I am a native Virginian, and a proud U.S. Air Force veteran. Between time in the military, and my subsequent career in the U.S. Foreign Service, I have spent most of my adult life living overseas or in D.C.  Upon my retirement in 2016, I moved to Staunton to be close to my family.  Now, I love living in the Shenandoah Valley.

In the Air Force, I earned the expert marksman medal on the pistol and the M16 rifle. And even though I've been shooting pistols since the early 80s, I became more serious about it once I retired.  I found and joined a national organization of women shooters in Lynchburg where I met another female firearms instructor who became my mentor.  After attending various shooting courses, I decided to get my USCCA Concealed Carry and Home Defense instructor certification in 2020. In April of 2021, I co-founded the Augusta County Chapter of Armed Women of America (AWA) and that chapter quickly grew to more than 70 women (and is still growing!).  Shortly thereafter,
C-BAR Defense Training, LLC was established. I love teaching men and women the fundamentals of defensive shooting and watching as their skills improve and their confidence grows. It's why I do what I do.

I wanted to find ways to keep my skills current, so I began to explore the world of competitive shooting.  I've been shooting in the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) since 2022. Though I have a long way to go, I continue to train and can see myself improving after every match while still having a lot of fun. In July 2025, I earned the Rangemaster Instructor certification which is an exciting achievment. It has significantly broadened the range of skills I can extend to our students.

When I am not on the range, I love to socialize with friends and go wine tasting. I also work part time at the gun counter at Dominion Outdoors in Fishersville. Most important, however, is spending time with the Lord, and with my family and crazy pup.

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Instructor Reviews: Andrea Barkley | Certified Instructor