In Honor of TLG

Todd Louis Green
September 22, 1970 to March 15, 2016

Todd was born on September 22, 1970 in Kingston, New York but he’d say his heart was always in Texas, where he spent many of his formative years. In his youth, he was active in student government, Aikido, and as a drummer in the marching band. Todd obtained his Bachelor of Science in Communications from Cornell University, where he met and fell in love with his wife, Kimberly.

Todd earned his Juris Doctor from The Catholic University of America where his life’s direction was forever changed by a group of guys he met on the first day of law school. Together, they founded CUA’s Military Law Student Association, visited shooting ranges, and went skydiving. Todd never looked back. During law school, Todd truly became involved in pistol shooting while working at the Washington DC U.S. Attorney’s Office Violent Crime Section. Over the next few years hobby became profession, beginning as a range officer and instructor at the NRA Headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia in 1997.

Joining the firearms industry, Todd spent three years as the Law Enforcement Operations Manager at Beretta USA where he oversaw the Beretta Training Academy and competed as part of the Beretta Elite Team in both USPSA and IDPA competitions. Todd next worked as the Federal & Military Projects Manager at SIG-Sauer (then SIGARMS) where he also taught SIG Academy classes and shot as a member of the SIG action pistol team.

Over the years Todd accumulated more than 1,100 hours of formal firearms training from such schools and trainers as Ken Hackathorn, Ernest Langdon, SIG Academy, and Blackwater/USTC. He graduated Advanced four times from the prestigious Rogers Shooting School and earned two of their highly coveted Top Shooter “red pins.” Todd was a graduate of the NRA Law Enforcement Advanced Tactical Pistol Instructor Development School, a certified NRA instructor & range officer, and certified Simunition Force-on-Force instructor.

While never in the military or law enforcement himself, Todd was an invited instructor at the US Military Academy West Point, DEA Academy, Federal Air Marshals, US Department of State Diplomatic Security, and various other military, federal, and local law enforcement academies and ranges across the US. He was a many-times presenter at national and regional International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor and National Tactical Officers Association conferences. From 2009 to 2010, Todd was the consultant to the ATF New Weapon Solicitation, the largest non-military firearms procurement in U.S. history. Todd played a key role in developing the specifications and test protocols that led to $80M worth of pistol contract awards.

Beginning in 2007, Todd founded pistol-training.com. As Chief Instructor and owner he provided training and consulting services to military, law enforcement, and qualified private citizens across the country. Through pistol-training.com Todd also became well known for partnering with major firearms manufacturers to complete high-round count pistol endurance tests.

As a firearms instructor, Todd was fortunate to travel the country teaching civilians and law enforcement alike and building many lasting friendships. In high demand and well-respected, he was a skilled diagnostician who helped build confidence and skill in his students, while always encouraging them to “train hard and stay safe.”

Todd is also known for fierce advocacy of the Second Amendment, promoting safe and responsible appendix carry, his firearms endurance tests and the F.A.S.T drill, as well as being the co-inventor of The Gadget safety device. Though instructing others was his profession, he was also a dedicated student, devoting much effort to refining his skills and craft through many firearms schools, as well as driving and knife classes, armorer certifications, and emergency medical training. His love of learning and debate spurred him to found pistol-forum.com.

Todd was a patriot and thankful for and humbled by the sacrifices made by our military and law enforcement professionals every day. He went to the range as much as Beltway traffic allowed and could always be found helping those on the line at the NRA Range or Elite Shooting Sports.

He was also a skilled photographer, an avid Xbox player, a watch collector, and a huge fan of the TV series “Archer” (the impetus for his Rampage for the Cure – http://rampageforthecure.org/). He loved to drive fast. Todd was smart, quick-witted, loyal, honest, generous, and had the most wonderfully infectious laugh. He loved the color orange, science fiction, two scoops of hot salsa on his Chipotle burrito, and 80s music. A day on the range, a meal with friends, a walk in the woods with Kimberly and Freyja the simple things in life made him happy.

On Tuesday, March 15, 2016, Todd Louis Green of Rockville, Maryland passed away following a decade-long battle with cancer. He endured more than most would or could, driven by his fierce dedication to his wife, family, friends, and the firearms community. His generous spirit, wit, humor, and positive outlook shined through until the last days of his life.

Todd was the dedicated and beloved husband, soul mate, best friend, and one true love (yes, that is a reference to The Princess Bride) of Kimberly Green. Together for nearly 25 years, they shared a life filled with friendship, happiness, enduring support, and so much love. He is missed by many.

Train hard & stay safe! 

Todd’s Classes

Todd’s class schedule was intense and focused. See below for the list of courses, workshops, and training sessions he offered as well as reviews.

Get SOM

Get SOM (Shooting On the Move) is a fast-paced one-day program devoted entirely to the fast and accurate operation of a handgun while moving. The class begins with fundamental techniques and progresses to topics such as changing direction, moving around barriers, and dealing with various hazards in a 360-degree world. Each student will have an opportunity to learn how speed of movement impacts speed of shooting and learn simple techniques to maximize proficiency under a variety of challenging circumstances.

Speed Kills

Speed Kills is a one-day program about the intersection of speed and accuracy. Drills focus entirely on the ability to hit small, distant, and low-probability targets with confidence and surgical precision. Unlike typical marksmanship classes, however, Speed Kills will push shooters to make these difficult shots quickly and under stress. One-on-one diagnosis allows each student to learn at his own pace toward the goal of making the tough shot when time is not on your side.

Judgment Day

Judgment Day is all about comparing yourself to other shooters around the world. It is an opportunity for you to shoot some of the most well-known tests, qualifications, and standards. From simple drills like the F.A.S.T. and El Presidente to law enforcement qualifications and beyond, each shooter will go through a number of tests in a one-day format that will provide an excellent baseline to measure overall skill.

Each drill will be preceded by tips on how to get the most out of your performance. Some drills will also be videotaped so you can review your technique in first person. And of course, there will be prizes for the top scores!

Fast Fundamentals

Fast Fundamentals is designed to take existing shooters with little formal training and provide them with the ability and knowledge necessary to operate their pistols with skill. Class will cover fundamentals such as:

  • firearms safety on and off the range
  • improving marksmanship two-handed and one-handed
  • safe and efficient use of a holster
  • proper reloading technique
  • clearing malfunctions

Appendix Carry Workshop – ACW

A.C.W. is a dedicated one-day workshop focused on the benefits and peculiarities of carrying a pistol in an appendix inside-the-waistband (AIWB) holster.

Specific techniques that will be covered include draw, reload, and malfunction clearance two-handed as well as both strong- and weak-hand only.

Safety, concealment, close-range shooting, and basic weapons retention will also be discussed and practiced.

Aim Fast Hit Fast – AFHF

Aim Fast, Hit Fast is intended to pick up where most marksmanship training ends. All shooting involves a balance between accuracy and speed. Off the practice range, a shooter does not get to choose how much time he will get to break a shot … shooting becomes reactive and speed is determined by the situation rather than comfort or habit. The goal of this class is twofold. First, to understand the critical balance between accuracy and speed for each individual shooter. Second, to improve each shooter’s ability to deliver accurate, rapid-fire in shorter timeframes to maximize his effectiveness shooting a pistol under stress. Skills to be covered include marksmanship, presentation from the holster, reloads, multiple targets, and shooting on the move.

Practical Handgun Instructor Development – PHID

Practical Handgun Instructor Development is a three-day workshop that deals with not just the “how” but also the “why” of practical handgun shooting techniques. PHID is focused on pedagogy rather than ideology, intended for those seeking to develop their teaching skills with proven methods used by some of the most highly respected training programs in the country. Class topics will include:

  • realistic lesson plan development
  • maintaining range safety
  • efficient and cost-effective range setup
  • teaching with confidence and competence
  • diagnosing and correcting shooter deficiencies
  • developmental techniques for struggling shooters
  • the use of both dry fire and live fire in an effective training environment

Concealed Carry Skills

Concealed Carry Skills is focused on the private citizen or law enforcement officer who primarily carries a handgun concealed. Concealed Carry Skills revolves around the practical skills that are necessary for proper carriage and use of a concealed pistol. Topics include the draw and reload, malfunction clearances, use of cover at speed, target identification, and post-shooting habits. Students will be given an opportunity to learn the mechanics of the various techniques and will then be pushed to apply those skills at speed under stress.

Control Under Simulated Stress – C.U.S.S.

Learning pistol fundamentals is best done under relaxed, encouraging conditions. This class, however, is not about learning pistol fundamentals. And it is definitely not about relaxed, encouraging conditions. Historically, trainers have used physical hardship to induce stress on students. However, physical exhaustion is nothing like the mental trauma that soldiers, police officers, and others report after being in a life-or-death confrontation. CUSS will place students under a variety of stressful situations with actual real-world consequences for mistakes and failure.

The class will include stress drills, problem-solving, and man-on-man competitions. Every single exercise will have some kind of penalty for failure. Every time you fire your pistol, there will be a cost associated with failure.

Monthly Practice Sessions with Todd

Ever get the feeling that your time at the range is not leading to as much improvement as it should? You want to get better, but don’t have time to travel somewhere to take a class all weekend long.

Each month, the three-hour Practice Session will cover one or two specific pistol skills in great detail. It’s not a class, it’s a genuine practice session. Our experienced NRA-certified instructors will teach you the right way to do it and then guide you through many different drills to work on the same skill multiple ways. You will receive personal one-on-one coaching throughout the session so that you are a better shooter by the end of the night.

Each session will end with an informal competition among the participants and a discussion of ways you, as a shooter, can work on the skills we’ve covered during your own practice.

Class Reviews

2012

Aim Fast Hit Fast

Aim Fast Hit Small

Concealed Carry Skills

2011

2010

1 comment

  1. I miss Todd and his friendship greatly. I was one of his FAST and AFHF lab rats and humbled to be a training partner and friend. Not a week goes by that he’s not on my mind. His influence lasts in my shooting, jokes, and watches to this day.

    BP

    Reply

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