I remember the first time my husband Danny took me to a range. Danny felt it was important for women to be familiar with firearms and know how to shoot a gun. Since we had only been dating a few months, I decided to smile and let him instruct me on the proper handling of a gun. I remember the look in his eyes when I pulled the trigger of his GLOCK 17. It wasn’t a perfect bulls eyes, but I did hit center mass of the target. Coyly I admitted to him that I had shot a gun before. While the flirtation was fun, the day at the range was important. Danny wanted to ensure I could protect myself if I needed to in a situation.
I learned to shot a firearm not from my father but at college. I went to a university with an intense ROTC program. There was a 12 week ROTC class that was offered as an alternative to the book physical education course. The class was divided into three equal parts of Red Cross CPR and first aid, unarmed self-dense and marksmanship. I had little or no interest in the latter, but the first aid instruction and unarmed self-defense caught my attention. I felt those topics were important life skills and the class would suit me much more than a book physical education course.
The first four weeks of class zoomed past as I learned critical self-defense skills. From the simple awareness of your surroundings to the impressive feat of flipping a six foot tall Army cadet over my shoulder - the class was all action. I absorbed tips and tricks regarding unarmed self-defense that I use to this day. I make sure I always have keys in hand when I leave a store. You won’t find me fumbling through my purse next to my car in dark parking lot. The vulnerable target areas such as the eyes and groin were burned into my memory. A good head butt to your attacker’s nose or face from the back of your head can help buy you some time. And never yell “rape” or "help" but “fire.” Seems people will run to see a fire but flee from a cry for help.
The middle portion of my class focused on learning not only CPR from the American Red Cross but an intense class on first aid. The proper way to field dress a broken bone and the difference between infant and adult CPR were worthwhile tasks to master. I ripped open the envelope the day my certification arrived in the mail.
The final leg of my class was marksmanship. I had very low expectations the first day my class moved from the lecture hall to the indoor range. I grabbed ear and eye protection and tried to hide in the back of the room. Standing with a group of Army ROTC Cadets was a far cry from my days on the 4-H BB team. I was “out gunned!” My hands trembled as I stood in my bay trying to chamber a round. I wasn’t afraid of a gun but just not familiar with them at all. My father never kept a gun in the house. Besides the BB gun from high school this was my first exposure to any type of firearm. I listened carefully and followed my instructor. When the ready command was shouted, I responded with a pull of the trigger. I don’t remember if my first shot hit the target or not - What I do remember is the feeling of confidence that I felt as I held that first gun.
The four weeks of marksmanship seemed to fly by even faster than the previous segments. After two weeks of concentrating on handguns we moved to a rifles and shotguns. Shooting outdoors in the fall weather was heaven. We moved from 10 yards to 100 yards with a rifle. We even practiced shooting in the prone position. The last day of class was a difficult test of shooting all three firearms. I was very proud of the A I received at the end of the semester.
The 12 week class I had the privilege of taking has proven to be one of the most useful of my college career. Do I use advanced calculus in my daily life? Not so much. The self defense skills? A resounding YES! I need to be confident in a crisis and comfortable around firearms. I learned so many skills from those short 12 weeks. I wish every person could take the same type of course. The class offered useful information and well…. it was fun to throw a big guy over my shoulder onto the mat below. It’s a powerful feeling that has stayed with me to this day. This shooter is ready!
If you would like more information regarding unarmed self-defense check out the following website: Unarmed Self Defense Techniques -
http://www.ehow.com/list_6692079_unarmed-self-defense-techniques.html . You can also check with your local NRA for their outstanding program Refuse To Be a Victim. You can go to www.redcross.org for information about all of their classes and certifications. You can even take classes online.
You local range or gun club may have information on basic marksmanship classes. I encourage everyone to improve their skills and confidence with firearms. If you have any questions please email amy@carduccitactical.com . I would love to hear from all women shooters. How did you begin shooting?