Are you training prudently?

Michigan State Police

I have no doubt there will be some unit-on-unit fights that take place in the woods, or rural land where farmers and ranchers live, and where some Patriots will seek refuge.  Once in a while OpFor will order their men into the woods on Hunter-Killer ops.  Because of this likelihood it is prudent to learn how to work as a Team in that environment.  Defending a rancher or farmer is very likely if you live in a rural area or small town.  This is where J.C., Max and Mosby are experts.  From every AAR I have read and been sent from Patriots who have taken classes with these men, you'd have a hard time finding anyone better to teach Small Unit Tactics.

Now ask yourself just how likely it is that you will ever be involved in a firefight in the woods, versus in the suburbs or town center or city.  Has your training to date appropriately reflected the most likely scenarios?  I would suggest you will see at least as much combat using handguns, knives, bricks and fists as you will rifle combat at rifle ranges.  OpFor does not live in the woods.  They do not put their targets in the woods.  The only reason they'll venture into the woods is to get you or hassle farmers and ranchers - and even then they'll drive on the roads, not advance from the treeline and across his crop fields.

Personally I am more OSS than SAS.  My personal nature, disposition, worldview and temperament are more suited to getting close, usually using deception to close the gap.  I'll find a fight in an elevator long before I ever find myself using SUT in the brush.  I'm more likely to find hostiles flagging my vehicle into a checkpoint or finding myself faced with angry bureaucrats and their Praetorian in a City Hall.  Many, many people are likely to meet violence in a protest/rally scenario where the range will begin too-f'n-close before opening up.  I think all of us are more likely to face lethal Government force in our own homes than playing counter-sniper in rocky outcroppings. 

Have you trained for a home invasion?  Have you and your family drilled on it?  Does your wife and kids know where they are supposed to go, what they are supposed to do when the front door explodes at 0430 hours and flash-bangs pop-off from every room on the ground floor?  Does your wife understand basic hand signals you may have to use as you creep through your own home in stealth mode as you close on home invaders?  Have you trained to use your hands or knife when pistol-range is suddenly lost and you are in a deathfight with three men so close you can smell each others fear? 

If you have trained for these scenarios - have you trained enough?

I have taken to repeating this counsel recently: If you are not fighting, you'd better be training.

CQB is a blend of rifle, handgun, knife and empty-hands killing.  I have said it a thousand times: Enroll in a Krav Maga class and go as many times a week as you are physically able.  The hand-to-hand skills you will learn work to improve your close-quarters blade work and pistol work.  I promise you - if you go to a Krav studio you'll get your PT in and Mosby won't have to harp on you so hard or often.

If you can't find a Krav studio, find a Brazilian ju-jutsu studio.  Come to Idaho and take my Fight to your Weapon course.  Find a trainer you trust and learn close-quarters pistol and rifle skills.  Talk to Mosby, J.C. and Max and see if they will put together a class to cover the basics of fighting in a built-up environment, clearing rooms, clearing buildings and streets and even neighborhoods.  Ask them to teach you how OpFor will approach those same tasks so you will understand your enemy.

But for the love of all that is valuable in your life - train.  Train hard.

Now for the question that I am certain many of you will not want to answer, even to yourself:  Since you took your last class with J.C., Max, Mosby or me - how many times have you run those drills and techniques since?  One class or weekend will give you a thumbnail, and a study guide.  But learning is on you.

Look one final time at the picture above.  This is OpFor.  They are training - every day - in all of these skills.  Their training may suck.  They may be out of shape.  But again ask yourself this: Do they train more than you?  Are they in better shape with better endurance than you?  Only you can rectify that problem.

Kerodin
III