About Us
Here at Texas Republic Firearms Academy …
Our Teaching Philosophy …
For us, “Remember the Alamo” isn’t just a phrase
from a history textbook. For us the Alamo defenders, and the Founders of
the Texas Republic, personify the kind of people we need to be in our world
today. Individuals who learn from our past, to prepare for the future;
people who are ready for whatever we may face today. Like them, we strive
to be people of integrity, independent, self-reliant, active purveyors of peace
and liberty.
This orientation is typified
in the early history of our Texas Rangers. Largely volunteers, they took up the
badge and their guns when the government wasn’t there to protect their families and
communities. The logo for Texas Republic Firearms Academy was designed to
be reminiscent of this grand heritage. This is a proud history of
volunteerism, community spirit, personal responsibility, and high impact self-reliance that
dates back to the beginning of the Texas Republic.
John “Rip” Ford, a medical
doctor and one of the early Texas Ranger volunteers, said of his compatriots: “it
was a company of sober and brave men. They knew their duty and they did it …
they made no braggadocio demonstration. … They had a specie of moral discipline
which developed moral courage. They did right because it was right.”
A few decades after the formation
of the Texas Republic, Texas Ranger Captain Bill McDonald, when confronted by
the prospect of community lawlessness, responded to the mayor's concerns with,
“Ain’t I enough? There’s only one fight!”
Today this same sentiment is
the basis of our firearms and self-defense teaching. Here at Texas
Republic Firearms Academy (TXRFA) our goal is to impart that same Ranger-like
confidence to our students. So in addition to firearms instruction, we
also concentrate on the physical skills and mental preparation necessary to achieve
high impact self-reliance. This translates into the ability to be alone yet capable
and confident: The confidence to confront fear and violence head-on, so that
you can restore peace and safety.
McDonald’s personal creed
was, "No man in the wrong can stand up against a fellow that's in the
right and keeps on a-comin." Today, these words are distilled in
the Texas Ranger creed of: “One Riot, One Ranger.” For us, these
phrases also convey our orientation. We are here to prepare you to
win; so that alone or not, you can experience freedom rather than fear.
Our mission is much more than just to help you survive. It is to help you gain the high impact self-reliance you need to overcome any emergency situation -- and to emerge victorious.
The Founders of
Texas Republic Firearms Academy
Sig Swanstrom
Raised in California and Washington, Sig graduated with a university degree in Criminology and English Literature. After college, he became a police officer in a border town near Seattle. A few years later, he transferred to the Los Angeles area to continue his law enforcement career in California.
After serving several years as a uniformed patrol officer, Sig became a Crime Scene Investigator (CSI), and was subsequently promoted to Detective and assigned to investigate “crimes against persons” cases such as violent assaults.
With collateral duties as a member of the SWAT team, Sig was certified as an urban-combat instructor, and was trained by the U.S. Secret Service in Executive Protection. One of his SWAT duties was to provide protection for various high-profile high-risk principals. An ongoing assignment was to serve as the personal bodyguard for Ronald Reagan during the period between when Reagan was governor of California, but before he officially announced his candidacy for president. (Later, he worked with President Reagan as part of his security detail for presidential visits to California).
Sig’s advanced certifications include: Hostage Negotiation, Arson & Bomb Investigation, Crime Scene Investigation, Officer Survival, and Special Weapons and Tactics. During his career, Sig received numerous commendations and awards, including: Mayor’s Commendation, U.S. Department of Justice Commendation, Commendation for Valor, and he was named “Police Officer of the Year.”
Since taking an early retirement from law enforcement, Sig has been an international entrepreneur and consultant. While living in Guatemala during that country’s violent civil war, Sig had ample opportunity to continue honing his defensive skills as their installation was attacked by guerrillas on three separate occasions. Today, in addition to his teaching and oversight at Texas Republic Firearms Academy, Sig continues to assist various NGOs and agencies in addition to his other entrepreneurial interests.
Shay Gause
Raised in South Carolina, Shay attended the The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. During school and after graduation, Shay served as a firefighter and EMT, and later a police officer in South Carolina. Attaining the rank of Police Captain, Shay has the essential combination of practical “street” familiarity coupled with general administrative skills, as well as field leadership and command experience.
As a firefighter, Shay engaged in structural firefighting, arson investigation, firefighter safety and survival training, and High Level Rescue operations. He is also certified as an EMT First Responder.
As a police officer, Shay has served as a uniformed patrol officer, mounted (horse) patrol officer, police detective, SWAT operator, and field and operational supervisor. He has operational leadership and training experience in crisis/hostage negotiation, homicide investigation, and SWAT tactics and leadership. Experienced in several police specialties, Shay also holds special certifications in: Family Violence Response, SWAT Tactics, Weapons and Explosives Investigation, Raid Planning, and Close Quarter Battle (CQB).
Shay has experience with cooperative, joint investigations with various local, state and federal agencies, as well as security operations and investigations in the private sector. In addition to his role at Texas Republic Firearms Academy, Shay is also responsible for national and international investigative operations for a major Fortune 500 company.
The 6-Distinctives of Texas Republic Firearms Academy (TXRFA):
Distinctive #1: Police instructors.
All Texas Republic Firearms Academy (TXRFA) classes are lead by former police officers, sheriff deputies, or federal agents who worked on the street and survived by using their wits and firearms. Because of this intensely practical experience, we provide our students with real-world firearms and self-defense training.
Distinctive #2: Certified by Texas Police & Sheriff Academy
We are the only firearms school serving civilians that is certified by the Texas Police & Sheriff Academy. (We also train police officers, and we provide training to police and sheriff's departments, as well).
Distinctive #3: More than gun training, we provide firearms training for defense.
We don’t just teach how to shoot, we teach firearms self-defense. We don’t teach target shooting, we teach defensive firearms tactics. We don’t just train you to carry a concealed gun (CCW), or just pass the test to obtain your Texas concealed handgun license (CHL Texas), we teach firearms tactics and how to survive a deadly situation.
Our instruction focuses exclusively on self-defense and preparedness: personal self-defense; family, home and business protection; kidnap, high-risk, and executive protection; plus, emergency and disaster preparedness.
Distinctive #4: Small class size and personalized instruction.
Unlike most other schools, all of our classes are small in size to facilitate hands-on training. Taking this a step further, for each class session, we personalize the curriculum and instruction. This makes it possible for us to better meet the needs of each individual student. (One-on-one personal training and custom-designed classes are also available).
As law enforcement officers our motto was, “to protect, and to serve.” We’ve now revised that. Here at Texas Republic Firearms Academy (TXRFA) we are dedicated to serve, so that you can protect yourself and those you love. It's about freedom; independence, peace of mind, personal responsibility and preparedness.
We are here to help you develop skills, and then maintain those skills. Our "members" have access to monthly training to help them hone skills, expand their abilities, and grow in confidence. Also, members have the option to have their training sessions certified, to document their proficiency. If a member ever does use their firearm for self-defense, this certification may provide added legal protection.
Distinctive #6: We teach self-reliance and how to “win” against violent attackers. (It's not about knowing how a gun works, nor about how to shoot a paper target with accuracy, it's about firearm self-defense. It's about winning, not just surviving.)
We focus on developing self-reliance. Our curriculum is oriented around skill and confidence building. Not only do we want you to survive an attack, our goal is to prepare you to “win” decisively, even against multiple attackers.
In an emergency you need to call the police. But unfortunately, even when notified, most deadly attacks are over long before the police have arrived. Therefore, we need to be prepared. It's our responsibility.
Personal and community safety isn’t just the duty of the police. We must be self-reliant. We must be personally prepared. We must be equipped to protect ourselves and those we love.
We don't need to live in fear. Preparation is the key.
Statistically, 50% of unarmed victims are injured when they resist an attacker, but this drops to only 17% when the victim is armed. The number injured drops dramatically lower if the citizen is armed and prepared. So while armed defense is obviously an advantage; being armed and prepared is even better. This isn't a game, but it is about winning. We are here to help prepare you to win.
In Canada and England where citizens are denied the right of handgun ownership, the home burglary rate is dramatically higher. Half of their home burglaries are perpetrated when the people are home. In the U.S., because gun ownership is allowed, only 13% of residential burglaries are of an occupied home. Criminals are afraid of armed victims. As a result, increased safety comes with gun ownership coupled with preparedness.
The largest survey ever conducted of convicted felons in the U.S. indicates that firearms are overwhelmingly effective in deterring crime. More than 40% of the surveyed felons indicated that they had fled a crime scene because they thought the victim might be armed. It is estimated that each year in the U.S., as many as 400,000 lives are saved due to the use of a handgun. So owning, and being prepared to use a firearm, is essential. Particularly since violent assaults generally occur before the police can respond.
We teach firearms self-defense AND self-reliance, not just how to shoot a gun.
Unfortunately, media reports regarding the effect of firearm ownership on crime is often inaccurately reported. For a factual and reliable summary of statistical information regarding the benefits of firearms for self-defense, visit our “Reference Materials” page and download the article:
“An Overview of the Issues and Facts Concerning the Use of Firearms for Home Protection.”Confidential Facility Needs
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To view our three levels of firearms training courses, please click on the “Firearms Classes” tab. To register for a self-defense firearms class, or to inquire regarding on our custom-designed personal firearms instruction, please click on the “Contact Us” tab. If you are interested in teaching for us and you are a former law enforcement officer and certified by Texas DPS to teach Concealed Handgun License (TX CHL) classes, please contact us and include your concealed handgun license information with your correspondence.