Meet Melissa: Owner and Instructor 

Hi, I'm the owner and founder of Modern Defense, LLC. I launched this business specializing in firearm safety courses and have been instructing since 2015. 

I was born and raised in Eastern Colorado Springs by parents who own and operate Dragonman's, a multi-recreational facility including a gun store and six shooting ranges. You could say firearm knowledge, safety awareness and shooting precision was inevitably a natural byproduct of environmental upbringing.

I've gained hours of invaluable firearm knowledge from the NRA and USCCA and analytics by well-known NRA instructors and lawyers throughout the state of Colorado. I'm certified in basic pistol, basic rifle, basic shotgun, intermediate pistol and inside/ outside the home protection. I consider myself patient, thorough and accommodating to all experience levels. 

 

Meet Don: Retired Sheriff and Competition Shooter

Don serves as the instructor for both the Basic and Intermediate Handgun Range Courses. He is a distinguished veteran with eight years of service in the United States Air Force as a member of the Special Response Team. Subsequently, he relocated to Myrtle Beach, North Carolina, where he initiated a career in law enforcement in 1984, ultimately ascending to the rank of Sheriff. After completing two decades of public service in law enforcement, he retired and relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado with his family in 2004.

Don holds certifications in both Basic and Advanced Pistol Handling, Introductory and Advanced Rifle Techniques, and Basic Shotgun Usage. He also provides instruction for the range components of select co-educational courses. A seasoned competitor, Donald has been the recipient of numerous awards in shooting competitions spanning over three decades. Additionally, he has been an NRA-certified instructor for eight years and finds immense fulfillment in his pedagogical endeavors.

 

Meet Charlie: Retired SWCC Navy Crewman 

Charlie also teaches the range portion of our basic handgun and intermediate handgun courses. Before enjoying life after the military, Charlie spent 12 years in SWCC operations, three years as an instructor for the Naval Special Warfare Basic Training Command and 9 years leading boat teams through special operations throughout Europe and The Philippines. During this time, Charlie also acquired combat medic specialist training which carries over well into the firearms training realm. Charlie is very comfortable in the instructor role from his experiences and enjoys seeing students learn and make progress. He's been a certified firearms instructor in basic pistol, intermediate pistol and basic carbine since 2021. In his spare time, he enjoys camping, fishing, shooting and enjoying time life in Colorado with his wife and family.