Instructors

Mike McCloskey is the Director of Training and a instructor for Liberty Firearms Academy. He has been in the security, firearms, and self defense industry for over 15 years in various capacities from firearms instructor, self defense instructor, executive protection specialist, bodyguard, armed security contractor, bouncer, security consultant, threat assessment and vulnerability analysis specialist for corporations/schools/private residences, asset protector, and manager of security for companies.

During that time he had the opportunity to train and work with personnel from the FBI, ATF, DOD, SWAT, Law Enforcement, Special Forces and various military branches. He is an NRA Certified Firearms Instructor, NRA Certified Chief Range Safety Officer, UTM (simmunitions) Certified Instructor, & Hand to Hand Combatives Instructor.

Mike has spent his life protecting people and keeping people safe. His work and training background along with hard taught experiences has formed a unique protection mindset and skill set that he passes on to his clients and students so that they can keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

Dave Brazil is an instructor and Range Safety Officer (RSO) at Liberty Firearms Academy. He is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces E8 (Green Beret) with nearly 28 years of experience within U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), ultimately serving as a Special Forces Team Sergeant.

During his Special Forces career, Dave became instructor-qualified through the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School to teach Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat (SFAUC). His experience and instruction encompassed assault operations, sniper overwatch, reconnaissance planning, urban movement, and close-quarters battle. Dave is also a graduate of the Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC) and served as a trained Special Operations sniper.

His operational experience includes five deployments to Iraq, four deployments to Afghanistan, and 13 deployments throughout Africa since 2002. His work in Africa took him from the Ivory Coast to Somalia and South Africa, including training alongside South African Special Forces.

Throughout his career, Dave gained extensive experience in Small Unit Tactics (SUT) and trained alongside U.S. and international special operations units, including FBI HRT, Department of Energy HRT, and Norwegian Special Operations Forces.

Dave brings decades of operational, instructional, and leadership experience to LFA, with an emphasis on proven tactics, disciplined fundamentals, sound decision-making, and performance under pressure. He is also an NRA Certified Range Safety Officer.

Dave strongly believes that realistic, demanding training is essential to preparing people for situations in which their skills may truly matter. His training philosophy is summed up by the more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in reality as the comfort zone is simply decaying in place.

James Hovance is an instructor and range safety officer (RSO) at Liberty Firearms Academy. He joined the United States Marine Corps immediately after 9/11, serving 14 years and attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant. His multiple deployments took him to Iraq, Afghanistan, Okinawa, and the Philippines, where he trained and fought alongside coalition partners using a broad range of infantry weapons systems.

In Fallujah, he participated in intense door-to-door house-clearing operations, high-stakes urban combat that taught him critical lessons in room entry, threat discrimination, and surviving in confined, chaotic environments. This real-world experience directly informs his teaching, giving students practical, battle-tested insights they can trust.

A certified Combat Marksmanship Instructor for the Marine Corps, James is an expert with service pistols, rifles, machine guns, SMAW rockets, Javelin launchers, 60mm mortars, shotguns, M203/M32 grenade launchers, and more. He is also a trained Combat Lifesaver and Marine Corps Martial Arts Program graduate.

James is deeply committed to teaching safe, responsible firearm use and defensive skills in a professional, supportive environment, empowering students of all experience levels to protect themselves and their families.

Jordan Brooks is an instructor and range safety officer (RSO) at Liberty Firearms Academy. He is a 5-year Veteran of the United States Marine Crops with multiple deployments overseas, during time of service he learned several different weapons platforms, trained in MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program) and served on a QRF team in Afghanistan.

After serving our Country Jordan wanted to give back to the community he grew up in and continue to serve and protect the citizens by becoming a Law Enforcement Officer.

Jordan is a NRA Certified Firearms Instructor and also a Certified Firearms Instructor with the Maine Criminal Justice Academy with over 10 years of experience in Law Enforcement. Jordan also works for a private contracting company providing armed security for multi-million dollar assets and high-ranking officials.

He believes it is necessary for anyone who picks up a weapon, to receive proper training and continue to train in any and all conditions that make them feel uncomfortable, because when you need it most in a life or death situation you will always revert back to your training.

Troy is an instructor and range safety officer (RSO) at Liberty Firearms Academy.

With over 10 years Law Enforcement experience, he is an asset to our team. He is a full time Law Enforcement Officer in Western Maine and has also worked for the Maine State Prison. During this time he has become a use of force instructor and a taser instructor for law enforcement. He is a NRA Certified Range Safety Officer and an USCCA Certified Range Safety Officer.

Troy has trained extensively with AK and AR platforms, Conceal Carry Pistol, Tactical Pistol, Pistol Combatives and a has background in MMA & Ju-Jitsu. He is one the few law enforcement officers qualified to carry his AK as his duty rifle. His professional expertise gives him a unique perspective and insight that he transfers to our LFA clients.

Troy believes that responsible adults should be armed and properly trained to protect themselves and their loved ones from a violent attack. He fully understands that Law Enforcement can not be everywhere at once and you have to be able to keep yourself and loved ones alive until Law Enforcement can get there.

Nathan Geisser is an instructor and range safety officer (RSO) at Liberty Firearms Academy. He served 4 years in the United States Marine Corps as a Reconnaissance Marine. He deployed with 3rd Recon Bn two times. Once to Southeast Asia and later to Afghanistan.

While deployed in Afghanistan his unit was in contact with the Taliban for over 130 consecutive days. His platoon had declared a Troops In Contact while fighting their way out of a U shaped ambush for six hours. They received incoming RPGs, heavy machine gun fire, mortars and small arms fire. They also conducted many raids, cleared entire villages and supported higher tier units.

Nathan has extensive firearms training with many weapons platforms and attended numerous classes to include a pre-sniper course in Okinawa, an Urban SOTG course, a Tactical Combat Casualty Care course. He also trained and worked alongside Filipino Recon Marines, Afghani Commando Units and the Singapore Naval Dive Unit.

After the military he focused on EMT-B training then became an elementary school teacher focusing on early childhood development. Through this he has learned better ways to communicate with students and adjust his teaching style and lessons so that the objectives are attainable.