Who We Are

Rip Six Gear was originally founded in 2017 by active duty military personnel who wanted to outfit the JTAC community with apparel that was made by operators, for operators.

Beginning in 2019, Rip Six Gear was dissolved, and a new focused, Rip 6 Incorporated was established by both active and retired military personnel. The company was founded under a new common goal: to utilize the knowledge and experience of our staff to provide realistic, relevant and cost-effective training for US Military members, Fire Department, Law Enforcement and Athletes across the world.

Our instructors are hand selected and pride themselves in mastering their skill sets to meet tomorrow’s challenges.

Comprised of conventional and special operations deployments, our staff’s experience and skill sets have been tested and proven on the battlefield.

Our staff is eager to provide quality training and products in order to prepare those who wish to develop & sharpen their skills to be successful in the worst situations. We truly embrace the motto of…

“You don’t rise to the occasion, you fall back to your training.”

MEET THE TEAM

SHAWN “DIESEL” MINYON – Firearms Instructor

Shawn “Diesel” Minyon is a retired (24 years of active military service) Special Operations Forces Joint Terminal Attack Controller (SOF JTAC)/Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) member. His duty stations include Ft. Bragg, NC; Korean Peninsula, Colorado Springs, CO; Aviano, Italy; and Savannah, GA. He has been involved in clandestine operations throughout the Baltics, South America and Africa and was part of the initial invasion into Afghanistan in 2001, as well as the initial SOF invasion into Iraq in 2003, accumulating four additional tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and five additional tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. During those deployments Shawn was embedded with ODA teams, CIF teams, Rangers and other JSOC/ DoD agency units.

While stationed in Italy, he was intimately involved in Building Partnership Capacity with host nations and surrounding Country’s Special Operations units, working to help establish their JTAC and small arms proficiency training programs while training side by side with their SOF JTACs.

Shawn has received extensive small arms and combative training through the U.S. Army Special Warfare Training center, to include courses such as Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC), Special Forces, Advanced Urban Combat Course (SFAUC), Special Forces, Advanced Reconnaissance, Target Analysis and Exploitation Techniques Course (SFARTAETC), plus additional commercial Shoot and combative courses.

Shawn has earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sports Health and Science and an Associates degree in Information Systems Management. He has also attended multiple senior level leadership courses, Military Free Fall Jumpmaster School, Static-Line Jumpmaster School, Air Assault and Pathfinder School.