Changes for 2012 at FAS!

Thursday, 10 November 2011 10:07 Marty Hayes

We are getting questions regarding several changes I have implemented for the coming calendar year, so I figured I would take a moment and discuss those.

1) After 5 years of a successful working relationship with Norpoint Shooting and Training Range in Arlington, FAS will not be teaching there in 2012. This was an amicable decision between Norpoint and FAS, and we will continue to work with them on a cordial basis. Please understand that there is no secret conspiracy theories regarding this split, we simply decided that FAS should draw back to its own home range for its programs, and that Norpoint should be free to develop their own curriculum of course offerings, taking into account the physical attributes and limitations of an indoor range. We have enjoyed the association over the years, and while we will miss seeing the people we have trained up at Arlington and in the North Seattle area, they are certainly welcome to come to Onalaska to continue their training. We of course, also recommend that our North End students check out the offerings which Norpoint should be posting soon. We wish Brian and the crew at Norpoint the best of luck and success going forward.

2) We have put out our 2012 schedule for FAS, and have made a couple notable changes to the programs. First off, we were going to raise prices for 2012, because our cost of doing business has gone up considerably since the last price hike several years ago. But, I was talked out of it due to economic conditions, and perhaps that will work out okay. But, what that means, is more likely than not prices will rise in 2013. The second big news, (and this goes along with the pricing issue) is that we will be offering ½ price re-takes for some of the skill development classes. The purpose is that people still need to train, and I know thousands of you have not been shooting regularly since your last class, be that 1 year ago, or 10 years ago. If you haven’t had recent training or practice, how can you expect the critical skills you learned in class to be there for you when you need them? So, with that in mind, for the following classes, you are allowed a re-take for half-price: Defensive Handgun, Advanced Defensive Handgun, Level 1 Rifle, Tactical Rifle, Close Quarters Carbine, Defensive Shotgun, Advanced Defensive Shotgun and Close Quarters Shotgun. We will also offer half-price retakes of Handgun Retention and Disarming. This will be mentioned on the individual class offerings on the new website. For those old timers who remember the old FAS-1, 2, 3 labels on the classes, it also extends to you for the appropriate level of class.

3) Marty is stepping back from teaching! With the necessity to help our other fledgling business (the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network) succeed, I have made the decision to step even further back from the day to day teaching of the classes here at FAS. It is a weird feeling to be doing this, as I have been teaching firearms classes (almost weekly) for over 20 years. But, as I grow older and attempt to prioritize the remaining working years of my life, I have come to the realization that I can’t do it all. And frankly, I am getting tired of trying, tired of working 7 days a week often times for two or three weeks at a time. I can only take this action because over the past dozen-plus years, I have been joined in our mission to teach the best firearms training courses for the money here in the Puget Sound area by an incredibly talented, loyal and sincere group of instructors who have been teaching along side me for this time. You of course know these guys and gals, because they likely have been your instructor through one or more of your classes. In fact, it is not uncommon for a person to take 4 or 5 classes from us, and I only meet them when they get to Advanced Tactical Handgun, or one of the special interest seminars I have been teaching. I will still be around most weekends, and may drop in on a class or two at times, and I will also likely fill the back-up role if someone has a last-minute conflict and can’t teach that weekend. And, I will of course, be directly responsible for the curriculum, and ensuring the material presented during our classes is presented in the manner that I want it done in. This will not change.

I think this is enough for people to digest in one blog posting, stay tuned for another later describing the rest of the changes for next year at FAS!