Wall of edge training saved one of our finest

[Brownie]

11/24/2009

I had the privilege of training 14 US Air Force Para-Rescue servicemen [ called PJ's ] at the Tucson Rifle Range. This was our third year training together.

First year they got one day of defensive edged weapons, second year pistol and short time on the M4's with an hour of knife review. This year, M4 for 4 hours, pistol for 3 hours and 1 hour of defensive edged weapons review per their request.

During one of the short breaks [ we took all of 15 minutes for lunch ], a Sgt. approached me and informed that he'd like thank me for teaching him the "wall of edge" as it had saved his butt against an Afghanistan fighter wielding a machete length home made knife in one of the towns the unit was passing through.

He told me he had just enough time to pull the blade from his small of the back horizontal scabbard and get the knife into the "wall of edge" position in tight to his core while back pedaling just in time to catch the fighters wrist on his blade while covering himself.

Two of the other PJ's took the fighter out with their M4's. One shot and hit the fighter in the head, the other into the fighters shoulder from the position he was in. He was dead when he hit the ground.

Pointed out the other two involved with the shooting of him and they didn't want to say much except to confirm they'd had to "cover" their brother. There was no time for the PJ to pull his M4 up or grab for his leg holstered pistol, but the knife was right there for him.

When I initially trained these guys, they all carried folders, no straight blades on them. This year, they were all carrying straights in horizontal kydex holsters, small of the back carry. This story was related to me as I'd commented on their carrying the long knives and was happy to see them going to a blade they wouldn't have to worry about deploying reliably with gloves on.

Needless to say, I was beaming with the related story. They had requested the tier 1 instructor get me back this year at all costs before many of them deploy to Afghanistan once again before the end of the year.

These guys have come a long way since that first years training. They're smart, in great shape and want the knowledge. More than that, I was told they practice the knife, gun and rifle skills I've given them religiously and pass the skills to the newer team members until they can hook up with me for personal training days like yesterday.

Some of America's finest fighting men, you can tell they work as a cohesive unit. When one would run dry on a drill, he'd yell something and two would immediately cover him with their weapons while he reloaded.

I'm very happy I've been allowed to be involved with this 14 man units training. For more on the PJ's--

http://www.military.com/military-fit...ce-para-rescue

Pararescuemen (AFSC 1T2X1), also called PJs (a nickname pronounced 'pee jays'), are United States Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) operatives tasked with recovery and medical treatment of personnel in humanitarian and combat environments. They are the only members of the DoD specifically organized, trained and equipped to conduct personnel recovery operations in hostile or denied areas as a primary mission. PJs are also used to support NASA missions and have been used to recover astronauts after water landings. Of the 22 enlisted Air Force Cross recipients, 12 have been awarded to Pararescuemen. They wear the maroon beret as a symbol of their elite status. Part of the little-known Air Force Special Tactics community[4] and long an enlisted preserve, the Pararescue service began commissioning Combat Rescue Officers early in the 21st century.

http://www.pararescue.com/overview.aspx

These guys are part and parcel one of the best trained units in the US military arsenal. Picture is of a student in the h2h/knife course from 2010 in Jacksonville, Fla.

Anyone got some formal blade training to augment their edc/load out?