John Jacob – Firearms Instructor
Our goal is to teach you correct Firearms Safety, Knowledge, Skills and Attitude.
Following the NRA “3” Basic Firearms Safety Rules.
I am a third generation Vermonter. I started shooting and hunting at a young age, getting my first VT hunter safety card at age 11. At age 13, I started shooting handgun metallic silhouette with my father and brother. By age 16, I had my father purchase for my use first a S&W model 27 357 Mag and then a S&W model 29 44 Mag. Through my mid to late teens, I shot approximately 500 Rds of 22 LR and 200 Rds of 357/44 Mag each week in preparation for a match.
After growing up in Essex Junction, I went into the U.S Air Force (5010 SPS Marksmanship team 1979) and then the Vermont Air National Guard while attending Champlain College and studying Criminal Justice. After earning a degree and spending a 365/24/7 period working on an ambulance and a brief stint as a part time police officer carrying a S&W 44 Mag. I rejoined the military, this time with the Vermont Army National Guard’s Mountain Battalion. I was offered and accepted a job as Mountaineering Instructor/Medic at the Mountain Warfare School, where I served as subject matter expert for mountain medical instruction and rescue techniques and assisted in development and instruction in all phases of mountaineering until November 1996.
I then moved to Camp Johnson to be the Operations Manager for Co C Med and then State Medical Command. During this time, I was the unit Marksmanship trainer and range officer. Following a 2003 deployment to Afghanistan, I was Honorably Discharged (Retired) as SFC / E-7 on July 31, 2004 after 25 years of military service. From January 2005 to August 2015, I was employed as an armed contract security guard for Homeland Security. In May of 2019, I received my Bachelors of Arts in Music from Saint Michael’s College.
Community Service
For over 40 years, I have served part-time with numerous area fire and rescue departments. I currently belong to Essex Fire and Rescue. I am an avid outdoors man and shooting sports enthusiast. Currently on the board of directors for Sportsman’s Club of Franklin County, I have been an integral part of building their firearms safety education program. I am also on their range safety and improvements committee.
Current certifications:
Vermont State Training Counselor Representative, National Rifle Association
Training Counselor, National Rifle Association
Chief Range Safety Officer, National Rifle Association
Defensive Pistol Instructor, National Rifle Association
Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor, National Rifle Association
Personal Protection Inside the Home Instructor, National Rifle Association
Basic Rifle Instructor, National Rifle Association
Basic Pistol Instructor, National Rifle Association
Basic Shotgun Instructor, National Rifle Association
Firearms Qualification (All Revolvers/Pistols) State of Vermont
Former certifications:
Safety Officer, International Defensive Pistol Association
Semi-Auto Pistol Instructor, SIGARMS Academy
Law Enforcement Pistol Instructor, National Rifle Association
Law Enforcement Shotgun Instructor, National Rifle Association
Advanced Marksmanship Unit Readiness Instructor, US Army
Squad Designated Marksman, US Army
Small Arms Instructor and Range Operations Instructor, US Army
Firearms Qualification (10mm Pistol) State of Vermont
Firearms Qualification (40 S&W Pistol) Department of Homeland Security / Federal Protective Service
Firearms Qualification (.38 Revolver) Department of Homeland Security / Federal Protective Service
