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Tactical Fuckery with Marcell Hawkins
151 Plays3 years ago
Today we talk about personal protection, gun education, and training with Marcell Hawkins.
Mr. Hawkins is the owner of Power Protection Peace: Tactical, LLC. His company was founded as a means to teach self-defense and mitigate fear. The focus is to empower the DMV community through competent and professional firearm training. Firearm trainees at all levels are able to grow and learn through our HQL classes and 1-on-1 training. We welcome students from various backgrounds and experience levels ranging from military trained to beginner, there is always more to learn.
Learn more at https://www.ppptactical.com and find PPP Tactical on Instagram.
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Transcript
Introduction to Marcel Hawkins and PPP Tactical
00:00:14
Speaker
Hello everyone, I want to introduce you to today's guest, Mr. Marcel Hawkins of PPP Tactical Power Protection and Peace. Is that right, sir?
00:00:29
Speaker
Yes ma'am. Yes ma'am. Welcome welcome to today's episode of fabulous fuckery. Power protection and peace tactical was founded as a means to teach self-defense and mitigate fear. Their focus is on empowering the DMV community through competent and professional firearm training. Firearm trainings are at all levels and they're trying to help people
00:00:50
Speaker
grow and learn through their HQL and one-on-one classes. They welcome students from various backgrounds and experience levels ranging from military to day one beginner. There's always more to learn. Thank you so much for joining us today. Please, thank you for having me. I'm glad to be here. Well, thank you for that quick and concise bio as well. Now tell me, what made you want to start a tactical training company?
Marcel Hawkins' Community Engagement During the Pandemic
00:01:19
Speaker
Okay. Well, I've always been keen on trying to give back to the community and that's really the driving force here. During the pandemic, when everyone went remote, I had a lot of time to sit down and survey the landscape and, you know, try to figure out what's going to be that best avenue to bring about change and just overall the positive impact. I've always been an advocate of firearms for self-defense and I've been training for several years now and it kind of just clicked. It made sense. I should take this time, get certified,
00:01:48
Speaker
And then use that as a means to spread knowledge and increase self-defense in our community.
Why Should Women Consider Firearm Training?
00:01:55
Speaker
Now, the target audience, I'll be honest with you for this podcast, is primarily women. Why do you think women should have tactical and firearm training? All right. Well, I think that one of the basic laws of nature is self-defense and self-preservation. And I think that our women need to be protected.
00:02:15
Speaker
and need to know how to protect themselves. So, you know, I definitely want to reach out to women and help them build that confidence and get that experience with the firearms that they know, no matter where they're at, they can do what they need to to protect themselves and their loved ones.
Overcoming Fear of Guns through Training
00:02:30
Speaker
Now, a lot of people are fearful of guns, guns, unfortunately, in the black community.
00:02:38
Speaker
are often illegally obtained and are, you know, DC is having a huge spike in gun violence right now. What do you tell someone who is fearful of wanting to have a firearm in their home? Right. Yeah. So glad you touched on that because fear is probably the biggest mitigating factor that stops people from, you know, getting that experience. So what I would like to tell people is that inherently firearms are no different than any other tool. It's all about the person behind it and what they choose to do with it.
00:03:07
Speaker
So that's the first thing I like to tell people. The second thing is that once, and this is from my actual experience, once students come out and they get trained, they learn how to use a firearm safely and in the correct manner, they realize that that fear, it deteriorates. They start to build up confidence and that fear is replaced with said confidence. And the last thing I like to tell people, I tell all of my students this, is that when you come to my class, after you get certified, when you come to my one-on-one training, after you learn how to
00:03:36
Speaker
use that firearm and you go back to your neighborhood, your community, your family. You are the resident firearm expert. It is your job to make sure that those around you have competent skills and know what they're doing with the firearm.
00:03:48
Speaker
because I believe it is that dissemination of knowledge and experience and final training that can help reduce and mitigate some of those factors that you mentioned earlier.
Firearm Certification Differences in the DMV
00:03:57
Speaker
Now your certification program, is it good for all of the DC, Maryland and Virginia area? And my apologies for those listening who aren't familiar with the term DMV. DMV is the DC, Maryland,
00:04:09
Speaker
and Virginia metropolitan areas. Are your certification processes for each state or is it just licensed in one state if they complete your program? Got you. So it depends on what we're talking about. So if we're talking about HQL, let's cover that first. That is Maryland handgun qualification license. So that is the license that all Maryland residents must obtain in order to legally purchase a handgun. If we're talking about the HQL, then that certification
00:04:36
Speaker
is valid in Maryland and recognized in 26 other states. But for the sake of this conversation, focus specifically on Maryland. If we're talking about DC and Virginia, in those instances, what I offer for those residents is mainly the one-on-one training. That's when we go to a range and you can drill in the proper means to use a firearm. It would still be beneficial for them to come to an HQL course because there's so much knowledge that's spread about firearm history, safety,
00:05:06
Speaker
and laws, well, pertaining to Maryland primarily, but for my Virginia and DC residents, mainly your HQL. And then the last service, which is your concealed carry or your wearing carry, that's going to pertain to Maryland specifically. Okay. Now, I guess my question for you now is, so I want to buy a gun. I need to get this HQL certification in order to do this. What's the time involved? You said the time.
00:05:37
Speaker
Got you. So let's say, so time-wise the course is regulated by the state. So it has to be four hours long. So you can expect to spend four hours from me. I typically do it on a Saturday or Sunday from 10 AM to 2 PM. So you can expect to spend that amount of time with me working, going to fundamentals and learning how to use a firearm. From there, you have a short list of steps to complete in order to submit your application.
00:06:03
Speaker
But once you've submitted your application, the state has up to 30 days to approve you for your HQL. What I found is that due to the pandemic, Maryland has gone to digital licenses. And in doing so, people with my students have beginning to approve within two to three weeks. When I arrived, it took the four 30 months Maryland took their time. But as of late, it's been
00:06:27
Speaker
very fast after they take the course and submit their application. Two to three weeks is what I would say we're averaging right now.
Recommended Firearms for Women
00:06:35
Speaker
Wow. Two to three weeks. That's fast. So I'm a smaller woman, but what type of handgun should a person look for for home protection? What do you recommend for the average woman looking to protect her home? Okay. Yeah. That's a great question.
00:06:57
Speaker
So in my class, I touch on this, but whenever you're going to purchase a firearm, there's a couple of things you need to keep in mind. Use, what's going to be your primary use for this? Ergonomics and fit. So how does it feel in your hand? Do you like when you shoot it? What's the recoil like? Things like that. So if I'm advising a woman.
00:07:17
Speaker
And let's say she wants to protect her home and she's going to use this firearm primarily in her home. I would advise her to, if she doesn't have, you know, very large hands, I would advise her to get a self-compact nine millimeter pistol or a full frame nine millimeter pistol. And the reason that I go with nine millimeter is because one, it's, it's pretty much a standard round, but two.
00:07:39
Speaker
It's the type of round where if you were to get hollow point ammunition, then you could reliably and comfortably use it in your firearm and know that that round is not going to penetrate through everything that's beyond it. So let's say you live in an apartment complex and you wanted to, you know, you had to use a firearm to defend yourself. I would advise you get a nine millimeter handgun, either either subcompact or four frame.
00:08:08
Speaker
and then use hollow point ammunition. So that would probably be your best
Inspiration Behind PPP Tactical
00:08:12
Speaker
combination. That's going to give you enough force to disable any threat, but also peace of mind to know your round is not flying off into the ether.
00:08:20
Speaker
That is true. Now I have a question for you. My personal preference is a 380 caliber. How do you feel about that in reference to a 9 caliber? So I personally don't have any gripes with the 380. I think it's a very useful caliber of firearm, especially for someone who probably doesn't want
00:08:41
Speaker
much recoil, have small hands, prefers a firearm that's a little bit easier to use. Excuse me. In that instance, it's definitely still a very valid option to use. Okay. All right. No, I'm just asking that it's just like, I wanted to make sure it wasn't too small, but yet, yet large enough. So when you said you just created this company a few months ago during the pandemic, what made you, what was your moment that you just said, F it, I'm going to start a business?
00:09:11
Speaker
Well, I've actually always had businesses, so it really wasn't as much as the business proposition. The business side of it wasn't what spurred me to do it, the financial side. It was really just a moment during, I mean, we all remember what happened during the pandemic and what's still going on within the community. And it was just seeing all of that and taking all of it in and just really feeling like
00:09:36
Speaker
Where is my role? Where's my part in this? Where can I be impacted? What can I make a difference? Where can I make a difference? And I thought about it and I thought about how long before I had the business, I've taken four, five, six people to firearm ranges and gave them their first experience shooting a firearm.
00:09:55
Speaker
And it kind of clicked. It's like, man, I've been training people for years now, just not under the title of PPP Tactical and not with all the bells and whistles, but I've been doing this. And I think this is something I'm good at. I think this is something I'm passionate about. I can make a difference doing this.
Creating a Safe Learning Environment
00:10:11
Speaker
I can really help someone defend themselves at a time of crisis. I can make a positive impact on the community. And then it just kind of clicked.
00:10:20
Speaker
Now that is awesome. So what do you think your biggest, what do you think your biggest contribution will be with PPP Tactical? My biggest contribution is, I would say it's two parts. One, it is me creating a safe space where people can come and know that they're going to learn quality self-defense and not feel the pressures of the outside world.
00:10:46
Speaker
That's part one. And two, it's going to be that peace of mind I get when I go home and I put my head on my pillow and I know that I just certified eight new people. And I know that these eight people now have a safe and reliable means to defend themselves in the event that they should have to.
00:11:04
Speaker
That really makes me feel good. I've had pregnant women come to my course on multiple occasions with their child still in stomach because they're like, hey, I'm getting ready to have a child. I need to know I can protect them and defend them. And they always leave my course happy and trained. And that really makes me happy. OK.
Effectiveness of Firearm Training vs. Other Methods
00:11:21
Speaker
Now, there's some people who are just straight up anti-gun. I know they're about to turn the episode off because they don't want to hear anything about this. What do you think about other forms of self-defense for women, karate, boxing, techniques to get you away from people? How do you feel about those types of techniques?
00:11:45
Speaker
Well, I think that they're all valid and valuable in their own right. You know, I would never look at someone and tell them the only means for self-defense is firearm training. But what I will tell them is that firearm training is going to be one of the most effective and reliable means to stop a threat and defend yourself. So I would knock any of those other methods that you mentioned.
00:12:06
Speaker
Now, with all of this, you know, gun, you know, you're shooting guns and dealing with, you know, women who want to learn how to shoot guns. What are you doing to take care of
Marcel Hawkins on Self-Care Practices
00:12:17
Speaker
yourself? What is your method? What does Marcel do to take care of himself and practice self care and balance the business needs and your personal needs? That's a really good question. I just had a thought the other day that I wanted to go a little bit harder for my self care.
00:12:35
Speaker
My primary means of self-care is just going to the gym and working out. My gym could be outside, it could be in my bedroom, it could be anywhere it waits. Working out gives me a peace of mind and a break from, you know, all of the noises of the outside world. Outside of that, I pray, I meditate and I read. So my meditations and my reading really give me peace of mind as well. So that's what I would say my self-care consists of.
00:13:03
Speaker
I like taking vacations, but, you know, vacation and during the pandemic isn't as tempting an idea as it once was. So kind of got that on the back burner. But to answer that question, the gym, meditation and reading books. OK, now those are good and fair answers.
Announcement of Women's Only Course and Contact Information
00:13:20
Speaker
Now, my other question, and I'm kind of going to wrap it up for you, but if some of my listeners are interested, we will be hosting a Baroness Bree PPP tactical course coming up in September of 2021.
00:13:37
Speaker
So if you are interested, please send me a message and we can get you in contact with PPP Tactical to get you a space to get your gun license. Marcel, do you have any information on how that works or what that looks like? Yes. So we will be hosting that course in September will be a woman's only course. And between my Instagram, your Instagram and PPPtactical.com, there'll be a specific
00:14:05
Speaker
option for you to select under HQL for the course and you will be able to select that course and know that you're going to be in that women's only course and getting that good information and knowledge. Likewise, you can always reach out to me on Instagram at PPPtactical or you can shoot me an email at PPPtactical at gmail.com if you have any questions even outside of the course and I'll gladly build with you.
00:14:29
Speaker
That is wonderful. No, I want to thank you for sharing this information and telling our listeners how they can obtain your services to learn how to protect their homes. Things are getting scary out there a little bit, guys, and I want you to know that in addition to wellness and self-care, there are different types of entrepreneurs that are out here doing their thing, providing services that we can consider for our families.
00:14:57
Speaker
So I thank you so much, Mr. Hawkins, for your time. Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure to come on here and build with you. One, thank you. And this concludes this episode of Fabulous Fuckery. I hope that and Mr. Hawkins, can you tell our listeners where they can find you online? Yes. So you can find me on Instagram and Facebook at PPP Tactical.
00:15:23
Speaker
So Instagram and Facebook at PPPtactical. You can find my website at www.ppptactical.com and you can reach me by phone at 301-747-1877.
00:15:40
Speaker
Okay, he's serious, y'all. He giving out his phone number two. So we do wanna thank you for visiting and sharing your knowledge about tactical gun training. If anyone has any questions, please reach out to him on any of those formats. Thank you for listening to today's episode and I'll talk to you all soon.