Instructors Wearing Body Armor during CHL and Pistol Courses

[Younggun]

+1 I think blaming the students is a cop out. How unsafe is your class? You can still die if shot wearing body armor.

I'm along the line that if a student wants a vest they should have brought one.

You can do everything in the world to control the situation but you CAN NOT control people.

It is impossible to be able to get to everyone on the line faster than they can take an incredibly stupid action. How long does it take a person to turn a gun 90 degrees and pull the trigger?

 

[Renegade]

I also want to hear from a Student's perspective on what do you think of Instructors wearing body armor during live fire and proficiency on the range?

I always wear armor when going to a public range, match, etc. I have been a student, I have been an instructor. I wore armor at the first CHL class back in 95 folks looked at me like I was paranoid.

 

[Wryknow]

As a paying customer I would expect the instructor to wear a concealed vest. Wearing a tactical or swat vest would make me wonder if the instructor was a littel too into militias/survival groups to provide useful training to be quite honest. A "concealed" vest is a very different statement in my mind though - it indicates the instructor cares about being discreet but is also realistic and focused on safety. I ran a few ranges in the military and saw some stunningly dumb things done with M60s, 80mm mortar rounds, M16s, claymore mines, and pistols.

 

[V-Tach]

Interesting discussion. I thank you all for your frank and honest opinions.

To me it is a piece of safety equipment. Doesn't mean I don't trust anyone, or that I think anyone in particular is unsafe or I am some kind of macho operator.

Would anyone think not having a first aid kit is a good idea on a range? Would anyone be upset because we have fire extinguishers on the range?

Just a thought.......

 

[Sugar Land]

I don't think you could have too much safety equipment. The ole saying "Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it" IMO

 

[breakingcontact]

Im one of the first to talk down people for playing "operator" and the tacticool crowd but i see nothing wrong with wearing a vest or even a helmet if you want to. You are in charge of your safety and level of comfort while on the range.

I know in Texas you dont have to wear a helmet on a motorcycle or bicycle but i do. To hell with what others think, its my brain.

 

[Shorts]

I hadn't thought about it until you brought it up. But makes sense for an instructor to wear PPE. Matter of fact, seems like a damn good idea just to go to a public range.

 

[txinvestigator]

I think V-Tach has a great point about other safety gear.

I need to carry a better PFAK, when on the range.

 

[breakingcontact]

I think V-Tach has a great point about other safety gear.

I need to carry a better PFAK, when on the range.

Ive started keeping my US Army Improved First Aid Kit on my range bag with some extra Israeli bandages.

 

[M. Sage]

+1 I think blaming the students is a cop out. How unsafe is your class? You can still die if shot wearing body armor.

Between a vest and tourniquets (which SHOULD be in your blow-out bag... you do take a first aid kit to the range, right?) the odds of a fatal gun shot wound are reduced dramatically, especially if we're talking about handguns.

In my reading, the basic rule of thumb these days is if you're alive when you get to the hospital, the odds are really good you'll stay that way.

 

[AustinN4]

I'll throw my 2 cents worth into the ring. I have no problem with the instructor wearing armor at all, no matter if it is worn inside or outside clothes. I have seen enough stupid human tricks in my lifetime around guns, which is why I prefer to be at the range when as few people are there as possible. And I think that if a student wants to wear it, they need to bring it.

 

[sonuvaTXgun]

I also want to hear from a Student's perspective on what do you think of Instructors wearing body armor during live fire and proficiency on the range?

Does it send a negative image/message to the Students?.

Please discuss......

From a student's perspective, I appreciated the fact that my instructor had his employees wear the armor. They may be knowledgeable about gun safety but that doesn't mean the idiots that they have to certify are. If anyone is offended by them wearing BA, they need to check themselves because firearms are serious and dangerous tools. It's good on instructors and their assistants to wear BA.

-TXG-

 

[HillRider]

I just think it sends the wrong message. If an instructor wants to post on their site or business that they do this and encourage students to as well, that's one thing, but to be an instructor and only worry about your safety sets a bad example as a leader.

 

[Koinonia]

I just think it sends the wrong message. If an instructor wants to post on their site or business that they do this and encourage students to as well, that's one thing, but to be an instructor and only worry about your safety sets a bad example as a leader.

I wear concealable armor every day i leave the house, not including on the job. Youre damn right im going to worry about my safety first, who cares what example it is perceived I'm setting. Im safer for it.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I see absolutely nothing wrong with an instructor deciding to wear body armor during classes. I've almost been negligently shot and killed by more people than I can remember, including our own Governor (Twice! Almost wondered if the lawsuit money would be worth it. LOL jk). Frankly, nothing surprises me anymore. Might as well be proactive about your own safety. This doesn't mean an instructor cares about their students any less, it is simply taking due diligence an extra step and hedging your safety bets with a few hundred dollars and a few layers of kevlar and/or ceramic. Considering the damage, expense, and sheer financial debilitation that can occur from a bullet penetrating into and/or through the human body, versus being stopped by a vest and simply being a bit banged up for a few weeks....the idea of that few hundred dollar expense starts looking more and more attractive.

Here's another way to look at it. What if you installed a 4 point or 6 point racing harness in place of your stock seatbelts on your daily driver? Might be a bit much for the circumstances, but are we honestly arguing that more safety is a bad thing?

 

[txinvestigator]

I just think it sends the wrong message. If an instructor wants to post on their site or business that they do this and encourage students to as well, that's one thing, but to be an instructor and only worry about your safety sets a bad example as a leader.

He is not there to be a leader, or teach you how to shoot.

 

[SIG_Fiend]

I just think it sends the wrong message. If an instructor wants to post on their site or business that they do this and encourage students to as well, that's one thing, but to be an instructor and only worry about your safety sets a bad example as a leader.

My personal opinion is that the degree by which an instructor cares about their own personal safety sets a pretty solid example for students. Doesn't mean they care any less about the students' safety, just that they are taking things that serious. If handling and manipulating firearms haphazardly, if allowing students to do the same and not correcting them immediately, all those sorts of things send either an obvious or subconscious message to the students, effectively telling them that sort of behavior is OK.

 

[Younggun]

I just think it sends the wrong message. If an instructor wants to post on their site or business that they do this and encourage students to as well, that's one thing, but to be an instructor and only worry about your safety sets a bad example as a leader.

Should the instructor also make sure you wear your seatbelt to and from the range?

 

[robertc1024]

I just think it sends the wrong message. If an instructor wants to post on their site or business that they do this and encourage students to as well, that's one thing, but to be an instructor and only worry about your safety sets a bad example as a leader.

Totally disagree. Wear whatever you want as an instructor, I could care less. If I were in their position, I can guarantee-damn-T you my wife would be wanting me to wear something. Why can it be a "bad example" when you're being as safe as possible.

 

[HillRider]

He is not there to be a leader, or teach you how to shoot.

Is he an instructor or not? Is he being paid money or not? Is he responsible for creating a safe environment or not? The body armor cast doubt on the system he created. Most importantly, it sends the message to the students that they were knowingly put in an unnecessarily unsafe environment and weren't even given a heads up.