Charlie Company (C CO) was formed in 2024 in Florida. We’re generally considered the “Jungle School” of One Shepherd. Charlie Company embraces a professional military atmosphere often described as having a “definite Army vibe.” At C CO you will experience an intense, fast-paced, and highly engaging experience designed to maximize the value of your tuition and training time. When you are with us, you are “In Country.”
The Cadre
Our cadre and instructors bring 60 years of combined experience in tactical operations, leadership development, and combat service within the United States Army. Their backgrounds range from small-unit leadership at the fire team level to senior battalion-level positions, providing students with a well-rounded perspective from both the officer and noncommissioned officer (NCO) corps, including both junior and senior leadership roles.
Company Commander (CO) – Chris Keeling
Chris is a retired U.S. Army Senior Noncommissioned Officer with 27 years of service across the Infantry, Special Forces, Military Intelligence, the NSA, and key leadership assignments such as a Drill Sergeant, Career Counselor, and Innovation NCOIC. His operational experience includes peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and combat deployments to Iraq.
Outside of One Shepherd, Chris is a professional video game developer and educator. His credits include America’s Army, World of Tanks, and Master of Orion, as well as numerous defense simulations developed for government clients. He currently teaches video game design at the master’s degree level.
Executive Officer (XO) – Chris Wooldridge
A retired U.S. Army Field Grade Officer with 28 years of service, Chris served across all major Combat Arms branches, including Artillery, Infantry, Armor, and Cavalry. Throughout his career, he held leadership positions from the section and platoon level through company/troop command, and served in key battalion-level leadership roles, including Battalion Executive Officer. He served with some of the Army’s most distinguished units, including the 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Cavalry Division, and 4th Infantry Division, and completed multiple combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Drawing on nearly three decades of operational, combat, training, and leadership experience, he brings practical, real-world perspectives on leadership, decision-making, military operations, and organizational effectiveness to the classroom.
Following his military retirement, he became an Adjunct Instructor at Piedmont Technical College, where he continues to teach and mentor students. He also owns and operates a small agricultural enterprise in eastern Georgia, applying the same principles of leadership, planning, and stewardship that guided his military career.
Lead Instructor – Tony Sacco
Tony is a U.S. Army veteran who served as an Infantryman with assignments in two of the Army’s most distinguished divisions: the 1st Infantry Division (“The Big Red One”) and the 1st Cavalry Division. During his military career, he served as both a Fire Team Leader and Squad Leader, leading soldiers in training and operational environments while developing expertise in small-unit tactics, leadership, and combat operations. Tony’s experience spans light infantry and mechanized infantry operations, providing him with a broad understanding of the capabilities, challenges, and employment of infantry forces across different battlefield environments. He also deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), where he gained firsthand experience in combat operations and counterinsurgency warfare.
Following his military service, Tony has continued supporting the warfighter through his work in the defense industry, where he is involved in the testing, evaluation, and training of emerging military capabilities. His experience bridging operational military service and modern defense technology provides students with a unique perspective on how evolving capabilities are developed, fielded, and employed in support of military operations.
Drawing on both his combat experience and his work with next-generation military systems, Tony brings practical insights into small-unit leadership, infantry tactics, and the integration of emerging technologies on the modern battlefield.
Instructor (Trainee) – Charles Xiong
Charles Xiong is a high-speed graduate of the One Shepherd Leadership Institute, having completed all six semesters of the program in just ten months. As a product of the curriculum himself, he brings a valuable non-military perspective to the instructional team and helps ensure that course material remains accessible and relevant to students with little or no military background. His experience allows him to view training through the eyes of the student, providing insight into how leadership concepts are understood and applied by those outside the military profession. Charles recently enlisted in the California Army National Guard as a Cavalry Scout. He is presently attending MOS-specific training at the Maneuver Center of Excellence, where he is receiving professional instruction in reconnaissance, security operations, and cavalry tactics at the Armor and Cavalry School.
Outside of One Shepherd and his military service, Charles is a software developer for a Fortune 10 company, where he works on large-scale enterprise technology solutions. His combined experience in technology, military service, and leadership development provides students with a unique perspective that bridges the civilian and military worlds while demonstrating the practical application of leadership principles across multiple professions.
The Location
FOB COBRA serves as the primary base of operations and provides modern hard-stand facilities to support training and student activities. The installation includes barracks, latrines, a dining facility (DFAC), and dedicated classroom space. All facilities are climate-controlled, providing a safe and comfortable environment for instruction, lodging, and administrative activities throughout the training cycle.
The surrounding Pierson, Florida, area is characterized by flat to gently rolling terrain typical of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The landscape consists of pine flatwoods, mixed hardwood forests, wetlands, and swamps, with sandy soils and dense vegetation that often restrict visibility and movement. Common flora includes longleaf and slash pine, saw palmetto, live oak, cypress, and various wetland plants. Wildlife is abundant and includes white-tailed deer, hogs, bobcats, alligators, wild turkey, black bear, and numerous waterfowl species. Venomous snakes, including rattlesnakes and cottonmouths, are also present.
The region experiences a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers, mild winters, frequent rainfall, and seasonal thunderstorms. The combination of dense vegetation, wetlands, heat, humidity, and insect populations creates an environment that challenges mobility, navigation, and endurance during outdoor activities and field training.