Shoot to Cover

We shot Quals last week. Did the M4 and the M11 (SIG 228). We had extra ammo for the range and the NCO Marko added a transition drill to it. Intriguing I thought so I left it in. Watched it run and made some notes relative to it. First one was they downloaded both M11 and M4 mags. I'm gonna change that one and make the the M11 mags full up and no dummies. Here's why, this was the first time most of these guys had ever done transition drills and frankly we really need to practice more. Second and I keyed on this, the guys would stop when they ran the weapon dry. Didn't matter if it was the pistol or rifle, the guys would stop to make the mag change.



I teach three different mag changes. Emergency, Tactical and Admin. First one is what it is. You go dry and it is a right now moment. The second is I'm getting low and need to top off. The last is I'm driving out the gate and am going hot. The only one not done from behind cover is the Emergency drill and you MOVE. Get off the dime, Move laterally, Just don't frikkin' stand there. The IDPA, IPSC and three gun guys have this going on and set up their rigs accordingly. The Big Green Machine Not so much, Frankly we suck at this. We're getting better but it takes some boots on the ground experience to change the Fobbit Mindset some senior leadership has. The guys who get shot at on a regular basis are getting real good at this and the rest of us are catching up.

Anyway back to my point. You are moving forward to another fire position, as you do you shoot your primary dry. You then transition to your secondary weapon. When you transition to your secondary weapon, Move to cover. I repeat "Move to cover". Continue to engage the threat and get your ass in gear. This reduces your exposure to hostile fire and gets to you a place where you can get your primary bang stick going again. Probably 4 of every five shooters stopped when they ran the secondary dry. Fairly good transition from primary to secondary but when we ran the pistol out, most shooters stopped to reload. Consequences of training. Next Qual, We are going to do just pistol with movement. Crawl, walk, run. We'll work in the rifle later.


Now go shoot.

Earl

Earl resembles his TV persona. He wasn't a bad guy. Just had a Significant other that took a walk on the wild side and didn't take him along. She wasn't much of a catch but Earl Thought he loved her and she did him wrong. She and a girlfriend went out one night and left Earl with the kids. When she didn't come home, Earl collected up the Family Deer Rifle and went in search of his beloved. He tracked her down to a non-descript motel which catered to the Trucking industry just north of the state line. It did a brisk business on the weekends with the Mr/Miss Right Crowd or at least the Right Now. Now Earl showed at least a bit of decorum as he didn't just go busting down doors for the beloved. Probably would have interrupted more then one temporary relationships but we digress. He just went to the night clerk and asked if his beloved or her girlfriend were registered and what room. He knew she was there as the family sedan was parked outside. The clerk was behind glass and was probably happy for it, dunno if it would have slowed down what Earl was carrying but it would have bought him some time. He couldn't/didn't confirm her location and dropped a call to 911 as soon as Earl walked out the door. We came scampering down the interstate and faced off with Earl in the parking lot. It was dark when we got there but daybreak was just starting to crack as we went along. Earl was weeping and sobbing in the parking lot but still had the Deer Rifle. We had a bit of a pickle as Earl wouldn't give up the rifle and I wouldn't let him see his beloved until he did. I had tracked her down with her temporary partner and hustled them out the back. I couldn't get them out of there as Earl had eyes on the only way out.

Now I've been to the Basic Hostage Negotiation course but it wasn't something I did very often as I fobbed it off on one of the Crime guys as they were always better at the warm fuzzy stuff. Me, I was the Break things and Kill stuff guy. But one of the things they absolutely pound in you is ya never let the guy with the gun see the old lady or let the family member get involved in the negotiation process as you have no idea what the hell they will say. An I have been to too many Murder-Suicides to even let him get a bead on her. So there was the impasse. Finally Earl agreed to put down the rifle if he could talk to her. OK, Small steps. I talk to her and tell her "Do not promise him anything, Do not say it will be OK. Just say We will see" Earl put down the rifle, My guys cuff him up and get him in the back of the car. She came out and faced up with him. When He started to get cranked up. I told him Conversation's over. Earl went into confinement for that one. I didn't really like his beloved but he must have. Hell of a thing to put your trust and soul in someone who stomps all over your feelings. Sorry, Earl. It was just the job. Glad I didn't have to kill ya.

Did ya ever get that feeling?

Had a dream,,Hal and I were working the truck out of Central in Delta. Lovely town, top ten for homicide that year. We pulled into the street, started to get out the truck and started taking fire. I hit the deck and look under the truck. Hal's sitting on the ground with blood on his chest. Then I wake up.


A couple of nights later, I'm working with Hal. We got a run into a part of town that doesn't normally have bad vibes. We pulled into the street, street lights are out and the whole area is dark. I killed the lights and pulled over. Gave Hal the thumb nail sketch and he catches the whole dark rhythm thing. Took the tactical ninja approach, contact the address and it's a lady waiting with her bags for a ride to the hospital.

OK, so it wasn't the train wreck I thought it was gonna be. However listen to your Spider Sense, it could keep you from becoming a tag team partner to the participants in the original Melee'. I'm just sayin'.

Let's... be Careful out there.

Negative vibs

Hold that thought. Hafta get to class.

November 2, 2010

Go Vote. For God and Harry, go Vote. If for nothing else, there are folks who have never been given the chance or a choice, go Vote.

"I shall wear Midnight"

Terry has old Man's Disease, Alzheimer's. He dictated this as he can't type legibly anymore. I weep in fury at the encapsulation of his intellect. He will eventually be trapped in his body and unable to express himself. I can think of no worse fate. Enjoy. For I fear we will not have him for much longer.

Multi-tasking

Ok, Women can put their make up on, drive with their knees and carry on a conversation driving the Cross Bronx Expressway. And she is a FBI agent. Names are withheld to protect the innocent and the statue of Limitations hasn't expired. I'm in the right seat and I'm not supposed to drive as it's a Bureau Car. That's a load of bullocks but Ok it's your G ride.

Guys aren't supposed to be able to do all this. We focus on the task at hand and get it done. Lately that rule seems to be getting fuzzy. what with Black berry's, Electronic umbilical cords and the what not. I can at least work with this but when you break out the laptop and start texting, me and you are gonna talk.

I was running the interstate one day. We teach a trick called overtaking. You won't find it in the text book. F0lks running above the posted tend to look in their front 60 Degree arc. They don't look in the rearview mirror. I've caught some of my best speeds this way coming off a on ramp and dropping behind somebody going like the Hammers of Hell. Do that in a Construction zone and it gets expensive real fast. But they are focused at least, just not to the rear six position. Also important is to do it is a subtle way. Not crashing up the passing lane but just edging out, passing and then getting back into the middle or right lane. We run with headlights on but with the advent of Daylight running lights this doesn't reveal us as much as in the past.

Doing the drive by one day, I glance over and here is one of our Orthodox brethern doing his Friday thing with the scarf and beany at 70 miles per hour. I thought to myself, I did not just see that. To be sure, I drop back, light him up and get him over at the Twin Bridges. The book was on the passanger's seat but he still had his beany and scarf on. Asked for his papers and cleared him, Told him God would understand but I tend to be a little less forgiving. " Be on your way, Son and don't let me catch you doing that again. Next time I gonna write you."

Blessings on all here.