by Josh Amos
Happy November, everyone! This month I have the pleasure of bringing a couple of the Network Affiliated Instructors to your attention. For all our new readers out there, the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network has an affiliation program for instructors and these folks are out telling the public about the Network, while being the example of what a modern armed citizen should be. We like to recognize our affiliates for doing good works and encourage our members to train with them.
Two affiliated instructors caught my attention this month: one who has been with the Network for years, and the other is a newcomer.
The first affiliate for the month of November is Michelle Quesada from McHenry, Illinois. I’m not sure if I have the room here to list all of Michelle’s shooting accomplishments, but to highlight a few from her biography as instructor at the Homeland Security Institute at the College of DuPage:
“Michelle Quesada is the primary firearms instructor of the concealed carry program at College of DuPage, Homeland Security Training Institute. Her focus is in precision pistol and defensive handgun shooting as well as the development of junior pistol athletes and female shooters. She is a State certified and registered firearms instructor; NRA Certified Instructor: Basic Pistol, Personal Protection Inside and Outside the Home; NRA Chief Range Safety Officer; State of Illinois Certified Concealed Carry Instructor (CCI); NRA Double Distinguished Expert – semi-automatic pistol; USA Shooting Coach Level 1; Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation – Registered Firearms Instructor.”
Michelle has been a member of the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network since 2014 and has referred a number of her students to join us here at the Network. Michelle teaches CCW, precision pistol, and defensive handgun. In addition to shooting, she teaches legal aspects of defensive shooting, a must in this day and age. If you are in Illinois, I recommend contacting Michelle for some first rate training! See https://armedcitizensnetwork.org/our-affiliates/map/homeland-security-training-institute-college-of-dupage.
Charles “Chuck” Thon from Shepherd’s Staff Tactical LLC in Roswell, GA, is a newcomer to the Network having just us joined in September of 2017. As I was screening Chuck for affiliate instructor status, I grew more and more pleased at what I saw. Chuck has a clean and informative website welcoming new students, clearly stating his mission, and he even defines what he means by “tactical,” posting a current schedule, his tuition rates, and links to Georgia State CCW and weapons laws.
In the short time he’s been an affiliate, Chuck has brought a number of new members to the Network, and we are appreciative. If you are in the Roswell, GA area I recommend contacting Chuck Thon at Shepherd’s Staff Tactical LLC and invest in some good training. See https://armedcitizensnetwork.org/our-affiliates/map/shepherd-s-staff-tactical-llc.
As I wind this article down, I want to point out a very important commonality between these two affiliated instructors. Specifically, both impress upon their respective students the important legal considerations of being an armed citizen. I would submit that if your instructor doesn’t emphasize the legal impacts of your actions, they are not wholly preparing you for being an armed citizen. It is important stuff to know, folks.
A final note to all of our members and affiliates, here at the Armed Citizens’ Legal Defense Network, we are happy to supply you with booklets when you are headed to special events, conventions, seminars, training, matches, etc. We love to send booklets to members, but we do ask that you please give us enough time to get the materials to you. A week or 10 days’ notice will do the trick, and bear in mind also that we can drop ship to your lodgings if you’re traveling to an event. Reach me at
Well, that wraps it up for this month. Let me close with this thought: the kind of people who choose to be armed citizens are also the type who stop and lend a hand to people need help. Take some time and look after yourselves this month. We will see you next month.
To read more of this month's journal, please click here.