Biloxi, Mississippi (Ammoland) “Don’t just stand around watching, find some work.” was the advice offered to a dozen students during the Urban Defense Course held at Combat Shooting and Tactics (CSAT) in Nacogdoches, Texas during the long weekend of October 23 to 25. The person offering the advice was Paul Howe, Master Sergeant (retired) US Army.
You might know Paul’s name as a host/star of numerous training DVD’s. Those with a little be more G2 know that name from a book entitled “Blackhawk Down” and the retelling of the US Army’s adventures on the horn of Africa. Those who are serious about training with arms know that Paul Howe runs CSAT, a 300 plus acre full service training facility in the Lone Star State.
Jarrad and I packed up the SOTG cameras and microphones pushed northwest from the coast to visit Paul and one of his newest instructors and training coordinators, Shane Iversen. Like Paul Howe, Shane wore the green-beanie and has been on adventures to the Third World for twenty years or so. Shane has seen more than one elephant.
When we arrived at the CSAT range on Friday, the participants were wrapping up the “Mass Attack” drill. “Mass Attack” requires students to solve the problem of multiple attackers, not two, but bunches as you might encounter during civil unrest (every day in Ferguson, MO).
Farm House Rescue
The next educational exercise was the “Farm House Rescue”. The scenario was a call for help from a friend/relative who lived out in the country. Due to an environmental or man made disaster, law enforcement assistance was not available. Your friend called to say prowlers/looters were on their property and they were alone at home. You lose communication with your friend. What do you do?How do you safely/securely get to the farm house without becoming a victim of felonious attack?
Although the title of the course is “Urban Defense”, it is also a partner tactics training program. Every scenario or tactical problem is a two-person job. I say two person, not two man, as there was a husband and wife team in the class.
Students in the Urban Defense Course (UDC) are taught the tactical concept of “bounding overwatch”. Rather than walk to the shooting problem holding hands as if they were headed to Grandma’s house, members of the two-man teams provide moving security for each other and protective cover fire if necessary.
Team Work
Throughout the UDC training, students learn to work within their small team. They practice using verbal and non-verbal communication techniques. For instance, if I raise my rifle and point at a person or in a certain direction I most likely have a threat or at least a potential threat. If I raise my rifle and fire I am dealing with a threat. I don’t have to scream at you that I see bad guy with a gun threatening us.
Read the entire article at the Student of the Gun site. (Click Here)