Aaron Marko, owner of Critical Response Training, teaches students recently at a gun range outside Morgantown, W.Va. Credit: Lakyn Campbell/WVU Reed School of Media
Participants are learning how to handle their firearms safely and the responsibilities that come with carrying one.
Olivia Campbell was among the women taking the September course because she says she wants the experience.
“I wanted to take this course so that I can become more comfortable and familiar with handguns, and I want to be a responsible gun owner and know how to use it safely,” Campbell said.
People over the age of 21 like Campbell have not been required to complete formal training before carrying a concealed firearm in West Virginia for more than a decade, but a new group of young adults is now joining her.
House Bill 4106 took effect June 12 and allows people as young as 18 to carry a concealed weapon without a license. Under the law, 18- to 20-year-olds are also no longer required to complete the safety training that was previously part of the licensing process.
Aaron Marko, owner and lead instructor of Critical Response Training, says that training, however, is important. His course focuses on helping participants develop a broader understanding of firearms and the equipment associated with them, and he says confidence is an important part of training for people who choose to carry a concealed firearm.
“Ultimately, what prevents people from engaging in concealed carry or the exercise of their Second Amendment rights oftentimes is the confidence to do so,” Marko said.
Marko says his goal is to give participants an understanding of firearms and the skills needed to handle them safely.
House Bill 4106 was sponsored by Delegate Chuck Horst, R-Berkeley. The law repealed the state's previous requirements for people under 21.
Horst said he began introducing the bill because he believed 18- to 20-year-olds should have the same constitutional rights as older adults.
“I started introducing the bill because it was always a pet peeve of mine that 18- to 20-year-olds should have their full constitutional rights as well,” Horst said.
However, the removal of licensing and training requirements was a point of debate during the legislative session.
Opponents of the legislation argued that eliminating the requirements could make communities and university campuses less safe.
Horst disagrees.
“Most people will get training. Those that don’t, you’re going to find that they come from families that are Second Amendment oriented and are often trained by their parents,” Horst said.
“I would argue that folks that are exercising their Second Amendment rights are by and large the most law-abiding and safest individuals out there,” Horst added.
Still, House Minority Leader Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, said he’d like to see the law revisited in the 2027 legislative session, calling it a “political football” that was taken up during an election year to help gain votes.
The law does not prevent people from voluntarily seeking firearms training, though, and Marko encourages people who choose to carry a concealed firearm to get trained.
“At the end of the day, here's what I say: concealed carry is not about the firearm, it's not about the permit, it's not about the gear, it's about the training. It’s about the ownership of skills,” Marko said. “And God forbid you ever need to use your firearm; your skills are the only thing that’s going to make a difference at the end of the day.”
This article was adapted from a television news story using AI. All reporting, facts and quotes from sources are original. AI was only used to assist with formatting and style for a digital platform.