“The reason we get up every day and do what we do is that we believe everyone deserves to feel safe, whether that is protecting yourself from bears in the wilderness, to bullies in the workplace, or an intruder in your home,” says Chris Forrest, who founded TACTIC in 2009 based on his extensive background as a Navy SEAL and as an overseas contractor.
“Our mission is to leave people better than we find them,” adds his wife Kate, who helps Chris run the operation that consist of public and private classes, a private gun club on a 300-acre range just 10 minutes from town, a security wing that provides executive protection and an event space that hosts free weddings, community concerts and events.
Most recently TACTIC started FORGED in MT, a leadership training school that has brought over 2000 leaders from all over the country to Montana.
“There is nothing that builds a team better than learning a new skill together, so the first day everyone is taught the 8 fundamentals of shooting a firearm,” says Chris. With a one-to-one student-instructor ratio, clients not only feel safe, but excel and can confidentially shoot a 7” target at 50’ distance by the end of the day. They also learn powerful tools in leadership including how to effectively lead a debrief, the power of empathy and the golden question of customer service.
“My husband’s gift is taking a complex subject like shooting a firearm safely and simplifying it, so people learn the skill being taught,” says Kate. She adds, “and he does it in a way where people feel empowered so that by the end of the day people leave with a ‘I got this’ mindset to tackle other harder things in life.”
Joe Dwyer, who has worked as one of TACTIC’s instructors since 2018 says, “Chris is one of the few people I’ve met that really embodies a stoic philosophy in both his personal and work life—he is one of the most loyal and forgiving people I know, but also inspires an environment of excellence where his team has the space and ability to grow, and not only rise to his expectations within TACTIC, but in life.”
MAY IS LADIES’ MONTH AT TACTIC
Whether it is learning how to shoot a firearm, or how to protect yourself from a predator in the woods, TACTIC offers several classes just for ladies.
- May 2nd, Ladies Only Handgun 1
- May 9th, Ladies Only Carbine 1
- May 16th, Winning with Words
- May 23rd, Avoiding Violence
- May 30th, “Surviving a Grizzly Bear Attack”
- June 6th, Ladies Only Handgun 1
Ask Kate what her favorite class is, and she will say hands down, Avoiding Violence. “It’s a course that teaches people what a creepy person will say or do before they commit a violent crime so that you know what to say and do to be a hard target. I am passionate about this class because this material would have saved me from a sexual harassment situation in my twenties.”
Another similar class is TACTIC’s Winning with Words class that teaches 11 techniques for de-escalating conflict when encountering difficult, awkward and unsafe situations. Both classes cost $225 and are about 6 hours in length.
NOT PERFECT BUT PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER
TACTIC was started after Chris deployed three times to Persian Gulf from SEAL Team One, and five times to Afghanistan as a Protective Security Specialist. He missed having community and being there for his wife and 4 kids back at home. However, once TACTIC started to build momentum it was clear that he could not do it alone.
“My wife is the one who runs things behind the scenes and keeps me organized,” says Chris. Both would agree they are complete opposites when it comes to their personalities, but that’s what makes them a great team.
“We have found that whether it’s writing an email or planning a new course, we always end up with a better product if we collaborate,” says Kate. The combination of Kate’s gift of hospitality and organization with Chris’ ability to teach and lead a team makes them a dynamic team.
Just visit their 300-acre gun range 10 minutes from four corners and you’ll see a unique blend of both. The TACTIC range has up to 300+- AR500 steel targets and some that are over a mile from the firing line with specific bays for Long Range, Carbine, Practical Rifle, Handgun, Shotgun as well as some other exciting experiences. With a limited number of spots, they find that there is a waitlist every year of people wanting to join their private gun club that offers training and other benefits to their members.
While the gun range is Chris’ dream, it’s the space on top that excites Kate the most. “One of the core values at TACTIC is to help people discover the dream that God has planted in their hearts," she says. "After a while of doing this for others, I decided I better figure out what MY dream is!”
That’s when EPIC SKIES was born. A unique event space where Kate says she hopes to blend, “truth, beauty, and goodness thru practicum’s, plays and performances.” Just a few years into her dream, Kate says they now offer a 50-person pavilion, an outdoor amphitheater, and most recently flushable toilets! Her hope is to have a main hall someday where she can bring back community dances, the kind like her grandpa met her grandma at! Each summer EPIC SKIES host free community concerts that you can find out about by visiting their Facebook page.
Whether you take in one of EPIC SKIES’ free concerts or sign up for a TACTIC training at TACTICMT.com you’ll discover a team of people who love doing what they do and want to see others do the same.