Combat Patrol Aug 30 – Sep 1
This last weekend was a 3 day Combat Patrol Class. It was a good class.
Chris was there throughout helping with the instruction, and Fred also came down to help out.
My observation for this class is that it seemed that I had a group of infantrymen to train. We were approaching that level. Obviously with CRCD as a prerequisite to this class, they had all done it previously. What stood out was that they had all taken the lessons learned on CRCD seriously, gone away and continued to train, and also taken the PT seriously. They had not paid lip service to it.
This is one of the things to consider about the 6 day combined classes. I talk enough about PT on this blog, but some just pay lip service to it. In other words, they don’t bother their asses. If you take that attitude, and wait for a 6 day combined class to call you out, you are in it till the end, unless you quit. If you come on a CRCD class, and learn the PT lesson, you have time to fix it before you come back on Combat Patrol.
The upshot of everyone being a serious student was that the class went smoother, with less stress, and less need for me to bollock anyone. The random factor was greatly reduced. The recce patrol, ambush and raid were great. The raid was like a movie. The proprietary secret exercise on the final morning went well. The casualty was carried and not dropped.
That doesn’t mean don’t come on a 6 day – I will be scheduling less of them anyway in 2015 – but it means when I say do PT, do your PT. Be prepared. It’s 6 days, so it adds up and takes its toll even though the individual training events are not that bad in themselves.
If you come on a CRM, or CRCD, and need more PT and weapons manipulation training, do it. Get it. Work at it. Then come back and get the benefit of Patrol.
Hopefully ‘Shitbreak’ will pull his finger out and send me the rest of the photos he took of the class for publication on the blog. I also hope to get some student reviews – because if it happened in the woods of West Virginia, and it doesn’t go on the interwebz, it never happened!
I am getting closer to publishing 2015, up to June. I’ll initially put out the dates for CRCD & Combat patrol, then add CRM, C2G, Night Fighting etc. The new CRU-TT (Combat Rifle Urban – Terrain & Tactics) is tentatively scheduled for spring 2015, allowing me time to get the site built. CRCD will be a prerequisite for CRU.
Bottom line: DO YOUR PT. TRAIN.
Otherwise: STFU. I don’t want to hear from any paranoid radical individualists (PRI’s), or Tactically Unprepared Preppers (TUP’s).
More to follow.
Why?
Because…..
Max
AMEN to the PT! Learned that lesson at my 1st CRCD. Thank you Max for letting me learn the hard way how important it really is going to be in a SHTF situation. Currently down 45 lbs of fat/up 5lbs of muscle, and not done yet.
Tater good to hear form you! What’s up? : )
We had a GREAT time training this weekend, learned MUCH to take back to Tennessee, AAR to follow, plus we had a real good group of guys there who seemed really dedicated, not a bunch of wannabe’s……..
What an awesome weekend! No egos, no BS, no safety worries, just good training and a good group of guys to train with.
That last hill on the raid about killed me- as a flatlander I find the inclines the hardest thing.
Hey Robert don’t feel bad, I was running drag and sucking wind like a class 5 Hurricane, that hill was rough no doubt, we also had a fairly nice day to, not terribly hot, just imagine had it been 90 something deg, ouch…..
Max,
This definitely looked like a good gang to me as well.
Lots of familiar faces. : )
Great AAR, but it does beg the question. Do you personally think it is unwise for new students to take the combined class? I would like to attend the 6-day event as a graduation present, but any comments from alumni or the instructor cadre would be appreciated.
The 6 day was designed as a class that new students could do, but make it easier on travel expenses for long distance attendees.
The answer as to whether it is suitable for you lies in your fitness.
If you are just paying lip service to PT, then you are in the wrong game. Be moderately fit, able to be on your feet for much of the day for 6 days, and you would be fine.
Given the sheer knowledge, opportunity, and resources available to American citizens, with time there is no legit reason for one not to be knowledgeable and responsible (unless one is dumb, i.e. incapable of learning). Be personally responsible. Increase your experience, knowledge, and skill set throughout life with personal experience, study, and practice. Question your own ignorance and continue forward with logic. Handle it.
MVT, Max, his colleagues, and his facility are collectively an invaluable resource. The quality comes within and is genuine. Max is entertaining, has a good sense of humor, and nevertheless dead serious on core curriculum. He has great demeanor for teaching and even greater demeanor issuing instruction. Chris and Aaron are sound as well. All have significant experience, complement each other well, and getting better themselves as instructors as they refine the classes. The curriculum is clear, concise, practical, and legitimate. The lesson plans are well thought, building and connecting with the drills. From a value standpoint to the content, responsible armed citizens to well-trained veterans, one can’t go wrong with MVT. MVT is independent with no BS training, just mainly good stuff from the man himself and his facility. For a responsible armed citizen, MVT has to be one of the most productive training operations available.
From my experience (i.e. CRCD and Patrol) most of the attendees are level headed. Many have a lot to offer and are cool to train with. No extreme craziness minds were too apparent, no gun “nuts”, no ‘domestic terrorists’, nor anyone overwhelming the training (active or passive) in any instance.
Max is excellent with safety and all attendees appreciate this, from weapon handling, through running drills at the facility ranges, to him and the assistant being on point during drills. A simple example of MVT safety is muzzle control, e.g. when casually walking by or around people getting ready for a drill or in general, show respect and consciously maneuver the muzzle away / around as you walk by one another, i.e. make muzzle control apparent. This is great for people who just met each other and are there to train. Details such as this are standard at MVT.
To future participants, yeah by all means be responsible and be fit enough. Everyone will benefit if you are able and succeeding while training, rather than unable and trying, therefore hindering the training. Be honest with yourself and not ignorant or negligent.
Having a technical background, being a professional, and well versed with many different life experiences, again, MVT is a great resource. I appreciate MVT. Much respect to Max, his intent, and what he is doing. Congratulations on getting the “X” off your flag. Happy you’re a citizen of the stars and stripes, red, white, and blue. Keep learning yourself.
FYI… realists are required, rationalists, not so much.