Drills and Skills!

Wanting to do something to reward my students for their support, I came up with the idea for a "Drills and Skills" day - an opportunity for my students to run some different and challenging drills, based on what they have learned in our courses.  We ran our first session on Oct. 1, and it was a huge success.

We started with the usual safety briefing, with some additional discussion about the shooting stages and targets we were planning to run today.

Participants were given time to gear up, load and check their weapons.  We run a "hot range" which means that shooters are expected to wear their guns and keep them loaded, just like they do in real life.
A side-berm was designated as a "gun handling zone" for anyone not on the firing line.

Here are the drills we fired, in order.  Please note that we modified some of them to meet our facility's capabilities and training needs.  In most cases, we adjusted times or ranges slightly. 

We also used the QSI method of determining hits - all hits to the body midline count.  There are no "points" you either hit it or your don't.

We ran most of the drills at least three times each.

Targets were B27 silhouettes with a body midline hitbox drawn on them.  The scoring box starts at the eye level and runs down to the navel, and is about 6" wide.  We also used a pepper-popper type steel target. 

All drills started with the gun holstered and the shooter in the interview stance, unless specified.

Hackathorn "Three Target" drill
Distance: 7 yards
Target: B27
Stage 1: Six shots, slow fire in 1 minute.
Stage 2: Six shots, 10 seconds.
Stage 3: Six shots, 5 seconds. 

The goal of this drill is to demonstrate the importance of fundamentals, and show how small errors in slow fire can be magnified as you speed up.

El Presidente
Distance: 7 yards
Targets: B27, each spaced one yard apart.
The shooter starts with their back to the target and hands in the air ("surrender" position).  On the signal, they pivot, draw, and engage each target with two shots.

Bill Drill
Distance: 7 yards
Target: B27

Six shots, as fast and as accurately as possible.  All hits must be in the body midline.

Dozier Drill
Distance: 10 yards
Targets: 5 steel "poppers"

The shooter starts on the firing line with pistol holstered.  Further down the line we had an AK47 in a case, unloaded with a full magazine sitting beside it. 

On the start signal, the shooter engages each target with two shots while another shooter uncases, loads, and fires the AK.  The shooter must complete the drill before the AK is fired.

We ran this several times.  To make it more interesting we ran it first with the case zipped shut, then with the case open.

History of this drill

NTI Challenge
Distance: 10 yards
Targets: Three B27s spaced 1 yard apart

The shooter starts sitting in a chair with their hands on their knees.  On the start signal, the shooter stands up, moves laterally, and engages the three targets. 

MerCop's MCS Reaction Drill
Distance: variable (greater than 7 yards)
Targets: B27

The shooter starts walking towards the target from the 25yard line.  Before they reach the 7 yard line, a coach tosses a ball downrange into their field of vision.  When they see the ball, they move laterally and engage the target with four shots.

The purpose of this drill is to challenge shooters with a visual cue to shoot, rather than an audio cue.
We mixed it up by having a roleplayer make the target "talk" and the shooter have to respond. 

The second time we ran the drill, the shooter was accompanied by an "unarmed friend."  In addition to engaging the target, they had to move the friend off the line of attack and protect them.

Everyone had a great time, and we're looking forward to doing more of this, not just with pistols, but rifles and shotguns as well.

Truth in Training

In 1988, I enlisted in the United States Army.  While most people who enlist are driven by patriotism or a sense of duty, I did it because my life wasn’t going anywhere and I didn’t feel I had a lot of options.  I liked guns and I wanted to be a cop; joining the Army seemed like a fast-track option to that career.

As I write this, the “War on Terror” and occupation of Iraq have been going on for several years, and I think we can agree that anyone joining today’s military can expect to be exposed to combat in some form or another.  In 1988, it was different.  We hadn’t had a full-scale “war” since Vietnam.  My perception at the time (having done no real research) was that I was unlikely to go to war during my five-year enlistment.

I signed up for Military Police, expecting to spend my time working law enforcement in a garrison environment.  Basic Training and MP School was a rude awakening when I was introduced to the world of MP “Combat Support” operations.  I learned, much to my surprise, that in addition to law enforcement, MPs were responsible for area security, prisoner of war operations, and something called “Battlefield Circulation Control” which is best described as managing transportation routes.

Resigned to my fate, I embraced the possibility of being a combat soldier, and expected – rightly so – that the Army would teach me everything I needed to know.  During our 17 weeks of training (MP Basic Training and MP School are combined into a single course) we learned how to use several different weapons.

At the time, the Army was transitioning between weapon systems, and old was replacing new.  As these weapons systems were phased out, new recruits would be trained on the new equipment, but so long as it remained in use, we had to train on the new and old systems.  As a result, we had to learn multiple systems.  The M16a2 was replacing the M16a1, we had to learn both.  The M9 pistol was replacing the M1911a1.  We had to learn both, plus the .38 revolver, which the Army issued to women at the time in lieu of the .45.   The AT4 rocket launcher was replacing the LAW.  The M249 SAW machine gun was being added to the inventory in addition to the M60. 

Some of these weapons we fired a full “qualification” on, while others we fired for “familiarization” which is the Army’s way of saying we shot it at least once.

I found myself stationed in Panama in 1989.  Like Grenada, what happened there is barely a footnote in the history books.  It was a scary time, and finally came to a head in December 1989 when a US officer was killed by Panamanian troops.  On the night of December 19, the shooting started.

I’d been convinced that the Army had taught me everything I needed to know about marksmanship.  On the morning of December 20, 1989, I took what my mentor, John Farnam, calls “The Test.”  Despite everything going wrong, I managed to survive, not so much by skill, but by sheer luck.  Realizing my training had failed me, I stood in the jungle at a place called Ancon Hill and cursed the “instructors” at Fort McClellan for not only failing to do their job, but lying to me about it. 

It’s been an awful long time since that day, and a lot has happened since then, but every time I step into a classroom, every time I step onto a shooting range, I make a simple commitment: I’m not going to lie to my students.  In order to be an effective trainer, you have to be honest with your students and yourself about their capabilities, your capabilities, and the harsh realities of self-defense. 

It might not be what they want to hear, but you are doing a disservice to them if you don't stay true.