Guest Instructors

KEYSTONE CHALLENGE is dedicated to bringing, to Pennsylvania, the very best instructors we can find. On occasion, we may have a scheduling issue with one of our existing instructors, or perhaps we need an additional instructor to teach a large class, or a number of students have requested specialized training in an subject our instructors aren't experts in (it COULD happen)...we will create a "One-time" class...and invite one of our available specialty instructors in to teach. "Subject Matter Experts" available to teach for our civilian and non-civilian students: Martial Arts, Working K9, Blade-smithing, Medical, Orienteering, Survival Horsemanship, Communications, Survival, Reloading, HME Awareness, TCCC, and so much more...

Are you looking for something special, and you don't see it offered here? Reach out to us and we'll find what you're looking for!

The Nice

Available Courses

In addition to our "on-call" instructors, we occassionally like to bring in "guest instructors"... professionals we carefully choose to compliment our existing carde. These guest instructors are specialists within their field of experience; Martial Arts, Communications, Medical, Navigation, Fitness, Self-defense, Blade-making, etc. We bring in these guest instructors based on three conditions... unique student requests, to allow our existing instructors to enlarge their class, & KEYSTONE CHALLENGE competition requirements.

& The Naughty

Available Courses

In addition to our civilian-oriented courses, we also have access to a very elite group of specialists (Federal, State, & Private) who focus all their instruction towards members of Law Enforcement, First Responders, Military & Private Contractors. These courses are available only to individuals in one of the above mentioned fields. Does your team/unit/department have need of hard-to-find/organize specialized instruction? Drop us an email or give us a call. Most likely...we have access to what you're looking for, as well as having access to the facilities you may need.

GUEST INSTRUCTORS

Tim MacWelch
TIM MACWELCH

-Survival Instructor

Tim writes for Outdoor Life magazine's survival blog as well as for Offgrid magazine. He has been an active practitioner of survival and outdoor skills for over 25 years. Tim runs a year-round survival school in Virginia and has worked with students of all levels, from summer camp groups to the United States Armed Forces. He is the author of Prepare for Anything (a guide to survival scenarios and strategies), Hunting & Gathering Survival Manual, and others.
Tim last taught for us at the 2016 Keystone Challenge, where he and Mr. White taught a large group of competitors a Wilderness Survival clinic.
More information coming soon!

Website

Jeffrey Yerger
JEFFREY YERGER

-Pistol Instructor

Information coming soon!

Website

CTACC
CTACC

-K9 Instructors

Counter Terrorism Advanced Canine Center (of Florida) has graciously agreed to beome our "Guest K9 Instructors". More information coming soon!

Website

Lou Vit
LOU VIT

-Medical Instructor

Mr. Vit comes with an extensive public safety background. A Veteran Army Infantryman and Medic, he served over two decades in Search and Rescue Operations, over two decades as an Emergency Medical Technician, and a brief time in the Fire Service. He currently works for the U.S. Government in a Law Enforcement capacity.
He is a NRA Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor & Range Safety Officer, and is the Owner/Chief Instructor of Defensive Studies Group (DEFSTUGRP). Vit also holds Certification by Pennsylvania Municipal Police Officer Training & Education Commission (for LEOSA-HR 218 & ACT 235 Firearms), is an Instructor for National Safety Council - Surviving an Active Shooter Event, and an Instructor for American College of Surgeons, B-CON (Bleeding Control) class.

• LEOSA/HR-218/Retired Law Enforcement Identification Act (RLEIA):
Certified to provide the yearly certification for retired Law Enforcement under the provisions of LEOSA/RLEIA for RESIDENTS of Pennsylvania.
• Trauma First Aid (TFA) -
Based on a multitude of curriculum's and personal experience, this class will prepare you for events in which trauma is caused, and you may have the opportunity to save a life (Active Shooter, stabbing, traumatic injury, vehicle accident, etc...) We will teach you the use of a Tourniquet, Pressure Dressing, Wound Packing, Chest Seals in addition to Moving Casualties, and the Recovery Position. Cadre has over 30 years’ experience in Civilian EMS as well as Military medicine.
• National Safety Council (NSC) - Surviving an Active Shooter (2hrs):
This program is FREE of charge, although it must be set up as a Community Event with a minimum of 25 persons. Registration for this is though the NSC. Once dates and location are set, NCS will place registration on their website. All attendees will receive materials on the day of the class, and a digital certificate will be issued by NSC shortly after the completion. This is a NON-Firearms class.
• American College of Surgeons, Committee on Trauma
Bleeding Control Basic (B-Con) Course v1.0

Website

JACKSON WOLF

-Medical Instructor

Information coming soon

Website

Fred Ruiz
FRED RUIZ

-Firearms Instructor

Fred is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and co-founder of Method Enterprises. He is a graduate of the Naval Special Warfare Sniper School program and qualified small unit tactics subject matter expert. His training and experience, along with access to a vast network of former Special Operations Forces, brings a superlative level of tactical expertise to Method Enterprises. After an honorable discharge from the Navy, Fred transitioned his military skillset into the corporate sector, working as an executive protection agent for several high net worth families and corporate executives.
Fred also has an extensive background as an instructor, beginning as a U. S. military training advisor to multiple international counter-terrorism partner forces. Fred continues as a firearms and tactics instructor domestically and has taught private shooting and tactics courses nationally for civilians, military, and law enforcement personnel. He is also a factory sponsored professional shooter, which facilitates his continuous study of marksmanship and tactics. This translates into ever-evolving curriculums, which are then passed on to clients across all disciplines.
Fred recognizes his strength as a performance shooter and feels there is a shortage of instructional resources for others to gain the same knowledge, therefore, his shooting courses specialize in the science of shooting and focus on efficiency. He removes the distraction of application to strictly concentrate on the development of performance. This performance based foundation can then be applied to any application where speed and accuracy are critical factors when firearm deployment is absolutely necessary. Running the gun subconsciously clears the mind for effective decision making.

• Handgun Performance Development
• Carbine Performance Development
• Tactical Performance Development
• Competition Performance Development
• Designated Marksman Development

Website

SHOOTERS GAUNTLET

-Firearms Instructors

The Shooters Gauntlet LLC is a one of a kind facility that combines the adventure of the outdoors with today's modern weapons platforms and technologies. Located in the Endless Mountains of Northern Pennsylvania, we boast an 1100 yard range, a suppressed fire range, a machine gun range, and many exciting activities to train on. Get captured and escape from our hostage house, shoot upside down on our inversion rack, fly our zip line while engaging targets, shoot against attack targets, enjoy our steel range, and many other features all on over 1000 acres!
All our instructors have a military and/or law enforcement background.

• Introduction to Long Range
• Long Range Level 1
• Long Range Level 2
• Long Range Level 3
• USCCA Certified Instructor Workshop

Website

Meet our cadre of instructors

Jeremy Brown

Mr. Brown (or, as we've all started calling him..."Wick") is so incredibly gifted at sharing his knowledge! His speed and accuracy with both rifle and pistol is a pretty dang high bar for us "civies" to strive for...but you will highly value the journey towards his level of perfection! And he's been known to bring some pretty damn sexy tools to his clinics...wicked fun!

Paul Taylor

Paul is just so damn talented...it's awesome! HIGHLY skilled with both pistol and rifle! But don't for a second, think his class will be a standard firing line style class. Before you know what happened, you'll be working on Team Movements and expected to keep those feeties moving...while doing transitions from pistol to rifle and back again. You WILL end the day exhausted...and happy as hell!

Chuck Simpson

Chuck is our trusted Long Range Rifle and High Threat Protection expert. Think you're safe at 1200+ yards? Nope, nope, nope. He's probably got ya in his sights watching you eat your sammich!

Mr. White

Our resident "ghost" instructor...the man of mystery. Mysterious he may be...but wicked skilled at surviving...no matter if it's urban or rural / desert or woodlands / brutal heat or sub-zero. Keep your eye on him though...because if you turn away, he'll disappear into the background!