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Featured Article:
12-2006
Developing a Use of Force Education
Part II of III
By: Skip
Gochenour
TRAINING STRATEGIES
Indoctrination of
mechanical skills is the primary life saving commodity provided by a training
school that is worth attending. Regular practice of weapons deployment,
tactical movement and engagement decisions provided by a doctrine driven school
will condition an event triggered response to immediate danger of death or
serious bodily injury. Dwell time at drills will be of more value when a pistol
is pressed to your forehead - than all of the analysis of how to respond to an
incident.
Now you need to know
about alternative force and edged weapons.
ALTERNATIVE FORCE
Frequently, lethal
encounters occur where many people are about. Their role in the incident is not
always immediately discernible. They may run directly towards you. They may
appear to take up a defensive position. You may have to forcibly move people
out of your way. They may not obey your verbal commands. It is important to
know how to deal with such situations even with a weapon deployed. A good
founding in alternative force techniques will provide solution strategies.
Weapon retention, human biomechanics, immediate danger distance, attack and
defense skills, shooting decisions at immediate danger distances, operating
safely at immediate danger distances with a deployed weapon will be taught at a
good school. Again, dwell time that correctly indoctrinates skills is
important. The goal is not to make you Bruce Lee. The goal of the school is to
give you a small number of techniques that can be learned quickly. Require
minimal, though regular practice for maintenance, and allow you to operate
effectively in an environment populated by uncooperative people whose intent is
not readily known to you.
EDGED WEAPONS
A well-rounded survival
education requires knowledge of edged weapons. While effective defensive use of
cutting implements is important to your studies, understanding their lethal
nature will help you make well founded use of force decisions. A good course
will graphically school you on what to expect and how to survive an attacker
with edged weapons. The school should give you reasonable skills in defensive
use of an edged weapon. Assault by multiple individuals in a confined space,
such as an elevator, may be better repelled through effective use of a good
knife than deployment of a gun. A good edged weapons class is also valuable in
explaining to authorities your armed response to an assailant. If you choose carefully, these two schools
can be another 40 hours time investment. Again, dwell time at the school is
important to learn the drills. Regular practice is necessary to imprint them in
your repertoire of skills.
ADDITIONAL SKILLS TRAINING
Virtually every
training facility offers additional skills programs. Learning additional skills
is always good. Choose among them, as is your interest.
USE OF FORCE LAWS
All good training
schools will deal with legal principles of the use of force. In the
TEST YOUR SKILLS
As a regular part of
your training test your skills! If you are a serious student, test them with
the same equipment that you use, each day. Wear the same clothes that you
normally do. Do not confuse competing with testing. Participating in organized
competition, like IPSC and new International Defensive Pistol Association is
useful for keeping shooting skills sharp. They do however focus attention on
scores rather than survival techniques.
Test yourself; your
skills and your daily wear equipment. Come to N.T.I.!