View Full Version : Becoming a Firearms Instuctor
I recently was able to teach a buddy from work how to shoot my rifle and his newly purchased pistol. This made me relize again how rewarding it is to teach someone to use a firearm and i want to start doing it as a profession. I found the Pheonix Univeristy online course for firearms instruction but i wanted to hear from other instructors on how they obtained their certification. Im a Marine Infantry NCO before my EAS so I have the background knowledge to do this effectively but it seems like these days everyone says that. So i wanted to actually become certified to give students the confidence that the training they will recieve is legit. So what do you all think i posted the link i was looking at below but if you have better courses i want to hear about them. Thanks for your time.
http://www.instructorlicense.com/gradfeedback.html
Iraq Ninja
03-25-09, 09:01
Stay away from Phoenix State University... a bunch of BS.
An online course with no range time instruction?
If you really feel like you need certification, start with the NRA courses.
Paul Howe runs a great pistol and carbine instructor course. I think LAV has one too.
Begin with the NRA and the various programs they offer. Especially if "certification", and all that it entails, means something to you.
Thereafter, attend additional training in instruction and adult learning. Add additional training from every instructor you can find, and repeat the best courses often.
Steve in PA
03-25-09, 12:50
Go the NRA route. While not the "ultimate" instructor course, it is widely accepted.
HowardCohodas
03-25-09, 13:02
http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/instructor.asp
Since 1871, a major objective of the National Rifle Association has been to provide education and training in the safe and proper use of firearms.
Today, that objective is being fulfilled through the NRA Basic Firearm Training Program. There are 11 different courses in the program being taught throughout the nation by NRA Certified Instructors. NRA Instructors also teach the three-hour FIRST STEPS Orientation Program (rifle, pistol, and shotgun) to introduce new shooters to a particular firearm model.
Instructors provide an invaluable service in their communities by training hundreds of thousands of individuals annually. As firearm and shooting activities expand, and more Americans choose to exercise their right to carry a firearm, so too grows the need for these courses.
You can be the vital element in meeting this need by becoming an NRA Certified Instructor and conducting NRA Basic Firearm Training Courses. As an instructor, you can experience the personal satisfaction of teaching others the basics -- the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will lead to a lifetime of safe, enjoyable and successful involvement in firearm and shooting activities.
The NRA is looking for new instructors who enjoy working with people, want to share their firearm knowledge and skills with others, and are willing to make a commitment to teach NRA training courses in their communities.
Going the NRA route is certainly a good idea. Having a .Mil background will also help you I think.
I would suggest taking some advanced shooting schools from people like Vickers and Hackathorn to get a better idea of some of the pro's are doing.
I teach carbine, pistol and low light (all basic) at the local gun club for FREE. This is a good way to get your name out there and actually see if you like dealing with a large groups of new shooters.
Good luck.
C4
Begin with the NRA and the various programs they offer. Especially if "certification", and all that it entails, means something to you.
Thereafter, attend additional training in instruction and adult learning. Add additional training from every instructor you can find, and repeat the best courses often.
Exactly this.
You need to build a base in certifications, especially ones that are likely to be productive or helpful to your prospective students. In Florida, for example, an NRA certified instructor is good for the requirements for CCW, and it would be a good idea to be certified to teach the "G" security license needed for armed security.
In the not-to-distant past the path to becoming a self-sufficient instructor was through teaching at Gunsite for awhile to build your cred. With a war on, and lots of guys returning looking to avoid the 9-5, there are a lot of folks looking to short-circuit that type of process.
Additionally, learning how to teach is as important as learning what to teach, and understanding that 40 year old accountants and lawyers aren't going to respond the way that 19 year old recruits do is key. Yes, there is a certain "outward bound" mentality that wants to be yelled at but by and large the open-enrollment market isn't going to go in for that crap.
CarlosDJackal
03-25-09, 13:48
The NRA Basic Instructors Training (BIT) is a great way to get your feet wet as well as your creds. The methods they teach are very applicable not just to Firearms Training, but also other venues.
From there you can get your certification in other disciplines.
Good luck!!
Additionally, learning how to teach is as important as learning what to teach, and understanding that 40 year old accountants and lawyers aren't going to respond the way that 19 year old recruits do is key. Yes, there is a certain "outward bound" mentality that wants to be yelled at but by and large the open-enrollment market isn't going to go in for that crap.
So important, that it bears repeating.
Learning how to effectively transmit information to students cannot be shortcut. One can attend every HSLD course in the world, and have great technical proficiency, but if they can't deliver the info to the target audience they are of little use.
I know SWAT studs and combat vets that have great skill and extensive experience in doing what they do, but are terrible instructors even in the arenas they serve.
Paul Howe is going to be releasing a book on this subject soon.
It is also important note that there are many, probably several on this board, that want to see specific credentials from instructors. Like special operation background, LE Firearms instructor, SWAT member/instructor, gun fight survivor...etc. That isn't to say that others can't be great instructors, but it is a fact that many out there, want guys that have "been there and done that". I think that one can be a great instructor without being a legendary gunfighter. However, there are limits to what some would take as gospel from those that are not from certain backgrounds. In the end, I think, there are great shooters that can do a great job of teaching the basics of safety, gun handling, and shooting. I am not an instructor and I don't play one on the weekends, but I know that I could offer up some fairly decent advice to a beginner, based on the fact that I have had a some different experiences of formal training. I think there are many guys out there who have taken a decent amount of quality training, that could instruct to particular groups.
Thanks for the responses. I didnt have a warm and fuzzy about the Pheonix university course but i didnt know if anyone else had experience with them. But non the less im going to go the NRA route. My goal is to bring markmenship and weapons handling and safety to the ordinary citizen. Ive seen enough new AR owners at the range to realize that they could benefit from some instruction and may not be able to travel for the well know courses and instructors. I dont expect to make them all recon ninjas but i do want them to be able to handle the weapon effectively and for its purpose. Again thanks for your input.
V
Iraq Ninja
03-26-09, 09:37
V,
At least your heart is in the right place.
I think we are seeing more people who are new to firearms in general, buying ARs as their first rifle. In the old days, people grew up shooting .22 rifles, BB guns, etc. Now they sit behind a keyboard or the Xbox. The new shooters are starting from scratch.
Reminds me of when I started to learn guitar. It was my first musical instrument. I had no idea what music theory was about. My friends who had learned piano already had that knowledge. I never paid for a guitar lesson. I learned from friends and from people who had a passion for music.
Earn certification from LAV, Mr. Howe or Henk Iverson. Continue your education with more courses. Demonstrate the techniques you are attempting to teach while your students watch.
To many so called "instructors" have done nothing more than attend a 40 hour class that awards a certificate for being present and breathing air.
Thanks for the responses. I didnt have a warm and fuzzy about the Pheonix university course but i didnt know if anyone else had experience with them. But non the less im going to go the NRA route. My goal is to bring markmenship and weapons handling and safety to the ordinary citizen. Ive seen enough new AR owners at the range to realize that they could benefit from some instruction and may not be able to travel for the well know courses and instructors. I dont expect to make them all recon ninjas but i do want them to be able to handle the weapon effectively and for its purpose. Again thanks for your input. V
V- Thank you for stepping forward and taking ownership in the future of the shooting sports. We all appreciate the help.
Parting thought: Find a good mentor who does the things you want to do, and who does them well. Emulate the good things about them, and mold your own methods around that positive influence. The value of a mentor can't be overstated.
With the understanding that very few people ever make a living wage as full-time instructors outside of salaried employees of the government ...
Step 1: Get NRA certification. It is relatively inexpensive and will make your life much easier. It's almost a necessity if you want to get liability insurance. Most importantly, unlike most classes you'll see being taught, NRA instructor certification programs actually address pedagogy rather than simply teaching shooting skills.
Step 2: Assist. Find NRA and CCW classes in your area and volunteer to help. Get some experience presenting information to students and diagnosing shooters. The most important part of this is you'll be exposed to a lot of mediocre shooters with incomplete or bad safety habits ... building up your 'range safety radar' is critical.
Step 3: Broaden your skills. Take classes from different instructors. Take notes ... not just about what they're teaching but how they teach. Pay attention to what they do well and what they do poorly. Practice a lot; becoming a good instructor means understanding the WHY of everything you do. WHY do you hold the gun that way? WHY do you manipulate the trigger a certain way? For many burgeoning instructors, getting involved in practical shooting events like IDPA, USPSA, and 3-Gun will (a) motivate them to practice more, (b) expose them to what a truly high-level shooter can do, and (c) provide a lot of range time and understanding of various approaches to group range safety.
At the local level, depending on your specific situation, the "market" for instructors may be bleak. At the range where I do most of my practice, the number of "will teach for food" type advertisements on the bulletin board goes up every day.
One last comment regarding the "background" issue that Blake brought up. If you are in this business long enough, you will meet six types of instructors:
Been there, done that types who are excellent shooters and excellent teachers
Been there, done that types who are excellent shooters but lousy teachers
Been there, done that types who can neither shoot nor teach
Never-been there, never-done that types who are excellent shooters and excellent teachers
Never-been there, never-done that types who are excellent shooters but lousy teachers
Never-been there, never-done that types who can neither shoot nor teach
You will also meet students who think scalps on the wall are the only indication of your worth as an instructor and you'll meet those who couldn't care less what your day job is (or was) as long as you teach them things that make them better ... and every shade of grey in between. The key is to stay in your lane and never lie or exaggerate about your background. Do those things and if you're good at what you do, students will show up at your doorstep.
Over the years, I've had a dozen or more students fill out a post-class critique with statements like "skills taught would be useful in competition but not in combat; needs LE experience to teach LE officers." To a man, this comment comes from guys with neither competition nor combat experience. ;)
That's another important part of being an instructor. If nineteen cops (or other students) in a class are happy and have improved their shooting but one guy wants to shit in your wheaties, get over it. If only 95% of my students come back for additional training, I'll consider that a success.
With the understanding that very few people ever make a living wage as full-time instructors outside of salaried employees of the government ...
Step 1: Get NRA certification. It is relatively inexpensive and will make your life much easier. It's almost a necessity if you want to get liability insurance. Most importantly, unlike most classes you'll see being taught, NRA instructor certification programs actually address pedagogy rather than simply teaching shooting skills.
Step 2: Assist. Find NRA and CCW classes in your area and volunteer to help. Get some experience presenting information to students and diagnosing shooters. The most important part of this is you'll be exposed to a lot of mediocre shooters with incomplete or bad safety habits ... building up your 'range safety radar' is critical.
Step 3: Broaden your skills. Take classes from different instructors. Take notes ... not just about what they're teaching but how they teach. Pay attention to what they do well and what they do poorly. Practice a lot; becoming a good instructor means understanding the WHY of everything you do. WHY do you hold the gun that way? WHY do you manipulate the trigger a certain way? For many burgeoning instructors, getting involved in practical shooting events like IDPA, USPSA, and 3-Gun will (a) motivate them to practice more, (b) expose them to what a truly high-level shooter can do, and (c) provide a lot of range time and understanding of various approaches to group range safety.
At the local level, depending on your specific situation, the "market" for instructors may be bleak. At the range where I do most of my practice, the number of "will teach for food" type advertisements on the bulletin board goes up every day.
One last comment regarding the "background" issue that Blake brought up. If you are in this business long enough, you will meet six types of instructors:
Been there, done that types who are excellent shooters and excellent teachers
Been there, done that types who are excellent shooters but lousy teachers
Been there, done that types who can neither shoot nor teach
Never-been there, never-done that types who are excellent shooters and excellent teachers
Never-been there, never-done that types who are excellent shooters but lousy teachers
Never-been there, never-done that types who can neither shoot nor teach
You will also meet students who think scalps on the wall are the only indication of your worth as an instructor and you'll meet those who couldn't care less what your day job is (or was) as long as you teach them things that make them better ... and every shade of grey in between. The key is to stay in your lane and never lie or exaggerate about your background. Do those things and if you're good at what you do, students will show up at your doorstep.
Over the years, I've had a dozen or more students fill out a post-class critique with statements like "skills taught would be useful in competition but not in combat; needs LE experience to teach LE officers." To a man, this comment comes from guys with neither competition nor combat experience. ;)
That's another important part of being an instructor. If nineteen cops (or other students) in a class are happy and have improved their shooting but one guy wants to shit in your wheaties, get over it. If only 95% of my students come back for additional training, I'll consider that a success.
Not that I know anything about formal firearms instruction; that just sounds like a solid business plan all around. Well done.
Todd,
Those are excellent comments. I personally would train with anyone that could improve my current skill level. Of course I would most likely check with others to insure they are not teaching off the wall stuff. I'm not overly experienced, so there are a lot of people that can improve my skill level. In my opinion, the game changes a little, when the training involves gun fighting dynamics or particular tactics. I may choose to train with someone who has direct experience. I think some times people over think the resumes of instructors, but I don't think you should overlook the issue either.
It is not a prerequisite for me, but I have heard numerous people say, they will not train with someone who has not survived a gunfight/been in combat. This is not a requirement for me. It is nice, but not necessary. For a certain amount of classes, I believe this has no impact on the curriculum being taught.
I hope my comments above did not allude to the fact that you have to be a BTDT type of guy to teach a quality level of firearms instruction. As mentioned, just something that some look for. Especially with the level of special ops guys that have become involved with teaching in the last half decade.
Todd,
Those are excellent comments. I personally would train with anyone that could improve my current skill level. Of course I would most likely check with others to insure they are not teaching off the wall stuff. I'm not overly experienced, so there are a lot of people that can improve my skill level. In my opinion, the game changes a little, when the training involves gun fighting dynamics or particular tactics. I may choose to train with someone who has direct experience. I think some times people over think the resumes of instructors, but I don't think you should overlook the issue either.
It is not a prerequisite for me, but I have heard numerous people say, they will not train with someone who has not survived a gunfight/been in combat. This is not a requirement for me. It is nice, but not necessary. For a certain amount of classes, I believe this has no impact on the curriculum being taught.
I hope my comments above did not allude to the fact that you have to be a BTDT type of guy to teach a quality level of firearms instruction. As mentioned, just something that some look for. Especially with the level of special ops guys that have become involved with teaching in the last half decade.
Instructors who work to demystify the process are the ones people should be making checks out too. Does it follow whats natural for the human body under stress (if it's a defense class)? Is it heavily relying on gross motor skills over fine motor skills? etc. The personal defense world is heavily laden in false confidence and marketing really, re: what that actual product is, intended for, and will provide. Another thread.
I don't care what the instructor is capable of re: his own performance. I'm interested in what he can make me capable of. Therefor, in the general sense, I don't care what is in the instructors background. If they are effective communicators and educators, and the lesson plan is something I feel I can apply to my life/job then I'd gladly write a check. If they've been there done that... all the better. Because Todd or some other instructor can put holes in man sized targets with a .45 at a mile means jack shit to me from a student seeking instruction. Can he teach me to do it, is the question.
You will also meet students who think scalps on the wall are the only indication of your worth as an instructor and you'll meet those who couldn't care less what your day job is (or was) as long as you teach them things that make them better ... and every shade of grey in between. The key is to stay in your lane and never lie or exaggerate about your background. Do those things and if you're good at what you do, students will show up at your doorstep.
Very well said. I'll add one thing to the whole 'You gotta be a BTDT to be a great teacher' theory. I've known some great martial artists and shooters over the years that were horrible instructors and some really quiet guys who you'd never hear about that could pass on what they knew consistently and repeatedly and the students often went on to bigger and better things.
Anyone who who Bela Karolyi is?
Nadia Comaneci's coach. I can pretty much guarantee that Mr. Karolyi was never a 13yo female gymnast but he has produced some of the most talented and amazing gymnasts ever seen.
Past experience ≠ good teaching ability or relevant coursework. All that it provides a particular frame of reference to that instructor which may, or may not be applicable to the student in question. The thing I hate the worst is the 'do it like me' dogma, and then when you mimic them, it turns to 'why do it like that, your mission/job/competition isn't my mission/job/competition.:rolleyes:
I'm going to offer a short commentary.
1) Shooting - specifically for defence issues is NOTHING like Gymnastics
2) I will allow that someone can teach shooting without having a 'combat' background - however it is hard to teach fighting without some experience in the use of force.
3) If you looking at becoming a world class shot - that may not interest you, however if you worried about having to defend yourself or your family that may become an issue.
4) If one looks around there are an enourmous amount of asshats around the country teaching firearms.
While the NRA may be a good place to start - I was woefully disappointed with the classes I took from them.
I'm not digging at anyone -- just offering my 0.02
I'm going to offer a short commentary.
1) Shooting - specifically for defence issues is NOTHING like Gymnastics
2) I will allow that someone can teach shooting without having a 'combat' background - however it is hard to teach fighting without some experience in the use of force.
I never said defense and combat were the same. What I said was that the assumption that you can only be an instructor if you've 'seen the elephant' raises some interesting questions of applicability. Does a military instructor make for a good CCW instructor? Does a good LE instructor make for a good military instructor? I understand that having been shot at adds a unique perspective to an instructors point of view, but isn't the only factor.
A good example of this is Angelo Dundee, Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard's coach. He never was a fighter of any fame in his own right, but sure created some able fighters as a coach. Same for Richard Winters or Herbert Sobel of "Band of Brothers" fame. Neither had seen combat before entering the WWII, but their 'book' training prior was instrumental in the fighting prowess of their men.
Its very hard to explain discuss the bodies reactions under stress when you have not been.
I am quite willing to take shooting mechanics classes from an excellent shooter who does not have an 'operational' background, but I am going to reality filter it.
Furthermore I would suggest a good CCW instructor is one who has had to carry covert for his job.
Lastly while I know people love to make analogies, there really is nothing like killing. its not like sports, its not like sex etc.
WRT the wartime leaders -- they all learned at the expense of their men. No one comes out of the womb a warrior king, its taught and learned and its very darwinian. Rather sharp learning curve.
I consider the marksmanship and tactical instructor two distinct groups.
You can become a very good marksmanship instructor with training and experience if you work at it. The focus is mainly on how to operate and hit a target with the weapon to include slow fire rapid fire and so on.
Tactical instructors teach fighting.
Some folks can do both.
Other areas involved in being an instructor are range operations, lesson plan development, teaching skills, reading hits on target to diagnose errors and how to monitor safety. When you are out there with multiple students, you must know how to keep an eye on all.
Communication skills are huge. You will discover that reading people and finding out what they respond to is a must. Some respond to being challenged, others encouragement. In my opinion, the best instructors know how to discern what works best for each student and can approach the same probelm from many different angles depending on the person they are dealing with.
As a non-elephant-seeing student, I agree with Kevin to a large degree. Even in the small local drills that I run I'm careful to avoid talking about fighting as much as possible, and when it does come up I'm careful to cite the source of what I'm discussing.
For example, we're going to be doing a head-shot block next month. I'll be using that guy that got shot in the forehead with the 9mm and didn't die as an example, and I'll be citing DocGKR's posts about the incident, information I got from a Louis Awerbuck class (both from Louis and a doc that gave a brief lecture at the class), and from there we're working on accuracy and aiming points (something that is inside my lane) for the remainder of the evening.
I don't expect anyone to listen to my take on self-defense, killing, etc.
Furthermore I would suggest a good CCW instructor is one who has had to carry covert for his job.
Exactly. Also of value will be the guy that is otherwise a dedicated concealed carrier that has done so where the stakes are much higher than being asked to leave a venue.
I know a number of CCW instructors who have done nothing more than covered their occasionally carried gun with a 5.11 vest, or who stick the gun under the car seat or in the console "you know, just in case." (They are also the type to whine about size of their G23, the expense of leather, and who typically lack a reload.)
FYI, I had a good talk with Larry Vickers and Ken Hackathorn about this topic last November.
With the economy the way it is, people are really watching their training dollar.
As such I think newer instructors without a start studded resume are going to be in the food lines.
I am quite willing to take shooting mechanics classes from an excellent shooter who does not have an 'operational' background, but I am going to reality filter it.
And when it comes down to it, we do that everywhere regardless of the instructor's background.
I took a class years ago at one of the "big" schools, and the head instructor claimed to be a former SEAL who had "trained counter-terrorism teams in the US and around the world for years." During the course of our 5-day class, two things really stuck out to me: The instructor could not identify the pistol being used by one of the students in class (it was a P7M8).
During the "house clearing" segment of the class, I was specifically taught to scan the room quickly from outside, then charge in, sidestep, and place my back against the wall right next to the door before looking in/clearing the hard corner. His reasoning ("what we learned in the Teams") was that bad guys could be hiding anywhere so you needed to protect your back at all times.
The other thing to consider is just how much relevant experience does someone need before he's "been there, done that" in a way that translates to what he's teaching you. The example I like to use is a cop I met once who'd shot a guy in the line of duty. Is he more qualified to teach someone how to shoot a pistol (let's say "in a fight") than someone who hasn't done that?
For clarification, the specific instance above involved this officer sneaking up on an otherwise distracted armed suspect, getting within a few feet, and then shooting the suspect in the back of the head from a concealed position. There are no doubt things that guy can teach which I'm not qualified to talk about ... but shooting a pistol at high skill level isn't one of them.
Iraq Ninja
03-28-09, 16:02
During the "house clearing" segment of the class, I was specifically taught to scan the room quickly from outside, then charge in, sidestep, and place my back against the wall right next to the door before looking in/clearing the hard corner. His reasoning ("what we learned in the Teams") was that bad guys could be hiding anywhere so you needed to protect your back at all times.
This tactic was taught way back in the 1970's, along with entering a door low, under door knob level. Tactics evolve with time, which is why I avoid courses taught by Civil War vets...
In regards to the BTDT, part of it is a personal experience and not something you can teach, other than passing on what worked for you at that time and that situation. It may help in shaping ones philosophy of fighting, or to prioritize skills. For example... a return to the fundamentals, a KISS attitude, and how not to be stupid.
John_Wayne777
03-28-09, 16:12
During the "house clearing" segment of the class, I was specifically taught to scan the room quickly from outside, then charge in, sidestep, and place my back against the wall right next to the door before looking in/clearing the hard corner. His reasoning ("what we learned in the Teams") was that bad guys could be hiding anywhere so you needed to protect your back at all times.[/list]
Reminds me of a segment I saw on one of the shooting shows that was done at a shooting school covering a LE class. The officers were being taught to stack on each other, with the rear officer having his handgun extended around the first officer. They were then taught to enter doorways and go around corners TOGETHER at all times.
Imagine that for a moment: Two 200+ pound officers trying to fit through a standard sized doorway at the same time....with both officers covering the same portion of the room at the same time. Yes, that means there are "two muzzles" around every corner and on every part of the room at any one time, but that's not necessarily the most efficient or effective way to get the job done.
This is where "stay in your lane" becomes crucial, in my opinion. Someone may have been in a dozen gunfights that he prevailed in and in doing so he may have some very valuable insight....but that doesn't automatically make him an expert in team-based CQB. To learn team based CQB one should seek out an instructor who is a specialist in that area...like perhaps a member (or former member) of CAG or DEVGRU, or at least someone who has been extensively trained by CAG or DEVGRU.
The snag is that students aren't always sophisticated enough to realize this distinction. I sure wasn't when I started out. Just as there are specialists in the medical field (you wouldn't have an orthopedic surgeon, even the best one out there, do your cardiac surgery) there are specialists in the realm of firearms and their use. Resumes of experience and training need to be examined by the student to do a sort of sanity check on what they are attempting to get out of the instruction.
John Frazer
03-29-09, 07:09
There's a lot of good information here, both for would-be teachers and for prospective students.
I would also add to beware of automatically signing up with an instructor just because of high-level competition credentials. I heard a comment that in the athletic training world, often the best coaches are second-rate athletes who've had to struggle harder to understand the movements. If you're trying to learn how to put a few hundred pounds overhead, are you better off learning from someone who can clean & jerk 175kg because he's naturally strong as an ox but can't tell you how he's done, or someone who can only lift 75kg but can break down every aspect of the movement to its fundamentals?
I've done a lot of very brief familiarization outings at the range for novice shooters, and have had a few students who were "naturals."
One guy had never fired a gun in his life. He was shooting safely and with good accuracy, so when he asked if he could empty the magazine quickly I said OK. He proceeded to fire 15 rounds of 9mm into a palm-sized group at 20 feet. I didn't have a timer but suspect his split times were in the .4 range. He asked, "How was that?" and I responded, "Have you considered shooting competitively?" I really believe he could have progressed to a Master or GM level, but there's certainly no way he could have explained what he was doing that day.
Another guy tagged along with a buddy who was sighting in a deer rifle. Again, total newbie and asked if he could try a few shots. His "few shots" ended up being a sub-MOA group at 100 yards with a .300 Win. Mag. Admittedly, this was from the bench, but believe me, a lot of experienced hunters can't shoot that well under the same circumstances.
DANGER CLOSE
04-04-09, 21:49
how does my training from fletc (firearms instructor training program) translate in relation to nra certifications? would i still need nra certification on top of what i have, or is what i have good enough. i help in running our qualification and teach from basic to advanced firearms. i am next in line to become a lead firearms instructor. are there any other certifications other than nra?
my background:
marine infantry
school of infantry; marine combat instructor and weapons & tactics instructor.
John_Wayne777
04-04-09, 22:29
how does my training from fletc (firearms instructor training program) translate in relation to nra certifications? would i still need nra certification on top of what i have, or is what i have good enough. i help in running our qualification and teach from basic to advanced firearms. i am next in line to become a lead firearms instructor. are there any other certifications other than nra?
my background:
marine infantry
school of infantry; marine combat instructor and weapons & tactics instructor.
The NRA certs require you to teach their program. They have LE only certification programs aimed at teaching LE. They are good certs to have as they are kind of recognized as a default in the training business.
You certainly have the chops to get the NRA LE certs, but to get the certs you'd have to attend the instructor development courses for the areas you are interested in teaching.
DANGER CLOSE
04-04-09, 23:00
thank you sir, i will check into the nra stuff then.
how does my training from fletc (firearms instructor training program) translate in relation to nra certifications?
The regular (non-LE) instructor certification involves a very minor shooting test and then a weekend of instruction. It's all about learning how to teach the pre-packaged NRA classes like Basic Pistol, Personal Protection, etc.
The NRA LE instructor certification comes after you take something that's the NRA's equivalent to an FITC/FITP type class. The classes are generally a week long. I took their Tactical Pistol Instructor Development Course years ago, which was sort of their "level two" pistol instructor gig. I don't know if it's still offered. They're actively involved in teaching you how to teach in addition to what to teach.
would i still need nra certification on top of what i have, or is what i have good enough.
Good enough for what? You can certainly hang a shingle and start teaching if you want to. I'd guess that you'd have no problem getting an insurance policy with your FITP credentials.
Beyond that, it's got more to do with you than with your certs. I've dealt with some atrocious FIs at FLETC. But I've also met some who are truly outstanding (like Todd & Rick over at ATF).
DANGER CLOSE
04-07-09, 05:06
the plans are as follows and still in research and development. a friend of mine owns a security corporation in california. he wants to offer training as a division of his company for some government entities (ie military sealift command mariners), private security officers (handgun / shotgun), personal protection specialist, civilians, etc. i will act as an employee or subcontractor to his corporation as the firearms instructor. for the govt contract it says that i am qualified to instruct, still waiting on word from california bsis on information, as for civilians i was checking about the nra thing or if my quals will work to obtain a state firearms instructor permit? my friend can get the insurance no problem and we have a couple of ranges lined up for all of this, public / private and govt,. still trying to get the other pieces of the puzzle before we go online. lately i have been working on lesson plans and student handouts and trying to find out if the state board of education can certify or something the lesson plan / handouts. two other instructors on board are a local deputy sheriff / retired infantry marine and a retired force recon bubba. nothing glamorous about the training, but just want to get solid information out there. lots of stuff to get, so still in R&D.
Exactly. Also of value will be the guy that is otherwise a dedicated concealed carrier that has done so where the stakes are much higher than being asked to leave a venue.
I know a number of CCW instructors who have done nothing more than covered their occasionally carried gun with a 5.11 vest, or who stick the gun under the car seat or in the console "you know, just in case." (They are also the type to whine about size of their G23, the expense of leather, and who typically lack a reload.)
A lead instructor at a state level institution goes to great lengths to describe how he is a certified concealed carry instructor, but has yet to actually use the one concealment holster that he owns for other then classroom show and tell. I've seen him away from work on many occasions and he does not even keep a gun under the car seat for "just in case."
A good CCW instructor will have experience in a variety of carry methods and have actually done so. That same instructor will understand and can related to strenghts and limitations of a variety of CCW systems.
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