Will Rodriguez
A childhood in Bushwick.
I grew up in Bushwick, Brooklyn — one of New York City's most dangerous neighborhoods in the 1970s and early '80s. The FDNY was fighting a hundred fires a month in that neighborhood. Most of the kids I saw daily on those streets either died or went to jail.
What kind of neighborhood makes a boy daydream about martial law just so he could play outside safely?
My parents rarely let me on the street — you could count those times on one hand with fingers left over. They weren't wrong. Close family who spent more time outside than I did ended up with records. I grew up surrounded by it.
I was six years old when someone tried to break into our home through a bathroom window off a fire escape. I watched my grandfather die of a heart attack in front of me at eight. Shortly after, my uncle — my Godfather — was shot in the head during a strong-arm burglary. He survived. I joke that it was a .22.
I've been assaulted. I've had men discuss robbing me in Spanish on a subway platform, not knowing I was Puerto Rican and understood every word. I've had my home burglarized while in the field training. And two men attempted to carjack me in Queens — two weeks after New York State told me I didn't need a carry permit.
That attempted carjacking is why GunJitsu exists.
"West Point polished me. Most of this was thirty years ago."
Most instructors study crime. I grew up surrounded by it.
That's not a credential you earn in a classroom — and it shapes everything about how I coach.
Law enforcement responds to crime. I was trained by it — from childhood — to prevent it. The law-abiding citizens I coach don't need to know how to work a crime scene. They need to never become one. In the Infantry, the measure of success isn't how well you treat casualties. It's how few you take — and accomplishing the mission. As MacArthur said, there is no substitute for victory. That's the standard I bring to personal safety.
I'm not a lawyer and I don't have a law degree. I completed three semesters of law at West Point and spent years as an Army officer conducting investigations, reading rights, taking statements, and sending some Soldiers to jail under the UCMJ. My understanding of the legal dimensions of force is practical, earned, and updated continuously.
West Point · Twenty Years Infantry · Combat Veteran.
West Point graduate. Twenty years as a U.S. Army Infantry officer across Europe, the Middle East, Korea, and Latin America. Desert Storm combat veteran — led two 100+ man combat units in theater.
I hold a Master's degree in Leadership Development & Counseling and am a graduate of the Combined Arms General Staff College. My final assignment was doing future force research and development at the Infantry Battle Lab.
Awards include the Bronze Star, Master Combat Infantry Badge, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Order of Saint Maurice, and the Southwest Asia Service Medal with three Campaign Stars.
Primary credentials.
- Massad Ayoob Group (MAG) Deadly Force InstructorTop Gun Graduate, MAG 40
- Tom Givens' Advanced Rangemaster Certified InstructorTop shooter, 36-instructor national conference
- Force Science InstituteCoursework in progress
Additional credentials.
- Sage Dynamics Red Dot Sight Handgun Instructor — Aaron Cowan
- Modern Samurai Project Red Dot Pistol Instructor — Scott Jedlinski
- ALICE Active Shooter Instructor
Top Gun — MAG 40 · Top shooter on timed accuracy drill, Tom Givens national instructor conference (36 national instructors)
The martial art of lawful armed self-defense.
GunJitsu is a complete personal safety system built on four pillars: Mind, Body, Spirit, and Tool. Lifestyle is the lifelong pursuit of mastering all four.
Most firearms instructors teach you how to shoot. GunJitsu coaches the full system — the who, when, where, why, and how many times. The tactics and the legalities. From identifying a threat before it finds you to what happens after it's over.
The framework is five steps: Identify the threat. Avoid it. De-escalate. Deter. And when everything else has failed — Win. Not survive. Win. Surviving means losing a leg or going to jail. Winning is the only standard worth training for.
The gun is the last line of defense in that system. GunJitsu builds the system.
Samurai precision. Templar conscience.
GunJitsu draws from two warrior traditions. The Samurai understood that the weapon is an extension of a disciplined will. The Templars understood that protection is a moral obligation, not a license for aggression.
The GunJitsu protector is not the Grossman sheepdog — a creature defined by its flock's fear. The GunJitsu protector chooses who to protect and why, governed by conscience and code. Defendere Fideliter: To Defend Faithfully.
"The Gun is a Tool — You Are the Weapon."
Book a Complimentary Personal Safety Assessment with Will
A no-obligation 30-minute consultation to assess where you are, identify your gaps, and find the right path forward. No sales pitch. No pressure.
★ Book Your Complimentary Assessment ▸
Denise Rodriguez
Women walk into Denise Rodriguez's classes nervous, unsure, sometimes afraid. They walk out standing taller.
Not because they learned a technique — but because they realized something about themselves. They were capable all along. They just needed someone to show them.
Denise has coached thousands of women over eight-plus years. She remembers exactly what it felt like to be in their shoes. Her classes have no intimidation, no pressure, no ego. Just calm, practical, honest instruction that meets you exactly where you are.
"You are stronger and more capable than you think." — Denise Rodriguez
- Basic Firearms Instructor
- Home Defense With A Handgun Instructor
- Refuse To Be A Victim — Nationally Certified Instructor
- Eddie Eagle GunSafe Instructor
- Stop The Bleed Instructor
- Women's Empowerment Coach — Certified
- Attendee, National Violence Against Women Conference 2021
Denise's instruction covers the full personal safety spectrum for women — awareness, boundaries, de-escalation, non-lethal tools, and firearms. Her specialty is meeting women exactly where they are and building from there, at their pace, on their terms.
Book a Complimentary Personal Safety Assessment with Denise
A no-obligation 30-minute consultation tailored specifically for women. No judgment. No pressure. No obligation.
★ Book Your Complimentary Assessment with Denise ▸Or visit gunjitsu.us/women for women-specific programming.
Verified reviews from real students.
Verbatim Yelp reviews from W2TF Training & Firearms students. No edits.
Major Will Rodriguez stands as an unparalleled gem among instructors, a beacon of expertise in the realm of firearm ownership. With four decades under my belt as a discerning firearm aficionado, encountering Major Rodriguez has been nothing short of revelatory. His innate ability to connect with individuals coupled with his mastery across diverse disciplines of the craft sets him apart. Each session with him is a journey of enlightenment, leaving me enriched with knowledge previously unexplored.
Furthermore, the addition of his wife, Denise, to their formidable team only enhances their collective prowess. Denise's specialization in empowering women in the art of firearm carrying is a testament to their unwavering dedication to inclusivity and excellence. Together, they form an indomitable force, a duo whose credibility is unquestionable.
Without hesitation, I wholeheartedly endorse Major Will Rodriguez and Denise, a dynamic duo whose expertise knows no bounds.
Yesterday, I took the Workshop - Use of Force: The Law & Tactical Considerations.
Class A presentation for 3 hours! Learned about Florida State Statutes from a $500 an hour Attorney on what to expect and protect yourself legally in a Self Defense situation.
Then Instructor Will, discussed scenarios on lethal & non lethal weapons.
I can't wait to attend the next Workshop.
I recently attended a class on legal information for post-self-defense situations, and I must say it was incredibly informative. The content was comprehensive, addressing crucial aspects of the legal aftermath, and the instructor's expertise made the complex topics easy to understand. Highly recommend!
Will is an excellent instructor. He covers everything in a way that you understand and absorb. He also has the perfect experience and personality to make the class enjoyable.
Will provided a wonderful presentation today about what to do after a shooting. It was a eye opening and I recommend this training for everyone.
Will did a excellent training, he made the class fun, exciting, and he is very knowledgeable in firearm handling and laws.
A Personal Safety Assessment
Costs nothing. Takes 30 minutes. It will tell you exactly where you are, what gaps exist, and what GunJitsu can do about them.
No sales pitch. No pressure. No insurance.
★ Book Your Complimentary Assessment ▸
Will and Denise Rodriguez answer every inquiry personally.
(706) 221-0729 ·
will@gunjitsu.us