Instructors

We subscribe to and follow the Professional Code of Defensive Shooting Instructors.

1. I am committed to the safety of my students, and hold that the expected benefit of any training activity must significantly outweigh any known or perceived risk of that activity.
2. I believe that it is my responsibility to understand not just what I’m teaching, but WHY I’m teaching any technique or concept, or offering specific advice.
3. I recognize that defensive shooting skills, along with the drills and gear used, are inherently specialized and usually distinct from those of target shooting, competition and hunting endeavors.
4. I will encourage my students to ask questions about course material, and I will answer them with thorough and objective explanations.
5. I understand that Integrity and Professionalism are subjective traits and I strive to maintain high levels of both. I am capable of, and willing to, articulate the reasons for the way I conduct my courses and how I interact with students & peers.
6. I believe that it is valuable to engage my peers in constructive conversation about differences in technique and concept, with the goal of mutual education and evolution.
7. I believe that the best instructor is an avid student, and I will strive to continually upgrade my own skills and knowledge. As part of this belief, I understand that my own teachings need to be subject to critique and open to evolution.

Evan Carson

Evan Carson – President and Lead Instructor of Innovative Defensive Solutions

Evan Carson is the President of Innovative Defensive Solutions, LLC (IDS or IDS Training), a personal defense, safety, and security training company dedicated to preparing individuals for real-world defensive encounters—not theoretical problems or administrative qualifications.

IDS provides defensive handgun training, concealed carry education, instructor development, and layered personal defense training. Course offerings extend beyond firearms to include OC spray, edged weapons, carbine, physical combatives, and training for armed professionals. Across all disciplines, the focus remains the same: realism, sound judgment, and performance under stress.

Evan has been a defensive firearms practitioner, student, and instructor for over two decades. His background includes nine years at NRA Headquarters, where he served as an instructor and Range Safety Officer, teaching tens of thousands of shooters at one of the busiest ranges in the United States. During this time, he competed in USPSA, IDPA, and GSSF while continuing to grow IDS and pursue higher-level training as a professional student.

In 2013, Evan transitioned away from the NRA range to focus full-time on IDS and on his continued development as a personal defense practitioner—placing priority on ongoing education, pressure-tested training, and real-world application rather than static credentials.

Since 2006, Evan has taught more than 5,000 students across 300+ courses. He identifies first and foremost as a student and believes effective instruction requires continual learning, honest self-assessment, and exposure to high-level training environments.

Instructor Development & Certifications

  • Certified Fundamentals of Concealed Carry Instructor (I.C.E. Training)

  • Certified Defensive Firearm Coach (I.C.E. Training)

  • Founding Member – ADSI (Association of Defensive Shooting Instructors)

  • PDN (Personal Defense Network) Contributor and Writer

  • Top Shot – Season 3 Finalist

  • Utah BCI Concealed Firearm Instructor #I102953

  • VA Notary Public

  • Sabre Red CSAP OC (Pepper Spray) Instructor

  • Glock Certified Armorer

  • Boy Scouts of America – Eagle Scout & Eagle Palm Recipient

  • NRA Life Member / Recruiter

  • Affiliated Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network Instructor

  • Associate Member – International Association of Law Enforcement Firearm Instructors (IALEFI)

  • National Crime Prevention Council Member

  • USPSA Member

  • IDPA Member

  • Glock Shooting Sports Foundation (GSSF) Member

Past Certifications / Credentials

  • Active Combat Focus® Shooting Instructor

  • Certified Defensive Firearm Coach (I.C.E. Training)

  • Certified FitShot Coach

  • National Range Officer Institute – Level One Range Safety Officer

  • DCJS Private Investigator #99-257395

  • American Professional Firearms Instructors Association – VA State Coordinator

  • NRA Appointed Training Counselor (Instructor Trainer)

  • NRA Certified Pistol Instructor

  • NRA Certified Rifle Instructor

  • NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home Instructor

  • NRA Home Firearm Safety Instructor

  • NRA Refuse to Be a Victim Instructor & Regional Training Counselor

  • NRA Chief Range Safety Officer

Professional Training History (Chronological)

2003

  • Gilbert’s Indoor Range – Concealed Carry Course (4 hrs) (Taken)

2004

  • Blackwater – Tactical Pistol I (40 hrs) (Taken)

  • Senior Firearm Instructors – NRA First Steps Pistol (6 hrs) (Taken)

  • Senior Firearm Instructors – Intermediate Pistol (8–12 hrs) (Taken)

2005

  • Blackwater – Tactical Pistol II (40 hrs) (Taken)

  • Senior Firearm Instructors – NRA Certified Pistol Instructor Course (17 hrs) (Taken)

2006

  • Blackwater – Tactical Pistol I (40 hrs) (Taken)

2007

  • Blackwater – Tactical Pistol I (40 hrs) (Taken)

2008

  • Blackwater – Tactical Pistol I (40 hrs) (Taken)

2009

  • Izaak Walton League – NROI Level I Range Safety Officer Course (16 hrs) (Taken)

2010

  • Elite Security & Private Investigators – DCJS Private Investigator Course (60 hrs) (Taken)

2011

  • IWLA – NRA Training Counselor Workshop (Taken)

  • NRA – Chief Range Safety Officer Course (Taken)

  • NRA – Home Firearm Safety Instructor Course (Taken)

  • PDS, LLC – NRA Personal Protection Inside the Home Instructor (16 hrs) (Taken)

  • PDS, LLC – NRA Refuse to Be a Victim Instructor (16 hrs) (Taken)

  • Rylin Tactical, LLC – NRA Certified Rifle Instructor (18 hrs) (Taken)

2012

  • I.C.E. Training – Combat Focus Shooting Instructor Development (60 hrs) (Taken)

  • I.C.E. Training – Defensive Firearm Coach Certification (24 hrs) (Taken)

  • I.C.E. Training – FitShot Coach Certification (12 hrs) (Taken)

  • Combat Focus Shooting, Inc. – Combat Focus Carbine Instructor Development (8 hrs) (Taken)

  • Combat Focus Shooting Instructor Conference (4 days) (Participated)

  • NRA HQ – Regional Refuse to Be a Victim Training Counselor (Train-the-Trainer) (Taken)

2013

March

  • ShivWorks – Extreme Close Quarters Concepts (ECQC), Oklahoma (20 hrs) (Taken)

May

  • ShivWorks – Extreme Close Quarters Concepts (ECQC), Virginia (20 hrs) (Taken)

Media

  • Featured in The Complete Book of Auto Pistols

  • Featured in Combat Handgun Magazine (2 issues)

  • Featured on Breakthroughs – “Gun Safety and the Power to Protect Ourselves”

2015

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Culpeper, VA (Taken)

2016

February

  • Massad Ayoob Group – MAG-20: Citizens Rules of Engagement (Taken)

August

  • Awareness Defense Training – Spencer Keepers AIWB Skills (Taken)

—

  • ShivWorks – Edged Weapons Overview (EWO), Front Royal, VA (Taken)

2017

February

  • Glock – Glock Armorer’s Course (Taken)

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

2018

January

  • ShivWorks – Establishing a Dominance Paradigm (EDP), (Craig Douglas, Tom Givens, and William April) Shawnee, OK (Taken)

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

2019

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

2020

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

2021

February

  • IAC, Immediate Action Combatives, Cecil Burch – Real World Application of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Wrestling, and Boxing in a Weapon-Based-Environment (WBE)

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

2022

March

  • Langdon Tactical (Ernest Langdon) – Advanced Handgun Skills (3-Day Course) (Taken & Hosted)

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

December

  • Glock – Glock Armorer’s Course (Taken)

2023

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

2024

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

June

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Vermont (Taken)

November

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

2025

April

  • ShivWorks – ECQC, Doswell, VA (Taken & Hosted)

Training Philosophy

Credentials alone do not create competence.
Certifications and course completions only matter when they are paired with continual training, honest pressure-testing, and ongoing personal development. In the end, none of those certifications mean anything if you don’t continually train—because continual training and evolution as a practitioner is the greatest asset an instructor can bring to their students.

Adjunct Instructors

Ben T.

Ben’s first experience with shooting came when he joined the United States Marine Corps and from his very first shot, became hooked while earning multiple Marksmanship Expert Awards with both the Rifle and Pistol. It was during this time he also developed a knack for firearms instruction where helped hundreds of Marines improve their shooting abilities. During his time as a Marine Infantryman, he was able to expand his knowledge to other firearm and weapons platforms and was often part of the teams selected to demonstrate a system’s operational effectiveness.

After leaving active duty Ben continued his personal training and teaching by helping family and friends learn to shoot and introducing them to firearms. During this time a couple of major incidents happened which shifted his focus from target/sport shooting to becoming a Defensive Shooting Instructor. This shift has lead Ben to strive to make himself and others better prepared to defend themselves and take personal accountability for their safety.

Ben has over 20 years of firearms experience and is enthusiastic about sharing that knowledge with others. His credentials include:

  • Defensive Firearms Coach through I.C.E. Training (www.icetraining.us)
  • Fundamentals of Concealed Carry Instructor through I.C.E. Training
  • NRA Basic Instructor for Pistol, Rifle, and Shotgun
  • NRA Personal Protection in the Home
  • NRA Chief Range Safety Officer
  • Affiliate Instructor for USCCA
  • NRA Life Member
  • A.L.I.C.E. Certified Instructor (ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training prepares individuals to handle the threat of an Active Shooter. ALICE teaches individuals to participate in their own survival while leading others to safety. Though no one can guarantee success in this type of situation, this new set of skills will greatly increase the odds of survival should anyone face this form of disaster.)

Hosted Courses // Guest Instructors (This list will continue to evolve)

We have been hosting Craig Douglas, aka SouthNarc of Shivworks since 2017, Craig is not only a great instructor and practitioner of the arts but is also a great friend and mentor. The same goes for the rest of the Shivworks team to include Scott Oates and Brian Frias. We normally host Shivworks every April and November at our private range in Doswell VA near Kings Dominion.

We have also hosted Ernest Langdon of Langdon Tactical Technology.

This list will continue to grow, we only host top tier instructors that we feel will provide a great learning expereince for people serious about personal defense.