Smyth Busters: Ex-Special Forces Members as Firearm Trainers

"He's a retired Navy SEAL / Delta Force / Green Beret, so he's gotta be a great firearms instructor." That's a line of thinking some folks use when deciding on whose training class to take. If the instructor is a former Special Forces operator, he must be the best, right? "Not so fast," say Caleb and Steve. Just because somebody has elite military experience on their resume doesn't mean they're the right teacher for civilians who want to build their marksmanship or self-defense skills.

How long was their experience? A 20-year infantry veteran may be a much better trainer than somebody who left the military not long after finishing special forces school. Do research on your prospective instructor's career and background. What is their actual expertise? Of course, there are retired special forces servicemembers who are EXCELLENT trainers, like Jeff Gonzales of the Brownells Daily Defense video series, who's a retired U.S. Navy SEAL.

Whatever the trainer's personal experience, their approach to teaching should be about YOU and what you need to learn, not about them and their past adventures. And make sure you choose a trainer who has the right background and experience for the shooting skills you want to learn.