Below, a 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) NCO rides horseback while leading a mule through Humboldt Toiyabe National Forest during the SOF Horsemanship Course at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center.
The purpose of the horsemanship course is to teach SOF personnel the necessary skills to enable them to ride horses, load pack animals, and maintain animals for military applications in remote and dangerous environments.
Photos by USMC LCpl William Chockey
This is the thirty-ninth installment of ‘Max Talk Monday’ which shares select episodes from a series of instructional videos. Max Velocity Tactical (MVT) has established a reputation on the leading edge of tactical live fire and force on force training. MVT is dedicated to developing and training tactical excellence at the individual and team level.
This video teaches, with the help of army men on a sand table model, Patrol Immediate Actions Drills (IAD) for Break Contact Front.
This is the fourth installment of ‘Max Talk Monday’ which shares select episodes from a series of instructional videos. Max Velocity Tactical (MVT) has established a reputation on the leading edge of tactical live fire and force on force training. MVT is dedicated to developing and training tactical excellence at the individual and team level.
Max is a tactical trainer and author, a lifelong professional soldier with extensive military experience. He served with British Special Operations Forces, both enlisted and as a commissioned officer; a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Max served on numerous operational deployments, and also served as a recruit instructor. Max spent five years serving as a paramilitary contractor in both Iraq and Afghanistan; the latter two years working for the British Government in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Website: Max Velocity Tactical
YouTube: Max Velocity Tactical
SureFire Field Notes is a multi-segment informational video series with tips and techniques from subject matter experts of all backgrounds. In this episode, Buck Doyle of Follow Through Consulting discusses his core tenants of gunfighting.
Buck Doyle served over 21 years in the US Marine Corps, including 17 years and multiple combat tours with Special Operations units. As a Reconnaissance Marine attached to 1st Force Recon, 1st Recon BN, and MARSOC units, Doyle served as Team Leader, Platoon Sergeant, and Chief Instructor at Special Missions Training Branch. He has current, extensive experience in hostile fire/combat zones in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Doyle retired from the Marine Corps a Master Sergeant with multiple awards, including the Bronze Star (with Valor).
In 2010, Buck founded Follow Through Consulting, LLC, and spent four years contracting with the Department of Defense as a member of the Joint Expeditionary Team (JET), advising and assisting combat units in Afghanistan. Follow Through expanded its training capabilities in 2014 to include law enforcement and qualified civilians in addition to military units and began consulting with corporate clients in the areas of leadership, team building, and product design/development & testing. More recently, Follow Through has added technical advising and training to cinema/television clients to its capabilities, with Buck providing intensive weapons training to lead cast members of USA Network’s “Shooter,” as well as serving as a technical advisor on the set of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s summer blockbuster, Skyscraper.
www.followthroughconsulting.com
This is the thirty-eighth installment of ‘Max Talk Monday’ which shares select episodes from a series of instructional videos. Max Velocity Tactical (MVT) has established a reputation on the leading edge of tactical live fire and force on force training. MVT is dedicated to developing and training tactical excellence at the individual and team level.
This video examines, with the help of army men on a sand table model, the concept of the ‘assault through’ as part of the dismounted light infantry attack. Including a thorough background and context on how and when to run the drill, it also gives variations on the standard U.S. Army doctrinal drill.
This is the fourth installment of ‘Max Talk Monday’ which shares select episodes from a series of instructional videos. Max Velocity Tactical (MVT) has established a reputation on the leading edge of tactical live fire and force on force training. MVT is dedicated to developing and training tactical excellence at the individual and team level.
Max is a tactical trainer and author, a lifelong professional soldier with extensive military experience. He served with British Special Operations Forces, both enlisted and as a commissioned officer; a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Max served on numerous operational deployments, and also served as a recruit instructor. Max spent five years serving as a paramilitary contractor in both Iraq and Afghanistan; the latter two years working for the British Government in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Website: Max Velocity Tactical
YouTube: Max Velocity Tactical
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii — Similar to the implementation of the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), the Army is now changing how Soldiers qualify with their weapons, making individual weapons qualification more combat focused beginning October 2019.
Soldiers across the 25th Infantry Division with varying skill levels prepared for the new marksmanship standards by conducting a pilot program to assess current installation support capabilities at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
The new four-phase course will now feature standing firing positions. Soldiers are issued four 10-round magazines to engage 40 pop-up targets from the four shooting positions. Soldiers start in the standing position then go to the prone unsupported, then prone supported, kneeling supported and finally the standing supported position. Soldiers utilize a barricade and will have 8-10 second intervals to change magazine and positions.
The new course will replace the current marksmanship qualification course with one that requires Soldiers to engage targets faster and to operate as they would during an enemy engagement.
“The old qualification did not help in combat situations, so they incorporated magazine exchanges and position changes by yourself to represent combat,” said Staff Sgt. Tadeysz Showers, assigned to the 25th Sustainment Brigade. “No matter the military occupational specialty (MOS), any MOS can teach a Soldier how to do this new weapons qualification.”
The division marksmanship pilot program was led by the Lightning Academy Senior Instructor Staff Sgt. Daniel Martin and three other instructors through preliminary marksmanship instruction (PMI), Engagement Skills Trainer (EST), and qualification tables on a standard pop-up range.
In the current qualification course, Soldiers take instructions from the range tower, such as when to change magazines and firing positions. “Now, the qualification only has commands to begin the qualification and when it has ended,” said Martin. “The four 10-round magazines will be in your kit, and you will transition your position and conduct magazine changes on your own without any commands from the tower.”
“The new qualification saves time,” said Showers. “The old qualification took about 20 minutes, this one takes about four minutes to execute and is much faster paced.”
The course is set to become the Army-wide standard for rifle marksmanship. Qualification implementation begins October 2019.
“The new qualification is more challenging, but a lot more realistic,” said Martin. “Some Soldiers have never conducted magazine exchanges on their own without being told when to on the line during the Automatic Record Fire. The course is helping the Army become more efficient in urban combat scenarios.”
“Soldiers start by receiving a series of classes on how to properly zero the rifle, whether it’s a bare rifle or with optics,” said Showers. “Soldiers received classes on laser bore sight, Minute of Angle (MOA), zeroing process, windage, ballistics, and also received EST training and practiced position changes before going to a live range.”
The new weapons qualification maintains the same score requirements as the current system to pass in each category; Soldiers must hit 23 targets out of 40 to qualify. Soldiers must hit 23 to 29 targets for a Marksman rating, 30 to 35 for Sharpshooter and 36 to 40 to qualify for Expert.
“This new weapons qualification is more combat oriented with changing positions, changing magazines and engaging the targets,” said Sgt. Octavius Moon assigned to the 25th Sustainment Brigade. “This will help Soldiers shoot better as well as make ranges faster and have more Soldiers qualified. It helps Soldiers become more knowledgeable about their weapon as well.”
By SGT Sarah Sangster
This is the thirty-seventh installment of ‘Max Talk Monday’ which shares select episodes from a series of instructional videos. Max Velocity Tactical (MVT) has established a reputation on the leading edge of tactical live fire and force on force training. MVT is dedicated to developing and training tactical excellence at the individual and team level.
This is a discussion, with video examples, of tactical training videos that MVT has posted. It attempts to give clarity to what is happening in the videos, how tactical training is run with training objectives for specific drills, along with the effects of range restrictions. Max addresses common internet complaints about what the students are doing in the videos, and provides perspective.
This is the fourth installment of ‘Max Talk Monday’ which shares select episodes from a series of instructional videos. Max Velocity Tactical (MVT) has established a reputation on the leading edge of tactical live fire and force on force training. MVT is dedicated to developing and training tactical excellence at the individual and team level.
Max is a tactical trainer and author, a lifelong professional soldier with extensive military experience. He served with British Special Operations Forces, both enlisted and as a commissioned officer; a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Max served on numerous operational deployments, and also served as a recruit instructor. Max spent five years serving as a paramilitary contractor in both Iraq and Afghanistan; the latter two years working for the British Government in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Website: Max Velocity Tactical
YouTube: Max Velocity Tactical
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho (AFNS) —
From initial training to undergoing missions, aircrew have a dangerous and rigorous job. They must know what to do while flying and how to respond in some of the scenarios they might encounter.
One of these scenarios is the risk of having to bail out over the ocean.
“From the moment they eject up until they’ve been hoisted into a recovery vehicle, their lives are at risk in the ocean,” said Staff Sgt. David Chorpenning, 366th Fighter Wing survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialist.
To develop these skills necessary to stay alive, aircrew from the 389th and 391st Fighter Squadrons attended water survival training taught by SERE specialists Chorpenning and Tech. Sgt. Timothy Emkey.
During this course, aircrew attend an hour-long classroom session where they are instructed on what to do, what gear to use and how to survive in case they may have to eject over the ocean. The course covers what to do from the initial landing in the water until they’re extracted by either another ship or an aircraft.
“F-15E Strike Eagle crew members don’t have much equipment once they eject,” Chorpenning said. “They have no food and very little water. The ability to utilize the gear they do have to get rescued quickly is a crucial skill.”
After the classroom session, the aircrew are then taken out to C.J. Strike Reservoir where they disconnect their safety harness from the parachute while being dragged by a boat. This simulates the wind drag they might experience when bailing out over water.
During the last part of the course, aircrew must inflate their life raft correctly and demonstrate how to prepare for extraction.
“The worst dangers they face are the lack of resources, both from the environment and in their kit. The only thing the ocean provides is the potential to catch food,” Chorpenning said. “There’s no shelter, water or the ability to build a fire. Without the proper equipment, a human will quickly die on the open seas.”
From classroom sessions to field training, this course ensures aircrew have the ability and skills to survive life at sea.
“Knowledge of their equipment and water survival training significantly increases a crew member’s chance of survival,” Chorpenning said. “By familiarizing them with their gear and how to make the most of their environment, SERE improves their survivability and empowers them to return with honor.”
By Airman Antwain Hanks, 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
WASHINGTON — The Army is built upon the individual Soldier, and the battlefield of the future demands Soldiers who can excel under intense physical and cognitive demands. The new Army Combat Fitness Test breaks with over three decades of the Army Physical Fitness Test. The Army plans to roll out the test by October 2019 and replace the APFT as the Army’s fitness test of record by October 2020.
To succeed, the Army must address new training, evaluation, and equipment requirements. The Army is taking an innovative approach to implementing the ACFT by utilizing field tests, practice ACFTs, and qualifying all noncommissioned officers and officers as graders.
WHAT’S NEW?
As stated by Maj. Gen. Malcom Frost in 2018, the new test yields three key advantages:
– It measures strength and conditioning that accurately mimics the movements necessary on the battlefield.
– It is gender and age neutral with standards corresponding to the demands of the Soldier’s duty.
– The test itself promotes an Army-wide culture of physical fitness.
Instead of training to pass an arbitrary strength standard of push-ups and sit-ups, Soldiers must maintain a healthy lifestyle and train for overall strength and conditioning. Research shows this will decrease injuries, which will increase the number of deployable Soldiers. The Australian army instituted similar training in 2016 and decreased their trainee injury rate by 40 percent. The money saved in decreased injury rates and the increase in deployable Soldiers is worth the cost of purchasing the required equipment.
In April 2019, the ACFT Mobile Training Team held an ACFT demonstration for more than 100 Army inspectors general at the World Wide Inspector General Conference. During this demonstration, Col. Ray Herrerra, command inspector for U.S. Army South said, “After taking the test, I believe the ACFT is a substantial improvement toward determining readiness, and it better prepares Soldiers than our current annual test.”
ACFT MILITARY TRAINING TEAMS
In order to implement the ACFT properly, the Army is training a core group of trainers to prepare their own units and administer the test. The MTTs prepare and certify new Army Master Fitness instructors and mid-level supervisors to train Soldiers to administer the ACFT. This approach trains the trainers without negatively impacting active duty readiness, and integrates the new test regime at maximum efficiency before it is officially implemented across the force.
In July 2018, the Army published Executive Order 219-18: The Implementation of the Army Combat Fitness Test, which officially established 30 Active Duty, 10 USAR (Reserve), and 10 ARNG (National Guard) NCOs/officers to serve on the ACFT MTTs across the force.
In May 2019, as part of the Association of the U.S. Army National Security Studies team, Maj. Joseph Flores and Master Sgt. Shelly Horner (ACFT MTT team leads) were interviewed about the Army’s effort to train the trainers and the requirements involved in the certification process. According to Flores and Horner, the MTTs are responsible for training three levels of graders, Levels I-III, each with its own distinct knowledge, skills, and abilities.
LEVEL I — ACFT GRADER
The ACFT Grader will complete a one-day validation training offered by a locally-sourced ACFT Level II or Level III Grader-Instructor.
ACFT Level I Grader has the knowledge, skills, and ability to:
• Validate a testing location
• Validate the testing equipment to standard
• Grade the 6 ACFT test events to standard
• ACFT Level I Grader may be used to familiarize their unit with the ACFT and prepare Soldiers to take the test and/or receive training from Level II Graders.
LEVEL II — ACFT GRADER
The ACFT Level II Grader will complete the two-day validation training offered by the U.S. Army Physical Fitness School or U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training. Or by a locally-sourced ACFT Level III Grader-Instructor. The ACFT Level II Grader may not train/validate other Level II Graders.
ACFT Level II Grader has the KSA to:
• Serve as a testing officer in charge/ noncomissioned officer in charge to administer a unit ACFT
• Validate a testing location
• Validate the testing equipment to standard
• Grade the six ACFT test events to standard
• Administer a 90-day record ACFT
• Train ACFT Level I Grader by providing the three-hour validation
LEVEL III — ACFT (MASTER FITNESS TRAINER PERSONNEL)
The ACFT Level III Grader-Instructor must hold the Master Fitness Trainer certification and will complete the three-day validation training offered by the MTT or U.S. Army CIMT.
ACFT Level III Grader-Instructor has the KSA to:
• Serve as a testing OIC/NCOIC to administer a unit ACFT
• Validate a testing location
• Validate the testing equipment to standard
• Grade the six ACFT test events to standard
• Administer a 90-day record ACFT
• Train ACFT Grader (Level I) by providing the three-hour certification course.
• Train ACFT Master Grader (Level II) by providing the two-day certification training.
Currently, more than 6,000 Soldiers have received formal ACFT Level II-III Grader Validation training from one of the ACFT teams. Since Level II and III graders are allowed to train others at a lower level, it’s hard to document how many other graders have been trained to the Level I standard. The Army’s plan is that all NCOs and officers receive an ACFT Grader Level Validation before implementation of the ACFT.
PREPARATION
The Army Combat Fitness Test Training Guide has multiple examples of the movements and exercises involved in the ACFT and has equipment substitutions (like an ammo can, water can, or sandbag in place of kettlebells or medicine balls) for those deployed or without access to the ACFT lane equipment. For additional information on exercises and movements, consult the Army doctrine on exercise: FM 7-22: Army Physical Readiness Training.
For injured Soldiers, and those on permanent profile, the U.S. Army CIMT is developing alternate events, to be officially approved on Oct. 1, 2019. These events may include the stationary bike, swimming events, or rowing.
For more information on the ACFT, go to the official Army website: www.army.mil/acft. It includes instructions, photos, and videos for each of the events. It also contains instructions, photos, and videos for three different preparatory exercises per event to help Soldiers train for the October 2020 implementation date.
*If NCOs and officers are interested in obtaining their ACFT certification from one of the MTTs, they can contact their unit’s first sergeant.
By Maj. Bradley Cooper & Jeremiah Rozman
