Whiskey 5 is a recurring Soldier Systems Daily feature that asks “Who, What, Where, When, and Why” of industry leaders, manufacturers and instructors — to let you hear how they describe themselves. It’s intended to give you a close and thorough look at some of the people that make our industry unique. We’ve found these basic 5 questions to be the basic keys to understanding. Past Whiskey-5s have included business from Provengo to Kryptek, and all sorts of other companies in between.

Today we’ll be sharing an overview of Virginia Beach’s, NLB Tactical formerly No Lie Blades.

WHO
NLB Tactical is a training company located in Virginia Beach, operating MTU’s in the United States and Europe. It is run by Hank Hayes, a veteran close protection specialist, senior Mil-L/E combative instructor and the inventor of the No Lie Blades feedback training knife. Hayes’ experience alone would make NLB worth looking into, but NLB’s instructor staff makes it that much more (the go to solution) enticing. NLB is made up of literally 100’s of years of superior tactical and field combat skills with over 51 instructors world-wide with instructors in the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany with the bulk of the MIL-L/E instructors on the east coast and mid-west states. NLB, also formerly known as No Lie Blades, manufactures various feedback training knives and offers a host of unique courses available on the United States government GSA products and services schedules. Additionally, NLB has more letters of recommendation on government letterhead than its 5 industry competitors combined.

WHAT
NLB is one of the best solutions for edged weapons combat simply because they provide an immediate feedback tool that no other US government training provider offers. From the first days of NLB it was clear they were onto something with their very direct, straight-forward, and highly effective fighting system. Its methodology is rooted in violence of action, shutting down threats and uses HVT (High Value Target) striking, pinching, biting, gouging, ripping and tearing to name a few of the neutralization tactics.

Operators have found that with these proven methods that work for dealing with an edged weapon threat those exact same tactics and methods will work for dealing with blunt or impact weapons and also in dealing with empty hand subjects. Departments and agencies saw that NLB could handle several of their needs and started asking for more training from us. Currently NLB offers combat solutions in the follow areas.
Edged Weapons Tactical Training
Impact Weapons Training
Instinctive Reactive Firearms Training
Dynamic Transitional Fighting from Weapons to Empty Hand, etc.
Active Shooter Response Training

NLB’s transitional fighting course is something virtually no other organization provides. This is where the student transitions from one weapons system or empty hand to another weapons system up and down the force continuum. The root of the NLB system translates directly to impact weapons, empty hands fighting and direct access to firearms weapons over the shoulder or on the belt line.

WHEN
The NLB company story is an interesting one. Like most inventions they are either made from frustration, necessity, mistakes or creativity. NLB’s was a little bit of everything. After an edged weapons training session with some instructors from Quantico in 1997 and a large dose of frustration Mr. Hayes felt the strong need for a training knife that could provide immediate feedback just like a simunitions training ammo round. He needed evidence to show what was working and what wasn’t. Many claimed that their techniques worked when they clearly didn’t, but proving this was a challenge short of an actual knife encounter.

Later he started doodling on a napkin and after a few months and lot of help he had a prototype marking training knife. So as you often hear the rest was history. In 1998 NLB was open for business and within a year the US government approached to purchase the product which is how NLB became a US government contractor. About 2 years after that NLB received another call from the government stating they had a problem. They said the tool does exactly what it says it’s going to do and that their men have found their fighting programs had major holes now that the training knife revealed all their tactical knife fighting flaws. They wanted to know if we had a training program, they needed help. It was in those moments the training side of our company was born.

WHERE
NLB Tactical is based in Virginia Beach, Va minutes from Dam Neck Military Base, Naval Air Station Oceana and close to the other 25 Military bases in Virginia Beach and neighboring states. NLB operates as an MTU (Mobile Training Unit) or MTT (Mobile Training Team) dispatch team. Although NLB administrative offices are located in Virginia Beach and have small teams and senior instructors ready to be active as needed for any training operation in the US, Canada and Europe.

WHY
There is an overarching reason and 3 key things to point out. The main reason why is that the Military and especially the Law Enforcement communities make it so hard to get good, solid training. The standards are often set so low to meet the skills of some complaining pansy who went and got the minimum skills requirements lowered even more. When US lives are being lost at the rates that they are and with easily 50% of those deaths avoidable with proper skills adjustments, something MUST BE DONE! NLB takes on that responsibility to do something about those skills that are needed.

The components that make NLB a must hire solution are 3 key things. First is the marking feedback training knife. NLB is the inventor of the marking blades technology and are so far in front of others when it comes to training with this immediate feedback it makes them the most knowledgeable and the leaders in the knife fighting arena. It has been said that NLB would have to be really stupid to profess they have a tactical edged weapons solution without it being outstanding as the marking blade reveals everything with each mark representing injury/blood loss.

Second, NLB is world known for being very direct, straight-forward and highly effective. It’s methodology is rooted in violence of action, shutting down threats and uses HVT (High Value Target) striking, pinching, biting, gouging, ripping and tearing to name a few of the neutralization tactics.

Thirdly, NLB ownership is highly focused on serving departments, agencies and commands with the absolute best people and service in the industry. Mr. Hayes has been said to be fanatical about the people that come on board with NLB and demands their best. Mr. Hayes says the A game is the only game accepted.

NLB Tactical can be found online at
Websites nlbtactical.com
Websites nolieblades.com
Facebook www.facebook.com/nolieblades
Phone 610.442.5539
email info@nolieblades.com
You can also acquire NLB training services on GSA through their Prime vendor partnership with MJL-Enterprises at www.mjl-enterprises.com/tactical-training.