MSG (Ret.) Howard “Mad Max” Mullen
Howard “Mad Max” Mullen Jr. is one of the most dynamic Ranger Instructors to serve during the mid 80’s and early 90’s. Known to most as “Mad Max” for his bold, motivating, and aggressive leadership style.
MSG Mullen conducted a 500ft Combat Parachute Assault on the Island of Grenada in Operation Urgent Fury, October 25, 1983.
In 2003, MSG Mullen was introduced to mil-sim and has been heavily involved in the community ever since. His ability to inspire has led him to become one of the most followed leaders on the field.
MSG Mullen served with the following Ranger units:
- 1st Battalion Ranger 75th INF Regiment
- 2nd Battalion Ranger 75th INF Regiment
- 3rd Battalion Ranger 75th INF Regiment
- 75th Ranger Regimental Headquarters
Dalton Fury
Dalton Fury, a psuedonym, retired from the US Army after twenty plus years of service. Fifteen of those years were spent serving in special operations units – both the Army Rangers and 1st SFOD-Delta. He is the author of the New York Times Best Seller, KILL BIN LADEN.
Donnie Tyler
Donnie, also known as “Cowboy” to the TacSim staff for his unconventional ways, is currently still actively serving in the U.S. military as an instructor of weapons handling, shooting tactics and techniques, and CAS (Close Air Support) planning and execution.
Jeem Newland
Jeem started his career with a degree in mechanical engineering and his passion for tactical operations has landed him with 5 years of experience with extensive law enforcement special operations training.
Jeem is a certified trainer in the use and deployment of less lethal munitions (impact munitions, chemical, diversionary devices) along with tactical entry (manual, shotgun, and explosive breaching). His proficiency in weapons has also earned him the right to be a firearms instructor of pistol and tactical rifles.
Paul Pawela
Paul is an American Christian and a nationally recognized trainer/ subject matter expert on military, police and security related issues. Paul retired from the 10th Special Forces Group with over 1000 static line and military free fall jumps and is a SOCOM hand to hand combat instructor. Paul is also a graduate of three different police academies and has served as a police officer in three different states. He currently works as an Adjunct Instructor for several nationally recognized training schools such as Lethal Force Institute, Defensive Training Inc, American Small Arms Academy, RedMan and ARMA.
Paul is a Graduate of the FBI Hostage Negotiation School, Smith&Wesson, H&K, SIG Arms Academy, NRA Police Fire Arms Instructor Schools as well as a graduate from ten different national shooting schools. With over 35 years of martial Arts experience, certified as a instructor in Jeet Kune Do and Kali, Paul is also recognized as one of the foremost knife Instructors in the country. Paul has served both in the military and law enforcement as a SRT Team Leader and is a certified Personal Protection Specialist and licensed Private Investigator.
Paul has written for Police, Concealed Carry, Combat Handguns, SWAT, GLOCK, Black Belt and many other self defense publications. Paul is the collaborator for Paladin Press The Special Operations Tactical Interdiction Sniper Manual and Tactical Response Solutions Extreme Russian Combat DVD staring Yelena Pawela.
Todd Burgreen
Todd Burgreen is a freelance writer with work published in numerous publications such as SWAT MAGAZINE, PRECISION SHOOTING, SMALL ARMS REVIEW, LE TECHNOLOGY and TACTICAL WEAPONS among others. Todd has attended numerous personal defense, team tactics, firearms, and driving courses over the years from some of the most influential training schools in the country.
Thomas Anderson
Diesel, as refered to by his friends, is highly skilled in modern army combatives. Thomas has three black belts in Tae Kwon Do, traditional Japanese Kenpo, & Choy Li Fut Kung Fu. He is also also ranked in Japanese Goju Ryu and has extensive training in Muay Thai.
Thomas was a unit combatives instructor 2/7th SFG (ABN) as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor under Charles Gracie. Thomas was also trained by World Champion Cassio Werneck, Cesar Gracie, and Khomkrit Niimi.
SGT Igor Dobroff
In 1978, at the age of 19, Igor Dobroff was drafted for two years to the Soviet Army. He asked to join the VDV (Soviet Airborne Forces), and the request was granted. SGT Dobroff started his military experience with the VDD (Guard Airborne Division), near the old Russian city of Pskov as a rifleman. During his service, SGT Dobroff made three jumps including a night jump. A year later, he was transferred to the Artillery Airborne Regiment as a scout/radio operator.
In 1980, the Soviet Army began troop deployments to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan on a peacekeeping mission; SGT Dobroff and his fellow soldiers volunteered. The Russian film 9 ROTA depicts a later period but with same general concept. SGT Dobroff and his comrades were sent to the Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan in January 1980 as part of the Artillery Reconnaissance Unit. During a combat mission, SGT Dobroff was wounded and evacuated from Afghanistan back to a military hospital in Tashkent, Soviet Central Asia. In June of 1980, he was discharged from the Soviet Army.
After his military service, Igor Dobroff enrolled in the maritime marine college and later worked as a Navigator for the Soviet Merchant Fleet where he earned the rank of Lieutenant in the Soviet Naval Reserve. For his service, SGT Dobroff received Soviet military decorations for valor and for action in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.
As a history enthusiast, Igor Dobroff earned his BA degree in History from the Moscow University in 1991; the same year the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Igor has lived in the United States since 1996.
In 2002, Igor became a member of the California Historical Group a WW2 reenactment community. He possesses an interesting collection of the Red Army infantry weapons, including a demilitarized 45-mm AT cannon. He has also translated many manuals of the Red Army. Igor Dobroff joined the Lion Claws series in 2007.
COL (Ret.) Paul Longgrear
COL (Ret.) Paul Longgrear has been a popular VIP in mil-sim events since 2004. Col. Longgrear is most famous for his leadership in the Battle of Lang Vei in 1968. He was as a leader of a Mike Force comprised of 196 Hre Montagnards from Ban Me Thuot. This account is detailed in the book, Night of the Silver Stars: The Battle of Lang Vei by William R. Phillips and Tanks in the Wire: The First Use of Enemy Armor in Vietnam by David B. Stockwell.
Col. Longgrear retired from the US Army after 26 years of combined federal service. He is a Middle East specialist and speaks on counter terrorism, patriotism, and identifying the real enemy in the current terrorism conflict. Col Longgrear served two combat tours in Vietnam and was in the Middle East when Desert Storm erupted, and he was immediately ordered back to the USA to support the war effort. Col. Longgrear has since been inducted into the Infantry OCS Hall of Fame.
COL. Longgrear was with Tactical MilSim Magazine from its inception as a master tactician who brings valuable real-world expertise and a wealth of knowledge in mil-sim war-gaming experience to the Tactical MilSim family.
