Networking

Compiled by Josh Amos

This month, I get to write my column on someone of whom I am a big fan. How great is that? We came into the Armed Citizens’ Network office several Fridays ago and the phones were buzzing and emails were falling like the rain too often does here in Washington State. It took us a minute to work it out, but we soon learned that the Armed Citizens’ Network was the subject to a favorable review by the one and only Hickok 45 on his YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGctxhqkP10.

For those of you who don’t know, Hickok 45 is the online handle of popular gun commentator who for the past ten years has been reviewing a very wide range of guns and ammunition on YouTube. He has a great, down to earth, yet expert style that has earned him millions of followers. Quite frankly, I, myself, am a big fan. I like Hickok 45’s style and his reviews have helped me avoid making some…shall we say…impetuous purchases.

Although he primarily concentrates his video presentations on guns and shooting, Hickok 45 said that he had fielded so many questions about post-incident support plans that he decided to talk about the option he chose for himself. He spoke on his video solely as a satisfied member and did so with no prompting from us! His video came upon us a total surprise.

Readers, please look up Hickok 45 online and “like” his videos on You Tube. You would be showing some great support to a fellow Network member!

With that said, I am sure that like current members Hickok 45 and Paul Lathrop over at the Polite Society Podcast, we have other members who are doing all kinds of outreach on social media. If you have a podcast, a YouTube channel, or some other outreach, let us know about it and we will see if we can add some Network members to your fans!

This month I would like to spotlight our Network Affiliated Instructor Howard “Chip” Fitch, who owns the Gun Whisperer in Alexandria, VA. Chip has a good training program and a great website with many well-written gun related articles. That’s all good, but the reason I want to spotlight him is a recent call I got from him.

Chip is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps and is deploying overseas this summer. This means that he will be “out of the office” for a year, but rather than just letting his affiliated instructor membership with the Network fall through the cracks, Chip, showing the professionalism for which Marine officers are known, called us directly and let us know what is going on.

Of course, we are proud to accommodate Chip during his absence because we appreciate his service to our country. When he deploys, we will put his membership on hold while he is out of the country and start things back up when he returns and begins teaching again. His situation brings up a great topic: communication between the Network and its affiliates. Affiliates, it means a lot to us when you follow Chip’s great example. If you are going to be away from your business for more than 90 days, all we ask is that you let us know. We’ll suspend your affiliation and membership and ask you to contact us when you are back at work.

When you come back and can start sharing the importance of Network membership with your clients again, we can start up your Network affiliation and membership. It would be so much better than the concern that grows into frustration when I email and telephone to check in on an affiliate only to find phones disconnected, emails bouncing or going unanswered.

My final affiliate honorable mention for this month goes out to Frank Le Fevre from Saginaw, MI. Frank is an instructor and he also is the owner of the online store Saginaw Arms. In addition to good buys on guns and gear, Frank’s website showcases the classes he teaches, facts on Minnesota gun law, links to the Armed Citizens' Legal Defense Network and my favorite feature, a current, 2017 class calendar!

As an affiliate, Frank caught our attention with the number of new members that mentioned his classes when we asked where they had heard about us. He is doing a great job of telling his students about the Armed Citizens' Legal Defense Network. Thank you, Frank!

 

To read more of this month's journal, please click here.