Well, it took me a while, but I finally finished the Handgun I-V series of courses offered by Sim-Trainer of Dayton, OH.  I started in October, and took Handgun I-II over a six week period.  Handgun IV was offered during Thanksgiving weekend, which didn’t work for me, so I had to wait until the class came back around on the schedule.  Then, I found out in December I needed rotator cuff surgery on my shoulder, which further set me back from completing the series.  But this month, I was able to take the final two classes and get me certificate of completion, which I’m pretty proud of:

That’s 20 hours of handgun training, on top of my 8 hours concealed carry permit training (CCW) and about 8 hours of private instruction – that’s nearly 40 hours of classroom training, on top of participation in Sim-Trainer’s “Tactical Training Tuesday” (T3 League), and monthly visits to the range.  That’s a lot of trigger time.  🙂

The funny thing is, I feel I’ve probably completed the minimum amount of training that a CCW permit holder really should complete.  Particularly if the intent of having a CCW is to have a firearm to defend yourself and/or your family should the circumstance warrant it.  Which is why most individuals apply for a CCW permit.  I’ve been a gun owner for my entire adult life – I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t at least one gun in the house.  But in the last year, I feel like I’ve transitioned into being a responsible, armed citizen.  And that’s a very good feeling.

I plan to continue to train and develop my skills at both Sim-Trainer and through other resources as well.  I hear great things about the courses through Tactical Defense Institute, which isn’t too far from me.     And I can re-take any of the classes in the Handgun I-V series at just half price.  😀