AAR: CSAT Tactical Pistol / Rifle Instructor Course - March 2016
5W's and 1H
• Who: CSAT - Combat Shooting And Tactics.
• What: Tactical Pistol / Rifle Instructor.
• When: March 15-20, 2016.
• Where: Nacogdoches, TX.
• Why: Instructor Development.
• How: Classroom, Discussion, Practical Application.
Instructor(s)
• Paul Howe - Primary Instructor for all Training Days, see CSAT webpage for bio.
• "CT" - Assistant Instructor for Tactical Pistol / Rifle on TD's 5/6, see CSAT webpage for bio.
• "DM" - Assistant Instructor for Tactical Pistol / Rifle on TD's 5/6, see CSAT webpage for bio.
Instructor Students
• Numbers: 12
• Backgrounds: Civilians, Current/Former MIL, LE (Roughly half of the students were LE).
Instructor Students Equipment
• Pistols - A mix of the "normal" ones; Glocks, HK VP9's, Sig 320's.
• Rifles - A mix of the "normal" ones; BCMs, Wilson Combat, Rock River, Kaiser Arms (mine).
• Sighting Systems - Aimpoint Pros / Micros, Steiner (lower power - variable magnification), Irons.
• Kit - Several students ran the course in varying degrees of kit (plate carriers / soft armor / ETC).
Topics Covered - Classroom and Range
• Firearms Safety, Range safety, Range procedures.
• Surgical shooting - Rifle/Pistol.
• Target / Threat Discrimination and Analysis.
• Weapon Zero(s).
• Standard and Non-Standard Shooting Positions - Standing / Kneeling / Prone.
• Low Light Fire - Pistol.
• 2 person Techniques - Movement around others.
• Instructional Techniques - Lecture / Demonstration.
• Shooting Plan Development - Selecting material.
• Dealing with Problem Shooters and Practical Instruction
• Target Selection for Courses and personal development.
• Running a Firing Line - How to identify problems / safety violations rapidly.
• Pistol / Rifle selection and set up - Student, Instructor, Agency perspectives.
• Equipment (Vest / Kevlar / Eye and Ear Protection / Holsters / ETC) selection and set up.
• Barricades - Standing and Kneeling.
• Working around vehicles / cover.
Instructor Development
• Students were assigned a Module to teach/demonstrate at a 1 Tactical Pistol / Rifle Course at the end of the Instructor Course on TD 5/6. Each student taught at least one module and demonstrated another.
• Once a topic was assigned, students were expected to research and build a block of instruction that followed the CSAT Methodology for their topic(s). As students we did numerous "dry runs" in preparation for our actual blocks on TD5/6. All of the "dry runs" were followed up with feedback from Paul and the other students in an effort to polish our material, presentation, demonstration.
• Us as Assistant Instructors had frequent group "huddles" with Paul and his Assistants during the Tactical Pistol / Rifle Courses conducted on TD 5/6. During these "huddles" we would discuss / identify any positives / negatives we were having with ourselves, the other students in the class, firearms / equipment, ETC, any needed corrections or changes we made immediately.
• As expected, Paul provided an endless supply of Instructor tips throughout the Course from Training Day 1 through the end of Training Day 6.
Course Overview
• Training Days 1 and 2 were focused on Pistol. We met in the classroom on TD1 went over Course format and other important information as far as logistics and then headed to the range. Once on the range we were briefed on the range layout, safety, ETC and then jumped into shooting the CSAT Standards. Half of the group passed the Standards the first time out. Once you passed the Standards, Paul spun you up on running the line, giving commands, tracking the other students progress and running the timers. As more students passed the timers, roles were reversed so that all of us were getting reps running the line, timers, clipboards. Shooting the Standards continued throughout the day broken up by Modules taught by Paul that included Low Light Techniques, Barricades, ETC. We continued to work on the Pistol Standards until all of us had passed. CSAT hats were awarded in front of the group as we passed the Pistol Standards.
• Training Days 3 and 4 were focused on Rifle. Just as TD1, TD3 started with us meeting on the range to work on the Rifle Standards, roughly 3/4 of us passed the Standards the first time out. As you passed the Standards you grabbed a clipboard or timer and ran other students through the Standards until they passed. During TD3 is when we began working on our assigned modules in front of the group, we continued to present these modules during TD3 and TD4 with Paul and the group giving polishing our presentations. Just as with Pistol, once you passed the CSAT Standards with Rifle, you were awarded a CSAT coin in front of the group, all of the Instructor Students passed the Rifle Standards on TD3.
• Training Days 5 and 6 were open enrollment Tactical Pistol / Rifle Courses, with Pistol conducted on TD5 and Rifle on TD6. As students arrived on the TD's they were teamed up with Instructors based on backgrounds, firearms, ETC. Student to Instructor ratio was roughly 2 to 1 and we stayed with these students through the end of TD6.
• At the conclusion of TD6, Paul conducted a hotwash with the Tactical Pistol / Rifle students on the range and awarded their certificates. Following the Tactical Pistol/Rifle Course we as Instructor Students met back at the classroom for a hotwash of the week and were awarded our Instructor certificates.
Summary
• My overall summary of the course is this; the Course, Range, Facilities, Logistics, Instruction and Demonstration were all well thought out, organized, and truly focused on Instructor Development. This is a Course that truly sets Firearms Instructors, regardless of CIV / MIL / LE status, up for success by giving them everything needed to build and implement a Tactical Pistol / Rifle Course using the CSAT Methodology and Standards through combat proven techniques.
V/r - Rob
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