Program Mission

The primary purpose of forming the ESI Shooting team is to generate increased interest in the programs and courses offered by Executive Security International. As ESI looks to expand its market from the Executive Protection training industry into the larger world of firearms training, it will need greater public exposure within the firearms training sphere. Many prominent firearms manufacturers and organizations reach out to the shooting community by compiling a team of experienced shooters who will represent them at popular events and competitions. ESI can also use this method to promote itself and its programs.

Program Outline

Team structure

The ESI shooting team will be composed of the following positions:

• Team Coordinator(s) - The individual or individuals responsible for maintaining communications with ESI, the team coach and the team members. The coordinator(s) will work in conjunction with ESI to support the development and growth of the Shooting Team program and its members.
• Team Coach(s) - The individual(s) who will oversee the instruction of the team member’s shooting skills in order to maintain a high level of proficiency as a team. This person(s) will also act as a guide and mentor for the team.
• Team Members - Individuals who meet the prerequisites to join the shooting team and who will act as representatives of ESI at competitions and other firearms events.

Choosing the team

Candidates for the ESI Shooting Team will be compiled from ESI records and then considered by ESI and the senior shooting staff for invitation to the team. The following may be criteria to consider in selecting individuals to represent ESI:

• Graduate level-one shooters, current members of ESI’s Affiliate Instructor Program, or ESI Instructors
• Current shooting abilities
• Current personal training regimen
• Teamwork and interpersonal skills
• History and level of dedication to ESI and its mission

Training the team

1. Firearms Training

   A Team Coach(s) should be selected to mentor and instruct the Shooting Team. Ideally, the team should meet 2-3 times per year to train together under the tutelage of the coach in order to ensure that the team members are maintaining proficiency and utilizing the techniques that ESI advocates in its firearms training. Consistency in skill and technique is essential to maintaining the high reputation of ESI, its programs, and the team. Depending upon the schedule of the team coach, it may be cost effective, convenient, and beneficial for the Shooting Team to meet for team training prior to the spring and fall Resident Training sessions in Grand Junction, Colorado. There are several benefits to this approach:

   • Conducting training during this time would also allow ESI staff and senior shooting staff to observe, audit, or participate in the training of the team as they will already be there preparing for the Resident Training program.
   • At the beginning of the Resident Training shooting program, the Shooting Team could be introduced to the student body as one of the ways in which ESI is looking to expand its horizons and grow as a company. It could also be a means of recruiting future team members from amongst the student body who may be interested in the Affiliate Instructor Program and, ultimately, in joining the ESI Shooting Team.
   • The team could have the opportunity to meet with all of the ESI staff and senior shooting staff to discuss the progress and development of the Shooting Team as all staff will be gathered in Grand Junction during Resident Training sessions.

   In consideration of the fact that some team members may be located on the east coast, a third training/meeting time may be necessary at a location on the east coast for those who cannot attend both the spring and fall team training sessions if they are to be held in Grand Junction, Colorado. The coordination of these training sessions should be discussed and chosen based on the best scenario for both ESI and the Shooting Team as a whole.

2. Representing ESI

   A second aspect of the training of the ESI Shooting Team that must not be overlooked is educating the team about the programs and courses offered by ESI as they will serve as representative of ESI while at competitions and other shooting events. The team should be briefed on what to tell anyone who expresses interest and be provided with any informational brochures and school materials that ESI would like disseminated.

Team Member Attendance at Events

Team members are encouraged to attend competitions whenever possible, either by themselves or with other team members. Using a forum or blog hosted by ESI, team members could coordinate to attend matches together, carpool, and share hotels rooms.

The ESI shooting team member will be responsible for their own travel to and from competitions and training events, and for lodging and meal expenses.

Promoting the team

ESI:

• ESI website
• ESI network
• An ESI shooting team forum or blog to disseminate information about the team and allow team members to communicate with one another easily.
• Facebook, linked-in, and other online communities.

Team members:

• Shooting team informational brochure explaining about the team and its mission. Extra copies can be kept in the member’s range bag and handed out to the public.
• Wear your ESI gear to all matches and be clean-cut and professional at all times as a representative of ESI.

Participant Requirements

Pre-requisites:

• Graduate with level-one shooter status
• Member or graduate of ESI’s Affiliate Instructor Program
• ESI Instructor

Team requirements:

• Attend a minimum number of competitions per year as a representative of ESI, as determined by ESI and the team coach(s).
• Attend at lest one team meeting per year.
• Proudly wear your ESI gear to all matches and be clean-cut and professional at all times as a representative of ESI.

Training requirements:

• Attend two training sessions per year with the team coach.
• Maintain a regular self-training schedule to keep shooting skills in peak condition.

Program Requirements

Contributions by ESI

ESI will provide all team members will two ESI Shooting Team shirts, a hat, and a range bag. They will also supply promotional materials and informational brochures for team members to give out to anyone interested in learning more about the programs offered by Executive Security International. ESI will cover the entry fee for competition matches and the cost of ammunition to shoot the match. ESI will supply the training facility at which the team will meet and train together with the coach(s).

Contributions by participants

Team members will provide their own firearms and equipment necessary for shooting in competition matches. They will also cover their own travel expenses and all other match related expenses, such as club membership, practice ammunition, and meals. Team members will agree to follow all participation requirements and to meet the standards set by ESI.

Team members will provide their own firearms and equipment necessary for shooting in competition matches. They will also cover their own travel expenses and all other match related expenses, such as club membership, practice ammunition, and meals. Team members will agree to follow all participation requirements and to meet the standards set by ESI.

Competitions

There are many competitions and events that the ESI Shooting Team may choose to participate in, IPSC, IDPA, USPSA, as well as many corporate and organization sponsored competitions.

In consideration of ESI’s interest in expanding its course offerings to include pistol, shotgun, and rifle courses to the public, ESI may want to consider targeting the new shooting category of “Three Gun Matches”. These matches would require members of the Shooting Team to be proficient with all three weapons, but this category of competition is relatively new and could afford ESI’s Shooting Team an opportunity to distinguish itself in the competition world.

The rules of the Three- Gun match can be found at this link: http://www.3gunrules.com/documents/multi-gun-rules/img-rules/img-2003-basicrules.pdf

Some of the better known competitions are listed below for reference, but there are many more to consider depending upon ESI’s intended audience for marketing and promoting its programs and Shooting Team.

Short List of Competitions

• MGM Ironman
• S&W Winter Nationals (if qualified)
• IDPA State & Regional Championships (if qualified)
• USPSA “Multigun” matches
• USPSA “Caspian/ Rio Salado Desert Classic”
• US Production Championships
• SCSA Steel Challenge
• AMU (Ft. Benning) 3 Gun
• Larue Tactical 3 Gun
• DPMS/Brownells Tri-gun
• Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun Championships

Proposal Submitted By:
Michael Barker & Gwynne Decker