here is one from recently up here in Canada, I know you have been giving honours a lot of late so I thought it might be appreciated.
That’s not far from me. I didn’t know him, but work with those who did.
A week before we lost another brother to suicide. Not a line of duty death, but for all too many part of the price we pay to do this work.
My sincere condolences for the fallen Mountie. We are dying at a tremendous rate this year. Thanks for letting me know. All my respect to him and his family.
Thought for the day: It is the mastery of the basics that leads to advanced applications
Another opinion worth reading:
ASSAULTER VERSUS DEFENDER, COMBAT SKILLS
Assaulter: person who enters and begins stage of close combat in an attack
Defender: to ward off attack from; guard against assault or injury (usually followed by from or against)
The military has a lot of combat skills that could enhance the survivability and lethality of a marksman. But have you considered why they learn the techniques they do? The military specializes in offensive operations and by default trains mostly on how to assault. When you look around do you see the need to take ground? Or to defend what you have?
There is a lot of overlap when it comes to offensive and defensive skills, as they say ” the best defense is a good offense” and we definitely agree. But on your limited budget if you are focusing on skills that are intended to support room clearing or raids you may be better served reconsidering your approach. Learning how to shoot FROM the concealed carry is an excellent place to start.
This is sometimes called a retention shot, that is shooting from close ranges and using muscle memory to aim your shots. When you’re searching for a Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) class, make sure you are also learning how to shoot from a concealed holster, and most likely when your shirt is tucked in or wearing a jacket. Simulate as many day-to-day details as you can. This isn’t about points on the bull’s eye…
it’s certainly fun to plink steel targets on the range, but can you shoot with your heart rate up? While getting assaulted? In close quarters? Maybe there is a crowd? Are you practicing verbal commands?
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Thought for the day (2):
When you’re searching for a Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) class, make sure you are also learning how to shoot from a concealed holster, and most likely when your shirt is tucked in or wearing a jacket. Simulate as many day-to-day details as you can. This isn’t about points on the bull’s eye…
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Definitely good advice there. I personally practice draw and fire from concealed, both sides, and fire from hip, mid, and full presentation, and as quickly as safely possible. The “muscle memory” is a huge factor under stress. I’ve heard and try to go by “Don’t train until you get it right, train until you can’t get it wrong.”
As to the offensive skills training, too many civilians do it just because they think it’s cool. What concerns me is a civilian who believes they’re qualified and prone to attempting to do the work of LE.
Peace!
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Flashback Friday: Are you as fit as a WW11 GI?
by Brett McKay
Have men these days “gone soft?” Is our generation less manly than past generations? Are we less tough than our grandfathers?
I see guys debate these kinds of questions all the time. Of course it’s hard to quantify “toughness,” but there is one area where we can definitively say we’ve slipped—the Army fitness test isn’t as hard as it used to be.
The Army first introduced a formal fitness test to the troops in 1942. Millions of men were being called up to fight in World War II and not all of them were prepared for the rigors of combat. To get the men in fighting shape, the Army implemented a systematic physical development program as part of the Combat Basic Training course. The Army Ground Forces Test was designed to assess whether the program was having its desired effect. The test included squat jumps, sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, and a 300-yard run. The emphasis was on functional fitness and giving American GI’s the strength, mobility, and endurance they would need to tackle real tasks on the battlefield.
In 1946, a Physical Training School was created at Fort Bragg with the mission of exploring how to take the goal of functional fitness farther. The training program developed at the school and the fitness test were codified in the 1946 edition of FM 21-20, the Army’s physical training manual.
Basically, Grandpa was doing Cross-Fit before it was cool.
In 1953, the Physical Training School closed and its focus on combat readiness was lost; in the ensuing decades, the military began to concentrate more on general fitness, focusing on aerobic over anaerobic exercises. The fitness test was revised several times during the 60s and 70s and standards began to be assessed on a sliding scale based on age and gender.
In 1984, the Army Physical Readiness Test was introduced and it continues to be used today. It has only three elements: sit-ups, push-ups, and a two-mile run. In 1987, General Schwarzkopf became concerned that only 5% of soldiers were able to achieve the highest score on the test, so the standards were eased and more provisions were made for age and gender.
Also, whereas soldiers who failed the test used to be discharged, this rule has been greatly relaxed.
For the past couple of decades, many critics have said that the physical fitness standards for the troops are too easy and more importantly, don’t assess the kind of skills soldiers actually need in our current conflicts. In a time of new equipment like body armor, men are humping large loads for long periods, and are much more likely to be sprinting and crouching than running for miles at a time.
When Dr. Edward Thomas, an instructor at the Army Physical Fitness School, re-discovered the WWII fitness test and administered it to soldiers in the 1990s, he was surprised at the result: soberingly low scores. While the numbers of required repetitions for things like push-ups are higher in the modern test than the WWII version, the standard for the precision with which the repetitions must be completed has been relaxed. Consequently, when Thomas tested the modern soldiers, they could only do a fraction of the repetitions required of WWII GIs.
In the last several years, the Army has been changing its physical training program to concentrate more on functional fitness and is currently developing a new fitness test which will be rolled out in the future and incorporate things like a shuttle run and long jump.
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**_Thought for the day: The hunter does not seek dead game, Frank Herbert, Dune
Due to a work assignment, I will be gone for a couple of weeks. An open net connection will be sporadic at best. Train hard, train smart, and watch your 6.
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Maybe it’s just me but I do think that they should have a test whereby they strap a heavy bag on someone and just make them ruck for 30 minutes straight, see how much distance they can cover in that period of time.
I’m pretty much an average person, I threw on a 20kgs weighted vest and walked 3km in 30-ish minutes(would’ve been faster if there weren’t damn streetlights), pretty much leisurely. Not sure how would that be considered by military standards though.
I’ve seen that Tom Cruise clip on SD forums before. Two things.
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That last FU shot with the perp wounded on the ground is murder 2. In the movie the guy is an assassin (so he doesn’t care about laws and morals), but important to note for CCW students.
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This is a question for guys who’ve actually been in firefights. Is the “Mozambique drill” useful for CCW holders? I was always taught “aim center mass”. The NRA Instructor gave dozens of reasons why. Just curious what you accomplish with a melon shot on a moving target.
Disclosure: I’ve never been in a firefight.
That said: centre mass pistol shots stop the guy by poking holes in him until the blood leaks out causing hypovolemic shock, pneumothorax injuries and ultimately death if untreated.
If a committed attacker is coming at you they can remain combat effective for some time, even if you poke a lot of holes centre mass. If someone is rushing you with a knife this is a problem.
The head shot, if it hits, penetrates the skull and does enough damage to the brain is the off switch. No amount of goal orientation, drugs or crazy will allow you to power through that. That’s the rationale I was taught for the head shot.
Typically what someone accomplishes with a melong shot on a MOVING target is that they miss.
For CCW, instructors I think teach center mass because it’s the fastest and therefore most effective to hit under stress. Then you have the legal side of things where a prosecuting attorney and jury can have a field day on a kill shot to the head.
Not familiar with “Mozambique drill,” but personally train (on silhouttes if I must) to place 3 center mass, 2 heart, 2 throat, last 2 of my 9 to the forehead. However, real life says that the first 5 will, in all probability, stop the threat, at which point the remaining placements aren’t needed. I just figure if someone takes those first 7 and is somehow miraculously still in my front side, it’s definitely time to justify the head shots.
Another point of interest here, even after someone sustains a shot to the heart, it’s well within reason for them to still be able to return fire for about 15 seconds, when the blood loss causes that hypovolemic(?) shock.
Then there’s the “up close and personal” type of attack when it’s all you can do to draw, much less present/aim/fire, when a shot downwards to the hip girdle is optimal IMO. If that gets busted, they will go down cause they have no choice.
Lastly, that FU shot being murder 2, yes it is.and civilian instructors should always be making it clear that such “anchor” shots are not ok or legal, and will land your ass in jail.
Typically, the training should be to fire until the threat falls out of the front sight of your weapon, stop shooting, keep moving to a position of tactical advantage, keep your gun unholstered, call 911, when blue lights show up put your gun down, follow instructions, comply comply comply, ask for an ambulance for yourself so you can get it together while in the ER and not screw yourself with what you say.
At the scene, tell the responding officer only the basics, point to any evidence, and tell them you will do a statement after speaking to your attorney. Some say to keep your mouth shut altogether, but not a good move. They need to know that you were attacked, defended yourself, how you did so, and where the perp’s gun is/was, along with shell casings.
Bad idea to ask if he thinks steam will come off the guy if you piss on him too btw… 
That goes along with the anchor shot thing I guess …
Peace Out!
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Mozambique Drill = 2 to the chest 1 to the head from the holster usually 3-4 seconds. Sometimes called Failure to Stop Drill.
Agree that in many situations the “pelvic triangle” is a more viable target than the head. Bigger, less mobile.
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Cross examination time.
Prosecuting attorney: “Mr. Gainz, why did you shoot the suspect in the head after he fell to the ground?”
Me: “Clearly he was a zombie, you have to get a headshot or they’ll bite you.”
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Question for anyone: What system are the USN Seals using for sniper? Still a NightForce scope?
Am looking to have a 338 Lapua built since my cousins husband just got an FFL, is opening a shop, and is TGE best armorer I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Dude is also a fine rifleman. Last year he got a prairie dog at 1600 yards but can’t recall what rifle he used, maybe an Ackley 25/06. Dude I’d also the only guy I know who built a 50 on an AR frame. Good sort of guy to have in the family, and we never lack for conversation. Also gonna buy a Kaspian frame & have him build me a 1911 (of course a 1911, is there anything else worth my money?!)
Oh, I near forgot, since they share the same customer base, Glock is merging with Kotex, something about building a gun chambered for 9mm-Midol, in pink camo polymer no doubt!
The long range guys (target not soldiers) I sell to really love the 6.5 bores: 6 5/284 and 6.5 Swedish make great long range. 260 if you want a short action.
Stay safe! Looking forward to your future posts.
Question for you all regarding the emergency bags. If one were not able to get antibiotic prescription would taking fish antibiotics suffice? I was on Amoxicillin and a friend of the family saw the bottle told me that among some of his friends they had taken Fish-Mox with no issues. Apparently is is exactly the same. I thought he was bullshitting so i looked online and read quite a few people have done it.
Thoughts?
The only problem I can see is that these things expire. So if you have the ability to continually restock these items I say go for it.
