MDFI Home Defense Long Gun- Alliance Ohio- June 28th and 29th

MDFI is extremely proud to be the only regional school that trains out of the Alliance Ohio Police Shoot house. Our Home Defense Classes are a culmination of everything that we teach through our Core, Foundation, Advanced, and Specialty classes. These classes bridge the gap between Working manipulations on a square range and starting the process of being able to think with a gun.

What this class is not- this class is not a learn explosive breaching, fast roping, 3-5 man stack entry class.

What this class is- This class is for the average person that may have to make movement inside a structure alone or with a partner. We teach very basic skills that will give you the best possible chance of survival.

There are some pre reqs to these classes. Contact us for any questions on requirements. This class is has a reduced student allotment to ensure the maximum amount of runs in the house.

Our first Home Defense Handgun class is coming soon at the end of May!

Check out www.TrainMDFI.com for more information.


Below is an AAR from last weekends Home Defense Handgun:


WHAT: Michigan Defensive Firearms Institute’s 2 day Home Defense Course
WHEN: May 31-June 1 2014
WHERE: Alliance PD Shoot house training facility Alliance OH
WEATHER:
TD1 – 8:00am –Midnight Temps in mid 80, sunny
TD2 – 9:00am – 6pm Temps in mid 80, sunny

Instructors:
Keith D.
Zack H.
Erik “Trek” U.

11 Students which gave us an amazing 3:1 student to instructor ratio!


ABOUT ME: Competent with a handgun, been shooting handguns for 2 years, have attended handgun and carbine courses from a few different companies in that time.

GEAR:
Handgun 1- M&P 9mm full size, Trijicon RMR01, Surefire X300 Ultra.
Handgun 2- Sig Saur P226 elite 9mm with Surefire x400.

Kit – BulletSafe vest, Standard belt with Raven Concealment Holsters and magazine carriers

WHAT I EXPECTED: This was my first 360 degree, shoot house class. Despite the course description stating this was NOT a tactical ninja course, I expected to look like a 50 year old guy failing to keep up with a bunch of recon marines and SWAT Ninjas with $4k in kit, debating the relative merits of Hondo rolls and dynamic flashbang deployment. I expected this course to be beyond my abilities as a whole but hoped to come away with some basic techniques to move around inside a structure while retaining as much of an advantage over the badguys as possible.

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED:
Learning occurred beyond my wildest expectations!
TD1: Class started at 8am with brief introductions, safety brief and range rules. My concerns about my lack of multi-cam ninja skills were quickly addressed as I met my fellow students who ranged from early 20’s to mid 70’s and came from all walks of life and backgrounds.
As we began to get down to training, the cadre emphasized the fact this this was a “thinking” class and not a “shooting” class. We discussed various scenarios where we might encounter the need to move within building either to escape, investigate or assist someone in need. We talked about the prudence of movement vs staying put in various scenarios and how to communicate and work with law enforcement should they arrive and be able to assist. I picked up valuable information and tips that we will immediately incorporate into our household and communicate to my family and loved ones.

We were informed that for TD1 we would be working as individuals within the shoot house as we learned the proper techniques to safely move into and out of various kinds of rooms. This day would progress into night where we would practice the same techniques learned in daylight while in near total darkness using the tools we choose to bring to illuminate the darkness. After the discussion we split into two groups and began working through what was referred to as “the method” for the remainder of the weekend.

The concept of a “thinking class” was quickly realized as we began working on learning “the method”. I took 4 pages of notes the first day as we learned how to assess an entry, potential interior spaces, angles, advantages and primary, secondary and tertiary threats. Talk about an eye opener! Things we take for granted every day are presented for evaluation and careful thought and must be processed before you can take the next step. The information is presented in a VERY logical, building block pattern. Each step builds on the last and each step was re-enforced as we worked through the problems presented. Each block was discussed, demonstrated, then we practiced with blue guns before we moved on to live fire. This pattern was repeated for everything we learned and was continued throughout the entire weekend.

The amount of information presented and techniques we learned is beyond the scope of this AAR so I will summarize by saying that by the end of TD1 I had learned two huge things. First and foremost, I learned that any attempt to move within a structure by yourself is extremely dangerous and should be avoided if possible. Secondly, I learned how to evaluate, enter, access and address threats in a room as safely as 1 person possibly can while maintaining as much of an advantage as possible over any potential threats in both full daylight and darkness.

Throughout the day we had multiple short debrief sessions and a massive amount of immediate, one-on-one feedback from the instructors. At no point did we work in the shoot house without direct 1:1 supervision.


TD2:
We began with a discussion of the issues presented to a single person and how two people multiply your chances of successfully avoiding or addressing a threat inside a building. We paired up by ability and experience and began working through the previous days learning blocks as a two man team. This allowed those with more or less experience to work at their own level and progress at their own pace. Everything we worked through on TD1 was re-worked as a two-man team as we learned how to work together. Safety and communication were the primary objectives as we worked together to access and address the problems presented to us in the various rooms and hallways. After practicing together with skin pistols and blue guns we moved on to live fire. At this point each student was directly supervised by an instructor and observed by a safety officer. The instructor to student ratio at this point was 3:2 which was awesome. At no point did I observe any unsafe behavior or feel that I was in a position of danger from myself or a fellow student. The day culminated with each two man team being presented with a scenario that required entry to the building and movement through multiple rooms and hallways while addressing multiple threats of varying levels.



MOST IMPORTANT THING I HAVE LEARNED: You and I are not an army of one. Regardless of how tacticool, fast, accurate or ninja awesome, uber kitted up you are, there is no safe way to clear a room or move within a building safely while alone without exposing your back to a potential threat. The whole class definitely pushed me hard mentally. I plan on revisiting all of my notes, adding to them and organizing them further. The techniques and methods I learned can be practiced at home and considered every day regardless of where I am or what I am doing.


GEAR ISSUES: I brought my EDC and my “home in bed at night” go-to gun. I ran the M&P during the day as this is the gun I am carrying most often when I am out and about. I ran the Sig P226 at night as this is my “home alone” gun and is always the closest to my pillow at night. Both guns ran flawlessly, all kit and gear worked as expected. I have no plans to change how I employ either of these two handguns or light systems. This was a great opportunity to run my bedside kit at night in a 360 “house” range.

INSTRUCTOR CRITIQUE: These guys are dialed in. Their safety, knowledge, supervision and feedback was spot on. Zack has unbelievable depth of knowledge and a fantastic ability to instruct. Keith’s ability to present unique, difficult yet solvable problems kept the entire weekend challenging and fun. These guys make you feel like one of the family, the obviously care about you and what you get from these classes. Each student is addressed as an individual and based on the end of class feedback, everyone from the least to the most experienced got more than they had hoped for from the class.

SUMMARY: I have to say that I am very thankful and privileged to be able to attend this course. I will be taking this course again with my significant other this summer. Overall it was probably the most humbling training I have received over the last 2 years while at the same time, it did inspire confidence and has spurred me on to continue training. This course gave me the opportunity to test the gear, training and practice I have invested in over the last two years. I surprised myself with my abilities and my mistakes. I learned more in this 2 day course than any other single class I have ever taken. The prerequisites for this class ensured everyone was capable of safely employing a handgun but are not so high that someone with barely 2 years shooting experience cannot meet them.

Thanks to the cadre of MDFI for devoting yourselves to training others to be competent and safe firearm owners. Thanks to Alliance PD for hosting this course at their awesome facility in Alliance OH. Thank you to Raven Concealment for sponsoring MDFI and supporting their alumni with awesome swag. The gift of the VG2 holster is much appreciated!


For my fellow students…
Thanks for the opportunity to train with you!

Signed,
Mr. smith
Team 1 (aka team awesome), Real Team 3, Team 6 Leader…