Looking Back, Part I

As I mentioned three weeks ago, Kyle Defoor recently posted a series of Paying Homage threads on his blog looking back at the people who, in his words, “in the context of marksmanship and tactical shooting these are the guys who have most influenced me…”

It was a great idea and, after prompting from a good friend (thanks Lil’L!) I committed to following Kyle’s excellent example. While there are many, many people whose knowledge and experience have graciously been shared over the years, five people in particular played a major role in my overall development in terms of technique, mindset, and teaching style.

First up is Chuck Davis.

In March of 1994, my wife and I took the NRA Personal Protection class at our local Izaak Walton League. It was the first formal firearms training I ever received, and only the second time I’d even fired a handgun. As luck would have it, the teaching team at that IWLA was in the process of forming their own shooting school. Based first in Maryland and later at their private facility on Warrior Ridge, Pennsylvania, Com-Tac became my home away from home as I took course after course from head instructor Chuck Davis and his partners Mike Queen, Joe Seppy, and Ed Lopez. I even skipped my law school graduation ceremony because I was taking “Advanced Tactical Pistol.”

Chuck’s experience included both time in Viet Nam and law enforcement work, and he was a very practical minded shooter. Chuck was an adjunct Gunsite instructor and was one of the troika that created the National Tactical Invitational along with Walt Rauch and Skip Gochenour.

Now, from a mechanics standpoint, basically nothing I do (or teach) today comes from what I learned at Com-Tac. They were strong Weaver advocates and most of the training was straight out of the Modern Technique manual.

But Com-Tac was where I first heard about Cooper’s Color Code, which completely changed my view of the world… literally. Com-Tac is where I first learned about the OODA loop. Com-Tac is where I was first exposed to the concept of a combat mindset, whether it was performing weak hand only double-feed malfunction clearances on a dark rainy night or fighting my way through the shoot house with Simunition and Code Eagle force on force scenarios. To this day, I can still hear Chuck’s voice reminding me, “pain don’t hurt.”

Com-Tac is where I learned the gun safety habits which have, knock on wood, kept me from sending a round anywhere but the backstop for almost 17 years.

In particular, Chuck would meet with me every week for a few drinks or a quick bite to eat, and I could bounce my thoughts and practice results off of him. Chuck knew just about everyone in the industry and never once discouraged me from taking someone else’s class or reading someone else’s book or trying some other school’s technique. Chuck, more than anyone else, created the passion for training that I have to this day.

Without Chuck Davis and the other Com-Tac crew, my outlook on shooting, and my drive to learn and improve, would have gone unborn.

Com-Tac closed its doors years ago, Chuck moved away, and over time we’ve lost touch. But every time I practice, every time I teach, and every time I walk out my front door, the attitude and motivation I learned from Chuck is with me.

Up next: Ken Hackathorn. Stay tuned.

Train hard & stay safe! ToddG