OFA students line up their sights on targets during the hands-on portion of the hand gun safety course. (Photo by Jennifer Nitson)

Gun training for the good guys

by Jennifer Nitson, Lebanon Express writer

If there were any potential vigilantes or "Dirty Harry" wanna-bes in attendance at the Oregon Firearms Academy's recent handgun safety course, they were offered several reality checks.

"Handguns are very inefficient weapons," said OFA instructor Stephen Eichelberger. "If you shoot someone they may not do you the favor of dying immediately."

Instructor Dan Abbott stressed this point several times during the two day course held Feb. 7 and 8 at the Academy's headquarters outside of Brownsville. The course was offered in conjunction with Lane Community College. Completion of the class qualified students for an Oregon concealed handgun permit or armed security certification.

"All handgun cartridges are largely ineffective at stopping human threats," Abbot said, pointing out that a shotgun or high powered rifle makes a vastly more potent impact. "But we can legally carry handguns. They're socially acceptable. We don't always get to choose what tools we use so we carry handguns."

OFA instructors endeavor to shatter some of the myths portrayed in the movies, on television and even in other gun courses.

"You won't be standing nobly getting a perfect sight fixture," Eichelberger said. "You'll be hustling to save your life. You're never going to have a leisurely entry into that situation. It will always be thrust upon you and you will always be behind."

Eichelberger, who also works as a civil law attorney in Salem and formerly worked as a prosecutor for the state, also reminded students that when the police do arrive following a shooting that the drama has only begun.

"They're not going to know if you're a good guy or a bad guy," Eichelberger said. "They're just going to know that you prevailed."

To stress this point and to help students realize the ramifications of even the justified use of force, Eichelberger described "five shootings" -- the actual incident, negotiating the criminal justice system, dealing with civil suits, the notoriety that follows the shooter and the psychological impact of having seriously wounded or taken the life of another.

Eichelberger and other OFA instructors highlighted that in a threatening situation there are several alternatives to relying on deadly force.

If attempts at de-escalating the danger in such an encounter fail, "one of the alternatives is to leave," Eichelberger said. "We aren't training vigilantes here. We aren't training commandos. We're training people in tactics for self defense."

More than a dozen people attended the class to learn these tactics and more. In addition to preparedness, sound judgment and responsibility, the hand gun owners were instructed in the care and cleaning of their firearms, marksmanship and, above all, safety.

The instructors at OFA are well versed in their subject and skilled at teaching.

Eichelberger can boast combat experience as a former infantry platoon leader for the Marines in Vietnam. He not only knows the law and how it affects handgun owners, he also knows what it's like to take a bullet and how to survive in the heat of battle.

Abbott has been interested in firearms technology since he was a boy and this led him to study the subject when he went to college. As the former owner of a gun shop, Abbott fields questions about the components of firearms and ammunition.

As an ordained minister in the Church of the Nazarene, Abbott also has a unique perspective on the spiritual ramifications of firearms and their use.

"There is a spiritual aspect of what we're doing here," Abbot said. "We're not not here about shooting people or killing people. That's not our intent. We're here to protect ourselves and our loved ones."

OFA instructor Rick Benson recently retired as a First Sergeant after spending more than 30 years with the Linn County Sheriffs Office. He remains on reserve status as a scout sniper for the Linn-Benton County S.W.A.T. team.

Benson received the Purple Heart award from the Sheriff's Office in February, in recognition of an incident in which he was injured during a struggle with a suicidal man.

OFA instructor Marion Ratliff, a medical doctor who offers academy students his perspective on the physiological, psychological and mental processes a person will likely encounter in survival mode, was not present at the class. He missed it in order to celebrate his wedding anniversary, so the rest of the staff had to fill students in on details of the human body's reactions to extreme stress. These reactions include reduced muscle control, tunnel vision and more.

"We're preparing you for the moment when things go boom in the middle of the night," Abbott said. "Learning how to shoot and learning how to survive are two different animals. It's not knowing how to pull a trigger on a gun."

The OFA instructors assert that most people have learned about firearms on television and in movies and maintain that most of what people learn in these venues is wrong.

Benson admitted his love for Clint Eastwood's "Dirty Harry" movies, but declared that Eastwood's "technical advisors sucked."

Benson, Abbot and Joe Picciano, who filled in for Ratliff, offered expert technical advice during the target shooting component of the class.

From about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the pastoral setting surrounding the OFA school and range was punctuated by the sound of gunfire.

Standing a couple of paces apart facing the simulated threats rendered in cardboard, students carefully observed safety rules and followed instructions announced over a loud-speaker.

When prompted, the students would draw their weapons, yelling "Armed citizen! Drop your weapon!"

The recalcitrant cardboard targets were subsequently peppered with multiple rounds before the students reholstered.

Lisa Cicero of Eugene had never shot her .38 revolver before the class, but found she was able to achieve "nice tight groups," meaning each round she fired hit near the center of her target.

Cicero has owned her firearm for two years, having bought it for self defense. Since that time it has "just been collecting dust," she said.

She appreciated the class for its wealth of safety information.

"I thought it was really informative," Cicero said. "The safety issues were really important to me, because I was afraid to have a loaded gun in the house, and now I'm not afraid. It scared me at first because I'd never shot my own gun. Once I did it myself, I felt really comfortable and I wasn't afraid anymore."

An avid outdoors woman, Cicero and her partner plan to arm themselves while enjoying nature.

"We like to travel, hike and camp," Cicero said. Being a woman, I just feel safer. There's some weirdoes out there."

Cicero found out about the class through LCC and plans to take more OFA classes if she can fit them into her schedule.

"That was a wonderful class," she said. "I'd highly recommend it to anyone."

Another self described "big fan" of OFA was class member Dave Wiens, owner of Eagle Security Professionals in Albany.

Wiens took a basic handgun safety course four years ago as a refresher for his armed security certification and has been hooked ever since.

Wiens is so impressed with OFA that all of his employees must take two OFA classes apiece.

"It's more hands-on experience of what happens in an incident," Wiens said of the classes. "There's a little bit more attention paid to the use of cover and concealment. They get right on you. If something sticks out they'll let you know. They really take into account how to survive a shooting if you're involved in one."

Wiens appreciated the chance to brush up on the fundamentals. This time he brought along his wife, Melanie Wiens.

In the target shooting portion of the class, Melanie gave Dave a run for his money, and during a break Dave exclaimed, "I used to be able to say I taught her, now I can just say I'm with her."

As the sun went over the ridge, the handgun safety students combed over the gravel of the range picking up bullet casings and took down the peppered targets.

Before the class disbanded, Benson stressed the importance of ongoing training.

"Either with us or with somebody else," Benson said. "The important thing is that you continue your training."

For more information or for a schedule of OFA classes call 451-5532 or go to www.oregonfirearms.d2g.com.

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