Gunsite actively searches out the very best firearms instructors.
Gunsite Instructors are highly trained men and women who have been there done that. They have a background of military, law enforcement or have a high degree and experience of training in their field. Many have been on our faculty since Jeff Cooper was the lead instructor at Gunsite. They are active and retired Marines, Special Forces, Navy, Army and Air Force from Enduring Freedom, Viet Nam and Law Enforcement Agencies around the Country.
Gunsite Instructors
Clint Achziger
Clint Achziger is currently a Police Officer for the Santa Ana (CA) Police Department and holds the position of the Firearm’s and Tactics Training Coordinator. Clint has 24 years of experience as a … Read More »
Ted Ajax
Ted Ajax founded and served as medical director of the TEMS (Tactical Emergency Medical Support) Unit of the Cascade County Sheriffs Office Tactical Response Team (SWAT), as well as serving as an … Read More »
Joe Avila
Joe is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and served 36 years in law enforcement. He served 27 years with the Los Angeles Police Department. He spent all of his career there in high crime districts; working … Read More »
Dave Bahde
Lieutenant Dave Bahde (retired) has been a professional firearms instructor and consultant for over two decades. He has assisted tactical teams and police departments in firearms selection, … Read More »
Jerrod Baugh
Jerrod Baugh is a 20 year police officer in Indiana and is a field supervisor for investigations and training. His Law Enforcement Academy Instructor certifications are in Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, … Read More »
Daniel J. Bilodeau
Daniel J. Bilodeau has served 4 years in the US AF assigned such duties as convoy security team, Emergency Services Team and dignitary protection. He then went on to the US Dept of Energy where he … Read More »
Scott Burgess
Scott Burgess is a retired soldier who spent 27 years (enlisted and officer) with the Army in both Infantry and Aviation specialties. He has worked extensively with foreign armies in tactical training … Read More »
Ken Campbell, Chief Operating Officer, Gunsite Academy
Sheriff (Ret.) Ken Campbell had over 35 years of experience at the Boone County Indiana Sheriff’s Office in Central Indiana when he retired in 2014. His duties have included: Special Response Team … Read More »
Guy Coursey
Guy Coursey retired as a Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2014 after 23 years as a Combat Engineer officer, including tours to OIF and OEF. During his service he received multiple … Read More »
Chris Currie
Chris Currie is a retired Gunnery Sergeant with 21 years in the United States Marine Corps, 17 years within the Reconnaissance community, 13 of those years with 1st Force Reconnaissance Company. Chris … Read More »
Pete Feeney
Pete is a Lieutenant with a suburban Philadelphia police department with over 20 years experience in law enforcement. He is currently assigned as the patrol division commander with ancillary duties … Read More »
Ron Fielder
Ron Fielder retired from the Metro Nashville PD after 35 years of service. He served in Patrol Officer and K-9 Officer and was with SWAT for 20 years, retiring as Team Leader and Senior Firearms … Read More »
Paul Garcia
Paul Garcia served 32 years in California law enforcement, retiring at the rank of Sergeant. He worked numerous specialty assignments including Departmental Range Master, SWAT Team Leader, Auto Theft … Read More »
Lew Gosnell
Lew Gosnell is currently a police supervisor in Southern California. A former Marine MP and marksman, he has been a long time IPSC and 3-Gun competitor, having won the Soldier of Fortune 3-Gun and … Read More »
Monte Gould
Monte served 27 ½ years in Law Enforcement & Corrections, 22 years in SWAT, retiring honorably. His assignments included but not limited to; Assault team leader, Master instructor for SWAT, … Read More »
Allen Hall
Allen Hall has been involved in civil and federal law enforcement since 1979, currently serving as a Patrol Sgt., SWAT, and SRT Member and Team Leader since 1981. He has served as an Operational … Read More »
John Hall
John Hall is currently a Captain with a central California law enforcement agency. With over twenty years of experience in law enforcement, his assignments have included Patrol Officer, Canine … Read More »
Bill Halvorsen
Bill Halvorsen retired in 2002 after 27 years in law enforcement with LAPD and Glendale CA. Police Departments. During his career he worked Patrol, Special Enforcement Detail, Detectives and … Read More »
Dave Harris
Dave Harris has been an active duty California law enforcement officer since 1980. He has worked numerous specialty assignments including Firearms and Tactics Instructor, Academy Instructor, Gang … Read More »
Dave Hartman
Dave Hartman is a former U.S. Marine and a 27 year veteran of the Orange County California Sheriff’s Department. He retired as a Patrol Sergeant in 2012. During his career he worked all facets of … Read More »
Ed Head
Ed is a retired Border Patrol Agent who trained with and taught for Jeff Cooper. Ed has been a Gunsite instructor for more than 20 years and was the Gunsite Operations Manager for 5 years. He teaches … Read More »
Steve Hendricks
Steve Hendricks’ experience in the use of force includes over 30 years as a Martial Arts Instructor, Firearms Rangemaster and Certified Defensive Tactics Instructor. He has 16 years experience as a … Read More »
John Hutchison
John Hutchison retired from the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office as a Sergeant. He served as a Patrol Supervisor and S.W.A.T. Team Leader. John was an AZPOST Defensive Tactics and Firearms Instructor. … Read More »
Eric Ingersoll
Eric is a retired Lieutenant with the Stockton Ca Police Department. During his career as an officer he worked the Street Crimes Unit, Traffic Unit, and the Problem Oriented Policing Team. His duties … Read More »
Joe Knapp
Joe Knapp retired from the United States Marine Corps as a Colonel with over 24 years of service, including tours at Weapons Training Battalion (MCRD Parris Island), and as a Combat Advisor to the … Read More »
Ken Koch
Ken Koch is a retired law enforcement professional with 24 years of service in Northern Arizona and New Mexico. Highlights of his law enforcement career include command of Uniformed Patrol and … Read More »
Paul Kultala
Paul Kultala has been an adjunct instructor at Gunsite since 1996 and teaches pistol, rifle, carbine, shotgun and tactical medicine. Paul retired from the Chandler (AZ) Police Department January 2018. … Read More »
Larry Landers
Larry retired from the Arizona Department of Public Safety after 36 years of service. He served as a Highway Patrolman, Narcotics Detective and on the Fugitive Apprehension Detail where he … Read More »
Steve Lyseczko
Steve J Lyseczko has more than 23 years of experience in the USAF Security Police. Much of Lyseczko’s experience has been in Combat Small Arms, training and management positions, from NCOIC of … Read More »
Mario Marchman
Mario Marchman retired as a sergeant with the Glendale, CA., Police Department with over thirty years of service. His duties included Patrol, Narcotics Investigator, and Supervisor of various details … Read More »
Jerry McCown
Jerry McCown is a retired Arizona law enforcement officer. During his forty-one years of service, he worked in Patrol, Investigations, Traffic Services, SWAT, and for several years was the commander … Read More »
Charlie McNeese
Charlie McNeese retired from the AZ. Department of Public Safety after serving 33 years. He was the Department’s Master Firearms Instructor and Senior Armorer. He received a Master Firearms Instructor … Read More »
Dan McNutt
Dan served in the United States Marine Corps from 1989-1998 as both an enlisted Marine and a Commissioned Infantry Officer. While on active duty, he was also selected to compete as a member of the … Read More »
Mike Moore
Mike Moore is a retired Police Officer from Lafayette, LA where he served as a Patrol Officer, Robbery/Homicide Detective, Department Armorer, SWAT Sniper and lead Firearms Instructor. He has over 27 … Read More »
Vince Morgan
Vince Morgan retired from the Columbia (TN) Police Department after 28 1/2 years of service. Vince served in Patrol, Crime Suppression Unit, Narcotics, S.W.A.T., Firearms Unit and retired as Patrol … Read More »
Joe Nassetta
Joe Nassetta is a 20 year veteran of the Law Enforcement and Fire/EMS community. He has worked patrol, investigations, and professional standards assignments, as well as SWAT, with police sniper, … Read More »
Il Ling New
Il Ling New grew up hunting and fishing, and started guiding for her father’s outfitting service as a teenager. She received her first guide’s license at age 17. Later, she became the first … Read More »
Tim O’Connor
Tim O'Connor is the Manager of Consumer Services for Leupold & Stevens, Inc., Leupold Tactical Optics and The Leupold Academy. Tim has been with Leupold for over fifteen years working in Technical … Read More »
Matt Ostrander
Matt Ostrander is a 12-year military veteran of the United States Marine Corps. During his time in the Marines, he served as a non-commissioned officer in the Infantry, a commissioned officer in the … Read More »
Verlin Rector
Verlin Rector is an active Reserve Deputy with the San Juan County Sheriff`s Office in Aztec New Mexico. Verlin spend over 12 years as a full time Deputy and State Court Bailiff where he specialized … Read More »
Jeff Reed
Jeff served in the United States Army and was the company Armorer. During his tour in the Army, he repaired and maintained M16/AR15 rifles and carbines, handguns, machine guns and assisted in … Read More »
Gary Smith
Gary’s love for shooting brought him to Gunsite and a love for teaching kept him here. Gary Smith got his introduction to shooting from his dad at the age of 3; And by the age of 7 he was hunting. … Read More »
Steve Tarani
Professional educator, author and keynote speaker Steve Tarani has served the U.S. Defense, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence communities for over 25 years as a respected Protective Programs subject … Read More »
Ken Tuttle
Ken Tuttle was a federal law enforcement officer with 29 years service with Department Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection agencies. Ken was a founding member of US Border Patrol and US … Read More »
Jay Tuttle
Jay Tuttle spent 10 years with a central Indiana law enforcement agency, serving as a Patrol Officer, and Firearms and Defensive Tactics Instructor. He is currently an Adjunct Instructor at the … Read More »
Randy Watt
Randy retired as an Assistant Chief of Police from the Ogden Police Department in Ogden, Utah. With 32-years of service, Randy served in all operational components of the department, as well as … Read More »
Bob Whaley
Bob Whaley is a 28 year veteran in law enforcement currently serving as a Lieutenant with the St. Louis County (Mo) Police Department. His previous assignments included 15 years with the department’s … Read More »
Walt Wilkinson
Walt Wilkinson served 30 years with the US Army, 26 of those with Special Operation Forces, retiring as a Sergeant Major. As a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant he trained foreign troops all across the … Read More »
