Tactical Unit Fundamentals...

July 25, 2012

Teamwork for tactical units

Like links in a chain; a team’s success is largely determined by the individuals that comprise said team. This brings us to the subject of standardizing the various individual core skills. The core skill sets can vary depending on whether you are part of a military unit, swat team, security force or a well prepared neighborhood watch. For our purposes I will try to address what I would consider universal core skills.

Individual core skill one….Weapon Mastery

Weapon mastery breaks down to the following:

- Marksmanship
- Manipulation
- Maintenance

Let’s examine the definitions and cover some brief training objectives for each.

Marksmanship

Delivering effective fire regardless of conditions or time pressure. Understanding the capability of your weapon and rising to meet that standard. You should be able to deliver effective fire with left or right hand as well as in a wounded fire scenario (with only one unsupported hand). Perform said tasks with iron sights as well as optics and understand the POI/POA shift when utilizing different ammunition…i.e., going from M193 to Mk262 in your M4/AR.

Training Objectives: Work on accurate engagement under time pressure within the full range spectrum of your given firearms. Work on making engagements from unconventional/uncomfortable firing positions as well as incorporating stress fire techniques.

Manipulation

Being able to smoothly reload, perform Immediate Action/ Remedial Action and quickly assess and fix severe stoppages when necessary. Being able to smoothly transition from Primary to Secondary weapons and back again. Being able to perform these same functions with either hand unsupported by the other. Having a sling/holster that meets the durability + employability requirements is a must. Proper gear setup/staging would also fall under this category.

Training Objective: Work on smooth reloads under varying conditions as well as immediate action drills. Work on difficult stoppages such as bolt over-rides, charging handle impingement and stuck cases. Work on transitioning to pistol as well as transferring between shoulders.

Maintenance

Move beyond simple operator level maintenance and learn to understand your weapon inside and out. Be able to perform armorer level repairs and enhancements as well as knowing which parts are prone to failure and having the pertinent backups on hand.

Training Objective: Learn to do a complete teardown of your weapon and examine each part for excess wear or signs of fatigue or fracture. Learn to replace every part of your firearm from barrel to trigger group. BUY QUALITY PARTS! If you are unsure about the various parts manufactures, visit any of the “black rifle” forums….gun owners are pretty vocal when a manufacturer lets them down.

There is a great deal more I could add to this particular subject, but this will suffice to make the point and give you an idea of where to go with your own training programs.

Coming soon……we cover Communications and Medical…..stay tuned.