​After recently participating in both HEAT 1 & 2, I feel like I am qualified enough to give Max Velocity Tactical a semi-thorough look-through to inform you on the training opportunities they offer. They currently have 6 regularly scheduled class subjects, to include an Alumni get together in Texas each year, which I will attend, if able.

​Self-defense is a broad subject that many of my fellow gun geeks have distilled down to the act of shooting an attacker. Based on my training and experience, there is a whole lot more to defense than pulling a trigger. In fact, defense goes well beyond learning ‘Gun-Fu’. There are stages leading up to the attack that you can see, countermeasures that can be taken, contingencies you can/should train for, and even methods in which you should conduct yourself before/after the critical incident, in the eyes of the law. The greatest flaw in mainstream firearms training is they are only preparing you for pulling the trigger, even in “self-defense” classes. This merely reinforces the myopic ideology that defense revolves around the trigger. I get that instructors will pander to the mainstream to keep their business alive, but I feel that classes can at least be enhanced or modified to include the reality of defense. But in the meantime, let me fill you in on a few things to munch on in your mind.

​There are some misconceptions about light infantry out there. Some people seem to have this vision of lightly armed, highly maneuverable infantry using conventional tactics. Though history has shown a gross misuse of light infantry by mostly western forces (using them as line infantry), their training, tactics, and capabilities are more on par with special operations forces. In this article, I am going to talk about some of the characteristics that are under-appreciated in light infantry.

In a fighting force, recon teams have the power to drive operational and even strategic decisions through supplying accurate and timely intel to commanders. In rare cases, conventional recon elements take action against the enemy with permission/orders from higher, though it is very rare. I believe that having recon elements capable of filling more roles than just snooping and pooping is the most efficient way to operate. Though, there are scholars out there that feel that  recon is and should be a very myopic specialty. I think there is enough evidence to support the fact that multi-purpose recon elements is the best way to go. The Marines are a perfect example with their Recon Battalions being Special Operations Capable, IMHO.

For civilians, EDC pistol selection can be one of the biggest and most trivial decisions we can make in our limited scope of tactical life planning. Selecting an EDC pistol should be done using tactical thinking not unlike Executive Protection Agents planning a trip. This means you have the opportunity to assess the situation, make a plan(s), and select the right tool(s) for the job based on YOUR intel, YOUR area, YOUR threats, YOUR laws, etc. Basing your selection off what someone else has is not only lazy but can also result in buyers remorse(Been there, done it, got several T-shirts), so don't do it. The process I am going to share can also help you figure out what kind of training you should focus on with your smartly selected  EDC pistol, but that will be an article for another time.

The events of the last decade have sparked a growing interest in preparedness against everything from common crime to tyrannical government action. America is undoubtedly crumbling as the Roman Empire did, and there is a fear that people are going to be alone and have to fend for themselves. On the other hand, there are those out there that believe in and are promoting the Minuteman concept. The idea is to “Be Ready” at a moment’s notice to throw on your war belt and assemble into an irregular defense force of sorts. Feel free to leave a comment and your input.

Have you ever wondered if there was a way that you could sharpen some of your attributes like visual processing and reflexes in order to read your sights faster, shoot faster, process threats faster, and be able to handle stressful events with a cool head? Yeah, there are ways to program your brain and keep it sharp and performing at a high level.

I am not one who believes in putting a gun on safe during immediate action (Tap, Rack, Bang) or slide lock/bolt lock reloads. The point of these manipulations is to correct the issue as fast as possible because you need to have the gun back in the fight as soon as possible. The last thing you should be doing during these times is a form of virtue signaling. Perhaps focusing on weapons handling and proper adherence to the safety rules is more reasonable than adding steps to manipulations and mechanics that can't even be universally applied.

​To all out there who suffer from public anxiety due to PTSD from a combat environment, I wanted to share a method of handling crowds and how to manage yourself in public. As a combat veteran myself and someone who would not voluntarily or idly step into a crowd or a packed building, I have had to find ways to cope in order to accomplish certain tasks such as paying bills, assisting a family member, etc. Public anxiety is a real thing that I am challenged with on nearly a daily basis, and it never seems to get better. However, I have come up with a mental state of mind that morphs the anxiety into something chewable when you are in public or a crowd for a task. Unlike you were in the military, you are all alone, and there is not a bunch of likeminded and competent people to have your back. The unfortunate truth is that once you are out, you have to take care of yourself. You will learn quickly that the military did not actually train you to be independent, but it is actually quite easy. 

​Ammunition seems to be slowly getting back onto the shelves, but people still are not able to fully indulge as they once did. In turn, people have made the judgement that without enough ammunition, they can’t train. This comes from the assumption that “Range Time” is the only way in which skills are developed or maintained. In fact, I would go as far as to start this article off by saying that 99.99% of you reading this would perform better if you started training off the range and stopped thinking of the range as a primary training ground. This lack of ammo on the shelves can be a blessing in disguise if you are serious about advancing your skills.