Duane Bevitt

After serving twenty-six years in the military, Duane Bevitt’s search for a “retirement career” led him to the Gunsmithing program at Montgomery Community College. He entered the program with some preset notions of what it would be like and what he would enjoy the most. He knew he would like the metal work and other hands-on processes, but he has also realized an appreciation of the problem-solving aspect of the program.

Duane says he has gleaned valuable knowledge from each of his instructors and the depth and diversity of their expertise has prepared him well for whatever he decided to specialize in when he leaves Montgomery. The instructors have become his “go-to” people, serving as professional sounding boards and he appreciates the mentoring relationships between the instructors and the students. “We (the students) have developed relationships with our instructors that will go beyond graduation.” Duane looks at gunsmithing as a craft, an art form. Through his experience at Montgomery Community College, he believes he will be well-prepared to turn this art form into a successful retirement career.