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John P Hernandez

Instructor # 1688859 | Lightning Defense Academy

Certified with the USCCA since 9/22/2020

Certification Renewal Date 10/9/2026

  • lightningdefenseacademy@gmail.com
  • (847) 532-9070

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL, 60014

5.0

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See Reviews

USCCA Certifications

  • Concealed Carry & Home Defense
  • Emergency & First Aid
  • Women's Handgun & Self-Defense
  • Range Safety Officer
  • Countering the Mass Shooter
  • Concealed Carry & Home Defense Fundamentals - Training Counselor
  • Children's Firearms & Safety Fundamentals

My Biography

USCCA Certified Instructor and Training Counselor Illinois State Approved Concealed Carry 16 Hour Course Instructor USCCA Basic Handgun Instructor USCCA Certified First-Aid Fundamentals Instructor American Heart CPR/AED/First-Aid Trained Stop the Bleed/IFAK/Basic Gun Shot Wound Trained 4th Degree Black Belt in Okinawan Karate 20+ years Firearms Experience 20+ years Self Defense Training Instructor Bi-lingual classes available (see available classes))

Click the link to view my website: www.ldaonlinestore.com

Current Classes Available

  • Sun, Oct. 18, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS STATE APPROVED CONCEALED CARRY 16 HOUR COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake, IL

    $175

    Sat, Oct. 24, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS STATE APPROVED CONCEALED CARRY 16 HOUR COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake, IL

    $175

    Sat, Nov. 7, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS STATE APPROVED CONCEALED CARRY 16 HOUR COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake, IL

    $175

    Sun, Nov. 15, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS STATE APPROVED CONCEALED CARRY 16 HOUR COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake, IL

    $175

    Sat, Nov. 21, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS STATE APPROVED CONCEALED CARRY 16 HOUR COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake, IL

    $175

  • Sat, Nov. 21, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS STATE APPROVED CONCEALED CARRY 16 HOUR COURSE Mid-Week

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake , IL

    $199

  • Sun, Oct. 25, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS 3 HOUR RENEWAL COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake, IL

    $79

    Sun, Nov. 8, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS 3 HOUR RENEWAL COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake, IL

    $79

    Sun, Nov. 22, 2026 9:00 AM

    ILLINOIS 3 HOUR RENEWAL COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    Crystal Lake, IL

    $79

  • Sat, Dec. 5, 2026 9:00 AM

    CCHD INSTRUCTORS COURSE

    with John P Hernandez
    Rating star small5.0

    Lightning Defense Academy
    CRYSTAL LAKE, IL

    $597

Request a Class

3.0 hour Basic Handgun Fundamentals and Safety One hour Live Fire Range TIme

Basic First-aid Fundamentals CPR/First-Aid for Serious Bleeding, Chest Injuries, Broken Bones & more Learn to Prolong Life Until Emergency Help Arrives

Illinois State Approved Concealed Carry 16 Hour Course Plus 1 Hour Range Qualification Group or Corporate Discount Class Minimum 6 People to Apply

Illinois State Approved Concealed Carry 16 Hour Course Plus 1 Hour Range Qualification

STATE REQUIRED FIVE YEAR RENEWAL CLASS 3 HOUR WITH LIVE FIRE (PRIVATE AVAILABLE)

This class is dedicated to houses worship enabling them to understand the seriousness of these events and assisting them in preparing a volunteer safety team at there house of worship.

Obtenga una gran oferta en una clase de transporte oculto de primer nivel. Normalmente $250 pero solo $200 para el 2024. Instructores ceriificado por el estado de Illinois de habla Espanol. Clases de 16 horas. Reciba su certificado.

*NO PREREQUISITES OR F.O.I.D. CARD NEEDED - No Firearms

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

The goal of this course is to inform and educate real estate agents on how to stay safe on the job.

COURSE SUMMARY:

Real estate agents face a high risk of violent encounters in the workplace, more so than many other professions. Which is why the USCCA has developed a highly specific Mini-Class to address this reality.

WHAT REAL ESTATE AGENTS WILL LEARN THROUGH THE 2 HOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT SAFETY & SELF-DEFENSE MINI-CLASS:

How to identify job-related activities that put agents at risk of an attack.

Situational Awareness: Teach students the finer points of tuning into their environment, helping them avoid a potentially violent encounter.

Commonly used cell phone safety features and apps that can be used to keep agents safe.

Legal use-of-force: What criteria must be met before an agent can use reasonable or deadly force and the consequences that might follow.

Defensive Options: Armed, unarmed and less lethal.

Agents, use this opportunity to become better protected and prepared today.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Recognize the unique aspects of your job that put you at risk of a violent encounter.

Learn to avoid violent encounters by developing an acute awareness of your surroundings.

Differentiate between “looking” and “seeing,” and understand how to detect threat indicators early.

Recognize the physical and psychological effects you might experience during a dynamic critical incident.

Learn how to employ various defensive strategies to mitigate an unwanted encounter before it escalates.

Recognize the defensive options — both armed and unarmed — you can use to help keep you safe.

Describe how to treat various traumatic and medical emergencies.

LOCATION:

370 West Virginia Street, Crystal Lake, IL 60014

SCHEDULE:

Day #1 - Classroom

*WE CAN TEACH THIS COURSE AT YOUR FACILITY WITH A MINIMUM OF 6 STUDENTS PER CLASS

Men's Intro to Handgun is a welcoming and engaging class created by men for men who are seeking to begin, improve upon, or add to their firearms skills. This course is designed to reach students who are brand new to firearms and those who are ready to learn more about defensive shooting. Basics and fundamentals will be introduced, reviewed, and then built upon, while also exploring situational awareness, defensive pistol fundamentals, and the use of deadly force. If you’ve never touched a firearm before this class is perfect for you. You'll learn tips and techniques from experienced women in the world of firearms. If you're ready to take your next training, look for Men's Defensive Shooting Fundamentals.

USCCA’s “Women’s Handgun & Self-Defense Fundamentals” is a welcoming and engaging training guide created by a woman for women who are seeking to begin, improve upon, or add to their firearms skills. With three distinct modules (Women's Basic Pistol, Women's Intermediate Pistol, and Women's Defensive Pistol), this course is designed to reach students who are brand new to firearms and those who are ready to learn more about defensive shooting. Basics and fundamentals will be introduced, reviewed, and then built upon, while also exploring situational awareness, common types of handguns, ammunition types, malfunctions, firearms handling skills, defensive pistol fundamentals, and the use of deadly force. Whether you’ve never touched a firearm, you’re looking for the next steps in your training, or you’ve chosen to learn about the skills, tools, and mindset needed to use firearms for self-defense, you can be prepared to carry confidently every day with tips and techniques from experienced women in the world of firearms.

*INCLUDES LIVE FIRE

Familiarize yourself with your AR 15 platform . Join us at LDA for a 3 hour class teaching the beginner or new owner the how to. This class will cover cleaning, maintenance, zeroing those factory hard sights, basic handling and operation, and more!

A general overview of Basic Pistol. To include Safety, Clearing, Grip, Stance, Trigger and Sight Alignment. Including laser based training to measure your performance.

Illinois State Approved Concealed Carry 16 Hour Course Plus 1 Hour Range Qualification Group or Corporate Discount Class Minimum 6 People to Apply

This children-focused lesson covers the important aspects of being cautious and safe in any environment, whether firearms are present or not. Participants will also learn the four rules to be safe around guns. This 3 hour course helps students age 8-15yrs learn the basics surrounding firearm safety and is taught by USCCA certified instructors.

This course includes live air soft range time. For LIVE fire at the range, contact us to schedule a private lesson with you or your children.

*Each student must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult for the full duration of the training.

5.0

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17 Reviews

What Students Are Saying

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    Class taken on Sat, Mar. 28, 2026
    |Taught by

    Instructors

    • John P Hernandez

      CRYSTAL LAKE, Illinois

      Rating star large5.0
    • Pablo Omar Garcia

      CRYSTAL LAKE, Illinois

      Rating star large5.0

    Submitted on Thur, Apr. 2, 2026 by david olivares a.

  • Rating star large
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    Class taken on Sat, Mar. 28, 2026
    |Taught by

    Instructors

    • John P Hernandez

      CRYSTAL LAKE, Illinois

      Rating star large5.0
    • Pablo Omar Garcia

      CRYSTAL LAKE, Illinois

      Rating star large5.0
    "Pablo fue un muy buen instructor con mucho conocimiento.. Muchas gracias a todo el equipo"

    Submitted on Thur, Apr. 2, 2026 by randy P.

  • Rating star large
    Rating star large
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    Rating star large

    Class taken on Sat, Mar. 28, 2026
    |Taught by

    Instructors

    • John P Hernandez

      CRYSTAL LAKE, Illinois

      Rating star large5.0
    • Jayson Kurtz

      CRYSTAL LAKE, Illinois

      Rating star large5.0
    • Erin Rae

      CRYSTAL LAKE, Illinois

      Rating star large5.0
    "Both Erin and John were absolutely exquisite instructors! They were brimming with enthusiasm, joy, and professionalism! It was an excellent decision to choose them as my instructors! I will be certain to recommend them both!!"

    Submitted on Wed, Apr. 1, 2026 by justin b.

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United States Concealed Carry Association - A South Carolina Corporation Mailing Address Delta Defense LLC. 1000 Freedom Way West Bend, WI 53095
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Delta Defense, LLC provides sales, marketing, operations and administrative support services to the USCCA and is a licensed insurance agency in all 50 states and the District of Columbia with its principal office in West Bend, WI. Delta Defense, LLC does business as Delta Defense Insurance Services in California. California License #0M34093

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1 Insurance has been purchased by the USCCA and is one of the benefits of membership in the USCCA. USCCA members are additional insureds under a policy issued to the USCCA by Universal Fire and Casualty Insurance Company, an insurance company with its principal place of business in Hudsonville, MI. Coverage and benefits are subject to the terms, conditions, and exclusions of the insurance policy. Information provided herein is for informational purposes and is not intended to be a representation of coverage that may exist in any particular situation. Contact Delta Defense’s Member Engagement Team at 800-674-9779 with any questions.