International Personal Self-Defense Blog by Robb Hamic

Self-Defense and Holiday Travel

Dec 2, 2010, Albuquerque, NM.  Self-defense and awareness are just as critical during the holidays while many of us are traveling to visit relatives and on vacation. It is important to remain vigilant and be aware of your surroundings always prepared to defend yourself and your family. Many licensed concealed carry holders think that it is too difficult to travel with a firearm or other self-defense tool and therefore are not as prepared.  Remember that you are on vacation, the bad-guys aren’t. You might be in an un-familiar city while the local, potential thieves, muggers, and rapists may be hard at work looking for an easy target like a clueless tourist.

If you are licensed to carry a concealed firearm there is a great website to stay informed about current laws and reciprocity rules for each state. The site http://www.handgunlaw.us is constantly updated and will give you access to read the laws that apply to each state you are visiting. This site offers links to each state’s statutes as they apply to concealed carry. It is also useful for anyone who may possess a firearm while visiting other states for instance on a hunting trip or moving to a new state.

Flying commercially with firearms is not as difficult as many people think. We do a lot of flying as we travel for various training around the country, usually carrying multiple firearms. I often hear “wow, it sure must be a pain to get through security with all of that stuff”. Actually, it is pretty easy. You can download the rules from the TSA’s website http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1666.shtm. It involves filling out an extra form at the airline’s counter and packing right, not much to it. 

Ryan Fellows is a nationally accredited law enforcement trainer; NRA Firearm Instructor certified in multiple disciplines, NRA Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor, a CHL Instructor and is a federally licensed firearms dealer. He provides group and private training in firearms and close quarter combatives. He is certified by Glock as an armorer, and is an Israeli Combat Shooting Instructor. He is a professional action sports photographer, experienced outdoorsman and backcountry skier. He has spent his lifetime in the mountains and has experience with various types of weapon systems. He has been married for eighteen years with three daughters. Ryan is the owner of several businesses and resides in New Mexico.

 

Another Bank Robbery in Albuquerque... What Would You Do?

November 10, 2010 Albuquerque, NM. Lately I feel like we are back in the old west. There seems to be another bank robbery every week in the Albuquerque area. According to KOB news, there was another incident today forcing the lockdown of several schools in the area. 

http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s1832829.shtml?cat=504  

My question is this.  If you were standing in line at your local bank and an armed individual entered the bank yelling commands at the tellers and at the patrons, what would you do?

More and more often these days, citizens are buying firearms and seeking out Concealed Carry Training and legally carrying a concealed firearm. It is only a matter of time until one of our armed readers comes across this situation.

I can only speak for myself here. If I am standing in line and a bank robbery begins to happen while I am there, the specifics of the situation will dictate my need for action. I am not a law enforcement officer, It is not my responsibility to try to apprehend the perpetrator. By reacting unnecessarily, I could add to the escalation of the violence. If someone is threatening, but there are not shots being fired and no one is being hurt, I would try to be the best witness I can be. I would make mental notes of everything about the offender from size, hight, weight, clothing, shoes...etc.

If, on the other hand, innocent people are being harmed, I do feel that it is my moral responsibility to do something. I do not know what the outcome would be. I only know that I would find myself reacting and relying on my training to eliminate the threat. I would not be able to let innocent people be harmed if I had any ability to stop it from happening. It is much more desirable to let the criminal do what they came to do without violence, if possible. Most bank robberies in Albuquerque are eventually solved. 

Summit Self Defense www.summitselfdefense.com specializes in training citizens, military and law enforcement in the responsible, and effective use of all firearm platforms. If you find yourself in this situation and lack the necessary tools and training, you don't have a decision at all. Try praying!

Ryan Fellows is a nationally accredited law enforcement trainer; NRA instructor certified in multiple disciplines, NRA Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor, a CHL Instructor and is a federally licensed firearms dealer. He provides group and private training in CHL, CCW and concealed carry. He has attended various firearms schools. He is certified by Glock as an armorer, and is an Israeli Combat Shooting Instructor. He is a professional action sports photographer, experienced outdoorsman and backcountry skier. He has spent his lifetime in the mountains and has experience with various types of weapon systems. He has been married for eighteen years with three daughters. Ryan is the owner of several businesses and resides in New Mexico.

Armed robberies on the rise.

Albuquerque, New Mexico October 4, 2010. 

Albuquerque Police Department is reporting three armed robberies this past weekend. The first was a purse snatching at gun-point in the northeast area of the city. The second incident was reported to be a armed robbery at a popular fast food establishment in the central part of the city. The third incident, and most bizarre, was reported as an armed robbery of a armed security guard at an apartment complex on the west side of the city. Citizens need to be aware of the wide-spread, apparently random escalation of crime in the area. There have been no arrests in these reported crimes and police warn of more to come. The state fair recently ended, the Balloon Fiesta is in town and many visitors remain in the Albuquerque area. Unfortunately, this makes for easy pickings for the would-be criminals. 

Learn how to protect yourself and be aware of your surroundings. Don't be an easy target. Criminals are opportunists, they want the easy way out otherwise they would have a real job. Don't give them the chance. Pay attention to others around you. Make eye contact, stay alert, and be a good witness if you in contact or see a crime. We must all be proactive in our own self-defense.

Summit Self Defense specializes in training people to defend themselves in a violent lethal confrontation, We train men, women, military and law enforcement in the areas of hand-to-hand tactics, firearms, CHL/CCW, OC spray, and Tasers. Contacts us for details.

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http://www.summitselfdefense.com

Self Defense...... Get Real!

Read the headlines, watch the news, the escalation of violence and theft is apparent. It seem as the economy struggles, people get to be more and more desperate. Some of the most unlikely people are turning to crime as a way to make ends meet. Recently there were several bank robberies and convenience store hold-ups in Albuquerque, NM being perpetrated by elderly criminals. What are the odds of that? As a result of this escalation, the self-defense industry has seen growth.

More and more ordinary citizens are seeking training in different areas of self-defense and martial arts. The firearms industry has also seen a rise in the purchases of new guns and likewise the concealed carry and other training opportunities are growing. Consumers need to be aware of some of the options and avoid some of the pitfalls out there. The most important factor should be the realistic nature of the training. Is the instructor going to teach you anything or simply show you what they know.

There are significant differences in the choices that are available and the investment required in most modern self-defense programs. If the consumer is interested in self-defense (home defense, personal defense) and does not intend to commit to months and possibly years to the art, then most martial arts should not be considered. Typically, martial arts classes are taught an hour or two once or twice a week on an on going basis.

They are great as a part of a fitness regiment and for flexibility and if practiced consistently, can be useful in a self-defense situation. In most cases however, many years are required to advance in skill and level. There are programs available to the public that are based on a military model with the emphasis on teaching to the unskilled person in an accelerated format. These programs are most often considered Close Quarters Combatives. An example of one of these types of programs is SPEAR or Personal Defense Readinessfrom Tony Blauer at Blauer Tactical Systems.

The situation with firearm training is similar in that there are many schools and training opportunities to choose from. If the consumer does a simple search on the internet, there are classes to take offering everything from basic NRA introductory courses to post apocalyptic survival and sniper training out to one mile or more. I think that those classes would be interesting, don't get me wrong. Most of us find it necessary to be choosy about where we spend our training dollars. If you want to carry a small handgun concealed for defense of yourself and your family and have no intention of taking it any further, there are classes for that. Choose the courses that relate to your specific situation, practice diligently and master those skills, then move on if you so choose.

If you are seeking self-defense instruction, you need to do some homework and decide what you are really looking for. Do you want hand to hand fighting, a shotgun behind the door, a small pistol and a concealed carry license, or maybe a combination of all of the above. Once you make that decision, do some more research and find the appropriate instructor/facility. It is very likely that as you continue the process of educating yourself that you will want to attend other seminars and programs. This is a good thing. Self-defense is a very personal thing. lets face it, we are learning how to defend our own life. What could possibly be more personal than that?

 

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Ryan Fellows resides in Albuquerque and Taos Ski Valley, NM with his wife and their three daughters. Ryan is the co-president of Summit Self Defense and is a nationally accredited Certified Law Enforcement Trainer. Ryan holds many instructor certifications from the NRA and NRA LE, he is an Israeli Combat Shooting Instructor and is certified as a Close Quarters Combatives Instructor. Ryan is a FFL and is certified by Glock as an armorer. He regularly provides firearms training and hand to hand tactics to civilians, military and law enforcement. He has also been a professional action sports photographer for over 24 years. Please visit is website for more information.http://www.summitselfdefense.com.

 

Firearm Instruction.......... Stay ahead of the curve

We have all heard the same old arguments about shooting stances and methods for a very long time. Do we teach weaver, isosceles, point shooting versus sight alignment and sight picture.If we consider all of the latest information available regarding the physiology of stress and how it relates to our bodies during a dynamic critical incident, it seems that we must also evaluate how we teach today’s warriors as it relates to stress under fire.  Many studies have shown that when placed under an extreme amount of stress, our bodies will react in a somewhat predictable way to protect itself. Some examples of these reactions are; the startle flinch, tunnel vision (the rise of visual acuity), auditory exclusion, lowering of center of gravity, facing the stimulus (indexing the threat), eyes opening wide (both eyes) to focus on the threat. It has been since the mid seventies and the beginnings of the dash cam videos that we have been able to see actual shootings and the chaotic way that they play out. It is unrealistic that we see anyone involved actually stand in a perfect weaver stance, focus on the front sights, squinting one eye, and squeeze off a controlled pair. It is shown repeatedly, assailants and officers, shooting seemingly uncontrollably with poor grip on their guns while running backwards towards some sort of cover or at least away from their opponent.We know that when confronted with a threat, our body is naturally going to lower its center of gravity, orient towards the threat, hands will move up to protect our head, and eyes will both open wide and focus on the threat (the startle flinch). Why then would we train students to blade off thirty degrees from the target and close one eye to focus on the sights. We as Professional Firearm Instructors have a duty to be the most informed people on the training range. We carry such an important load of responsibility when it comes to training people to win an encounter involving firearms. 

 

Israeli Combat Shooting™ in Indio California by Ernest Estrada

Palm Springs, CA- June 9, 2010-  Ernest Estrada has successfully completed Israeli Combat Shooting™ instructor development school in Austin Texas.  Mr. Estrada will offer this real world gun deployment and personal protection training in Indio California and the Palm Springs area. 

Mr. Estrada is a US Marine Corps Desert Storm Combat Veteran and retired Riverside County Sheriff's Office Deputy.  He owns and operates a successful Brazillian Jujitsu school in Indio and he will add Israeli Combat Shooting™ to his list of skills that he teaches to people.  Mr. Estrada trained under Robb Hamic and obtained his certification June 9, 2010.

 Israeli Combat Shooting (ICS) has a familiar foundation of muscle memory, instinct and reliability that is easy to teach to everyone. ICS saves time and allows the shooter to not even look at gun sights. In fact, over half of all shootings happen in a shot distance. No sights are required when you can almost touch the attacker. ICS is a programmed method of weapons deployment that has been very successful in Israel for the last few decades. It is designed for close-quarter action and teaches the shooter to “draw, cock and shoot” a violent offender in one second or less. "I teach people how to win violent stressful encounters with a handgun. It is as simple as that." says Robb Hamic.

 Professor Ernest Estrada is a certified 1st degree blackbelt in  Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.   He also has extensive training in other various fighting arts such as Muay Thai, Escrima, Kali, Shoot Wrestling and Boxing. He has over 15 years of law enforcement experience and is a former Deputy Sheriff. He is also a former U.S. Marine who has served as a rifleman during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. As a  Deputy Sheriff he worked in various assignments such as custody, court security and patrol. He was also a field training officer, P.O.S.T. Certified defensive tactics instructor and baton instructor. He is currently a state licensed private investigator.

81-101 Indio Blvd. Suite B-14 Indio, Ca. 92201  

760-775-1640 Academy
Cell: 760-399-7574

Website: http://www.pythonbjj.com/

Email: warrior31@verizon.net

Combat Focus Shooting ™ in Austin Texas

Austin, TX- May 3, 2010-  I am proud to offer the Combat Focus Shooting ® program in Austin Texas for individuals, law enforcement and military personnel.  Combat Focus Shooting is an intuitive shooting program designed to help a shooter work more efficiently in the context of a dynamic critical incident.  In short, it shows students how to get fast combat accurate hits using less time, effort and energy.  

Rob Pincus is the creator of Combat Focus Shooting ™ and he has a group of certified instructors in the US and throughout the world that offer this training.  Rob has featured his teaching methods on the Outdoor Channel's America's Best Defense ™, SWAT TV™ AND SWAT Magazine.  Rob has authored two books on his research and several DVD's.  I am proud to be a certified Combat Focus Shooting Instructor and sought out the training so that I could bring it back to my students to make them safer.   

I am proud to deliver the concepts, methods and training locally or where ever I teach.  Currently, I offer private or semi-private training to individuals while I am in Austin (two weeks per month), Albuquerque and anywhere I travel to deliver training.  I train several law enforcement agencies and US Military.  If you are interested in training contact me- robb@summitselfdefense.com or check out my website for more information.  I am certified to teach civilian CHL and concealed carry in several states and deliver this state approved training with weapons deployment methods.  I will be teaching CFS to my CHL and CCW students.

Always a student.. Combat Focus Shooting Instructor Development

 I spent four days in Virginia Beach attending an instructor development course taught by Rob Pincus, founder of I.C.E Training Company and the Combat Focus Shooting (CFS)™ program.  My expectation was to improve my skills as a firearms instructor and to better learn Rob's method, which is gaining popularity in the civilian, military and law enforcement sectors.  

I heard that the course was difficult and that many of the   instructor candidates failed to achieve completion of the subjective teaching test and the written exam.  I met Rob a year before at Blauer Tactical's Summer Camp, hosted by self-defense expert Tony Blauer.  I immediately identified with his theories about effectiveness in gun deployment and I read his book Combat Focus Shooting and watched his DVDs.  I knew that something had happened after I read the book the first time as I started sharing the concepts with my firearms students the next day on the range.  I observed them learning faster.  That was a clue. 

 I contacted Rob for some clarifications and critiques via e-mail (half expecting no response from him).  He produces several TV shows and travels across the world teaching people CFS.  He not only responded, we started an exchange.  I had to remind myself that we are in the "pay me now" age and I was talking with one of the industry's leading experts and he never asked anything of me except clarity and integrity in my teaching his concepts to my students.  I was not a CFS certified instructor, just a gun instructor that wanted more options for my students.  He knew that and helped me anyway with no real expectation that he would ever see a profit from me.  That speaks to his integrity and professionalism.

I signed up for the Combat Focus Shooting instructor development class and traveled to Virginia at an expense.  I have high expectations for instructor development classes but they are rarely met.  I have been a semi-professional student of self defense for the last seven years, attending, I don't know how many schools.  I think many of the instructors from the various schools have read the same book on how to conduct class and training.  Powerpoint presentations, lots of end-user type of performance, lots of breaks and long lunches.  Early dismissal on the last day of class is a staple of most of the instructor development (ID) schools that I have attended as a cop or privately.  Rob broke the paradigm.  Plain and simple.

There was one part day spent at the range to experience the material as an end-user, with instructor level critiques included and the rest of the training was in the classroom focusing on REAL INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT.  Real is defined as 15ish hour days with more lecture and material than I have ever seen in one course.  Discussion, hard questions and study.  After dinner the time was usually around 11 PM.  It was study time until around 1:30 AM each night.  No time for hanging out and relaxing, which is common-place for most ID classes.  Class would start again early in the morning.

It was apparent that Rob had created something entirely different as I looked around me at the other students.  I would describe the group as diverse and successful instructors, some were high level operators.  No slackers or people that obviously didn't fit in, which is usually the case with most ID classes.  The curriculum was highly researched and intuitive, just like CFS.  Rob really placed a high standard on the instructor knowing the cause behind the effect and he was not satisfied with a word that you said versus with it really meant.  Example:

Tunnel Vision: This is a term that I have been taught and said many times without knowing its true meaning or survival positive for the end user.

Correct terminology: In the context of a dynamic critical incident, there are several internal factors   that happen to you such as a rise in visual acuity towards the center of your field of vision. (this might be what some people refer to as Tunnel Vision but can't really explain).

I am proud to have taken this course and I will continue my training with Rob.  I will continue my research and application of my skills to teach students how to be more efficient in dynamic critical incidents by using intuitive actions that take less time, effort and energy.  There is value in these concepts and I know my students want to be exposed to this learning.

Rob set the bar pretty high as a teacher and for my future expectations for Instructor Development schools.  My evolution continues.

Robb Hamic is a professional firearms teacher who resides in Austin Texas.  He provides instruction in intuitive shooting methods in Austin and surrounding areas on a private or semi-private basis to individuals.  He is a Certified Law Enforcement Trainer (CLET) and trains agencies across the United States in today's most up to date use of force options.  Robb also trains military units.  For further information contact him at 512-284-0087 or WEBSITE.

    

How do I get my Concealed Carry Permit (CCW) in New Mexico?

August 6, 2009- Santa Fe, NM-     How do i get my Concealed carry permit (CCW) in New Mexico?  This is a common question for those living in New Mexico who want to protect themselves.  It is a confusing process and the state takes a long to process the applications.  Below, you will find a d guide to getting your license. 

Applicants for a concealed carry handgun license must be U.S. citizens and residents of New Mexico. You must be at least 21 years old and must not have been convicted of a felony or crimes involving domestic violence and other misdemeanors as outlined in the Act. You must provide State of New Mexico identification and fingerprint cards for background checks. Applicants must read and comply with the statute and administrative rules. You must also submit all completed forms and authorizations with payment of fees.

New Mexico State statutes concerning the Concealed Carry Act.

Rules to carrying a concealed handgun in New Mexico

Statute and application (at the end of document)

FAQ's for New Mexico Concealed Carry issues.

Do you want a license without any real life training?  Most of us get a CCW permit so that we can carry for personal protection for ourselves and our family.  Summit Self Defense provides training to meet the state requirements of the NM CCW law but we also include our Israeli gun deployment system so that our students can meet potentially violent situations with confidence.  Most of our classes are taught in a semi-private format because our students get more out of the training.  We have a number of choices of range facilities in Albuquerque to meet our student's needs.

Contact Instructor Ryan Fellows on his cellular phone 505-463-7820 or toll free 877-260-3773.  We give classes weekly and can schedule a time that is convenient for you. Robb Hamic also instructs at our New Mexico Schools. 

We have plenty of ammunition and we sell out students enough ammunition for our classes at retail prices and large quantities.  Many places in New Mexico are sold out of handgun ammunition and people can't find it for sale. 

How do I get a concealed handgun license (CHL) in Texas?

July 29, 2009- Austin, TX--     How do I get a concealed handgun license (CHL) in Texas?  This is a question that I receive a lot.  People want to learn how to meet the state requirements so they can carry a gun to protect themselves.  I think that it is a good idea for people to get and maintain their CHL licenses for personal protection and I have written a guide below.  Click on the link below to apply online:

TX DPS Fees: 

Standard ..........................................................................................................$140.00

Senior Citizen (60 or older) ..............................................................................$70.00

Indigent..............................................................................................................$70.00

Active or Retired Peace Officer........................................................................$25.00

Active or Retired Judicial Officer.......................................................................$25.00

Retired Federal Officer.....................................................................................$25.00

Felony Prosecutor ...........................................................................................$0.00

Other Prosecutor (not prosecuting felony cases) ..........................................$140.00

Active Military ..................................................................................................$0.00

Veteran ...........................................................................................................$70.00

Fingerprints: $10 +/-

CHL Training/ Range fees:  $150-600

Ammunition: $25-30 per box of handgun rounds

1.  Make sure you meet the Texas state requirements.  Non-residents may also apply but must receive training in Texas.    

GC $411.172. 'ELIGIBILITY. (a) A person is eligible for a license to

carry a concealed handgun if the person:

(1) is a legal resident of this state. for the six-month period

preceding the date of application under this subchapter or is otherwise

eligible for a license under Section 41 1. I7 3(a);

(2) is at least 21 years of age;

(3) has not been convicted of a felony;

(4) is not charged with the commission of a Class A or Class B

misdemeanor or an offense under Section 42.01, Penal Code, or of a

felony under an information or indictment;

(5) is not a fugitive from justice for a felony or a Class A or Class

B misdemeanor;

(6) is not a chemically dependent person;

(7) is not incapable of exercising sound judgment with respect to

the proper use and storage of a handgun;