Original Company Founders

Chris Grollnek | Founder and Chairman

Former Chairman / Executive Director of the National Advisory Commission

Internationally Recognized Domestic Terrorism and Active Shooter Prevention Expert

Active Shooter Prevention Expert, Chris Grollnek has spent his life as the embodiment of protection to his country, community, and his family. In his extensive experience, Chris has persistently sought to provide superior expertise and recognized leadership in an impressive array of professional, public, and personal endeavors.

Active Shooter Media Correspondent
Internationally Recognized Domestic Terrorism and Active Shooter Prevention Expert

Chris, with his typical life-without-margins approach, enlisted as a proud member of the United States Marine Corps, quickly distinguishing himself as a Staff Non-commissioned Officer serving as Master Instructor, Weapons Expert, Close Combat Instructor, and Senior Drill Instructor. In 1998, Chris was selected as the Assistant to the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps Detachment, Curriculum Developer for eight formal schools, Aberdeen Proving Grounds.

Resulting from a medical condition obtained during overseas service to his country, Chris was honorably discharged in 2000 and was categorized as a Disabled Veteran by the Veterans Administration (V.A.). While awaiting V.A.’s classification, Chris joined the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion in San Antonio, Texas, serving as Reserve Battalion Operations Chief. He simultaneously began assisting Perot Systems as part of their Personal Protection Team.

Chris moved to McKinney, Texas, and expanded his professional horizons to enter law enforcement and complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Management Studies. For nine years, Chris consistently distinguished himself by performing selected assignments in the law enforcement community.

In addition to early patrol duties, Chris quickly advanced to such positions as Undercover Narcotics Detective, Gang Investigator, and Law Enforcement Trainer. Chris served over six years on the department’s elite tactical unit, “SWAT” as a Member of the Entry Team, a Tactics Instructor, and a Firearms and Shotgun Breaching Instructor. In 2012, Chris honorably retired from the police department, finishing his career as a Patrol Supervisor. His law enforcement accomplishments include Police Shield, 3 Merit Awards, 2 Unit Commendations, Civic Achievement Award, and Field Training Officer Recognition.

With such a remarkable array of ability, experience, and recognition, it is not surprising that Chris has been sought out as a consultant at the local, state, and national levels. In 2002, Chris was invited to Washington D. C. to testify at the Hart Senate Office Building to representatives of the Senate Ways and Means Committee on the needs of Counter-Terrorism Training. The Washington Times and other print sources have utilized Chris’ expertise in articles regarding active shooter events and counter-terrorism. Chris has also been interviewed extensively and has appeared in a live Court T. V. broadcast in 2006 alongside a Texas SWAT team in the rescue of an imperiled confidential informant. In 2007 and 2008, Chris was invited to teach at the Regional Counter-Drug Training Academy (RCTA) Meridian, MS, Naval Air Station.

With the escalation of active shooter incidents and workplace violence, Chris Grollnek commits his expertise in the fields of Active Shooter Prevention and Training for Response and Management of situations. Chris Grollnek finished his Master of Science Degree with an emphasis in Active Shooter Events and the evolution of incidents.   Chris was inducted into the National Honors Society in March 2012.

Chris Butler

CEO| Butler Tactical

Chris Butler CEO| Butler Tactical

A veteran of the U.S. Army Mr. Butler has twenty-one years of combined military and government services industry. Mr. Butler specializes in dynamic, kinetic training solutions for DOD, DHS, and LE EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Operators. He currently freelances as an EOD advisor, training instructor, and equipment designer.

Mr. Butler has extensive experience in a variety of foreign nations, specifically Middle Eastern nations (Iraq and Afghanistan). Mr. Butler is well versed in EOD operations, team building, and training of individuals and groups with an emphasis on Applied Explosives Technologies, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), Post Blast Investigations and Counter-terrorism techniques.

The majority of Mr. Butler’s military career was spent in the 1st Special Forces Detachment-Delta focused on Strategic Reconnaissance, Direct Action, Counter-Terrorism, Foreign Internal Defense, and Unconventional Warfare. He has extensive knowledge in the fields of personal protection and counter-proliferation of WMDs.

Mr. Butler left the military in 2003 and was on the initial Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Task Force, working directly for the G3 of the army. As an EOD subject matter expert (SME). Mr. Butler was the lead EOD SME for the IED Task Force in Iraq and then later in Afghanistan. Mr. Butler has years of deployment experience in the identification, render-safe procedures, and disposal of terrorist IEDs. Mr. Butler has two years dedicated to the collection and evaluation of forensic IED evidence and intelligence. Mr. Butler has extensive experience, in the field, regarding various insurgency tactics, improvised weapons, and terrorists targeting practices in urban environments.

As a former Director of International Training for a Virginia based, DOD focused, training company, Mr. Butler was engaged in operational leadership across the organization and provides strategic vision to ensure the delivery of consistent, outstanding services to its international customers. Mr. Butler’s most viable accomplishment as the Director of International training was standing up the Slovakian Armed Forces assistance program which enabled the Slovakian Armed Forces to deploy their first IED-Defeat capable team to Afghanistan in 2010 to provide direct support to Task Force Paladin, the lead in C-IED operations in Afghanistan. Mr. Butler has spoken at length in many NATO training venues about his EOD training methodology, used in Slovakia, on behalf of the NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT).

Clearance Level:
Top Secret/SCI (Active)
SCI Eligibility is based on a Phased Periodic Reinvestigation (PPR), dated 12 July 2013

Dianna

Executive Director of Business Development

Dianna Prentice Executive Director of Business Development
For more information please contact us.

Chris Bradshaw

Web and Graphic Designer

Chris Bradshaw Web and Graphic Designer

Greg Principal | Founder

Board Member | National Advisory Commission

Greg began his extensive career by serving in both the US Army and US Navy where he received an Honorable discharge following serving in operations in the Middle East and Africa. Following active service, he began a public safety career where he continues to function as a law enforcement officer, paramedic, and firefighter and holds multiple instructor certifications in each discipline. He had served as a SWAT operator and SWAT tactical medic during the execution of high-risk warrants.

Greg has had the honor of working for the Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service as a Security Protective Specialist. He deployed to austere and high-threat regions of the World. He has held multiple leadership positions as he worked on high threat protection details for the State Department in Iraq. During this time, he conducted countless high threat operations ensuring the security of US diplomats and providing combat medical support to US assets.

Dave Bo Bolgiano (Retired) | Heritage Principal

Former Chief Counsel | D.C. Corridor Advisory Commission

Of Counsel at Tully-Rinckey PLLC, specializing in military and law enforcement use of force cases. Most recently served as a faculty member in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Previously, he served as Staff Judge Advocate, Headquarters, Maryland Air National Guard. His prior AirGuard assignments include duty as Staff Judge Advocate for the 175th Wing, Maryland Air National Guard.

Active Shooter Expert Lawyer
Principal and Founder
Chief Counsel / D.C. Corridor Advisory Commission

Immediately after September 11th, 2001, Bolgiano deployed to Tyndall AFB, Florida, where he helped draft Rules of Engagement for Operation NOBLE EAGLE. He then twice-deployed to Afghanistan, Qatar, and Iraq as legal advisor to Commander, Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) during Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM.

Prior to serving in the Air National Guard, he served on active duty with the Army. His Army tours include duty as Trial Counsel, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq during Operations DESERT SHIELD and STORM; Defense Counsel, Trial Defense Service, Nuernberg, Germany; Senior Trial Counsel and Chief of Operational Law, 3rd Infantry Division; and Inter-Service Secretariat, Center for Law and Military Operations, Charlottesville, Virginia.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts (English/Writing) from Loyola University of Maryland; Juris Doctorate for the University of Baltimore School of Law; and, Masters of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College (in-residence).

Bolgiano’s civilian experience includes five years as a sworn law enforcement officer in Baltimore, Maryland; counsel with the Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos and the Baltimore Orioles Major League Baseball Club; Senior Attorney, US Drug Enforcement Administration; and, Deputy General Counsel, Joint IED Defeat Organization – Counter IED Operational Integration Center (JIEDDO-COIC) in Northern Virginia.

The author of Combat Self-Defense: Saving America’s Warriors from Risk-Averse Commanders and their Lawyers, he has also been published in the Orbis; Military Review; FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin; Naval Institute Proceedings, Infantry Magazine, University of Baltimore Law Review; The Washington Times; and, The Baltimore Sun. He is also co-author, with James Patterson, of Fighting Today’s Wars: How America’s Leaders Have Failed Our Warriors (Stackpole Books 2012).

He is a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign War and the 82nd Airborne Division Association, and a Patron Life Member of the National Rifle Association. His military awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal w/OLC, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal, and United States, Taiwan (ROC) and German Parachutist Badges.

Jim Patterson | (Retired) Heritage Principal

Former Director | National Advisory Commission

Armed Conflict Legal Advisor. Prior to his Judge Advocate Posting, Jim Patterson was a member of 7th Group Special Operations Group.
Armed Conflict Legal Advisor. Prior to his Judge Advocate Posting, Jim Patterson was a member of 7th Group Special Operations Group.

Colonel Jim (James) Patterson has over 34 years of experience as a Green Beret and legal advisor. A Special Forces Weapons Specialist, Combat Diver, and Master Parachutist, Jim has served in multiple combat rotations and provided direct operational law support to special mission units. Colonel Patterson enlisted in the Army in 1979. He eventually achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant as a Special Forces Weapons Specialist. He was commissioned as an attorney with the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps in 1990. A wide range of legal assignments capitalized upon his prior Special Forces training and broadened his depth of knowledge of deadly force encounters and use-of-fore issues. Jim developed and instituted the operational law of war program at the U.S. Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and served as its first-ever legal Observer-Controller. After several developmental assignments, Jim competed and was selected for duty with 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment –DELTA as their legal advisor. After multiple combat tours, he was assigned as a legal advisor for the Joint-Interagency Task Force-South at Key West, Florida where he worked counter-drug issues throughout Central and South America. Jim was then selected to be the first-ever legal advisor to the Army’s Asymmetric Warfare Group at Fort Meade, Maryland.

His degrees include:

  • Associate of Arts (General Education) from Campbell University
  • North Carolina; Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) from Boston College, Massachusetts
  • Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University School of Law, North Carolina
  • Master of Laws (LLM-Military Law) from The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, Virginia.

Colonel Patterson is also an FBI trained Law-Enforcement Sniper and a student of combatives. He has taught Judgment-Based Engagement Training (JET) Seminars to multiple commands throughout the joint forces.

Company Founders

Filed Under Main: Team of Active Shooter Training and Trainer Experts