Paladin Training, Inc.

hope you and your team are well and continuing to prepare.  Recent events in Garland, TX and elsewhere continue to remind us that we can be called upon to demonstrate our resolve – whatever it is – and our skills – whatever they are – at any time.  None of us know when that day or that hour may come.

In my opinion, the unnamed Garland PD officer who did such an admirable job yesterday standing in the gap deserves more credit than he’s getting.  No, I haven’t heard any criticism.  His peers and superiors all have praised his skill with the handgun and their remarks usually include something like this, ‘He did just as he was trained’.

As a trainer I would never attempt to minimize the effect  good training can have — can have — on an outcome, but we have to give credit to the man (or woman) who actually puts that training to use.  To simply say, he did as he was trained’ and leave it at that is to reduce the officer’s achievement to the same level as a circus act.  No.  There has to be more to it.  Every officer of the Garland PD received the same training as this officer, but that doesn’t mean they were all capable of meeting the challenge as he did.

Being exposed to good training is not enough.  Working diligently to internalize it and make it part of your personality is the critical next step and doing that is largely the result of individual character.

So give the trainer’s their due, but give the man credit, too.  Good job, whoever you are.  You are the man.

Please continue to train and get ready; physically, mentally and spiritually!

Train hard!   Put God first!