Ron Spellman, our lead instructor, has more than 14 years’ experience as an armed security professional. Since 2012, he has worked at a prominent industrial defense contractor, where he is currently a sergeant and a firearms instructor for the plant protection department. He also retired from the military (U.S. Coast Guard, and later, Air Force Reserve) after 20 years of service, including two overseas deployments and a year-long, remote posting in Alaska.

Ron’s training credentials include certification as an NRA Basic Pistol Instructor, and NRA Law Enforcement Pistol & Shotgun Instructor. He also holds certifications from the well-renowned Sig Sauer Academy as both pistol and rifle instructor.

Ron has been travelling since his teenage years, when he spent a year as an exchange student in Bolivia. Since then, his further adventures have taken him to Panama, the United Arab Emirates, Germany and others. He has hiked large portions of the Appalachian Trail, taken machete fencing classes in Haiti, and provided disaster relief in Puerto Rico.

For the last six years, he has dedicated much of his time to improving his self-reliance, by learning homesteading, preparedness and backwoods survival skills. Ron is passionate about sharing the knowledge he has gained across various disciplines to help others become more confident and self-reliant.