Instructors
Meet the Instructors of Specter Defense Group
From the front lines to the front of the classroom, our instructors turn proven expertise into practical, life-saving education.
Experience Meets Education
At Specter Defense Group, our mission is carried out by professionals with decades of combined experience across military special operations command, intelligence communities, and state and federal law enforcement. Each member of our team has served in high-risk and high-responsibility roles - from counterterrorism operations and executive protection, to active threat response and crisis training.
Having operated in combat zones, federal agencies, and high-threat environments around the world, our instructors now dedicate their experience to teaching: empowering schools, organizations, and families with the confidence and practical skills to act decisively and safely under pressure. Our team brings real-world expertise to every course we teach, preparing ordinary people for extraordinary situations.
Real-World Expertise. Real-World Readiness.
Specter Defense Group believes true preparedness starts with knowledge and hands-on training. Whether working with school staff, workplace teams, or families, our instructors deliver clear, confidence-building instruction that empowers individuals to respond effectively in critical situations when it matters most.
Behind every Specter Defense Group course is a team of professionals who have lived the realities they now prepare others to face. Their teaching is professional, focused, and grounded in proven tactics - because effective training isn’t about fear; it’s about confidence, clarity, and readiness when it matters most.
Every course we teach reflects hard-earned experience and a genuine dedication to helping others stay safe - not just through tactics, but through understanding, awareness, and leadership.
Dustin “Mac” McPhillips
Chief Executive Officer | Lead Instructor
MILITARY – 6 YEARS | CONTRACTING – 10 YEARS | FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT – 9 YEARS | STATUS – OPERATIONAL
Dustin “Mac” McPhillips is a decorated veteran, federal agent, and nationally recognized instructor with more than 20 years of combined military, operational, and instructional experience. He has protected U.S. Presidents, led high-risk operations overseas, and helped develop active threat response protocols now taught nationwide.
Mac enlisted in the military after graduating high school, serving multiple deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During his service, he was trained and certified as a combat medic, providing lifesaving care in high-stress and austere environments while supporting tactical operations across multiple deployments.
Following his military career, Mac entered the private sector, conducting paramilitary and counter-terrorism operations around the globe for the U.S. Department of State, Central Intelligence Agency, and other government agencies. As a team leader and team medic, he provided emergency medical support during high-risk missions, combining advanced medical skills with tactical expertise. He completed his bachelor’s degree and concluded his contracting career with Ground Branch, conducting counter-terrorism operations and Protective Service Details for senior officials and diplomats.
Over his combined military and contracting service, Mac accumulated more than 81 months in combat zones, gaining extensive experience in direct action, surveillance, counter-surveillance, and tactical medicine.
Upon returning home, Mac became a Federal Law Enforcement Instructor at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, where he served as a permanent instructor and course coordinator in active threat response, tactical medicine, basic tactics, firearms, and use of force. He also helped shape national-level training programs in tactical medicine and active shooter response.
Mac later returned to operational service and continues to work as a Federal Agent, conducting sensitive federal investigations while also serving as a Regional Training Coordinator.
Certifications:
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Active Shooter Threat Instructor Training Program
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Basic Tactical Medicine Instructor Training Program
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Law Enforcement Instructor Training Program
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Basic Tactics Instructor Training Program
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Use of Force Instructor Training Program
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EMS Certified
At Specter Defense Group, Mac combines real-world experience with a passion for teaching — empowering schools, organizations, and communities to respond confidently and effectively under pressure.
Josh Hartzell
Instructor
MILITARY – 20 YEARS | CONTRACTING – 4 YEARS | FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT – 5 YEARS | STATUS – OPERATIONAL
Josh Hartzell is a veteran, prior law enforcement officer, and current federal instructor with more than 20 years of combined military, private security, and federal experience. His career reflects a lifelong commitment to protecting others - from combat deployments overseas to training the next generation of first responders.
Josh enlisted in the military immediately after high school, serving alongside Dustin “Mac” McPhillips on multiple operational assignments and deployments. His service included advanced training and leadership in protective operations, tactical medicine, and weapons tactics, supporting missions around the globe.
After transitioning from active-duty military, Josh continued to serve in the reserves while entering the private contracting sector. Josh again worked alongside Dustin “Mac” McPhillips, conducting protective and counter-terrorism operations for U.S. government agencies in high-threat environments. Upon returning home, he joined the Charleston Police Department, where he specialized in active shooter response, tactical medicine, and individual weapons tactics.
Today, Josh serves as a Federal Law Enforcement Instructor, providing advanced tactical and medical training to federal agents, including members of the United States Secret Service. At Specter Defense Group, Josh’s instruction focuses on building competence that drives confidence - helping participants develop the skills and mindset needed to act with purpose under pressure.
MATHEW HARRIS
Instructor
LAW ENFORCEMENT – 15 YEARS | SWAT – 7 YEARS | FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT – 3 YEARS | STATUS – OPERATIONAL
Matt has been in law enforcement for 15 years working for the Gaston County Police Department (GCPD). He works as a canine handler and is assigned as the Special Operations lead handler for the Emergency Response Team (ERT). In addition, Matt is a certified master trainer with the American Police Canine Association and certifies dogs across the country on their proficiency to work as police canines. He is also an assistant team leader for the ERT, responsible for training and coordinating operations regularly. Matt is a master breacher, with oversight of the ERT team’s ability to utilize manual, mechanical, ballistic, thermal, hydraulic, and explosive breaching.
Matt was also assigned to the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force as a Task Force Officer (TFO). Currently, he serves as the sergeant of the GCPD Canine Unit, as well as overseeing the Fugitive Apprehension Suspect Tracking Team for the county as a whole.
RON ZARA
Instructor
LAW ENFORCEMENT - 18 YEARS | SWAT - 7 YEARS | INSTRUCTOR – 15 YEARS | STATUS – OPERATIONAL
Ron is a highly decorated and distinguished law enforcement officer in the state of Georgia (GA). During his tenure, he worked for various specialized units, like the National Missing and Exploited Children's Unit, working with agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Ron was also assigned to the Tri City Drug Team within the cities of Monroe and Loganville in Georgia, working with agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force (TF). Ron was also a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, while assigned to the TF.
Ron holds multiple GA POST and national instructor certifications and has accumulated over 3,400 instructor hours.