Walter Reed Un-casing of the Colors

The ending of an era is always sad, but the beginning of one is sure to bring happiness. 

Today I was proud to witness the closing ceremonies of Walter Reed Army Medical Center as they begin their transition to Bethesda Maryland, and Fort Belvoir Va. The transition is being made as a part of the Base Realignment and Closure Act of 2005 (BRAC). 

Although a sad day to see a facility whose service was so paramount, and can claim responsibility for providing medical care to over 150,000 soldiers, the transition to Bethesda and Fort Belvoir is a happy one. Not only are they moving to our home state of Maryland but it will allow the Medical Center to function at a higher level. 

This hit home on a personal level as well. As I talked about earlier my journey at the MD Police and Correctional Training Commission (MPCTC) came to an end and my resignation became official today. But just like Walter Reed, although the end of my career with the State is sad, the start of a full time focus on growing Masada Tactical into a power force of training and development is a happy one.  

Masada Tactical is happy to have had the opportunity to work with Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the past and hope our relationship will grow stronger in the future. So as the flags came down at the closing ceremony today I saluted Walter Reed on its accomplishments and wished it only more success in the future. I like to think Walter Reed saluted me back. 

End of an Era

It is official, I handed in my resignation at the MD Police and Correctional Training Commission (MPCTC), and effective July 27, 2011 I will no longer be the Lead DT/PT Instructor for the commission.

It has been a good ride.  Over the past three years I taught 4 recruit classes, countless officers during in-service training, and 7 instructor courses, certifying close to 100 Defensive Tactics Instructors in Israeli Combat System.

There have been ups and downs, like there would be anywhere else, but at the end of the day I am proud to have had the opportunity to share skills and lessons to enhance officer safety in Maryland, from correctional officers to patrol police and specialized teams.

It has been a long and hard process to take mindsets that have been so ingrained in tradition and try and affect those by introducing new, sometimes extreme ideas.  Not always were my ideas accepted.  More than once I have been put on notice by the administration for being too hard, but ultimately everyone understood that my actions were always done in good faith and with the goal of keeping officers safe, and as such I was allowed some leeway in the way I taught, the skills I shared, and the drills I executed.

Over the past three years I have also been fortunate to see Masada Tactical grow from a small facility in Pikesville to four times its size.  Masada Tactical started with a few weekly classes to now having classes every single day, not to mention our classes offered in other states such as Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and more.

The journey has not been without sacrifices, obstacles and hardship.  But like any growth, the goal is always to overcome those and come out the other end better and stronger.  We always aimed to excel at what we do, and I believe we made tremendous strides in making Masada Tactical and Israeli Combat System a household name and the provider of choice for any individual or organization who wants the best self protection and tactical training.

So as I say goodbye at the MD Police and Correctional Training Commission I do so with pride for the lessons I shared, and the lessons I learned, and with the joy and anticipation of taking Masada Tactical to even greater things.

I would like to thank the people at the commission who stood by me when things got somewhat rough, and my friends at Masada Tactical who never gave up hope and encouraged me over the past few years.

We are on the virtue of a brand new future, brighter than ever, and it is all thanks to you.

I would like to leave this somewhat of a personal blog post with a statement that has been hanging in my office at the commission for the past three years.  It has motivated me, helped me, and guided me on numerous times (origin unknown):

What do I fear?
I fear stagnation and lack of progress.
I fear never reaching my potential and being average.
I fear being forgotten...the past...yesterday's news.
I fear giving up and being passed by, going softly into that good night.
I fear letting those I love down, letting myself down.
I fear settling, giving in to the "that's just the way it is" mindset.
I fear dying without leaving my mark.
I fear not feeling these fears anymore and just floating along.
These fears feed me, they nourish my drive.
I love my fear.

Stay safe, stay strong, and keep on working on those things that matter.

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
www.MasadaTactical.com

Israeli Point-Shoot

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to have access to the Jessup Correctional facility's range (Thank you Lt. Allander and Sgt. Johnson!).

I decided to take my staff and a few business associates to learn the Israeli way of handgun shooting: Israeli-Point-Shoot.

The point-shoot is a class we teach various LE agencies and will begin offering to our civilian members.  It was important to me that our staff is familiar with the concepts so they can explain it better to our members and assist in teaching these classes.

For those who are not familiar with the concept, the basic idea is that if I can point at an object and know that my finger is pointing right at it, I should be able to do the same with the handgun as an extension of that finger.  Under stress, as in a handgun fight, fine motor skills will be lost and the time required for the "proper" sight, breath, squeeze, follow through will be gone.  Being able to hit a target under stress is therefore an essential survival skill.

The class began with a short explanation of what the philosophy is, and why we (Israelis) shoot the way we do.  There many systems that teach "indexing" as a method of shooting, but Israelis do things a tad differently, and it was important to explain that as it set the tone for the rest of the training.

In the following three hours I condensed weeks of training into a few hours.  The goal again was to familiarize the participants with a concept and not to make them experts.

The class began with dry draw and aiming drill.

Then we added single shots, followed by double shots.

Eventually we added multiple targets. The handgun segment of the day ended with a drill done once without a gas mask, and the the gas mask was introduced.  Why gas mask?  well, aside of the obvious tactical element of operating in a contaminated area (OC, CS, or other), the gas mask is a great training tool as it simulates the physiological effects of stress, such as hyperventilation and tunnel vision.

Once everybody completed the drills we pulled out a couple of AR's and had everybody try the AB-Arms foreguards I discussed in a previous post.

Overall, it was a great day of educational fun.  How does the saying go? "A bad day at the range beats a good day at work", well, when you have a good day at the range and it is your work day, it is that much sweeter.

See you all in our next Israeli-Point-Shoot seminar.

Stay safe!

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical, LLC

Get out of your bubble

Some of you live in Baltimore City, so you know what it's like to hear gunshots, police sirens, and hopefully you have a slightly greater appreciation to everyday safety awareness.

However, most of our members live in Baltimore County, in Pikesville, Owings Mills, and alike.  Places not typically high risk or beset with criminal activity.  Most of you walk around day in and day out in complete ignorance to what is happening around you.  Lulled by comfort and a sense of safety that could not be further from the truth.

I do not mean to alarm you, but reality is over the past month there were various homicides, some no more than two blocks from our training facility.  Home invasions are on the rise.  Assaults on teens, women, and the elderly are also increasing.

So what do you do about it?  Well, the obvious answer is: you train. You prepare.  You burst that bubble you are living in and begin paying closer attention to your surroundings.

How many of you walk alone at night?  How many of you park in dark areas?  How many of you walk to your cars (alone and in a dark area) staring at your cellphone too busy sending a text message to notice the would-be purse snatcher?

Here are a few simple tools you can use:

• Make sure you are always acutely aware of your surroundings.  If the hairs on the back of your neck are rising, listen to what your senses are telling you.  Stop and evaluate.  Maybe you should change your course.
• If you have a cellphone, dial 911, but don't press "send".  In case of an emergency all you have to do it hit one button.  You don't even need to talk, police will find you.
• Fight or Flight?  Fighting may not always be the best option.  Sometimes putting as much distance between you and your attacker is a better option...just as long as they are not faster than you.
• Remember the difference between a primary crime scene and a secondary crime scene.  never let someone move you or take you to another location.  Even from your back yard into your house.
• Make yourself less of an attractive target.  Don't wear expensive jewelry, or show your large wad of cash.  Have a potential attacker thing that the person on the other side of the street is a more worthwhile target than you.
• If you must fight remember that the best thing to strike at is not what you believe would make a better attack for you, but rather what would make a more devastating hit to your opponent.
• Use weapons of opportunity, like keys, belts, your handbag.

• Be a good witness.  If you were a victim of a violent crime try to memorize as many details as you can about the event and your assailant.

Stay safe!  Be aware!  Come train!

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein

Masada Tactical, LLC

www.MasadaTactical.com

The difference between Grappling and Ground Fighting

Last week I was approached by a member following one of our Ground Fighting classes and I was asked what is Grappling.  After all, I continuously make the distinction between grappling and ground fighting for self-defense applications.  I must give this member due props for coming and asking.  Often times, as instructors, we forget that some people are not as experienced and what we take for granted as terminology may not be so clear to our students.

Coincidentally enough, yesterday another student of mine told me about a challenge he got from a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner to whom he was trying to explain our methodology of ground fighting.

So let me answer these questions.  But before I start, I just want to make one thing clear, by no means do I intend to put down any grappling art.  I think they are all beautiful and serve a purpose.  I myself used to train in BJJ with John Rallo, and loved every minute of it.  If any of what I say sounds as though I am suggesting otherwise please re-read it.

As a BJJ practitioner I learned various skills that helped me overcome an opponent and achieve the submission I was looking for.  But there is where the issue lays.  Submissions are great in a controlled sport fighting environment, but what happens on the street?  What happens once the opponent "taps out"?

Also, in a grappling match (of any style, from wrestling, to BJJ, Sambo, or other), the fight is between two individuals, in a ring (cage) or on a mat, and rules must be aided by.  All of these grappling arts benefit their practitioners greatly in terms of skills, awareness of their bodies, flexibility, and so much more. But do they really address the true circumstances of a fight?

The mindset is its main drawback.  It is unfortunate that when on the street, fighting for survival, a submission is not what we should be looking for.  An armbar will elicit a "tap-out" which will not necessarily end the fight.  Possibly worse, it may cause the defender to let go because of practice (muscle memory), and the fight is back on!  Add to that the fact that a true fight may include multiple attackers, weapons, and a very unforgiving ground/terrain, and one can see why traditional grappling arts fall a tad short.

What ICS teaches stems from the understanding that we are not fighting in a ring.  That rules do not apply, and we understand that most of our skills and tools will disqualify us in a sanctioned fight.  But again, survival is not sanctioned, and one must do what it takes to protect himself!

When we decided to create a ground fighting curriculum we established a few "ground rules" (no pun intended):

1. Striking should always be a viable tool.
2. Getting back to our feet is our main goal.
3. Skills should be simple, gross motor skill oriented.
4. Skills should provide solutions for common grappling attacks, so we can defend against grapplers who try to take the fight to the ground.
5. Skills should be practiced on pavement.
6. Play dirty!

When we developed the curriculum, now in its second rotation and still being modified, I sat down with Steve Almendarez and we went over skill after skill of his BJJ career (Steve is an advance BJJ fighter and has tremendous experience in grappling arts and matches).  We tried them in uniform, on hard surface, and fatigued to see if they still work outside of a sports environment.  What we came up with was a compress ground fighting curriculum that is in-line with ICS mentality of street survival and personal protection.

Our ground fighting curriculum will not help you win an MMA fight.  But if you are ever ambushed and taken to the ground, you will not only survive, but you will inflict so much damage that your opponent will be left in awe!

Our ground fighting classes are full contact.  we strike, we kick, we work from positions of disadvantage.  We fight as if our lives depended on it, because it may.

So next time you hear me say, this is not a grappling match, this is why.  If I can teach my students anything it is to fight outside the realm of traditional rules, and use whatever means necessary to win the fight.  And if a grappler ever places my students in an armbar, I completely expect my student to break that person's face!

Ground Fighting classes are every Wednesday at 6pm. Open to all levels.  Taught by Steve A. and BK!

Stay safe,

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical, LLC
http://www.masadatactical.com/

Producr Review: ABArms Forward Guard

Being that Masada Tactical is involved with training so many tactical units and security professionals, we often times are asked to review various products for different manufacturers of tactical equipment.

Typically we will receive the item and over a period of roughly 30 days will put it through its paces to see what it does, how it performs under some more strenuous conditions, and then we write a report about it for the manufacturing company.

Although typically these items are tactical in nature, we know many of our members are police officers, military personnel, or otherwise involved in security operations, and as such we thought you may also benefit from these reviews.

The first one we will share with you is our most recent one.  This review is for an AR-15/M-4 forward hand guards.  For those who don't know, the forward hand guards are the pieces that cover the barrel of the rifle, typically from action to the front sight.  These guards allow the shooters to hold on to the rifle without risk of burning themselves.

The guards we got to test are made by AB-Arms.  AB stands for American Built (http://www.abarms.com/). AB-Arms is an American company located in Glen Rock, PA.  This company manufactures several accessories for AR-15/M-4 rifles, with its latest addition being this new Forward Hand Guard.

Traditionally hand guards are divided into two types: the old fashion round style made of plastic or aluminum, or what is referred to as a "Quad-Rail" due to the rails on every side (top, bottom, left and right).  The round guards are not the most comfortable ones, and one cannot attach any accessories (lights, optics and alike) to it.  The quad rails are even worse in terms of comfort because of the rail, although one can attach various accessories to the multiple rails.  Needless to say, neither style was ever very comfortable and most shooters ended up adding a vertical grip to the guard just so they don't have to hold on to it.

Round Guards:

Quad Rails:

This is where AB-Arms came in with a unique new ergonomic design.

The shape of this new innovative forward hand guard allows the shooter to hold a comfortable surface, while still allowing for control due to the front end angle - pushing against that salnted front end allows the shooter to maintain a firm grip without fear of slipping.  The rail on the top allows for various accessories to be attached, and the ports on either side act as openings for heat to escape and as anchors for additional picatiny rails if one chooses to put those on.

Installation of the new guards was also easy.  No tools are required as there no screws on the guards.  once inserted around the barrel they just latch together.  The guards have heat shields inside of them which further assist in keeping them cool, even when firing thousands of rounds. 

It is important to note that if the rifle's barrel is floated a tad more work is needed in removing the muzzle flash suppressor and reinstalling the original parts.

After installing I took the rifle with its new guard to the range.  It handled beautifully.  It was comfortable, it remained cool, and the texture on the bottom of the guards, under normal conditions retained its gripping abilities.  We shot the rifle from various angles, supported and un-supported, and in tactical scenarios.  The guards felt comfortable throughout.

Overall, I liked these guards.  They are a fresh change from the old format, tactically functional and ergonomically accurate.  If you own an AR-15/M-4 platform rifle you may want to check these out.  Masada Tactical will be carrying these in our pro-shop in the very near future.

Stay Safe!

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical, LLC
http://www.masadatactical.com/

Scenario Based Training

Scenario-Based-Training, or Reality-Based-Training, has been the rage for a while now in defensive tactics and self-defense training.  What the term implies is that training should be taken out of the old mindset of a "dojo environment" and applied in true situations.  The goal is to simulate the stress associated with true violent encounters, either by means of physiological stress or environmental depiction of where such an encounter may take place.

There are many individuals and organizations who took great strides in making Scenario/Reality Based Training better.  Some notable names include Semunition who make marking rounds that enhance the reality of firearms training, others, such as Red-Man and Blaur (High Gear) make protective suits that can be worn to allow individuals to engage in a more violent, and therefore real fight without risking injuries.  Programs are offered by many organizations who promote their courses as "street oriented", and by doing so shy away from traditional martial arts and more towards skills that are better suited for a true violent encounter.

We must understand, traditional martial arts have been around for hundreds if not thousands of years.  It served human kind well.  Wars were fought and won using these skills.  However, there are a few issues with traditional approach to battle: 

• Some skills were developed many ages ago and have not evolved since.  Unfortunately, the threats today, with the proliferation of firearms, concealable weapons, and gang/group mentality differ greatly from the samurai way of battle.
• martial arts is traditionally taught and practiced in a training hall, or "Dojo".  However, fights rarely take place in a controlled environment, where the temperature is just right, the floors are matted, and the training partner is careful to not hurt you while practicing a skill.
• And of course, the scenarios are limited or non-existent.  When was the last time you walked into a traditional martial arts school to find them training in how to defend against multiple attackers, while on stairs or in a parking lot, practicing ground fighting skills on actual pavement, incorporating training weapons, and most importantly: using vulgar language and demeanor as are likely to be exhibited on the streets?

Now, don't get me wrong.  Those of you who know me know that my background is traditional at heart.  I was brought up learning what I consider one of the original Mixed-Martial-Arts (at the time it was referred to as "Combined Martial Arts") with Skornik Israeli Combat.  And although progressive in its approach (combining skills from various disciplines, as well as weapon disarms), we still wore Gis (the traditional martial arts attire) and practiced katas.  I also trained in Judo and Hapkido.  Loved them all.  But the truth is that it wasn't until I enlisted that I realized that martial arts are one thing and practical combat is another.

Israeli Combat System is a progressive system.  We teach skills that are designed to work in true self-defense situations.  There is nothing pretty about it.  No fancy kicks, or flashy moves.  What we do have are skills that work.  And most importantly, skills that work under true extremely stressful situations.  And I am not just saying that, we do our  hardest to drive this point home with our members and client agencies.

We make every class a scenario based class.  It may be something as small as fatigue drills to assure that the skills can still be preformed when fine motor skills are lost.  But more often then not, we incorporate a lot more into our training.  We practice our ground fighting skills on the unforgiving surface of our paved parking lot.  We fight bare knuckles to learn what it's like to hit and get hit.  We fight on stairs, between cars, and place a heavy emphasis on the psychology of an attack.

And we are not making things up.  Our knowledge is rooted in experience.  Often times experience that was a hard lesson to learn.  Our cadre of instructors are former military, present law-enforcement officers, or fighters who earned their stripes the hard way.  If they say that stress will induce a certain reaction it is because they have seen it, done it, and learned from it.

For those who don't know we hold a weekly FIGHT class.  It is not a sparring class.  We do not meet for an hour with the idea that we'll go for 2 minute sparring matches wearing gloves and protective gear.  Sometimes we do, but that is not the norm.  Our FIGHT classes are divided into two categories: skills and scenarios.  During skill classes we pick a situation and learn how to defend it, for example: take down defenses, kick defenses, and even specific weapon defenses.  But the best part is when it all comes together during our scenario classes.  In these classes you will fight on stairs, be locked in a tiny room and have to fight your way out, be placed in handicap positions to simulate injuries, fight from seated positions, or have to protect a loved one.  That is when skills truly get tested.  After all, why learn self-defense if you can't test your skills in the scenario in which they are supposed to be deployed?

Our FIGHT class is every Tuesday evening at 6pm.  It is open to all members Orange level or higher and all sworn officers regardless of level.

Add some of our reality-based seminars, such as street smart and our Urban SERE and you will see how reality-based-training is taken to a level rarely seen in other training facilities today.

Tzviel 'BK' Blankchtein
Masada Tactical, LLC
http://www.masadatactical.com/