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Monthly Lecture:  09-2004

                                                                                                         

 

TARGET ENGAGEMENT WHILE TRAVELING

By:  Skip Gochenour

August 21, 2004

 

 

DEFINITION:  The operational definition of “traveling” as used in this context refers to the employment of a firearm while purposefully moving from one point to another.  The purposeful movement is goal and/or mission oriented.  Such movements are accomplished in anticipation of, and/or during actual hostile fire from antagonists.

 

 

I.                   Target engagement while traveling.

 

A.         “Traveling” assumes various forms and the selected form is tied to the momentary mission imperative.

 

1.                While the goal of the mission may remain consistent, the evolving circumstances may call for a transition to another form of traveling.

2.                Each of the several forms of traveling has as its purpose the maximization of effective engagement of the hostile who has created a necessary lethal response.

 

B.         Forms of traveling include:

 

1.                Examination or “search” of a particular environment.

2.                Aggressive engagement of a hostile threat.

3.                Emergency evacuation of a location that is the object of incoming hostile fire.

 

C.         Each of these forms of engagement are employed as a result of the practitioner’s need to respond with weapons employment as the only available lawful option to preserve the life of himself or others for whom he is legally or morally responsible.

 

D.         Examination or “search” of a particular environment.

 

1.                Examination or search techniques are used in a controlled, calculated manner where the environment is littered with blinds that obstruct the immediate view of the practitioner and call for some level of considered examination.

2.                Techniques for this form of traveling include forward and reverse motion

3.                Techniques for this form of traveling include squared body as well as bladed body orientation.

4.                Squared body orientation, forward motion.

a.       Body erect.

b.       Knees flexed.

c.       Weapon deployed and at “contact ready.

d.       Ordinary ambulatory movement.

e.       Heel to toe foot placement.

f.        Consider the surface for its impact on noise discipline.

g.       The need for noise discipline is situationally dependant.

h.       Practice on gravel surfaces to develop the required increase of foot pressure to surface interface increase to minimize noise.

5.                Squared body orientation, rearward motion.

a.       Body erect.

b.       Knees flexed.

c.       Weapon deployed and at “contact ready”.

d.       Ordinary ambulatory movement.

e.       Toe to heel foot placement.

f.        Consider the surface for its impact on noise discipline.

g.       The need for noise discipline is situationally dependent.

h.       Practice on gravel surfaces to develop the required increase of foot pressure to surface interface increase to minimize noise.

i.         Note the position of obstacles or uneven surfaces to aid in sure footing while backing away while executing this movement.

6.                Bladed body orientation, forward motion.

a.       Body erect.

b.       Knees flexed.

c.       Weapon deployed and at “contact ready”.

d.       Step off with the off-side foot.  Ball and toe of that foot makes initial contact with the ground surface and the remainder of the foot rolls into contact with the ground surface.  The strong side foot is lifted from contact with the ground surface and is placed flatly on the ground surface directly under the strong side shoulder.  The strong side foot is lifted from contact with the ground surface at the same time the off-side toe touches the ground surface.  Do not drag the strong side foot.

e.       Consider the ground surface for its impact on noise discipline.

f.        The need for noise discipline is situationally dependent.

g.       Practice on gravel surfaces to develop required increase of foot pressure to surface increase to minimize noise.

7.                Bladed body orientation, rearward motion.

a.       Body erect,

b.       Knees flexed.

c.       Weapon deployed and at “contact ready”.

d.       Step off, rearward, with the strong side foot.  The toe makes initial contact with the ground surface and the rest of the foot rolls onto contact with the ground surface.  As the ball of the strong side foot makes contact with the ground surface, the off-side foot is lifted and moved rearward to a position below the off-side shoulder.  The toe and ball of the off-side foot makes initial contact with the ground surface and the remainder of the foot is rolled into contact with the ground surface.

e.       Consider the make-up of the ground surface for its impact on noise discipline.

f.        The need for noise discipline is situationally dependent.

g.       Practice on gravel surfaces to develop required increase of foot pressure to surface increase to minimize noise.

h.       Note the position of obstacles or uneven surfaces to aid in sure footing while backing away and executing this movement.

 

E.         Aggressive engagement of a hostile threat.

1.                Aggressive engagement is used when there is a lawful need to actively engage hostiles with gunfire while moving to another location. 

2.                Aggressive engagement is accomplished in a controlled fashion while delivering accurate fire.

3.                Techniques for this form of traveling include forward and reverse motion.

4.                Techniques for this form of traveling include squared body and bladed body orientation.

5.                Squared body orientation, forward movement.

a.       Body erect.

b.       Knees flexed.

c.       Weapon deployed and at “engage ready”.

d.        Controlled and accurate fire directed at confirmed hostiles.

e.       Heel to toe foot placement.

f.        Ordinary ambulatory movement accomplished at quick time.

6.                Squared body orientation, rearward movement.

a.       Body erect.

b.       Knees flexed.

c.       Weapon deployed and at “engage ready”.

d.       Controlled and accurate fire directed at confirmed hostiles.

e.       Toe to heel foot placement.

f.        Ordinary ambulatory movement accomplished at quick time.

7.                Bladed body orientation, forward motion.

a.       Body erect.

b.       Knees flexed.

c.       Weapon deployed and at “engage ready”.

d.       Controlled and accurate fire directed at confirmed hostiles.

e.       Step off with the off-side foot.  Ball and toe of that foot makes initial contact with the ground surface and the remainder of the foot rolls into contact with the ground surface.  The strong side foot is lifted from contact with the ground surface and is placed flatly on the ground surface directly under the strong side shoulder.  The strong side foot is lifted from contact with the ground surface at the same time the off-side toe touches the ground surface.  Do not drag the strong side foot.

f.        Repeat the process in “e” as needed, at the quick step.

8.                Bladed body orientation, rearward motion.

a.       Body erect.

b.       Knees flexed.

c.       Weapon deployed and at “engage ready”.

d.       Controlled and accurate fire directed at confirmed hostiles.

e.       Step off, rearward, with the strong side foot.  The toe makes initial contact with the ground surface and the rest of the foot rolls onto contact with the ground surface.  As the ball of the strong side foot makes contact with the ground surface, the off-side foot is lifted and moved rearward to a position below the off-side shoulder.  The toe and ball of the off-side foot makes initial contact with the ground surface and the remainder of the foot is rolled into contact with the ground surface.

f.        Repeat the process in “e” as needed, at the quick step.

 

F.         Emergency evacuation of a location that is the object of incoming hostile fire.

 

1.                Emergency evacuation of a location is used to move from one location to another when the paramount concern is for the practitioner to remove himself from an area that is the object of incoming hostile fire.

2.                The movement is accomplished as a flat out run.

3.                A deployed handgun is carried, strong hand only.

4.                Employment of the weapon, if any, is done strong hand only or off-side hand only.

5.                Efficient, effective, secure and controlled hand to hand transition of the handgun, while at a dead run, must be practiced.

 

G.         Tracking moving targets.

 

1.         In instances where both the hostile and the practitioner are in motion and engagement is necessary, one handed shooting will often be called for.

2.         The multi-dimensional movement will require the practitioner to “track” the hostile with his weapon while engaging the hostile with fire.

3.         Practitioners must practice this technique to establish the requisite skill and to determine the effective range at which they are capable of effective fire under these circumstances. 

a.       This skill is best practiced with other practitioners, all armed with AirSoft weapons of a form consistent with live weapons usually used by the practitioner.

b.       Such practice can only be conducted in a live weapons sterile environment.

 

H.          Oblique angle engagement.

 

1.                Each of the above movement techniques should be practiced with targets that are oriented forward of and at right and left oblique angles to the line of movement.

2.                Practitioners will find that off-side targets are best engaged using a two handed hold that approximates a two handed, bladed body technique.

3.                Practitioners will find that strong side targets are best engaged with a one handed technique.

 

 

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

AUGUST 21, 2004

 

AGGRESSIVE ENGAGEMENT OF A HOSTILE THREAT

 

 

Pit:  2

 

Props:  (4) IPSC Targets

 

Purpose:  To allow practitioners to practice aggressive engagement of hostile targets.

 

Process:  Two IPSC targets are place directly down range of the practitioner at a range of 10 yds.  Two IPSC targets are placed down range from the practitioner at a range of 3 and 5 yds.  The targets at 3 and 5 yds are facing each other and are perpendicular to the plane of the targets at 10 yds.  The targets at 3 and 5 yds are 6 yds off the charge line along which the practitioner will operate.

 

Exercise one:  The practitioner will begin at 10 yds from the most distant targets.  Using the squared body orientation, he will engage each of the targets as he moves forward directly towards the targets at 10 yds.

 

Exercise two:  The practitioner will begin at 4 yds. from the targets directly down range.  Using a squared body orientation, he will engage each of the targets as he moves rearward.

 

Exercise three:  The practitioner will perform the same exercise as in Exercise one, using the bladed body orientation.

 

Exercise four:  The practitioner will perform the same exercise as in Exercise two, using the bladed body orientation.

 

 

 

 

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

AUGUST 21, 2004

 

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

 

 

Pit:  Indoor range

 

Props:  (2) AirSoft handguns

 

Purpose:  To allow practitioners to practice emergency evacuation of a location while engaging hostiles.

 

Process:  The Indoor range will be rendered sterile of all live weapons.  Practitioners will practice emergency evacuation while engaging hostile who are in motion.

 

 

 

 

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

AUGUST 21, 2004

 

THOSE DAMNED DOTS

 

 

Pit:  3

 

Props:  (2) IPSC targets with ATSA Dots.

 

Purpose:  To allow practitioners to practice the sight visualization/trigger management skills needed to make shots at various distances.

 

Process:  The target is adorned with (5) 3” dots and (1) 11/2” dot.

 

String 0ne:  At 3 yds, the practitioner comes to “contact ready”.  On the signal “gun”, he transitions to “engage ready” and fires one shot into the 1/12” dot.  This process is repeated for (4) additional repetitions.  Using a separate and similar start he fires a continuous string of (5) shots.  The total number of shots fired on this string is (10) rds.

 

String Two:  At 5 yds. the practitioner repeats the process in String One on the lower left hand 3” dot.

 

String Three:  At 7 yds. the practitioner repeats the process of Sting One on the middle left hand 3” dot.

 

String Four:  At 10 yds. the practitioner repeats the process for Sting One on the middle right 3” dot.

 

String Five:  At 15 yds the practitioner repeats the process for String One on the top left 3” dot.

 

String Six:  At 20 yds the practitioner repeats the process of String One on the top right 3” dot.

 

String Seven:  At 25 yds the practitioner repeats the process of String One on the head portion of the target.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ATSA STUDY GROUP

AUGUST 21, 2004

 

STRONG HAND/WEAK HAND PLATES

 

 

Pit 5 

 

Props:  (6) 8” plates

 

Purpose:  To allow practitioners to practice strong hand/weak hand shooting.

 

Process:  Practitioners face a bank of 8” plates at 10 yds at “carry ready”.  On the signal “gun” they transition to engage ready, strong hand only, and engage the plates until all plates are knocked down.

 

The practitioner will recover, make ready and assume “carry ready”.  On the signal “gun” the practitioner will transition to engage ready, weak hand only, and knock down all six plates.