Our Mission
Our Mission is to make amazing firearms and other lifesaving training as accessible to as many people as possible.
We train a wide range of people – from those who will never touch a firearm or those who have never touched a firearm before to those who already have military or law enforcement training.
We work hard to provide knowledge and instruction in a safe, judgment-free environment.
In our ever more chaotic world, we strive to train anyone who wants to have defensive skills, whether it is firearms skills or those more suited for non-permissive environments; including people who will never be armed.
Meet the Team
Joel Gaines
Trainer - Co-Founder
Joel is a US Army Gulf War veteran and former member of the Intelligence Community, having worked in Europe, the Middle East, and in Russia for the Army and the US Department of State. He has decades of experience as a practical shooter in Carbine and Pistol disciplines and is an NRA Certified Instructor for Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun, and Personal Protection in the Home. He has completed the USDS Diplomatic Support Courier training, and is an NAEMT Certified TECC Provider.
Michael Gaines
Trainer - Co-Founder
Michael started shooting at 6 years old. He has military training and shoots competitively. He primarily focuses on defensive shooting techniques with a very logical and efficient approach to fundamentals. Michael’s goal is to justify and refine every motion into a shooting platform that is natural and serves both fighting and competitive purposes. He is an NRA certified instructor as well as an NAEMT certified TECC provider.
Greg Given
Adjunct Trainer/Advisor
Greg served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Combat Engineer before joining the U.S. Border Patrol and was the class high handgun shooter in the academy. He was certified as a firearms instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, NM and later was the Primary Firearms Instructor at the Nogales, AZ and Sonoita, AZ Border Patrol Stations where he was responsible for the firearms training and qualification of 300 to 500 Agents. Greg is also an advisor/mentor to other WLTAC Trainers.
Ken Smith
Adjunct Trainer/Advisor
Ken is a retired law enforcement officer with decades of firearms experience. His assignments were in patrol, traffic, K-9 and SWAT. Prior to his civilian law enforcement career, Ken was in the United States Air Force as a Security Police Response Force Team Leader. He is an NRA Certified Pistol Instructor. Ken is also an advisor/mentor to other WLTAC Trainers.
Range Safety Officers
Our amazing RSOs keep our range safe and allow our instructors to offer more individualized instruction without compromise. All of our RSOs were students of ours at one time and are extremely knowledgeable in all things firearms. We often have anywhere between 3 – 9 range safety officers at a time, keeping our range very safe.
