Rick Pere stands out as a highly accomplished firearms instructor, trainer, and security expert based in Round Lake, Illinois, with a career spanning more than 53 years across military service, law enforcement, and private-sector training. A retired U.S. Army Airborne Infantry Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) and former police officer, Pere continues to serve as a master firearms instructor, training military contractors, law enforcement personnel, security professionals, and civilians in defensive tactics, leadership, and precision marksmanship.
Pere’s military career forms the foundation of his professional identity. He served 38 years in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Infantry NCO, including assignments with elite airborne units such as the 82nd Airborne Division. His service included time with the 4th Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment (1986–1988), 1st Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment (1992–1994), and 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (1997–2000). His operational deployments included missions to Saudi Arabia and Haiti in both combat and humanitarian roles.
From 1988 to 1992, Pere served as a Basic Airborne Instructor with the 1st Battalion, 507th Airborne Infantry Regiment, where he trained paratroopers in airborne operations, jump procedures, and safety protocols. He later advanced into senior leadership roles, serving as a Senior Drill Sergeant and First Sergeant at Fort Jackson from 2000 to 2002, where he was responsible for shaping and mentoring new Army recruits.
Pere’s capstone military assignment was as First Sergeant of Battle Company, 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Italy. In this role, he deployed to Kosovo and later participated in a historic combat parachute assault into Iraq at the Bashur Drop Zone during Operation Iraqi Freedom I in March 2003. He remained deployed in Iraq until February 2004. His specialized military training includes chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) defense, counter–Islamic terrorism operations, and certification as a U.S. Air Force Military Munitions and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician.
In parallel with his military service, Pere built a distinguished law enforcement career in the Chicago metropolitan area. From 1984 to 1986, he served as a Police Officer and Range Master with the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Police Department, operating in high-risk public housing environments. He later served as a Sheriff’s Deputy with the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, where he worked in court security, criminal investigations, and instructional roles within the court services academy.
Pere holds extensive Illinois state law enforcement certifications, including Peace Officer, Correctional Officer, Investigator, Homicide Investigator, Field Training Officer (FTO), and Master Police Firearms Instructor. He is also a National Rifle Association (NRA) Firearms Instructor and Chief Range Safety Officer.
As an instructor, Pere is certified by the State of Illinois in weapons handling, handgun, tactical rifle, and tactical shotgun instruction, and is approved by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board for police academy instruction. He is qualified to teach Utah and Florida Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) courses and has completed advanced training through Defense Training International (DTI) in SWAT and tactical operations, high-risk incident management, leadership development, and close-quarters battle (CQB).
Professionally, Pere has served since 1995 as Principal and Tactical Firearms Instructor with The Personal Protection Group, where he teaches handgun, rifle, shotgun, submachine gun, and long-range marksmanship courses. He is a certified armorer for Glock, Springfield Armory pistols, 1911-pattern firearms, M1A rifles, and Smith & Wesson M&P-15 platforms. Since 2010, he has instructed at McHenry Combat Center and Fortress Defense, providing firearms, CCW, CQB, and police/security certification training. He also serves as Principal Instructor at S.O.I. and as Lead Weapons Instructor at QRF.
Internationally, Pere contributed to the Baghdad Police Academy in Iraq, where he trained police recruits, developed instructional curricula, and assisted with site security during active insurgency conditions.
Pere holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He maintains an active U.S. Department of Defense Secret security clearance and continues to reside in Round Lake, Illinois. His personal interests include military history, Holocaust studies, and Middle Eastern liaison efforts, reflecting a lifelong commitment to understanding conflict, leadership, and resilience.
Rick Pere represents the highest tier of instructor credibility—built on decades of airborne combat leadership, high-risk law enforcement service, and sustained instructional excellence. His career underscores the enduring value of experience-driven training rooted in real-world operational environments rather than theory or influence.