Training & Video Library
Curated continuing education organized into clear training categories. Videos play inside the Companion whenever the publisher permits embedding.
← Return to CCL CompanionChoose a Training Area
Videos below are selected to play inside the USAVFT CCL Companion whenever embedding is permitted. Official courses or government resources that must leave the app open in a separate tab so you can close that tab and return here.
👀 Awareness & Avoidance
Situational awareness, exits, pre-threat indicators, mindset and conflict avoidance.
⚖️ Self-Defense & Aftermath
Use-of-force concepts, post-incident perspective and legal-process awareness.
🔫 Firearm & Range Safety
NSSF safety education, range etiquette and responsible ownership.
🔒 Storage, Family & Home
Project ChildSafe, vehicle security, family planning and home-security checks.
🩸 Emergency Medical
Official ACS STOP THE BLEED videos and course access.
🎭 What Would You Do?
Interactive judgment exercises emphasizing awareness, distance and avoidance.
⭐ Featured At-Home Training
Rotating practice with a mandatory safety gate for firearm-related exercises.
🇺🇸 Illinois CCL Resource Center
Official Illinois sources, parking-area exceptions and current-law reminders.
See It Early → Create Distance → Avoid Escalation → Leave When Possible
What is Situational Awareness? | GUNSMARTS Featuring USCCA
Source: Smith & Wesson / USCCA. Personal safety begins before firearm involvement.
✓ USAVFT Key Takeaways- ✓ Notice changes in people, surroundings and behavior.
- ✓ Identify exits and safer routes before you need them.
- ✓ Distance and disengagement can create options.
🚪 Identifying Exits
When you enter a restaurant, store, theater or other public location, notice more than the entrance you used. Alternate exits may provide a safer option if conditions change.
🪑 Where to Sit
Position can affect visibility and your ability to leave. This is about simple awareness habits—not living in fear.
⚠️ Pre-Threat Indicators
Unusual behavior, escalating aggression and environmental changes may provide early warning. Early recognition gives you more choices.
🤝 Conflict Avoidance
Carrying a firearm increases the importance of judgment and restraint. Winning an argument is not worth creating a defensive-force situation.
Know the Law → Avoid the Fight → Survive the Aftermath
⚠️ USAVFT Use of Force
The required post-class Massad Ayoob video remains in the dedicated mandatory section.
Open Mandatory Training⚖️ Understanding Deadly Force
Deadly-force questions cannot be reduced to slogans. Circumstances, immediacy, reasonableness and jurisdiction matter.
Illinois Use-of-Force ReferenceMassad Ayoob's 5 Points After a Self-Defense Shooting
Source: Wilson Combat / Massad Ayoob. An experienced-perspective discussion of the immediate aftermath. It is not a universal script or individual legal advice.
✓ USAVFT Key Takeaways- ✓ Expect responding officers and an investigation.
- ✓ Preserve awareness of evidence and witnesses.
- ✓ Do not treat any internet checklist as a substitute for qualified legal advice.
📞 911 & Responding Officers
There is no single “magic script” that fits every incident. The Companion focuses on awareness of the process rather than promising a memorized formula.
👨⚖️ Attorney Perspective
A defensive incident may involve criminal investigation, civil issues, evidence collection and legal representation even when a person believes their actions were justified.
Safety Doesn't End When Class Ends
Firearms Safety Depends on You
Source: NSSF. General-audience firearm-safety review.
✓ USAVFT Key Takeaways- ✓ Maintain muzzle awareness.
- ✓ Keep your finger away from the trigger until appropriate.
- ✓ Know your target and what is around and beyond it.
- ✓ Follow the safety rules for the specific environment and firearm.
Introduction to Range Safety and Etiquette
Source: NSSF. A range-safety refresher for new and experienced shooters.
✓ USAVFT Key Takeaways- ✓ Know the range rules before shooting.
- ✓ Follow range-officer commands immediately.
- ✓ Ask staff when uncertain rather than guessing.
🛡️ Holster Selection
Treat the holster as safety equipment. It should be appropriate for the firearm, protect the trigger area, provide appropriate retention and remain securely attached.
🔍 Equipment Inspection
- ☐ Holster secure
- ☐ Trigger area protected
- ☐ Retention appropriate
- ☐ Belt/attachment hardware secure
- ☐ No visible cracks or damage
🔦 Everyday Preparedness
A firearm is not your entire preparedness plan. Consider a flashlight, charged phone, identification, appropriate carry equipment and basic medical preparedness.
🧰 Safe Maintenance
Remove live ammunition from the work area, verify the firearm's condition, and follow the owner's manual for your exact make/model. Stop and seek manufacturer or qualified gunsmith assistance if something appears damaged or abnormal.