victran
Amateur
20161008, Barbier Security Group Training Facility, California, 1000-1700
Instructor: Tu Lam, 22 year USASOC/JSOC operator, retired.
Introduction: Tu Lam has been a big inspiration and role model since I have ran into his social media handles and listened to his story in a few podcasts so I had word of him coming out to the west coast, I just had to get into at least one of his classes. CQB is a topic often discussed on the flat range and many classes, but without actually having instruction available openly to learn from proved it mostly to be in theoretical for those outside of a Mil/LE/PSD world. I came into this class eager to learn the basis of CQB from a man who I look up to a lot.
Equipment: JACK 2.0. Velocity Systems LWPC with Velocity Systems Rifle Placard and Spiritus Systems SACK.
Ammunition: UTM bolt and ammo provided by BSG.
Classroom: Tu went over his background and shared a few stories surrounding how and why CQB was developed and the history of when humans first utilized CQB and how we always had it in warfare. The first hour was primarily spent on breaking down movements to dominate a room on the white board. The difference of rooms in terms of how they are structure and how to approach them depending on door way. What we were going to focus on, was the current methodology of dividing the room via assault. Tu introduced that doctrines are quick to change and expire as eventually all things do become predictable. Tu explained that things that were taught prior to GWOT quickly became obsolete or subpar when applied overseas or over the years of conflict. However, the ground basis still remained; Surprise, Speed, and Violence (SSV). We had to flow like water.
Start of Movements: We went outside to the parking lot of the building and Tu set up cones to simulate the room he wrote out on the white board previously. Broke down the movements and further explained "digging corners" and why the point-men had to dig corners as they made entry. We got into random four man "stacks" and began to practice runs through our simulated room. We ran the simulations open handed and had an emphasis on projecting the direction of where our support hand was in relation of the barrel of a weapon. Tu emphasized that we need to slow down, which is common for any sort of instructions that the students want to go fast. A good number of students were not digging into the corners before taking their position in the room. Tu repeatedly emphasized that we need to take as much physical ground of the room in order to control it. When individuals get more advanced, cornering off those corners become less of a concern, but for now; crawl, walk, then run.
Tu added more cones into the mix to include another doorway into a different room. Initial stack goes in, secures the first room, then moves into the next. Naturally, students would get confused on whether to reform the stack or to go into the same numbered entry team as they initially before entering the next room. At this point, students who did not notice the open doorway (ala fatal funnel) had their stack reset. Timing and flowing became really important as we progressed from simulated room to simulated room with different entry points. We had to work with the standard, partial, and divided stack to tackle each room. Re-clear, exiting the structure via rooms previously cleared, gave us another repetition of practice. Specific things he looked for was our pronounced hands of where our muzzles would be. Put a lot of use of wherever eyes were, the simulated muzzle must be at. Along with our simulated muzzles, Tu wanted us to be very aware of where our simulated muzzles were pointing at. Major emphasis on high carry/high port along with keeping the simulated muzzles down range to provide security per stack member.
We eventually made our way to working multiple entry points, specifically a T-intersection, L-intersection, and 4-way intersection. These entries emphasized on splitting the stack and rejoining the stack. Specific problems that students ran into were mainly providing security for their stack. At no point should a barrel not be pointed down into the unknown. Another was that movement was going to be tighter and each student not only needs to establish a firm base of domination, but access way for their teammates to move around. The whole time, Tu did not want us to use verbal commands. He wanted us to treat these simulations as if we were conducting a raid, utilizing the initiative and surprise. We would start the movements slow and hit it fast as he initiated simulated engagement/fire.
Lunch: We took a short lunch where Tu answered some questions from the students and shared a few stories about his experience. Then we kitted up and swapped bolts for UTM BCGs.
Shoot House: We kitted up and had our carbines converted to shoot UTM rounds. BSG facility had a shoot house with seven rooms. We were formed into 4-man stacks and practiced runs into our designated rooms. Tu then had us run as an entire column, three 4-man stacks to assault multiple rooms. This is where we incorporated multiple entry ways and points. Lead stack hits a room, next point man of the following stack pulls security on an unknown region, next person hits the next unknown, half a stack and two from the last will make entry into another room as the lead stack comes back to supplement with the next. Naturally, guys in the stack would want to stay in their stack, so confusion came about for every student. We had a senior LE SWAT guy manage this portion of the movement and practice as Tu took another stack to run different rooms on the other side.
We hit the rooms and intersections dry with no ammo, myself and the other students were running were experiencing a major power curve. It was too easy for us to not do our jobs in the stack setting and blending with different stacks. Easily the most confusing portion as it occurs whenever we are separated from our main stack. Initial runs were a complete mess, we were not providing security and allowing students fall into traps such as non secured unknowns and door ways. By our 10th run, we got it down more fluidly. We were learning more and more not be accountable. The whole time, no distinguishing verbal commands were being made as we moved into our breaches.
Going Live: Here, was where we incorporated everything we had learned throughout the day. We were given our magazine of UTM ammo and Tu took each stack to assault multiple rooms and hallways. From what we learned and practiced with the cones to rehearsing what we had done with our dry runs, now was the time to put rounds on targets. Tu shadowed us as we made attempted our assault. Muzzle awareness, fluid transition of stack members into the room, covering sectors, providing security during movements, and most importantly; accountability of shots on targets. After the first run, Tu pointed out that we had missed one round onto the reduced size silhouette. So, as a team, we had to face the consequences of making mistakes. 20 burpees. One person fails, the whole team fails. We took our punishment, restarted the stack, and hit the objective again. One member went in too fast and did not have us establish security down the hallways before the advance. Restart. 20 burpees. Hit it again.
Every run we hit, we made a mistake. Anyone who makes a miss, rushed through without security, did not properly stage or plant, all equated to burpees every time. As frustrated as my teammates looked, I personally did not mind it. In training, it's fine to make mistakes and ultimately pay for it in the classroom. While downrange and when it matters, paid mistakes are far more severe than just burpees. I took my beatings and as much it sucked, I was grateful for every single run and rep. Eventually, we were tasked to clear the structure from inside one of the rooms in the structure. Lead man cleared doorway, but number two did not cover his back down the hall and Tu ordered number two man to be simulated KIA. Tu said we could not leave a man behind, so I volunteered to drag the downed man behind the remaining two assaulters as they cleared us out of the structure.
Tu wanted to drill into us the importance of being accountable. With what limited time we had of the day and class, the learning curve was on us. What we could take and implement, was what we were gonna get out of it. My stack was done and we went back to the staging area to rest and practice with the other stacks practicing on the other side of the structure.
Final Exercise: We got into our stacks and the objective was to clear the entire structure, both left and right side. My stack and another stack were tasked to engage the left side of the structure and clear the structure of threats. Tu initiated the call out and my stack got clustered into stack and stuck inside the funnel because dudes immediately engaged targets while static instead of moving forward to get us out of the funnel. Somehow, my stack pushed through and we began to clear the rooms and unknown fluidly. After the first two rooms, we had realized that we were on our own, our second element got mixed into the stacks moving right of the structure. No matter, we ended up clearing rooms by splitting our 4-man stack into each room as two members would provide security then collapsed back in and moved to the next room. By the time we hit the last two rooms at opposing hallways, both stacks went in with two men to clear and secure the room. Called the All-Clear and rejoined the rest of the class in the staging area.
Closing: Tu recognized that things did not go as planned. Things rarely go as planned for those brand new to this world of CQB. He had already said that we are not to expect to come out of this class as experts, or believing that we did well in the class. It was about what we can retain and continuously train and train over time of how to be fluid and efficient as methodically as possible in a close quarters engagement. It was a ton of information given to us and it was plenty new to be exposed to it in a limited timed class. The movements and techniques that we drilled in, all very perishable. Tu wanted us to keep practicing this when we left the class that day and not to be hard on ourselves. He explained that this was just one day, one of his CQB courses lasted 6 months before going overseas. The knowledge he wanted us to obtain during the class was to have it for the actual lethal encounter a civilian may face in a home invasion or if you were tasked to counter assault your home to secure a room or save your family.
I was extremely humbled by this class. I took so many notes and drawings of whatever I could practice on my own. I will say, that going into this course cold turkey away from range time was something I wished I knew about prior. Because it made sense. What we learn in instructions at home, we practice and implement it on the flat range, condition ourselves to be more fluid with our kit and weapons, then we put it in actual structures with problems to solve. Everything so simple, but so complex and easy to mess up and not catch on your own. Having teammates and having someone shadow you to keep you accountable and uncomfortable is how (in my opinion) the way to perfect whatever stage you are at then move onto the next level. Which is what I figured was why the class entailed our personal carbines, the pronounced barrel length and weapon system made it easy for us to identify what were doing wrong and how adept we actually were with our weapons. A muzzle poking around a corner would mean a barrel grab and compromise of the team as it would complicate entries. A muzzle flagging a teammate would mean a safety hazard and not being aware. Kit that was scratching onto the walls would show unfamiliarity with being in kit and reveals your location as your dragging nylon down a hall essentially. All these factors and quantities were things to keep in mind and be aware of. The class showed it all.
Tu's ability to switch on and off from being super nice guy to barrel-chested commands authority SGM teaching the class was the factor that pushed me and made the material so fluid to obtain and retain. He is truly one of the most effective teachers I have ever come across. This class, if you could only make time for 1 day out of the year, is the class to take. You can polish your marksmanship at the range, but having the knowledge of how to dominate and take a structure (back) is invaluable. And to be taught by Tu, definitely worth the time and money. I would be willing to travel to his home facility in Colorado in the future to take this class again and to learn more from him again.
Overall, I was overly impress with the class. Working with strangers is generally the norm for operators overseas. A team of SF guys could be assaulting a large structure with a team of SEALs, its about problem solving. Same here, in this class. We all came to learn, we worked inside a team, and obtained as much experience as we could going through. Truly humbling indeed.
Instructor: Tu Lam, 22 year USASOC/JSOC operator, retired.
Introduction: Tu Lam has been a big inspiration and role model since I have ran into his social media handles and listened to his story in a few podcasts so I had word of him coming out to the west coast, I just had to get into at least one of his classes. CQB is a topic often discussed on the flat range and many classes, but without actually having instruction available openly to learn from proved it mostly to be in theoretical for those outside of a Mil/LE/PSD world. I came into this class eager to learn the basis of CQB from a man who I look up to a lot.
Equipment: JACK 2.0. Velocity Systems LWPC with Velocity Systems Rifle Placard and Spiritus Systems SACK.
Ammunition: UTM bolt and ammo provided by BSG.
Classroom: Tu went over his background and shared a few stories surrounding how and why CQB was developed and the history of when humans first utilized CQB and how we always had it in warfare. The first hour was primarily spent on breaking down movements to dominate a room on the white board. The difference of rooms in terms of how they are structure and how to approach them depending on door way. What we were going to focus on, was the current methodology of dividing the room via assault. Tu introduced that doctrines are quick to change and expire as eventually all things do become predictable. Tu explained that things that were taught prior to GWOT quickly became obsolete or subpar when applied overseas or over the years of conflict. However, the ground basis still remained; Surprise, Speed, and Violence (SSV). We had to flow like water.
Start of Movements: We went outside to the parking lot of the building and Tu set up cones to simulate the room he wrote out on the white board previously. Broke down the movements and further explained "digging corners" and why the point-men had to dig corners as they made entry. We got into random four man "stacks" and began to practice runs through our simulated room. We ran the simulations open handed and had an emphasis on projecting the direction of where our support hand was in relation of the barrel of a weapon. Tu emphasized that we need to slow down, which is common for any sort of instructions that the students want to go fast. A good number of students were not digging into the corners before taking their position in the room. Tu repeatedly emphasized that we need to take as much physical ground of the room in order to control it. When individuals get more advanced, cornering off those corners become less of a concern, but for now; crawl, walk, then run.
Tu added more cones into the mix to include another doorway into a different room. Initial stack goes in, secures the first room, then moves into the next. Naturally, students would get confused on whether to reform the stack or to go into the same numbered entry team as they initially before entering the next room. At this point, students who did not notice the open doorway (ala fatal funnel) had their stack reset. Timing and flowing became really important as we progressed from simulated room to simulated room with different entry points. We had to work with the standard, partial, and divided stack to tackle each room. Re-clear, exiting the structure via rooms previously cleared, gave us another repetition of practice. Specific things he looked for was our pronounced hands of where our muzzles would be. Put a lot of use of wherever eyes were, the simulated muzzle must be at. Along with our simulated muzzles, Tu wanted us to be very aware of where our simulated muzzles were pointing at. Major emphasis on high carry/high port along with keeping the simulated muzzles down range to provide security per stack member.
We eventually made our way to working multiple entry points, specifically a T-intersection, L-intersection, and 4-way intersection. These entries emphasized on splitting the stack and rejoining the stack. Specific problems that students ran into were mainly providing security for their stack. At no point should a barrel not be pointed down into the unknown. Another was that movement was going to be tighter and each student not only needs to establish a firm base of domination, but access way for their teammates to move around. The whole time, Tu did not want us to use verbal commands. He wanted us to treat these simulations as if we were conducting a raid, utilizing the initiative and surprise. We would start the movements slow and hit it fast as he initiated simulated engagement/fire.
Lunch: We took a short lunch where Tu answered some questions from the students and shared a few stories about his experience. Then we kitted up and swapped bolts for UTM BCGs.
Shoot House: We kitted up and had our carbines converted to shoot UTM rounds. BSG facility had a shoot house with seven rooms. We were formed into 4-man stacks and practiced runs into our designated rooms. Tu then had us run as an entire column, three 4-man stacks to assault multiple rooms. This is where we incorporated multiple entry ways and points. Lead stack hits a room, next point man of the following stack pulls security on an unknown region, next person hits the next unknown, half a stack and two from the last will make entry into another room as the lead stack comes back to supplement with the next. Naturally, guys in the stack would want to stay in their stack, so confusion came about for every student. We had a senior LE SWAT guy manage this portion of the movement and practice as Tu took another stack to run different rooms on the other side.
We hit the rooms and intersections dry with no ammo, myself and the other students were running were experiencing a major power curve. It was too easy for us to not do our jobs in the stack setting and blending with different stacks. Easily the most confusing portion as it occurs whenever we are separated from our main stack. Initial runs were a complete mess, we were not providing security and allowing students fall into traps such as non secured unknowns and door ways. By our 10th run, we got it down more fluidly. We were learning more and more not be accountable. The whole time, no distinguishing verbal commands were being made as we moved into our breaches.
Going Live: Here, was where we incorporated everything we had learned throughout the day. We were given our magazine of UTM ammo and Tu took each stack to assault multiple rooms and hallways. From what we learned and practiced with the cones to rehearsing what we had done with our dry runs, now was the time to put rounds on targets. Tu shadowed us as we made attempted our assault. Muzzle awareness, fluid transition of stack members into the room, covering sectors, providing security during movements, and most importantly; accountability of shots on targets. After the first run, Tu pointed out that we had missed one round onto the reduced size silhouette. So, as a team, we had to face the consequences of making mistakes. 20 burpees. One person fails, the whole team fails. We took our punishment, restarted the stack, and hit the objective again. One member went in too fast and did not have us establish security down the hallways before the advance. Restart. 20 burpees. Hit it again.
Every run we hit, we made a mistake. Anyone who makes a miss, rushed through without security, did not properly stage or plant, all equated to burpees every time. As frustrated as my teammates looked, I personally did not mind it. In training, it's fine to make mistakes and ultimately pay for it in the classroom. While downrange and when it matters, paid mistakes are far more severe than just burpees. I took my beatings and as much it sucked, I was grateful for every single run and rep. Eventually, we were tasked to clear the structure from inside one of the rooms in the structure. Lead man cleared doorway, but number two did not cover his back down the hall and Tu ordered number two man to be simulated KIA. Tu said we could not leave a man behind, so I volunteered to drag the downed man behind the remaining two assaulters as they cleared us out of the structure.
Tu wanted to drill into us the importance of being accountable. With what limited time we had of the day and class, the learning curve was on us. What we could take and implement, was what we were gonna get out of it. My stack was done and we went back to the staging area to rest and practice with the other stacks practicing on the other side of the structure.
Final Exercise: We got into our stacks and the objective was to clear the entire structure, both left and right side. My stack and another stack were tasked to engage the left side of the structure and clear the structure of threats. Tu initiated the call out and my stack got clustered into stack and stuck inside the funnel because dudes immediately engaged targets while static instead of moving forward to get us out of the funnel. Somehow, my stack pushed through and we began to clear the rooms and unknown fluidly. After the first two rooms, we had realized that we were on our own, our second element got mixed into the stacks moving right of the structure. No matter, we ended up clearing rooms by splitting our 4-man stack into each room as two members would provide security then collapsed back in and moved to the next room. By the time we hit the last two rooms at opposing hallways, both stacks went in with two men to clear and secure the room. Called the All-Clear and rejoined the rest of the class in the staging area.
Closing: Tu recognized that things did not go as planned. Things rarely go as planned for those brand new to this world of CQB. He had already said that we are not to expect to come out of this class as experts, or believing that we did well in the class. It was about what we can retain and continuously train and train over time of how to be fluid and efficient as methodically as possible in a close quarters engagement. It was a ton of information given to us and it was plenty new to be exposed to it in a limited timed class. The movements and techniques that we drilled in, all very perishable. Tu wanted us to keep practicing this when we left the class that day and not to be hard on ourselves. He explained that this was just one day, one of his CQB courses lasted 6 months before going overseas. The knowledge he wanted us to obtain during the class was to have it for the actual lethal encounter a civilian may face in a home invasion or if you were tasked to counter assault your home to secure a room or save your family.
I was extremely humbled by this class. I took so many notes and drawings of whatever I could practice on my own. I will say, that going into this course cold turkey away from range time was something I wished I knew about prior. Because it made sense. What we learn in instructions at home, we practice and implement it on the flat range, condition ourselves to be more fluid with our kit and weapons, then we put it in actual structures with problems to solve. Everything so simple, but so complex and easy to mess up and not catch on your own. Having teammates and having someone shadow you to keep you accountable and uncomfortable is how (in my opinion) the way to perfect whatever stage you are at then move onto the next level. Which is what I figured was why the class entailed our personal carbines, the pronounced barrel length and weapon system made it easy for us to identify what were doing wrong and how adept we actually were with our weapons. A muzzle poking around a corner would mean a barrel grab and compromise of the team as it would complicate entries. A muzzle flagging a teammate would mean a safety hazard and not being aware. Kit that was scratching onto the walls would show unfamiliarity with being in kit and reveals your location as your dragging nylon down a hall essentially. All these factors and quantities were things to keep in mind and be aware of. The class showed it all.
Tu's ability to switch on and off from being super nice guy to barrel-chested commands authority SGM teaching the class was the factor that pushed me and made the material so fluid to obtain and retain. He is truly one of the most effective teachers I have ever come across. This class, if you could only make time for 1 day out of the year, is the class to take. You can polish your marksmanship at the range, but having the knowledge of how to dominate and take a structure (back) is invaluable. And to be taught by Tu, definitely worth the time and money. I would be willing to travel to his home facility in Colorado in the future to take this class again and to learn more from him again.
Overall, I was overly impress with the class. Working with strangers is generally the norm for operators overseas. A team of SF guys could be assaulting a large structure with a team of SEALs, its about problem solving. Same here, in this class. We all came to learn, we worked inside a team, and obtained as much experience as we could going through. Truly humbling indeed.
