Instructor Certification Courses

This nationally recognized training program is designed to certify individuals to teach the NRA Basics of Pistol Shooting Course. It equips prospective instructors with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to effectively instruct students in the safe and responsible use of pistols. Candidates will learn to deliver structured lessons, supervise live-fire exercises, and evaluate student performance per NRA training standards. The course combines classroom instruction with range work and emphasizes the fundamentals of adult learning, instructional methodology, firearms safety, and proper shooting techniques. An NRA Training Counselor conducts this course and includes a pre-course qualification, NRA Basic Instructor Training (BIT), and the NRA Pistol Instructor Training Module. Participants who complete all course requirements recommended by the NRA Training Counselor will receive NRA Certified Pistol Instructor credentials.

This course is an advanced-level instructor development program based on the battle-proven Contemporary Jeet Kune Do system developed by Paul Vunak for U.S. military special operations and law enforcement units. It is designed to certify competent practitioners as instructors capable of teaching the RAT method to law enforcement, security professionals, and combative students in high-threat environments. RAT focuses on ending violent encounters within seconds through the systematic application of overwhelming aggression using the core tactical triad of Entry, Pressure, and Termination. The instructor course goes beyond skill execution and includes instructional methodology, scenario integration, student safety, legal articulation, and progressive training strategies. Participants will be taught how to teach, demonstrate, correct, and evaluate high-percentage gross motor techniques that perform reliably under duress. Emphasis is placed on developing an offensive mindset, integrating scenario-based learning, and fostering student confidence and survivability. Upon successfully completing all performance evaluations, teaching practicums, and written assessments, participants will receive a Rapid Assault Tactics Instructor Certificate that is valid for three years.

This course is a comprehensive train-the-trainer program that certifies instructors to teach the TCR personal protection system—an all-encompassing methodology grounded in the integrated pillars of Talk, Fight, Shoot, and Move. Designed for professionals responsible for training others in conflict management and personal protection, this course equips instructors with the knowledge, instructional methodology, and tactical proficiency to deliver legally sound, real-world training across the force spectrum. Instructor candidates will learn how to teach verbal de-escalation, unarmed defensive tactics, firearms response, and tactical movement in a progressive, layered format that emphasizes context, safety, adaptability, and legal defensibility. Instructors will also be trained in lesson plan development, student assessment, scenario management, and safety protocols necessary for high-liability instruction. Upon completing all practical evaluations, teach-backs, written assessments, and safety requirements, candidates will be awarded the Certified Tactical Conflict Resolution Instructor Credential valid for three years. Recertification and advanced modules are available. Talk – Instruction in Verbal De-escalation & Psychological Influence Learn how to teach students to manage pre-violence indicators, use tactical communication, and defuse volatile individuals while integrating principles of crisis negotiation and behavioral threat recognition. Fight – Instruction in Defensive Tactics & Combatives Learn to teach gross-motor, high-percentage striking, clinch, and ground control techniques suitable for law enforcement, security, or civilian contexts, emphasizing safety, legal force thresholds, and scenario realism. Shoot – Instruction in Defensive Firearms Use Prepare to instruct students in core handgun skills under stress, including safe handling, weapon retention, dynamic engagement, shoot/no-shoot judgment, and articulation of deadly force decisions. Move – Instruction in Tactical Movement & Positioning Learn how to teach students to control space, use cover, escape danger zones, move dynamically with purpose, and manage environmental awareness in confined or populated spaces.