The Failure Drill — What It Is And Why It’s Critical
Recently, the pros and cons of Failure Drill again became a topic of discussion in the firearms training space. I have a good understanding of the subject. Instructor Development In 1989, I was assigned [...]
Partners – Time Can Get Help To Your Side
Good news - the number of murdered officers is down Year-To-Date this year (2025) when compared to last year (2024). However, it appears from media coverage that "we" are back to seeing attacks on L/E [...]
Training for the Small Town
Small departments are the norm. How do you provide the ongoing, recurrent training every cop needs? The best number I have seen indicates that there are over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the country. Police [...]
Training at Distance for Countering an Ambush
As mentioned in our Police Memorial Week article, ambushes are a common way of attacking officers. A number of these occur when officers have just arrived on the scene. These scenes involve calls for service [...]
Training for the Small Town
Small departments are the norm. How do you provide the ongoing, recurrent training every cop needs? The best number I have seen indicates that there are over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the country. Police [...]
Verbalizing – Thinking Out Loud
“I’m going to use a number 2 guard on your beard.” That was my barber, Audrey, yesterday when I was getting a haircut and beard clean-up. When I realized she was thinking out loud, rather [...]
Carrying? When Impaired?
When do you carry? When don't you? What is impaired? Throughout the training community, regardless of where one gets their paycheck, there is a tremendous emphasis on shooting, followed by how to do so quickly. [...]
Familiarity Breeds Contempt — We Must Do Better
I stopped at my local gun store recently to check what they had in inventory. There was a newly released pistol underneath the glass; the guy behind the counter asked if I wanted to handle [...]
Increasing Survivability
I spent this past weekend taking Heiho Consulting Group's Applied Defensive Handgun Skills class. To say it was not what many perceive a shooting class to be is an understatement. One example, my round count [...]
Partners – Time Can Get Help To Your Side
Good news - the number of murdered officers is down Year-To-Date this year (2025) when compared to last year (2024). However, it appears from media coverage that "we" are back to seeing attacks on L/E [...]
Training for the Small Town
Small departments are the norm. How do you provide the ongoing, recurrent training every cop needs? The best number I have seen indicates that there are over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the country. Police [...]
From One To The Next — Some Handheld Light Techniques
We are far more likely to use and need a hand-held flashlight than we are a pistol-mounted light. Never mind lights mounted on shotguns and carbines. Those are for another discussion. Before we get into [...]
K9 First Aid: Stop The Bleed
In emergencies with a K9, knowing how to stop the dog's bleeding can be the difference between life and death. Whether you're a K9 handler, their partner, a pet owner, or you work around with [...]
Emergency Dental First Aid Kit
Suffering a dental injury is always stressful and often very painful. Having it happen during a crisis takes it to a whole other level. Being prepared for these events provides you with options and buys [...]
TacMed Solutions 5th Gen SOF® Tourniquet
Current medical protocol considers the tourniquet an initial lifesaving intervention to control massive hemorrhage from an extremity. Tourniquets are the standard of care due to their ease of use, rapid application, and complete stoppage of [...]
Tactical Anatomy
In recent years, tactical anatomy has had a renaissance. Some instructors are again emphasizing it while integrating it into their coursework. Others (like this author) make it a primary focus. What we have lacked is [...]
You’re Right, Tapping Is Dumb
Smash it instead. Last year, I heard Kelly McCann on a podcast. He said that something that has stuck with me – "We are prisoners of our experiences, but, at least, we have them." [...]
ThunderStick Summit’s Q&A Session
The last weekend of September saw the fourth ThunderStick Summit out at the Staccato Vegas facility in Pahrump, NV. Thunderstick is a yearly three-day event focusing on the defensive use of shotguns. Four years ago, [...]
Cycle Interrupted
Semi-automatic firearms have an eight-step function cycle. Every time the firearm – handgun, shotgun, or rifle – is put in a ready condition, the cycle runs again. Steps Those steps are: Feed, Chamber, Lock, [...]
Solidifying Your Trigger Press
Dry practice is regularly discussed as “a way” to significantly improve one’s shooting. Those who advocate for it are right. Additionally, several people view your live fire work as validation of what you have been [...]