Edwards Training & Instruction

The Edwards Training Center is designed to be an all-inclusive self-defense and firearms training center. Weekly classes help individuals learn vital skills in the use of pistols, rifles, shotguns, hand-to-hand self-defense and how to protect oneself and their families

Edwards Training Center & Outdoor Range is central West Virginia's self-defense training headquarters. Owned by Dwight Edwards, a retired county Paramedic and firearms training instructor for 28 years and with instructors from SWAT and Ranger Combat veterans, our shooting center offers superior technical training combined with a realistic, practical approach that helps shooters of all levels - beginner to experienced - develop their skills quickly and efficiently.

Our philosophy and experience has taught us that critical seconds count - 'Keep it Simple' when training and build your basic fundamentals that will provide you the tools to escape any type of encounter with minimal harm. All of the tactics are proven, and we guide our students step-by-step so that they can learn the why and why-not and have powerful information to take home and continue their training and learning.

ABOUT US

Instructors

Dwight Edwards - Owner, Instructor, Facilitator, Logistics

Retired CCEMS, International Police Mountain Bike Association

Dwight Edwards has been working in public service for 29 years; he is retired from Cabell County Emergency Medical Services after 27 years of service. Dwight is an NRA-Certified Instructor with certifications in Rifle, Shotgun, Pistol, Personal Protection in the Home, Personal Protection Outside the Home and Chief Range Safety Officer. Dwight has been in the training business since 2003. He is also an instructor trainer for International Police Mounted Bike Association and an EMS and Law Enforcement instructor. Dwight opened the ETC Range in 2012 and expanded the classroom and retail store in 2015.

Dwight continues to work in the EMS and Law Enforcement Training fields in addition to training civilians.

Brian Lucas - Instructor

Huntington Police Department; 14+ Yr SWAT Member

Brian Lucas is a Certified NRA Basic Pistol Instructor and Advanced Pistol instructor. Brian is a NRA-Certified Chief Range Safety Officer as well as an NRA Personal Protection in the Home and Personal Protection Outside the Home Instructor. Brian is a Certified and a graduate of the Sig Sauer Academy Executive Protection and holds an advanced Carbine Operation qualification. Further, Brian is a qualified expert in the M16 and M9 weapons platforms, and 23+ LEO and a 9+ year member of the Huntington, WV SWAT Team.

Brian has been an instructor at Edwards Training Center since February 2012.

Julie Park - Instructor

The Well Armed Woman WV Chapter Chairperson

Julie Park is an NRA Certified Basic Pistol and Advanced Pistol Instructor, an NRA-Certified Chief Range Safety Officer, a NRA-Certified Instructor for Personal Protection in the home as well as Outside the Home. Julie is also a Certified The Well Armed Woman Instructor and is the local chapter and WV State Leader for The Well Armed Woman Greater Huntington WV Chapter, a monthly women's shooting club that deals with a variety of aspects of self-defense. She is passionate about helping women and their families get responsibly armed and trained.

Julie has been an instructor at Edwards Training Center since March 2015.

Chad Gue - Instructor

Ironton Police Department; SRT Officer; Shotgun Instructor, Hand-to-hand Combat

Chad Gue is a twelve year law enforcement member, and SRT Member and breaching/dynamic entry commander. Chad is also a tactical police entry instructor, taser sponsored instructor and has years experience in grappling. He instructs department officers on defensive tactics. He enjoys boxing and practice Jujitsu.

Chad has been an instructor at Edwards Training Center since October 2016.

Michael Henshall - Instructor / Marketing Manager

NRA Certified Instructor - Pistol; Certified Range Officer

Michael Henshall is a Certified-NRA PIstol Instructor and Range Safety Officer. In addition, Michael holds qualifications in Fighting Pistol and Handgun I and Handgun II as well as Carbine Rifle and Carbine CQB.

Michael currently has over 280+ hours in pistol training and over 18 hours carbine rifle training. Additionally Michael has 25 hours in trauma first aid and field medical treatment.

Michael has been an instructor at Edwards Training Center since March 2017.

Steve Morrison - Instructor

NRA Certified Instructor - Pistol; Certified Range Officer

Steve Morrison is a 24-year + member of the WV Army National Guard, currently holding the rank of Staff Sergeant, and in addition to his current role, served one combat tour in Iraq in 2006. He has been engaged with firearms since he was a Boy Scout, earning his rifle and shotgun merit badges. Since enrollment in the Army, he has been trained and qualified on weapon systems such as the M-16, M-203, M-2, M-9, M-60, M-249 and grenades. As an NCO, one of his many duties involves training soldier on the above weapons systems.

Steve earned his certification as a NRA Pistol Instructor in 2015, and shortly thereafter obtained Range Safety Officer Certification. He has been an instructor with ETC since October, 2017.

Jonathan Massey

NRA Certified Instructor - Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection

Jonathan is a certified NRA Instructor of Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun and Personal Protection Inside and Outside the Home courses, as well as a certified NRA Range Safety Officer. He is certified through the Security Equipment Corporation (i.e., Sabre Red) as a less-than-lethal weapons instructor for civilian, security and law enforcement, and the Red Cross as a Basic Life Support and Wilderness First Aid instructor. He works full time selling and teaching for a local Federal Firearms dealer. Part time, he's the firearms and other weapons instructor for the Tri-State branch of the largest security company in the world, for whom he also provides armed protection services.

Jonathan has been instructing with Edwards Training Center since October, 2017.

Fred Schnitzspahn - NRA Training Counselor

NRA Certified Instructor, NRA Training Counselor, US Army Retired

Fred Schnitzspahn is a retired Army Colonel who served for 27 years. Fred has trained hundreds of NRA Instructors to the exacting standards of the NRA in Pistol, Personal Protection in the Home and Outside the Home, Rifle and Home Firearm Safety. As a Chief Range Safety Officer, he has also trained Range Safety Officers (RSO) and Chief RSO. Military Marksmanship awards include expert ratings in pistol and rifle and the highest shooting medal from the German Army while on duty there. Fred also completed advanced handgun training at the revered Tactical Defense Institute. Additional firearms training includes: Tactical Rifle, Defensive Pistol, Active Shooter and Extreme Close Quarters. Terrorism training includes: John Giduck, Author - Terror at Beslan and Dr Elliot Chodoff, IDF sponsored by Ohio Homeland Security.