Review: Night Operations Class – Pete

I took the Night Ops class and found it to be the best synthesis of previous classes with an emphasis on safety and great content.

I found the Night Ops class to be extremely important as it is the culmination of HEAT 1 and HEAT 2. I now think of Night Ops as HEAT 3, since a trainee applies the lessons from HEAT 1 and 2, but does them all at night to maintain an advantage.

Safety is the first priority, so each class first confirms that attendees will be able to perform the tasks via sessions on the flat range. Some maneuvers are adapted as an extra precaution, and attendees can feel totally comfortable in asking questions before different exercises, so everyone know what is expected. The use of plates, helmets, and IR strobes is warranted. Go hit the gym if the extra load is an issue.

The normal tactics content at MVT is consistent and this one has a good refresh of previous classes, but at a slower pace to accommodate the smaller field of view. The night-specific gear content allows students to see the effects of different optics, lasers, and identifiers. You also gain an understanding of your own reflectivity under NODS. Students will naturally bring different gear, so the time between sessions is a good chance to ask questions about trade-offs for gear choices.

Overall, I found the class to be a game changer. Can’t wait to do it again.

Pete K

Pennsylvania