What's My "Background"

As I sit here typing this, I have just thrown a load of laundry in to wash and am in the process of packing for a weekend trip to South Carolina to train with John Lovell of the Warrior Poet Society.  Its getting more difficult for me to get to training courses.  These days I spend much more time teaching than training.  Still, I don't like for a year to go by without me getting into some kind of training course and sometimes it is easier to do that if I just plan a trip.

As an Instructor, I am blessed to work as a part of a team of pretty impressive guys.  Often I am asked by students, "so what is your background"?   That's a fair question.  Obviously, I am not close to being the guys I work with.  I often joke that I am a 50-something year old grandmother who found herself thrown in with a bunch of Special Operations Military Guys and SWAT cops wondering how exactly that happened.  And yes, that can be pretty intimidating, however, I do believe I bring certain gifts to the organization that they do not.  I have my place, and they have their's and together we make a pretty good team. 

I have no Military or Law Enforcement background.  I am not a super Ninja Tactical dude.  I am not a lot of things.  I do have a background in teaching and leadership.  I've spend the past 30 years or more working in that capacity.  I've lead mission teams for a number of years.  As far as education, I have studied as a graphic designer and my major at Miami University was in Psychology.

For the past 6 years I have led the North Cincinnati Chapter of TWAW Shooting Chapters.  I was one of those leaders who have been there pretty much since the beginning of that organization.  I've served as the State Leader for that organization and was selected as the Regional Trainer, overseeing the training of the Instructors in Kentucky and Ohio.  I had to reluctantly step down from that position because I simply don't have the time to do everything I would like to do.  A lot of us are like that - we like to do everything and then realize we have limited amount of time.

Those who know me well know that I'm a firm believer in training.  I don't train because its my job.  I train for the same reason many others train - to be as ready as I possibly can be if I am ever faced with having to defend myself or my family from a violent attack. Yes, I've done some Instructor Training to be able to be the best Instructor I possibly can be, but the majority of my training is for my own personal benefit.   I've made it a priority to train with the best I can find and afford, even if it means loading up the truck and heading across country on my own. It has paid off!  I have been very blessed to learn from some truly amazing and talented people.   Among the folks I've leaned from and classes taken are:

• OPOTA Private Security 
• NRA Basic Pistol Instructor
• NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home Instructor
• NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor
• NRA Defensive Pistol
• NRA Chief Range Safety Officer
• TWAW Certified Instructor (which focuses on the different learning styles of men and women)
• UTM (Ultimate Training Munitions) Instructor 
• Gabby Franco - Olympic shooter and competition shooter who appeared on Top Shot.
• Massad Ayoob 
• Defensive Knife with Greg Ellifritz
• Contextual Handgun: The Armed Parent/Guardian with Melody Lauer and John Johnston
• Unthinkable: Understanding the Criminal Mindset with William Aprill 

• Defensive Pistol classes (I've forgotten how many) with Rick Wright, an OPOTA Instructor and Retired Law Enforcement Officer
• FASTER - a training program for armed school staff at the Tactical Defense Institute 
• Gunsite Academy
• Battleline Tactical - Kris "Tanto" Paronto and Dave "Boon" Benton were two of the CIA security contractors who was part of the CIA annex security team during the 2012 terrorist attack on the US Ambassador to Libya and the CIA Compound in Behghazi.   
• OTOA Combat Pistol with Russ Lyons

• And of course, multiple courses with 88 Tactical of OH with Phil Chaney, a retired Marine CWO3 and Special Operations Instructor in the Marine Corps and SWAT Instructor..  

As you can see, I don't have that much of a "background", but I do work hard to be prepared to defend myself and those I love.  I hope you are doing the same.  

Are You A Believer?

Are you a believer?  

What I"m asking is, if you had a honest conversation with yourself right this minute, do you honestly believe that you might have to use deadly force before you go to sleep tonight?  

I don't mean that you live your life in fear.  I am NOT suggesting that at all!  It saddens me to see people living in fear. It actually annoys me sometimes to see people live in fear.  Fear is the opposite of freedom.  Most of what I spend my time doing is helping people to step out of fear and into preparedness.   There is really no reason to live in fear, but there is every reason to live in a relaxed preparedness.


I think most people, especially gun owners, would answer that they do believe it is possible that one day they may need to use deadly force in self-defense.  And yet, few work toward being adequately prepared.  Either they overestimate their ability because they are unaware of all that that will be required of them during a deadly force encounter (before, during and after), or they really haven't grasped the idea that TODAY may be the day.   

When I was at Gunsite Academy for a training class one of the cool things was that we watched  Col. Jeff Cooper presenting the "mindset" piece via video.  Col. Cooper passed away in 2006 so this was a real treat to see him teaching.   One point he drove home was that if and when you find yourself in a deadly force encounter, your first response should not be the response of so many - "I can't believe this is happening".   Rather your response should be, "I thought this might happen one day, and I know exactly what to do". 

The older I get the more I am convinced that mindset is the most important piece of your self defense program.  It is huge.  I mean its really, really HUGE. 

Most new shooters are not there yet.  They may have purchased a gun or taken a CCW class because they know the world is not getting any nicer out there and they think they should do something about that, just in case, but they really have no idea about the realities of self defense... yet.     The good news is, mindset will change over time.  You will grow both in your awareness and in your training as well as in your understanding of the reality of deadly force encounters. 

Me?  I'm a believer.  I am soon going to be 57 years old and I've never needed a gun a day in my life ... but I live like I might need it before the end of the day ... because I might.  Does that mean I'm afraid?  Hardly.  You see, and strange thing happens, the more prepared you are, the less afraid you are.    Being prepared allows me to live my life in freedom from fear.  

And should the day come when I do have to engage a deadly threat, I will have the peace of mind that comes from knowing I have done everything within my power to be prepared.  
Being unprepared is just not acceptable to me.   Too much is riding on my preparedness. 

Massad Ayoob puts it this way, "Its not about the odds.  Its about the stakes."   

A Sneaky Little Thing

Most things we do in life come down to mindset. 

Complacency is one of those sneaky little things that can creep up from time to time.   Most likely is something we will all battle on some level.

I will admit that complacency is something I struggle with from time to time.

True confessions - I do not like carrying a gun.  Sometimes I downright resent it.  Its inconvenient.  Its uncomfortable.  And frankly, its a reminder that I can't always trust my fellow humans.    There are times when I think, "I am just going to run to the store for a minute.  I think I'll leave my gun at home."   BUT, I can't let myself begin to think that way.  You can't either.  Unless we are ok with the possible ramifications.

I am 56 years old and have never needed a gun a day in my life.  Odds are that I will live out the rest of my days and not need a gun.  However, I live every day as if I will need my gun before I get home ... because I may.

That is not because I live in fear; I do not.  Its because for me, its not about the odds; its about the stakes.

For the record, I still believe the good guys outnumber the bad guys.  There are a lot of good people out there. I talk about some of them over on my home page.  There are a lot of screwed up people out there too.  And there are a few really evil people.  And since I have no control over when I might cross paths with one of those evil people, I carry a gun every day of my life, everywhere I can legally carry. 

And you know what?  That makes me less afraid ... because I am prepared.