Meet our Instructors
Director of Training
Vann Winn (26 years U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Supervisory Special Agent Ret. and 9 years as a Police Officer) is the Founder of Reticent Warrior Tactics, a company dedicated to improving the survival rates of police, military and law abiding citizens who face lethal threats by providing Behavior Compliant Close Quarters Battle (BC/CQB), Firearms and Integrated Survival Combatives (ISC) training. Vann is a Federally Certified Firearms Instructor, CQB Tactics/Raids Instructor, Raid Planning Instructor, Active Shooter Instructor, Vehicle Containment/Arrest Instructor, PTT Instructor and an Officer Safety/Survival Speaker. He is also a SWAT Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor and Self-Defense Instructor with years of real-world experience as an operator, trainer and lead instructor. He is also an expert witness and teaches in numerous drug enforcement and raids topics.
Vann has conducted and led hundreds of High-Risk Clandestine Operations as a federal DEA Special Agent, Special Operations Agent and SWAT Operator. He has extensive experience working as an Undercover Drug Agent infiltrating illicit international drug organizations and understands first hand the dangers involved. He holds a Top Secret Security Clearance and has conducted Personal Protection Operations for many VIP’s from Top Military Generals and Executives to Hollywood Stars.
Vann is also a Martial Arts Instructor who holds a 4th Degree Black Belt in the Mixed Martial Art of Kami Bushi Kai which has its roots in Japanese karate while incorporating aspects of Muay Thai, Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, Aiki Jujitsu, Boxing, Taekwondo and Street Fighting. Vann is a certified Krav Maga Instructor for Krav Maga Maleh and currently trains in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu. He has also cross-trained in many different fighting styles and self-defense systems. He has taught Firearms, CQB and Self Defense Tactics for over 20 years to federal, state and local police and the military, as well as select law abiding civilians.
Vann is a life long learner who has completed numerous high-level Law Enforcement and Military training courses that complement his operational experience including DEA Tactical/Raids Instructor, DEA Firearms Instructor, DEA Field Training Agent, DEA Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Instructor, SWAT Schools, SRT Courses, Hostage Rescue, Counter-Terrorism Courses, Army Air Assault Course, Helicopter Rappel/Spies Extraction Team, FBI SWAT Explosive Breaching, Street Survival and many more. Vann is the recipient of numerous commendations and awards including the DEA Administrators Award (highest award).
He has also completed numerous courses and conferences on the art of leadership. Vann holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and has conducted a large amount of scholarly research on police tactics, human behavior, learning and stress responses. This Empirically Validated research plays a critical role in the tactics RWT Instructors teach and how they teach them. Vann is a member of the Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society, Firearms Trainers Association, National Tactical Officers Association, National Rifle Association, National Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors Association and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.
Vann developed Behavior Compliant Close Quarters Battle (BC/CQB), Firearms training and Integrated Survival Combatives (ISC) after years of observing a huge disconnect between training and real-world operations. He saw first-hand that many skills/techniques that are taught on the flat range and training room do not translate well into a compressed CQB environment. Additionally, Vann discovered that most tactics/techniques that have been taught to law enforcement and military personnel for years are not Empirically Validated, go against human behavior and do not take into account the human stress response. BC/CQB was developed to change mindsets, training and ultimately to enhance safety and survivability in deadly force encounters.
Staff Instructor
Matthew “Matt” Campbell was a Special Agent with the FBI for 24 years. Served as a SWAT team member for 18 years and a SWAT Team Leader for 12 years. Planned and executed both Domestic and International tactical operations to include classified International missions combating the Global War on Terrorism and high risk Domestic arrest and search warrants. Obtained several FBI Instructor certifications to include Firearms Instructor, Police Instructor, Tactical and Use of Force Instructor. In addition, worked as the Case Agent on several high profile white collar criminal investigations that resulted in convictions of high profile public figures.Special Agent with the FBI for 24 years. Served as a SWAT team member for 18 years and a SWAT Team Leader for 12 years. Planned and executed both Domestic and International tactical operations to include classified International missions combating the Global War on Terrorism and high risk Domestic arrest and search warrants. Obtained several FBI Instructor certifications to include Firearms Instructor, Police Instructor, Tactical and Use of Force Instructor. In addition, worked as the Case Agent on several high profile white collar criminal investigations that resulted in convictions of high profile public figures.
Other Specialized FBI Training:
Close Quarter Combat, Breaching, Aircraft Assault, Weapons of Mass Destruction, Maritime Operations, Hostage Rescue, Bus Assaults, Vehicle Assaults, Sniper Operations, Land Navigation, Man Tracking, Tactical Driving, Night Vision Operations, Tactical Medical, Interview and Interrogation, Counter Terrorism Operations, Foreign Weapons Training, Executive Protection, Woodland Patrolling, K9 Operations, International Terrorist Interrogation, Tactical Surveillance, SWAT Leadership Training, Unified Command, Partner Force Coordination, Low Light Firearms, Advance Firearms Instructional Techniques, Helicopter Operations, Rappelling, and Electronic Surveillance techniques. Also continues to maintain a United States government Top Secret (SCI) clearance level.
Matt has a BBA in Accounting from Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas and numerous awards including the FBI Combat Theater Award and FBI Medal of Excellence Award (the highest FBI performance award.
Staff Instructor
Brandon Phillips is a retired United States Arm Special Forces helicopter pilot. His career in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) included multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and other deployments to Central America and South America. As a flight lead, he planned and led countless Special Operation missions in support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).
Brandon is a Level 3 certified Krav Maga Maleh Instructor with years of experience to complement his passion for learning, teaching and continued work toward earning his Level 5 Black Belt certification.
In his post-military life, Brandon has competed in endurance sporting events and taught in the public school system. He also has a passion for music, plays bass guitar and performs live music with a local band.
Staff Instructor
Bobby Banks has been in law enforcement for over 20 years with the majority of his service at the state level. He has also served at the local level which assists him in his current state role. He has extensive experience in drug enforcement and tactical operations. Bobby is a federally trained and certified Firearms Instructor and also holds state certifications as an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician and a Tactical Medic.
Bobby is an active member of a State Level Tactical Team where he serves as one of the Tactical Medics. He has a vast amount of training and is a Police General Instructor, Firearms Instructor and Tactical Shield Instructor. Bobby has instructed basic and advanced pistol, rifle and CQB courses among other law enforcement related topics. He is also a Daniel Defense certified armor for AR variant rifles. Bobby grew up in South Georgia and is a graduate of Georgia Southern University.
Staff Instructor
Randall Breaux started his law enforcement career in the United States Air Force where he served in the military police and as a trainer before joining DEA. As a Special Agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration, he received extensive training and has years of real-world experience in all aspects of firearms training, CQB tactics, undercover investigations and high-risk operational planning.
Randall also has a vast amount of experience training and working with foreign U.S. counterparts in the war on drugs. He has worked in several foreign countries including the Bahamas, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. Randall trained with Special Forces Units in firearms and tactics while also working closely with them in field operations. He is a graduate of the DEA Instructor Development Course and served in the position of DEA Divisional Training Coordinator for several years prior to his recent retirement from DEA more than 25 years of service.
Randall instructs on numerous topics including Active Shooter Awareness, Response and Coordination, Basic TacMed, Officer Survival and Crisis Incident Management. He is also a Department of State Global Anti-Terrorism Assistance program Instructor where he assists and instructs our foreign law enforcement counterparts.
Staff Instructor
Keith D. Billiot (29 years U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Supervisory Special Agent Ret.) is a DEA Firearm Instructor, Tactical Instructor, Vehicle Involved Arrest Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Expert Witness in Warrant Planning and Execution; Basic SWAT and Advanced Multi-Disciplined Tactical Instructor; Dignitary Protection Certification; Instructor Development Course (IDC) Certification; National Incident Management System (NIMS) Certification-Level 800. Keith is also a public speaker and the owner of Fearless Security Solutions and Consulting.
Keith worked in several DEA offices from Chicago to Afghanistan and also served as Director of International Training. He has extensive experience as a Tactical Operator on DEA’s Special Response Team (SRT) and helped create Quick Response Team (QRT) for response in natural disasters.
Keith is the recipient of numerous DEA awards including the Administrator’s Award and holds a Master of Science Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Staff Instructor
David Bates enlisted in the United States Army as a Military Police (MP) officer in August of 2001 and was stationed at Ft Bragg, NC with the 16th MP Brigade (ABN). He was deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom II and Operation Iraqi Freedom II. While not deployed he worked as a law enforcement officer on Ft Bragg and was Honorably Discharged in August of 2008.
In November of 2008, he was hired by the Department of Army Civilian Police (DACP) at Hunter Army Airfield, GA. He held several positions such as Patrol Officer, Field Training Program Coordinator, and was promoted to Lieutenant (Watch Commander). In 2010 he successfully completed the NRA Law Enforcement Pistol & Shotgun Instructor courses, PPCT Defensive Tactics Instructor course, TASER Instructor Course, and US Army MP School Special Reaction Team (SWAT) Phase I course; providing training to DACP Officers and MP’s.
In December of 2013 David transitioned to the Savannah Police Department and was assigned to the Northwest (Downtown) Precinct. While assigned there he worked in Patrol, the Downtown Special Operations (DSO) Unit, and the Crime Suppression Unit (CSU). In January of 2019 he became the supervisor of the Northwest CSU until he was assigned to the SPD Training Unit as a full-time instructor in September 2019. Currently, he is assigned to the SPD Traffic Unit, but still provides training to officers.
David has been instructing students and police officers since 2010. He is a state certified Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Driving Instructor, Use of Force Instructor, Less Lethal Munitions Instructor, and Police Motorcycle Instructor (Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Certifications). David is also a Martial Artist and currently holds a Brown Belt in Shotokan Karate.
