Articles
About Personal Defense Network™
Our goal is simple – to be the leading destination of high-quality, personal defense video content online and a no-nonsense gathering place for those serious about arming themselves for defense in every aspect of their lives.
The Beginning
We found there was a need for high-quality personal defense instructional videos, so we searched to find the top instructors and editors to help us produce The Personal Firearm Defense DVD Series. We partnered with Rob Pincus, a personal defense industry leader and owner of I.C.E. Training, to provide instruction on our DVDs as well as act as managing editor for the PersonalDefenseNetwork.com website.
Who We Are
The Personal Defense Network (PDN) is made up of people like you - conscientious civilians, law enforcement personnel and military operators interested in defending every aspect of their lives. We have hand-picked industry leaders in all facets of personal defense to write for PDN so you will have the all the best that web has to offer at one destination.
Our Editor and Other Contributors
- Rob Pincus
- Tony Blauer
- Omari Broussard
- John Brown
- Cecil Burch
- Grant Cunningham
- Chris Fry
- Paul Haberstroh
- Robb Hamic
- Marty Hayes
- Michael Janich
- Andy Langlois
- Andy Loeffler
- Kelly Muir
- Kent O’Donnell
- Mike Seeklander
- Mark Slane
- Claude Werner
- David L. Williams
Rob Pincus – Managing Editor
Rob Pincus is a professional trainer, author and consultant. He and his staff at I.C.E. Training Company provide services to military, law enforcement, private security and students interested in self-defense. Rob is the Developer of the Combat Focus Shooting program, the most efficient defensive firearms training methodology available today.
Rob provides efficient training methodologies to those interested in developing firearms, tactical operations and defensive skills. These methods stress gaining maximum value from limited training resources and working well with what the body does naturally under real world conditions.
Rob has experience as a law enforcement officer and executive protection agent and was also commissioned as an officer in the United States Army Reserve after graduating from the Military College of Vermont with a degree in Political Science. Rob serves the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office as a Training Officer and has been a staff writer with S.W.A.T. Magazine since 2001.
From 2003 through 2007, Rob was the Director of The Valhalla Training Center in Montrose, Colorado. Rob developed the training doctrines and programs that brought Valhalla to the attention of the entire shooting industry as a leading source of reality based firearms training. During this time, Valhalla was identified by the Rand Corporation as a leader in private sector reality based training and as a sole source provider to 10th Group Army Special Forces for Extreme Close Quarters Counter Ambush training.
Rob and his I.C.E. team are also regularly sought out as a Team Building and Leadership Development consultants by business leaders and multi-national corporations and conduct programs involving firearm familiarization and other unique experiences.
Recently, Rob has focused on program and instructor development. Instructors groups that have sought out Rob’s expertise and integrated components of his programs include the Chicago Police Department FTU, South Wales Police Department Training Unit (UK), NSW SEAL Qualification Training, Bavarian Polizie (DE), Orange County (FL) Sheriff’s Office and 19th Group Army Special Forces. Rob also conducts an annual conference for certified Combat Focus Shooting Instructors.
Tony Blauer
Tony Blauer is founder and CEO of Blauer Tactical Confrontation Management Systems©, a consulting firm specializing in the research and development of combative programs for the military, law enforcement and self-defense communities. Blauer is highly sought out by progressive trainers interested in advanced scenario work, close quarter tactics, mindset and confrontation management psychology. His team has had the privilege and honor of consulting for elite elements within the federal government, including U.S. Navy SEALs, U.S. Army Special Operations & Special Forces, and U.S. Air Force.
Blauer has produced 70+ instructional videos and has designed and developed HIGH GEAR™ force–on-force simulation training and protective equipment. Blauer can be reached at: tony@blauertactical.com.
Omari Broussard
Omari Broussard is the founder and director of training at 10X Defense in Menifee, California. He is also a lead Combat Focus Shooting instructor and adjunct instructor for I.C.E. Training Company. He carries certifications from I.C.E. Training, CrossFit, Blauer Tactical Systems, the National Rifle Association, and the U.S. Navy.
Omari has led and designed training programs in Maritime Interdiction Operations for various U.S. Navy Visit, Board, Search and Seizure Teams. He has extensive experience training military, law enforcement, security professionals, and private citizens in combatives and defensive shooting. He continues to work with armed professionals and private citizens as an instructor and consultant. As a founding member of the Association of Defensive Shooting Instructors, he hopes to make valuable contributions to the future of the firearms training industry.
Omari Broussard can be contacted at omari@10xhq.com.
John Brown
John Brown is a staff instructor for I.C.E. Training Company and the owner of CrossFit Agoge in Montrose, Colorado. He is a 10-year veteran of the United States Navy and has spent the last 13 years training people in various skills and capacities, from Olympic weightlifting to close-quarters combat and breaching methods. He carries various certifications from CrossFit, USA Weightlifting, I.C.E. Training and the U.S. Navy.
Cecil Burch
Cecil Burch has been pursuing his passion for Martial Arts since he was 16. He has trained in a number of fighting methods and held teaching certifications in such diverse arts as Jeet Kune Do, Savate, and Muay Thai.
He is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Megaton Dias. He was also one of the original select group of people authorized by Rodney King, creator of the Crazy Monkey Defense (CMD) boxing system, to teach CMD. He is currently one of the four highest-level CMD trainers in the world.
Cecil has worked with law enforcement officers, military special operations troops, and private citizens on the functional utilization of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, boxing, and clinch-fighting in close quarters combat.
Grant Cunningham
Grant Cunningham is a renowned gunsmith, author and trainer noted for his expertise with the double-action revolver.
His work on Colt, S&W, and Ruger revolvers has been featured in several national magazines. When he’s not building fine revolvers, Grant can be found on the range teaching proper handling and operation of the double-action wheelgun.
Whether for sport or defense, Grant passes on to others the skill of shooting what he calls “the quintessential American firearms.” His engaging teaching style earns rave reviews from his students.
Grant is the author of The Gun Digest Book of the Revolver, to be released in Fall 2011, and also writes a popular blog dealing with a wide range of self-defense and shooting topics. He can be reached through his website, www.grantcunningham.com.
Chris Fry
Chris Fry is the owner and director of training and curriculum development for Modern Defensive Training Systems in Utica, New York, where he conducts courses in reality-driven practical combatives, extreme close quarters physical defense, tactical folding knife, edged weapon combatives, and combative pistol, carbine and shotgun skills. Chris has been an active instructor with Progressive F.O.R.C.E. Concepts in Nevada since 2003, servicing law enforcement, military and select government agencies. Chris is a certified AR-15/M4/M16 and Glock armorer, a contributor to various online firearms resource websites, and a frequent presenter at national and international personal protection and small arms training conferences for both citizens and law enforcement.
Chris Fry can be contacted at cfry@mdtstraining.com.
Paul Haberstroh
Paul Haberstroh is an NRA Training Counselor for Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection in the Home, Outside the Home, and Home Firearm Safety. He is also a Certified Combat Focus Shooting Instructor, a Certified PPCT Defensive Tactics Instructor and a Certified Refuse To Be A Victim Instructor®. He holds firearms instructor certifications from the California Department of Justice, Utah Department of Public Safety and Kansas Office of the Attorney General. Paul is also a Certified Glock Armorer.
He can be contacted at defensivetactics@me.com.
Robb Hamic
Robb Hamic is a professional self-defense teacher and his company is Summit Self Defense™. He specializes in training women, men, law enforcement and military personnel. He is an Israeli Krav Maga™ Instructor and he trains in Israel. He is a Combat Focus® Shooting Instructor, NRA LEAD Instructor and has trained numerous other shooting and tactical systems. Robb gives instruction on most weapons platforms, including handgun, shotgun, assault rifle, carbine, and submachine gun. He teaches seminars locally, nationally and internationally. He has clubs and training facilities in Austin, Texas and Albuquerque and Taos, New Mexico. He is a regular columnist for several law enforcement/military training publications and magazines. He can be reached at www.robbhamic.com.
Back to Top
Marty Hayes
Marty Hayes is founder and president of the Armed Citizens' Legal Defense Network, LLC (www.armedcitizensnetwork.org), a membership organization whose mission is to educate, aid and assist its members regarding acts of legitimate self-defense. He is a former police officer, president and director of The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc. and has worked as a court-recognized expert in shooting cases for close to 20 years.
Michael Janich
Michael Janich is the founder of Martial Blade Concepts, a progressive armed and unarmed defense training company. Janich served nine years in the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command, including a three-year tour at the National Security Agency. Janich is also one of the foremost modern authorities on handgun point shooting and one of the few contemporary instructors to have been personally trained by the late close-combat legend Colonel Rex Applegate. Janich is widely recognized as an authority on edged-weapon design and has designed knives for the Masters of Defense knife company, noted custom knifemakers Mike Snody and Wally Hayes, Spyderco, Inc., Blackhawk Products Group and Combat Elite.
Andy Langlois
Andy Langlois has been a police officer for over 10 years, a firearms/use of force trainer for over 15 years, and a leather craftsman for over 15 years. He is a follower of Jeff Cooper and has studied with and under various instructors, including Ayoob, Cain, Jeans and Pincus. Langlois is a rabid 1911 fan and carries at least one for duty and CCW. His other interests are the Scout Rifle and AR-15s for sporting and defensive uses. He hosts the Scout Rifle Forum at www.scoutrifle.org as well as some other firearms/defensive forums. He can be reached via his website at www.shottist.com.
Andy Loeffler
Andy Loeffler is the lead handgun instructor at Black Wing Shooting Center, a NASR five-star rated range and gun shop located in Delaware, Ohio. He has been teaching in the private sector since 1999 and is a certified Combat Focus Shooting instructor. A U.S. Army veteran, Andy retired from the Ohio Army National Guard, where he served as the Senior Small Arms Instructor for the State's Master Weapons Training Team. Andy teaches full-time for Black Wing Shooting Center and can be reached via www.blackwingsc.com.
Kelly Muir
Kelly Muir has been involved in Martial Arts for over 30 years. Training since the age of nine, she holds a Master Level certification in both Shorin-Ryu Karate and Korean Tae Kwon Do. A pioneering force in the development of curriculum for martial arts centers, her innovative teaching style has received numerous national awards and been featured in many magazines and industry journals. As a former United States Olympic Committee sponsored athlete, Kelly is very committed to the development of Sport Martial Arts. She currently owns and operates Team Karate Center in Columbus, Ohio. Kelly is also the Founder of the Wrong Woman™ Self Defense Program.
Kent O’Donnell
A former Marine, EMT, and firefighter, Kent O’Donnell has eight years in the police service. He has served in the Patrol Division, Street Crimes Unit, and Training Division. Kent holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Fort Lewis College. With Black Sheep Tactical Training, he focuses on student success by providing positive reinforcement and a learning environment that promotes receptive students. He can be reached through www.blacksheeptacticaltraining.com.
Mike Seeklander
Mike Seeklander is the Chief Operating Officer and a Senior Instructor at the U.S. Shooting Academy in Tulsa. A combat veteran of Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Seeklander served five years of active duty and four years of reserve duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he was an intelligence specialist and marksmanship instructor. He also has local and federal law enforcement experience, including more than 10 years as a full-time or lead instructor.
Seeklander served as the Branch Chief and lead instructor for the Firearms Division at the Federal Air Marshal Training Division in Atlantic City. He was responsible for the development, implementation and supervision of all firearms and tactical shoot-house instruction for the Federal Air Marshal Service.
Mark Slane
Mark Slane is a retired firefighter who has been in the martial arts for 28 years. He is a 4th dan in taekwondo, second-degree black belt in Krav Maga, and has owned martial arts schools since 1993. He is the head instructor for the United States Krav Maga Association and owner of Ohio Krav Maga & Fitness, which has had one of the fastest-growing adult programs in the nation over the past three years. He has also just released the book Be Safe: Self Defense For Women In the Real World, now available on Amazon.
Claude Werner
Claude Werner is a retired U.S. Army officer. He served in Airborne, Ranger, Special Forces, and Mechanized Infantry units and commanded a Special Forces A-Team and Bradley Infantry Company. He is an NRA Certified Instructor for Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Personal Protection in the Home, Home Firearm Safety and is a Certified Refuse To Be A Victim Instructor®. For five years, he was the Chief Instructor at the elite Rogers Shooting School. Claude is a Four Gun Master in the International Defensive Pistol Association and has won several sanctioned IDPA championships in the revolver division using snub-nose revolvers.
David L. Williams
David L. Williams served as a lieutenant on the Dayton, Ohio Police Department, where he retired. While on the Dayton PD, he was a supervisor and commander in charge of undercover drug units, uniformed strike forces and gang investigations. David has been involved in several shooting incidents and was awarded the Medal of Valor. He also conducted and supervised the investigation of many officer-involved and civilian shootings over the course of his career.
David is currently the director and chief instructor for Miami Valley Law Enforcement Training. He conducts OPOTA certified training for law enforcement and private security personnel. He conducts training for legally armed citizens with the program Deadly Force Decisions.
