If you want a peak at what types of drills you’ll do at a Covert Carry class by Mike Pannone, you’ll enjoy this video by SMG Lee of a recent Alias Training Course.
Archive for the ‘Training’ Category
SMG Lee Hosts Pannone Covert Carry Class
Wednesday, March 27th, 2013Canipe Correspondence – Undervalued Skills
Sunday, March 24th, 2013A great many people receive training on firearms. Of course, it should be more, but that’s a topic for another day. I often wonder how many of the people who take regular firearms training classes have stepped out of the normal pistol/carbine class to broaden their horizons in regard to self defense skills. I would wager not many, and I believe self-defense utilizes plethora of skills that are outside the scope of learning to fire a failure drill at 5 yards and executing a reload. Blah blah blah mindset…blah blah blah real-world training for the streets…blah blah blah gamer stuff gets you killed…blah blah blah target focus you can’t use your sights in a fight, whatever. When all that stuff goes horribly awry and you don’t end a fight with accurate, lethal results, emerging unscathed, press checking your back-up back-up gun and stuffing it back under your Photographers vest, what happens then? Can you provide self-aid? Can you give an accurate location to the 911 operator? Can you defend yourself without a firearm? Do you possess the ability to run away? The ability to draw and fire a handgun without stress is not the great equalizer if you have to get in a fight, or compete, or do anything other than draw and fire a handgun on the range.
Number one on my list of necessary skills is medical training. Can you provide treatment for a gunshot wound? Can you stop bleeding? Can you apply a tourniquet? While I have no stats to back this up, I would say the majority of self-defense situations are defensive in nature. This meaning you are not on the offense initially. This meaning you were attacked, and have potentially sustained some form of injury. It might be a gunshot, stab wound, broken bone. Let’s assume you have neutralized the threat and now nobody is there to stabilize you except for you. Do you possess the skills to save your own life? These skills aren’t even tactical in nature. The same type of traumatic injury could happen to you, a family member, friend, or passerby in a car crash, bike wreck, freak redneck snow-sledding accident, or a slip down a flight of stairs. If nothing else, take a Red Cross Basic First Aid class, this is useful and necessary information, and I’d say you’re more likely to encounter an injury in your day-to-day life than that crazed gunman you’ve been practicing for. If you have the means to take a structured class that focuses on the injuries sustained (or dished out) in a fight, I recommend Dark Angel Medical. Kerry Davis at Dark Angel is my go-to when I need someone to teach med classes, and before forming Dark Angel Kerry ran Magpul Dynamics Medical Division. He’s also a former Air Force flight medic and has worked as a paramedic and RN after leaving active duty, so both trauma and routine medical care is no stranger to him. They can also provide medical supplies tailored to your needs including individual kits for low-vis applications or larger packages.
You should probably know how to throw a punch, block a punch, and take a punch as well. Most people are woefully underprepared for a physical altercation, which I would again consider more likely than having to shoot (at) someone. Joining a local boxing gym is a good start, and at a decent one is a lot of bang for your buck. In addition to the pugilistic skills, the added benefits of getting a good workout aren’t to be overlooked. The most applicable classes in a standard 2-5 day format that I am familiar are those from Southnarc. He teaches a number of classes that are geared toward skills for specific scenarios such as movement inside structures, weapons retention, and fighting in confined spaces. Many people shy away from classes such as these because they’re afraid to get beat up. Guess what, the big dude in the Wal Mart parking lot waiting to beat the shit out of you is going to enroll you in his class whether you sign up or not, so you may want to know what to do about it when he does.
Branch out. Fighting and stopping bleeding isn’t a commando skill, it’s a life skill. Defensive driving, dismounted navigation, cold weather survival. Hell, just go off the list of stuff Boy Scouts learn. A lot of that could save your life just as soon as clearing leather with your blaster or making a 250M carbine shot, particularly for the average concerned citizen. The ninja rifle/pistol combat skills are important too, but it’s certainly not the 99% of skills required for your personal safety and survival. Don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know and find a good place to learn it, those up drills will still be there when you get back to the range.
Gunfighter Moment – John McPhee
Saturday, March 23rd, 2013
I. CRUSH YOUR ENEMY TOTALLY
Leave no room for doubt. Kill them, then kill them twice to be sure, then check and make sure they are dead. Crush your enemy. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. This is not a James Bond movie where your enemy spills his guts and then gets away. Do not waste one word. Kill them and make sure they are dead. If they aren’t dead, they will seek revenge. Crush them not only in body and spirit, but take their will to fight. This especially includes warriors with no honor.
II. LEAD BY EXAMPLE
If it’s time to get your kill on, then start killin’ first. If you need to get through gunfire, get through the fire first. If you lead the way, this tells other warriors that if they want to get a kill in today, “You better beat me!” It tells your soldiers that if they want to prove themselves as warriors, they need to be on their “A Game” just to fight by your side.
III. TREAT EVERYONE EQUALLY
As a warrior, remember who got you to the dance. That vehicle didn’t fix itself. That weapon works because of your armorer. Spend time with those around you. Get to know everyone personally. This will ensure that in any situation, everyone that surrounds you will give you personally 110 percent.
IV. PLACE YOUR FULL TRUST IN NO ONE
You can trust a friend, as long as he remains honorable. But a warrior’s friend today might become his enemy tomorrow. Those who worship you today have envy, and will stain your armor and break your sword if given the chance. When the time comes, you will know who has honor, and honorable warriors will always forgive, for they understand your actions as a warrior.
V. TAKE CARE OF THOSE UNDER YOU
Defend your subordinates to the bitter end. Defend them against any and all friends, enemies and warriors. Let it be known to anyone under your control or aligned with you, that you will kill for your warriors if anyone else tries to test your territory or boundaries. This tells others to come to you first; because you rule your warriors. Other honorable warriors will understand this and want that same respect in return. Your subordinates will feel protected and go to the ends of the earth for their master.
VI. TRAIN EVERYONE TO BE THE MASTER
It’s every warrior’s job to want to be the master. From day one with your pupils, you’re training them to be the master. Withhold no information, no skills, nothing back from them. Give them everything they need personally to become a master. If you have 5 masters, versus 1 master and 4 pupils, this will strengthen your force. Honor will keep the balance of power for you, if you are the true master.
VII. LET YOUR WARRIORS SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS
Always let warriors solve their own problems or conflicts. If it’s between warriors, let them go. Watch every move they make to ensure the problem gets fixed and no one gets killed. There will always be problems. As the master, watching this will show you if the problem was fixed, or if your warriors have a problem with honor.
VIII. ALWAYS LET YOUR PUPILS TAKE THE CREDIT
When fighting another master or formidable enemy, always let your pupils have the final killing blow while you watch. This is the biggest form of dishonor to anther master. Being crushed by warriors of lesser stature will haunt him for eternity.
IX. NEVER WASH YOUR ARMOR
Savages always smell like scum. They will always bring their families to a gun fight. This includes babies and small children. If you don’t wash your clothes, you will smell like a savage, and if handling savage babies they will not cry. Babies use smell to identify who you are, friend or foe, so smell like a savage.
X. DO NOT FIGHT IN ANOTHER MAN’S PANTS
Know where your own kit is and use it! Messing around with another warrior’s gear is against any warrior code. This is viewed as hiding another warrior’s sword, and he won’t know until he is in battle. This is a sure way to get yourself beheaded, and this is not an honorable death between warriors.
SGM (ret) John McPhee served a distinguished career in U.S. Army Special Operations for over 20 years, retiring in 2011.
John has spent his adult life in Special Operations and Special Mission Units. He is a Master Instructor in all aspects of special activities, missions and operations. He has over 6 years of private special activities consulting and is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in: Special Activities, Operational Preparations, Limited Signature Operations, Reconnaissance, Singleton Operations, High Threat Dignitary Protective Services, Extreme Long Range, Designated Marksman, Advanced Precision Rifle Marksmanship, Combat Marksmanship, Live Fire CQB/CQC, Advanced Pistol Marksmanship, Advanced Carbine Marksmanship, Aeriel Gunnery (Rifles, Shotguns, Ariel Personnel and Vehicle Interdictions, Mechanical, Ballistic and Explosive Breaching, Freefall Instructor Programs, Infiltration/ Exfiltration Techniques, Ground Mobility, Unit Pre-Deployment Training, and Research and Development of; Soldier Systems, Weapons, Ammunition, Thermal and Night Optics.
Qualifications;
Special Forces Target Interdiction Course
US Army Sniper School
NRA Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun, Instructor
NRA Range Safety Officer
Advanced Mountain Sniper Course, Instructor
Advanced Freefall, Instructor (Ratings Current)
Freefall Coach (Ratings Current)
California Personal/ Executive Body Guard Certification (Rating Current)
2005 Budweiser World Cup Super Heavyweight Jiu-Jitsu Champion
2004 Presidential Security Detail (Ariel Heavy) Cartagena, Colombia
He has trained countless U.S. Special Operations forces, thousands of International Tier 1 Operators and Special Forces around the world. He is one of the handful of operators with over a decade of combat having served in multiple theaters from Bosnia and South America to recent war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer some words of wisdom.
Coming Soon – Shrek’s 10 Warrior Commandments
Saturday, March 23rd, 2013
Cylinder and Slide – Takes Virginia Beach
Friday, March 22nd, 2013Each Spring 1911 specialists Cylinder and Slide comes to the Virginia Beach area to offer several training courses but these are classes unlike any others out there. This year Pistolsmith Bill Laughridge offered two days of match oversized 1911 barrel fitting, followed by a full day of 1911 maintenance including the history of the pistol. After a one-day break the course culminates with a week-long, full custom .45 build course where students get a frame and a box of parts and learn to fit each part. Bill describes the process as “putting ten pounds in a five pound sack,” due to the sensory overload experienced by day five. Bill went on to explain that the hardcore students will attend their first course and immediately start working on their next build. Invariably, they’ll run into a new challenge. Cylinder and Slide is prepared for that and all former students have to do is pick up the phone and ask for some advice. Additionally, graduates are supported from then on with dealer pricing. Many come back for a second course and say that they pick up those little extras that really make the gun during that second experience.
For example, Tracey, the lady in the photo receiving instruction from Bill Laughridge is a recreational shooter who is finishing her second class. She reiterated that she has picked up quite a few new tricks on her second go around. Tracey is incorporating some different options in this latest build including an ambidextrous safety. Earlier this year, she began to shoot southpaw and has seen an increase in accuracy. Below is one of the guns Tracey built alongside a build by her husband Dave, a retired Navy SEAL friend of mine.
One of things I really enjoy about this course is that Bill teaches students how to do everything with hand tools. You don’t need a machine shop to work on a .45. Instead, students learn to use dremel tools and drills in some interesting ways. Naturally, students also become intimately familiar with files. There is lots of marking and filing, marking and filing until everything fits. At the end of the week, the students take their new creations to a local range and test fire them. For some, this will mean a few more passes with the file but for all, a rewarding experience, crafting a new firearm. Jim Tolbert Sr is seen below working on his new 1911.
If you are a 1911 aficionado this is a great course, regardless of where you take this training.
Sneak Peek – Spartan Ranch Tactical Training Center
Wednesday, March 20th, 2013I was invited to a sneak peek look at a new training facility near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and i want you to check it out. ISAP Inc has assembled a new set of training capabilities for mid-Atlantic region. Spartan Ranch Tactical Training Center is located in Maysville, North Carolina just north of Jacksonville, home of the US Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune. Naturally, it’s also close to the Atlantic Ocean and the Intercostal Waterway for additional training opportunities.
There are three components that make up the capabilities that Spartan Ranch Tactical Training Center offers. First, there is the facility itself. Next is Tactical Applications Group which is the training arm and provides specialized instructors. Finally, Spartan Tactical Arms offers firearms manufacturing and maintenance.
Some of you may remember Tactical Applications Group’s range facility. Spartan Ranch Tactical Training Center uses the same basic layout but parent company ISAP Inc has greatly expanded the facility to include new berms for the precision rifle range which is certified out to 800 yards but can be extended to up to 1200 for certain customers, a 100 yard general purpose range as well as 50 and 25 yard pistol/shotgun ranges.
In addition to the ranges, Spartan Ranch Tactical Training Center will boast billeting for up to 70 personnel as well as latrines, classrooms and a team room facility for gear prep and mission planning. During my visit, contractors continued to improve the facilities slated for a 1 May launch.
Tactical Applications Group is rooted in the Camp Lejeune area. Staffed by Marine and Naval Special Warfare Veterans, it offers a variety of training specialties including CQB and long range precision shooting. As the staff expands they will be adding specialists from all branches to represent full SOF capabilities.
Also located on the Spartan Ranch Tactical Training Center campus is Spartan Tactical Arms which specializes in precision rifles as well as a line of CQB pistols designed to meet the USMC’s exacting requirements. Both of these products are already available for government and LE clients but will be offered commercially as well. Vice President CJ Quinlan also hinted at a line of carbines on the horizon.
ISAP has additional plans for the 300 acre facility including a shoot house and tower. Keep a look out here for details. Interested parties should contact cj@spartanranch.com.
Gunfighter Moment – Larry Vickers
Saturday, March 16th, 2013
‘When you get the chance learn how to operate different small arms; everyone in a serious line of work should know how to run common weapons like the AK, FAL, G3, and M14. In addition understand how to handle pistols like the TT 33, P38, CZ 75, Makarov, and others. Just simply knowing how to unload and clear these weapons or even disable them is a skill set that may come in handy in some remote corner of the world, or even the USA.’
-Larry Vickers
Vickers Tactical Inc.
Host of TacTV
Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical in a retired US Army 1st SFOD-Delta combat veteran with years of experience in the firearms industry as a combat marksmanship instructor and industry consultant. In recent years he has hosted tactical firearms related TV shows on the Sportsman Channel with the latest being TacTV of which Bravo Company is a presenting sponsor.Larry Vickers special operations background is one of the most unique in the industry today; he has been directly or indirectly involved in the some of the most significant special operations missions of the last quarter century. During Operation Just Cause he participated in Operation Acid Gambit – the rescue of Kurt Muse from Modelo Prison in Panama City, Panama. As a tactics and marksmanship instructor on active duty he helped train special operations personnel that later captured Saddam Hussein and eliminated his sons Uday and Qusay Hussein. In addition he was directly involved in the design and development of the HK416 for Tier One SOF use which was used by Naval Special Warfare personnel to kill Osama Bin Laden. Larry Vickers has developed various small arms accessories with the most notable being his signature sling manufactured by Blue Force Gear and Glock accessories made by Tangodown. In addition he has maintained strong relationships with premium companies within the tactical firearms industry such as BCM, Aimpoint, Black Hills Ammunition, Wilson Combat, Schmidt & Bender and Daniel Defense.
Larry Vickers travels the country conducting combat marksmanship classes for law abiding civilians, law enforcement and military and has partnered with Alias Training to coordinate classes to best meet the needs of the students attending the class.
Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Alias Training & Security Services. Each week Alias brings us a different Trainer and in turn they offer some words of wisdom.
Wilderness Advanced Life Support
Saturday, March 16th, 2013We just found out about this medical training opportunity.
Advance beyond WEMT. Unique, in-depth – 3 days private cadaver lab sessions. Self-reliant medical training for Wilderness, Remote, Foreign settings or Preparedness
Day 1 – Expeditionary/Travel/Improvisational Medicine, Legal issues and physician protocols, Pharmacology basics, Altitude issues including hands-on Hyperbaric Chamber experience, Anaphylaxis assessment and intervention, Lost tooth, Dental fillings & Root Canal.
Day 2 – Wound closure including suturing/stapling/multimedia, Amputation care, Foot Gear Selection and Foot Care, Hypothermia, Water treatment and storage.
Day 3 – Advanced Respiratory (Intubation-ET LMAs, Cric’s, Chest Decompression), Heat illness, Solar injury, Field Hydration and Nutrition, Food procurement.
Day 4 – Fractures-determining w/o x-ray, Splinting & casting, Dislocations/Reductions, Hypothermia, Disaster Preparation and Recovery, Humanitarian assistance issues.
Day 5 – Fluid resuscitation, IVs, Injections, Catheter, Insects-Reptile-Mammalian Attacks. Physicians, RNs, and advanced practitioners, WFRs EMTs all find this course awesome!
Ten years old, this course is only offered once a year in Denver March 27-31 2013.
