Training My Thoughts & Opinion

M.Nastek

Instructor
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Training

For those of you reading this it may just be a matter of fact. And to others it may be something for you to think about.

I am in the process of evaluating the training that I received and accomplished over the past twelve months, with my associates of WWW.NEShooters.Com and at the skilled and observant hands of the following professionals; Tom Givens, Gabe Suarez, Louis Awerbuck and Jeff Gonzalez respectfully. These 12 days, 120 hours, 5,000 rounds of ammo, skill at arms defensive handgun and mindset training were invaluable. I call myself the Uncommon Man because I am not a Law enforcement officer or Military Operator, but I choose to be prepared and ready for the unknown, By training and with my family, counterparts and select chosen professionals. I have determined that over the calendar year of 2006 I have fired over 8,500- 10,000 rounds of ammo and spent at least a total of 24 days or 200 hours on the range. The cost of this in dollars if measured would be $2,400 dollars of professional instruction, $2,500.00 dollars in ammo, a couple of new firearm purchases and the training days as they say were priceless.

But can you or I put a value on protecting myself or family?

Now to the meat of this thought process. Is there a value or price one can place on knowledge, I personally do not think so. I have heard many reasons that “they” don’t need training, they know all that they need to know, why spend money for something that they can read about, I can just point and shoot can’t I, just to quote a few. But I have had many a conversation with these people and truly I am surprised, they are former military men & woman, former athletes, well educated for the most part and corporate professionals in there own right. But where is the common sense that they are all enabled with, I asked myself.

It sounds like we all trained for something at one time or another, haven’t we? And was it not worth every minute, all said and done.

I know I have, the day’s and hours of double session football practices preparing for four 15 minute quarters of play, the hours of seminars & preparation for our chosen careers. The hours and miles of track laps and hurdles preparing for that minute or two etc. of expected performance, the countless hours of time at the golf driving range, studying for exams in school, the hours of military training preparing for the unknown mission, hours of practicing my faith preparing my soul for the future. Can you not see where I am going with this? What about that 3-10 seconds in your life, when your firearm training will need to be summoned and its not there.

Owning a handgun or long gun requires you to be skilled at the operation and use of this tool, to ignore the required training is unforgivable. Like any skill it starts depreciating almost immediately when we leave the training area. And every day after that it disappears even more. I know at 47 years of age I cannot expect the same level of performance of my mind and body that I had when I was 18, 24 or 35 years of age. It just does not come that easy anymore. But I can continue to train my body, reflexes and mind by continuing consistent and timely stimulation. Dry Practice drills, purchasing books, reading training articles, exercising, training DVDs. Most of all by spending the dollars needed to keep my level of responsibility of gun ownership where it needs to be. I know it is not possible for everyone to spend the money I do or as others, but one $350.00 to $500.00 dollar 2 or 3 day class per year and a case of ammo is not a lot to ask given the responsibility required to operate a weapon responsibly.

All in all I am very satisfied with my acquisition of the knowledge gained this year. But the training never stops. And I look forward to the training opportunities coming next year. Tom Givens, Gunsite, Craig Douglas, Bill Jeans, Jeff Gonzales and Randy Cain. These five fine men offer more than can be imagined in training value dollar for dollar. And they are going to be in my back yard. How can it get any better than that! This winter there will be countless dry fire reps, hours of reading, shooting on the range as our New England weather permits and anticipation of that next class date.

Mike Nastek
 
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