inside and out.
Step 1 - Research Laws in your state, and if applicable find a reputable instructor who teaches the course in your area. Register for the course (be prepared to pay between $50 and $100 for the course).
Now it's time to start thinking about what you want to carry. If you are new to firearms or to EDC (everyday carry), I strongly encourage you to find other rational human beings who have obtained their permit and discuss what they like to carry. There are many considerations, caliber, weight, size, etc. This is an important decision and you should not pick something because it looks cool or because it matches your shoes. Remember you are going to be taking this with you any and everywhere you go so you need to be comfortable carrying the weapon and shooting it. If possible find a gun range that rents the make, model, and caliber of the guns you are considering. Rent them and shoot them. The firearm needs to be comfortable, and portable, but you also need to be happy enough with it that you will be willing to put in practice time daily. Most ranges that sell and rent guns will waive the rental fee if you choose to purchase a gun on the same visit (ask first). You will not be limited to only one gun with your permit, but for new permit holders it's best to get a well established practice and method of carrying down with one gun before you begin to make changes.
Step 2 - After you have done your research and tried out a few firearms, decide which one works best for YOU (not your brother, cousin, sister, mother etc), and purchase the firearm.
At this point I recommend you find a reputable instructor or class, that will train you in basic handgun skills. These skill should include drawing from concealment, accuracy drills, speed drills, and general EDC safety precautions. I prefer private lessons, but there are many good schools out there that teach groups. Again, do your research find something reputable. This will cost some money, but it's well worth the expense. You can do this before or after your permit class, but since most permit classes require you to shoot your gun (not qualify or draw) it's worth taking some steps to familiarize yourself with the gun through training beforehand.
Step 3 - Take your course and submit the application to for your permit (cost between $100 and $500 varies state to state). In my state we have a wait of about 2 months, but it can fluctuate up to 6 months at times, depending on the number of applicants at any one time.
Keep practicing. If your private instructor or class was any good they gave you drills to practice at home that will help you refine your skill even with out actually shooting the gun. Practice every day, drawing from concealment, dry firing (trigger control), malfunction clearing, reloading, and so on. Try to shoot once a week, even if it's just a quick 50 rounds. Muscle memory is key and it's not enough to fire your gun once every few months. Stay on top of your skills and they can be relied upon, when needed, to save your life.
In my next post we will review what to do once you have your permit, and discuss methodologies of carry, and some best practices for EDC.
Remember what works for one person may not work for another. You must find what works for you, start building your system now. If you try to fully adopt someone else's system there will likely be conflicts with your life or comfort that will cause you to not want to carry or to carry improperly.
Keep practicing.
There is a lot of talk about when to carry, what to carry, how to carry. I will discuss training, equipment, mindset, and general best practices in another post. However the question almost no one asks, the elephant in the room in almost every firearm permit class is this:
Are you willing to look another human being in the eye and take his or her life?
This is the most fundamental question behind weather or not to carry a firearm on your person. Ironically it is also the most overlooked. Do not take this question lightly, give it the long thought and introspection it deserves. Remove the pride, fantasy, and bravado from your mind, you must look at this question carefully. If you cannot answer with a resounding YES, you should not carry a firearm.
It's not a pleasant thought to dwell on, and it may take you some time to ponder. In truth you won't know for sure until the situation presents itself. But, if you have doubts when you are sitting calmly thinking over the matter, you very likely will have the same doubts when that critical moment arrives. Those doubts will get you, and your loved ones killed (quite possibly with your own firearm). Worth noting is the fact that you will also have to live with your actions. Preserving your life is not much use if you fall into a well of self-pity and depression so deep you might as well be dead.
Will all confrontations involving your firearm result in death? The odds say no, not even close, but if you are well trained and practiced the odds begin to shift (and you will be well trained and practiced right?). You never shoot to wound, you shoot to stop the threat, and frankly there is a very real possibility that stopping the threat may result in the death of another human being. If you are unsure there is no need to read on.
....You are still here, I will assume that you have either considered the question posed to you earlier carefully and made your choice....or you are just terrible at following directions. Regardless, let us continue....
Most states require you to take some type of class before obtaining a permit to carry a firearm. While these classes (at least in my state) are largely a joke, they do offer very helpful insight into the laws of your specific state, and you will need to know the law, inside and out.
Step 1 - Research Laws in your state, and if applicable find a reputable instructor who teaches the course in your area. Register for the course (be prepared to pay between $50 and $100 for the course).
Now it's time to start thinking about what you want to carry. If you are new to firearms or to EDC (everyday carry), I strongly encourage you to find other rational human beings who have obtained their permit and discuss what they like to carry. There are many considerations, caliber, weight, size, etc. This is an important decision and you should not pick something because it looks cool or because it matches your shoes. Remember you are going to be taking this with you any and everywhere you go so you need to be comfortable carrying the weapon and shooting it. If possible find a gun range that rents the make, model, and caliber of the guns you are considering. Rent them and shoot them. The firearm needs to be comfortable, and portable, but you also need to be happy enough with it that you will be willing to put in practice time daily. Most ranges that sell and rent guns will waive the rental fee if you choose to purchase a gun on the same visit (ask first). You will not be limited to only one gun with your permit, but for new permit holders it's best to get a well established practice and method of carrying down with one gun before you begin to make changes.
Step 2 - After you have done your research and tried out a few firearms, decide which one works best for YOU (not your brother, cousin, sister, mother etc), and purchase the firearm.
At this point I recommend you find a reputable instructor or class, that will train you in basic handgun skills. These skill should include drawing from concealment, accuracy drills, speed drills, and general EDC safety precautions. I prefer private lessons, but there are many good schools out there that teach groups. Again, do your research find something reputable. This will cost some money, but it's well worth the expense. You can do this before or after your permit class, but since most permit classes require you to shoot your gun (not qualify or draw) it's worth taking some steps to familiarize yourself with the gun through training beforehand.
Step 3 - Take your course and submit the application to for your permit (cost between $100 and $500 varies state to state). In my state we have a wait of about 2 months, but it can fluctuate up to 6 months at times, depending on the number of applicants at any one time.
Keep practicing. If your private instructor or class was any good they gave you drills to practice at home that will help you refine your skill even with out actually shooting the gun. Practice every day, drawing from concealment, dry firing (trigger control), malfunction clearing, reloading, and so on. Try to shoot once a week, even if it's just a quick 50 rounds. Muscle memory is key and it's not enough to fire your gun once every few months. Stay on top of your skills and they can be relied upon, when needed, to save your life.
In my next post we will review what to do once you have your permit, and discuss methodologies of carry, and some best practices for EDC.
Remember what works for one person may not work for another. You must find what works for you, start building your system now. If you try to fully adopt someone else's system there will likely be conflicts with your life or comfort that will cause you to not want to carry or to carry improperly.
Keep practicing.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Answers for Aurora
I don't have them, at least not any that will bring satisfaction.
Gun control must be the answer right? Wrong. All criminals have one universal thing in common, they are willing to break the law to accomplish their goals. Be it money, fame, or maybe, like Alfred said "they just want to watch the world burn." Regardless of what motivates individual criminals, they are all willing to break the law to accomplish their objectives. Making guns illegal only takes them out of the hands of those who respect the law. Laws do not dictate the behavior of the lawless.
Ahh well if it's not gun control, then we must need more legally armed citizens. Wrong again. The sad truth is the vast majority of concealed carry permit holders have received no training beyond the course needed to obtain the permit (what a joke that class is). Of the few who do actively practice with their firearm of choice, most consider popping off some rounds at the gun range every other week is sufficient training. In a smokey theatre filled with wildly panicking human beings, and untrained citizen with a gun is far more likely to hit an innocent bystander as he/she is to hit the attacker.
Then you have the select few the less than 1% of permit holders who actually train daily. Not just with their firearm, but with their entire system. The mind, the body, and the hardware. It's not enough to be a good shot if you don't see danger coming. It's not enough to see danger coming if you don't have the instincts, bread through training, to react to it. It's not enough to react to the danger if your equipment fails you, and it will, at the worst possible moment. These few cannot be the answer either, at least not all the time. There are simply not enough of them to go around. I will discuss what all goes into being that sub 1% at another time, this is not their story.
So what is the answer? First let me give you a quick rundown of concealed carry and why it might have stopped this rampage before it reached its zenith. However, I will go one step further and tell you why it likely would not have. Bear in mind the laws I reference are generally very similar from state to state, but I speak from an understanding of my local state's laws (not Colorado's).
A concealed carry permit holder is not obligated to engage anyone ever. They are in fact very limited in when they can use their firearm. As a general rule, in a public place, you must be defending against a direct and immediate threat to yourself or your family. A responsible, trained person, understands that in a situation like the Aurora theatre, your first obligation is to get your family out safe. If you can do that without engaging the gunman then you do it. You get them out to safety and you have done your job. Not very heroic right? That depends on your point of view, but it is not your job, as a civilian, to defend anyone but yourself and your family. Permit or no, gun or no, if you can get your family out of there without engaging the gunman you do it. There are those among us who chose not to carry the means to defend themselves against an armed threat. I support their choice, but I won't risk my family to save them. The police and military have the obligation to defend those who cannot or will not defend themselves, as an armed civilian your responsibility is to your family.
That being said, if you were in the aisle or near the line of fire and could not get your family to safety without exposing them to fire, then you get them to whatever cover you safely can (if any) and engage the gunman. It is at this point where the trained fall back on instinct and the untrained falter. You have everything working against you, firepower: advantage gunman, planning/terrain: advantage gunman, cover/panicked human shields: advantage gunman, willpower/training: this is your only chance to influence the outcome and survive. If you don't know how to draw your gun from a seated position, if you are not comfortable with your holster and how it works, if you cannot avoid tunnel vision that prevents you from seeing the innocent victim who is about to step into your line if fire, if you cannot squeeze rather than jerk the trigger, if you cannot hit a target the size of a CD at a range of 10 yards the first time every time, then you are trusting blind luck to keep you and your family alive.
Could such a man have stopped the killer before he finished his spree? You bet. Is it likely? No sir. I would however say that one of the trained and experienced few, could have stopped him, in fact would have been likely to have stopped him, except for one thing.... Those few avoid places that do not permit firearms, therefore you would not find them in that theatre.
The fact is there is no answer. Someone that hell-bent on violence will find a way to accomplish it. The best you can hope for is that you are able to see it coming and get your family out safe, or worst case scenario engage and stop it if it's heading your way. If you want to survive sometimes you have to be a little paranoid. Don't sit right next to the exit (where you have zero reaction time to someone walking in and opening fire). Don't patronize establishments that prevent you and your fellow citizens from bringing the means to protect themselves. Don't allow yourself to become so transfixed on any one thing (movie screen, stop light etc) that you fail to maintain awareness of your surroundings. These things improve your chances, but there are no guarantees in this world.
Of course, there are those who will go above and beyond. Men and women who put themselves in harms way to help others. They are not always soldiers and/or police, even out of this tragedy we begin to hear stories of heroism. I am a firm believer that good men cannot stand by and allow evil to prevail. Not having been there it's difficult to make a judgement call about what should have or could have been done. As for me, I believe I would have escorted my party to safety, and then evaluated the next move. Ever mindful that one panicked movie goer in the wrong place at the wrong time would mean the difference between stopping a killer and sharing a cell with him.
Gun control must be the answer right? Wrong. All criminals have one universal thing in common, they are willing to break the law to accomplish their goals. Be it money, fame, or maybe, like Alfred said "they just want to watch the world burn." Regardless of what motivates individual criminals, they are all willing to break the law to accomplish their objectives. Making guns illegal only takes them out of the hands of those who respect the law. Laws do not dictate the behavior of the lawless.
Ahh well if it's not gun control, then we must need more legally armed citizens. Wrong again. The sad truth is the vast majority of concealed carry permit holders have received no training beyond the course needed to obtain the permit (what a joke that class is). Of the few who do actively practice with their firearm of choice, most consider popping off some rounds at the gun range every other week is sufficient training. In a smokey theatre filled with wildly panicking human beings, and untrained citizen with a gun is far more likely to hit an innocent bystander as he/she is to hit the attacker.
Then you have the select few the less than 1% of permit holders who actually train daily. Not just with their firearm, but with their entire system. The mind, the body, and the hardware. It's not enough to be a good shot if you don't see danger coming. It's not enough to see danger coming if you don't have the instincts, bread through training, to react to it. It's not enough to react to the danger if your equipment fails you, and it will, at the worst possible moment. These few cannot be the answer either, at least not all the time. There are simply not enough of them to go around. I will discuss what all goes into being that sub 1% at another time, this is not their story.
So what is the answer? First let me give you a quick rundown of concealed carry and why it might have stopped this rampage before it reached its zenith. However, I will go one step further and tell you why it likely would not have. Bear in mind the laws I reference are generally very similar from state to state, but I speak from an understanding of my local state's laws (not Colorado's).
A concealed carry permit holder is not obligated to engage anyone ever. They are in fact very limited in when they can use their firearm. As a general rule, in a public place, you must be defending against a direct and immediate threat to yourself or your family. A responsible, trained person, understands that in a situation like the Aurora theatre, your first obligation is to get your family out safe. If you can do that without engaging the gunman then you do it. You get them out to safety and you have done your job. Not very heroic right? That depends on your point of view, but it is not your job, as a civilian, to defend anyone but yourself and your family. Permit or no, gun or no, if you can get your family out of there without engaging the gunman you do it. There are those among us who chose not to carry the means to defend themselves against an armed threat. I support their choice, but I won't risk my family to save them. The police and military have the obligation to defend those who cannot or will not defend themselves, as an armed civilian your responsibility is to your family.
That being said, if you were in the aisle or near the line of fire and could not get your family to safety without exposing them to fire, then you get them to whatever cover you safely can (if any) and engage the gunman. It is at this point where the trained fall back on instinct and the untrained falter. You have everything working against you, firepower: advantage gunman, planning/terrain: advantage gunman, cover/panicked human shields: advantage gunman, willpower/training: this is your only chance to influence the outcome and survive. If you don't know how to draw your gun from a seated position, if you are not comfortable with your holster and how it works, if you cannot avoid tunnel vision that prevents you from seeing the innocent victim who is about to step into your line if fire, if you cannot squeeze rather than jerk the trigger, if you cannot hit a target the size of a CD at a range of 10 yards the first time every time, then you are trusting blind luck to keep you and your family alive.
Could such a man have stopped the killer before he finished his spree? You bet. Is it likely? No sir. I would however say that one of the trained and experienced few, could have stopped him, in fact would have been likely to have stopped him, except for one thing.... Those few avoid places that do not permit firearms, therefore you would not find them in that theatre.
The fact is there is no answer. Someone that hell-bent on violence will find a way to accomplish it. The best you can hope for is that you are able to see it coming and get your family out safe, or worst case scenario engage and stop it if it's heading your way. If you want to survive sometimes you have to be a little paranoid. Don't sit right next to the exit (where you have zero reaction time to someone walking in and opening fire). Don't patronize establishments that prevent you and your fellow citizens from bringing the means to protect themselves. Don't allow yourself to become so transfixed on any one thing (movie screen, stop light etc) that you fail to maintain awareness of your surroundings. These things improve your chances, but there are no guarantees in this world.
Of course, there are those who will go above and beyond. Men and women who put themselves in harms way to help others. They are not always soldiers and/or police, even out of this tragedy we begin to hear stories of heroism. I am a firm believer that good men cannot stand by and allow evil to prevail. Not having been there it's difficult to make a judgement call about what should have or could have been done. As for me, I believe I would have escorted my party to safety, and then evaluated the next move. Ever mindful that one panicked movie goer in the wrong place at the wrong time would mean the difference between stopping a killer and sharing a cell with him.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Who The Hell Am I And Why Do You Care?
Well the truth is, you might not. Regardless before I post any opinions or stories, before I give you suggestions, or try to alter your behavior, you will want to know what, if any, qualifications I have.
First, and foremost, I am a citizen of the United States, a free man. I am a former police officer, with 5 years of experience under my belt. Two of those years were spent as a member of our tactical team (our version of SWAT), and 4 were spent working dope. If you just said "hey wait that math does not add up," good for you you passed the first test. I worked for a smaller department, I won't say which one, but while it was large enough to have a tac team it was small enough that officers on that team worked other duties and simply remained on call. I went through a Federal, rather than local SWAT training program, and we received 2 days per month to train as a team. In addition to my law enforcement experience I have 10 years of concealed carry/off-duty carry experience. Although I list the two in one sentence, I believe there is a huge fundamental difference between concealed carry and a police officers off-duty carry. I will get more into that in a separate post.
In addition to firearms training, I have trained in hand to hand combat and open hand techniques under various disciplines. I have no certifications and/or awards to show off in the empty hand category, although I do have an impressive (insert sarcasm here) ammature fight record of 2 and 0, and an even more impressive real-life fight record of, well I don't know but I'm still alive and that's the impressive part.
I have been involved in exactly two gunfights in my life, both were on-duty incidents. Each one under vastly different circumstances, but both had the same outcome. I will not be posting those stories, but I will be posting about things I learned from them.
As for my politics, I am a registered voting Republican. If you are a liberal, you will probably think I'm a redneck gun nut. If you are a real gun-nut/survivalist type, you'll probably think I'm a liberal. I have very strong beliefs, but I respect the right of any American citizen to disagree with me. I am NOT anti-government, so if that's the kind of blog you are looking for you will not find satisfaction here. I may disagree with the actions of our elected government, but I love my country and I will always respect the principals she was founded on.
I believe self-defense/concealed carry is a lifestyle. Or rather, I believe it must be a lifestyle in order to be effective. Casual carry, while not a lifestyle, probably accounts for 95% of the concealed carry permit holders in this nation. We will discuss that in one of my first few posts.
In addition to everything listed above I am a gearhead, building and racing hot rods is my passion. I love football, and just about anything outdoors. And yes I love guns, in reality I love most things that are purely mechanical in nature.
Now you know a little about me. What you will read here is based on my own experience, and colored by my own perspective. I try to be unbiased when I write, but in most things my own bias will shine through. Keep that in mind as you read, and remember, I don't claim to be the authority on anything, I'm just a guy who has survived a few trials by fire, and has somehow found a way to survive.
First, and foremost, I am a citizen of the United States, a free man. I am a former police officer, with 5 years of experience under my belt. Two of those years were spent as a member of our tactical team (our version of SWAT), and 4 were spent working dope. If you just said "hey wait that math does not add up," good for you you passed the first test. I worked for a smaller department, I won't say which one, but while it was large enough to have a tac team it was small enough that officers on that team worked other duties and simply remained on call. I went through a Federal, rather than local SWAT training program, and we received 2 days per month to train as a team. In addition to my law enforcement experience I have 10 years of concealed carry/off-duty carry experience. Although I list the two in one sentence, I believe there is a huge fundamental difference between concealed carry and a police officers off-duty carry. I will get more into that in a separate post.
In addition to firearms training, I have trained in hand to hand combat and open hand techniques under various disciplines. I have no certifications and/or awards to show off in the empty hand category, although I do have an impressive (insert sarcasm here) ammature fight record of 2 and 0, and an even more impressive real-life fight record of, well I don't know but I'm still alive and that's the impressive part.
I have been involved in exactly two gunfights in my life, both were on-duty incidents. Each one under vastly different circumstances, but both had the same outcome. I will not be posting those stories, but I will be posting about things I learned from them.
As for my politics, I am a registered voting Republican. If you are a liberal, you will probably think I'm a redneck gun nut. If you are a real gun-nut/survivalist type, you'll probably think I'm a liberal. I have very strong beliefs, but I respect the right of any American citizen to disagree with me. I am NOT anti-government, so if that's the kind of blog you are looking for you will not find satisfaction here. I may disagree with the actions of our elected government, but I love my country and I will always respect the principals she was founded on.
I believe self-defense/concealed carry is a lifestyle. Or rather, I believe it must be a lifestyle in order to be effective. Casual carry, while not a lifestyle, probably accounts for 95% of the concealed carry permit holders in this nation. We will discuss that in one of my first few posts.
In addition to everything listed above I am a gearhead, building and racing hot rods is my passion. I love football, and just about anything outdoors. And yes I love guns, in reality I love most things that are purely mechanical in nature.
Now you know a little about me. What you will read here is based on my own experience, and colored by my own perspective. I try to be unbiased when I write, but in most things my own bias will shine through. Keep that in mind as you read, and remember, I don't claim to be the authority on anything, I'm just a guy who has survived a few trials by fire, and has somehow found a way to survive.
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