Greetings Street Survivors, as we continue our ‘Experts in the Field’ series.

This month we meet Chris Pittman, born and raised right here in the Upstate of SC, attended Byrnes High School, followed by Furman University for his undergraduate degree, and Wake Forest for his “master’s degree” in Exercise Physiology. As impressive as that is, why is he listed here with our recent experts from military, law enforcement, and emergency medical techs?

Chris is what Street Survivors can achieve without a background in Special Operations and SWAT. As a young boy he was close to his grandfather, an actual Prisoner of War during WW2, and learned about some of the historical weapons of the day. This interest grew over time until the changes in American society focused his interest on using modern weapons for self-defense. Chris decided to start training with the National Rifle Association (NRA), the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), and Gun Owners of America (GOA). He became certified as an NRA Instructor and Range Safety Officer. Chris began teaching others through his Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) classes, and started his own YouTube Channel, to reach a larger audience.

You must check out: YouTube/DoubleEagleGunworks, and the dotcom website of the same name.

The best part of this real-life story is that Chris’s wife and daughter are also part of the team. They train together, review all kinds of guns and gear, and enjoy being a supportive and self-defense focused family, exactly the goal of all Street Survivors!

Chris’s CWP classes find more women attending than men, about a 60/40 split, and according to Chris, the woman are naturally better shooters, and they listen more than the guys. That I totally understand, as men we think our previous experience is always right, and it can be tough to learn a better way. Sometimes, we just need to drop the baggage, start with a clean slate, and sharpen our skills.

Chris also recommends another website, Shootingclasses.com. There are many reliable sources of information on the web, but just as many dangerous sites worth avoiding.

Situational awareness, a critical subject we discuss often in this column, is also an integral part of Chris’s training program, besides the minimal requirements for the state CWP license.

One of the most important things that Chris and I totally agree on is that if you decide to carry a weapon of any kind, train with it! You don’t just buy a piano and become Billy Joel, and the same concept works with firearms, tactical pens, bear spray, nunchucks, baseball bats, and 2x4’s.

Whatever your weapon of choice, train with an expert instructor, put some time into practice, and carry your weapon of choice, every day. It does you no good sitting behind a door, or in your gun safe, if you need it while traveling, at work, shopping, etc. I cannot stress this enough.

Chris is also an officer with the Spartanburg Friends of the NRA, which offers special events, provides grants to youth shooting teams and Junior ROTC programs through the NRA Foundation.

Chris’s CWP classes are held at his private classroom and range, from 9 am to 5 pm, and classes are limited to about twelve students. If you would like to learn more, email him: Chris@doubleeaglegunworks.com.

Chris Pittman and his family are living proof that you can set a goal to defend your family and find many ways to accomplish that. It is a journey, not simply a destination. Society and technology are changing at supersonic speeds these days, so you must be flexible enough to evolve with your training, and always be prepared!

Drop us a comment or question at Email: StreeTactics@gmail.com ■