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Monthly
Lecture: 02-2005
IMMEDIATE DANGER
DISTANCE RESPONSE
Purpose: to allow the Practitioner to practice
response to immediate danger distance response to attacks by Violent Criminal
Actor (VCA). The Practitioner practices
recognizing the VCA’s initiation of weapons deployment and learns to time his
response.
Process: The
Practitioners divide into two groups, and alternate between serving as
Aggressors and Defenders. Aggressors
conceal their weapons in a fashion usually used by VCA on the street. Defenders conceal their weapons in
conventional carry positions.
ASSUMPTIONS
VCA will develop an approach to
the Defender that will place the two of them within arms reach of one
another. This study will be done with
each of the parties facing the other at that distance.
The study begins with Defenders
observing the mechanics of Aggressors producing weapons from their positions of
concealment. Defenders note the motions
of deployment of the Aggressors weapons in segments to identify the earliest
moment when it is certain a weapon is being deployed. That segment is then identified for its use in developing the
timing of the Defenders response.
Defenders then study the
available responses to the attack initiation of the Aggressor. The Defenders response should seek to (1)
disrupt the flow of the Aggressors attack, (2) lengthen the time required for
the Aggressor to complete his deployment of a weapon, (3) allow the Defender to
get off the line of force developed by the Aggressor and any cohorts, (4)
expand the time the Defender has to deploy his own weapons system and (5)
respond in a fashion not predicted by the Aggressor.
DISRUPT THE FLOW OF THE AGGRESSORS ATTACK
Because the Aggressor will be
the initiator in an attack, the Defender must have a strategy that will
“capture the mind” of the Aggressor and redirect his attack actions.
Upon recognizing he is under
attack, the Defender should respond by taking an action designed to cause the
Aggressor to re-orient his body, thus disrupting the flow of his attack.
As the head goes, the body will
follow. A strike to the head causes an
involuntary movement of the body from its assumed attitude to another. This re-orientation of the body will occur
even if the strike is ineffectual or misses completely.
LENGTHEN THE TIME REQUIRED FOR THE AGGRESSOR TO COMPLETE THE
DEPLOYMENT OF HIS WEAPON.
A strike to the eyes or head of
the Aggressor will cause him to re-orient his body and lengthen the time he
needs to deploy his weapon.
An alternative to a strike to
the head is a solid shoulder contact by the Defender to the Aggressors upper
body.
ALLOW THE DEFENDER TO GET OFF THE LINE OF FORCE
As the Defender accomplishes his
strike, he steps aggressively forward and at a 45-degree angle to the
Aggressor. This action moves the
Defender to a location of the line of force established by the Aggressor and
his cohorts.
EXPAND THE TIME THE DEFENDER HAS TO DEPLOY HIS OWN WEAPON
As the Defender is responding to
an attack initiated by the Aggressor and is therefore behind in time, his
response must allow for an expansion of time available for the deployment of
his own weapon. The Defender deploys
his weapon simultaneous with his strike and movement off the line of force.
Using the “immediate danger
distance ready position” the Defender engages the Aggressor with gunfire
repeatedly, while continuing to step off the respectively established line of
force until the problem is resolved, observing the requirements of the law and
the Gunsite 4 Rules.
RESPOND IN A FASHION NOT ANTICIPATED BY THE AGGRESSOR
Aggressors, like all people
engaged in a confrontation activity, have a mental image of their actions and
the anticipated response of the target.
They have visualized their behavior and that of the target in mental
rehearsal for the confrontation. The
Defender must have a strategy in place and loaded that is outside the
assumptions made by the aggressor.
Execution of the unanticipated response by the Defender to the planned
actions of the Aggressor will cause a momentary confusion and drag in execution
of the Aggressors plan.
RECOGNIZING THE IMMEDIACY OF ATTACK
When a non-intimate places
themselves within the immediate danger distance zone, a Practitioner should be
alert for the possibility of a pending attack.
Using a generalized focus, the
Defender observes the hand actions of the Aggressor. Upon determining that the Aggressor is engaged in weapons
deployment, the Defender executes his pre-loaded response.
Because few VCA use holster
based carrying systems, the manner of presentation will differ from those used when
a holster is used. VCA will usually
carry weapons concealed among their clothing.
Often the weapon is thrust into the belt line of the pants or a pocket. Practitioners should use cohorts to practice
VCA weapons deployment actions so they can recognize the movements and the time
required to deploy a weapon using this carry mode.
Practitioners should pair off
with a cohort and observe the customary VCA deployment process. Attention should be paid to the segmented
process along the same sections practiced in deployment of weapons by the
Practitioner. (Access, grip, clear,
bring to bear.) The Practitioner should
note the mechanics of the presentation and the time intervals required to
accomplish each segment.
Upon establishing an
understanding of the presentation process and the respective time intervals for
each section of the presentation, the Practitioner should then practice his
timing for his response to the earliest conformation he is dealing with the
presentation of a weapon.
Initial practice of the response
should be done as a walk through, concentrating on the coordinated smoothness
of the response. As the smoothness is
developed, speed of response is increased.
The first practice should only
involve stepping off the line of force.
As the timing of that movement is settled, other aspects of the response
strategy are included. (e.g. The strike and weapons deployment.)
TYPES OF STRIKES
Finger rake across the eyes.
Palm heal strike to the head.
Brimmed hat rake to the eyes.
The brimmed hat can be used as a
concealment system to mask accessing the Practitioners weapon system. It can also be used to increase the reach of
the Practitioner.
Shoulder strike to the upper
body of the Aggressor.
CONCLUSION
VCA will attempt to get within
immediate danger distance to execute their attack… They will use various devices to accomplish the closing of
distance. Some strategies will involve
the use of terrain and architecture; some will involve an immediate
approach. While the Practitioner should
try to avoid being in such proximity to any non-intimate, he must also have a
system in place to deal with the eventuality that he is caught is such a
situation.
ATSA STUDY GROUP
IMMEDIATE DANGER DISTANCE
SINGLE AGGRESSOR
By
Skip Gochenour
Pit: 3
Props: (1) Tactical Ted target with ATSA strike
zone.
Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to practice
execution of his response strategy live fire.
Process: The Practitioner places himself in front of
the target at arms length. On the
signal, “gun” he simultaneously executes a finger rake of the eyes of the
hostile, steps forward and to the 45 degree angle of the target, deploys his
weapon to “immediate danger distance ready” and engages the target with
gunfire. Once the Practitioner
initiates firing, he continues to move at a 45 degree angle and away from the
target until the target is neutralized.
The Practitioner then completes
a follow through exercise, including a 360 ready check and secures from the
exercise.
The exercise is repeated for as
many iterations as desired by the Practitioner.
CAUTION!!! While
executing this exercise it is important that no portion of the body be down
range of the weapons muzzle while firing.
The off hand, which is used to accomplish the eye rake, is above shoulder
level at all times. The weapon is
maintained in the “immediate danger distance ready position” with the muzzle
depressed sufficient to allow projectile impacts on the target below the
ribcage.
This exercise is to be
accomplished at walk through speed until sufficient skill is developed to allow
smooth execution at increased speed.
IMMEDIATE DANGER DISTANCE RESPONSE
MULTIPLE TARGETS
Pit: 2
Props: (3)
Tactical Ted targets with ATSA strike zones
Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to practice immediate
danger distance response on multiple targets.
Process: The Practitioner is placed in front of a
Tactical Ted that is one arms length away.
A second similar target is the same distance to his rear. A third target is 3 feet to the rear of the
first target and three feet to the side of the first target.
On the signal, “gun” he simultaneously executes a finger rake
of the eyes of the hostile in front of him, steps forward and to the 45 degree
angle of the target, deploys his weapon to “immediate danger distance ready”
and engages the target with gunfire.
The Practitioner then engages the target that was originally to his rear
by moving the strong side foot to the rear, and pivoting on the off-side foot
until the Practitioners gun is brought to bear on the second target. He engages that target, strong hand
only. The Practitioner then engages the
third target by moving the off-side foot to the rear, pivoting on the strong
side leg until the body is oriented to the third target. The third target is engaged, strong hand
only. Once the Practitioner initiates firing, he continues to move and fire
until all targets are neutralized.
CAUTION!!! While
executing this exercise it is important that no portion of the body be down
range of the weapons muzzle while firing.
The off hand, which is used to accomplish the eye rake, is above
shoulder level at all times. The
off-side hand should be maintained, palm out, against the chin, while the gun
is fired. The weapon is maintained in
the “immediate danger distance ready position” with the muzzle depressed
sufficient to allow projectile impacts on the target below the ribcage on the
first target. The second and third
targets may be engaged with the strong hand extended.
This exercise is to be
accomplished at walk through speed until sufficient skill is developed to allow
smooth execution at increased speed.
The exercise is repeated until
the Practitioner is satisfied he is producing a smooth execution.
STRONG HAND PRACTICE
Pit: 5 the plate
rack range.
Props: A rack
of 6 plates.
Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to practice
engagement of reactive targets, strong hand only.
Process: The Practitioner is placed at a distance of
10 yds from the bank of plates. On the
signal “gun” he steps forward and to a 45 degree angle, deploys his weapon and
engages the plates, strong hand only.
He continues to engage the plates until all are knocked down.
The exercise is repeated (3)
times. The time for each run is
recorded. The times for the three runs
are combined. (5) Seconds are added to
the total time for each missed shot.
IMMEDIATE DANGER DISTANCE RESPONSE
FOF
Pit: Indoor Range
Props: AirSoft guns and protective gear.
Purpose: To allow the Practitioner to practice
immediate danger distance response in a dynamic environment against role
players.
Process: The Practitioner is placed in a situation
where Aggressor role players are able to acquire immediate danger distance to
the Defender. The Aggressor then
produces a weapon. The Defender executes
his response.