Idaho 5 Day Combat Team / Convoy Tactics

I attended the (5 Day) Combat Team Tactics/ Mobility Training in Idaho in May 2017 with Max Velocity Tactical. My background consists of over a decade in the Active Duty Army with a few deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and Private Security Government Contracting. I have been through countless training iterations between the Army and the PSS world and to be honest, was skeptical at first glance about this training. However, once getting on site with Max and going through the training I quickly realized much of the things someone sees in the video are just training-isms that teach people with little to no background of tactical knowledge to learn basic skills and to conduct them safely with live ammunition. The adaptation of the PSS scenarios that are used downrange with armored vehicles to the “collapse” scenarios are done very well and most of all very safely. Being prior military, I was pretty concerned about shooting and moving with civilians who are unfamiliar with doing so (except on square ranges) but the steps that Max takes to ensure no injuries are impressive.

The Combat Team Tactics training was a lot of fun but definitely brought a lot of people back to reality at how much their PT is struggling. The terrain in Idaho is great for training and is challenging enough to give you some fits but potential students should be prepared to give it their all (you get out what you put in). The basic movements that Max teaches are a great base for people to get a taste of how to function as a team and communicate during movement under fire and how to react to it.

The Mobility Training was a great adaptation of the PSS/ Contracting world to civilian bug-out situations. Max gave some potential ideas on how to outfit a civilian vehicle to be able to take a little more damage in a situation where they may come under fire. Giving basic vehicle movement techniques and how to react to contact while on patrol are valuable skills to have. The training highlighted the necessity of communication especially in a vehicle patrol scenario.

The training was excellent and would highly recommend for people wanting to gain valuable knowledge of basic movement techniques integrated into a team concept because chances are you will not be bugging out alone if the situation arises. Keep in mind that the training is just a platform on which to build knowledge and the drills are just that, drills. In a four or five-day course, it is utterly impossible to train for every possible scenario that may be thrown at you in a combat situation. Being able to critically think and adapt the movement techniques to your specific situation is up to you and your imagination so don’t expect Max to draw up SOP’s for you and your specific AO.

Come to the training physically fit, ready to listen, and with thick skin and you will enjoy yourself and learn something. Come with an ego, hard headed, and thinking you know more than everyone there and you will have wasted your time and money.