(Article) Gunsite Academy: The World’s Oldest Private Facility near Paulden Offers Premier Firearms Training

Gunsite Academy: The World’s Oldest Private Facility near Paulden Offers Premier Firearms Training

“Excellence, not mediocrity, should be everyone’s goal…” –Jeff Cooper/ Shotluck

       If there was a Mt. Rushmore dedicated to firearms training, Lt. Colonel John Dean “Jeff” Cooper would be on it. No other individual contributed more to the way small arms techniques and practices are disseminated today than he. His legacy lives on at Gunsite Academy near Paulden Arizona where countless numbers of clients over the last 40 years have learned the mindset and methodologies based on the Cooper doctrine. If anybody knows anything about shooting his name would be recognizable as to what all he did in defensive firearms usage and in developing the transformational firearms methodology called “the modern technique.”

          Jeff cooper was born in Los Angeles in 1920. At the age of eleven he began his life-long love affair with shooting. He earned a political science degree from Stanford University in 1941. Later that same year, the Marine Corps offered him an honor graduate commission just a few months before the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Cooper fought in the Pacific Theater during the war earning the rank of Major. He was eventually recalled to active duty during the Korean conflict and retired as a Lt. Colonel.

          It was 1956 in Big Bear, California and Cooper founded the first practical shooting club, the “Bear Valley Gunslingers” who held straight quick-draw matches seeing who could draw and hit close range targets the fastest. These “leatherslap” matches were primarily single-handed “point shooting” that was the standard method for close-quarter combat at the time. That was soon to change when Jack Weaver started racking up a series of victories in competition with a new method that combined a two-handed technique with eye-level aiming on target. Cooper (and the shooting world) took notice. While Weaver will always be credited with originating the “Weaver Stance” it is Cooper who began to publicize it and refine the new method into what is now known as “the modern technique.” Cooper also developed a three-point training tool known as the “Combat Triad.”

          Cooper had a unique ability to reduce otherwise complex concepts down to their essence resulting in simplistic tenants that were easy to remember but extremely valuable when dangerous situations require action. Chief among these is what is commonly known as “The Combat Triad.” Think of an equilateral triangle with each side representing an important firearm fundamental. These are Mindset, Marksmanship and Gun Handling. Marksmanship governs not only accuracy, but the ability to shoot quickly under stress. Gun handling concerns managing your firearm in order to get it into the fight, and recharging it while not taking eyes off your target. Mindset is the awareness, tactics and mental preparedness necessary for effective self-defense. “The mindset is what is most important,” according to Chief Operating Officer Ken P. Campbell, “We don’t teach you that your only answer is your firearm. We also teach the “Color Code” that informs on avoidance and awareness.”

          Cooper’s Color Code, like the Combat Triad, is at the heart of what clients learn at Gunsite. It’s basically a mental process that evaluates one’s situation and places it within an escalating scale that determines an appropriate response according to that condition.

Condition White is when a person is unaware, unprepared, and often unarmed; never ideal in an increasingly dangerous world. You are vulnerable, and your survival is more dependent on your opponent’s failings then by any action you might be able to take.

Condition Yellow describes someone relaxed yet alert to the possibility that you may be called upon to defend yourself. This may be when venturing into unfamiliar surroundings or among strangers where you are more aware and conscious of the potential that you might be threatened. This mental state should leave you thinking, as Cooper put it, it’s when you realize, “I might have to shoot.”

When a situation has escalated beyond a general awareness towards the identification of a specific threat our condition has become “Orange” according to the color code. Something has caused you to become alarmed and thinking definitively of your next move. You might formulate a response in your mind. “If that person does “X” I will need to stop them.” You’re weapon is still holstered but you have mentally established the parameters by which you will proceed in your response to the threat. If things never escalate, that’s fine, you can return to “Yellow”. But what happens if the threshold for action has been crossed? Then, the fight is on and condition “Red” has been enacted.

Condition Red. Just the sound of it reflects a serious situation. The trigger you established during condition orange has been met and you are mentally prepared to employ lethal force to defend yourself if need be. There is no turning back and no room for double-mindedness or hesitation.

The Combat Triad and the Cooper Color Code is the foundation for the instruction client’s will receive while training at Gunsite. They work towards bringing together general preparedness with the proportional response to danger that allows a person a process to make an otherwise difficult decision in a calculative manner. Campbell, who first came to Gunsite as a student back in 1990, spoke to the way these principles are implemented at the facility. “If you can recognize a threat and avoid it that’s much better than a fight, but if you do have to be involved in a fight we teach you how to fight to win.”

Ken Campbell, a retired sheriff, is now tasked with carrying on Cooper’s legacy at Gunsite as Chief Operating Officer for the past 2 ½ years. There must have been something special that he experienced when visiting almost 30 years ago that influenced his on-going relationship with the facility. “I had been a cop for eleven years and a firearms instructor and I had been to other schools but I came with an open mind and learned the modern technique and it changed how I went back and taught the other police officers at my agency as well as those at the state law enforcement academy.” Ken’s many years of experience leave him uniquely qualified to administer the 2800 acre facility that has become the industry standard for firearms training worldwide.

So you’ve purchased a firearm, now what? Colonel Cooper said it best, “Just because you own a piano, that doesn’t make you a musician.” “You need to get good training.” added Sheriff Campbell. That’s where Gunsite comes in, helping students to progress from mere gun owners to the competency and decisiveness required to effectively defend oneself. “Just because you go into the local guns hop and buy a gun based on what the guy behind the counter is recommending to you does not make you someone who could use that gun when bad things happen.” Although many of the tens-of-thousands of clients who have trained at the facility over the years are active law enforcement or have military backgrounds, Campbell shares that the majority are what he refers to as “earth people; just regular folks that recognize that they want to learn to be better able to protect themselves and their family.” The only requirement is that students, regardless of their experience level, bring with them an open mind, Gunsite takes care of the rest.

Maybe you’re an experienced shooter and wish to take your skillset to the next level. There are ample opportunities to do so within the great number of course offerings found at Gunsite. As with most training facilities, Gunsite provides the typical core training in carbine, pistol, rifle (long and extremely long-range), and shotgun; but that’s just the beginning. There are also a great number of specialty classes offered. These include vehicle defense, citizen response to active shooter, ballistic response to a violent encounter, tactical medicine based on an active shooter incident, predator defense, safari and North American game hunter prep classes. To be sure, there is something for everyone here depending on what your individual needs and competency level requires. Check with the outfit’s website as to availability as courses and schedules change often.

As the growing trend in female gun ownership is being realized industry-wide Gunsite has responded to their unique needs for specialized instruction. Carrie Lightfoot, founder of The Well-Armed Women spoke of her own experience at Gunsite. “It’s an awesome facility. I took my CCW course there back in 2010. We also conduct some of our 3 day instructor certification courses there.”

Chief Operating Officer Ken Campbell spoke to the many ways that the facility has embraced the changing demographics of gun ownership that has created an increased demand for training geared towards the female shooter. “My personal opinion is that more and more women are recognizing that the world is not the place they thought it once was and that they must be able to protect themselves and their families so they are choosing to get training.” The facility offers ladies only classes where they can learn in a machismo-free environment among their peers. “The content is no different, it’s just that some ladies choose not be in classes with men” said Campbell. “Frankly, ladies are better students than men. A year or so ago in one of our carbine classes the women outnumbered the men. Which was a first, but that’s industry wide.” As the premier training facility, it is apparent that Gunsite is leading the industry by providing an inclusive environment where women can become competent, confident and able to defend themselves on par with their male counterparts.

Gunsite has also made efficient use of evolving simulation technologies that are incorporated into the training regimen. One of the most important to the modern defensive shooter is the live-fire shoot houses which students navigate alongside their instructor. They are tasked with discriminating between good guys and bad that are simulated by photo or cartoon type targets. Campbell explains what these realistic environs teach, “You make proper use of the concealment and cover, which is that you don’t expose yourself as you negotiate yourself through the house with the furniture considering windows and doors.”

Intermediary or advanced students take the training a step further through the use of force-on-force simulators. You are provided with a modified pistol that fires “simunition” cartridges that mark a target with paint. “This is not a paint-ball match where you are just in there blasting away unconcerned about where your rounds go. You are responsible for each and every one of those rounds that are fired out of your gun. We use role-players who have thousands of iterations. If you think in your scenario, you may not have to fire a round” explained Campbell. This is an invaluable tool that might mean the difference between life and death if a real-life situation presents itself.

In a world where active shooter incidents like Aurora, The Pulse nightclub or San Bernardino have become more frequent, there exists a need for appropriate training like Gunsite's citizen response active shooter class. Again, technology is used to reproduce the most realistic situations for the course. Robotics are used to represent a shooter who is moving through a crowd of innocent stationary targets. “You have to engage the bad guy without shooting through or hitting the good guy targets just like you would in real-world situations,” added Campbell. Think of the lives that might have been saved if one competent, decisive citizen might have been able to intercede in such situations during the precious moments that it takes for a police response.

Hunting enthusiasts have specialized needs beyond the tactical offerings at Gunsite. Anyone who spends time afield may find the predator defense class useful towards their own confidence that they are able to defend themselves against non-human threats. Forest workers, hunters, hikers and other outdoor recreationalists can learn the life-saving techniques which need to be instinctive in order to make a real difference. This is another course that makes use of new technologies to simulate possible real-life encounters. “We also make use of robotics. For lack of a better term, they are like remote control cars that we can attach targets and drive through the terrain and either have that robot charge you, run away, or move left and right.” Considering that a bear can run twice as fast as you, there is a real difference between thinking you know what to do and actually knowing and reacting in mere milliseconds to protect yourself.

Traditionally, hunting courses have concentrated on marksmanship, and gun safety. If you wanted to learn spotting, tracking and setting up on game animals you were taught by a family member or had to hire an experienced guide. Gunsite offers a comprehensive class for Safari and North American game hunters where you will learn all of the skills that combine to make the difference between a successful hunt and an empty tag. You are able to work in the natural terrain with realistic game targets recreating a real hunt.

With most courses covering at least five full days, the facility has built a full-service campground onsite. Bring your RV and reserve a site with water and electric for only $30/night. Primitive sites go for half that, but you still get to take advantage of the restrooms, showers, kitchenette, washer and dryer, and covered veranda. The only thing missing is a dump station for waste but with these amenities you probably won’t be in need of one during your stay. Just stop on your way out at the local dump station just a few miles down the road.

One of the features many visitors to Gunsite rave about is their full-service gunsmith and pro shop. Shooting pad wore out? Forgot your eye-protection? Just want a new sling for the rifle? You’re in luck, and all within a few short paces. “We got everything in there from t-shirts to high-end firearms,” said Campbell of the shop located on the property, “and if we carry it it’s going to be good stuff.” No need to drive in to town to get your equipment right, it’s all right there.

Being centrally located between such popular tourist attractions like The Grand Canyon, Sedona, Prescott, Jerome or local ancient cliff dwellings, I asked Sheriff Campbell if many students combine a their vacations with training. The answer was clear. “Just make sure to plan those things on the front or back end of your courses. While you’re here, you won’t have time. We work you pretty hard.” After all, isn’t that exactly what you want in a training facility? I know I do. The classes run at least 8-5 each day with one night shoot. So most days, after you finish, clean your firearm shower and do homework (yes, there is homework) it’s all you can do to just grill a good meal and get some rest.

Just as women have specific needs in regards to training so do seniors, or what Campbell likes to call “seasoned citizens.” “The way that a senior citizen will fight will be significantly different than how a 30-year-old is going to fight. So we developed a five-day pistol and a five-day carbine course based on our normal class but we decrease the distances, decrease the number of kneeling and prone firing positions and increase the time a little because that’s more realistic for their lifestyle. We will soon have a similar class in shotgun for seniors as well.” The elderly shooter will feel right at home with their experience adapted to their unique requirements and confident in the knowledge that, through proper training, one’s golden years need not be defined by any vulnerability.

The facility’s success might be attributed to the knowledge and experience of the instructors. “We have approximately 60 instructors; they are part-time or adjunct faculty who are brought in for 6-8 weeks at a time depending on our needs.” Naturally, many have extensive law enforcement or military backgrounds, active or retired they are proficient in their areas of expertise. For example, the Safari and North American Game hunting instructors come from that background and they even have two medical doctors who teach the emergency medical classes giving the students exactly what they need from within their specialties. “We’ve been here 41 years as a direct result of the instructor cadre we have,” according to Campbell, “they are the best in the business.” Add to that a 1 to 4 student to teacher ratio on the firing line and you’ve got a sure-fire formula for success.

  It is difficult to identify a specific area of the shooting or firearms-related community that Gunsite does not serve. Chief among these is members of local law enforcement. As a retired Sheriff himself, and father of a police officer, Campbell shared his affinity for, and accommodations they make for local law enforcement in the area. “I’m going to take care of local law enforcement because they are the ones that are going to come here and support us. We do have some programs available to the Sheriff and chiefs here regularly and offer to them opportunities as they become available.”

Another way by which they are giving back to the community is through veteran’s programs. They offer tuition free classes to veterans of the current war. “We wish we could offer these to all veterans but there is only so much we can afford to do.” These courses are held during the summer and include two pistol and two carbine classes. They donate the ranges, the instructors donate their time. Throughout the year, all students are encouraged to donate their unused ammunition which will also be made available to the vets.

Have a small group of friends wishing to train together? You’re also in luck. The 2800 acre Paulden facility offers what they call “tutorials where 1-3 people can receive private instruction. How about a much larger group? Say a business looking for a location for a retreat. Say no more, they do that too. Every summer they hold a 250 pistol class for youth. “It’s the exact same pistol class but held with their own peer group,” said Campbell “It’s superb, these kids are sharp as a tack and they really listen. They are good responsible young Americans.” Like I said, it’s easier to say what they don’t do. The cliché “something for everyone doesn’t begin to describe all that they do.

Carrie Lightfoot knows a thing about firearms and training as founder and owner of The Well-Armed Woman LLC and Chairwomen of the Board of the 12,000 member strong TWAW Shooting Chapters Inc. This is what she had to say concerning Gunsite. “Training at Gunsite is phenomenal. Not only is the quality of the instruction the best there is in the industry, just being at the birthplace of civilian defensive training makes it a very special experience.” She is among the tens of thousands of Gunsite alumni who consider themselves a family, a real community of firearms enthusiasts working towards preserving the Cooper legacy. Find out how you can improve your firearms competency and become part of that family by contacting  Gunsite Academy at 928-636-4565 or visit www.gunsite.com for more information.