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Acumen Tactical

Your instructor

Meet Jon Plyler

Owner, head instructor, and a lifelong student of responsible self-defense.

Jon Plyler providing instruction at the range

Practical experience.
A commitment to teaching.

Jon is a military veteran and former Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officer and trainer. His more than 15 years with CMPD included five years as a full-time member of the training academy staff, teaching recruits and in-service officers.

His law-enforcement instruction focused on firearms, defensive tactics, subject control, and use of force. He brings that teaching experience to students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds at Acumen Tactical.

Jon is an active competitive shooter, and a lifelong student, regularly attending training himself to expand his knowledge & skills. He has a passion for teaching, helping his students to optimize their abilities and meet their individual goals!

A third-degree Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt, Jon also owns and teaches at Royce Gracie Academy of Lake Norman. His approach includes both armed and unarmed skills, awareness, and good judgment.

Training & credentials

  • Certified NRA and USCCA firearms instructor & Range Safety Officer
  • Rangemaster Basic, Advanced, Master, and Professional Pistolcraft Instructor program graduate
  • Rangemaster Master Pistol Award recipient
  • Stop the Bleed® instructor
  • American Heart Association-affiliated CPR / AED / First Aid instructor
  • Former NC Justice Academy-certified Specialized Law Enforcement Firearms and Subject Control & Arrest Techniques instructor

A family training legacy

Acumen Tactical continues a tradition started by Jon’s father, Bob Plyler, a Vietnam veteran, NRA Training Counselor, and Triple Distinguished Expert who founded Acumen Arms in the mid-2000s.

Jon assisted and co-taught in his father’s classes. He chose the name Acumen Tactical to honor that legacy and the qualities it represents: awareness, discernment, accuracy, and the ability to make sound decisions.

Our purpose

Helping responsible people protect innocent life.

Acumen Tactical utilizes a holistic approach to training, offering group & private instruction in firearms, use-of-force, situational awareness & decision making, emergency medical, and armed & unarmed self-defense.

Our goal is to help students become capable first responders for themselves, their families, and their communities, with a focus on safe, practical, and realistic training.

Find an upcoming class →