Jared Ross

Jared is a retired senior 18 Bravo (Special Forces Weapon Sergeant) with 21 years of service.  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 Infantry Paratrooper with the 82nd ABN, he spent the majority of his active-duty career as an 18 Bravo. He has done multiple tours, starting in Afghanistan in 2002, and with his last to the Middle East in 2017. He also has a few JCETS under his belt.  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 one of the National Guard SFGs. He has served as an instructor for the Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat course from 2013-2016, teaching multiple classes a year. At times during his tenure he served as the lead Instructor over the Marksmanship portion and Force-on-Force Urban movement portions of the SFAUC course.

Jared started teaching professionally in 2012.  He formed LTAC in 2019.

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 Lodestone Training and Consulting Podcast.

“Flynn”

“Flynn” is a SWAT officer in a major East Coast city, where he has years of experience, beginning in 2008.  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).

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.

Micah

After enlisting in the Marine Corps as an 0311 Infantry Rifleman, Micah spent most of his service time as an 0372 Critical Skills Operator with 3rd Marine Raider Battalion.  Between 2006 and 2014 he deployed as a Weapon Subject Matter Expert, similar to an 18 Bravo, multiple times to South Asia, as well as the Philippines and Morocco.  Micah has a passion for teaching and participated in several JCETs training partner forces during OEF and OEF-P.

Some of his military training includes Airborne school, S.E.R.E school, TCCC/DMOC, Foreign Weapons Instructor Course, and the Marine Special Operations Advisor Course.

Micah joined the Lodestone cadre in March 2023 and has enjoyed bringing his traditional Marine Corps and MARSOC experience to the team.

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.  

Mike

Mike kicked off his law enforcement career in 1994 with a major metropolitan police department. After four intensive years on those streets, he brought his experience to a quieter suburban agency in eastern Pennsylvania.

Over the decades, Mike has worn many hats: Motorcycle Officer, Field Training Officer (FTO), Taser Instructor, Force-on-Force Coordinator, Patrol Sergeant, and—most notably—Firearms Instructor since 2000. Since 2016, he’s led his department’s entire firearms training program, building cutting-edge curricula, mentoring the next generation of instructors, and managing the agency’s arsenal from acquisition to maintenance.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Mike constantly sharpens his edge by training with the best.

Mike wrote extensively for several years for American Survival Guide Magazine and Knives Illustrated Magazine. Currently, Mike writes for The Safariland Cadre Dispatch and Tactical Knives.

When he’s not on the job, you’ll find Mike deep in the woods. An avid hunter and self-described “knife nerd,” and has taught wilderness survival courses. For Mike, preparedness isn’t just a profession—it’s a lifestyle.