When firearms giant Smith & Wesson moved to Tennessee from Massachusetts a few years ago, shooters who had enjoyed the former Smith & Wesson Academy and the Shooting Sports Center in their previous locations hoped that the legacy would continue in the new one. Those two centers had been operational between 1969 to 2017, and thousands had enjoyed top-notch firearms instruction. Now, we're thrilled to hear that S&W has established a new Academy to serve as a vital resource for both new and experienced shooters.
Smith & Wesson chose to set its new Academy on its 236-acre headquarters campus in Maryville, Tennessee. This state-of-the-art facility boasts pistol and carbine ranges, a multi-purpose flex range, a 300-yard rifle range, and a two-story immersive shoot house. The Academy's design also incorporates classrooms, a fitness center, and offices that will house a team of world-class experts leading the training programs.
When the Smith & Wesson Academy says "world-class," it means it! The instruction team will be led by renowned coach Mark “Coch” Cochiolo. Mark is a retired U.S. Navy Chief Warrant Officer with over three decades of service in Naval Special Warfare. Throughout his distinguished military career, he has operated in a range of elite roles, including special warfare operator, breacher, weapons instructor, training officer, and operational tester. Mark completed four SEAL deployments to the Western Pacific and served eight years with the Navy’s premier counterterrorism unit, where he conducted operations across Eastern Europe and the Middle East. His final assignment placed him in a senior leadership role as Chief Warrant Officer responsible for training and combat systems with Naval Special Warfare Unit Three (NSWU-3).
Following his retirement from active duty, Mark transitioned to instruction, applying his operational expertise to train the next generations of Navy SEALs. As a contract instructor for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, he developed curricula and trained more than 4,000 SEAL candidates in marksmanship and tactical weapons handling.
“My decision to partner with Smith & Wesson stems not only from their strong alignment with my values but also from my personal experience carrying a Smith & Wesson for the past 30 years. Throughout my career, I have worked with a variety of firearm platforms, and I am grateful for the opportunity to leverage that experience in developing effective curriculum at the Academy, helping as many individuals become proficient with their firearms as possible. Smith & Wesson produces dependable, quality firearms – at the Academy, we’ll teach you how to use them,” said Mark “Coch” Cochiolo, Director, Smith & Wesson Academy.
Starting this weekend, a registration portal will be available on the Smith & Wesson Academy website for a variety of training courses focused on pistol, carbine, and rifle platforms. These courses will range from introductory skills and safety to advanced techniques. To stay up to date with the latest news and events for the Smith & Wesson Academy, visit academy.smith-wesson.com.
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