It was by chance that I was able to connect with Jeff Boren. I wanted to do a show in Arkansas and reached out to Ed Monk (RSWC #222). Since I’ve already had him on the show in Boston, I was looking for someone else. Ed suggested Jeff. I reached out to a complete stranger, asked if he’d be on the show, and he said yes. Although Jeff is in Mississippi I’m glad it worked out. As the saying goes, “I’d rather be lucky than good.”
Jeff took an interest in firearms at a young age. As a child of the ’80s, he loved Die Hard and wanted a Beretta 92 for Christmas. Santa did not bring it. He fired a GLOCK 17 Gen 1 when he was just a teenager. Then he got a job so that he was able to buy some guns for himself. A few years and a couple courses later, he realized that this may be worth pursuing.
While his career was a football and baseball coach, he was working towards administration. There were several friends and family that asked him to take them to the range. He figured that if he became a firearm instructor, he would still be able to coach people and help them get into shooting. He found the Citizens Safety Academy in Murfreesboro, TN, and became an NRA-certified instructor. Currently, he holds many more certifications, including UCSSA, Tom Givens’ Rangemaster “Master” certified instructor, and Armed Response to Active Shooter Events.
Jeff has been in the administration side of education after moving out of coaching sports. Spending years as a coach, then being a principal, he’s now a district administrator. His job is to be responsible for safety and operations. They do have an armed staff program. He’s responsible for teaching the teachers how to handle firearms, shooting, and active shooter situations. “There’s more of them (armed schools) out there than people realize, but there’s not a lot”, Jeff said. Having his hand in administration and firearms training, he’s able to instruct those who are willing to step up to be able to protect schools.
With programs like FASTER Saves Lives and Ed Monk’s Active Shooter Training, there’s no reason that some teachers shouldn’t be armed. Not every teacher needs to be armed, not every teacher wants to be armed, but they can be educated. Including trauma first aid, which can save the lives of students. In Jeff’s program for carrying in schools, there’s 64 hours of training. He says it is more about accountability than it is responsibility. Teachers have to be accountable for what happens if they need to use a firearm. It’s much more about the mindset than anything else.
The Borens are all into shooting. His wife is an instructor, his children enjoy shooting. One drawback is that his wife will know which guns he has and which he’s trying to sneak into the safe. However, it is a wonderful thing that everyone enjoys it. Jeff also instructs at Citizen’s Safety Academy in Tennessee and Patriots Training Center in Eastabogo, AL, where he is the Director of Training.
In Mississippi, it is a “Constitutional Carry” or permitless carry state. However, having the state issued permit has benefits. One is reciprocity. Jeff lives in the north east corner of the state, 20 minutes from Alabama and 5 minutes from Tennessee. It also lets you forgo the background check as the carry permit shows the holder has passed one. Moving to permitless carry has changed what instructors offer their clients. It’s no longer the state’s mandated curriculum, it’s geared towards what citizens really need for training. Along with the permit, someone can carry inside of a school.
We had a great conversation. I’m happy to meet more pro-gun people around the country and have them on the show. Jeff teaches in three states. He attends things like TacCon. He’s got a full resume and offers lots of training. And he passes it on to everyone who takes courses with him.
Favorite quotes:
- “It (instructing) filled a void, but it’s something I’m deeply passionate about.”
- “I got into it for that reason alone because it was fun to shoot.”
- “If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now.”
- “You’re not just responsible, you’re accountable for what happens.”
About Riding Shotgun With Charlie
Riding Shotgun With Charlie isn’t about firearms. It is about having an intimate conversation with 2 people talking. You’re the fly on the rearview mirror. Many of the passengers are involved in the firearm community.
This is a more intimate conversation than a phone, radio, or Skype interview. You get to see the passengers. And you’ll see where the road and the conversation take you!
