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Issue 080 • September 2026

KiOwanna Phillips could have reached for her firearm. Instead, she hit the brakes.

Phillips, a USCCA®  Member since 2019, USCCA Certified Instructor and active-duty U.S. Army sergeant major, was driving between Kentucky and North Carolina when a man in a truck with a trailer pulled beside her.

He rolled down his window, yelled and made aggressive hand gestures. Phillips didn’t know whether he thought she had cut him off or if something else had angered him. Then he appeared to reach toward the passenger seat for something, possibly a firearm.

He rolled down his window, yelled and made aggressive hand gestures…

Phillips had her firearm mounted in her truck within reach. But rather than match the man’s aggression or reach for her own gun, she braked. That decision moved her out of his line of fire if he were to point a gun and helped remove her from the confrontation.

The man eventually sped off.

THE BETTER CHOICE

Phillips now uses that story when she’s teaching her students about situational awareness, conflict avoidance and de-escalation. She asks them to think through what they would do, when force would be appropriate, and whether they could avoid or defuse the situation before it became a fight.

“Some people would argue back with the person, [and] maybe someone will pull off to the side of the road,” she noted. “There’s a lot of different scenarios or ways that scenario could have gone wrong.”

For Phillips, the lesson is clear: You cannot separate situational awareness from avoiding danger or de-escalating a threat. Paying attention gives you time to make better choices, and sometimes the best choice is simply not to enter the fight.

"[A] lot of situations can be avoided,” she said. “And maybe your firearm is not even necessary.”

A roadside confrontation reminded KiOwanna Phillips that preparation isn’t always about reaching for a firearm but rather knowing when to stay out of the fight.

Join more than 860,000 responsibly armed Americans and get the education, training and protection that help you recognize danger early and de-escalate when possible.

WHAT TO KEEP

A day at the range can go from routine to emergency in seconds. Learn what belongs in a well-prepared range med kit, why everyday first-aid supplies and trauma gear serve different purposes, and how proper organization, accessibility and training can help you respond when every second counts.

ABCs OF

I’ve heard the ABCs of concealed carry summed up as “Always Be Carrying.”

Catchy, sure. 

But carrying a firearm is about more than simply having one with you. 

Putting on the gun may be the easiest part. The preparation, mindset, choices and responsibility of carrying are the bigger challenge.

So I decided to take another run at the ABCs.

A IS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability starts with accepting that if you choose to carry a firearm, you also choose everything that comes with it. That means knowing how the gun works, keeping it safely holstered and staying aware of the laws where you live and travel.

It means making sure your gun never winds up somewhere — or with someone — it shouldn’t and taking an honest look at your skills.

Accountability means owning all of it: the firearm, the training, the knowledge and the decisions. No excuses. No assumptions. And no handing off the responsibility to somebody else.

B IS FOR BOUNDARIES

Carrying a firearm does not magically make every disagreement your problem to solve.  Not every rude comment needs a response. Not every tense situation requires you to step in. Sometimes the smartest decision you can make is to create distance. Being right is worth considerably less than getting home safely.  

[C]arrying a firearm is about more than simply having one with you…

Being armed should sharpen your boundaries, not erase them. There are places you don’t need to go, arguments you don’t need to join and provocations you don’t need to answer. Knowing those physical, emotional and legal limits is part of carrying responsibly.

C IS FOR CAUTION

Caution is paying enough attention to notice when something has changed — the environment, the people around you or simply that little internal nudge telling you that something doesn’t feel right.

You don’t need to wander through life suspicious of every stranger, but you do need to be present. Life gives you plenty of reasons to move through the day on autopilot. Caution asks you to look up once in a while. 

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

So yes, “Always Be Carrying” may still earn a spot in the concealed carry acronym hall of fame! But I’d add a few words to the fine print: Be accountable for what you carry. Know the boundaries that come with carrying it. And exercise enough caution to stay aware and preserve your options.

Because responsible concealed carry isn’t simply about having a firearm with you. It’s about being prepared to carry everything that comes with it.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU TRAIN?

How much training is enough when you carry a gun for self-defense? Learn how to build a realistic routine around dry-fire, range time, mindset and other essential skills.

TAURUS RPC 9MM CARBINE REVIEW

Part pistol, part personal-defense platform, the 9mm Taurus RPC brings 32-round capacity and low recoil to a compact package. See how this new Taurus performs.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL SAFETY GUIDE

From flashlights and first-aid kits to emergency IDs and other safety gear, learn what parents should add to their kids’ backpacks and how to train your kids to use those tools.

HOW TO SHOOT WITH ONE HAND

You may not always have both hands available when an encounter turns violent. Learn how to build confidence shooting with your strong hand and support hand.