Got my instructor certs the other day.

Out of respect for the forum sponsors, I don't want this to be seen as my advertising myself, or anything like that. If any mod feels like it is, then feel free to close the thread or modify it so it isn't.

A few months ago, after I got out of the Marines, I decided that I was going to use my training funds this year to get some NRA instructor certifications, including basic pistol, which allows me to teach Ohio CHL classes, and rifle, because well, I like rifles. A few major points went into this decision. First is that my old platoon and company would refer to me as "Old Man Knowledge" I was on average 3-4 years older than my peers, and had a pretty solid base. It wasn't unusual for my platoon sgt. or lieutenant to go "Buckeye, we need to kill and hour, go talk to the new guys about threat weapons (or IED composition and detection, or tactics, or friendly weapon systems, or land nav, or a lot of other stuff)." So I discovered that I actually enjoy sharing my knowledge with others, and seeing it make a difference. I like to think I made a difference in helping keep my fellow Marines alive on their deployments, by sharing as much of what I knew with them.

The next point is that I want to help others enjoy shooting as much as I do, and I want them to do it in a safe manner, because unsafe gun owners are a danger to everyone, both physically, and politically. My theory has always been, if you have a brand new shooter and introduce them to shooting correctly, one of two things happens. Either they enjoy shooting, and continue doing so in a safe manner, adding another law abiding gun owner to the fold. Or at least some of the taboo associated with guns is removed, and they now know how to safely handle a gun, even if they choose not to. Either one is better in my eyes than someone completely uneducated and uncomfortable around guns.

And the third point is that to really continue my shooting hobby at a level I want, I need some way to make some extra cash, aside from my new career. And I figured I talk about guns a lot anyway, and like being at the shooting range, so if I am going to pick up a second job, I might as well do that.

So, I am pretty excited about doing this. I still have some stuff on the business side to take care of before I start instructing, but I did get my shiny certificate and card the other day, so I thought I would share.

:drillsergeant: Outstanding Marine! :hand10:

Welcome to the instructor's ranks.

My advise is while you were a Marine you were trained in a fashion that civilians will seldom if ever use. I took training from a Ranger who was so wrapped up in what he was and what he did, that little he said was transferable to me. I try to remember that whenever I teach a shooter no matter what level.

Hope all goes well.

Congratulations Buckeye.

Congratulations!

I think you would make a great instructor.

I wish you the best of luck.

If you are doing somthing you love and beleive in you are well ahead of the curve, congrats and good luck.

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Originally Posted by tomtsr

Welcome to the instructor's ranks.

My advise is while you were a Marine you were trained in a fashion that civilians will seldom if ever use. I took training from a Ranger who was so wrapped up in what he was and what he did, that little he said was transferable to me. I try to remember that whenever I teach a shooter no matter what level.

Hope all goes well.

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First, welcome to the instructor ranks. All of your reasons are great for what you want to do. Second, I would also strongly recommend that you pay attention to the above quote and post from tomstr. i specifically don't teach students how to be mall ninjas. In fact, if I do not like a student's attitude, I don't deal with them. Remember, we are dealing with civilian shooters who may actually practice what we teach them maybe once a month, and in my experience, after the first fervor wears off, substantially less than that. Best of luck on your new business, and if I can be of any help, and I am sure this is true for all of the instructors on this forum, don't hesitate to ask.

good reasoning and good luck

something to think about is having small classes (2-4) in the beginning. why is fairly obvious so i wont belabor it.

additionally a good trait to have (or develop) is, when a student flounders, being able to recognize where he began to derail.
than go back a little before that point and explain again from another perspective till they get it.

again, good luck.

Congrats on the 'certs'...:congrats:

Well done!

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it.

I have no plan on creating an army of mall ninjas. I got ratings in basic rifle and pistol, and that is what I will stick too. So anyone that wants to learn how to shoot while hanging upside down and backwards from a spy-rig under an Osprey, will have to look somewhere else. Being a Marine is something that I can throw into my shooting experience when I introduce my class, but very little of what the Marines teach on rifle is applicable to civilian basic pistol, and Ohio CHL laws, and I realize that.

I have a lot of friends that started shooting when I took them to the range, so I am comfortable teaching civilians. I can even turn off my potty-mouth and speak like an educated individual when I want to (I now work in a job where I wear a suit and tie everyday).

I've been told by people I have taught things to in the past, that I am very good at taking a complex idea, and putting it into simple layman's terms they can understand. So I think that should help me along the way.

As a vet myself, I would echo the other posters. Thanks for your service and congrats on attaining your NRA certifications. Always remember that it is not about what you can do and demonstate, but what they can do as a result of your teaching. Remember also, that the people you will be teaching will likley be people who have limited or no experience with firearms. Know your audience. I know long time Firearm instructors who forget this all the time and end up teaching tricks that they "like" as opposed to the sound fundamentals that their students need.

Good luck.

Sempre Fi!

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Originally Posted by ISR MATRIX

As a vet myself, I would echo the other posters. Thanks for your service and congrats on attaining your NRA certifications. Always remember that it is not about what you can do and demonstate, but what they can do as a result of your teaching. Remember also, that the people you will be teaching will likley be people who have limited or no experience with firearms. Know your audience. I know long time Firearm instructors who forget this all the time and end up teaching tricks that they "like" as opposed to the sound fundamentals that their students need.

Good luck.

Sempre Fi!

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Thank you, I really do see this as a way for me to give back to the firearms community that I enjoy so much. The more responsible, law abiding gun owners that are out there, the better our image is to those outside the firearms community. I got to sit in on a couple CHL classes that my training counselors were teaching during the interim of doing my courses, and getting my credentials. So I got to get a feel for the general audience that attends their classes. It was enlightening, and showed me some valuable pieces of information.

Welcome to the Instructor ranks. As a professional teacher with 22+ years of experience in the classroom as well as more time as an NRA Instructor let me just offer some "targeted" (LOL) advice. Protect yourself legally. If one of your students takes your training and goes out and gets into a "bad shoot" one of the first questions from authorities is going to be: "WHO TAUGHT YOU TO HANDLE A FIREARM?" So create NRA approved lesson plans and keep them. Have your clients sign "Hold Harmless" agreements that specifically state that carrying a firearm can be risky and that even if you do everything 100% correctly, you can still lose your life. Things like that. Your training documents can be subpoenaed into court. I too, try to vett my clients as much as possible. If I get bad vibes on a client, I'm fully booked, sorry. ALSO NEVER EVER LET YOUR CLIENTS USE YOUR CENTERFIRE FIREARMS ON THE RANGE! Trust me on this. If they don't yet have a gun of their own, choose a range where they can rent a Glock for a small fee. As far as pedagogy (technique) when it comes to ordinary civilian novices, teach then re-teach and then TEACH it again! Tell 'em what you're gonna teach. Then TEACH and then tell 'em what you just TAUGHT them and then quiz them informally. Nice guy stuff, not like a DI. I know you know this but it's especially important when you teach the real tenderfoot novice and not to be sexist, the female of the species. MANY of them have had awful experiences with shooting. Usually it's along the lines of some chest pounding jerk sayin': "There there sweetie, here try this 44 magnum." and after the recoil produces abject terror there comes the conciliatory "That's awright sweetie, I'm all you need for defense, anyhow...." I have run into this poor creature a thousand times. That's why I always start everybody out on my S.A. Ruger Super Single Six. The client always buys the ammo and range time. That way, in using my S.A. 22 after my initial lesson, I can critique stance, breathing, finger position on the trigger and the various other factors that must be considered in breaking an accurate shot to form a tight group.

"That's why I always start everybody out on my S.A. Ruger Super Single Six. The client always buys the ammo and range time. That way, in using my S.A. 22 after my initial lesson, I can critique stance, breathing, finger position on the trigger and the various other factors that must be considered in breaking an accurate shot to form a tight group."

Wow, how great minds think alike. I agree with everything ex-soldier said, including the fact that I also have a new student use my Ruger Single Six.