Philip Messina

          Philip Messina is President of Modern Warrior Defensive Tactics Institute in Lindenhurst, NY and was highly decorated in the N.Y.P.D in both plainclothes and uniformed assignments.  Mr. Messina had the highest arrest productivity in the 1977 anti-crime experiment (A.C.E.) averaging better than one felony arrest for each patrol day, and was the first training officer for the largest community oriented patrol program in the USA  (C.P.O.P.)  He is currently certified as an instructor or instructor trainer in over a dozen defensive tactics and self defense systems.  He has taught defensive tactics for over 20 years, has a martial arts background of over 38 years, and has written numerous articles on martial arts, defensive tactics, and self defense training, both nationally and internationally.

           Phil has been featured numerous times on national and international TV, radio and in newspapers and magazines.  He presently holds over 300 decorations, community service awards and letters of commendation, including the prestigious Award for Moral Courage, presented by the National Institute of Ethics .  Since retiring in July 1987 from the Research and Development section of Police Commissioner's Office, N.Y.P.D. (where he served as a training officer and supervisor) Phil Messina has conducted training seminars for police trainers and officers from all over the U.S. and abroad.  Messina is proud to serve on the Board of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association.

           A past member of the former American Women's Self Defense Association, Phil Messina was appointed as Strategy and Tactics Consultant for the non-profit organization after developing and certifying the Free Rape Prevention Course AWSDA used to offer as a community service. This course is now taught exclusively at Modern Warrior.

He is the first male recipient of the prestigious Susan B. Anthony Award.

            Messina has been a staff instructor for the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers, the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors, Illinois Tactical Officer’s Association, the Canadian Use of Force Conference, the Nova Scotia Department of Justice and numerous other local, state and federal law enforcement organizations and agencies.  He has been an expert witness on several important criminal and civil cases and is a staff consultant for FYSD Associates, civilian and law enforcement training specialists.

            In 1989 Messina was honored to be the first American martial artist invited to demonstrate his training techniques at the Shoalin Temple Wu Shu Training Center in Henan Province, Mainland China.  He has since been featured both on Chinese and Japanese public television on several occasions, as well as Australian television.

            In 1996, after serving as Chairman of its Integrity Support Program, Mr. Messina was elected to the Board of Directors of C.A.P.P., the Concerned Alliance for Professional Policing.

            Mr. Messina’s unique research and methodology has led to the development of key concepts now being used in defensive tactics training including Goal Oriented Training™, Time Framing™, Combat Stress Conditioning™, Environmental Stress Conditioning™, and Physio-kinetic Control Tactics™.

e-mail Phil at info@ModernWarrior.com


Phil at play (that's Phil on the right).

Jim Leone

Mr. Leone has been studying Bo Fung Do, an extension of Wing Chun Kung Fu, at Modern Warrior for over 13 years and holds a black belt in the art.
In addition, Mr. Leone taught a Tactical Edged Weapons Defense Class, at the annual seminar for the American Women’s Self Defense Association (AWSDA), now re-named the Association for Women’s Self Defense Advancement, held in Seattle.

Mr. Leone has also assisted with a Tactical Groundfighting Course at the Nebraska State Police Academy.

Currently, he assists with Law Enforcement training courses as well as weekly Bo Fung Do martial arts classes and Saturday Night Seminars at Modern Warrior, including Confronting Multiple Assailants, Gun Defense, Student Protection and Controlled Escape Program (S.P.A.C.E.), Knife Defense, Confined Area Safety and Survival Tactics (C.A.S.T.) and more.
A certified Rape Prevention Instructor, he has been an assistant instructor for numerous 8 week and 16 week Female Self Defense courses.
He has also coached Youth Baseball and Basketball Programs in Nassau County.

Mr. Leone holds a B.S. in Elementary and Secondary Education.