Dan has over 20 years of firearms experience and training, both in the public and private sectors. Dan spent 9 1/2 years combined active duty service between the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army. During those years of service, Dan has served as a Rifleman, Military Police Officer, Team Leader, Squad Leader, Desk Sergeant, Special Reaction Team (SRT) member and on various agencies’ shooting teams.

After leaving the Military, Dan entered the Law Enforcement profession where he served as a Patrolman, Motorcycle Officer, Police Diver, SWAT Officer and General / Firearms Instructor. In 2007, Dan left law enforcement to support the United State's efforts with the War on Terror as a private contractor. Dan worked in Afghanistan for the Department of Defense and in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Department of State's High Threat Protection Office, Diplomatic Security. Dan recently founded Modern Paladin (in 2009), to pass on his knowledge and experience to others.

Dan is also a Cross Fit Level 1 Instructor.

CERTIFIED Combat Focus and Advanced Pistol Handling Instructor, and continues to assist the program as a Training Coordinator. 

I became involved in the Combat Focus Shooting program after my wife visited Rob at Valhalla in 2005.  Shorty after that visit (probably within 90 days or so) my wife and I were at the local range trying out a newly purchased handgun.  Being a typical police firearm instructor, I immediately went into the “Standard mantra” of Grip, Stance, Sight alignment, Sight picture, etc….., shot analysis utilizing the “wheel of shooter malfunction” and the rest of the 1990s tradition, all to an ever increasingly frustrated wife.  At one point she stopped me, saying “let me show you what Rob taught me” and proceeded to go to the high compressed ready. That day we happened to be utilizing the B-27 target, which to that particular point had clean 10 and X rings.  So, from the high compressed ready she extended out and fired off one round in a clean, fluid motion, striking the target in the X ring.  She then proceeded to repeat the process, firing multiple shot strings with similar results, which immediately got my attention.  Naturally, I told her “that was great” and began to quietly chastise myself.  I was mad at myself for not taking the opportunities (yes, on more then one occasion) presented by Rob to come out and train with him at Valhalla. At the time, I was busy with my law enforcement duties juggling regular patrol, scheduled court and my additional roles on multiple specialty teams. Due to my procrastination, it was four years later and another career before participating in my first Combat Focus Shooting class.  That first class was all it took to convince me that CFS would change my training style. I started to look back and evaluate the training I had received as a soldier and police officer with a different mindset. As a CFS student, I was impressed with the simplicity and effectiveness of the program. Both intellectually and physically, CFS was unlike any other training I had received. During one class, I remember saying to myself “why haven’t I received this type of training previously” and “this is the training that should be taught at all the police academies”.  The immediate immersion and progression of the shooting appealed to me. Additionally, the lectures explained and qualified many of the experiences I had during military and law enforcement careers. After attending a second CFS end user course, I took the plunge and attended the Combat Focus Shooting Instructor Development course. I was unprepared for the quality, quantity and intensity of the course.  Unlike previous classes I had attended, consisting of 40% content and 60% fluff and stories; the amount of relevant information presented over the four day CFS course was almost overwhelming.  Just like the shooting program, the CFSID course starts right into the program, going from 0-60 in no time flat, and is a continuous stream of information until completed.  No fluff, no stories, just learning and teaching. The CFS program methodology and core fundamentals of instruction made me realize that up to that point I had been a good instructor but not a good teacher.  I wanted to become a good teacher. I wanted to teach the CFS program because it is a shooting system with a scientific base (not just the next cool thing).  Combat Focus Shooting is a valuable program on multiple levels.  Not only does the course teach you to become more efficient in the use of your gun and supporting equipment, but also teaches the student about what happens on a physiological level during a violent, deadly encounter.  Both of those aspects are critically important to survival.  Having a fundamental understanding of what to expect and then learning the proper techniques and strategies, capitalizing on those changes, is what sets CFS apart from other classes.  Since becoming an instructor, I have continued to pursue my quest to become a better teacher and I take pride in the fact I am teaching a life changing and life saving skill.