About Live Fire Training Academy

Kevin severed a law enforcement officer for thirteen years in St. Louis County Missouri. As a law enforcement officer he served as a patrol officer, community policing officer and firearms instructor. 

Kevin is a US Army veteran that served as a Military Policeman and a Psychological Tactical team leader. Kevin was awarded a Bronze Star for his service in Iraq from 2003 to 2004.

After receiving an honorable discharge from service, Kevin became a federal government contractor for Blackwater and Greystone. During his time as a contractor, Kevin was responsible for standing up, as the first Program Manager, the State Department protection contract, WPPS, in Baghdad. Kevin then went on to be the first In Country Manager overseeing all Blackwater contracts within Iraq. Kevin continued his contracting with Greystone and was responsible for other US government agency contracts.

Kevin currently owns Life Fire Training Academy that serves the firearms training needs for civilians, military personnel and Law Enforcement officers. He is a current certified firearms instructor through the NRA and holds the Troysgate Controller and Safety Officer certifications.

Terry is a North Carolina native with a 34-year career in law enforcement, he retired as a High Sheriff in 2017 and he continues to serve part-time. Terry’s time as an honorable discharged military veteran, law enforcement officer and as a federal government contractor, has yielded a robust working knowledge of effective policing and law enforcement practices in combat theatres in Afghanistan, Africa and other middle eastern countries.  

This included selective placement by the U.S. Government as a defense contractor in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as law enforcement field and educator roles within city, county, and state agencies. His expertise spans multiple agency functions, from patrol, investigations, K-9, narcotics, tactical, cross-agency networking, administration, and policy development. Terry has spent the last 12 years working part time in the development of the patented Troysgate human performance system and is a certified Troysgate training instructor. 

Terry has also served in multiple directorships for the federal government, including: 

· Director of Training, Blackwater Domestic and International Training

· Director, Anti-Terrorism Task Force (ATTF):  Naval Air Warfare Center (NAVAIR), United States Naval Battleship & Submarine Forces

· Director of Middle East International Training Programs for the Counter Narcotics Technology Program Office (CNTPO) and the US Drug Enforcement Administration’s Afghanistan Narcotics Interdiction Unit and the Counter Narcotics Investigative Academy 

· US CENTCOM (CNTPO) Afghanistan Border Patrol & Migration Management 

· Director of Kyrgyzstan (MOBITS) Mobile Interdiction Teams

· Director, Azerbaijan Naval Interdiction teams on the Caspian Sea

· Director, West Bank Operations (Israeli / Palestinian Conflict). 

· Director of Training, Terrorism Research Center (Terrorist Mindset & Country Centric Intelligence Courses). 

Buchanan’s education and training span multiple institutions, and include: 

· Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice (Liberty University) 

· Graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s Police Executive Leadership Graduate Program and Administrative Officer’s Course (University of Louisville) 

· Graduate of the Terrorism and National Security Management Certificate Program (Kaplan University)

· Graduate of NC Advanced Institute of Applied Science in Forensics, Basic & Advanced Interview and Interrogation, 

· Graduate of the NC Police Law Institute

· General, Intermediate, and Advanced Law Enforcement Certifications through the NCDOJ Training & Standards Commission. 

· NCDOJ Certified General Instructor/Firearms Instructor (30 years)

· Certificate of Dedication to Duty & Outstanding Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (Afghanistan)

· Certificate of Recognition, US Secretary of Defense 

Steve Podaras’s background spans 41+ years of military

and federal law enforcement experience and training.

 Steve has significant experience as a law enforcement

instructor and instructor-trainer spanning 20+ years,

especially in teaching high risk entry tactics. He is

recognized as a master instructor/instructor-trainer with

an extensive background teaching in the classroom

lecture environment, mat rooms, firing ranges and the

most intense tactical venues, including live fire shoot

house tactical team exercises.  He has numerous

certifications to include, Force Science Institute graduate,

Firearms Instructor/Trainer, Defensive Tactics

Instructor/Trainer, Tactical Entry/Special Response Team

SRT/SWAT Instructor/Trainer, FLETC Use of Force

Instructor, Taser Instructor, Active Shooter Instructor,

Troysgate Instructor and many more. Steve Podaras

began his law enforcement career as an Air Force Security

Policemen. He distinguished himself for the next ten

years serving on active duty in the United States Air Force

and receiving an honorable discharge. Steve transitioned

into federal law enforcement joining the United States

Customs Service, (Special Agent). Steve was assigned to

the Miami narcotics interdiction group for the next 12

years, working the entire South Florida region. He

participated in multiple defendant investigations, dealing

with intricate smuggling organizations resulting in the

seizure of thousands of pounds of narcotics. He

specialized in marine smuggling, responsible for

operating high speed watercraft designed to interdict

narcotic smugglers via private and small commercial

vessels. As a certified Dive Master, Steve was also on the

Miami Dive Team responsible for searching underneath

ships for parasitic devices containing narcotics. Steve was

a Team Leader, Training Coordinator, and Tactical

Operator for the U.S. Customs Miami Special Response

Team, (SRT), for 11 years. The Miami SRT team was

responsible for all high-risk warrant service and tactical

operations in South Florida. Steve is a graduate from

numerous local, state, and federal SWAT schools, to

include the FBI SWAT operators training course and the

FBI Crisis Negotiations course. Steve continued his career

as U.S. Customs transitioned to the Department of

Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations,

(HSI Special Agent), in 2003. Mr. Podaras became the lead

SRT instructor for the agencies national training program

and continued to maintain operational status, working

various tactical operations throughout the nation. 

Steve has an extensive background as a tactical

supervisor to include but not limited to, Acting Assistant

Director, Unit Chief, Section Chief, Program Manager for

Defensive Tactics, Program Manager for a nationally

delivered program called Enforcement Tactics Refresher

Training, and National Tactical Coordinator for the

agencies SRT program. Steve recently retired after a

distinguished law enforcement career with a continued

desire to share his passion for officer safety and

preparation. Steve is known throughout the nation for his

ability to motivate and inspire officers to self-assess ones

true operational capability. Steve is also now bringing his

tactical knowledge and training expertise into the realm

of church security.