Iraq veteran has plans for ranges

MAT-SU — Amid the shouting matches over plans for public shooting ranges, one company is seeking to solve the debates privately.

Plans for ranges in Wasilla and the Maud Road and Jim Creek areas have raised concerns with local residents. The complaint is common — they like the idea of a new range, but the site design and location are all wrong.

Joshua Rivera claims he can quell that complaint. Rivera is an ex-Navy Special Operations soldier with four tours in Iraq — two with the Navy Seals, one with the Army Special Forces and one with the regular infantry.

He now runs Alaska Training Group, a company of retired military and law enforcement agents that provides training in explosive ordnance disposal and special weapons and tactics for elite federal, state and local groups around the country.

Traveling the Lower 48, Rivera noticed a lack of adequate training facilities. He found that especially true in Alaska. The state’s agents and officers have to travel south to get any sort of advanced training, and even there most ranges are expensive and outdated, he said.

With this in mind, Rivera sees the opportunity to build a state-of-the-art training facility here.

“My staff has spent the last 10 years training at the most advanced ranges in the world. We have compiled our ideas and lessons learned,” he said. “Why not have something here? They will fly to Alaska for something like this, guaranteed.”

Besides providing his company a new training grounds, there are two benefits t o the local community, he said. First, rather than building the essential services, Rivera hopes to partner with local businesses in the area to accommodate his training groups.

“I don’t want to put housing on site if I don’t have to,” he said. “I hope I could create relationships with the businesses already here.”

Second, and most importantly, Rivera hopes to make the range open to the public. His plan would use his government contracts to subsidize the cost he charges to the general public.

“That money has already been allocated by Homeland Security, the Department of the Defense, et cetera. We will use the profits we make there to reduce the costs to the public. They will be very minimal if anything,” Rivera said.

He has been actively seeking public input about what they want out of a range, and he’s determined the need is there.

“Not only do they want versatility, they want it to be a comfortable and pleasurable experience,” he said.

The plan he has developed meets all the NRA specifications for safety and exceeds the environmental regulations. His company would test the lead levels in the soil before beginning construction and would be committed to maintaining or even reducing those levels, he said. The backstops will be made of recycled tires, the rubber will reduce bullet fragmentation and ricochets. The group will actively mine for spent rounds, further reducing their impact, he said.

The plan includes 17 ranges. It will have everything from competitive pistol ranges, reactive targets, a hothouse building, plenty of bench ranges in different distances, a sniper tower and an open range full of derelict cars stripped of any volatile materials or pollutant.

“Our training already includes automobiles. … We offer police training on what sort of protection is provided by different parts of the car. There’s no reason we can’t let the public use it too,” Rivera said.

That is, if the local governments cooperate, or at least communicate, he said.

Rivera said his plan was all set, and he received the support of Rep. Don Young. He was beginning to look for property around Point MacKenzie when he first heard of the plans for the other ranges around the Valley.

Now, his plans have stalled as he waits to see what progresses in the public sector.

He understand the Jim Creek area is a problem with shooters having no organization and dumping trash for targets. He understands why there needs to be alternatives and why the governments are looking to create a more controlled environment. But instead of going it alone, they should look to sit down with someone like himself to learn what works and what does not, Rivera said.

All of the governmental plans he’s seen are inadequate, he said. They only provide bench shooting ranges, ignoring the flexibility that makes shooting in Jim Creek so popular. They don’t address mining of spent shells or where the money will come from for construction and maintenance, Rivera said.

“It’s a costly venture to build and maintain a facility,” he said. “We don’t think the local taxpayers should have to pay.”

That is why, he said, if the public sector is adamant about building facilities, they should partner with ATG. He would be willing to move his site to the Jim Creek area, or anywhere else the necessary land is available. He just needs some indication from the administrators about their willingness.

“We are moving forward. The difference will be where we do it. We have a phased plan that will move quickly once we break ground,” Rivera said. “But if they build all these ranges, and the public is content, I will focus on what makes me money — training military and law enforcement personnel.”

He has not heard back from anyone yet, but said if the Mat-Su Borough indicated they wanted to form a partnership, Rivera said his plan could be completed by next summer.

“But I’m going to wait until I find out what they are doing. I can’t compete with the government.”

Contact Todd L. Disher at todd.disher@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.