Begin
an Internet conversation on how to protect your family, and the topic will soon
become lost in an argument about guns, and, inevitably, someone will most
likely comment on how a loaded gun is all they need to keep their family safe.
It is irrefutable that in the hands of a skilled and trained person firearms
are an effective tool – one tool in what should be a diverse inventory of
skills/knowledge to keep loved ones safe and alive. Case in point: I have yet
to read an article on how to properly use a .357 magnum to extract a fish bone
from a choking child’s throat. My point: family protection covers a wide
spectrum of knowledge, aside from firearms, that we all need to know. And to
that end, allow me to introduce Paul Markel.
Paul
Markel is a former Marine and police officer who now works fulltime as a small
arms and tactics instructor. He has trained thousands of troops in preparation
of their combat deployment. He also hosts the Student of the Gun web site and
produces films about safety preparedness. Markel is a firm proponent of
firearms and their proper use and role in self-defense, as well as advocating
everyday people need to be familiar with the techniques and readily available
equipment that can keep our families alive in emergencies.
Markel
recommends every vehicle and home contain at least a medical kit consisting of
a ready-made tourniquet, gauze, duct tape (for sealing wounds), a plastic
airway (an NPA - nasopharyngeal airway), and, that the owners know how to use
the items. His web site includes tips and tools for breaking windows to reach
people trapped in vehicles. CPR and the Heimlich maneuver are also lifesaving
techniques we should become practiced in if we truly want to be prepared to
protect our families in any situation.
That
all said, Markel is a “Student of the Gun.” Besides his TV and radio programs
promoting
firearm use and education, he has written several books on the
subject, including the acclaimed “Student of the Gun: A Beginner Once, A
Student for Life.” To borrow from Markel: “Being a student of the gun
represents a life’s journey toward education, enlightenment, and enjoyment of
the use of firearms.” Most importantly, whether the reader is a first-time gun
buyer, just curious, or a seasoned veteran, Markel reminds readers that when it
comes to firearms, the learning never stops.
Q)
Disagreement is in unavoidable when firearms are discussed. This interview
alone will instantly inflame some readers before they even know what it’s
about. Education is of primary importance to you. So, if it’s even possible,
how can both sides of the issue become educated on the other side’s position?
A)
Education and experience are the goal. When it comes to education it must be
on-going and continuous. Many folks who argue tactics and gear took a one-day
class fifteen years ago and they are the local ‘expert’. Which surgeon do you
want operating on you, the one whose last training was in 1982 or the surgeon
who is current with all modern techniques?
Q)
You come under fire from a few gun enthusiasts for your beliefs. Why do you
think some consider you controversial?
A)
Men tie their ownership and use of firearms directly to their egos. Any person
who questions their choices or suggests something new or different is de facto
attacking their ego. The knee-jerk reaction is often to lash out in an effort to
protect a fragile self-image.
Q)
What inspired you to become as knowledgeable as possible about firearms and
safety?
A)
I’ve always been a ‘gun guy’. When I was 11 years old my grandfather showed me
how to use a Daisy BB gun and the die was cast. As a teenager I consumed every
word I could from various gun magazines. When I was a US Marine I qualified
‘Expert’ with the rifle and pistol and my unit sent me to USMC Marksmanship
Coaches School. That’s when I knew I loved to coach and instruct others.
Q)
Though you teach, as a student of your own mantra “the learning never stops,”
you also continue to learn. Where do you go to continue your education?
A)
I’ve traveled literally from New England to California attending firearms
training courses. I’ve attend Military, Law Enforcement, and Privately run
academies. Most recently I completed an Instructor Development Course at a
local college.
Q)
The Internet is rife with gun “experts” who can’t seem to agree on a variety of
subjects. How can the average person sort out what’s accurate and what’s not?
A)
That is a difficult task. The first step is to take a live-training course. Get
some experience under your belt. The more experience you have, the better able
you will be to weed out the B.S.
Q)
Any parting comments for readers, regardless of their position on firearms?
A)
Reading stimulates thought, and thinking people are in desperately short supply
in this day and age. Books and DVD are great ways to access information, but
they aren’t training. Training is something you do under the watchful eye of an
instructor. You are a beginner once, you
should be a student for life.
Like playing Go.
ReplyDeleteHello, Amber.
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