DWS LLC

NOSCE TE IPSUM

The company motto Know Thyself, simply defines for each of us how we look at our current abilities.  Only you truly know your capabilities & deficiencies. I challenge each of you, in your pursuit of training endeavors, to really focus on what it is you want to accomplish to enhance your personal development. Remember, your only as good as today.

PERFORMANCE BASED LEARNING

How do we define for ourselves, the meaning of performance?  It can relate to almost everything we do in life.  In the work environment, it can mean the difference between receiving a promotion or losing a job.  In a lethal force encounter, it can mean the difference between saving your Life or getting Killed, period.  Throughout my years of very condensed and comprehensive training, one of things that has been instilled in me is how to understand the importance of the “why” factor.  If you don't understand why things are done in a certain manner, the less effective you will be at performing them … When That Day Comes.  Having a vested interest in your learning experience allows me to better understand how to improve your performance more effectively.

Discovery learning is nothing new, but I feel it is within the training environment.  As one mentor defined it “To master a technique is having the ability to self-correct”.  Translating that to a shooter student, we break down every aspect of handling, movement, and shot delivery to a measurable standard.  Every one has different needs and goals, you find out what works for you without sacrificing performance objectives.  

TEACHING PRINCIPLES & CONCEPTS  

I feel that using the term Teaching vs. Instructing has a very significant meaning when it comes to firearms.  In todays training environment, literally anybody can be a Certified Firearms Instructor.  You can toss a rock in this town and it will land near some NRA huckleberry “gunfighter” with their BIT+Pistol piece of paper.  Instructing means exactly that … either it’s going step by step out of the textbook, or regurgitating some information from YouTube, or that “2-day open enrollment course” they took without providing any depth of knowledge or practical application behind it.  

Teaching allows you to learn, evaluate and validate for yourself.  I teach from a collective of principles.  Principles are a beginning focal point and are about YOU.  Principles allow us to gauge that constant variable on fundamentals that can be applied in any situation.  Think of the opposite in terms of tactics.  Tactics are about the threat, ever changing and are measured by the end result.  Tactics can make you believe you know something, principles provide wisdom that you don’t.  The principles presented throughout these courses teach you do deal with the threat you may be given, not what you think you are going to face.

METHODOLOGY

Discussions, topics and learning objectives are designed to take your current skill base to increased levels with instant positive results.  You are also given the means and ability to practice on your own.  The baseline for all curriculum has been formulated from my training & experience - Military to Contracting - CONUS / OCONUS operations - Low Profile to High Threat Protection.  

With regard to any training program, consistency and repeatability is the key for success.  I translate my training & real life experience to the Shooter Student by articulating a methodology that works and, more importantly, it can be used for everyday life.  I focus on techniques that apply both in day & night conditions & can progress from dry weapons manipulation, to range fire, to scenario/force-on-force, to live fire CQB ... in preparation for the real thing.

STANDARDS & ACCOUNTABILITY

Shooter Students are accountable for every round fired.  I believe high standards produce the best individual capable of responding to the complexity of a lethal force encounter.  The performance level I am held to, in my professional life, is the same thing I expect from each individual with regard to weapons handling, mindset, and accurate shot placement.  Understanding how you deliver your shot sequence and being able to call a shot is one of the factors that improves performance.

Each set of curriculum and course of fire is catered to eliminating unnecessary movement and maximize economy of motion.  While I stress the importance of only shooting as fast and you can guarantee accurate hits, Shooter Students will be pushed outside their comfort zones.  Finding that failure point, allows you to focus on the objective and readjust technique accordingly.  Some courses require a qualification or successful completion standard in order to receive a certificate of achievement. 

CASE STUDIES

I like to reinforce techniques taught with real world examples.  Whether that is picking from my own experiences or referencing a vast array of historical knowledge & Instructors that continue to shape and mold the ever expanding concepts to defensive firearm/tactics training.  I talk about various instructors who have been in the industry for a long time and what their contributions have done to improve the industry.  I also do this to correct the misinformation of various techniques that are taught, because either it’s wrong or never referenced where it came from and why it was incorporated.  Shooter Students will be given positive reinforcement in understanding that there is no secret sauce to methodology .… It’s been there all along.

SHOOTER STUDENT MINDSET

At the beginning of all my courses, whether they are live fire or not, I ask all students why they chose the course and what they are wanting to accomplish.  “To be a better shooter” is unacceptable.  I require each of you to really think about what it is you are trying to achieve.  It may be simply establishing a better grip, to effectively understanding home defense strategy. Set yourself up for success early by clearly defining, for yourself, your training objectives.

Come to a course focused, open minded, and motivated.  I will demand methodical, deliberate, and controlled techniques in every aspect of training.  Sloppy and cavalier mindset breeds incompetence and will do nothing but keep you in the predators eye.  You should be training like it’s the last opportunity you have - When That Day Comes.

ADVANCED TRAINING

I get asked this from time to time … “Hey, do you provide advanced training?”  First off, it DOES NOT exist. Second, I personally believe less in what’s considered advanced and more about - Perfect execution of the fundamentals under duress.  I get it … “Advanced” “Tactical” “Combat” “Operator” make a good sell for course headers.  Develop a course using all four of those words combined, I’ll even sign up!  In some respects, they have their place. It makes sense when the course requires students to have a vetted/specific performance level & the Instructors background validates the course curriculum.    

So here’s my opinion on that.  What may be considered advanced for one person is not the same for another.  The complexity of the task, plus the current skill level of the individual, is what can make training seem advanced.  So, when the local “NRA tactical tough guy - wannabe but never was” instructor is selling another ‘advanced’ course, just politely ask the following: 

1. What relevant real world experience do they have? Combat/Competition ( same for their instructor cadre ) 

2. What facilities and Instructor courses do they attend for continued development?  

3. How does all that apply to their POI ( Program of Instruction )? 

10 times out of 10, its a basics course sprinkled with YouTube Commando dust.