LTAC Pennsylvania Light Fighter Challenge VI - After Action Report
Saturday morning had great weather which was a relief and we staged packs and gear. We got registered and were issued our entry bags (map, t-shirt, sticker/coupon bag) before getting split up into one of three groups to start the ruck.
After completing the hike for time, we took a rest and waited for our group of friends to finish the hike so we could do the challenges together.
Keep a Training Journal
One quick and easy way to help your personal growth is to keep a training journal. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated or expensive. It just needs to be done.
The First Continental Congress
“The Man must be bad indeed who can look upon the events of the American Revolution without feeling the warmest gratitude towards the great Author of the Universe whose divine interposition was so frequently manifested in our behalf.”
—Washington’s letter to Samuel Langdon, September 28, 1789
Going Back to Basics
I’ve recently taught a whirlwind of firearms classes. Some have been our CTE course, Pistol Marksmanship Foundation Series, and the Six-Day SFAUC Flat Range class. One of the consistent things I’ve taken away from these classes is the need to continually go back to the basics.
Scaling Up or Down
Part of the Light Fighter Concept that has become integral to Lodestone’s philosophy is scaling up or down based on circumstances or threat. It is silly to go to Walmart kitted-out to the max. It’s just as silly to think, “Nothing will happen today”, and go to Walmart with only your cell phone and a debit card.
Setting Yourself Up for a Good Zero
Zeroing is often a frustrating process for some shooters, with many often settling for “good enough” rather than achieving the best possible zero of which their firearm is capable. In this article, I’ll address a few pieces of equipment that I have found helpful during zeroing.
Choose Wisely
Brand loyalty can be seen in nearly every aspect of our lives. From the vehicle you drive to the coffee you drink.
If I can spend my money and attention on a brand that supports my values and delivers on their promises, that is what I’m going to do. While part of that decision is made from data gathered with personal experience, I also pay attention to the bigger picture. What is the brand doing in public? What are others experiences with them?
Non-Standard “Tactical” EDC Items
If you haven’t realized by now, Jared is always on his instructors to write articles. The point is to have us sharing lessons learned and thoughts with students, especially on subjects that may not necessarily come up as part of a particular class’s POI.
So, here are some non-standard items which I carry daily at work.
Your Zero vs. Training Ammo
Most of us have a preferred load for our AR15 that is optimized for self-defense, and zero with that round. However, it is often prohibitively expensive to train with this kind of ammunition.
“Tactical” Communications
Communication is perhaps the most important of skills, especially once we begin working with others. However, too often we attempt to be understood, when the most important goal is to ensure that we cannot be misunderstood.
The More You Know
Survival, regardless of the environment, demands a realistic understanding of your situation, personal limitations, adaptability, and resourcefulness.
Accountability and Responsibility
"Owning a handgun doesn't make you armed any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician." ~ Jeff Cooper
Responsibility and accountability are words we hear regularly these days in a variety of applications. But what do they mean for gun owners in general and the Lodestone community specifically?
Managing Zero Across Multiple Weapons
If you are like me, you probably have more than a single rifle, and possibly more than one ammunition type in your stockpile. Adding to that, you may have different optics that you zero at a different distance due to use case…
The Looming Competency Crisis
Those of you who’ve taken a class with me know that I’m an IT nerd, rather than someone who jumps out of aircraft or eats things that would make a billy goat choke – so today, July 19th, was a big day in the news for me.
Proper Selector Use
Recently, a firearms instructor from another agency contacted me. His students were asking the “why” behind the modern method of employing the M4 selector and he wanted some easily digestible bullet points to give them. I decided to turn the points from that conversation into an article.
Neuroplasticity and Muscle Memory
In the Training Mindset article, I talked about the ubiquitous “Tactical Tool Box” and I wanted to expand on that a little bit. Another way of thinking about the “Tactical Tool Box” was given to me by a friend who put it this way: Every single time you draw from the holster or bring your rifle on target, your mind does the mental equivalent of placing a card into your mind’s file cabinet.
Chasing Tornados: A Glimpse into Modern Human Trafficking in our Own Backyard
It was mid-day in the deep south of Missouri and the sky had just turned a sick greenish color as the sun disappeared and darkness took over. It sounded like a train as it flew by in the sky. As the tornado passed over “The Garden,” the 11-year-old boy prayed, “Please God… let this tornado take me now.”
Training Mindset
We all know the guy who has a gun for every day of the year, but has very little clue as to how to employ them. We also know the guy that goes to the range with a mountain of ammo and zero structure, then leaves with a ragged target (and most likely, target stand) and not a thing learned. He looked great and had fun doing it, though!
Slow, Aimed Fire
It’s been a busy few months. I have been running classes for a wide variety of students. Firearms classes for us “normal” people, as well as some for local Law Enforcement and Government Agencies. One of the consistent things I’ve seen in all the classes is the desire to go fast. That’s normal.