Training Course Brainstorm

**TacComKai** · January 13th, 2015, 03:22 PM

Hello,

First off, my name is Kai and I would like to say hello to everyone here on the forum and would also like to thank you all for supporting the american way and the second amendment!

Now, why I am posting here is that I am in the process of forming a tactical academy of sorts to get underway come the better northeast PA weather. Just going through the legal side of business. I have extensive knowledge and training in weapons and tactics. I come from a military background and am also NRA certified, along with great, tried and true physical training regimens. My main goal is not money nor to boast about my accomplishments, but to offer people fully comprehensive firearm and tactics training at a reasonable price! As far as location, I am based out of the Scranton Area, but have all intentions of traveling in order to allow more and more people to partake and learn in training, something that I have found to be rare within the region. No more traveling 3 hours and staying a hotel just to attend a 2 day course. Also, knowing that I am and will forever be a student of the gun, I have a few instructor courses lined up for myself to further learn and better my knowledge. Some of these course I will be traveling all over the U.S. to attend in order to bring particular systems in which this area does not have much access too. Now, I have a good idea as to what I would like my curriculum to be, however, I know that it is not just about what I want to teach, but what you, the people want also. So what better way to cater to my trainees than to ask what they wish to learn and take away from the course. So how about a full in-depth brainstorm of things you all would like to learn or even become more knowledgeable in. Please, feel free to list anything and everything that is in that head of yours. Any idea is a good idea!

Thank You and look forward to all of your responses!
Kai

**Cyclops** · January 13th, 2015, 04:26 PM

I think you should consider the following thoughts I have regarding your request.

PAFOA discussion forums are used by a wide range of gun owners and even some non-owners. Within the owner group there are those who have had actual offensive and defensive experiences, like LEOs, military, and folk who had the misfortune to be shot at or to have to shoot at someone. There are the owners who have none on that experience, and there are owners who have only had target shooting experience, and finally there are (I suspect) a few who have never fired the gun they own.

Effectively you are asking that wide audience to tell you what they do not know. That leads to the problem I am having with your request for information. Logically, I do not know what I do not know. Otherwise I would know it.

During my 6 years on active duty I trained on rifles, handguns, and submachine guns. That was in the 60's. I trained for practically every tactical situation I might encounter, and I did encounter many of them. However, training can become obsolete, and retraining can become necessary. I might need retraining, but how do I know whether I do or not?

Wouldn't it be better it you posted a listing of the subjects you will teach based upon your qualifications to teach them? The idea that I might say something like "I want to learn to shoot with my non-dominant hand," and that it might end up on your curricula is a bit worry some. I have no idea whether you have the expertise to so that training. I do not want to see it on list of subject taught unless the teacher/trainer is qualified to instruct it.

Wouldn't it be better if you presented a list of your qualification to instruct on your list of subject matter to be taught? I suspect you have more current knowledge that I have on some gun related topics, but I don't know what it might be. Once again, I do not know what I do not know.

Think about confidence building. Suppose you wanted to take a course in European History, and the school had not curricula, but asked you to add to the list of a proposed curricula. Would you go tot that school?

**27hand** · January 14th, 2015, 12:36 AM

Kai, Welcome to the forum.

Cyclops posed some interesting thoughts.

I might mention that there are many, many people that have extensive training skills along with hundreds if not thousands of hours of hands on range time be it square range or further advanced training.

Before I would take a course, I would like to know some of the following

Number one, I would like to see a bio of exactly what your credentials are and what experience you have in the areas you propose to teach.

Number two. I would like to see a list of who you trained under or with.

Number three. What amount of actual teaching experience do you have whether it's firearms related or not?

Number four. What platforms do you intend to instruct?

Number five. What length of training sessions do you plan to teach?

Number six. What do you deem to be " affordable" and what price range would your training be, lets say per day or per student day?

Number seven. Do you have the skill to diagnose a shooters problems and make corrections to their problem?

What I have found out in life ( at least so far ) is that there are people who are very very good or even expert at a specific skill set. What I also see is the inability of some to present the material they are very good at to people who are novices or somewhat knowledgeable at that skill set.

Those are just a few questions or thoughts I would have.

Good luck with your endeavor.

**mauser** · January 15th, 2015, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by Cyclops

I think you should consider the following thoughts I have regarding your request.

PAFOA discussion forums are used by a wide range of gun owners and even some non-owners. Within the owner group there are those who have had actual offensive and defensive experiences, like LEOs, military, and folk who had the misfortune to be shot at or to have to shoot at someone. There are the owners who have none on that experience, and there are owners who have only had target shooting experience, and finally there are (I suspect) a few who have never fired the gun they own.

Effectively you are asking that wide audience to tell you what they do not know. That leads to the problem I am having with your request for information. Logically, I do not know what I do not know. Otherwise I would know it.

During my 6 years on active duty I trained on rifles, handguns, and submachine guns. That was in the 60's. I trained for practically every tactical situation I might encounter, and I did encounter many of them. However, training can become obsolete, and retraining can become necessary. I might need retraining, but how do I know whether I do or not?

Wouldn't it be better it you posted a listing of the subjects you will teach based upon your qualifications to teach them? The idea that I might say something like "I want to learn to shoot with my non-dominant hand," and that it might end up on your curricula is a bit worry some. I have no idea whether you have the expertise to so that training. I do not want to see it on list of subject taught unless the teacher/trainer is qualified to instruct it.

Wouldn't it be better if you presented a list of your qualification to instruct on your list of subject matter to be taught? I suspect you have more current knowledge that I have on some gun related topics, but I don't know what it might be. Once again, I do not know what I do not know.

Think about confidence building. Suppose you wanted to take a course in European History, and the school had not curricula, but asked you to add to the list of a proposed curricula. Would you go tot that school?

A good point highlighted in red.
We know there are a lot of people here who have shot with people who were new to firearms, perhaps they could chime in with what they have seen that their "students" didn't know. There are trainers, police, range officers, military personnel and other types here who have received and given training. This would be a good opportunity for those people to share what they have learned through their experience. Of course safety is going to be at the top of everyone's list and I presume that it would be the first on the list for the training the OP is going to offer, but beyond the basics I'm sure people have seen many "problems" that most people may not think about, perhaps there was one individual in a group who had a unique situation that needed attention and that could be offered as a suggestion for being addressed as a particular need to be addressed that's not always considered.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that rather than try to anticipate what training I might need, I might give better input if I'd make suggestions based on what I've witnessed that other people have needed that might seem out of the ordinary for the average person.

Paying attention and following basic instructions is something that almost everyone needs improvement in. I found that people don't follow instructions very well. I have a CZ rifle chambered in .222 Rem, it has a set trigger and when the trigger is set it's extremely light. (When not "set" the trigger is 'normal', as in about four pounds of pull weight). I've let several people shoot that rifle and told each one of them that "Once you set the trigger DO NOT TOUCH IT until you're ready for BANG!" About half will set the trigger, then as they're putting their cheek on the stock they put their hand on the grip and at the same time rest their finger ob the trigger. That results in BANG, which produces a startled look and an exclamation of WTF?
"You touched the trigger before you were ready, didn't you?"
"But I only put my finger on it, I didn't pull it."
"I said DON'T TOUCH IT until you're ready."
You wouldn't think you'd have to get that basic with your teaching but some people have habits that they let override what they've just been told and resting a finger on a trigger seems to be one of those habits. Since most trigger pull weight is measured in pounds there a lot of people who feel right at home putting their finger on the trigger when getting into position to shoot. I know that I have broken a few people of that habit, (at least they are more cautious now, especially when they get my warning). The rifle involved in this scenario is a .222 so there haven't been any cases of "Scope Eye" due to not following that specific instruction. The fundamental rules of keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and no loaded guns or gun handling while anyone is downrange are critical but attention to specific instruction is very important too.
(I've tried letting people dry fire it to get a feel for it but that seems like it's not very effective, the unexpected BANG really gets their attention a lot better than CLICK).
FWIW, I'd never try to 'surprise' anyone by setting the trigger then giving them the rifle as though it was a 'normal' trigger, I show them how it works and let them set it themselves, it's their bad habit that causes the surprise even though they know what to expect.
That being said, I'll submit my suggestions:
Being able to pay attention and follow through with specific attention to instructions that are contrary to established habits is crucial.
Trigger discipline is extremely important and breaking bad trigger habits would be a good place to spend a bit of training time. I know many people who put their finger on the trigger when getting into position, it's easy to develop that habit and usually doesn't cause a problem but the potential for a nasty accident is possible. A super light trigger pull isn't the only thing that could cause a premature firing, an unexpected movement, like something slipping, or being startled could cause a twitch or unexpected trigger pull, stay away from the trigger until you're absolutely ready for BANG, even if you think you have a long, heavy trigger pull.