Tom Eichling, the Chief Instructor for Accurate Edge, is an NRA Senior Training Counselor with over 18 years of training and firearm experience.  He began doing NRA training in 1991 when he received his Pistol Instructor credentials and has been active ever since, receiving his Senior Training Counselor appointment in 2006.

A retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman with a specialty in biophotography, he graduated from the Navy's Group Paced Instructor School in Groton, CT in 1991 at the top of his class.  He won the William O. Florstedt Award for outstanding performance as a student at the school and went on to become the Senior Instructor and Department Head of the Navy Biomedical Photography Technician School in Bethesda, MD in 1991, a position he held until 1995.  He was certified as a Navy Master Training Specialist in 1992.

Receiving orders to San Diego, CA, he continued with biophotography but also joined the Navy Auxiliary Security Force.  He graduated Phase I Law Enforcement training in 1996 and worked with the force until his retirement in 1999.

He was a member of the Navy Shooting Team until 2000 and continues to compete with the Navy Reserve Shooting Team.  He has competed and won awards at the Fleet, Navy, Interservice and National levels, winning the Navy Long Range Pistol Match in 2000.  Other competitions include the Sportsman Team Challenge and International Defensive Pistol Association & International Practical Shooting Confederation regional matches.

Civilian training has continued.  Schools include those taught by Chuck Taylor and Massad Ayoob.  Tom is a graduate of Lethal Force Institute (LFI) I and II courses and now assists as a staff member for these courses.

- Navy Expert Pistol Medal 1980

- Navy Expert Rifle Medal 1987