KIT
08-11-2005, 13:00
Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Low Light Instructor Course offered by Strategos International. For those who aren’t aware, this is a course for law enforcement, military and other armed professionals in tactics for low light environments, where the majority of shooting confrontations occur. Course content includes movement discipline, tactics, use of the “combat flashlight (i.e. the popular Surefire lights and Strategos own offering the Night Ops Gladius) as a force option and LOTS of force-on-force drilling and scenarios with Simunition marking cartridges and paintball.
The class was outstanding. The lead instructor was Mark Warren, a class act and the
definition of a “smooth operator.” He embodied the calm collectedness and flow that Strategos tries to instill in its students – whether doing dry drills or in the midst of force on force.
One of the good things about Strategos force on force is that the instructors walk their talk – by placing themselves in the mix and running with, against, and as an example for the students. Since most of the training evolutions are videotaped for later group critique – including the instructors’ runs - any errors that are made are there for all to see. The instructors show by example, under stress, that if you do things the way they teach you will get hits while not being hit – and remain calm under duress throughout the mock gunfights that occur throughout this training.
The effect on the students was obvious. By the end of the week it seemed like we were watching a different group – the guys that had been on the verge of stress-induced chaos during the early force on force drills were focused, breathing, and talking to the “bad guys” calmly and with control. I think this was a direct result of the training method and the trainer’s examples. The training is based in principles, so it not only teaches what to do and how to do it, but why that what and how, done right, are successful.
The course also contained several combatives sessions with the Strategos PCR (Physical Conflict Resolution) method. This portion was taught by Jim King, Strategos’ head combatives instructor and a highly regarded instructor of Systema.
We started with basic movement discipline with the firearm – standing, kneeling, “kneeling prone” and movement into and from these positions, as well as keeping the weapon on target while moving through a gauntlet of students trying to knock you off balance. The Strategos method offers a secure shooting platform (note: they prefer shooting one handed) that is realistic for the kinds of positions that you end up being in during building searches and other operational activities versus what you normally see practiced on the “square range.” I found this among the most useful parts of the course and have already begun integrating it into my personal system. I have already been able to use it operationally and in SWAT live fire training and found it to be functional and efficient.
We also worked on breathing methods that I found very interesting.
Next we moved on to their head tipping tactics, which they teach for low-level non-compliant, but non-combative subjects (the majority of folks you will run into). At this level of force I found them to be effective while preventing the operator from having to tie up with the subject. In conjunction with the use of a powerful handheld flashlight they are more effective.
I was skeptical regarding the weapon retention, which came down to a difference of opinion on focus and methodologies. To his credit, Jim laid out his case and was more than willing to step up and put it on the line, all the while remaining professional. We took it about as far as you can go in training. In the end I was not convinced, but we agreed to disagree and I think considered our work in this area a useful experience.
I also had the opportunity to feel the Systema punches that everyone talks about. There is definitely something different going on there. Some of it was reminiscent of the Chinese internal arts I have practiced, but the mechanics are quite different from the Chinese styles.
Overall, this was one of the best classes I have ever been privileged to take. I don’t go into any training expecting to like everything the instructor(s) have to offer, and there were a few things I differed with or did not personally like. But the overarching approach and philosophy of Strategos, and how they transmit it, is excellent.
As I wrote to Ken Good, Strategos not only improves your operational skills, it improves your potential as an operator.
The class was outstanding. The lead instructor was Mark Warren, a class act and the
definition of a “smooth operator.” He embodied the calm collectedness and flow that Strategos tries to instill in its students – whether doing dry drills or in the midst of force on force.
One of the good things about Strategos force on force is that the instructors walk their talk – by placing themselves in the mix and running with, against, and as an example for the students. Since most of the training evolutions are videotaped for later group critique – including the instructors’ runs - any errors that are made are there for all to see. The instructors show by example, under stress, that if you do things the way they teach you will get hits while not being hit – and remain calm under duress throughout the mock gunfights that occur throughout this training.
The effect on the students was obvious. By the end of the week it seemed like we were watching a different group – the guys that had been on the verge of stress-induced chaos during the early force on force drills were focused, breathing, and talking to the “bad guys” calmly and with control. I think this was a direct result of the training method and the trainer’s examples. The training is based in principles, so it not only teaches what to do and how to do it, but why that what and how, done right, are successful.
The course also contained several combatives sessions with the Strategos PCR (Physical Conflict Resolution) method. This portion was taught by Jim King, Strategos’ head combatives instructor and a highly regarded instructor of Systema.
We started with basic movement discipline with the firearm – standing, kneeling, “kneeling prone” and movement into and from these positions, as well as keeping the weapon on target while moving through a gauntlet of students trying to knock you off balance. The Strategos method offers a secure shooting platform (note: they prefer shooting one handed) that is realistic for the kinds of positions that you end up being in during building searches and other operational activities versus what you normally see practiced on the “square range.” I found this among the most useful parts of the course and have already begun integrating it into my personal system. I have already been able to use it operationally and in SWAT live fire training and found it to be functional and efficient.
We also worked on breathing methods that I found very interesting.
Next we moved on to their head tipping tactics, which they teach for low-level non-compliant, but non-combative subjects (the majority of folks you will run into). At this level of force I found them to be effective while preventing the operator from having to tie up with the subject. In conjunction with the use of a powerful handheld flashlight they are more effective.
I was skeptical regarding the weapon retention, which came down to a difference of opinion on focus and methodologies. To his credit, Jim laid out his case and was more than willing to step up and put it on the line, all the while remaining professional. We took it about as far as you can go in training. In the end I was not convinced, but we agreed to disagree and I think considered our work in this area a useful experience.
I also had the opportunity to feel the Systema punches that everyone talks about. There is definitely something different going on there. Some of it was reminiscent of the Chinese internal arts I have practiced, but the mechanics are quite different from the Chinese styles.
Overall, this was one of the best classes I have ever been privileged to take. I don’t go into any training expecting to like everything the instructor(s) have to offer, and there were a few things I differed with or did not personally like. But the overarching approach and philosophy of Strategos, and how they transmit it, is excellent.
As I wrote to Ken Good, Strategos not only improves your operational skills, it improves your potential as an operator.