Hard Target
What if the danger was never invisible?
Every day, ordinary people walk into situations that turn violent in seconds. Most never saw it coming. Not because the signs weren’t there, because no one ever taught them what to look for.
Hard Target changes that.
Drawing on four decades of combined experience in emergency medicine, law enforcement, military service, and scenario-based personal safety training, Dr. Jenn Stankus and Philip Toppino deliver the book that tactical professionals have always had access to, and that everyone else has been missing.
In this book you will:
- Learn to think like a predator, so you never become prey
- Recognize the environments where danger concentrates
- Study real-world case studies from survivors who acted, and from those who didn’t
Grounded in force science, behavioral psychology, and real-world case studies, Hard Target is a practical manual for the world as it actually is. Not the world we wish we lived in.
Your instincts were built for this. It’s time to use them.
About Dr. Jenn Stankus, MD, JD, FACEP
About
Dr. Jenn Stankus, MD, JD, FACEP
The Divorce Coach
Founder of The International Divorce Coach Centre of Excellence (IDCCOE)
Dr. Jenn Stankus, MD, JD, FACEP, has spent more than four decades studying and living the topics in this book. She has served as a first responder, a law enforcement officer in both civilian and military capacities, a U.S. Army Magistrate, an attorney, an emergency physician, and an expert witness in use-of-force cases. She is a certified Force Science Analyst, the co-host of Surviving Mann and Face Off, military survival television programs that put civilians and operators through high-stress scenario training. Dr. Jenn is the sole writer of this manuscript. The strategies and principles in Hard Target come from her experience in situations most people will never encounter, combined with decades of dedicated study of tactics, situational awareness, and human performance under stress.
Through her training programmes, resources, and corporate initiatives — including specialist breakup and divorce support for employees — Sara’s work extends far beyond coaching. Her mission is to change the way the world experiences breakups and divorce, empowering individuals to turn emotional pain into personal power.
About Philip Toppino
About
Philip Toppino
The Divorce Coach
Founder of The International Divorce Coach Centre of Excellence (IDCCOE)
Philip Toppino is the founder of WOFT (Where Our Families Train), a 20-acre scenario-based personal-safety training facility outside Orlando, Florida. He was recently hand-selected as Director of Training at WRAP, the company that produces the BolaWrap remote restraint device, now adopted in more than 60 countries and by over 12,000 law enforcement agencies, chosen for teaching skills unmatched in the field. Philip developed the Live Scenario Dynamic Training methodology, an adaptive system in which every scenario is tailored to the individual student. It is the only training of its kind operating in the United States. Philip is the sole producer of the companion educational video library at hardtargetbook.com, short visual lessons that demonstrate principles, tools, and techniques in motion in ways print alone cannot teach.
Through her training programmes, resources, and corporate initiatives — including specialist breakup and divorce support for employees — Sara’s work extends far beyond coaching. Her mission is to change the way the world experiences breakups and divorce, empowering individuals to turn emotional pain into personal power.
“What sets this book apart isn’t the information — it’s the tone. There’s no fear-mongering here, just a steady hand and a clear voice walking you through exactly what to do, and why it works.”
Dallas Gazette
“As a retired CIA Operations Officer who deployed these techniques in some of the world’s most dangerous places, I can attest that Hard Target is the clearest guide I’ve seen on recognizing and avoiding danger. I consider it essential reading for anyone, and I’d urge every parent to make their child read it before leaving home.”
Jeff Emde, CIA Operations Officer (Ret.)
“This book earns its place on the shelf next to the other essentials — the first-aid kit, the flashlight, the smoke detector. It’s not an alarmist’s guide. It’s a survivor’s toolkit, written with a clear head and a steady hand.”
Cevin Ormond
