Review: HEAT 1 Combat Tactics April: Rich

A Necessary Dust Off – HEAT 1 Combat Tactics Review by Rich

I have been off of active operations for five years, and out of the military for one. Whilst serving, I had access to some very advanced and high-speed training, but as I transitioned out of the SOF community, my skills atrophied. MVT was there for me.

I am an alumnus of MVT, having taken 6 courses so far. Each one was more than worth the cost in time and money. Rain or shine, we students got the goods and left much better for it. Prior to this recent HEAT 1, the last time I was out at the training site was 2020. Coming back after five years was like no time had gone by. The training remains excellent. The ranges are still breathtaking. The cadre, Max and Scott, are still fixtures in the combat readiness scene. Let’s get into the course.

Rather than break the course down step by step, I’ll give my top five impressions of the four-day session as a returning student who’s gone through military and Federal agency combat skills trainings. You can see the curriculum on the website, and don’t need me to reinvent that wheel.

Impression 1: your skill level is judged by the professionals – anyone can walk onto a range and boast about the time they’ve spent behind a rifle. They might even be right, and they can shoot, move, and communicate like the best of them. At MVT, words mean nothing; you go through the basics step by step just like everyone else. Day one hour one is a safety briefing, and this gets done before anyone even thinks about touching a trigger. Max and Scott both have extensive medical training, and they make sure every single one of us knows what to do in case of accidents. To be fair, I have never once seen anyone get injured at MVT, but I know a professional when I see one, and I trust they both know what to do if anything goes “south”.

Impression 2: it is possible to go from zero to competent in four days – the course is sold as a primer on basic small unit tactics in a woodland environment, and that’s true, but don’t be fooled into thinking you get pushed immediately into the trenches and told to defend yourself–good luck, Private! No. It doesn’t work like that, ever. The first half of the course teaches rifle safety, mechanics, manipulation, accuracy, and problem solving. The progression is solid and practical; sheer beginners who never touched a rifle will come out of it with enough confidence to tackle just about anything an AR-15 can do, and do it without risk to themselves or others… unless you’re the enemy. Then all bets are off. This is what the second half of the course is all about.

Impression 3: you will mess up, and you will come out better – Nearly every flat range drill, movement, manoeuvre, order, process, and procedure is in some way done wrong by at least one student every day. It happens, and it is expected. Max and Scott are patient and make corrections on the spot if needed, or after the instruction so everyone can learn. Yes, it sucks to be yelled at, but they do it because it makes us better and keeps everyone safe. No one walks away from those down-dressings feeling bad or losing spirit. No, we head for the next instruction having learned what “right” looks like and doing much better the next time. They are professionals who know how to teach.

Impression 4: we learn through immersion – every training evolution is well thought, planned, produced, and executed. We students are put into these training scenarios intent on experiencing the reality of combat. It succeeeds. Adrenaline pumps, cortisol soaks, blood rushes, and you forget that you’re out of breath and burning through ammunition while running up a 20 degree grade towards the enemy. You’re in the moment, and that stamps the training into memory far better than any video or book. The instructors know that too, and make sure you get out of your head and back into the real world when it’s over.

Impression 5: we will never know it all, but you can make a good start somewhere – HEAT 1 is not meant to make you a high-speed ground operator who saves the poor villagers from the squadron of tanks coming to knock them down and take their wallets. No course can do that. Expertise comes with years of training, application, and experience. HEAT 1 does, in fact, get you to a place where: you are not afraid of your rifle anymore; you are not afraid to get dirty and admit you need to work on your aim; you are not afraid to devote time and money to weapons and kit that actually get the job done; you are not afraid to tell someone if they are an unsafe shooter and you will not let them defend the villagers with you. HEAT 1 consistently does this job really well.

Final verdict: I needed a dust-off and I got it. When I need another, I’m coming back again. It’s worth it.