Oct. 4, 2025

We’re back—and we’re putting practical training, changing laws, and real-world readiness at the center of The Armed Guardian Podcast relaunch

We’re back—and we’re putting practical training, changing laws, and real-world readiness at the center of The Armed Guardian Podcast relaunch

Send us a text The mics are on again, and we’re coming back sharper: real training, clear laws, and honest talk about what responsible carry actually takes. Brian brings law enforcement and military experience from years of firearms and first aid instruction, while Crystal from I Got Her Six focuses on women’s training and workplace violence prevention. Together, we set a new baseline for the show: practical skills first, legal clarity always, and stories that refuse to leave the hard parts o...

Send us a text

The mics are on again, and we’re coming back sharper: real training, clear laws, and honest talk about what responsible carry actually takes. Brian brings law enforcement and military experience from years of firearms and first aid instruction, while Crystal from I Got Her Six focuses on women’s training and workplace violence prevention. Together, we set a new baseline for the show: practical skills first, legal clarity always, and stories that refuse to leave the hard parts out.

We start by pulling confusion into the light—Florida’s permitless carry shift, reciprocity myths, and why state lines and even county borders can flip your plan on its head. Open carry here, concealed only there; duty to inform in one state, not required in another; vehicle transport rules that change on a single exit ramp. We explain how to build a simple system: check reciprocity maps for a quick read, verify with statutes, and confirm gray areas with a local attorney. Then we widen the lens to the skills you’ll use far more often than a firearm—bleed control, scene safety, and emotional aftercare. A tourniquet and a practiced script can save a life and protect your future, especially when adrenaline pushes you to say more than you should.

We also preview what’s ahead: a domestic violence survivor turned firearms and karate instructor with a powerful new book; medical pros to run first aid “roundhouse” sessions you can put to work immediately; mental health experts like Michael Sedini to prepare you for what follows a critical incident; and partners like Right to Bear to demystify self-defense coverage. The goal is consistency: real scenarios, clean language, and steps you can repeat under stress.

If you carry—or love someone who does—this is your checkpoint to stay current, train smarter, and travel wiser. Hit follow, share this with a friend who needs a legal tune-up, and leave a review with the one question about carry laws or training you want us to tackle next.

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

To reach us on topics, suggestions or guest referrals email us at brian@thearmedguardianpodcast.com. This podcast is sponsored by Right To Bear Legal Protection and Blackout Coffee
Our motto is: Learn, Train, & Survive!

Check out out webpage, www.thearmedguardianpodcast.com and our Facebook page.


00:00 - Relaunch Vision And Intros

01:30 - Training Beyond Marksmanship

03:10 - Florida Law Changes And Confusion

03:55 - Upcoming Guests And Themes

05:40 - Laws Vary: State And County Nuance

08:05 - Travel, Reciprocity, And Duty To Inform

11:00 - Disclaimers, Statutes, And Staying Current

14:20 - Programming Plan And Closing

WEBVTT

00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:00.959
All right.

00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:05.919
Hi, welcome to the Armed Guardian Podcast relaunch.

00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:14.000
Uh today, Crystal and I will be talking about our up-and-coming relaunch of the podcast and what we are envisioning.

00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:20.239
So uh some of the things that uh we want to see happen on the podcast and just kind of reintroduce ourselves.

00:00:20.399 --> 00:00:21.920
Uh, my name's Brian.

00:00:22.079 --> 00:00:49.280
I'm was a previous owner of the Blueberry Tactical and Training, uh founder of the podcast here, uh, hoping to broaden and enlighten people's uh with information for their personal carry, for first aid, for uh anything firearm and self-defense related, either out in the open, at home, or at church, uh, you know, wherever you're at out and about.

00:00:49.439 --> 00:01:04.079
We want to kind of enlighten, make people make sure people are aware of law changes, uh, things that they can do to help protect themselves, and also to make sure that uh people are properly trained.

00:01:04.159 --> 00:01:28.159
Uh you know, so first aid has always been one of my topics whenever I teach a class is to um make sure you have some first aid training for whether it's yourself or somebody else that you know may be into uh an incident, uh, that uh church shooting, uh God forbid, uh a public event where you know maybe some or multiple people get injured.

00:01:28.239 --> 00:01:32.560
But no, there's somebody there that you know knows a little bit about what they're doing.

00:01:32.799 --> 00:02:06.480
Um I've got a law enforcement background, uh military background, so I I try to make sure that uh uh everybody that I talk to in firearms stuff is got some some good got good information, but as well as you know being trained to handle the the outcomes, uh the first aid, the psychological factors that are going to come into play if you're involved in a shooting or uh of any kind, uh whether it's yourself, your family, or out in public.

00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:16.240
So uh that's kind of my background a little bit in a nutshell, and some of the things that I'm wanting to see come to life back from the podcast.

00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:24.639
Uh Crystal, you got I want to do a brief intro and sure what what you'd like to see us accomplish in the coming year.

00:02:25.039 --> 00:02:25.759
I sure do.

00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:28.080
So I'm Crystal from I Got Her Six.

00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:32.159
I specialize in uh woman's firearm training.

00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:36.639
I also do workplace violent prevention programs, which does cover active tutor.

00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:41.360
And as you know, we've been having a lot of incidents lately in the news.

00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:43.680
So uh I do address those concerns.

00:02:43.759 --> 00:03:05.280
And I'm glad you brought up the fact that um we need to have medical training because as someone who carries a firearm, many times we're just focusing a non-marketmanship and things of that nature, but we don't really consider having bleed control kids or any type of training, and it's so important because you're more than likely um gonna use that before you are your firearm in an incident.

00:03:06.319 --> 00:03:08.400
So I think it's really important that we address that.

00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:11.120
Um here in Florida, we're on that.

00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:14.319
We have some new changes to the law for firearms.

00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:24.479
We're now open carry, we're also permittless carry, which is causing a bit of confusion, and there's gonna be people more than likely arrested for things because they don't quite know the laws.

00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:30.240
Um so yeah, but yeah, I I specialize in women firearm training as well as workplace violence.

00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:34.000
I've been doing this for quite a while now, and I'm looking forward to the relaunch.

00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:35.599
All right, great.

00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:38.400
Uh yeah, I've got a couple of people in mind.

00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:45.280
Um got a domestic violence with this month being National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:58.080
Uh, I've got someone that's coming, um, planning on trying to get on before the end of the month to highlight the domestic violence and the importance of you know domestic violence awareness.

00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:02.319
Who this person is a prior domestic violence uh survivor.

00:04:02.479 --> 00:04:07.759
Uh, she became a firearms instructor, a karate instructor.

00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:25.839
Uh and no, she's got an amazing story, and she just released a book uh talking about uh her situation, and I'm hoping to have her on and recorded before the end of the month where we can get that going and help her promote her book uh of what she's got going on.

00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:29.839
So um uh got just got a few other guests.

00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:38.160
No, uh I'd like to have Brian McLaughlin back on for uh first aid, uh it's a first aid roundhouse.

00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:43.600
Um uh several people in the mental health aspect.

00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:47.839
Uh Michael Sedini, I want to try to have him back on as a guest.

00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:50.959
Um trying to remember.

00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:52.560
Let's see.

00:04:54.959 --> 00:05:02.160
I've got a several people that uh I would like to really have on to you know talk about certain topics.

00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:23.199
Um so uh women in firearms, uh maybe Sarah Albrecht um coming on, or uh I'll have to look back through some of our prior guests on some of the old episodes and see what we can do to try to re-invite those and some of the updates of things that are going on.

00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:34.399
Um Lana uh Brian for uh Right to Bear, who's one of our sponsors, have her on to talk about the Right to Bear program and stance and everything.

00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:42.160
Um just uh a lot of things that I'd like to encourage people to come listen to.

00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:46.480
Get no, of course, we I'm from Georgia, you're from Florida.

00:05:46.639 --> 00:06:29.839
Uh some of the things we may talk about may not be specific to the state that the listeners in, but no, it's some good overall advice and to follow all to read uh as I have in my disclaimer, or we have in the disclaimer is no, this may not be state, no uh good legal advice in the state that you're in, and always follow it up by checking with your local law um legislation and things like that to make sure that uh what we talk about is up to par in that state as well, because things, like I said, things change from state to state, and different states have different requirements.

00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:47.279
So we want to make sure you're well vested, you follow the the localities in the state that you're in that you may be listening, and no, we may be talking about uh no, like I said, uh Georgia and Florida, some of the things that are coming up in them.

00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:57.279
Uh there may be some changes in your state that uh you may be listening in that are not um that we don't cover just because we we're not in that state.

00:06:57.439 --> 00:07:13.519
So um not that we're trying to exclude people in that state, it's just we're not there's 50 states and there's uh so many counties and cities that have their own restrictions or pro or against firearms.

00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:18.879
So it's something that we put the we give the nugget of information out.

00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:27.439
Uh it's your to your advantage to follow up with the legalities in your local jural jurisdiction.

00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:31.279
So with that being said, yeah, you know Yeah, go ahead.

00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:36.879
No, no, I was gonna say, um, it's so true, even like where we're at, so from county to county is so different.

00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:39.279
So most people have heard of Pole County.

00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:41.680
We have uh an amazing sheriff there.

00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:48.560
He's really pro-second amendment, let's just say that, and he's for the people not necessarily criminals.

00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.160
Whereas in my county, they're more for the criminals.

00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:52.879
I hate to say it.

00:07:53.279 --> 00:08:03.279
So if you are a person that has to use self-defense, um deadly force, you know, you gotta really prove prove to them that it was in fact a self-defense incident.

00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:07.040
And even then, there's a good possibility you will be arrested or detained.

00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:12.639
So you're right, county to county, state lines, all of these things, we need to know the laws.

00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:15.120
Right and what we're up against.

00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:38.799
Yeah, and no, that's part of the thing that no training, encouraging you to continue on your training because if you get training in your local area, that training is going to be tailored to what is legal, uh what is currently going on in the uh auspices of that jurisdiction that you're in.

00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:46.240
So there's no nothing to um that will uh what's the word I'm looking for?

00:08:46.320 --> 00:09:34.399
I'm kind of out of blank for a minute, but uh nothing that you know precludes uh you know something that in your area, uh, because you know what we may talk about maybe fine in Georgia or Florida or a specific county or generally in the southeast, where things may not be legal, or you know, there may be some uh changes in the thought or the laws for uh California, Illinois, um states uh that you know are known to be not pro-second amendment uh per se, but uh we're seeing great leaps and bounds in a lot of the advocacy for Second Amendment and personal defense and everything.

00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:51.759
So just always follow up with uh training, continued training, and contacting someone uh law or attorney-wise, uh in your local area to hey, what's the current laws for XYZ?

00:09:52.240 --> 00:10:04.159
And that attorney should be able, or that firearms instructor that teaches basic self-defense should be able to tell you some of the auspices of you know what's going on.

00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:15.120
Uh USCCA's uh reciprocity uh is a great tool for some basic information, states state to state.

00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:24.000
So um, you know, I encourage people to check it, check that, you know, check the laws of the state that you are going in or live in.

00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:39.759
And always if you're passing through traveling, know the stuff laws of the state that you're gonna be going through because there's so many changes uh that you may have to know magazine requirements, ammunition restrictions, uh things like that.

00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:53.120
So just always it's always a good idea to check the laws of the where you're at, where you're going through, uh, what can you do, what can you not do, and um just uh follow through on that.

00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:56.960
So yeah, we had some issues when we became permittless carry.

00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:05.039
Well, you know, constitutional carry, not necessarily, but um, that's what they were referring to as constitutional carry, and really it's just permitless, right?

00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:10.720
So people didn't realize that they just couldn't cross state lines because they didn't have their concealed weapon permit.

00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:12.080
There's no reciprocity.

00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:16.720
So we were dealing with that quite a bit of people that didn't understand the law, like, oh, I can't just go anywhere now.

00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:18.960
I'm like, oh, it doesn't work that way.

00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:32.159
Yeah, it's like uh with me being so close to Florida, uh where I was teach was teaching at, no, I'm uh Georgia is a permitless carry, constitutional carry state.

00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:49.360
So people were and Georgia has always been no, you can carry open carry uh in in Georgia, but tech letting people know that hey, if you go to South Carolina or Florida, Florida does at the time didn't have open carry.

00:11:49.519 --> 00:12:04.000
So if you're open carrying and you travel into Florida to go see a friend, a family, or something, just realize that you know, once you cross that state line, you've got a whole new ball game as far as laws to abide by.

00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:08.879
Um, and people just uh sometimes just didn't think about it.

00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:20.639
It's like uh a while back, um South Carolina was uh um right to notify uh if you got stopped by you had to notify them that hey, I'm right away.

00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:21.840
Yeah.

00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:35.360
Um and if you didn't, you're facing you could face a criminal misdemeanor charge, but that has changed in South Carolina, although I think there are still some states that have that um right to notify.

00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:38.240
Um Right, yeah, duty to inform them.

00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:41.120
Yeah, we don't have to here unless they ask.

00:12:41.279 --> 00:12:43.360
Yeah, if they ask, we have to tell.

00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:43.759
Yeah.

00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:47.519
And then there's been you know different opinions on what you should do.

00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:50.399
Should you voluntarily give the information up, should you not?

00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:52.480
And that is a whole nother argument.

00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:54.399
Go back and work with it.

00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:56.159
Yeah, yeah.

00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:59.200
But we we we really need to know the laws, and that's what we're here to do.

00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:03.440
And we're not an attorney, so I always tell people I give a disclaimer, I'm not an attorney.

00:13:03.679 --> 00:13:03.759
Right.

00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:05.840
It is your responsibility to know the laws.

00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:11.360
Things change, you know, don't go out and have an incident and come back and say, Well, Crystal told me I could do this.

00:13:11.600 --> 00:13:15.120
Yeah because I didn't maybe you interpret it that way, but I didn't tell you that.

00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:15.679
Right.

00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:24.159
So you know, I'm gonna go take the stand and say, Well, Your Honor, I thought I could do that because my instructor or my neighbor or former law enforcement officer told me this.

00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:26.159
Yeah, they're not on trial.

00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:28.000
Yeah, yeah.

00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:35.519
And I know Georgia is uh pretty strict as far as no giving legal, actual legal advice.

00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:42.879
So we we have to be careful when we're uh teaching law uh teaching classes in Georgia.

00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:52.159
What information we give, no, we can kind of just you know make sure we give um general information and no, this could happen.

00:13:52.320 --> 00:14:04.240
Uh check with an attorney, uh always always put that disclaimer out there that hey, I'm not an attorney, but this is what is typically recognized in Georgia.

00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:11.919
And uh no what um what I what we do is we um provide the the Florida statutes.

00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:12.320
Right.

00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:14.080
So here you go, these are the statutes.

00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:15.279
Take it, take a look.

00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:18.320
This is here, you gotta follow these guidelines, it's all right there.

00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:24.960
If you don't understand it, consult with an attorney because sometimes that legal jar gar uh jargon is really difficult to understand.

00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:25.519
Yes.

00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:30.799
And so that your interpretation of it can be different than what it actually means.

00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.639
But yeah, we just have to be very careful with that.

00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:35.360
Yep.

00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:36.799
Um all right.

00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:41.039
Well, I know wanted to kind of keep this short and um short and sweet.

00:14:41.200 --> 00:14:45.200
Uh you know, just kind of give a teaser that hey, we're coming back live.

00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:52.639
Uh we're actively working on building up a guest list and some topics and everything.

00:14:52.879 --> 00:15:09.360
So some of the issues, some of the topics that we may have, uh, like with David and I, we will go back and maybe just you and me or you, me, and David, if he's able to participate, talking about whatever uh topics we have at hand that we want to discuss.

00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:22.799
Uh, and if we have an episode where we have a guest that's on, we'll have a guest where we'll kind of you know question and answer, let them talk about things that are going on in that topic that we have them on for.

00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:33.200
And you know, we'll just kind of keep that aspect or that um that programming going on for you know the new episodes forthcoming.

00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:37.759
And uh, like I said, primarily it'll be you and me, Crystal.

00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:45.039
Uh, I know there'll probably be some times where maybe I I've got somebody that hey, I can only do it on this day, and you may not be available.

00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:52.960
So um we we'll just do what the best that we can to have uh you and me on, and then David whenever he's can be there.

00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.559
But uh we'll just uh try to keep jumping.

00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:57.679
We'll make it work.

00:15:57.919 --> 00:15:59.440
We'll hit the ground running.

00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:00.879
Yeah, we will.

00:16:00.960 --> 00:16:02.399
We'll we're gonna make it work regardless.

00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:04.000
So I'm glad to have you here.

00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:05.679
Brian, thank you so much.

00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:10.240
And uh thank you uh for coming back on and participating.

00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:20.159
And uh uh thanks for the support that you gave me through the the time that I had last year, and it was very, very needed.

00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:34.399
And uh I hate uh I hate that we had to take the break from the podcast, but uh it was just something that I couldn't keep on doing right at that moment, and I'm back right to the point now where let's run.

00:16:34.879 --> 00:16:36.080
Yeah, life happens.

00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:38.639
Every one of us have had something on, and you know what?

00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:41.360
We get through it and then we keep on moving, and here we are.

00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:43.360
Yep, makes us stronger.

00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:44.399
Sure does.

00:16:44.559 --> 00:16:45.039
So all right.

00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:47.200
All righty Brian, thank you so much.

00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:54.399
And uh we'll look I'll reach out to you as soon as uh we have uh a couple of uh guests coming up and got some dates and everything.

00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:55.919
Great, thank you.

00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:58.000
Thank you, great day, Crystal.