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Our team

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Damian knight

CEO, Founder, Instructor of Long Range, CQB, Foreign Weapons, and security tactics.

Damian served for 5 and a half years in the United States Marine Corps infantry, ending his active duty service in 2018 as a Sergeant. He was a Scout Sniper team member, designated marksman instructor, CQB team leader, Foreign Weapons Instructor, and Combat Marksmanship Coach. After returning from a deployment to Australia, he was in charge of a 10 man training Cadre, in charge of designing and implementing firearms training to all of 7th Marine Regiment in 29 Palms, California. During his time there, he trained over 10,000 service members on how to safely and accurately handle weapons, ranging from the M9 to the M2 machine gun, to every service weapon in between.

Shortly after ending his active service, he enlisted into the National Guard, where he has been attached to multiple Special Forces units, as well as the 2/54th Security Forces Advisory Brigade. In 2020, he deployed to the Middle East in support of the Diplomatic Security Mission as a Defensive Designated Marksman and Defensive Designated Marksman Instructor. 

Damian has also placed top 5% in multiple shooting competitions, ranging from Paris Island’s annual Intramural Shoot to International Sniper Competitions of the Australian Army Skills At Arms Match.

Marine Corps and Army Certifications:

  • Close Quarters Battle (8154);

  • Marine Security Forces Designated Marksman Instructor;

  • Foreign Weapons Instructor;

  • Combat Marksmanship Coach;

  • Pre-Scout Sniper

  • Marine Corps Martial Arts instructor Black Belt 1st Degree.

  • Marine Corps Combat Instructor of Water Survival (MCIWS);

  • NORFORCE Australian Special Forces Survival Course;

  • Evasion Conduct After Capture;

  • Marine Security force Guard;

  • Marine Rifleman (0311).

Department of state certifications:

  • Protective Security Specialist;

  • Defensive Designated Marksman;

  • Basic Field Firearms Officer;

  • Defensive Designated Marksman Firearms Instructor.

National rifle association

Pistol Instructor

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Francis Santore

COO of the Apex Long Range Division, Co-Founder, Sniper Instructor, Long Range Curriculum Developer

Francis is an active duty Marine currently stationed in Camp Lejeune, NC. As of 2021, Santore has served for 7 years, and is currently an Urban Scout Sniper Course and Aerial Sniper Course instructor, at II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG). Prior to his instructor billet, Francis was the Chief Scout Sniper of 3rd Battalion 6th Marines, a Scout Sniper Team Leader in 3rd Battalion 4th Marines, and the Scout Sniper Liaison for the 7th Marine Regiment Gunner’s Cadre. In the Marine Scout Sniper Community, he is referred to as a “Razorback,” because he has attended and graduated from all five Sniper Courses that the Marine Corps has to offer, including: Scout Sniper Course, Scout Sniper Advanced Course, Mountain Scout Sniper Course, Urban Scout Sniper Course, and Aerial Sniper Course.

Marine Corps Certifications:

  • Scout Sniper Course;

  • Mountain Scout Sniper Course;

  • Scout Sniper Advanced Course;

  • Urban Scout Sniper Course;

  • Aerial Sniper Course;

  • Combat Marksmanship Coach;

  • Combat Marksmanship Instructor.

  • Reconnaissance Training and Assessment Program;

  • MARSOC Assessment and Selection (Selected);

  • Marine Corps Combat Instructor of Water Survival (MCIWS);

  • Small Unmanned Aircraft System Operator (SUAS-O);

  • NORFORCE Australian Special Forces Survival Course;

  • Norwegian Arctic Survival and Snowmobile.

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Josiah Kirby

Director of Regional Expansion, Co-Founder, Marksmanship Instructor and Security Consultant, 

Josiah grew up as a pastor's son within a non-denominational christian church located in Marietta, GA. Instead of accepting University offers for collegiate track athletic scholarships, Josiah decided to join the United States Marine Corps. He served 5 years in the Marine Infantry, beginning at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, and ending active service at 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines Camp Pendleton in 2019. While under the Security Forces Personnel Reliability Program, he served with the Alpha and Bravo Company Guard Force. Josiah then advanced into the CQB Platoon as the Recapture Tactics Team, maintaining security of  United States Nuclear weapons. He deployed with 2/5 Fox Company into the Pacific in 2018 for humanitarian aid and reactionary force, conducting extensive exercises for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. 

After his active duty service, Josiah was occupied with civil engineering as a surveyor across the state of Georgia. He then turned down the opportunity of Embassy Security Contracting with the Department of State in order to work for one of the largest suppressor manufacturers in the country.

Marine Corps Certifications:

  • Close Quarters Battle(8154); 

  • Basic Security Guard(8152);

  • Infantry Rifleman(0311);

  • Corporals Course Leadership Development;

  • Helicopter Underwater Egress Training;

  • Mountain Warfare Training; 

  • Marine Basic Instructor Course.

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Doc Storm

Tactical Medicine Instructor and Security Consultant

Gabriel (DOC) Storm Walke, served in the US Navy from 2012-2021. In 2013, Walke's first duty station was the Naval hospital in Camp Lejeune, NC, where he started his medical career working on critical patients within the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

In 2017, he deployed to Afghanistan, treating patients within a level 1 Trauma center for the region. Simultaneously, Walke was also the enlisted security manager for the site, as well as part of the Personnel Security Detail providing security during patient movements. Following his deployment in 2018, he was assigned to v1/3 weapons company, where he conducted multiple training operations and deployments, including DoS Joint Exercises and a multitude of International Joint Training operations in Japan and Korea. In these roles, Walke served as a field corpsman with a CAAT Platoon (Combined Anti-Armor Team) before being selected to be the DOC for 1/3 Scout Sniper (STA) platoon.

For Walke's final duty before retiring from service, he took over as the regimental training officer, where he lead Tactical Combat Casualty Care as an instructor for 3rd Marine Regiment. In this role, he established a regional training facility for a wide variety of training courses.

US Navy Certifications:

  • FLEET MARINE FORCES Warfare Qualified;

  • Tactical Combat Casualty Care- Instructor;

  • Trauma Simulation Instructor;

  • Navy Expeditionary Medical Training Institute (NEMTI) Graduate.

US Army Certification:

  • Individual Augmentee Combat Training.

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