My First Cheat Codes of Shooting 1TM Instruction
Online Training
December of 2023 I decided to join the ranks of Tactical Hyve as certified pistol instructor for their Cheat Codes of Shooting 1TM. After paying the course tuition, I immediately started on my training through several online modules. The non-exhaustive list of modules consisted of Stance, Grip, Trigger Control, Multiple Target Engagement, and Vision. None of the modules by their names are ground breaking concepts, however as I began my journey through the modules one by one I began to come away with concepts that I have never seen or heard of before. For example, the drill to find your Natural Point of Aim through skeletal alignment looks super goofy. Even though it’s goofy looking, IT WORKS!
Other concepts like the Focal Yo Yo, Sights Aligned By Feel, and the 50/50 drill are invaluable and probably should be taught in most pistol instruction. This is not a mediocre standard to meet!! The NRA or USCCA standards can not even touch Tactical Hyve. In fact, I put this training on par with any of the Special Operation instructional training standards that I have encountered over a two decade career in the United States Army Special Forces, to include, but not limited to schools like Special Forces Sniper School and Special Forces Advanced Reconnaissance Target Analysis Exploitation Techniques Course (aka SFARTAETC).
Once I completed the online modules, I continued to study the material. Myles, Dorr, and Dave from Tactical Hyve will hold the standard and will not waiver from what they created!
In Person Evaluation
In April of 2024, I traveled to Arazonia for my in person evaluation. At the time I think there was one other Tactical Hyve Certified Instructor Candidate who passed their evaluation. I have been through several evaluations in the last 24 years, and still I was nervous!
On the way, I stopped a few times during my 13 hour drive to practice some of the shooting standards in various National Forest and Bureau of Land Management properties off the highway (God I love America!!). The standards consisted of a series of timed and untimed events that the shooter must maintain 100% accuracy – no misses on 1” Squares, IPSC A Zones, and 6” Circles.
While driving I listened to several of the modules and practiced instruction delivery in my truck. I think this helped a lot and highly suggest it for anyone who is looking to become a Tactical Hyve Certified Instructor.
The day of the evaluation we all arrived at the range ready to go! All of the candidates were really great people, but some of them would not pass the Shooting Evaluation by the end of the weekend. Steven and I were the only two to pass the standards.
Dave, Myles, and John were the evaluators for both the Shooting Evaluation and the Instruction Evaluation. Each of the candidates rotated through each of the evaluators instructing the other candidate. There were six total candidates and so it worked out perfectly to have two candidates per evaluator where one was the “instructor” and the other was a “student”
Since there were six candidates, we split into two groups of three for the Shooting Evaluation. Three would shoot a drill then the other three would shoot the same drill until each of us either passed that drill’s standards or we attempted the drill the maximum amount of times allowed.
Each candidate has the ability to shoot each drill three times total. The hardest for me was the 25 yard timed shooting event, but I was able to pass it on my third try!!
One critique I have about the whole affair was that the 1” squares were NOT 1”, they were ¾” However, when I brought the issue up, they fixed the issue and because of that attention to detail, Steven was able to pass the events dealing with 1” squares.
The instructor course is not cheap and the standards are difficult enough to pass, so make sure you bring a measuring tape and hold Tactical Hyve to the standard they made for the evaluation -it’s only fair.
After Evaluation
You do not get your evaluation results on the spot. Each of the evaluators converge and discuss each candidate before the official results are issued. This gives a chance for each evaluator to make their argument as to why or why not a particular candidate should be a Tactical Hyve Certified Instructor. Of note, there are clearly defined objective standards that you must pass as well, regardless of any subjective opinion an evaluator may have. This is a great model, especially if personalities clash.
I got a call from Myles after five days if my memory serves me well. He informed me that I had passed all the shooting standards (which you will most likely would know anyway) and that I also passed the instructor standards, but there was one issue – I had forgotten to teach one point. However, that small infraction did not fail me. Much like a small gig during JumpMaster school, or missing one shot during SFARTAETC.
Myles, in my opinion, was the most strict of the three evaluators, but that’s not a ding on Myles of course, he has the Tactical Hyve brand integrity to protect. One does not build something to allow degradation of quality by others.
Each candidate who passes the standards receives a few shirts, a hat, a certificate, and the agreement that must be signed. Once the agreement is signed, the candidate is then a Tactical Hyve Certified Instructor. Those who are successful are then able to teach the Cheat Codes of Shooting 1TM.
Scheduling Cheat Codes of Shooting 1TM
There are two ways a certified instructor can schedule an event:
- Tactical Hyve maintains registration and collects tuition fees, but they will also promote and advertise the event.
- The certified instructor maintains registration and collects tuition fees, but the certified instructor is also responsible for promotion and advertisement of the event.
There are pros and cons to each method (we will not discuss them here), but Tactical Hyve has the promotional bandwidth, social media following, and expertise to get classes full! Where most of us are just scratching the surface of the business side of the house pertaining to social media, promotions, and advertisements.
I opted for the first choice having Tactical Hyve to maintain registration for my first Cheat Codes of Shooting 1TM, which it paid for the instructor course on its own. So all of the other events I schedule will become profitable.
I have another event scheduled, but I am trying to do that one by myself and I currently have no one signed up. Maybe the two events are too close together, or maybe I just do not have enough of a following to get customers to sign up. Either way, I am still learning a lot through this process.
The First Cheat Codes of Shooting 1TM Instruction
On 24 August 2024, I was able to hold and run my first Cheat Codes of Shooting 1TM. I ran it at Pikes Peak Gun Club in Colorado Springs from 9am to 4 pm. As I stated before, I had Tactical Hyve register, promote, and advertise, so the class was full!! I was able to teach 12 individuals and we had the greatest time. Each of them thanked me for the class and left with a smile on their face and improvement in their skills.
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Dave
Triple A Coach LLC, Owner
Tactical Hyve Certified Instructor
NRA Instructor
Retired Special Forces Operations Sergeant