Darin R. Van Ryswyk
A graduate of Iowa State University, Darin has 27 years of firearms training experience teaching law-abiding citizens to safely use pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Additionally, Darin has 30 years of law enforcement & security experience that he draws upon to help provide realistic scenarios that challenge CWR students so they may develop their skills more completely. Darin is a certified instructor and training counselor through the National Rifle Association in the following disciplines: Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun/Home Firearm Safety/Personal Protection/CCW/Law Enforcement Instructor/Chief Range Safety Officer / Refuse to be a Victim. Additionally, Darin is a state-certified firearms instructor in pistol/rifle/shotgun. Darin is a member of the National Rifle Association, Izaak Walton League of America, National Tactical Officers Association, International Law Enforcement Educators & Trainers Association (ILEETA), International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors, Iowa State Police Association, and the International Defensive Pistol Association.
Nathan Rivera
Nate Rivera is an 20 year law enforcement veteran with 17 years of SWAT experience. He is the agency lead instructor and oversees program development. He spent 10 years as the Assistant Team Leader of a multi-jurisdictional Emergency Response Team and recently moved over to the Marksman/Observer Team. Nate is also currently a lead instructor for CWR Firearms Training, based in Ames Iowa. Nate is an adjunct firearms instructor for the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. He holds instructor credentials in multiple disciplines through the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, the NRA, Strategos Int, Raider Training Group and Modern Samurai Project. Nate has dedicated his LE career to teaching.
Eric Snyder
Eric is a graduate of Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in Health and Fitness Management. Throughout his 18 years in law enforcement, he has drawn on this education to understand how the mind and body work together to accomplish a task. As an instructor, he uses these lessons to design training that will help the student develop their mind and body to prevail in a variety of situations and circumstances.
Eric has trained in several martial arts including Systema, Jiu-Jitsu, Hapkido, and Muay Thai with the philosophy that no one art does everything and all can be used for their strengths depending on the situation. Eric is a state-certified Defensive Tactics Instructor and holds instructor ratings for OC Aerosol Projectors (pepper spray), Taser, Defensive Knife, Expandable Baton, and Handcuffing. He is also a certified NRA instructor in the following disciplines: Pistol/Rifle/Personal Protection in the Home/Personal Protection Outside the Home. Eric is a member of the Izaak Walton League of America, National Rifle Association, National Tactical Officers Association, and the Iowa State Police Association.
Adam Dunlap
Adam has been a full-time paramedic for 17 years. He has vast experience in the emergency treatment and transport of the ill and injured, in rural, urban, and metropolitan environments. Adam has worked as a civilian paramedic in Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Denver Colorado, and currently is an active field medic for Mary Greeley’s Mobile Intensive Care Services, which is the 911 service for Ames. He is a State of Iowa EMS Instructor/Evaluator and has coordinated multiple EMT courses throughout Story County and Central Iowa. He is a graduate of the 80 hour International School of Tactical Medicine, held in Palm Springs, California, which is the only tactical medicine program sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security. Since 1995, only around 2000 medics have gone through this course. He is a graduate of the 40-hour Advanced Tactical Medical Essentials course held in Peoria Illinois. Adam has taught tactical medical skills to the Iowa State University Police Department, Story County Sheriff’s Office, Ames Fire Department, and many other First Responder groups in the community. Adam holds multiple certifications including Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Advanced Pediatric Life Support, and Advanced Burn Life Support.