70+ Years Combined Experience

meet the team

  • Co-Founder & Instructor

    Upon high school graduation in Austin Texas, Neil began his enlisted military service in Oct 2000. On completion of boot-camp he served two years in Annapolis Maryland as an undesignated deck seaman teaching basic seamanship to future leaders and two years in Sasebo Japan as a loadmaster for an amphibious craft unit. Feeling the need to progress in a different professional avenue, Neil entered Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training pipeline beginning his Naval Special Warfare (NSW) career with class 259. After graduation he checked into SEAL Team Five where he served two Iraq and one Afghanistan deployments conducting over 150 operations ranging from Direct Action, Special Reconnaissance and Preparation of Environment. Returning from Afghanistan, he checked into NSW Training Detachment Group-1 under the Maritime Operations cell as the Leading Chief Petty Officer for Combat swimmer and Over-the-Beach instruction for all West Coast SEALs. This position accommodated the training of US Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) and Marine Forces Special Operations (MARSOC) as well. After understanding the lack of technological advancement within the maritime environment, Neil shifted his focus into advancing maritime operations Tactics, Training Procedures (TTP’s), equipment and execution through research and development at a Special Operations Command level. Once rotation neared, the opportunity for Tactical Leader (TACLEAD) as a Platoon Chief arose at SEAL Team One where he completed two years leading 18 SEALs through Unit Level Training, Professional Development and a kinetic deployment to North Iraq. Neil’s final tour in the Navy was completed at Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training as a first phase instructor introducing young men aspiring to be Navy SEALs to the grueling requirements of Naval Special Warfare (NSW). Through his tenner he trained 2,022 students and conducted over 1,500 high risk evolutions and 9 Hell weeks. Family has been a crucial factor to Neil’s growth; being happily married fourteen years to his supportive wife Danisa. Together they have six children ranging from one to twelve years old.

    Due to the experiences and training he gained at Naval Special Warfare (NSW), Neil and his family developed a non-profit organization. This organization was geared to assist the rest, recuperation and restoration of military members, first responders and pastoral/ministry family members alike; whom confront hardships of separation and traumatic experiences in their chosen career. Our results in just under four years found us ministering and aiding over 100 individuals. Within the last year the Dyer family has shifted focus on training men to rise through adversity and gain confidence in overwhelming situations for, but not limited to, high-risk missionaries, Special Operations candidates, Law Enforcement and church security teams.

    Neil’s hopes are to expand and develop growth within individuals and teams alike, in confidence, character, resiliency and accomplishment. Using the foundational standards of NSW, Neil’s training pushes for extreme decision making while utilizing the understanding of threshold limitations. Neil believes the only thing that holds individuals back is self. He believes the foundation of Christ as Lord and Savior models chivalrous knighthood, which in turn molds and develops a warrior spirit. His mentorship seeks to bring out that warrior spirit from all individuals willing to test themselves.

  • Co-Founder & Instructor

    Matthew Brakeman (aka Tracer to many of his friends and teammates) has been actively working in the high-threat security contracting industry and law enforcement since 1999. From June 1995 to September 1999 he served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps with 3rd Battalion 5th Marines. While there he served as an infantry rifleman, fire-team leader, then squad leader in a Sparrowhawk Platoon supporting the 31st MEUSOC on his first deployment to Okinawa, Korea, Russia and Thailand in 1996.

    In 1997 he volunteered for the very demanding selection to 3/5 Surveillance Target Acquisition (STA) Platoon. He deployed overseas two more times with 3/5 STA Platoon as a scout sniper and sniper section leader. His last deployment on active duty was to East Africa in spring and summer of 1999, in response to the Al Qaeda bombings of the US Embassies in Nairobi and Dares Salaam.

    This experience and the commendations he received for “working well above his pay grade” and developing unconventional solutions to unconventional problems, opened the door to working for private clients and the US government (USDOE, DoD and CIA) as an independent contractor in the security and intelligence space.

    Matthew’s security and training roles over the last 25+ years have varied greatly, to include; high-threat personal protection for CIA staff in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Global Response Staff contract officer (7 yrs 2003–2010), domestic personal protection for private clients (ongoing since 1999), sniper/counter-sniper, aerial gunner, full-time firearms and tactics instructor in Las Vegas.

    After deciding to follow Christ, he and his wife volunteered full-time with the Free Burma Rangers (3 yrs) as head of security in the conflict zones of Eastern Burma, then domestic law-enforcement as a full-time Sheriff’s Patrol Deputy (6 yrs) in North Idaho. He is an ALERT instructor, weapons and tactics trainer and role-player with pyrotechnic special effects experience for DoD and missions agencies.

    He also trains surveillance/counter-surveillance techniques and tactical driving, advance work in support of high-risk operations and other courses to enhance his client’s ability to operate in non-permissive environments, and still occasionally takes assignments to enhance national and regional security.

    Additionally, Matthew is a Chaplain and Critical Incident Stress Management professional for local First Responders and Dispatchers in North Idaho. Since 2021 he has been diversifying his skill sets while tending to his beautiful family and occasionally going overseas to help those in harm’s way.

    Matthew, with his wife and children, love training others to go help and encourage people; while glorifying Christ across the globe in austere and dangerous places.