FIVE THINGS TO DO AFTER SIGNING UP FOR TRAINING

Once you have signed up for your training membership you gain immediate access to the training resources inside the Defense Academy. Depending upon your experience level, below are the five things we suggest you start with:

New Gun Owner

1. Immediately start the 5-Day kick start.
2. Memorize the 4 firearm safety habits.
3. Watch the CCW Videos.
4. Initiate your training journal.
5. Initiate your Google Sheets training plan.

Experienced Gun Owner

1. Review handgun and rifle fundamentals.
2. Study all individual tactic skills.
3. Study all 14 RBT scenarios.
4. Set-up and dial in your dry practice area.
5. Initiate your training plan.

HOW OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS WORK

The five "programs" provide specific, sequenced learning, guiding you through a carefully designed and fully integrated sequence of instruction. Additional online and on-range training courses and educational resources are also available, with access unlocked as each program is completed. You will enroll in and pay for each program separately, at your own pace, with your Defense Academy membership 

Anchored by participation in DSI's on-range training courses, each program defines prerequisites and specifies the readings, videos, online courses, and practice drills that must be addressed before you are scheduled to attend that Program's on-range training course. 

You can control your own pace and progress through the programs according to your own individual schedule and circumstances, while still focusing on the end goal of proficiency in two weapon systems and in the tactics and cognitive knowledge that will allow the sober, lawful, and deliberate application of those skills as an individual, and as a member of a team or larger articulated unit in defense of home, business, church, school, or community against evolving threats.

In broad outline, this program ensures competency in the combative use of handgun and rifle; in the principles of individual tactics that will make you hard to kill and allow you to apply those skills successfully in a fight for your life; and in the cognitive infrastructure of intelligence, communications, planning, collective training, and organization that will provide you the enormous leverage of working with like-minded and similarly trained people to secure your home, business, school, church, or community in that critical gap between the sudden appearance of a violent threat and the decisive intervention of law enforcement - a gap that is steadily widening in much of America as the social contract frays and resources contract.

THE PROCESS

You will be using 6 component resources in order to accomplish your training objectives. These components are:

1. Individual Google Sheets Daily Training Plan: This serves to both guide and record your progress through all the programs you complete.
2. Online courses: Each Program requires that you complete Online Courses listed and linked in the Program pages shown in the sidebar on the right side of this page.
3. Online reading assignments: A Program may also specify required readings found in the online Defense Academy.
4. On-range courses: After you have satisfied all prerequisites and completed all Pre-Course work for a given Program, you will need to schedule and attend the specified on-range Course.
5. Online quizzes and tests: Many Online Courses require successful completion of a quiz; and a test demonstrates your understanding of all specified Pre-Course work in each Program.
6. In-home dry practice: Combative Firearms programs specify dry-practice before, during, and after your on-range training to help you develop and maintain gun handling skills. 

After signing up for your program membership you gain immediate access to these components.

THE TESTING

We will provide you with testing - an honesty trace - and tracking throughout the 12-month period. Follow the links to the six programs shown on the sidebar to the right, to discover the prerequisites, pre-course study requirements, and the contents and sequencing of on-range training. Schedule your on-range courses well in advance, and ensure that you have completed all requirements prior to attendance.

THE CERTIFICATION

In the realm of self-defense and distributed security, there is no room for "magical thinking" or unwarranted deference to imaginary elites. The DSI training team has many years' experience guiding smart, fit, motivated individuals, regardless of their background or prior experience, through progressive training that produces the competencies necessary to meet and defeat any armed threat. You can achieve the same goal through dedication and practice. Completion of each Program will be documented by a certificate and your own completed Google Sheets Daily Training Plan. Better yet is the confidence you will gain having demonstrated proficiency with your weapons, and the ability to move and fight effectively as an individual or in a small team.

 *The specialty skills of a sniper, breacher, negotiator, or tactical driver are less applicable to private citizens in defense of home, business, church, school, and community, and we do not teach them. DSI training will help you develop shooting and gun handling skills comparable to the best police and military operators, which will enable you to consistently achieve hits on target, at realistic ranges, under stress, in low light, faster than your adversary. Your judgment and decision-making skills will ensure that you use force legally and appropriately, without endangering the innocent. Your mastery of individual tactics will let you avoid a fight where possible, and fight from a position of advantage where you must. You will be able to work safely and effectively in a team with other similarly trained operators in any urban or suburban environment. Your tactical medicine skills will enable you to save lives when seconds count and EMS is minutes away. Your tactical communications skills and means will allow you to coordinate within and across teams. Your DSI training is an integrated package that will reward you with top-level skills in all these areas for a commitment of approximately 150 hours of on-range work, and the equivalent in guided study and practice.