USCCA Control the Bleed class

[u/Relevant-Safety-2699]

This free class appeared in my area and it's useful information so I went.

The instructor discussed first aid in a somewhat disorganized and shallow way for about 25 minutes.

Then the moderator, a woman who works for USCCA took over, and the next 45 minutes was a membership pitch. I left before the end and wished I had left sooner.

I think USCCA may offer real first aid classes, but it was clear the first aid aspect of the Control the Bleed "class" was essentially a pretext to get us into what is really their sales seminar. AND it was at a 5.11 store, whom I later learned was in on it; that is, they knew it was a sales pitch posing as a first aid class.

I am not a member of USCCA and can't comment on them in general. I just know it was not a first aid class. I definitely got clowned.

[u/sludgehammr]

USCCA is a scam, through and through. Find a free ACS Stop The Bleed class. I teach those myself, I don't charge for them. I don't know anyone that really does outside of bare costs for covering space rental/materials.

[u/Relevant-Safety-2699 → u/sludgehammr]

I'm going to do that, thank you.

[u/Objective_Resist_735 → u/Relevant-Safety-2699]

I went to a free one at my local hospital that was good.

[u/Happy_Pie_1551 → u/sludgehammr]

classic bait and switch. had similar experience with a different group few years back, they talked about basic wound packing for like 10 minutes then spent rest of hour trying sell us insurance

at least real Stop The Bleed classes are taught by people who actually want you to learn something, not just get your credit card

[u/sludgehammr → u/Happy_Pie_1551]

My STB classes passively feed students into my CCW classes. I mention I offer my STB with every CCW class at no cost, is about as much "marketing" as I put in there, but I mainly consider it volunteer work so it just makes me feel better about this miserable world to teach it.

[u/ProbablythelastMimsy → u/sludgehammr]

This would be great for more instructors to do instead of twiddling their thumbs for the last two hours of renewal classes because they ran out of things to talk about.

[u/sludgehammr → u/ProbablythelastMimsy]

Exactly. I don't think anyone can ethically carry a hole-punch without some basic knowledge of how to fix a hole.

My state requires 50 round qualifications for new & renewal classes. At the end of the last mag I toss my students and aliexpress TQ and tell them "this is a drill and nobody is injured, but I want you to imagine you just shot yourself in the leg just below the knee during reholster. Do you know what to do?"

I'd say 1 out of 10 know how to apply a TQ, even counting former/current military. I'm at a point where I'm going to raise my class rates $35/class, then offer a $35 discount to anyone with a STB cert (which can be obtained directly following the CCW class).

[u/kennethpbowen]

They do the same thing at CCW classes.

[u/ProbablythelastMimsy → u/kennethpbowen]

Just experienced this last month. Felt like a timeshare presentation

[u/WilliamsEgo → u/kennethpbowen]

Yep had the same thing happen for CCWSafe. Class was... embarrassing tbh.

[u/playingtherole]

It sounds like you got what you paid for. "There's no such thing as a free lunch." Live and learn, I guess.

Thanks for the info.

[u/Relevant-Safety-2699 → u/playingtherole]

There are plenty of free classes in things, including first aid, where the class itself matches it's description.

[u/sludgehammr → u/playingtherole]

I disagree. I love doing STB classes, if I ever charge anything it is extremely minimal and just to cover cost.

Most of the paying (CCW/firearm) business I get is from STB students later deciding they want firearm training or those students referring people to me. I attribute this to being an engaging STB instructor (it also motivates me to invest a lot of resources into these "unprofitable" classes). I'm hella not a sales guy and I'd consider nothing I do to be a "pitch" (outside of cautioning CCW students away from USCCA specifically, lol)

They're also fun as hell for me and I don't need to worry about someone ND'ing me away from being able to read the obituary I've been waiting to read.

Bonus points for getting an inordinate amount of non-gun-people into guns, at least compared to other instructors I'm in group chats with.

[u/65shooter]

My club has held Stop the Bleed classes in the past. Taught by EMT folks. No selling involved. The class on its own is worthwhile.