Tactics And Training
55 Defense – Montana
Veteran-led self-defense training for the responsibly armed citizen
📅
✍️By ZRIntel Editorial Team📍Montana
55 Defense ( is a Montana-based training organization founded and led by veterans Ian Mena-Wieland and Randy England, offering self-defense education grounded in both mindset and practical tactics. Their mission is clear: help everyday people gain the confidence and skills to prevail under threat. Ian Mena-Wieland brings experience from military police deployments in Iraq and law enforcement roles, coupled with formal training in criminology and firearms instruction. Randy England is a former Army National Guard infantryman with combat deployments, NRA pistol and RSO certifications, and Montana firearms instructor licensing. Together, they apply combat-tested techniques to civilian scenarios. 55 Defense structures its live training into progressive modules known as Practical Carry levelsPractical Carry 1 through 4. Practical Carry 2, for example, emphasizes problem-solving under fire: students work through reloads, fix malfunctions, and train mindset live-fire drills in small, capped classes for deeper instruction. Beyond hands-on instruction, the site hosts a training tips section filled with live-fire drillsincluding those sourced from industry experts like Ken Hackathorn and Pat McNamaradesigned for skill building and mindset development. As Ian puts it, When the time comes, we no longer have time to get more training Hone your tools ahead of time. Randy echoes this ethos: The harder you push yourself and the more sweat you sacrifice during correct training, the more prepared you will be you will thank yourself for keeping yourself prepared. To explore course levels, instructor bios, or training schedules, visit Know a coach or range that deserves to be featured? Submit here: Follow ZRIntel for daily coverage of firearm training innovations and community stories. Featured in this article? Let us know well highlight your repost on our feed!