“TRAINING AT THE SPEED OF LIFE”

By:   KEN MURRAY

A REVIEW

By:  Skip Gochenour

Ken Murray became associated with ATSA at NTI III.  He has been since that time, a supporter, advocate and valued friend of the NTI effort.  Ken joined us in Harrisburg and in Arizona.  He has invested his energy and financial resources in the NTI.

Ken has just published his first book.  It is, as expected a combination dissertation and manual on “reality based training” (RTB).  In this work he discusses the mechanics as well as the psychology of RTB.  For anyone doing RTB, this book is an important reference work.

In eight chapters covering over 340 pages, Ken discusses lethal force training, particularly dynamic, interactive human encounter based training.  Kens goal is to set an organized process in place that allows for effective inoculation of the Practitioner to the stress of force employment and to provide a system for trainers to develop effective human interactive encounter models.

In the early chapters he discusses the need to address the psychology of lethal force encounters.  Practicing drills is easy.  Stepping through the threshold that separates justification and necessity is not so simple.  RTB helps to inoculate the Practitioner to the stress components of encounters.  Practitioners also learn to spot behaviors that indicate there is a probable confrontation in the offing and plug in your response.

RBT is of particular value to those who have entity based imperatives that dictate the form and manner of response to described circumstance.  Police, military and detectives engage in activities that place them in circumstance where they can raise their level of selective differentiation to conditions more likely to occur in a compressed time and space.

RBT can also be used to inoculate against the dithering that occurs in the confusion of the initial stages of confrontation.

RBT permits the Practitioner to become comfortable with fear, confusion and the like that exists in every encounter.

Ken discusses the role of the progression from UI to UC.

He discusses the overall importance of hand/eye coordination over debates on specific two handed shooting stances.

He discusses the degrading effect on personality when there is a reliance belief in “toys”. RBT sets up enabling factors that allows response to stimulus.

He discusses the difference between situations that call for spontaneous, deliberate and reactive lethal force.

Ken turns his attention to the mechanics of RBT.  He begins with the safety ritual of RBT.  Sterilizing of the training venue is of absolute importance.  The person responsible for searching the venue and the parties entering the venue is the person charged with saving the well being of all those who enter that venue.  That person must be selected for his dedication to his charged responsibilities and his personal concern for the well-being of all those he assumes responsibility for.

RBT involves training, education and testing.

We must insert a space on the little man cards for a report on potential medical conditions that could effect the Practitioner’s ability to perform the tasks in RBT.  We do it as part of the pre-test interview.  It is better to have one source for the information to be stated so all Judges are notified upon the presentation of the Practitioner for each test.

Ken suggests a standard color code for each category of training weapon be employed as a consistent notice interpreted by all role players and judges.

The book discusses scenario development.  Role player guidelines are developed in detail.  There is a very good section providing evaluation forms and scenario development forms.

The major portion of the manual is completed with a review of the various types of training ammunition available.

Ken Murray’s book is a must have for the trainers library.  For those who have decades of experience with RBT, it is a standard reference work.  For those who are new to the concept of RBT it is a guide that is indispensable.

ATSA STUDY GROUP

DECEMBER 17, 2004

DOT EXERCISE

Pit 4

Props:  (2) IDPA targets with ATSA Dots sprayed on.

Purpose: to allow the practitioner to use the relationship between the intended impact area and a visualization of the sighting system as a cue for the degree of trigger finesse to be accomplished.

Process:  A series of impact zones varying in size from 1 ½” to 6”x6” are engaged at differing distances.  The practitioner sees the relationship between the impact area and the various parts of the rear of the gun and uses those relationships as a cue for the degree of finesse required for trigger actuation.  In each string (7) to (10) shots are fired as rapidly as the practitioner can maintain 90% of his hits in the target area.  Impacts should be throughout the impact zone.  One hole groups means that the practitioner is shooting to slowly and seeing a much more precise traditional sight picture than is required.

String 1-3 yds.  1 ½” dot.

At this range, the outer edges of the rear sight should be approximately even with the outer edges of the dot.

String 2-5 yds. Lower left 3” dot.

At this range the outside edges of the slide of an auto-pistol should be approximately even with outside diameter of the dot.

String 3-7 yds.  Middle right 3” dot.

At this range the outer edges of the rear sight should be approximately even with the outside diameter of the dot.

String 4-10 yds middle left 3” dot.

At this range the inside edges of the rear sight window should be even with the outside diameter of the dot.

String 5-15 yds. Upper right 3” dot.

At this range the outer edges of the front sight should be approximately even with the outside diameter of the dot.

String 6-20 yds. Upper left 3” dot.

At this range the dot should be on the top dead center of the front sight.

String 7-25 yds. Head shot 6”x6” square.

At this range the outer edges of the rear sight should be approximately even with the outer diameter of the head.

Note: each of the described visualizations of “sight picture” are approximate and will vary slightly depending on the specific weapon and affixed sight system.  The practitioner will learn that the visualizations described are sufficient to maintain impacts within the designated impact zone.  The purpose of the drill is to condition the practitioner to use the relationship between the size of the impact area and the visualization of the sights as an indicator of the degree of trigger finesse required to make a hit in the impact area.  Distance is irrelevant.

ATSA STUDY GROUP

DECEMBER 17. 2004

DOT DRILL PRACTICAL EXERCISE

Pit 2

Props:  (5) IDPA targets and stands.

Purpose:  To allow the practitioner to practice the target to sight visualization exercise across distance.

Process:  The practitioner, on the signal “gun” does a presentation of the weapon from concealed carry and engages each target with a minimum of two rounds to the designated impact zones.  Practitioner is responsible for getting of the line of force as is practically required and maintaining a 360 check.

The practitioner will get (3) runs at the exercise.

T-1  3 yds., Impact zone is the ocular window of the target.

T-2  7 yds., Impact zone is the center 8” scoring zone of the target.

T-3  15 yds., Impact zone is the 8” center scoring zone of the target.

T-4  25 yds., Impact zone is the center 8” scoring zone on the target.

T-5  40 yds.,  Impact zone is the entire target.

ATSA STUDY GROUP

DECEMBER 17, 2004

DOT EXERCISE WHILE MOVING

Pit 3

Props:  (3) IDPA targets and stands.  (2) of the targets are marked with ATSA strike zones.

Purpose: To allow the practitioner to practice using the designated impact zone as an indicator of the degree of finesse required for trigger actuation and the required sight visualization.

Process:  Practitioner is placed at the edge of the lateral berm on either side of the pit.  He is 20 yds from the target array.  Targets are placed side by side with approximately (5) ft. between targets.  On the signal “gun” the practitioner does a presentation from concealed carry and begins moving along a diagonal line that goes from his location to the deepest corner of the opposite lateral berm.  As he is able to place a minimum of two shots into the designated impact zone on each target he does so while in continuous motion.

T-1  Impact zone is the 8” scoring zone of the target.

T-2  Impact zone is the CT.

T-3  Impact zone is the ocular window.  

ATSA STUDY GROUP

DECEMBER 17, 2004

HOUSE EXERCISE

Pit: The L House

Props: Various hostile and friendly targets and stands.  Targets have the ATSA scoring zones on the rear of the targets.

Purpose: To allow the practitioner ot practice dot drills in a dynamic environment.

Process:  Practitioner is taken into the house and told to engage hostiles and avoid injury to and friendlies.

ATSA STUDY GROUP

DECEMBER 17, 2004

FOF

Pit:  Indoor Range

Props: Airsoft guns, Sims guns, drone knives and cell-phone.

Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to experience determining the process of justification combined with necessity.

Process: The Practitioner is provided with an Airsoft weapon and a cell-phone.  He is escorted into a hallway that leads to a men’s room.  One role player exits the men’s room and proceeds towards the Practitioner.  Other role players occlude the hallway exit.  The role player moving towards the Practitioner attempts to engage the Practitioner.  The Practitioner will solve the problem.

Hopefully he will avoid the contact role player, establish a sconce using the entrance to the men’s room, and control the role players.  The role players will use physical menace in the early stages, then produce weapons and posture in a threatening fashion and eventually move on the Practitioner forcing and encounter.

Debrief will involve having the Practitioner list the changes in the threat level that caused him to perceive the circumstances that moved him from justification to necessity.

He should be evaluated for his recognition of the existence of the cell-phone in his equipment inventory and for the prudent employment of the cell-phone.