Max Velocity's Combat Rifle/Contact Drills Class

[Submariner]

I found nothing by search.

Has anyone taken his class?

[NCPatrolAR]

What's his background? Some of his blog stuff is "different"

[Submariner]

What's his background?

He was born a Brit and is now a U.S. citizen. He offers beyond-the-square-range, non-shoot house training.

From his site:

Training Qualifications

I bring some diverse experience to the training game. I initially enlisted into the British Army (The Parachute Regiment) and then I went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to earn my commission. Sandhurst involves a lot of infantry tactics, but they are training officers for all branches so the tactics are used as a 'vehicle' for leadership training rather than the ultimate objective. I was selected and commissioned back into the Parachute Regiment. I left the British Army having attained the rank of Captain.

For those who don't know what the Parachute Regiment is, I often draw a parallel with the U.S. Army Rangers. The Paras are an elite, selected special operations force and the units do not exactly equate, but it gives you an idea. Of the three active duty Parachute Regiment battalions, the 1st Battalion (1 PARA) serves with UKSF directly alongside organizations such as the SAS and the SRR (Special Reconnaissance Regiment). 2 and 3 PARA serve in 16 Air Assault Brigade as the spearhead battalions. I served in both 1 and 2 PARA. The Paras are rated as Tier 2 Special Forces, the SAS being Tier 1.

As part of my time in the Parachute Regiment I was a rifle platoon commander, both for training and operations. Part of my responsibility was to train my platoon in between deployments. Part of my training to become a platoon commander in the Parachute Regiment involved attending the Infantry Platoon Commander's Battle Course (PCBC). This is an intense infantry school involving training in advanced infantry tactics and small arms. Part of the small arms training at PCBC involves qualifying to 'Stage 5 Field Firing' which allows you to plan and conduct ranges all the way up to full field firing exercises. That is how I know how to create and run realistic but safe live firing ranges for small unit tactics.

Following my initial stint as a rifle platoon commander, I was selected to be a training platoon commander at the Parachute Regiment training company (Para Company). I spent two years doing that; taking Parachute Regiment candidates through the 22 week long course. Unlike US Army training, where there is a drill sergeant per platoon, we ran things as a rifle platoon. The platoon commander is very much involved. Rather than a single drill sergeant for a platoon, each squad has a section commander (squad leader) who is a corporal, and there is a platoon sergeant, just like a rifle platoon. The platoon commander is responsible for running training with the section commander's, and the platoon sergeant supports with admin.

It was my responsibility to plan and conduct every single field exercise and the ranges, from basic marksmanship up to full field firing. For the live firing we would provide our own integral safety from within the platoon staff, until we got up to platoon level attacks, where we would bring in another set of platoon staff for safety and we would perform our roles within the platoon, play acting the pre-planned attacks for the benefit of the trainees. It is also a tradition within the British Army, and the Parachute Regiment in particular, to be involved as a leader and to lead from the front, which means being out there leading the trainees for PT and in particular the platoon tabs (ruck marches). You live with them in the field as if they are qualified paratroopers.

Following that job I returned to the Para Battalions for more command roles - my next job was as the anti-tank platoon commander in the fire support company - another platoon to train and lead. I spent the rest of my career doing similar jobs interspersed with deployments, also doing UKSF selection at one point.

[Submariner]

Some of his blog stuff is "different"

He is a writer as well as a trainer. How does one market small unit tactics and patrolling without a context? The SHTF genre offers that context.

A blogger who recently completed a tour as an infantry company commander in Afghanistan and is now on a battalion staff made an impression on me with the following:

Gentlemen and Ladies, if you want to be a better fighter, you need to go out and actually train. If you can’t train yourself by all means pick up a class from John Mosby http://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/ or Max Velocity http://maxvelocitytactical.blogspot.com/. I had to sign away years of my life to get my training, a few hundred bucks and some time sleeping on the dirt is a damn good bargain in comparison.

Just read the FM, right?

http://randomthoughtsandguns.blogspo...-fm-right.html

[Treehopr]

Sub,

I vaguely remember someone with a similar CV posting on Lightfighter and getting beat up a bit. That person also claimed a PMC background after leaving UK military. Not sure if it's the same guy.

Having started in the infantry, I do believe there are certain things that translate well to civilian training, particularly if trying to get a family spun up on small unit tactics.

Having said that, not sure this person would be the guy...

[Nippy]

Read a review on AR15, seems to teach his perspective of squad tactics and tactics, not a shooting class for sure. On a scale of 1 to 10 ( with 1 being SHTF/Prepper fantasy camp and 10 being something applicable to real life) I'm giving it a 5 based on that review.

[Submariner]

Sub,

I vaguely remember someone with a similar CV posting on Lightfighter and getting beat up a bit. That person also claimed a PMC background after leaving UK military. Not sure if it's the same guy.

Having said that, not sure this person would be the guy...

I cannot find that thread using any reasonable search terms. Could've been nuked.

If not this guy, why? Knowing our background, is there anyone you would recommend?

[Treehopr]

It may be in the Hall of Fame section, I believe he was banned. Typing from an IPhone otherwise I would try to find a link for you.

Not knowing your exact requirements and knowing just a little bit about your family in hesitant to make a suggestion.

However, John Chapman and Paul Howe are 2 instructors I've trained with that have well developed experience teaching mil/LE/paramilitary skill sets to vetted civilians. I followed up the No Light Skill builder course at Alliance PD with the No-Light Operations course and was happily surprised how much of it had to do with non-shooting skills and was impressed with how he taught folks of varying backgrounds.

I've only taken Paul Howes restricted courses but I know he uses a modular approach to his curriculum so it should carry over to his open enrollment courses, particularly his Home Defense & Vehicle Defense courses. I was scheduled to attend his CRAS course starting tomorrow but had to punt due to unexpected vet bill.

I would also suggest reaching out to the folks at Boone County for suggestions on local area instructors if you haven't already. Several training companies advertise "team building" or "adventure" courses and they may be able to tailor something to your needs, I suspect cost will be the big inhibitor for that.

Hope this helps.

[Jellybean]

Have been to one of his CRCD classes, along with at least one other member here.
It was good, and he seems like a genuine guy, despite how he may come across online at times.
"Fantasy camp"? No. The thing is, he gears it so that *almost* anyone can attend (as long as you have a modicum of mobility, didn't buy your first gun yesterday, and aren't 400 pounds overweight) and get something out of it (even if it's just how out of shape you are... ), so you get out what you put in. Also, his CRCD classes are the ultra-basic stuff- kind of like "carbine 1" for team tactics- crawl mode if you will. Which is where 90% of people need to start anyway, even though he has started a more advanced "patrol" class which builds on the things learned in CRCD, as well as getting people further out of their comfort zone.
Which, imo, were the big takeaways- how big of a force multiplier working effectively as a team can be for you (and a bit of a reality check when you realize how ****ed you are if you're up against people with hostile intent working as a team- or just plain outnumbering you-the folks that think like those on the prepper shows haven't got a clue....), and how much work needs to be put into actually BEING effective with/as a team- both physically, and because you can't just do it once and be GTG. You need seriously dedicated people. It may also cause one to rethink their gear setup...

OP- like Treehopr said, what are you're requirements/ reasoning for attending?
I will go out on a limb and say that if you take that quote in your sig line a certain way, maybe this sort of class isn't what you're looking for? Not to be offending, but a lot of people don't like this sort of training for reasons like that.

[Submariner]

Also, his CRCD classes are the ultra-basic stuff- kind of like "carbine 1" for team tactics- crawl mode if you will. Which is where 90% of people need to start anyway, even though he has started a more advanced "patrol" class which builds on the things learned in CRCD, as well as getting people further out of their comfort zone.
Which, imo, were the big takeaways- how big of a force multiplier working effectively as a team can be for you (and a bit of a reality check when you realize how ****ed you are if you're up against people with hostile intent working as a team- or just plain outnumbering you-the folks that think like those on the prepper shows haven't got a clue....), and how much work needs to be put into actually BEING effective with/as a team- both physically, and because you can't just do it once and be GTG. You need seriously dedicated people. It may also cause one to rethink their gear setup...

Mindset. Marksmanship. Manipulation. Tactics. There has to be more to carbine employment than just house clearing, although that is certainly important. This training may be what we are looking for.

M4C, we are admonished, is all about personal knowledge and experience. You provided it. Thank you.

Added: The following was posted in an AAR from a CR/CD class conducted over the weekend. It speaks to both of the items in my sig line. [Note that the Constitution gave power to Congress "To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years...]

The founders never intended for this country to have a standing army. Ever. When we entered a state of war, the government would call up the unorganized militia to protect the people of the country. This of course assumes that the unorganized militia (all males 17-45/60, depending on who you talk to) have their own weapons, kit, and the ability to use them effectively in a military style. Back then it was standing in lines in fields, today it looks quite different but the philosophy is the same. An American who knows his history, and understands the founders’ frame of mind, needs to be able and willing to take up arms to protect the country. This means having weapons, ammunition, and the gear and fitness to get them to where they are useful in battle and having the skill to use them effectively. This, ladies and gentlemen, is not CQB dynamic squatting and gratuitous mag-dumping and transitions, this is light infantry tactics. Patriotic Americans who are students of history understand that having a nation of able bodied light infantrymen was the founders’ vision.

http://maxvelocitytactical.com/2014/...b-12-baldrick/

This sums up "well-regulated militia" pretty well. Training for this is rare.