SEMINAR Registration Form
Location & Date: Gilbert, AZ (Location TBA), September 17-18, 2024
Understanding the Terrain: An Overview of Brain-Based Tactical Training Design (2 Day Version)
**LE/MIL Only**
PROGRAM IS LIMITED TO 24 PARTICIPANTS. PRIORITY GIVEN TO ACTIVE LE/MIL INSTRUCTORS AND POLICY MAKERS.
Course Description: This two-day seminar (lecture plus NURO System familiarization and live-fire validation) surveys the latest in methods, concepts and tools for neuroscience-based firearms and use-of-force training. Attendees will gain an understanding of how the human brain learns, where traditional training methods fall short and why, as well as several high-level strategies to improve training efficiency along with student retention, skill performance, awareness, decision-making and de-escalation ability. Live-fire exercises will include use of Building Shooters’ revolutionary new NURO® Shooting System (Patent Pending), a set of sensory stimulation and performance-measurement tools that are optimized for firearms and tactical training applications.
About the Instructor: Dustin Salomon is a former naval officer and author of the acclaimed book Building Shooters: Applying Neuroscience Research to Tactical Training System Design and Training Delivery, as well as Hitting in Combat, Mentoring Shooters, and four other books about the application of neuroscience and psychology research to training design. Dustin designed and ran the security and weapons training programs at two military commands, is an NRA certified Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor and has conducted 20 overseas deployments (including two afloat). Dustin’s books are on many industry reading lists and are also in use as curriculum guides and instructor texts by numerous local, State, and Federal agencies. In 2022 Dustin helped New York State’s DCJS re-write its state-wide police recruit firearms curriculum from the ground up and is currently engaged with numerous law enforcement agencies and other organizations as a consultant in the field of firearms training design. Dustin has spoken at the FBI Firearms Instructor Conference, the Georgia Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor’s Conference, the DEA Firearms Instructor School, the New York DCJS Firearms Instructor Workshop, the annual New York Department of Public Safety Criminal Justice Symposium, and the annual Force Science Institute Conference. He has a Bachelors of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy, a Masters Degree in Security Management, and is an ASIS Certified Protection Professional.
Cost: $300
Registration and Selection: Please register using the webform below. We will select attendees subject to eligibility on a first come, first serve basis. Selected attendees will be emailed payment details.
Please note that we highly recommend using a personal email in our webform, or including one in the comments section. Many municipal IT department firewalls block our emails and prevent us from responding to you altogether. You will not be added to our newsletter by submitting this webform and we do not share or sell your contact information.
Payment: Payment portal will be provided to program participants after registration and selection. **Note: No refunds will be issued within 14 days of the event. Any refunds issued prior to 14 days will be less a 5% processing fee.**
Prerequisites: The ability to safely handle live weapons in a professional training environment (highly preferred). Any participants (e.g., counsel or civilian administration) who may not possess adequate firearms skills will be asked to sit out some live fire events.
Required Equipment: Handgun, holster, 400 rounds of factory ammunition, eye/ear protection. This training will occur at an indoor, climate controlled range and classroom. Please note that this facility requires lead-free frangible ammunition.
Optional Equipment: Dryfire aid (e.g. Dryfiremag) is recommended. Patrol rifle. (Please note ammunition restrictions above.)
Anticipated Start Time: 9:00am on both days.
Location: Will be provided to program participants along with additional details after successful registration, selection, and payment processing.
Please Note: This is not a shooting or tactics class. This seminar is intended for an audience of professional firearms and tactics instructors. Any person without the prerequisite skill necessary to conduct any live fire exercise safely will be asked to sit out that event. Any participants who exhibit unsafe / questionable behavior based solely on the professional judgement of the host(s) and/or instructor(s) will be asked to leave.
Seminar Testimonials
“I have read all of the books and it has really opened my eyes as a trainer on what we need to be doing to make things stick. I have taught Law Enforcement and Fire Personnel for the last 15 years in a variety of topics and wondered why students weren’t retaining very basic knowledge. Listening to Dustin after reading all of the books gave me a better understanding than just reading the books alone. Dustin did a great job of answering any questions thrown his way. I think as trainers we believe students know more than what they actually do so we don’t break it down as far as we should. Dustin’s method of Brain Based Training will really help bridge the gap between what trainers think students know and what they actually do. In turn we can build and adapt upon the neuro pathways we are creating and expanding on in the training environments which in the end will make us and our student better performers when faced with real life decisions.”
-Chad B.
“Building Shooters is the foundation for needed improvements in firearms training. Brain-based analysis has served to explain the persistent performance problems seen in training and the field and improve the delivery of skills training. NURO provides the means for improving decision-making and de-escalation. In a state-wide academy program, firearms, defensive tactics, and other skills have seen tangible improvement.”
-Art Aplan, State Academy Training Coordinator
“Dustin brings powerful evidence that what many of us have done in the past was wrong and even counterproductive. In a field where science and tactics have not gotten much past the point of flirtation, he brings key insight into the retention and recall of critical information for the first responder.”
-Trevor Thrasher, 88 Tactical, Trainer / SWAT / Special Forces
“In the firearms’ training arena, I have heard that many ideas are on a 15-year cycle, where the latest feature or technique has usually been tried in the past and likely dismissed for cause. More clearly stated, ‘there is no new thing under the sun.’ I contend the ‘Building Shooters’ training system stands alone in the realm of Military and LE training as it is a truly innovative method to train people using proven methods that are tailored to how our brains learn. If properly implemented, these concepts will produce more effective skills retention and improved utilization of training time. Agencies that acknowledge that we can do better than ‘how we have always done it’ will greatly benefit from this system.”
-Ken S., CMSgt (Ret), USAF Security Forces
“This program challenges many generally held beliefs related to law enforcement shooting and tactical training which have been taught for decades across the country. So often this legacy training has done a disservice to law enforcement officers by not properly developing the necessary mental structures which will best serve them in high-stress situations they encounter on the job. The Building Shooters system should be integrated into all skill building learning programs starting in police academies and throughout each law enforcement officer’s career.”
– Sgt. Jake Witt, Lead Firearms Instructor / SWAT Team Leader – 110 officer agency