What brought you to getting your CHL/LTC

[Tracker]

I (and some relatives I hung out with) always wanted to learn martial arts (self defense) from a very young age. Thank you Billy Jack, the Kung Fu TV show, and Bruce Lee. But living in a rural area there wasn't much opportunity to learn from qualified instructors. We made due trying to teach ourselves and using hay bails for kicking practice. In my, though, 20s a Tae Kwon Do/Hapkido instructor opened a local school. I signed up and hung with it long enough to get my red belt in TKD. College got in the way of my getting the black belt...which was OK because I thought I'd gone as far as I could in TKD, anyway. I would've much rather learned the Hapkido (basically, TKD kicking with Akido-like grappling). He taught very little Hapkido. Today, you can't fling a cat in a strip mall without hitting a TKD school.

After college I drifted into Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Arnis (with other arts added into that mix). I studied from a police officer who is now retired and travels the world teaching martial arts. I was training from him multiple times per week, which meant driving 100 miles round trip. But now.... I was getting somewhere and learning what I really wanted to learn, not just the TKD sport stuff. (Although that was fun, too.) I met a lot of interesting people during that JKD/FA time. Including undercover DEA agents who came to my instructor's seminars. One in particular who I only trained with one day. Neat man. A lot of my martial arts friends really knew their handguns. I didn't own one. Being rural, rifles and shotguns were simply a tool for hunting, killing varmints, and having by the bed just in case somebody attempted to break in during the night. I rationalized that since I was rural I really didn't have a need for a handgun. Plus, I kept a rifle in the pickup, anyway. Besides, this was during the 90's and the CHL program hadn't been passed yet. Or had only just passed towards the end of my MA training.

Then....I had meth cookers move in across the road from me and for whatever reason they thought I needed to be a part of their rural life. That's when I bought the Glock 19 to keep on me while at home. It just so happened, however, right after buying the handgun a CHL instructor was going to be teaching a class locally...so I signed up. I really didn't give it much thought...it was more like, "What the heck. Why not?

The handgun is simply an extension (albeit a very effective one) of my self defense training that I add to my empty hand and Filipino knife fighting. It's still just a tool that I use as much for shooting skunks as carrying for self defense. Carrying a firearm is a normal for me as carrying a cell phone.

It is kind of fun, though, to carry around my brothers and friends who don't have their LTCs. Sort of like being 16 again and being the only one with a drivers license.

[doncb]

I've been around guns since I was a kid. What got me moving was the night there was a drive by shooting across the street (no one hurt). A lot of rental houses around that have brought the "hood" down and then there are the times where I have been approached at gas stations for money. Things just aren't as safe as they used to be. I pray that I never am in a situation where I have to use my gun, but at least I have the ability to defend myself and my family if needed.

[pushpullpete]

There are a lot of very good responses above. Me, my father shot competetively at a local gun club & took my brother & I there at a young age. I was 6 or 7 the first time I fired a pistol and enjoyed it. More than 5 decades later, it is in my opinion, a skill needed now more than ever. Although I come from a Mil/LE family, I am not now nor ever been LE or a felon but have been in situations where I needed a tool that spit projectiles. My children do not really like to shoot but are capable, one is LE as is his wife. My daughter is good with me teaching the grandkids but has let them (and me) know that it is their decision/choice as to when they learn. After moving to Texas a few years ago it just seemed like the correct next step in the life long learning experience to get my CHL.

[zatoman]

Driving though the neighborhood on the night after Ike. Looked like a scene out of some end of the world movie. Total darkness, destruction, and not a cop in site. Decided having a license to defend myself was a good idea.

[LimaCharlie3]

I carried for just under 15 years as a LEO. Since then I've been badgered by panhandlers and threatened by drunks but the Attempted carjacking was the kicker. I was carrying in my car then so it played out well, but a recent injury made me realize I can't fight these young kids anymore. I know it's not "just" my town, but geeeeez! major crimes are a daily occurrence now.

[joe817]

I carried for just under 15 years as a LEO. Since then I've been badgered by panhandlers and threatened by drunks but the Attempted carjacking was the kicker. I was carrying in my car then so it played out well, but a recent injury made me realize I can't fight these young kids anymore. I know it's not "just" my town, but geeeeez! major crimes are a daily occurrence now.

Well put L.C.3! And welcome to the forum! Glad to have you with us!

I can sum it up nicely in just 5 words: Age and disparity of force.