ABOUT US
Our Instructors make all the difference.
All of our instructors have extensive backgrounds, yet are still actively training to get better.
Who We Are
Dynamic Combative Solutions is an all-in-one self-defense school for students and Instructors. We specialize in all manners of self-defense education. DCS has recruited and trained Instructors who specialize in hand-to-hand combatives, Knife Techniques, Baton, Civilian Tasers, Pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Whether you are looking for self-defense options or you’re required by your employer to be more proficient with your tools, our mission is to provide lifesaving education, training, and skills to the general public and professionals alike. We want you to be better prepared to defend yourself or others in a life-threatening situation while acting within state and Federal laws.
We pride ourselves on knowing a multitude of ways to accomplish tasks so that our students will be more successful at achieving their goals. We not only teach our own classes but work in partnership with reputable leaders from around the country to host their classes as well. We want to provide you with the very best training possible using the latest techniques that makes education fun and enjoyable while still being safe and accurate.
some cool facts
Numbers speak for themselves
Don’t take our word for it. What do our students say?
James W. Tempe, AZ
After shooting most of my life, 13 years in the military and federal law enforcement, and some of the best schools the government has to offer I can say with confidence DCS was the missing link for me to be able to put 2 rounds through the same hole on the target.
Henry C. PHX, AZ
A good instructor can teach fundamentals….a great instructor can take those fundamentals and teach the student how to make them habitual….after taking your class my last several range sessions have been directed and gratifying…I haven’t done a clean run of your precision Pistol target yet, but I get closer every time…thank you!!
Joshua P. Chandler, AZ
I have now taken 2 classes with DCS Training, their CCW class and their Precision Pistol 1 class. I have participated in classes before, but I can honestly say I will be training with these Instructors from now on. Every class starts with a safety brief, firearms inspection, and instructor/student introductions. The instructors are heavily invested in your learn and they make it clear from the word go. No matter the size of the class they will work with you individually to help you achieve your goals and they will praise you when you succeed. The classes are affordable and the instructors know what ammo costs these days so they make every round count in the class. You can go anywhere an find a “trainer” who is going to “train” you. Now if you want to learn in an environment that is conducive to your learning, to reach your personal goals, from someone who is invested in your learning. Then do what I did and call DCS Training.
John Hunter Mesa, az
David Laird Owner/ Director of Training
BIOGRAPHY- David Laird, was born in Texas and raised in Arizona.
David’s father introduced him to firearms at the young age of 6, which marked the beginning of his enthusiastic obsession with firearms.
Military service was part of the Laird family legacy so naturally; when David turned 18 (1996) he joined the U.S. Army. While in the Army he served with the 82nd Airborne Division as a heavy weapons squad leader in the Infantry. Upon leaving the Army David returned home to manage an auto repair facility for several years. Not wanting to miss out on any of the action, in 2007-2008 David went back to Iraq as a civilian contractor to fulfill his patriotic duty.
Upon his return he transitioned to the firearms industry and church security, where he began his instructor career while volunteering with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Operations Posse in his off time (2008-2012).
Dave ran a very large successful school in the valley with over 30 instructors teaching at 3 locations from 2012-2019 before starting DCS in March of 2019.
Dave currently works as a private security contractor. Where he continues to teach and train in the field he enjoys.
He is an NRA Carry Guard Basic Instructor (2014) and has been an NRA Certified Counselor in: Pistol, HFS, PPITH, PPOTH, CCW, Advanced Pistol, refuse to be a victim, RSO, CRSO, Rifle, Shotgun and Metallic Cartridge reloading. (2008-present) Trains and certifies new NRA Instructors min 4 times annually.
He is a Certified ASP Tactical weapons instructor 2012-present.
IDS APEX Level 1 Instructor 2019
He is certified by the Arizona Department of Public Safety to train Armed Security Guards. (2008-present).
He has worked with T.A.S.E.R. International to help develop their first ever, Civilian Certified Instructor Program using the new PULSE model.
He is an Active Self Protection Certified Instructor. (2020) and regularly teaches at the ASP National conference as a guest instructor every year.
UTM Professional Training Organization Certified
Glock certified Armorer
S&W Certified Armorer
Armalite Certified Armorer
POF Certified Armorer
Empty-Handed Qualifications:
3rd Degree Black belt / Instructor with ATA Taekwondo Association
1st Degree Black Belt Moo Duk KwonTang Soo Do
Has studied TaiChi privately Under Master Willy Lim.
Dave continues to train in Krav Maga, Gracie Jujitsu and many others.
Notable instructors who Dave has trained under and considers significant influences in his firearms skills and methods of teaching.
Maj. James Douglas Laird U.S. Army Retired – A.K.A. Dad. I can’t even begin to discuss amazing instructors I have trained with, without first giving credit to the man that first introduced me to firearms at age 6. Having flown over 400 combat air missions in Vietnam he is arguably one of my greatest hero’s growing up.
Mike Abromovich – NRA Western Regional Training Counselor-Friend/Mentor
Erik Frohardt-ST3- NRA Carry Guard
Jeff Houston-SF- NRA Carry Guard
Mike Pannone- D-NRA Carry Guard
Craig Sawyer- DEV-Hard Target Training
Travis Haley-MR- Haley Strategic- Multiple courses- Mentor
Dave Spaulding-PO- Handgun Combatives- Multiple courses- Friend/Mentor
Instructor Zero- CC-Defensive Handgun- Defensive Handgun workshop- Mentor
Baret Fawbush- Truststandard- Carry Fundamentals- Very Influential in precision & speed
John Correia- Active Self Protection- Friend/ Mentor
Samuel Middlebrook- Active Self Protection Instructor -RedHawk Firearms Training- Friend/Mentor
Adam Winch-PO- Defenders USA- Friend/ Mentor
Creed-SF- Friend/ Mentor
Seamus-SF- Friend/ Mentor
Andrew Blubaugh- APEX Shooting- Faster Saves Lives Lvl 1
John Benner-PO- Tactical Defensive Institute- Faster Saves Lives Lvl 2
Clayton Wilcox
Clayton Wilcox was born and raised in Ohio.
Clayton was introduced to shooting by his stepfather initialing using a Daisy Red Ryder BB rifle in the backyard. He then progressed to a Marlin .22 rifle and a Henry Richardson 9 shot .22 revolver. His passion for shooting grew through his teenage years, to include his obtaining both of the Boy Scouts’ rifle and shotgun merit badges while at Summer Camp. He later returned to the camp and assisted with the programs during high school.
In the fall of 2002, Clayton completed the Ohio Police Academy and later began his career in Law Enforcement, serving his local communities. During his career in Law Enforcement, he furthered his passion for shooting and teaching by earning his General Instructor, Police Rifle Instructor, Taser Instructor, Oleoresin Capsicum Instructor, and various other instructor certifications.
The summer of 2007, Clayton moved to the Phoenix area and continued working as a Police Officer. During his tenure, he has worked as a Patrol Officer, Emergency Response Team member, Motor Officer and a K-9 Officer. He has continued his passion for shooting by earning various National Rifle Association of America (NRA) instructor certifications and law enforcement firearms instructor certifications.
Clayton continues to train officers and citizens in various disciplines; to enable the individual to prepare for, avoid, and/or defend their lives or the lives of their loved ones if faced with an aggressor looking to cause harm.
Clayton has the following instructor certifications:
- Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training (AzPOST) Pistol and Shotgun
- AzPOST Rifle
- Approved – Arizona Department of Public Safety Law Enforcement Officer Safety Officer Act (LEOSA) Qualification
- NRA Basic Pistol
- NRA Basic Rifle
- NRA CCW
- NRA Range Safety Officer
- NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home
- NRA Personal Protection Outside the Home
- NRA Refuse to be a Victim
- NRA Metallic Cartridge Reloading
- ASP Baton, Flashlight, and Restraints
Gary Hummel
We are proud to introduce Instructor Gary Hummel. He was born in Germany, the son of an Air Force fighter pilot. He was raised all over the United States during his school years.
His father being a career military officer, often spoke of the satisfaction he had being a part of the armed forces and encouraged his children to follow their dreams. As his grandparents owned a ranch, Gary had the opportunity to handle firearms at an early age.
Upon graduating high school, he found a proving ground for himself in the Marine Corps. After four years of USMC law enforcement and small arms instruction, he returned to civilian life but stayed active with his participation in the Army National Guard as a military policeman. His civilian life included time as nuclear security armed response member for a nuclear power plant. Later he found a career in law enforcement for the State of California. A natural avenue of security progression came for Gary when the world embraced computers, so he specialized in information security before completing his career with California.
His life time pursuit of firearms familiarization has resulted in several NRA certifications (pistol, rifle, PPIH, RSO, etc.) as well as a satisfying position involved in the world of firearms instruction in Arizona at Dynamic Combative Solutions LLC.
He remains active in this field with training from various firearms organizations as well as coordinating groups to attend training at firearm training locations.
Peter David
Toni Gleeson
She’s bad!
Maxwell Herzog
Max was born in Iowa but raised in Arizona. He was first introduced to firearms at age 12 when he shot a muzzle loader for the very first time. He became a NMLRA Certified Black Powder Firearms Instructor at age 18 when he started his own firearms training and retail company, Black Wolf Weapons and Training.
He has a degree in Paralegal Studies. While in college he worked as an armed security guard. He focused many of his studies on firearms law and related concerns, often writing research papers and essays on the issue of guns. He became a security guard instructor while working in the security field.
He left the security industry for a job with the Arizona Game And Fish Department as a Shooting Range Assistant. He previously volunteered to help teach the Ben Avery and Annie Oakey Sure shot firearms education courses, as well as supervising shooters on the main shooting range. He became an NRA Certified Basic Pistol, Basic Rifle, Home Firearms Safety, Personal Protection Inside the Home, RSO and Chief Range Safety Officer. He worked at American Armory for 3 months and a gunsmiths assistant, cleaning, disassembling and reassebling firearms and installing parts, building ARs.
He left Game and Fish, for a full time job at McMillan Fiberglass Stocks where he played his role in hand making some of the best rifle stocks in the world. He moved up from a manufacturing role to becoming a customer service rep and eventually the Brand Manager for Extreme Long Range Headquarters. He has been helping the Royal Rangers develop their National Shooting Sports Program, serving a two year term on their National Staff as their smallbore rifle coordinator and industry rep at SHOT Show.
He enjoys teaching new shooters and introducing kids to smallbore rifle shooting. He left the firearms industry in search of a more profitable vocation and joined the pipe fitters union, local 469 as an apprentice plumber, welder and pipefitter.
Tim "KASH" Kashino
Tim “Kash” Kashino is DCS’s resident expert with edged and impact tools. He is a certified ASP Tactical Weapons instructor and has taught Filipino martial arts for 29 years. Tim is also a 22-year Military Police veteran whose assignments included anti-terrorism/force protection,law and order operations, maritime security, executive protection details and tactical combatives trainer. Tim is also a certified Glock Armorer, certified Glock Pistol Instructor and a certified NRA instructor with endorsements for Rifle, Pistol, Shotgun, Home Firearms Safety, Personal Protection in the Home, Personal Protection Outside the Home and Chief Range Safety Officer.
Despite numerous accolades and a broad base of knowledge, he insists that he is “just a guy that knows a few things.” In April of 2010, Grandmaster Vicente Sanchez of Marikina City, Philippines declared Tim the grand master of the Cadenilla Eskrima Group (an organization founded by Tim in 2006). Tim does not see this declaration as a crowning achievement or some kind of elevation in status. Rather, he sees it as an honor that he will spend the rest of his life earning.
Most recently, Tim has been selected for induction into the Modern Arnis Hall of Fame at a ceremony set for June of 2017 in Philadelphia.
Dana Gallagher
Dana was born and raised in Alaska where he was exposed to firearms at a young age. After high school he moved to Arizona where he’s lived since. His true passion for firearms didn’t happen until after his first son was born. It was at this time that he decided he needed to seek quality firearms training to acquire the necessary knowledge skills and attitude necessary to defend not only himself but his family as well. From there his training began to expand to include other forms of self defense other than a firearm.
He is currently an NRA certified firearms instructor for Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Person Protection in The Home (PPITH), Personal Protection Outside the Home (PPOTH) as well as Metallic Cartridge Reloading. In addition to that he is also a certified baton instructor through ASP, a certified Glock Armorer and a civilian Taser instructor. Dana has spent a large amount of time investing in his own development to become the best he can. He’s been an instructor now for many years and in that time has developed a passion for helping others however he can with their training and self-defense needs.
Another favorite past time that’s developed is in the world of competitive shooting. He currently shoots an average of about 4-5 matches a month and holds classifications in both USPSA as well as Steel Challenge. When Dana isn’t shooting or training he spends most of his time reloading.
Dana’s primary focus is on teaching CCW as well as beginning to advanced pistol classes.
Mike Garzas
Mike brings a passion for teaching personal defense and tactics to his students and presents it in a straight forward and easy to understand format. He is a lifelong student of the gun excelling in a variety of platforms but with a passion for long distance precision shooting. His interest in firearms came early in life, despite being in a household unfriendly to firearms, by way of summer camps that encouraged marksmanship skills development. These summer retreats allowed Mike to gain an appreciation for firearms and marksmanship that set-in motion a path to the military and law enforcement. With over 20 years spent involved with providing advanced technology and hardware in support of our national security, NAS and Department of Defense initiatives for tactical reconnaissance and battle damage assessment, Mike is able to explain highly complex tactics and learning concepts with an ease that most veteran instructors appreciate.
Mike has extensive training on many weapon systems from his years in the United States Navy and as a military contractor overseas and at home. He volunteered with Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office for about a decade where he spent his time on warrant team and as a General and Firearms Instructor/ Range Safety Officer, carrying multiple certifications to instruct for judgmental use of force, weapon inspector, defensive tactics, weapon retention, mechanical restraints, chemical agents and numerous other AZPOST courses for the office. Mike is also a certified Taser® instructor for both initial and rectification courses and maintains certifications from the National Rifle Association for Basic Pistol, Firearms Safety, and Range Safety Officer. Mike has conducted countless hours of training for active shooter and force on force training scenarios with handgun, shotgun, rifle, and Taser®. Mike is also both Arizona and Nationally certified as an EMT and can provide emergency range medical treatment if ever needed.
This could be you
DCS requires extensive experience and background with training in self-defense and firearms. We require a proven track record of actual experience as well as volunteer time to observe your abilities with our students and our brand. For further details please contact us.