Armed Volunteers: Training Is Just the Start - Michael Mann Security Services
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Brandon Lerch
On February 5, 2026Firearms Training: Preparing and Validating Volunteers
Deploying armed volunteers creates a huge amount of responsibility, and if there’s not a structured training program, or Training and Qualification (T&Q) Plan, there may also be some exposure for the church and for the volunteers.
Key Takeaways
✅ Armed volunteers increase responsibility, not just capability. Leadership oversight, documentation, and accountability are essential to protect both the church and the individual volunteer.
✅ Training alone is not validation. Initial and refresher training build skills, but they don’t always reveal how a volunteer performs under pressure.
✅ Stress exposes gaps that the range can hide. Real-world decision-making rarely includes warm-ups, predictable drills, or ideal conditions.
✅ Periodic performance validation matters. Structured, competition-style sessions provide leadership with insight into composure, judgment, speed, and accuracy under stress.
✅ A formal Training & Qualification (T&Q) Plan reduces risk. Clear standards, regular evaluation, and documented processes help ensure consistency and defensibility.
✅ Well-designed validation builds more than skill. When done correctly, it also strengthens confidence, teamwork, camaraderie, and trust within the team.
Initial and required refresher training helps to build and maintain skills, and that’s usually the focus for most firearms training programs. But as a leader, how often are you testing your volunteers under stressful conditions, and without the usual warm-up that most of us provide during our quarterly or bi-annual refresher sessions? Lt. Jeff Cooper, the founder of the Modern Technique of the Pistol, revolutionized shooting by bridging the gap between slow-fire accuracy and combat speed by developing and incorporating head-to-competition sessions. As a 35+ year student and practitioner of Cooper’s technique, I agree with incorporating competition sessions at least twice per year to help our volunteers train their minds to remain calm and decisive under pressure, while balancing speed and accuracy. In addition, it’s fun, a change of pace, and it builds comrade and fellowship for those who attend the sessions.
Conclusion
Authorizing armed volunteers is not a one-time decision—it’s an ongoing leadership responsibility.
Effective firearms programs go beyond checking a qualification box. They intentionally prepare volunteers and validate their readiness in conditions that more closely resemble real-world stress. This is where leadership gains clarity—not just on technical ability, but on decision-making, composure, and consistency.
Next Steps for Your Church
1️⃣ Review Your Training & Qualification (T&Q) Plan
Confirm whether your armed volunteer program has clearly documented training standards, qualification requirements, refresher intervals, and leadership oversight. If it’s informal or undocumented, that’s a gap worth addressing.
2️⃣ Evaluate Validation Under Stress
Assess how often volunteers are evaluated beyond routine qualifications. Consider whether your program meaningfully tests decision-making, composure, and performance without warm-ups or predictable conditions.
3️⃣ Clarify Leadership Oversight and Accountability
Ensure leadership understands who authorizes armed volunteers, how readiness is verified, and how performance is documented. Clear roles and review processes protect both the church and the volunteer.
4️⃣ Determine What Support Is Needed
From there, decide whether your church would benefit from assistance with developing a formal T&Q plan, incorporating stress-based validation, leadership training, or third-party review of your program.
5️⃣ Take the Next Step Intentionally
If you have questions or want help evaluating your current approach, schedule a free 15-minute Security Planning Walkthrough Call. to discuss your goals and responsibilities before making changes.
📞 Prefer to talk now? Call 615.956.3912
📧 Prefer to email? Email contact@michaelmannsecurityservices.com
Extra Resources
Preventing The Disruptions of Churches
Watch Here
Prepare Your Church for Protestors
Read Here
Security Planning Checklist
Download Here
Church Security Program
Learn Here
Church Security Program Pricing Sheet
Download Here
I specialize in the protection of people and facilities and provide security services including: Emergency Action Plans (EAPs), security assessments/plans, training and certification in CPR, AED, first aid, bleeding control, active shooter prevention and response, behavior threat detection, firearms and more. Contact me today by scheduling a call, emailing, or calling 615.956.3912.
