APRIL 2025 Training Update

GENERAL:

Just when you thought the sewage could not go any deeper, they find more and more fraud.  The fraud cases should keep the Justice Department busy for the next decade.

TEXAS STATE GUARDIAN PROGRAM

Leave it to politicians and state LE bureaucrats to screw up a program that has potential.

Below is a letter I sent to our new State Representative this past month, in reference to the Texas Armed Teacher Guardian Program.

March 2025

SR Mrs. Joanne Shofner,

Subject:  Current state of Texas Guardian Training

Issues: School Safety Instructor Certifications/Standards (Guardians)

Currently, Instructors for the State Guardian Program to certify teachers to carry firearms in a school setting are minimal at best and likely create a dangerous situation due to unrealistic and lack of structured training.

Failed Logic:  We have assigned to an agency that failed massively during the Uvalde Massacre, the responsibility of structuring and implementing a training program for armed school teachers. Nowhere in the civilian sector would someone be put in charge of a program they massively failed.  Yet here we are.

My experience in making these statements/assessments are based on:

• Over 45 Years of Firearm Training Experience

• Developed and implemented curriculum/classes at a State University-SFA

• Develop a training curriculum for Triple Canopy-PMC

• Developed and helped write curriculum for the U.S. State Department- SAIC

• Developed and implemented curriculum/classes for the U.S. Army Delta Force

A three-day LTC (License to Carry) Instructor course is the first phase of training to certify teachers. The shooting standards for an instructor student are slow and imprecise for this type of certification.  Also, the target used/required is large and unrealistic, fostering a false sense of ability.

The two-day “School Safety” Instructor mirrors the weak LTC Instructor course in both shooting and training standards.

It starts by wasting time with a required “pre-test,” which is an academic requirement.  If you are going to have an academic pre-test, you also need a “shooting” pre-test. The academic pre-test questions should be saved for the final test as you will layer new information on the students.  Further, the course needs to be longer with 80% hands on live fire and 20% academic. 

When called to respond to an incident, armed teachers or staff are going to “ballistically interdict” (shoot) the threat and not quiz them to death.

By using inbred and outdated training standards, the courses will “appear” to be academically satisfactory.  The reality is, the program lacks the hands-on and shooting requirements and scenarios that really prepare the armed teacher/staff to terminate the threat.  Unrealistic standards which are minimal, unrealistic, and potentially dangerous will create another Uvalde.

You are simply putting unqualified teachers in schools with firearms that they have little or no training and expect them to face armed opponents.  This is criminally dangerous and is a recipe for disaster and failure.

Program Costs:

Some shooting schools are now charging $5,000 per teacher to train them up in lackluster requirements, adhering to the weak state standards and simply fostering the weak requirements.  Yes, some will seize the money knowing their students will be unprepared.

We at CSAT will not lower our training/standards to meet the new state requirements

We have been charging $600 and $900 for five-days in what we believe is superior training to prepare a Teacher Guardian.  This includes live fire flat range standards along with live fire modules in a shoot house including medical training.

Below is from my Lead Civilian Instructor who founded a Guardian Program at an East Texas School and has military experience and 30 years of teaching experience.

Paul,

It is a weak program.  Here a few issues I see. 

They don’t prioritize aggressive response to an active shooter.  

They don’t use Uvalde as a case history.   

LTC standards for guardians.  Ridiculously dangerous.

Emphasis on classroom not live fire flat range/CQB

No standardization of LE link up.  (TCOLE needs to work with DPS on standardization of guardian/LE link up)

Typical state bullshit check the box course.  Our kids deserve better. 

Coy

Conclusion:

The response and failure in Uvalde mirror the quality of training programs at the state and local level of law enforcement.  They failed miserably.

Now we apply lessor standard to armed teachers and staff and expect them to perform to a higher level of performance. 

As has been said, our Teachers, Parent and Kids deserve better.

Paul Howe

CSAT-Nacogdoches, Texas

CLASSES

PISTOL CQB

10-11 May 2025 are the dates we are looking at for a Pistol CQB class.

Advanced Concealed Carry

We have scheduled an Advanced Concealed Carry 26-27 April.

Tactical Pistol/Rifle Instructor

A Tactical Pistol/Rifle Instructor has been added 29 April to 4 May.

Tactical Pistol Class

3-4 May are the dates

CLASS/TRAINING INFO 

When attending CSAT classes in the future, please have:

·        Electronic Ears

·        Tourniquet

·        Thumb drive

The reasoning behind the Electronic Ears is simple. We want you to hear range commands on the line and during scenarios.  Input can be made without shouting.

As for Tourniquets, I watch many a person who have one on their gear, not use it as they don’t want to remove it from the pouch or the plastic.  If your tourniquet, is so fragile that it cannot be used for training, you need to buy a different one.  You should have training tourniquets as well.  If you need one, the Pro Shop will be happy to sell you one.

Finally, bring a thumb drive to collect class information and handouts.

THE CSAT WAY ON FACEBOOK AND PATREON

THE MIGHTY NETWORK

CSAT-THE MIGHTY NETWORK

Our new comprehensive training website is up—over 480 videos and articles.

OPERATOR TIER

$20 A MONTH, TAC PISTOL, RIFLE AND MORE

INSTRUCTOR TIER

$40 A MONTH, ALL VIDEOS

 The CSAT Way

We are cutting back our footprint on YouTube and will reestablish it on another website. 

We continue to work on new video content for both the Patreon Operator and Patreon Instructor. We currently have over 227 videos on the site.

You can visit “The CSAT Way” on FaceBook for video updates.

PRO SHOP/STEEL

The above picture is a “Bent Orca” with two sets of scales (handles).  One is thick and one is thin. 

For day-to-day carry off side, I like the thick for a positive grip and top of the belt carry.

Were I to do deep pocket carry, I would use thinner grips and build a tip down vertical sheath out of soft and sticky Velcro. 

You may want one knife with two-options or two-knives, on field carry and the other nice dress carry.

If they build you one, you can ask for thick and thin scales. 

Just as our hands are different, so are knife makers.

We have a clearance on Knives and Hawks.  Contact the shop for details.

“Be sure to check in at csattss.com for our line of Tomahawks and limited-edition blades.”

BARRACKS

While the barracks has saved many a student money in the past, I must unfortunately raise the rent.  To stay there for a two- or three-day class, it is $100 extra to class tuition.  Power, water, AC/Heat has all gone up as well as maintenance and maintenance contracts.  Send any complaints to Joe Biden, PODUS. Also, if you are a current LEO paying on your own dime, the barracks increase does not apply to you.  

MEMES:

RANGE

Nothing new to report.

The CSAT WAY Book

IN CLOSING

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you on the range.

Paul R. Howe