Jared Ross

Jared is a retired senior 18 Bravo (Special Forces Weapon Sergeant) from 20th Special Forces Group.  He also is the owner and primary instructor of Lodestone Training and Consulting.  Jared Ross has served since early 2002 in the Army. A former 82nd ABN 11 Bravo, he spent the majority of his active-duty career as an 18 Bravo. He has done multiple tours to include Afghanistan 2002-2003, Iraq 2004, Iraq 2010, Jordon 2017. He has also deployed JCETS Israel 2012, Dominican Republic 2013.  He has trained and led multiple US and foreign soldiers during his career.  After spending several years with one of the active-duty Special Forces Groups (SFGs), in mid-2012 he transferred to 20th SFG. He has served as an instructor for the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat course from 2013-2016 teaching multiple classes a year. At times he has served as the NCOIC over Marksmanship and Force-on-Force during SFAUC classes.

Jared started teaching professionally in 2010.  He formed LTAC in 2020.

Some of his Military qualifications include: Airborne School, S.E.R.E School, SFAUC, TCCC, SOCM, UTM Instructor, and the Special Forces Qualification Course.

Jared has taught thousands of students in a wide variety of classes.  To include Military, Law Enforcement and Civilians.  These classes include many different skill levels from basic to advanced in Pistol, Carbine, Shotgun, Close Quarters Battle, Counter Ambush, Night Vision employment, Night Vision shooting, Low-Light Tactics, Tactical Medicine, Force-on-Force and Small Unit Tactics. 

Jared has also worked with multiple houses of worship on security concerns.

Jared hosts the weekly Lodestone Training and Consulting Podcast.

chris Johnson

Chris is a retired Green Beret with 20 years of military experience and nine combat vacations. Chris started his military career as an 11 Bravo in the 3rd of the 325th AIR 82nd Airborne in the year 2000. After his first deployment in 2003 to Iraq, Chris tried out for SFAS in 2004 and was selected to go to the Qualification Course to be an 18 Bravo Special Forces Weapons Sergeant. In 2006, Chris won his Green Beret and went to his new home of 3rd Bn 5th SFG (A) at Ft Campbell KY. In the 14 years at 5th Group Chris served on two ODAs, one ODB, and finished off at Group HQ.

The highlights of his training (other than the normal Special Forces training and schools) have been the 18 Fox course, Joint Personal Recovery courses, Merlin (tech surveillance), Heavy Weapons Armorer’s course, Warsaw Pact Armor driving course, and  Anti-terrorism Officer Level Two.

Chris enjoys training and helping people get better at all things. His favorite classes are the Austere Environment Survival Series, helping people learn that they can survive.  

Chris hosts the weekly Lodestone Training and Consulting Podcast.

“Flynn”

“Flynn” is a SWAT officer in a major East Coast city, where he has 15 years of experience.  He started off as a patrol officer, transitioned to plainclothes, then tried out for and was selected by one of the most active SWAT teams in the nation.

He continues to be very active on his team, while also selecting and training new officers in his department’s SWAT School.

“Flynn” is a certified Law Enforcement instructor in Pistol, Shotgun, Carbine, Special Weapons, and Less Lethal (40mm and 12 gauge).

“Light” Chris

Chris is currently active-duty Military with 5th Special Forces Group. Chris has over 10 combat deployments to the CENTCOM (Middle East) region and 16 years in Special Operations. Some of Chris’s military training includes Military Free Fall Jumpmaster, Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC) Level 2, SERE, and Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC) course. Chris has a passion for long-range shooting and reloading ammunition. Chris takes his long-range shooting knowledge from SOTIC and real-world combat experience, to give students some of the best instruction they can find. You will also see Chris at some of the Austere Environment Survival Series courses, where he brings some of his SERE knowledge and skills with him, as well as his love for the outdoors.

Chris regularly contributes to the weekly Lodestone Training and Consulting Podcast.

Kirk

Kirk is a lifelong shooter and gun nerd, as well as an avid historian and lover of old firearms.  A competitive shooter and NRA certified instructor, Kirk has spent years teaching the basic classes that Lodestone offers, as well as designing and teaching Lodestone’s shotgun curriculum.

Kirk contributes to the regular Lodestone Podcasts and brings a unique “low speed, high drag” viewpoint to the discussions.  He is also a contributor to the Lodestone library, publishing articles related to shot gunning, competitive shooting, obscure firearms, and the how to comfortably survive the end of the world.

Abby Ross

Abby is a wife and mother who has been carrying concealed for nearly twenty years. As an Army wife, spending many, many months as the sole protector in her home, she learned the importance of being able to be the one to defend herself and her children.

She has learned through her own experience and has also benefited from the opportunity she has to jump into LTAC classes whenever she has the time. After instructing for a few years, she crafted the For Women series of classes to help give women the knowledge and confidence they need to take their first steps towards defense of themselves, their homes and their loved ones.

“Ozz”

“Ozz” is a police officer in a major metropolitan area.  He also served in the Marine Corps – Reserves from 2006 - 2012.  Now, he has 15 years in active law enforcement.  He started in patrol and quickly became a Field Training Officer (FTO).  He then promoted to detective within the Criminal Investigation Division and is now assigned in a Special Enforcement Team.  His primary roles are to conduct covert surveillance, criminal enforcement, and tactical operations within the Narcotics Section of the police department.  His unit works jointly with other local, state, and Federal Law Enforcement agencies.

Some of his significant training includes: Advanced Active Assailant Response, Axon TASER certification, Advanced Patrol Rifle certification, Criminal Investigator School, Intelligence School, Tactics for Narcotics Warrants Execution, and the department’s Basic SWAT School.

“Ozz” is certified through the State’s Police & Corrections Training Commission as an instructor for the police academy.  He teaches Street Level Narcotics investigations, Undercover Rescue Course, Vehicle Drug Interdiction Course, & Surveillance Seminar to police officers and detectives.

Seeking outside training to better himself, “Flynn” suggested training with “Zulu” at Lodestone Training and Consulting.  “Ozz” trained under the philosophy of principles over techniques and began to share this foundation with other like-minded shooters and fellow officers.  “Ozz” has since joined the LTAC team to help spread knowledge to build a better community of responsibly armed citizens and first responders alike.  

“Red”

"Red" is the owner and lead instructor at ATAC and has instructed hundreds of students.  He is a ten-time combat veteran who served as an assaulter with the elite 75th Ranger Regiment. Red is an Army Sniper, NRA pistol, rifle and shotgun instructor and a police counter active shooter instructor.  Some of his certifications include being a bodyguard through World Protective Services (WPS, US Department of State). Red completed several high-risk protective details in Afghanistan. He was an employee of US Special Operations Command as an "adviser" in the mountains of Afghanistan. Red still serves his country as a Sergeant First Class in the National Guard assigned to a Special Operations Intelligence unit and currently serves his community as a SWAT police officer in a West Philadelphia border township. When not saving the world, Red is watching cartoons with his daughter and trying his hardest not to piss off his wife.