HOMETOWN: ELKHORN, NEBRASKA

OCCUPATION: ANIMATRONICS ENGINEER

EDC: SIG P365 XL

The global pandemic and widespread civil unrest of 2020 caused millions of Americans to think more seriously about protecting their families. This push to be proactive is what led animatronics engineer Brad Doolittle to get serious about concealed carry.

“I signed up for a permit class in November of 2020,” Brad said, “but the system was so bogged down that I didn’t receive my permit until January.”

He made proper use of the delay by boning up on his gun-handling skills, including drawing from concealment and dry-fire practice with a Mantis X2. He also practices regularly at The Marksman Range in nearby Waterloo.

“It’s so easy to get a gun,” related Brad, “but you can’t expect to be a viable protector without training.”

He likewise devours online training content from Warrior Poet Society, Active Self Protection and the USCCA.

Brad’s involvement with the USCCA was a slow burn. He received literature about the organization at that pivotal concealed handgun permit class but wanted to take his time to research his options and discuss them with his wife, Beka.

“At the end of the day, I didn’t want to go bankrupt defending myself in court or go to jail — or both — while trying to protect my family. It was a no-brainer,” he said.

When Brad’s first issue of Concealed Carry Magazine hit his mailbox, he was floored to find a familiar face in one of the photos. He contacted the USCCA team, who informed him that the man pictured was, in fact, his long-lost grade school pal: CCM Creative Director Ken Wangler. What are the chances?

PRESS CHECK ED COMBS

Few topics are as contentious as how to raise children in a household that contains firearms. To the fundamentally anti-gun, there is no responsible manner in which to do such a thing. To responsibly armed Americans though, growing up with firearms is as natural as growing up with a dog or a bike. But it can be a difficult transition for some families to make, and it can raise some interesting questions in the realm of gun safety. Should kids be allowed to “play guns” like in the old days, pointing toys at each other and pretending to fire? Are squirt-gun fights a thing of the past? These are just a few of the questions parents will have to answer, and outdoor writer and podcast host Trent Marsh will be exploring them in our upcoming July issue.