null
During the Covid-19 outbreak, our school was temporary approved by DCJS to offer the following Entry-Level Classes Online: 01E, 02E DCJS Waiver, 05E, 30E, 35E, 39E. From the convenience of your home or office you may register online at www.astai.us/register-online or call A Security Academy, Inc., at 703-916-8411 for more information.

All Shooting Events Will Resume May 29, 2020
Click On The Link Below To Register For
Classroom Entry-Level Training And
Online In-Service Training

All Shooting events are hereby cancelled until further Notice.

All EQUIPMENT AND RANGE FEES ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT. If you are taking a firearms class please include the caliber you will qualify with on the registration form as required. If you are taking online Alternative In-service training 07R, 08R, 09R, 10R, you must send an email to astai.org@gmail.com requesting your Range date to shoot AFTER you complete the on-line portion. Once you shoot and a score is provided, your submission to DCJS will be sent.

No Exceptions!

This info is intended for students attending A Security Training Academy, Inc., firearms training.

1) Safety: a class environment is completely different than shooting at a public range and dramatically different than going shooting with a few buddies at a private range. You need to have situational awareness at all times. Muzzle awareness becomes extremely important. Handling weapons behind the firing line is automatically a failure! Even something as simple as bending down to pick up an empty magazine can cause you to sweep people with the muzzle of your gun and be considered unsafe.

2) Relax: Take a deep breath and relax. A class is meant to be a fun and an enjoyable learning experience. It can be a bit stressful at first for someone new to process all the new information, but just forcing yourself to calm down and take things slowly will help you. Often times, students are having a hard-time following instructions, are simply because they are stressed out. If you find yourself getting that way, just take a deep breath and relax, clear your mind, and then get back into the task at hand with a fresh frame of mind.

3) Equipment: review the equipment list and bring the correct and appropriate equipment for the class. This is critical; if you have any questions please email me. If don’t have equipment it can be rented. Showing up with the wrong equipment can really hamper your learning experience, and in some cases force you to leave early because the Range portion cannot be completed. Simple things like having a suitable belt for a holster can be the difference between enjoying the Range or suffering through it.

4) Holsters: a proper holster is critical for qualification. I understand many shooters use Serpa holsters on a regular basis with no issues whatsoever. However, an open enrollment class environment has its own set of challenges (refer to items 1 & 2), and a trigger finger paddle release holster is asking for trouble. In addition, Inside the Waistband (IWB) or appendix carry holsters are NOT suitable for DCJS classes and are not allowed. An on-duty holster should be used during qualification. If you are shooting for a concealed carry course Inside the Waistband (IWB), maybe worn.

5) Electronic hearing protection: Students pay a lot of money to attend a class in order to receive their certification. It makes no sense to use hearing protection designed to eliminate as much sound as possible (gunfire or range commands from the instructor you paid money to listen too) in a class. It means you won’t be able to follow certain commands or absorb key training points, and you become a safety hazard to the rest of the class because you’re not able to hear properly.

6) Handguns: Double action is the only handgun allowed a) your duty issued handgun or b) you rent a handgun from the Range. A much smarter approach is to bring or rent a Glock 17 or Glock 19 for the class.

7) Ammo: 100 Rounds of ammo is required for the class. Bring or purchase from the Range is acceptable. Absolutely no Steel metal casing ammo will be allowed for use!

8) Training philosophy: I am an reality-based instructor who feels you should get something out of every round you fire. My approach is very simple — no one is going to have to tell you to shoot faster in a gunfight, and accurate hits on target are the only guaranteed way to shoot to stop your threat. Therefore, I believe in learning to shoot accurately first, then developing speed. Because of this I have a rule of thumb, late in the afternoon. Students can become mentally exhausted. At this point students have become fatigued – noticeably so. I always base my instruction and what the students need on where the students are at that given time. I give you what you need, not necessarily what you want! I’m uniquely qualified to evaluate this and have many years of successfully training LE, Military and civilians. Unlike other instructors, I don’t use hype to market myself and claim to know more than anyone else. In addition, I don’t tailor my classes so that someone who has deployed overseas can evaluate my classes and determine if what I am teaching, or the round count meets their approval. If you fit into these categories do both of us a favor and skip attending my class. When you show up it is good advice to leave your attitude and your ego at home and get your head straight to learn dedicated, specific law based training to meet the requirement of the Commonwealth of Virginia, District of Columbia,  or the State of Maryland.

I hope this helps potential students in deciding if a class with me makes sense. Be safe and I hope to see in the class and on the range.