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.  

Training with "Tanto" and "Boon"

In August of 2017 I had the privilege of traveling to Nebraska and doing a 2-day Defensive Pistol course with Kris "Tanto" Paronto and Dave "Boon" Benton.  You may recognize them from the book and movie 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. 

They are both fantastic instructors.  Boon is so very patient and professional in his approach and Kris is the lighthearted of the two.  At one point we were shooting and Kris came up to me and started a little dance around me saying, "I'm right here ...  no pressure ... no pressure at all ... I'm right here watching every move you make... no pressure".  I think he could sense that I felt a lot of stress.  I was a new Apprentice with 88 Tactical and at the 88 Tactical HQ with 88 Tactical Senior Instructors looking on and the last thing in the world I wanted to do was look stupid and embarrassed the man who chose me to be on his team. I somehow think Kris got that and did what he could to lighten things up. 

Kris was also so encouraging. Not just to me, but to each student he would always take time to point out what they were doing correctly and compliment them when they did well.  So many instructors do not do that and yet, it only took a second for him to say something encouraging. 

An example of that is when the first day we were on the range getting warmed up so they could evaluate us and see where everyone was at in their skills.  I was on Kris's side of the range and noticed he would give a lot of attention to other shooters but never said a word to me, until he came up, put his hand on my shoulder and said, "I just want you to know I'm not ignoring you.  You are just doing well and I don't see anything to correct." 

Again on the second day we were doing a drill that was timed.  I am a slow shooter. I joke about my claim to fame is being  the slowest shooter in the world.  But he was encouraging, telling me that i had no wasted movement and was more efficient and faster than I thought I was. 

I didn't get to work with Boon as much so I didn't get to work with him on the range, but in t he classroom he amazed me with his professionalism.  For such a impressive warrior, he is soft spoken and very sweet.   

I think the thing that impressed me the most was the complete humility they displayed. Of all people they have earned the right to say "this is the way its done", but they instead show "a" way to do it and don't mess with people if what they are doing is working for them. They are even open to hearing students and made the statement, 'We want to learn from you too". Amazing! I can't say enough good things about these men who are true American heroes. 

If you get a chance to train with them, do so!  Their schedule can be found at BattlelineTactical.