It is still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I am a civilian. I’ve been retired for a while now but after 22 years of service, it is still difficult to get a grip on. As a civilian, it is still my duty, responsibility and right to protect and serve. To protect my family and friends and to serve my community. As an American it is my right to carry a side arm where ever the law permits. As a trained gun handler, it is my responsibility….as it is yours.
If you are a responsible and trained gun handler, and if you have not obtained the certifications necessary to allow legal carry of a side arm, shame on you. It is my responsibility to cover your back and yours to cover mine. Absorb the minor ass-wound of getting a CCW permit, get trained and follow the law.
Patrick McNamara
SGM, US Army (Ret)
Patrick McNamara spent twenty-two years in the United States Army in a myriad of special operations units. When he worked in the premier Special Missions Unit, he became an impeccable marksman, shooting with accurate, lethal results and tactical effectiveness. McNamara has trained tactical applications of shooting to people of all levels of marksmanship, from varsity level soldiers, and police officers who work the streets to civilians with little to no time behind the trigger.
His military experience quickly taught him that there is more to tactical marksmanship than merely squeezing the trigger. Utilizing his years of experience, McNamara developed a training methodology that is safe, effective and combat relevant and encourages a continuous thought process. This methodology teaches how to maintain safety at all times and choose targets that force accountability, as well as provides courses covering several categories, including individual, collective, on line and standards.
While serving as his Unit’s Marksmanship NCO, he developed his own marksmanship club with NRA, CMP, and USPSA affiliations. Mac ran monthly IPSC matches and ran semi annual military marksmanship championships to encourage marksmanship fundamentals and competitiveness throughout the Army.
He retired from the Army’s premier hostage rescue unit as a Sergeant Major and is the author of T.A.P.S. (Tactical Application of Practical Shooting).
Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer some words of wisdom.
Tags: Alias Training and Security Services, Pat McNamara, TMACS Inc
Great post, Comrade!
This is great. However, I feel like there was a quite a bit of Brandon Webb bashing going on the other day when he advocated something fairly similar where everyone got the panties in a bunch over the whole “rights” vs. “privilege” thing.
Excerpt: Yes, owning a gun is a right; driving is similar to this but you have to have pass a drivers test to prove competency
He says “similar to this”, not, exactly the same. Please someone explain to me the downside of having basic proficiency in firearms, as opposed to just buying one off the rack because it’s your right to do so.
Shame on this state for not allowing me. Moving within 5 to a friendlier area.
Word!
Well said… Follow the law is really important. I arrested a cw permit holder yesterday for a bunch of illegal pills and a razer blade he used to cut them with for snorting (yes, really dumb thing to do). He was high and driving a dump truck. He wss worried about a felony conviction and his permit. I said you a drug conviction has a say in that too right? And given his judgment, he should lose his permit. I might add that he was driving though a school when I was flagged down and alerted to his driving.
According to brandon webb you have to take your mandatory nra training first
Plenty of states already require training for a CCW.
Good troll, though.
I’d like to point out that other states require no training or even a permit.
Which states require training before you can exercise your right to free speech, free press, to assemble, to avoid warrantless search and seizure, to a trial by your peers, etc.? A right is a right, and all should be treated equally, without fine print.
Mac is 100% valid and on point. You’ll heed his words if you’re smart (and competent). If you don’t have a CCW it won’t really make a difference…right up until it makes all the difference!
I agree 100% with these wise words. I am not sure about anyone else reading this but my permit to carry concealed has in fact KEPT me from blowing my top over petty crap, like moronic drivers or rude people. Just when I feel my temp going to “boil” I am brought back down a few notches by the extra weight of my sidearm and extra magazines. If I lose control and police get involved I am the biggest loser. So if you carry legally please keep in mind you also carry for ALL your brothers and sisters in arms. One bad apple can ruin it for many.
CORRECT! HAVING my CCW keeps me in check, and also makes me more situationally aware. You look around, and people are CHOOSING to be distracted by Cell phones, ear buds, etc. etc.
Really? Pay Attention! Your life just may depend on it!
I wish more citizens would take FULL advantage of their right to carry. As a L.E.O., It’s my humble opinion that the more trained concealed carriers there are out there, the lower crime is, and the better off we are as a society. And when the shit hits the fan, force multiplication is not quantum physics.
God bless you for being a SMART LEO! Thank you for your educated opinion!