Welcome

I want to personally welcome you to the Alpha1 Tactical blog and take this opportunity to set some expectations. My goal for this medium of communication is to keep you updated of upcoming Alpha1 events and training sessions as well as occasionally give you my thoughts on issues related to firearms, the 2nd Amendment, personal defense, and the like. I will make every effort to ensure that every entry is of value.

I also want to take the opportunity to communicate to you my mission with Alpha1 as a whole. In short, I want to provide a setting for like-minded individuals to learn, develop, and expand their personal defense skills in a consistent manner without breaking the bank. In contrast with other trainers and schools who provide multiple day courses at a significant price, my model is to provide single-day classes at an affordable price. The reason for this is that from my decades in training and management I’ve come to learn that effective training is very difficult to achieve. The main reason for this is that most people think that all of the necessary learning occurs during the class itself when in reality for something to be absorbed there must be a significant amount of follow-up. As such, the structure of our classes is as follows:

Formal Classes

Whether you’re talking about concealed carry, home defense, practical rifle/pistol, or any other firearms training, our formal classes will provide the setting to learn both theory, practice, and mindset. Here, you’ll learn the practical context for the skills you’ll be learning as well as drill them on the range. These will be a combination of classroom learning and hands-on training on the firing line. Successful completion of these courses will earn you an official certificate. The cost for formal classes is a very reasonable $50. Anyone who completes a formal course can re-take it as many times as they want for half the price and can attend the live-fire portion only, if they wish.

Open Practice

This is where most of the long-term learning takes place. Here you will drill all of the skills you learned in the formal classes in a more casual setting. You’ll enjoy the benefits of a private range with a Range Safety Officer and the direction of an instructor. These events may focus on either pistol, rifle, or a combination of the two. As we add more formal classes covering shotgun, precision rifle, and other types of self-defense, those will be incorporated into the practice sessions as well. The cost of these sessions is only $25. For roughly $10 more than a traditional public range, you get a private range with the supervision and direction of an instructor and the use of high-quality paper and steel targets. You would be hard-pressed to find a better deal.

As a freedom-minded individual, the responsibility to protect life, liberty, and property is paramount. I look forward to working with you to develop and hone your skills in a safe, fun, and challenging environment. See you on the range.

Hermann