Appalachian Tactical Acquisitions Course

ATAC was established in 2017 by Travis and Ashley, a retired military couple with over 46 years of combined US Army Special Operations service. Travis served as a Green Beret; Ashley in Psychological Operations. Both have multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, bringing real-world experience from being shot at and having to shoot back.

3D Mannequin Targets, Not Paper

Traditional paper targets create false confidence and poor threat identification. ATAC uses life-sized, fully-clothed human mannequins with integrated bullet traps. Realistic threat objects—weapons and non-weapons in target hands—train actual decision-making, not just trigger control.

Suppressed Firearms: No Hearing Protection

All courses use SilencerCo-suppressed weapons with low recoil and minimal overpressure. You can fire hundreds of rounds in eight hours without fatigue or hearing damage. The gear is lightweight and manageable for all experience levels.

Women-Specific Curriculum

Most ranges train men and women identically. ATAC recognizes differences in psychology and competencies—multi-tasking, procedural thinking—and tailors instruction accordingly.

Set on a repurposed century-old Appalachian tobacco farm in Shady Valley, Tennessee, the compound is designed for comfort and realism. All ranges are covered except one, protecting you from rain, heat, and insects. Climate-controlled classroom, separate clean bathrooms, kitchenette, and secure personal storage.

360-Degree Ranges & Scenarios

• •Room clearing in 50+ rooms (day one)
• •Vehicle-based shooting and movement
• •Moving while shooting simultaneously
• •Low-light training with audio and visual stimuli
• •Threat identification under pressure
• •Armed judgment in realistic situations

ATAC focuses on lawfully armed self-defense for citizens facing home invasions, vehicle threats, and public situations—not military or law enforcement tactics. The primary objective is not to be shot. Courses emphasize practical, simple actions that reduce your chance of being hit and increase survival odds against one or multiple assailants.

• •Maximum class size: 2 students. Private, 1-on-1 instruction available. No firearms experience required—this is total immersion training with high repetitions to build capability.