BklynBacon
Amateur
When: 11/26/2016
Where: Altair Gun Club, Copeland, FL (east of Naples, FL)
Course Description: (from the site) Counter-Ambush Defense is an advanced pistol combat course and not recommended for beginners. Counter-Ambush Defense is a dynamic course that combines vehicles and handguns. Our Cadre will review basic firearms handling, safety and vehicle considerations then begin the scenario-based training. Our Cadre will explain and physically demonstrate each scenario prior to each drill. All scenarios revolve around shooting from inside, outside or around vehicles. Driver/passenger reaction drills, fighting from inside /outside the vehicle, and countering street-side threats (carjacking) are a few of the scenario-based drills you will perform during this course. You will engage multiple threats and manipulate your weapon while effectively getting shots on target while working alone or in a small team of 2-4.
Instructors: Garret Machine (lead FI for GR Firearms Events-Israel Duvedevan veteran), Aaron (Green Beret), Jeff (SEAL veteran) & Jake (fellow Duvedevan member with Machine)
Loadout: Sig P320 Carry 9mm in Bravo Concealment OWB holster, Safariland double mag pouch (from my days as a suit & tie detective)
This is my 2nd GORUCK event, and first firearms day. I decided to take this course, with one of my good buddies, who had favorable things to say about Garret (once you get over his initial demeanor..more on that later). I also have dedicated the next year to taking several vehicle tactics courses. The uptick in officer ambushes in vehicles across the country, and fighting around them has triggered this response. The class makeup varied from several (read- A LOT) of lawyers, several business folks, and average folks. I was the only police officer in the course. Course had about 20 students.
The course started off with an EXTENDED safety brief, introductions, and gear review and set-up by the instructor staff. Holy hell, some people showed up with some funky stuff. There were mostly Glocks, 3 Sig Sauer P226 Legion pistols, both in SAO and DA/SA, one dude showed up with a Jericho sub-compact?, a VP9, and one girl had a Sig P238 Equinox. I was one of two Sig P320 Carry models in the course.
We had an extended dry-fire session, which is always good, to work out some kinks, and seeing the level of competency, when it comes to weapons manipulation as the instructors watched over. We then went live fire, and had been assigned a "battle buddy"; as there were two firing lines to not overcrowd the shooting line. While one was shooting, you were expected to refill mags, and eat and drink. Big boy rules. After a few rounds of shooting, reloading, weapons manipulation, we had a vehicle brought out, and did a "medium shoot". We shot through a front windshield to experience what it was like, making contact and seeing round deviation..
After a short 30 minute break to get off our feet and recharge a bit, we got into the basics of vehicle tactics/gunfighting around vehicles. The basis of the methodology, was to address an ambush situation, and how to counter such an attack. We worked various angles, how to actually bailout from the "dirty" side, to the "clean" side, and working with one other person, all the way up to 4 folks in the car. In all honesty, this is what I got most out of this class; learning how to repel an ambush situation, and "getting off the X".
In conclusion, I have to be honest, and say I didn't get much out of the course. I got a little frustrated, as I felt for something being advertised to being an "advanced" firearms day, involving vehicles, that the type of student would have basic weapons manipulation down, marksmanship down, and maybe has done some square range training, and ready to go to the next level. Well, it didn't. There were way too many students that were FAR out of their pay grade, for this type of training. We spent way too much time on basic course things, that advanced students should know.
THE SILVER LINING IN ALL OF THIS? Big Daddy from GoRuck HQ came in to sit in on the AAR. Well...I have to say..that dude is a COMPLETE GENTLEMAN. He heard my concerns, from myself and my buddy, and addressed it on the spot. It shows good business sense, when you may not get a favorable review of something with your brand name on it, and you take heed to the critique, and make changes to it. I respect the GoRuck staff a lot for that alone. The instructor staff were patient, and kept everyone safe..even when some students started to fade in the afternoon, or something was over their heads. I think the head shed is on to something here, as GoRuck has a big following; but some fine-tuning and a "standards qual" should be shot, prior to the instruction given. Don't make the cut, your ass goes home. Cut and dry.
Where: Altair Gun Club, Copeland, FL (east of Naples, FL)
Course Description: (from the site) Counter-Ambush Defense is an advanced pistol combat course and not recommended for beginners. Counter-Ambush Defense is a dynamic course that combines vehicles and handguns. Our Cadre will review basic firearms handling, safety and vehicle considerations then begin the scenario-based training. Our Cadre will explain and physically demonstrate each scenario prior to each drill. All scenarios revolve around shooting from inside, outside or around vehicles. Driver/passenger reaction drills, fighting from inside /outside the vehicle, and countering street-side threats (carjacking) are a few of the scenario-based drills you will perform during this course. You will engage multiple threats and manipulate your weapon while effectively getting shots on target while working alone or in a small team of 2-4.
Instructors: Garret Machine (lead FI for GR Firearms Events-Israel Duvedevan veteran), Aaron (Green Beret), Jeff (SEAL veteran) & Jake (fellow Duvedevan member with Machine)
Loadout: Sig P320 Carry 9mm in Bravo Concealment OWB holster, Safariland double mag pouch (from my days as a suit & tie detective)
This is my 2nd GORUCK event, and first firearms day. I decided to take this course, with one of my good buddies, who had favorable things to say about Garret (once you get over his initial demeanor..more on that later). I also have dedicated the next year to taking several vehicle tactics courses. The uptick in officer ambushes in vehicles across the country, and fighting around them has triggered this response. The class makeup varied from several (read- A LOT) of lawyers, several business folks, and average folks. I was the only police officer in the course. Course had about 20 students.
The course started off with an EXTENDED safety brief, introductions, and gear review and set-up by the instructor staff. Holy hell, some people showed up with some funky stuff. There were mostly Glocks, 3 Sig Sauer P226 Legion pistols, both in SAO and DA/SA, one dude showed up with a Jericho sub-compact?, a VP9, and one girl had a Sig P238 Equinox. I was one of two Sig P320 Carry models in the course.
We had an extended dry-fire session, which is always good, to work out some kinks, and seeing the level of competency, when it comes to weapons manipulation as the instructors watched over. We then went live fire, and had been assigned a "battle buddy"; as there were two firing lines to not overcrowd the shooting line. While one was shooting, you were expected to refill mags, and eat and drink. Big boy rules. After a few rounds of shooting, reloading, weapons manipulation, we had a vehicle brought out, and did a "medium shoot". We shot through a front windshield to experience what it was like, making contact and seeing round deviation..
After a short 30 minute break to get off our feet and recharge a bit, we got into the basics of vehicle tactics/gunfighting around vehicles. The basis of the methodology, was to address an ambush situation, and how to counter such an attack. We worked various angles, how to actually bailout from the "dirty" side, to the "clean" side, and working with one other person, all the way up to 4 folks in the car. In all honesty, this is what I got most out of this class; learning how to repel an ambush situation, and "getting off the X".
In conclusion, I have to be honest, and say I didn't get much out of the course. I got a little frustrated, as I felt for something being advertised to being an "advanced" firearms day, involving vehicles, that the type of student would have basic weapons manipulation down, marksmanship down, and maybe has done some square range training, and ready to go to the next level. Well, it didn't. There were way too many students that were FAR out of their pay grade, for this type of training. We spent way too much time on basic course things, that advanced students should know.
THE SILVER LINING IN ALL OF THIS? Big Daddy from GoRuck HQ came in to sit in on the AAR. Well...I have to say..that dude is a COMPLETE GENTLEMAN. He heard my concerns, from myself and my buddy, and addressed it on the spot. It shows good business sense, when you may not get a favorable review of something with your brand name on it, and you take heed to the critique, and make changes to it. I respect the GoRuck staff a lot for that alone. The instructor staff were patient, and kept everyone safe..even when some students started to fade in the afternoon, or something was over their heads. I think the head shed is on to something here, as GoRuck has a big following; but some fine-tuning and a "standards qual" should be shot, prior to the instruction given. Don't make the cut, your ass goes home. Cut and dry.