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TERRY MARLES

Lead Instructor

Terry was born and raised in Southern California, moving to Oregon in the early 90’s. He joined Tri-County Gun Club in the mid-90s when he bought his 1st Glock pistol. He initially struggled with why it would always shoot low left. 😉

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Joining competition at TCGC opened up a whole new world of firearms training and competition. Terry started taking classes at Oregon Firearms Academy in 2002. At that point he was hooked, and started taking more classes. In 2007 Oregon Firearms Academy asked Terry to join the staff as an instructor. He spent the next 10 years working under the mentorship of Dan Abbot and Rick Benson developing his instructor skills. Since then, Terry has worked for several companies. 

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Since January of 2020, Terry has been employed by the Clackamas County Sheriff at the Public Safety Training Center as a firearms instructor. In his 25-year journey he has become an instructor of Handgun, Handgun RDS, Carbine, Long Distance Precision Rifle, and Tactical Shotgun. In 2014 he started applying his instructor skills to Church Security Teams.

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Terry spent 35 years as a Software Engineer/Architect in the Cyber Security area. Retiring in 2021, he moved to a cabin in the woods in Idaho. He still travels to the Portland area to teach classes.

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Terry is the head of his own training company Responsible Self Defense Firearms Training. He teaches classes at TCGC and at DK Wildlife in Brownsville.

 

Terry keeps his skills current by taking classes up to six times a year. He has trained with the following organizations.     

  • Oregon Firearms Academy

  • Magpul Dynamics

  • Progressive Force Concepts

  • On Target Solutions

  • Quarter Circle 42

  • Crossheart Medical

  • Thunder Ranch

  • John Farnam

  • USCCA

  • DPSST (Oregon Police Academy)

  • 540 Training

  • R.E.A.C.T

  • Dark Angel

  • Knights Defense

  • Pistol Shooting Solutions (Gabe White)

  • PacWest Defense

  • Active Self Protection

 

He has worked for the following organizations.

  • Oregon Firearms Academy

  • 540 Training

  • On Target Solutions

  • Public Safety Training Center, Clackamas County Sheriff

  • Responsible Self Defense Firearms Training.

  • Volunteer at DPSST.

  • PacWest Defense

 

Credentials

  • NRA Rifle and Pistol Instructor

  • USCCA Certified Instructor

  • Oregon, Utah, Arizona CHL

  • DPSST certified Armed Security Instructor

  • Medical: CPR, AED, Stop the Bleed, and 1st Aid

 

Other firearms related positions

  • TCGC board of directors

  • Match Director and Assistant MD Practical Rifle (TCGC)

  • Assistant Match Director 600-yard Rifle (TCGC)

  • NLEFIA (National Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor Association)

  • Security team firearm training instructor Willamette Christian Church

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