AAR: 3 Rivers Tactical Training Solutions - Home Defense / CQB Nov 1st & 2nd, 2014

[John A Brown]

Hi Kelly,

Thank you for the kind words. I definitely think you and John would like this class.

There will be another one of these classes announced in the next day or so.

John
www.3riverstraining.com

[Tony Muhlenkamp]

Three Rivers Tactical Training Solutions, Inc.; John Brown & Ashton Ray
Home Defense/Close Quarters Battle
November 2-3, 2014

Class Notes, Observations, Comments

I don’t do after action reports because I don’t know how to write them properly, and I don’t care about the number of students, the weather, which way the wind was blowing, where we ate lunch etc. What was presented, what did I learn, what do I need to work on, and what did the instructor do well/could improve? I think those are interesting questions, and I’m interested in the answers.

What was presented: Problems to solve and how to solve them; this is a thinking/problem solving class, not a shooting class. The assumption/expectation is that you can drive your gun with 100% accuracy (meaning fist sized groups in either upper torso or face ON DEMAND at any distance) and have solved all your gear problems. If that isn’t true, don’t come to this class until it is. John and Ashton defined CQB as searching and clearing an enclosed structure and the essential problem for the course was how to do that by yourself whether the structure was your house, office, theater, etc. How do you search and clear an enclosed structure by yourself?

Short answer, you don’t. It sucks, it’s damn near impossible, don’t do it. Unless of course you have to in order to save a human life. First rule of CQB: human life above all else. Four principles of CQB: looking for people, looking for places people hide, solve one problem at a time, never cross an uncleared area. Three elements of successful CQB are surprise, speed and violence of action (note that speed and violence of action can be surprising; use them as such). Slice the pie, cross the threshold, dig the corner, and establish a position of dominance. Moving targets are tough to hit, so be the moving target. 100% threat ID, 100% accuracy. Reminded me of Scott Reitz; you must KNOW pressing the trigger is the right thing to do. Period.

More mindset: Cannot worry about why this is happening; you knew this could happen and you are prepared. Will fail to level of mastery, so master gun handling and marksmanship; your subconscious is bored with this, it KNOWS you can make that shot, clear that room. Keep the bear in the cage and let the professional work. Terminal ballistics are theoretical; being shot at doesn’t mean being hit, being hit doesn’t mean being hurt, being hurt doesn’t mean being killed, being killed doesn’t mean being out of the fight. Stay in the fight. Remember Randy Cain re Civil War general Nathan Bedford Forrest “No man kills me and lives!!” http://tennessee-scv.org/fg.htm.

What I learned: Cross the threshold, dig the corner hard, position of dominance. Stairwells really suck; remember to work in three dimensions; forward/backward, left/right, up/down. Scanning is critical to threat ID. Reasons for not turning on the lights as you search, reasons for putting lights on handguns, reasons for driving Glock or M&P, reasons for a high ready centered on your body. Shoot, move, communicate.

What I should work on: Know the zero of handgun at 25, 50, 100 yards. Work left hand, single hand. Continue to drill and train marksmanship and gun handling for unconscious mastery and competence; can’t think about gun. Work on threat ID and movement, see Louis Awerbuck books for ideas on drills that stress reacting to visual stimulus. Most of what we do in training is auditory, won't help in a fight.

What instructors did well/should work on: Animation of room clearing helped visualize what has to happen; also useful to have instructors demonstrate ONE good way to solve the shoot house/scenario problem. Too often instructors tell you what you did wrong without showing what a good answer looks like. I understand there is no RIGHT answer, but I like seeing what a good answer looks like. John and Ashton did that well; helped turn a suck fest into a learning experience.

Down time is unavoidable when students clear rooms and shoot one at a time. It might be possible to reduce down time on Day 1 by clearing stairwells in one house and clearing rooms in the other, then switching. Students then get both scenarios and both instructors. It might be possible on Day 2 if students help set up shoot house, even if it was just dragging the materials out of the conex.

The airsoft gear was unreliable and detracted from the force on force runs. I don’t know if there is a better alternative; it may be the best option available.

Would like more practice in communicating with the threat. Touched on giving commands with consequences and I would like to practice that more in the shoot house. Lots of shooting, some moving, very little communicating took place.

What I concluded:
1. I’ll keep driving 1911s; I have the time and interest to keep them set up and maintained, they fit my hand, I like the trigger. See my thoughts on Kawasaki Concours vs Ducati.
2. I’ll keep turning on lights when I’m searching and clearing. I have to find people and places, 100% threat ID, 100% accuracy. To do that I have to see; light helps me see. If someone is in my house, office, etc. it’s no surprise to them that I am there and I am looking for them. Searching with a flashlight gives away my presence as well. Plus, turning on a room light could provide misdirection and distraction. Surprise will come from speed and violence of action.
3. High ready (pistol centered and pulled into sternum) is useful to keep the pistol in the fight. Low ready is useful to keep from sweeping innocents while I ID the threat and possibly communicate with the threat. I can use both, won’t worry about which one is “better.”
4. Having a weapon light is useful (mandatory on a long gun), having a handheld light is mandatory.

[John A Brown]

Great write up Tony. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

You're exactly right - some of the airsoft guns did not meet expectations. This issue has already been addressed and I'll have much better airsoft weapons for the next class.

I enjoyed having you in class and hope to have you on future ones.

John
www3.riverstraining.com

[2k2wranglerx]

I honestly am glad we didn't do any paint. The reality of being able to get to that point in 2 days just isn't there. Hell I was fine with just the red rubber guns.

When I ran the house with live ammo I ended up taking snap shots and not using my sights like I should have. There is plenty to work on without adding another element. That's for sure.

[Im not Batman]

Batman,

You're exactly right - the next step in the CQB progression is to use some type of paint marking munitions. That's where we are going with this training program, however, you can only do so much in a 2 day class. Pretty much all of the guys in this class had no formal CQB training prior to this past weekend. The only way to do this stuff is through the Crawl, Walk, Run progression. Going too far, too fast is a bad mistake.

Most - if not all - of the students were mentally exhausted at the end of day 2 of this past weekends course. I can very confidently say using paint marking guns would have been too much.

Ultimately the idea is to develop a CQB I and a CQB II course, with paint marking munitions being introduced in CQB II.

If you're interested in attending this course, we will be scheduling another one in the very near future.

Thank you for your input.

John
www.3riverstraining.com

And THANK YOU John for your answer.

[Orive 8]

The only way to do this stuff is through the Crawl, Walk, Run progression. Going too far, too fast is a bad mistake.

Good to see that some still understand this!

[John A Brown]

The next one of these classes has been scheduled for the weekend of Feb 7th & 8th, 2015.

You can view the details here - http://www.3riverstraining.com/calen...-defense-cqb-1

You can reserve a spot in the class with a down payment of $50. Balance to be paid in full by January 7th.

Please contact me if you want to reserve a spot.

John
www.3riverstraining.com

[John A Brown]

Good to see that some still understand this!

Indeed Orive 8. Nothing good can happen from outrunning the students headlights.

John
www.3riverstraining.com

[ARay]

I was very pleased with the seriousness and the work ethic of the students in this class. Great job guys!

John and I have made a few tweaks to address some of the down time issues and make the class flow even better than before. Keep an eye out, a number of interesting changes will occur.


Thanks to John for inviting me in to help.


Ashton Ray

[keepmysecond]

Wow - John Brown of Three Rivers Tactical Training was just arrested and is currently in the Westmoreland County Jail (see http://apps.co.westmoreland.pa.us/pr...mber=1108-2017).

He is facing multiple accusations of sexual assault and related offenses, including assaults perpetrated while giving firearms classes. See also these news articles:

http://www.wpxi.com/news/mount-pleas...arges/46945372
http://www.wtae.com/article/trial-or...oman-1/7479122
http://triblive.com/local/westmorela...es-new-charges

Does anyone have more info?