VMI-MO
10-26-10, 14:38
I have recently undertaken some big steps to check my handgun training with reality, and bring it back to where it needs to be.
The purpose of this write up will be how I created my CC system and, what things needed to be focused on and finally how I must be able to employ it.
This will differ from home defense concepts because I see the CC as being employed with minimal reaction time, in an area not of your choosing, against a wide range of possible threats.
The first thing I analyzed was my environment. What type of terrain will I be around? Farmland? Roads? Apartments? Do you spend a lot of time out in the dark, or during the day. Do you maneuver in restaurants and packed subways or out in the open. This is important because it will help to dictate the threat you face along with training considerations. .
For me this would be suburbia with possible large population centers. Mostly during daylight hours with a good deal of time revolving around stores and time in a car.
From the AO we have established we can then determine our threat. Are you likely to encounter multiple gang bangers who are on the war path? Local solo meth head? Trained ninja? Rabid animal? If you are in a city, your threat is probably different from someone in a rural small town.
I have determined my main threats as solo crack heads in/around vehicles in a simple mugging type attack, potential gang bangers in some sort of show of force situation and then finally, the possibility of a rabid animal.
Now we have determined an AO and the threat we are likely to face. What is your mission or purpose for carrying a ghetto blaster? Yes there is the generic “well its self defense you dip shit, duh”. However to be truly successful in your training and employment you might want to refine just what you expect to do. Is your mission protect your family from threat X, protect your own epidermis from threat G, stop waves of zombie al-Qaeda nazi terrorists from sezing the local hobby store?
I carry in order to protect those around me from any of the above stated threats by moving them away from the threat if possible and if necessary neutralizing the threat with reasonable and justified force.
With that I laid out what my priorities are. First the Tactical Nike approach followed by justified force if needed. This tells me what I must ensure those around me know what to do in specific scenarios, and what I must be able to do.
So far we have dealt in the conceptual planning phase of the CC. We have identified A) What your AO is B) which then drives your threat C) Our mission or intent we use to defeat the perceived threats. Now we begin to build our CC to deal with the above problems, and design a training regime to allow us to succeed.
I built my CC around several key principles 1)Represents a defense in depth approach 2) versatile (left/right hand only, spread load my assets) 3)speed of employment 4)stealth
How do we practice defense in depth with CC? I built it around 3 ranges. First is gun range. For me this extends from 1m-30m. In this range I know I can effectively and efficiently employ a weapon to
deal with a variety of threats under a variety of conditions. Also at this range I still have the ability to apply the “run away and live another day approach”. Next is what I call “contact range”. This is where I can reach out and touch someone. This layer of defense is built around escaping if possible, if not then I still have the ability to go to guns, or if needed using a variety of strikes and other forms of hands on fun in an attempt to subdue the threat. Finally is what I call grappling range. This means some nasty dudes body is all over yours and you are most likely on the ground. Guns may be an option but you must create space first.
Versatility. I feel that a CC load must spread loaded so that either side (left/right) has a variety of assests that I can employ in a timely manner to achieve the desired results. This principle also drives my training regime.
Speed of employment and stealth are kinda no brainers.
On to what I carry and why:
G19 w/ warren black rears and a FO front in a AIWB setup. I do not like night sights and do not use them, if you want to discuss this PM me. This is a dead to nuts reliable setup, that offers me access while sitting, standing etc with both sides.
1 G17 Mag, this is mainly done if my mag shits the bed. Not because I expect to engage 32 bad guys
1 Folding knife in left hand pocket. I carry this on my left hand side because I want to be able to employ it if my gun hand is occupied. I carry a knife not because I want to cut some one, but because I use it as a tool all the time. If it comes down to me having to stick someone then that option still exists.
1 SF light. It is the VTAC version of the E2D (I think). I have a lanyard loop on it so I can go hands free and keep it next to my wallet in my back left pocket.
Finally is training. My training revolves around the area I will be in, the threat I will likely face, what assets I have at my disposal and finally actions on contact with the threat.
For example. A likely scenario is that I will be a car, and approached from any direction by someone attempting to rob me. So I train for this by ensuring that I can employ a handgun from a seated position in a car in a 360degree environment.
Or There is the chance I get bum rushed and knocked on my face. I train to fight my way up and out of that situation.
PJ
The purpose of this write up will be how I created my CC system and, what things needed to be focused on and finally how I must be able to employ it.
This will differ from home defense concepts because I see the CC as being employed with minimal reaction time, in an area not of your choosing, against a wide range of possible threats.
The first thing I analyzed was my environment. What type of terrain will I be around? Farmland? Roads? Apartments? Do you spend a lot of time out in the dark, or during the day. Do you maneuver in restaurants and packed subways or out in the open. This is important because it will help to dictate the threat you face along with training considerations. .
For me this would be suburbia with possible large population centers. Mostly during daylight hours with a good deal of time revolving around stores and time in a car.
From the AO we have established we can then determine our threat. Are you likely to encounter multiple gang bangers who are on the war path? Local solo meth head? Trained ninja? Rabid animal? If you are in a city, your threat is probably different from someone in a rural small town.
I have determined my main threats as solo crack heads in/around vehicles in a simple mugging type attack, potential gang bangers in some sort of show of force situation and then finally, the possibility of a rabid animal.
Now we have determined an AO and the threat we are likely to face. What is your mission or purpose for carrying a ghetto blaster? Yes there is the generic “well its self defense you dip shit, duh”. However to be truly successful in your training and employment you might want to refine just what you expect to do. Is your mission protect your family from threat X, protect your own epidermis from threat G, stop waves of zombie al-Qaeda nazi terrorists from sezing the local hobby store?
I carry in order to protect those around me from any of the above stated threats by moving them away from the threat if possible and if necessary neutralizing the threat with reasonable and justified force.
With that I laid out what my priorities are. First the Tactical Nike approach followed by justified force if needed. This tells me what I must ensure those around me know what to do in specific scenarios, and what I must be able to do.
So far we have dealt in the conceptual planning phase of the CC. We have identified A) What your AO is B) which then drives your threat C) Our mission or intent we use to defeat the perceived threats. Now we begin to build our CC to deal with the above problems, and design a training regime to allow us to succeed.
I built my CC around several key principles 1)Represents a defense in depth approach 2) versatile (left/right hand only, spread load my assets) 3)speed of employment 4)stealth
How do we practice defense in depth with CC? I built it around 3 ranges. First is gun range. For me this extends from 1m-30m. In this range I know I can effectively and efficiently employ a weapon to
deal with a variety of threats under a variety of conditions. Also at this range I still have the ability to apply the “run away and live another day approach”. Next is what I call “contact range”. This is where I can reach out and touch someone. This layer of defense is built around escaping if possible, if not then I still have the ability to go to guns, or if needed using a variety of strikes and other forms of hands on fun in an attempt to subdue the threat. Finally is what I call grappling range. This means some nasty dudes body is all over yours and you are most likely on the ground. Guns may be an option but you must create space first.
Versatility. I feel that a CC load must spread loaded so that either side (left/right) has a variety of assests that I can employ in a timely manner to achieve the desired results. This principle also drives my training regime.
Speed of employment and stealth are kinda no brainers.
On to what I carry and why:
G19 w/ warren black rears and a FO front in a AIWB setup. I do not like night sights and do not use them, if you want to discuss this PM me. This is a dead to nuts reliable setup, that offers me access while sitting, standing etc with both sides.
1 G17 Mag, this is mainly done if my mag shits the bed. Not because I expect to engage 32 bad guys
1 Folding knife in left hand pocket. I carry this on my left hand side because I want to be able to employ it if my gun hand is occupied. I carry a knife not because I want to cut some one, but because I use it as a tool all the time. If it comes down to me having to stick someone then that option still exists.
1 SF light. It is the VTAC version of the E2D (I think). I have a lanyard loop on it so I can go hands free and keep it next to my wallet in my back left pocket.
Finally is training. My training revolves around the area I will be in, the threat I will likely face, what assets I have at my disposal and finally actions on contact with the threat.
For example. A likely scenario is that I will be a car, and approached from any direction by someone attempting to rob me. So I train for this by ensuring that I can employ a handgun from a seated position in a car in a 360degree environment.
Or There is the chance I get bum rushed and knocked on my face. I train to fight my way up and out of that situation.
PJ