During our TCA Tactical Weekend, we had the opportunity to chat with Gabriel. He is the founder and the Head Instructor of the Tactical Combat Academy (TCA). His experience is mainly based on his time spent in the army. He started with four years studying at a military academy and subsequently served 21 years in the Slovak armed forces. He started in the Airforce and later joined the Special Forces. His last position was Instructor and shooting trainer of Slovak Special Forces.
Together with Martin, they established TCA. Martin has been his friend from his civilian life and a well-established businessman. Together they identified the need for high-quality shooting training. TCA hence offers comprehensive training for everyone, regardless if you are a civilian, who wants to learn something new, or if you come from the private sector as a bodyguard. Law enforcement members can also join specially adapted training to improve their skills. Gabriel’s extensive knowledge and experience is reflected in the training.
Gabriel enjoyed being an instructor. It was thus a natural step for him to continue training. He wants to teach people how to shoot good and never give up. Mental development is part of every training and could even be considered coaching.
Quality and high level of professionalism
Since TCA has been established, a lot has changed. We are currently in our eighth season and Gabriel and his team have worked hard to offer new training every year, including non-shooting training. We have many modern and new rental firearms; fresh targets and we use every chance to invite international instructors. If the instructor or the training cannot come to Slovakia, the proverbial prophet goes got the mountain. Hence, you can find training abroad on our Homepage as well.
I have asked him where the TCA journey can continue and what him and his team have coming for us. Gabo, as he is called by his friends, wants to further keep the quality of the training very high. He wants to develop further topics and knowledge and invite new instructors. Facility protection and Bodyguard are currently topics being further developed. So, more or less, he wants to carry on with what has been done so far, as the concept has approved.
His personal highlights of the year are always trainings with other professional participants, such as Bodyguard or Guerrilla Tactic. He generally enjoys well trained participants, which makes him feel like working with his former colleagues and this brings him back to the day of his active service. He also always enjoy seeing other people improve every time. When he sees a participant improve, learn, and get motivated.
Each and every participant counts.
With new participants, he particularly pays attention to what is paramount with every participant, namely safety. We can confirm this without a speck of doubt, as also during our training, he sees even from a long distance if you have secured your assault rifle, or if your finger was on the trigger during the drill, where it should not be at all. He also always focuses on answering any and all questions and also explain the whys of his curriculum. Regardless if you are a greenhorn, or if you indeed have some experience behind you, Gabriel helps everyone learn and improve.
TCA equips you with everything you need. Rental firearms, ammunition, holsters, eye protection, pouches and more will be provided to you. Gabriel always assists all participants in order to give them the best chances to pass a training. Even if you might not always full trust your own skills, Gabo helps raise your limits and shows you there is more in you. He always pays attention to set up an optimum difficulty for all participants.
You never stop learning
On TCA training, the head instructor always shows the drills with live shooting. His precision and speed never stop impressing us. During our week-long trainings, he shoots a lot. Therefore, we of course asked him if he also shoots in his spare time. With a smile on his face, he says that the shooting during the training is sufficient. But he does train at home without ammunition, as it just is a part of the game. But otherwise, he uses the time when he is not at the shooting range to keep himself fit.
Does someone like Gabriel, a former Special Forces soldier, who has visited diverse trainings and workshops of other units and held many trainings himself, still see other instructors as inspiration? He himself does not want to name names, but he does have high respect for other people’s performance. He respects achievements of individuals in extreme situations, regardless whether in actual combat situations, or in the civilian sector. I have asked him another question, namely if there is a training he himself would like to join? As he replies, there is always something new to learn and whenever he has the chance to participate, he does so. This comes naturally, as it is always good to have as much knowledge as possible and hear the opinion of others to take a clear picture for oneself.