Meet The Team
Michael
SENIOR INSTRUCTOR
Michael is a lifelong student of the tactical and technical arts with unique perspectives and vantage points gained from both operational and instructor dynamics having extensively trained with specialty police, military units and civilian entities, and attending a wide gamut of governmental and professional training schools.
As a Police Officer for a metropolitan police agency, Michael has had the ability to impart his training background and operational experience amid specialty tactical teams; with assignments including patrol, plainclothes, and field training officer.
He has also had the rare opportunity to attend numerous training schools with local, state and federal agencies' tactical and counter-terrorism units; while also having the privilege to lead teams taking part in numerous large scale CT exercises within NYC.
Michael has 18 years in the U.S. military with considerable operational and training experience in weapons, tactics, and counter-terrorism operations both domestic and abroad including a combat deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Michael expanded and honed his skillsets while training and advising the Afghanistan National Police and Army while conducting security operations in partnership with various U.S. and coalition military forces.
Some of his most recent assignments include Office Candidate School Senior Instructor, Range Operations Chief, and Director of Training for a Task Force providing counter-terrorism operations and support throughout New York City. During his tenure, Michael completely revamped the training and range standard operating procedures by introducing a training academy, mission specific firearms and range curriculums, and led the transition to a new service pistol spearheading training for thousands of service members.
Michael holds Instructor rating certifications from highly respected and recognized training programs such as the FBI Firearms and Carbine Instructor course, NYS Certified Firearms Instructor course, NYTOA, ALERRT, IALEFI, NRA Law Enforcement, Simunitions, and Sig Academy Master Firearms Instructor.
He also holds factory armorer certifications in numerous weapon systems from Colt, Glock, Sig Sauer, Ruger, Beretta, Barrett, and Mossberg.
Rick
Lead Instructor
Frederick is currently the Lead Tactical Instructor for a military Counter-Terrorism Task Force serving key infrastructure and transportation hubs throughout the New York City metropolitan area. Rick has 23 years of experience as an Infantryman between the Active Duty Army and the Army National Guard. His Law Enforcement experience consists of assignments in patrol and the Emergency Response Team (ERT); conducting high risk warrants and tactical employments for the Narcotics, Intelligence, and Detective Division.
He holds the Combat Infantryman's Badge and saw combat during Operation Enduring Freedom in Wardak, Afghanistan while attached to the 1/506th 101st Airborne Division as a Squad Leader within a Police Mentor Team (PMT). As a PMT, Rick directly trained with and mentored the Afghanistan National Police (ANP) in tactics and firearms, as well as providing direct operational support to the ANP while conducting raids, enforcement, and intelligence gathering missions.
After returning from Afghanistan Rick was asked to fill an instructor position for Operation Warrior Trainer, training deploying military units who were heading to Iraq and Afghanistan; where he trained in excess of 2000 service members through the gamut of combat oriented tactics, techniques, and procedures. During his time with 2-14th Infantry, 10th Mountain Division, he also earned his Air Assault Badge at the Fort Drum Lightfighter School.
Some of Rick's certifications include, but are not limited to the FBI Firearms Instructor Course, FBI Carbine Instructor, New York State SWAT Operators Course, NYPD Emergency Services Advanced Tactics Course, Nassau County Bureau of Special Operations SWAT Course, NYPD Strategic Response Group Tactical Course, Port Authority Counter Terrorism Unit Tactical Course, and the Simunitions Instructor course.
He also holds factory armorer certifications from Colt, Glock and Ruger firearms.
Matt
Firearms & Medical Instructor
Matt has been an avid outdoorsman and competitive shooter for close to 15 years. After being taught firearms safety and handling at a young age a keen interest was sparked that continues to this day. He strives to always be a student continuously evolving, refining, and applying tactics, techniques, and procedures learned from various police and military units, experiences, and resources.
Serving in the Army National Guard as an Infantryman instilled a passion for learning and further development of firearms tactics and training. While in the National Guard Matt was presented an opportunity to be apart of the Battalion’s Combat Marksmanship Team due to his shooting abilities and tactics mindset whereas he competed in many local and state matches.
After leaving the Military, Matt focused on the Emergency Medical Services where he is currently employed full time as an state certified Advanced Life Support (ALS) Provider for a municipal police department, with a strong focus in Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC) and Trauma treatment and mitigation. Matt has instructed and supported numerous military, law enforcement, civilian training events and live fire ranges as a subject matter expert in both firearms, tactics, and emergency medical services.