Over the last few days, I hosted K from Combat Studies Group here at Camp Ponderosa. He conducted a pair of classes and I wanted to share my observations with you. K is a special operator, with experience in the US Army and the Special Activities Division, plus a few other things I can’t name. He’s one of the smartest guys I know and the guy I got to with questions about the privacy implications of technology.
Before I get into some course discussions, I wanted to share a little Tactical Wisdom about taking training classes:
Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
Proverbs 23:23
Yep, it says take classes. I teach, but I take every class that I can. I took these two and in 2 weeks, I’m taking a Wilderness First Aid certification course. You can never learn too much and the time to learn is right now, when you have time.
Ground Rod Level One can best be described as digital tradecraft. The class will increase your awareness of the risk of data collection by ciriminal elements (hackers/identity theives), corporations (big tech, cell providers), and governments (note to our benevolent overlords, not the US government). The class teaches you how to reduce your exposure and protect your privacy.
This is the second time I’ve sat in on Ground Rod 1 and I took just as many notes this time as I did the first. K knows his topic and is constantly researching, staying up to date on the latest exploits and risks, and he adjusts his curriculum accordingly. This is a course I’d take every time it came around.
Unlike a lot of classes, it doesn’t focus on military aspects like OPSEC and other things that have little real relevance to civilian life. Instead, K focuses on minimizing your risk in your daily “pattern of life” activities, giving the class real-world value. Unlike all the survival classes that only teach skills for when the worst happens, this course gives you skills that you can begin using TODAY and you will see an immediate impact on your life.
I can’t stress enough how much you need the skills and tools discussed in Ground Rod 1. No, I won’t share them, because you need to go to K’s class and learn it from the pro, where you can get your questions answered.
K will teach you how to reduce your information and personal security risk, but only YOU can develop the habits and discipline to stop inviting risk in.
The second class he taught was Gunfight Concepts – Pistol. This is not your standard 2 day pistol course on the square range, where you go over the same basic pistol handling skills. K brings decades of real world experience to the range and pours that experience into his class.
He teaches you not just to put pretty holes in paper, but to actually win a gunfight. Skills include fire and movement, firing on the move, use of cover, team tactics and movement, and a variety of scenario-based tactics. You will move and work on your cardio, but you will learn.
The course is heavy on realistic drills, rather than fancy techniques you’ll never use. Safety in working with a team or squad is another heavy focus.
I’ve been to a lot of handgun classes. Most focus on the same core skills and basic gunhandling. Reloads, malfunctions, hitting at various ranges from a couple of positions. This class goes beyond all that and adds a serious dynamic element that allows your to grow by leaps and bounds in skill.
This course will not only make you a better shooter, it will make you a better FIGHTER.
In short, I’d take anything K offers. He’ll be offering Small Unit Tactics and Patrolling here at Camp Ponderosa, as well as CQB Level 1 and 2.
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