Meet Rick Goodrich: Tactical Visionary, Proven Leader, and Founder of Paidion Shield

When it comes to building a security training organization that brings together elite experience, strategic vision, and a heart for service, there is no one more qualified to lead the mission than Rick Goodrich, Founder and President of Paidion Shield. With over three decades of combined military and federal law enforcement experience, Goodrich embodies the highest standards of preparedness, leadership, and operational excellence.

Today, he serves as the Chief of Safety and Security for Boerne ISD in Texas, and adjunct ALERRT instructor but his path to this role has been anything but conventional, it has been forged in some of the world’s most high-stakes environments.

An Elite Federal Career with the DEA

Rick Goodrich retired in July 2022 after 22 years of distinguished service with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He held the position of Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) and most recently served as the Supervisor of the San Antonio District Office’s Texas Anti-Gang Initiative (TAG), a collaborative, multi-agency task force composed of the DEA, FBI, IRS, DHS/HSI, DPS, SAPD, BCSO, and other key partners.

During his DEA tenure, Goodrich also served on the Miami and Houston Division Special Response Team (SRT), an elite tactical unit responsible for planning and executing high-risk operations and responding to FEMA deployments during natural disasters. His leadership was critical in multiple national emergency responses, including:

• 9/11 World Trade Center Response

• Ft. Lauderdale Airport Active Shooter

• Parkland High School Shooting

• Uvalde, TX – Robb Elementary School Shooting

  
  

Goodrich has been deployed on four FEMA missions, leading teams into disaster zones with precision and professionalism. He is certified as a FEMA Incident Commander and NIMS Coordinator under the U.S. Department of Justice.

Global Impact and High-Stakes Investigations

RIck began his DEA career in the New York Field Division (2000-2006), with his evenutal assignment to the muti-agency NY OCDETF Strike Force where he targeted and successfully indicted the largest narco-terrorist organization in Colombia the FARC. This international impact is underscored by his assignment to the Andean Field Division in Bogotá, Colombia (2006–2012), where he worked on groundbreaking investigations that linked drug trafficking to terrorism. He played a pivotal role in Operation Tango Chaser, leading to the indictment of the leadership of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), one of the first U.S. narco-terrorism cases of its kind.

His work also contributed to the rescue of three American contractors held by FARC rebels and the successful extradition of their captor. For this, Goodrich was honored with:

• The U.S. Attorney General’s Group Award

• The U.S. State Department Superior Honor Award

• DEA Administrator’s Award

  
  

Goodrich’s expertise in transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and his collaborations with agencies like the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) have had long-lasting national security impacts.

A Distinguished Military Career

Before his DEA service, Rick Goodrich served 22 years in the United States Air Force, retiring as a Major and Commander of the 118th Security Forces Squadron. His unit specialized in force protection, anti-terrorism, and base security, where he led 77 airmen in mission-critical operations. As a Level 3 Force Protection Specialist, the highest DOD certification, he liaised with federal agencies on threat assessments and critical infrastructure protection.

His joint military and federal experience gives him a unique understanding of both domestic and international threats, making him one of the most well-rounded security leaders in the country.

Called to Protect: A Mission Grounded in Faith

Rick Goodrich’s work is not just a career, it is a calling. He was drawn to this mission by a powerful verse that has become the spiritual foundation of Paidion Shield:

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep.”— John 10:14-15

This scripture is more than a verse to Goodrich, it’s a guiding principle that defines his leadership. He sees his role as a modern-day shepherd, charged with protecting the vulnerable and training others to do the same with courage, wisdom, and love.

A New Mission: Equipping and Protecting Through Paidion Shield

Now, as the Founder and President of Paidion Shield, Rick Goodrich channels his lifetime of experience into training and equipping schools, churches, and organizations to face modern threats with confidence. Under his leadership, Paidion Shield offers expert-level instruction in:

• Tactical readiness and response

• Crisis planning and de-escalation

• School safety programs

• Long-range and close-quarters tactical operations

• Emergency and FEMA-level response coordination

  
  

With every training session, briefing, or consultation, Goodrich operates with one unwavering goal: to lay down his expertise in service of protecting others, especially the most vulnerable among us.

Education & Leadership

• B.S. in Criminal Justice – Middle Tennessee State University (1997)

• Command and Staff College Graduate – United States Air Force (2010)

  
  

Rick Goodrich continues to consult and lead in the national conversation around school safety, tactical training, and emergency response. His integrity, commitment, and operational wisdom are what set Paidion Shield apart, and why organizations across the nation trust him to help secure what matters most.

Rick Goodrich | Founder and Trainer of Paidion Shield