Dynamic Combat Carbine 1 After Action Report Camp Blanding , FL January 30-31 2010.

Yes it was cold and rainy, at times miserable.  Like warriors we shrugged the hard weather. The dedication and the willingness of students to train hard and learn under any environment, make what I do all worthwhile. This course took place in Camp Blanding Joint Operations Military Base in Starke Florida. I must say that they have excellent training facilities. The fact that the ground we trained [...]]]> Dynamic Combat Carbine 1 After Action Report Camp Blanding , FL January 30-31 2010.

Yes it was cold and rainy, at times miserable.  Like warriors we shrugged the hard weather. The dedication and the willingness of students to train hard and learn under any environment, make what I do all worthwhile. This course took place in Camp Blanding Joint Operations Military Base in Starke Florida. I must say that they have excellent training facilities. The fact that the ground we trained in was the same ground that warriors have trained in since the early 1930’s gave me a buzz inside.

This was an unrestricted class which had mixture of personnel including Law Enforcement, Ex Military, Bail Agents, Security and Civilians. The fact that we can all train harmoniously is very satisfying. I always ask everyone to leave their egos at the door and step in with an open mind. You will need it.

As I stated earlier, the cold was upon us and many forecasters were expecting one of the worst storms in a decade. Everyone brought rain gear and were clearly prepared for the worst.  As day one commenced the energy began to build and the class began to bond. I am a big believer that the first few hours of a course are crucial.

The Legion Photo team of John and Aaron also showed tremendous warrior spirit by facing the cold, the rain and focusing on the task at hand. These guys are pros all the way. I was able to conduct the course flawlessly without them interfering. They were like ghosts most of the time. You knew they were there but were never in the way.

The first day consisted of covering fundamentals and battle zeroing the irons and red dots. Most of the guys were deploying Eotechs and Aimpoints. We  worked on manipulation of the AR 15 platform. As the day went on we covered malfunctions, immediate action tactics, reloading techniques, gear placement and access, tactical movement, Domination Mindset and four tier shooting (positions of shooting ie; belly prone, modified prone, kneeling etc.). Towards the conclusion of the first day I introduced cover and concealment and at that time we split the students up into two man teams.

Day two was the run and gun day. The entire day was spent in covering two man elements while moving under stress. This day is all about solving problems on the move and communicating with your teammate.  All operators were asked to fully gear themselves ready for combat. It is important to train as we fight. What you learned the prior day must be applied during movement and under stress in combat. My goal is to push all of the students beyond their self imposed mental and physical limits. In my opinion this is where the retained learning begins.

Towards the end of DCC1 the students had formed a bond and were performing at a much higher level. They were able to apply tactical reloads and speed reloads under stress. Students also showed that they were able to solve problems on the fly specially after ingraining the techniques through repetition. Like I have said many times before, “At the very least if the student retains one technique and one tactic that can someday save his/her life; I have done my job as an instructor”.

I want to thank Aaron and John from Legion Photo for coming to the Low Light Combat Pistol Course and conducting a great video and photo shoot.  These guys are all business and very professional. Aaron and John take their job very seriously and it is evident in the quality of work they produce.  There are very few companies out there that I [...]]]>

I want to thank Aaron and John from Legion Photo for coming to the Low Light Combat Pistol Course and conducting a great video and photo shoot.  These guys are all business and very professional. Aaron and John take their job very seriously and it is evident in the quality of work they produce.  There are very few companies out there that I would allow to come to my training courses, however after observing their work, I was more than happy to open the door for them. I had been looking for a top notch photo/video agency to produce Kocom’s new instructional DVD ‘s. I am happy to say that I have found the Agency. I will complete an in depth review of Legion Photo coming up very soon. Meanwhile, if you are looking for a quality photo / video agency, I highly recommend Legion Photo.

Extreme Close Combat Pistol After Action Report November 14-15 2009

First off let me give thanks to Eileen and Chuck at Revere Gun Range in Pompano Beach. They are two of the finest people you will meet in the gun industry.  Eileen worked very hard to get the range ready for this course and it showed.

As I teach most any combat course I stress [...]]]>  

Extreme Close Combat Pistol After Action Report November 14-15 2009

First off let me give thanks to Eileen and Chuck at Revere Gun Range in Pompano Beach. They are two of the finest people you will meet in the gun industry.  Eileen worked very hard to get the range ready for this course and it showed.

As I teach most any combat course I stress the elements of combat not bullshit competition shooting. During ECP you are mostly working within the 5 yard engagement and contact sector. It is all about speed positioning and mindset here. In attendance were Law Enforcement, Ex Military, Security and Vetted Civilians. The levels were from intermediate to advance.  The atmosphere was cooperative, energized and focused. Everyone understood that this was a fighting course first and a gun handling class second. All had, at a minimum basic gun handling experience.

During day one all of the following were covered: Combat footwork, reactive hand, positioning, mindset, speed drawing, contact retention, contact firing, shooting drills, threat scanning, multiple target acquisition, active tactics against blue man and using an inoperable gun as a weapon.

Day two the focus remained on fighting with the gun. The following were covered: Multiple level attacks, using a knife and gun, recovering a gun from the ground, active shooting drills, round placement, shoot and move, secondary hand contact transitions and gun drive tactics.

The end of day two consisted of multiple qualification courses.  All the students showed great poise throughout the intense timed qualification courses. Above all students improved tremendously throughout the course. Shooting a gun at high speed near your body while an active secondary makes contact with the target takes getting used to. After numerous repetitions everyone’s confidence improved. Even at a close range when the shit hits the fan properfundamentals and a fighting mindset will always prevail. We observed this throughout the course.

I thank you all who attended and it is my hopes that one day, if you need to, you can use what you learned here to bring you home alive.

Book Review: Narc Ops  A Look Inside Drug Enforcement Author: Greg Ferency Publisher: Publish America

I am an avid book reader.  Law Enforcement, Military, Firearms, Martial Arts and Japanese Philosophy are my favorite subjects. My library contains over 500 hundred books on the above stated subjects. I state this information, not to impress you but to impress upon you the fact that I value good books and treasure great ones.

Ill be honest, at first what attracted me to this book was the [...]]]>

Book Review: Narc Ops  A Look Inside Drug Enforcement
Author: Greg Ferency
Publisher: Publish America

I am an avid book reader.  Law Enforcement, Military, Firearms, Martial Arts and Japanese Philosophy are my favorite subjects. My library contains over 500 hundred books on the above stated subjects. I state this information, not to impress you but to impress upon you the fact that I value good books and treasure great ones.

Ill be honest, at first what attracted me to this book was the title. Narc Ops A look at Inside Drug Enforcement………… Cool!

Let me say this, very few books have been written about the drug enforcement world.

The book starts off at fast pace, throwing the reader right into the dangers of dealing with methamphetamine labs and the meth “Cookers”.

After reading the first two pages you get a feel for Greg Ferency’s “tell it like it is” writing style. The book packs a lot more than stories. It is truly a wealth of information. It is educational as much it is informative and entertaining. The more I read it the harder it was to put down.  What makes this book unique is not only the subject, it is the flow and manner in which it is written. Greg does not shy away from sharing his experiences and strays briefly into different subjects, however always comes back to the core of the book.

Narc Ops covers structures of law enforcement departments, what Narcs are and what they do. The book takes you into under cover operations and encounters with the under current of the street. On the drug side it covers marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), date rape drugs and many more. Greg’s knowledge and expertise shines when he writes about methamphetamine. Highlighting the dangers of the drug, the labs, the toxic chemicals and the risk it places on our law enforcement officers. Throw in a few stories of Greg’s experience and you have a great book!
There is no fancy police jargon, so this book can be read by anyone interested in what drug enforcement is all about.

I highly recommend Narc Ops, a great informative read and should be placed into all Law Enforcement Officer’s library.

Greg Ferency can be reached at NarcOps129@aol.com

To purchase NarcOps go to : Amazon.com or publishamerica.com

As you all know the tactical gear arena is loaded with companies claiming that their product is the best.  The phrases commonly used to catch the consumers interest are:”Tested in Iraq”,” GSA”, “Mil Spec”, “Standard Issue” etc.  Today’s consumer is constantly searching for the “most tactical” gear available. Bags, holsters, vests and boots top the list.

Well, what exactly [...]]]>

As you all know the tactical gear arena is loaded with companies claiming that their product is the best.  The phrases commonly used to catch the consumers interest are:”Tested in Iraq”,” GSA”, “Mil Spec”, “Standard Issue” etc.  Today’s consumer is constantly searching for the “most tactical” gear available. Bags, holsters, vests and boots top the list.

Well, what exactly is tactical gear? In my humble opinion it is gear that will take extreme abuse and perform well under any condition. With that said the gear must be comfortable, well made and easily manageable. The bottom line is that good tactical gear should last for a long time and never let you down.

In this gear review I am going to focus on two field bags made by Voodoo Tactical, a tactical gear company that by no means is new to the tactical gear industry. They currently headquartered out of California.  I have always been a value oriented consumer and with the economy the way it is, those words hold true now more than ever. In my experience expensive gear does not always equal better gear, mark my words on that! A while back I had been surfing the net and I came across Voodoo Tactical, I am always looking for new gear to evaluate and immediately the Matrix Assault Pack and the Reaper Military Patrol Pack caught my eye. The price was right and the layout was just what I was looking for.  At that time I contacted Voodoo Tactical to get the specs on the bags. To my surprise, I made contact with a group of knowledgeable and friendly individuals. Very few places that I have come across in the tactical arena treat customers like they mean something. 

Upon receiving the Matrix and the Reaper the first place that they went in was in the sink submerged in 12 inches of water for 30 seconds. As you know this is where most of the gear that I review gores in first. I placed a stack of white paper inside both bags to see the absorption capabilities. Keep in mind that I do this even for gear that is not waterproof.  After 30 seconds, I removed the Matrix from the sink. To my surprise only about 10% of moisture seeped through the material. The same for the Reaper. By the way that is better water performance than the eagle, Blackhawk and Uncle Mike bags that I have tested in the past.

The dimensions of the Matrix are 16" tall x 11" wide x 7" deep.  There are ten zipper compartments externally including to small pockets on the shoulder straps. Each compartment has a different dimension from tall to square to flat. This bag has a bunch of room just in the external pockets. Inside we are looking at multiple scale zipper pockets used for all sorts of accessories and two large pocket openings to include a compartment for a laptop. To say that this is a compartmentalized pack is an understatement. I have never seen so many pockets in a bag this size. The best part of all is that it has molle webbing on the sides and the front area of the bag. I also found that the shoulder harness has a very unique top handle. It makes it very comfortable to move this bag from the top. There is also nice cushiony back frame approximately 1 inch thick.

The Reaper has 2500 cubic inch main compartment and an expandable 850 cubic inch lower compartment. This bag is very cool period.  To start the expending capabilities of this bag are the best I have seen from a military type pack. There are no messes releasing or folding up the extension compartment. A quick zip does it all. Externally it has one large front pocket. Inside there are multiple scale zipper compartments and a large roomy uncluttered area. The Reaper‘s shoulder harness is detachable with an adjustable velcro fastener that can adjust the height.  The shoulder harness also comes with a detachable heavy duty waist belt.  The back panel has a molded cushion platform that forms to your back. The harness looks like a unique interesting concept. Of course it needed to be tested. So far both bags looked solid and very “Tactical”. The next and most important test was to put them through the rigors of my tests.

I decided to make the matrix my gun- training accessories bug out bag and the reaper my traveling bag.  I just can’t say enough regarding the compartments in the matrix pack. I was able to fit all of my range and instructional gear in the bag including manuals, ear protection, laptop, 2 firearms, knee pads, multiple hats, timer, markers, gloves, 2 holsters, first aid kit, sun block glasses etc.  The matrix went through two tactical courses with me and through was daily grind.  I pulled it dragged it and every time the bag retained its form. The compartments and zippers became better with wear, it’s almost as if they became larger and the zippers smoother to open. The more I used the bag the better it fit my needs.

I took the reaper with me overseas to Lima Peru. The bag had a very comfortable shoulder harness. Walking around with the bag on one shoulder or two, I was able to adjust it to fit me accordingly. The main compartment area of the reaper is actually bigger than it looks. It held t shirts, tactical gear, boots, laptops and books. The inside zipper compartments were very useful, I was able to place documents, pens and small accessories in these compartments. I used the reaper as a range bag during my course. It worked well (Not as good as the matrix for a range bag due to its size) and easily took the pounding of loading and unloading.  Most of the time the bag was expose to direct sunlight for many hours at a time. I observed no fading or cracking of the material. The bottom extended compartment was by far the best feature of the reaper. You get an extra 850 cubic inches in a lower separate compartment that extends approximately eight inches. That compartment proved to be important on my flight back as I had purchased some goodies that would have never fit in my check in luggage.

I was impressed with both the Matrix and the Reaper. The craftsmanship, design, functionality, and price make these bags a standout in the tactical gear market. I consider them multi-use tactical bags and a requirement for any individual involved in the tactical, outdoors or extreme environment world

4.8 out of 5.0

(Highly recommended)

This review can also be found at PoliceOne.com

Internal fortitude …most people can’t pin point exactly what it is. In this article I will do my best to throw at you my two cents and my understanding. I have been involved in the Eastern Martial Arts for over 22 years, both as a student and instructor.  Over the last 12 years I have had the honor of working as a team leader for a High Risk Dignitary Force Protection Unit operating in extreme hostile environments. I have graduated and [...]]]>

Internal fortitude …most people can’t pin point exactly what it is. In this article I will do my best to throw at you my two cents and my understanding.
I have been involved in the Eastern Martial Arts for over 22 years, both as a student and instructor.  Over the last 12 years I have had the honor of working as a team leader for a High Risk Dignitary Force Protection Unit operating in extreme hostile environments. I have graduated and received instructor certifications from around the globe. I am the founder and Chief Instructor for kokorocombatives.com, my span covers teaching Law Enforcement, Military, Dignitary Protection and Black Ops teams operating today overseas and the U.S.  Currently I also work the streets of one of the most violent cities in the United States as a Law Enforcement Officer. The reason I bring this brief over view of my background is not to impress you, but to impress upon you the fact that I have been there when the shit hits the fan.
So internal fortitude is fortitude that comes from within, right? Or simply stated strength that develops from inside your soul/spirit? I will give you my take, here we go…
One of the first things I was told by my Sifu (Chinese for teacher) when I walked in the door as a disciple was the following:  “To look inside of you is where you will find your limits, to feel inside of you is where you will find no limits. When you cannot go any further and you feel like giving up empty your mind and feel the strength inside.  Feel it with your spirit.” Keep in mind I was 14 years old. I still remember his words like it was yesterday.
We have so much strength inside that we have never tapped into. Many say, we do not know how to. Others say, it is bullshit. I say, give me a little time with you and I will introduce you, face first to what internal fortitude is. Unfortunately the world we live in has become complacent. Most are out to make a quick buck.  Qualification courses are toned down so more people will pass. It is all about speed and politics. How fast can we get this completed? Forget the about the quality or pride of anything we do.
Internal fortitude is about quality, not speed. It is not developed through a” become a master in 3 weeks course”.  Internal fortitude is developed through consistent exposure to elements that push your imaginary limits on a constant basis. It is also referred to as forging the spirit. Ultimately internal fortitude is not just about the physical aspect, it constitutes the confidence to trust yourself.  The first time I felt like I had experienced a forging of the spirit was when I was testing for my 2nd degree black sash in Gung –Fu. I fell to my knees in agony after being struck by three blows in my outer thigh from three different students. My right knee buckled and was swollen like an apple. I knew right then and there that something bad had happened. I could not stand up and if I could I would have to stay on one leg ala…The Karate Kid! I dug deep, deep inside and with a vengeance I leaned on my side on the floor and was able to bring down two of the three students with a leg lock. I placed both students into a spider lock for a full minute. They were struggling and attempting to get out of it for what seemed like an eternity. Throughout that time I continued to feel a sense of strength and control, until Sifu called it off.  For those of you who have been part of traditional Martial Arts know what an ass kicking these tests are.
Now you may say that was a controlled environment. True, however that is where you start. That was the first time recognizing it for me, at 18 years old. From there I can count 100’s of times where internal fortitude has pushed me through hell, including being in multiple engagements with shots fired, high risk hostage rescue, car chases, decision making, takedowns, foot pursuits etc. ,you get my point.  I do believe the ultimate test for internal fortitude is the real world. You must get to that point by training in a controlled environment. Train hard and push yourself beyond your limits little by little.

Many do not want to take the time to develop such an important quality.  We have a misconception that only elite teams need this type of training. I couldn’t disagree more. I believe every cop, soldier, security agent and operator should implement and allocate time for training to build Internal Fortitude. In the next article I will go over some of the tactical training that I have used to build Internal Fortitude.

R. Conde is the Founder and Chief Instructor of Kokoro Combatives. His no nonsense and dynamic approach to teaching has made him one of the premiere CQC instructors. He is renowned throughout the globe conducting seminars in the U.S. , Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the UK. His company teaches close quarter combat and small arms tactics to the Military, Law Enforcement and Protection Agents throughout world.  Mr. Conde is a Law Enforcement Officer assigned to one of the most violent cities in the United States.
 Contact  R. Conde at taccop@gmail.com or visit kokorocombatives.com
 

As a society we have become lazy – complacent and accepted what we observe on billboards as the “truth”. We are constantly searching for a “quick fix” and have what I refer to as the “TOES” Tactical Overnight Expert Syndrome. The thought of this type of person makes my “TOES” curl and makes me ill.  For the “TOE” (Tactical Overnight Expert), the shorter and more convenient the course, the quicker you get your signed certificate of completion. Normally [...]]]>

As a society we have become lazy – complacent and accepted what we observe on billboards as the “truth”. We are constantly searching for a “quick fix” and have what I refer to as the “TOES” Tactical Overnight Expert Syndrome. The thought of this type of person makes my “TOES” curl and makes me ill.  For the “TOE” (Tactical Overnight Expert), the shorter and more convenient the course, the quicker you get your signed certificate of completion. Normally they become certified in a given subject within a weekend course or 16-24 hours. Many times they even attend multiple course seminars (which are even better) and walk away with multiple certifications within the same time frame.  The DVD phenomenon has made attending courses even easier and more efficient. Watch the DVD in slow motion a few times and it is as good as gold. Expect to receive a certificate on your front steps delivered to you via- Federal Express. Once they become Tactical Overnight Experts in the related subject then they promote themselves into “Instructor” status or “Master” designation.  I will address tactical and combative courses in this article.
As a Close Quarter Combat Instructor/ Active (full-time) Law Enforcement Officer with a little more than 24 hours of training and experience, I observe the “TOES” attitude everywhere I go.  I may add here that “TOES” does not only apply to civilians. I clearly observe this in the Law Enforcement and Military community.
The question that I pose to my students is this…Are you attending my courses to earn a certificate or are you attending to learn something?
 Throughout the last ten years I have observed society get progressively worse.  Instructors are a dime a dozen in just about every facet of tactical training. With the security boom, came the so called executive protection instructors springing out from all over.  Hell, they had a three day executive protection course and that is all they needed. Their experience in the security industry was top notch since they worked two details protecting Grandma Smith and driving her around town. You also have the PSD, oh, yes you were in the sand box for a while and the skills and experience that you received there are enough to place you as the elite of elite instructors…NOT !
Now that we are in the cool gear era (Blackhawk and 5.11) we have introduced the super cool gear Instructor. This type of instructor looks cool and has 475 certificates from every instructor or school that has advertised in the tactical magazines. This type of instructor conducts his classes by talking and not by demonstrating. He has absolutely no teaching skills, can’t shoot worth a shit, can’t apply the tactics that he is teaching in real time (his movement contradicts his teaching) and above all breaks down under stress.
There are many excellent instructors all over the world. Let me re-phrase that. There are many good instructors all over the world but few excellent ones. Instructors that have devoted themselves to the improvement of their craft and can disseminate the information to their students in an understandable manner are few and far between.

The bottom line here is this…                                                                                                                                    Tactical training, especially; involving firearms should be taken very seriously.                                                        We (Instructors) have a great responsibility. Students trust us on what we are teaching.                             Practice and training should be part of our daily life. We must practice what we preach.                                        We must have an open mind and be receptive to new ideas and concepts. I attend courses often;                                              I take something new from many of the courses. It may not be a technique, or something breaking new ground, it just might be the teaching structure or a way the students were handled.                              There is always room to learn, Always! Because I am an active law enforcement officer, currently assigned to the tactical unit (in an extremely violent city) I am always learning and applying tactics. “What I teach, I have used on the street.”  That is my motto.
In closing, as Instructors we must be able to have an open mind and be honest with ourselves.                 We must ask ourselves:  Do we have the knowledge?                                                                                              Do we have the experience?  Do we have the practice to teach what we claim that we can teach?           When we are conducting a course, we must demonstrate accurately, disseminate proper information and above all, we must be able to walk the walk…not just talk the talk, always holding ourselves to a higher standard.
As a prospective student here is a list of questions that I would have for the Instructor:
1)    Does he have current real world experience applying what is being taught?
2)    Has he had real world experience applying what is being taught?
3)    Who has he taught and what type of feedback has he received?
4)    What type of certifications has he received?   (refer to my article )
5)    How long has he been teaching?
6)    Has he written articles, books? (keep in mind this doesn’t really mean anything…People tend to give an immediate expert status to anyone that has written an article or book) If there is a book or article that the instructor published, read it.
7)    Does he advertise? Where?
8)    Is he recognized in the industry? (Once again this is not a deal breaker)
9)    Does he stress safety in his courses?
10)    What is his certification process?
 

This is a topic that lately has been a hot one for me.  Dating back thousands of years ago there was a special breed of warrior that was in charge of protecting kings and Queens. Today the president and political figures are protected by the secret service and department of state.  Many dignitaries and prime ministers throughout the world are currently protected by private security firms. (Especially in Iraq). There are private security firms popping up left and right claiming [...]]]>  

This is a topic that lately has been a hot one for me.  Dating back thousands of years ago there was a special breed of warrior that was in charge of protecting kings and Queens. Today the president and political figures are protected by the secret service and department of state.  Many dignitaries and prime ministers throughout the world are currently protected by private security firms. (Especially in Iraq). There are private security firms popping up left and right claiming to be the best of the best. X- Navy SEAL, X- Special Forces, X-Cop, yari, yari yari.  Unfortunately Force Protection has many elements that are not taught or learned in the Military and Law Enforcement. Understanding that the main objective is to keep the principal safe as a first priority, is not that easy to apply in real time. I see it constantly.  Force protection is proactive in its logistical plan and advance assessment.  However, FP is reactive at its core. Protection agents must react to immediate threats. No matter how good your advance assessment is, when Murphy sticks his ugly head out you must be prepared to react in a manner that will place your principal in an immediate position of advantage. Chasing the bad guy down and engaging the threat is not a Force Protection Specialists first priority. Of course, if there is no other way out you must be trained (proficient) to handle the situation. Training a Force Protection Specialist must be proficient at include: Hand to Hand Combat Tactics, Tactical Driving, Firearms (Pistol and Rifle),Explosive Detection, Waterborne (Yacht-Boat) Security, Entry Tactics, Edge Weapons, Principal Protection Tactics, Restraint Devices, Surveillance ,Counter Terrorism Tactics, Cultural studies and Etiquette training. An FPS should have consistent training at least once a month and no less. Unfortunately most coming into the industry have none, or very little experience. They believe they can get their licenses and be ready for a go round. That is all fine and dandy until the shit hits the fan. To elevate the private security industry to a higher level, I urge all companies that are hiring new recruits to offer them the training and dedicate time to their development.  Blackwater is a clear example of a company not dedicating time to its contractors. In my opinion the meaning of Force Protection is as follows:
1)      The dedication and commitment (to yourself) to develop your skills to the highest level
2)      The dedication and commitment (to yourself) to continue training
3)      The dedication and commitment (to your principal) to develop your skills to the highest level
4)      The dedication and commitment (to your principal) to continue training
5)      The dedication and commitment (to your principal) to defend his life in any situation