Course: TFTT Vehicle Engagement Tactics
Instructor: Max Joseph
Range: Burro Canyon Shooting Park (Range East 1) in Azusa, CA
Students: 13 (Civilians, LE, Private Security)
Tough conditions: Hot (100+ degrees), no shade at all, body armor and being inside cars! Hydration is key.
Max’s classes have very little downtime. Most breaks amount to 5-15 minutes and none for lunch.
Many shooters had gone through TFTT’s PSD (Private Security Detail) / VIP Protection course so were more familiar with such tactics than the rest of us.
Most shooters had pistol and carbine except for two students: one ran just pistol and another ran pistol and shotgun.
Below embus and debus are used and they refer to getting into and out of vehicles respectively.
Max messed up by not having salvage cars for shoot into and out of drills and tests on ricochet, ballistic deviation, etc. His tow truck guy let him down but ultimately Max let us down. He gave us all $100 credit. He made up for it with material from 2-man Team Tactics, Overseas Operator and PSD/VIP Protection classes. They were all great but they don’t really make up for what you went there for. With salvage cars you can run drills for shooting into and out of windshields, use ballistic fortification, cover and generally when debussing from vehicle you can use cover better without having to worry about possibly damaging TFTT vehicles. A major ingredient so many were somewhat disappointed. Having a shoot vehicle allows you to practice being about 3 yards (steps) away from the vehicle in case of ricochet. So, we could not practice this since some shooters are likely to hit the car. Also, when shooting through the windshield from within the vehicle covering eyes (given) and mouth so that glass powder does not get into your mouth and eyes.
To get a certificate of completion all shooters needed to pass a written test and all passed.
Max is a great instructor since he has been doing this for over 20 years. He runs regular SWAT classes in Texas and Wisconsin. He had taught the Oak Creek, Wisconsin SWAT guys and one of them actually tried to ram the active shooter and another shot the shooter.
You follow the 4 TFTT safety rules strictly: Muzzle Control, Finger Straight, Mechanical Safety (pistols: safety or decocker, rifles/shotguns safety) and holstered/slung weapon.
Muzzle control and finger straight are even more huge in this course (as they are in all courses) since at times you operate in very close confines with multiple friendlies around you. Overall, due to the use of rifles and its mechanical safety, when to use it is equally impressed upon: safety comes off once you have your sights on the target and you’ve made a conscious decision to shoot and safety is back on once you’ve stood down from the engagement. Also, when shooting around no shoot vehicles shooter must be very mindful that the muzzle is clear of the vehicle and this is even more important with rifles since you have to deal with the sight offset (about 2.5 inches for most red dots).
The SUL ready position is used throughout for pistols as needed. Here’s an article by Max Joseph about SUL: Position SUL - Here is the Scoop. SUL was created by Max Joseph and Alan Brosnan (SAS).
Most drills were done dry first.
Some general ideas:
[ul]
[li]The driver should focus on nothing but driving.
[/li][li]Coordinate your fire as much as feasible.
[/li][li]Seat belts come off when you’re within 30 seconds or half a block from destination (seat belts not back on until 30 seconds after leaving or half a block).
[/li][li]When your vehicle is caught in an ambush four ways of getting out in order of execution: Drive Through (safest), Ram Through (your vehicle is a weapon), Reverse Out and Debus.
[/li][li]When shooting from inside the vehicle through the windshield make sure it’s not armored glass.
[/li][li]Seek cover: duck your head, engine block, wheels and even the windshield sometimes deflects rounds.
[/li][li]Harden vehicle: sandbags on the hood and trunk to stop ricochet, ballistic vests taped on the hood and inside of vehicle doors.
[/li][li]Don’t use the vehicle as shooting support and this goes doubly when the vehicle is moving.
[/li][li]Communication is very important: Loading, covering, cover me, moving, stoppage, hit, weapon/gun (like gun left meaning deadly threat from the left side), drop the weapon and let me see your hands. Be loud unless a need for stealth in which case hand signals.
[/li][li]As soon as you enter the vehicle lock doors and start the car.
[/li][li]If your vehicle is disabled then your support vehicle will either push you through, pull you (tow – went through set ups) or transfer of personnel.
[/li][/ul]
Training Day 1
Almost all of Training Day 1 (TD1) was dedicated to pistols except for a quick BZO at the very end of TD1.
Started with the fundamentals (Stance, Grip, Sight Alignment, Sight Picture, Trigger Control and Follow Through with two being far more important for accuracy: sight alignment and trigger control) and 5-count draw although we would truncate to 3 for turns by the count and on your own. Several rounds to target at 7 and 10 yards to see where everyone was at. Max liked the fact that everyone’s safety and accuracy was good. Includes following the threat down to the ground with finger on the trigger and scan left and right with the pistol with finger straight. You come to guard (compressed ready) position and render pistol safe as needed.
TFTT’s levels of escalation are (from highest): Firing, Covering, Guarding, SUL and Holstered. Max is not a fan of the high ready especially the 90 degree straight up Sabrina model. Like he says he wishes that all weapons would just say this on them: “Front Toward Enemy” like a Claymore mine. For Max the high ready puts the muzzle too close to the head.
We proceeded with stationary turns facing right, left (moving forward or back) and up range (turning in both directions). These were done by the count at first (count 1 look, grip, defeat retention – count 2 after the turn and facing the target down range you clear the holster and muzzle horizontal and count 3 punch to target and fire). We also did kneeling and fire: draw, kneel and engage and only holster after you stand up. Next was using the SUL position and drawing to SUL and holstering from SUL.
Next we used chairs to practice drawing and firing without muzzling ourselves and those around us. We also practiced leaning left and right in the seated position. This was done dry and with live ammo. If you need to reload bring it to the middle but do not turn the muzzle straight up since in later 2-man tactics you’ll have a friendly standing right above you while you’re kneeling down.
We then proceeded with two shooters in each vehicle (driver and passenger front) and upon command drawing safely (without muzzling yourself or the person next to you) while opening the door and engaging the target in front through the opening between door and car with one foot on the ground. Don’t lean out too far since you may need to drive away. Don’t use the vehicle for support. We then engaged the target on your side and leaning further out the target on the passenger’s side. Next, another target to your left which engage without opening the door and then the other two targets as before after opening the door. For safety you come out of the vehicle in guard position and then holster. At first for some the hits were sloppy but like Max said only hits count and soon everyone took a little more time. When you have cleared your sector shout out your number/name and clear.
A PSD/VIP vehicle engagement scenario was next. Mostly we practiced having a security vehicle travelling being the VIP’s vehicle although other scenarios were mentioned. The VIP’s vehicle would have the driver, AIC in front passenger seat and the VIP behind the AIC. The AIC is in charge of the VIP. VIP vehicle starts to pull up. The trailing vehicle with 4 security personnel undo their seat belts 30 seconds (or half block) out, crack their doors open and after coordinating with lead vehicle deploy 3 of 4 around the VIP vehicle. Trailing vehicle struts out about 1-2 yards with vehicle turned towards traffic for fastest getaway and not ramming the VIP vehicle. Remember the job of all drivers are to focus on the just driving and keeping the engine running until clear (vehicle in drive and foot on the brake). The Team Leader (TL) in the trailing vehicle proceeds to the front of the vehicle and checks his perimeter. The guy sitting behind him goes to the back of the VIP vehicle and checks his perimeter. The guy from behind the trailing vehicle’s drive stands behind the driver of the lead vehicle and checks his perimeter. TL gives a thumbs up to AIC once the coast is clear. AIC gets out and open the door for the VIP. Once the VIP steps out the PSD standing on the back passenger side taps the vehicle hard twice and proceeds to take the lead right side. TL takes left front side. AIC walks behind VIP to his right and the PSD standing behind the VIP driver is the last man in the middle trailer. Upon threat the two lead PSDs commence firing at the threat while the AIC turns the VIP around with the last man in front now heading back towards the VIP vehicle. The trail guy goes to his standing position on the road side. Once the VIP and AIC are in the lead vehicle the trail guy tells the TL to come back. In the meantime, the trail vehicle moves in. The front right PSD guy continues with the firing and when the TL is close to his car he calls him back. Communication is key. We all took turns at all the 7 possible positions in the two vehicles combined. If the vehicle is no longer available the detail has the VIP take a knee while the two front guys form a tight group and other two protect the rear. For safety you step out away from VIP to holster.
TD2 in next post…