DENVER HOUCK'S INSTRUCTOR BIOGRAPHY

Denver spent thirteen years in the United States Marine Corps as an Infantry Rifleman. He gained his expertise for shooting not only in Combat but also while assigned to the Marksmanship Training Unit in Parris Island, South Carolina. Denver has a passion for teaching but also enjoys the finer things in life such as family. He is married to his beautiful wife, Jennifer and has three kids, Lucy, Arabella and Gunner. To shake things up a bit, there is also a Boxer and Pit Bull running around the house. Not to mention pet rats (yuk!), ducks and chickens. 

Service includes units such as Alpha Company, 2nd Platoon, 8th & I, Washington, DC; Fox Company, 2nd Platoon, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division; 6th Marine Corps District, Recruiting, Orlando, FL; India Company, 2nd Platoon, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division; 

Starlite Rifle Range, Weapons & Field Training Battalion, Parris Island, SC; and Marksmanship Training Unit, Weapons & Field Training Battalion, Parris Island, SC.

Over the years in the Marine Corps, Denver not only gained rank but also acquired other Military Occupational Specialities (MOS). They are 0311 - Infantry Rifleman, 8411 - Recruiter, 0933 - Combat Markmanship Coach, 0931 - Combat Marksmanship Trainer, Primary Marksmanship Instructor ( Favorite Job) and Combat Marksmanship Coach's Course Instructor.

Throughout the years Denver was able to attend special training as well and receive certifications in MOUT -  Military Operations on Urban Terrain, Jungle Warfare, Cold Weather Warfare, Airborne - Basic Jump School, Mountain Warfare, Desert Warfare. Receiving ribbons and medals for his service he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal (4th award), Combat Action Ribbon, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (2nd Award), Iraq Campaign Medal (w/ 1 Star), Marine Corps Recruiting Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Letter of Appreciation (3rd Award), and Meritorious Mast (6th Award).

When he got out of the Marine Corps in 2012 he joined a company called SOC and attended Basic Field Firing Officers Course (BFFOC) becoming a Firearms Instructor (FI)  for the Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. Further enhancing his ability to teach firearms he developed programs to teach Third Country Nationals (TCNs) from Uganda and Kenya on how to employ the Glock 19, M4 Service Carbine, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) and the M240B Machine Gun. 

In 2015, he joined a new company called AEGIS and became a Range Master Firearms Instructor (RMFI) for the Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. Not so soon later he became the Training Manager, developing programs to teach not only Gurkha TCNs but also the employees of AEGIS. Mastering the skill of teaching Glock 19 shooting techniques. 

After getting Lead Poisoning in the blood stream, Denver returned home to start teaching civilians. He got his NRA Pistol Instructor, NRA Rifle Instructor, NRA Shotgun Instructor and NRA Home Firearm Safety Instructor certification. He then joined the Brevard County Sheriff's Office in their Program for School Marshalls. Utilizing the skills taught by the Sheriffs Department he broadened his ability to further teach shooting techniques to his clientle. 

In 2018, Tip of the Spear Training Group was born. Denver became the Chief Instructor and has been teaching clients how to become harder to kill ever since. 

In 2020, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Denver became a USCCA Certified Instructor for Concealed Carry and Home Defense Fundamentals.