Student Review: Combined CRCD/Combat Patrol 2-6 Aug: Mark & Mandi

Tactical Training by Max Velocity/Student Review: CRCD/Combat Patrol Aug 2-6^th 2014:

First of all, Thank you Max and Chris(aka Steve) who brought their A game. The information was vast and well thought out. Max had the challenge to not only teach his material but to teach it to civilians with NO military knowledge. They not only met the task but kept us engaged. They were even willing to “play with rocks” to show the moves that we needed to obtain. If you are the sensitive type do not go to this class with your feelings on your sleeve. If you are the type that wants to learn this is the place for you, and learn you will. Max is there to teach not wipe noses “GOT IT”. We have never been to any kind of training like this before because there is no other training like this. Would I return? Yes I would and will. We not only need to get up the hill but to also get another bollocking. Mark says that this training is very similar to the first time you have sex. You can study about it and you can even practice by yourself but without actually doing it live you do not realize what you do not know.

We have returned home August 7^th and have found ourselves both imspired and knowing that we have a great deal to accomplish if we were ever to meet our team’s goals. This class was not only eye opening but one of the biggest challenges that we have faced as husband and wife. Yes, your family needs to be involved with this training. The family is the core team then you bring in the rest of the Georgia crew. It will take more than just one person to save/rescue your family or crew. Mark and I went into this class knowing that were going to be part of a team from Georgia but came out with not only tightening our bonds as teammates but meeting the best group of people that we could meet. The men and youth that we met there were full of heart and the idea of freedom. If you read on Max’s blog that you need to do PT, THEN YOU NEED TO DO PT. The most important prep that we could do is to get in shape. Gear is important but not as important as being able to carry the gear that you need. Speaking of gear you can buy thousands and thousand dollars of gear but being unable to use it makes it useless. You cannot buy your freedom. The ‘tactical yardsale’ is very humbling. Fight through and do not feel sorry for yourself if you have a minor issue, your team is counting on you to cover them.

If you want the best review of the class read Brian from Georgia’s AAR. I will make a simple post regarding the days of the class. I encourage you to go to the RMP class prior to any other classes. I also encourage you to read ‘Contact‘ and ‘Patriot Dawn‘ to get you in the mental mind frame of what you are about to learn. Just reading about it does not make your muscle’s work. You have to do it and do it right, which means you must go the classes. You can read about formula one cars and you may even be able to buy one car but without being taught how to drive you are nothing. That is why this class is so important to us Patriots.

Day 1: The course started with movement techniques and basic fire procedures. This started at the individual level then increased to the two man teams. The targets were amazing and made this course of fire jump out at you. MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR PT.

Day 2: This day demonstrated the need to have a group of friends/teammates that would be able to work together with live fire. May I say that safety was never a problem. Max and Chris handled us bumbling fools very well but made sure that we learned what we needed to learn. MAKE SURE YOU DO YOUR PT.

Day 3-5 Was the most exciting to us. This is where the PT really comes into play and the correct equipment is essential. I enojoyed being able to take the time out from the hasty ambush (to look at the ambush from the enemy’s perspective) and to see what Max sees when we should have been hidden. I learn best visually. Max and his instructors taught all the patrolling topics that are covered in his book. As Brian from Georgia stated reading is not enough, you have to practice the concepts that you are reading and what is being taught by someone that knows what the hell they are doing. That someone is the “Dread Pirate Max”. Max did a great job to include situations that you cannot always account for in real life like injuries on the battlefield. At the recon point in this class we were both pretty bummed that we were not in top notch shape. Acutally accomplishing the mission with just a map and compass, whistle, and a flare brought the smallest amount of satisfaction to my own self esteem. Our team has now been cemented with a bond that will never be broken. Brian, Jamie, Mark and I were able to smile at this very small achievement. Knowing that you are looking for intel in the blinding, yes I mean blinding, dark is such a rush but knowing that Max is out there looking for you is scary as hell. The last day was a victory for us. Seeing all of this knowledge that was laid before us was well worth any penny or time off that we had to dish out.

Thanks for the time that was given by other instructors of their knowledge. Question and answer time was great Fred.

Things we learned other than what was outlined in the books:

When you “Think” you have done all the PT that your body can do that is when you need to do MORE PT.

2. A shiny rifle can get dirty. Dirt is a tactical color. You and your rifle WILL become tactical colored.

3.You need a team to make it. There is not an I in team. Brian and Jamie thanks for making us a team.

Being the baddest ” lone wolf” aka Sniper can/will get you killed when a team trained by Max can/will roll you up in a very short time.
Pain is just weakness leaving your body so stop feeling sorry for yourself and push on!
Do the PT for your body and go get some training for your brain from Max.

Thank You Max,”Steve”(Chris), and Fred. It was nice to meet like minded people that understand the need for training for our freedom.

In Liberty,

Mark and Mandi