Eric Dean of the American Institute of Marksmanship, and Colleene Barnett of Keeping the Piece were kind enough to sponsor me so that I could attend their (DH3) Ladies’ Defensive Handgun training. Colleene, aided by Eric, taught the class was taught over two days and included both classroom and live fire components. The classroom portion began with an overview of safe firearms handling and expanded to include situational awareness, having a self defense mindset, introduced various methods of concealed carry (and the gear necessary – holsters, straps, belts, etc. – and safe methods of draw for each), and discussed the skills that would later be developed on the range.
On the range, Colleene and Eric were hands-on instructors. This approach ensured that each student not only had a safe shooting experience, but also received the individual attention they needed to absorb the lessons introduced. During the live fire training, Colleene taught skills such as drawing from concealment safely and efficiently, handling firearms malfunctions, engaging a target in a self defense situation, speed/emergency reloads, and shooting while moving.
Colleene and Eric both demonstrated complete proficiency in their subject matter, whether in the classroom or out at the range. They also demonstrated a passion for teaching. They were patient with students and addressed their individual learning needs and experience level. They answered questions, but also fostered discussion. They both encouraged the class members to look at the class as a starting point for their training and encouraged them to practice to develop the skills introduced and to continue training.
The ladies’ defensive handgun training was an excellent experience overall. Even with the limit of two days of class, I feel that my shooting improved noticeably. I hope to attend more training classes in the future with the American Institute of Marksmanship and Keeping the Piece.
