Senior Instructors and Directors
Kevin Cooper
Kevin is a retired Marine Corps veteran with a Force Reconnaissance (Special Operations) and Diplomatic Security background. Kevin is a nationally recognized Instructor in Firearms, Shoothouse Operations, Ballistic Shield, Edged Weapons Defense and Close Quarters Tactics. Kevin is also a graduate of the FBI’s Street Survival program and a certified FBI Tactical Instructor. He has served on the staff of some of the leading training organizations in the country. Kevin is a certified Instructor for the US Department of States Anti Terrorism Assistance (ATA) program in the following disciplines; Crisis Response Team (CRT), Critical Incident Management (CIM), Counter Terrorism Components of Academy Development (CTCAD) and Personal Security Detail (VIP/PSD). Kevin continues to remain active operationally has worked as an independent contractor in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq, Afghanistan, Colombia and other classified locations throughout the world. Kevin holds a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice and is pursuing his MBA.
Ken Mickiewicz
Ken has worked in Law Enforcement on the East Coast and in Colorado for nearly 30 years. He’s currently assigned as his department’s Training Sergeant responsible for all agency training programs. He directly supervises and teaches in his department’s Firearms, Arrest Control, and Defensive Tactics training programs. In addition, Ken works as an Entry Sgt/ Team Leader on his department’s SWAT Team. Ken holds instructor credentials from Smith & Wesson, NRA, The Practical Shooting Academy, and the KOGA Institute, in addition to a graduate degree from Regis University. He’s taught Law Enforcement firearms, defensive tactics, and officer safety tactics for 20 years.
Don Farmer
Don retired from a large metropolitan department as a Sgt with 21 yrs of service. Don’s duties included Patrol Sgt, Narcotics and Vice commander, Bomb Squad Commander with 15 years experience in EOD and WMD’s. Don was also the Assistant Swat commander in charge of the entry element. Don has considerable experience in Executive Protection and worked details for President Reagan, former President Bush and the current President Bush, and Vice President Cheney. Don is Wyoming POST certified to instruct Explosive Breaching, CQB, Sub-machine gun, Officer Survival, Defensive Tactics (PPCT), Narcotics Investigation and Explosives Recognition. Don currently works as the Supervisor for the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigations Southeast Enforcement Team which is responsible for a four county area working primarily Drug and Violent Crime Investigations as well as officer involved shooting investigations.
Phillip Noblin
Phil is a Marine Corps veteran who has two combat tours, Iraq and Afghanistan. Phil also served as the Chief Instructor of the Marine Corps Explosive Breaching program at 2nd Marine Special Operations School, where his responsibilities included training Reconnaissance and Special Operations Marines in the handling and employment of high explosives for assault breaching operations. Phil was responsible for curriculum development, to include a re-structuring of the program to facilitate the MARSOC/SOCOM requirement. Phil was responsible for all classroom and range instruction, as well as range safety. Additionally Phil served as a Team Instructor for the Marine Corps Dynamic Assault Course at the Marine Special Operations School, training special Operations Marines in handgun, shotgun and rifle marksmanship, as well as CQB. When not teaching with Front Range Training Phil works as the Vice President of Invictus, a South Florida based Security firm specializing in guard services, close protection and firearms and security training. Phil is a Certified NRA Law Enforcement Instructor as well as a Licensed State of Florida Firearms Instructor.
Barry Elrod
Barry has served for more than twenty years in the United States Marine Corps in Force Reconnaissance/MARSOC . During his career he has served the Corps in several capacities as both a talented instructor and operator. Barry completed two combat tours in support of Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom. In addition to his service, Barry was trained as a Breaching Instructor at the Breaching Instructor School in Quantico and has been Breacher certified three times and currently is the Lead Breaching Instructor the Marine Special Operations Advisory Group (MSOAG). As the SNCOIC for the MSOAG Training cell and the Chief Instructor for Training Pipeline, Barry posses both the ability to teach with expertise and the knowledge base in his Cadre leadership role. Barry has also served as a Force Reconnaissance Team Leader and Platoon Sergeant and is also a graduate of IED Defeat and IED Electronics programs.
Fred Meyer
Fred has been in law enforcement for twenty years, eleven of those as a Sergeant. He currently is a supervisor assigned to swing watch in the Patrol Division. Fred is also assigned as an Entry Team Sergeant with his department’s SWAT unit, having been affiliated with the team both as an operator and Sergeant for nearly seventeen years. He serves as an instructor on the SWAT team and is also certified by the National Tactical Officers Association as an instructor in Active Shooter Response. Fred has previous experience supervising his department’s gang unit, the Target Offense unit in investigations, and experience as a department arrest and control instructor both as an officer and Sergeant.
Steve Wheeler
Steve has served as a Police Officer for more than twenty years. During his career Steve has worked as a Patrol Sergeant, Detective, and served in numerous billets on his department’s Tactical Team. Steve is currently the SWAT Team leader for his department. Steve is a certified Instructor in the following areas; NRA LE Rifle Instructor, Officer Survival, PPCT Defensive Tactics Instructor, Sniper Instructor, Active Shooter and a Firearms Instructor. Steve has been recognized as the Police Officer of the Year for his county and city and was named to the “Governors Top Ten” in combat pistol competition. Steve is also a certified Psychological Profiler and a graduate of the United States Secret Service Executive Protection class and has worked and assisted in protective details for President George Bush Sr., President George W. Bush, and Vice President Dick Cheney. Steve recently returned from Iraq where he was s member of the Counter Terrorism Special Operations Force (CTSOF) where he trained Iraqi SWAT and Emergency Response Unit personnel. Steve is currently deployed to Iraq as an LE Representative with the 82nd Airborne using his experience to capture Insurgents.
Keith Butler
Keith Butler is a Ret. MAJ United States Army with over 28 years active duty military experience, including 5 years with United States Marine Corps. Keith is also a Nationally Certified Physician’s Assistant and Board Certified through the State of North Carolina with over 15 years of experience in his field. Keith has specialized in Emergency Medicine with extensive experience in tactical environments. Keith’s military career has been almost exclusively dedicated to the Special Operations community and their respective units. Keith is a former 18 Delta and has been cross trained in weapons, operations, and intelligence. Keith’s unique skill set include Special Forces, Ranger, Airborne, Combat Diver (SCUBA), Combat Dive Supervisor and Dive Medical Technician, HALO, Master Parachutist, and Aeromedical PA. Keith also has extensive and significant experience in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
Medical Director
Dr. James
Dr. James has over 6 years of active duty experience as a medical officer in the US Army. While serving he functioned as an emergency physician and is familiar with management of all manner of traumatic injuries. He did his emergency medicine residency at Ft. Hood, Texas and worked in an Army Level II trauma center. He was involved in training medics for Special Forces.
Currently, Dr. James is practicing emergency medicine at a busy Level II trauma center in Colorado and is the medical director over EMS of a large Colorado county. He is board-certified in emergency medicine, serves as a consultant with local SWAT teams, and is active in TEMS (tactical emergency medicine).
Medical Adviser
Dr. Lann
Dr. Lann is an Emergency Medicine Physician practicing in the Denver Metro Area with extensive experience dealing with the injuries and the mechanism of injury. He has significant Level I Trauma experience as well as ACLS and PALS. He is currently a member of the Denver DMAT and NMRT teams. He was a prior Naval Flight Officer from 1989-1997. He served on P3’s in the Asian and Central American AO’s during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Dr. Lann also has extensive instructor and lecturing experience in the medical and military arenas.
