Citizen Defender
Citizen-Defender operates from a private facility five miles south of Culpeper, Virginia. The instructors aren't theoretical—they include active peace officers, retired military intelligence analysts, DOD counter-terrorism experts, and former Marines. They've collectively trained with the field's he...
Own Citizen Defender?
01 // DETAILS
Business Details
Full description and what we offer
Citizen-Defender operates from a private facility five miles south of Culpeper, Virginia. The instructors aren't theoretical—they include active peace officers, retired military intelligence analysts, DOD counter-terrorism experts, and former Marines. They've collectively trained with the field's heaviest hitters: Tom Givens, Massad Ayoob, Greg Ellifritz, Craig Douglas (ShivWorks), and Kelly McCann.
Their core premise is stark: rescue is minutes away at best. You're the only person guaranteed to be at your moment of crisis. So training focuses on three things:
- •Awareness and avoidance — recognize trouble before it finds you
- •De-escalation and escape — soft skills that keep you out of fights
- •Decisive action — if avoidance fails, knowing what to do and living with the legal/moral aftermath
They call it being a "Citizen-Defender"—informed, aware, and prepared.
| Course | Cost | Duration | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Just Get Home! | $495 | 2 days | Flagship course: holistic defense (medical, pepper spray, legal, shooting, scenarios) |
| Responsibly Armed Citizen | $175 | 8 hours | Concealed carry fundamentals (exceeds Virginia CCW requirements) |
| Concealed Carry Tactics | $300 | Full day | Expanded skills for permit holders (shooting + ancillary skills) |
| Home Defense-Pistol | $250 | 8 hours | Hardening your home, family involvement, pistol employment |
| Home Defense-Shotgun | $250 | 1 day | Shotgun selection, ammunition choice, shooting at defensive distances |
| Shotgun Skills | $250 | 1 day | Advanced shotgun work (speed, accuracy, multiple targets, slugs) |
| The American Rifle-15 | $250 | 8 hours | AR-15 fundamentals for beginners (capped at 10 shooters) |
| Car Problems | $300 | 1 day | Vehicle-based conflicts and defensive tactics |
| Defensive Shooting Clinic | $100 | 2 hours | Drop-in skill tune-ups on rotating topics |
| Sanctuary Security Team Member | $250 | Full day + 4-hour prep video | Armed security for religious institutions |
| High Threat Environment | $250 | 1 day | Distance shooting, cover, multiple moving targets |
| Wayne Dobbs-Rule Four Pistol | $568 | 2 days | Advanced concealed carry tactics for real-world deploy (bystander control, unconventional shooting) |
| Massad Ayoob MAG-20 | $535 | 2 days | Legal framework, threat recognition, post-incident management |
| Pepper Spray | $75 | 3 hours | Legal use, application, live exposure |
| The Resilient Citizen | $175 | Full day + pre-video | Less-lethal tactics, trauma response, de-escalation |
| Practical Revolver | $250 | 1 day | Revolver operation and marksmanship |
Just Get Home! is the flagship offering and runs regionally—upcoming dates in San Antonio, Durham NC, Clinton IL, Zanesville OH, Beaumont TX, and Dallas TX. This is their signature course mixing medical trauma response, pepper spray certification, legal preparation, and progressive shooting drills through live scenarios.
Ken West — Active Virginia peace officer (6+ years), trained extensively with industry leaders, tennis coach background (finds crossover in coaching disciplines).
Matthew Turner — Regular shooter who went serious about training a decade ago. Rangemaster instructor qualified, teaching since 2017 with a mission to put skilled, morally-centered people on streets who can recognize, avoid, and self-rescue.
Kyle Heath — Rangemaster Advanced instructor trained by Craig Douglas, Greg Ellifritz, and Paul Sharp.
Gary Jakl — Rangemaster Advanced Instructor, trained by Tom Givens, Kelly McCann, Greg Ellifritz, Massad Ayoob. NRA-certified (handgun, rifle, shotgun, concealed carry). Certified Glock Armorer. U.S. Army veteran with combat experience.
Salvatore DeGennaro — IDPA shooter, contributing author for USA Carry, Concealed Nation, and AmmoLand. Creator of Reflex Handgun. Hundreds of hours professional training from top-tier instructors.
Monique Clarke — 15+ years professional experience. Retired Marine Corps 2024. Marine Corps Combat Marksmanship Trainer, Rangemaster Advanced Handgun Instructor, Tactical Anatomy Instructor, NRA certifications (handgun, rifle, shotgun, CCW, personal protection), Active Shooter Instructor, NAAGA instructor.
Tim Chandler — 20+ years citizen self-defense focus. Trained under Tom Givens, Todd Green, Craig Douglas, Greg Ellifritz, Ken Hackathorn, Mas Ayoob, Kyle Defoor, and others. Rangemaster Professional Pistolcraft and Advanced Shotgun instructor. Presenter at Rangemaster Tactical Conference 2019-2025.
John Murphy — 20+ years in defensive firearms training. Rangemaster Master certified instructor. 10 years Marine Corps, 15 years DOD counter-terrorism analyst (retired 2021). Trained under Tom Givens, John Farnam, Louis Awerbuck, Kelly McCann, Pat Rogers, Jeff Gonzales, Craig Douglas, Massad Ayoob, and many others.
Holistic approach: Not just shooting straight. Courses integrate legal understanding, de-escalation, trauma medicine ("Stop the Bleed"), pepper spray, situational awareness, and the psychological/legal aftermath of using force.
Modular curriculum: Scaled from absolute novice to highly capable, with courses building on each other logically.
Small class sizes: AR-15 courses capped at 10 shooters for personalized attention.
Practical equipment focus: They teach with what you actually carry. Wayne Dobbs course specifically calls out the problem with "magic range pistols"—bring your daily carry gun.
Scenario-based training: Progressive drills that build confidence through repetition before introducing complexity.
Phone: (703) 609-6350 Email: [email protected]
Private lessons are available for customized instruction. They also have branded merchandise coming soon.