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RID Training - Day 1
The first half of the day was what I expected it to be.
We sat down in a ‘class room’, all 30 of us, and got nothing but lectures for 4 hours.
We were told that we’d have an hour long break and then half of us, squads 100-200 would be sent to the range and the other half, squads 300-400 would be sent to the Defensive Tactics room after our lunch break was over. They stressed eating light. Hmm.
So my entire squad decided we’d all goto a really close sit down food spot and eat a small meal.
Good deal. It was yummy and I had a normal sized plate.
Arriving back at the school my team went straight to the Defensive Tactics Gym, since I was on the 400 squad. The Gym was basically a Basketball court with a huge pull out soft mat.
The Instructors were looking at us with a gleam in they’re eyes, almost like we were prey. That feeling was soon acknowledged as they told us to remove everything but our shirts, pants and socks.
We were told to pair up into groups, which was fine. I happened to have a guy in my squad that I went to the academy with, same exact build and size as I was. 6’00, 185lbs.
We got into our groups and then one of the Instructors said to belay that order and instead we’d start off with a Light Warm up.
When he said “Light Warm up”, he really should have said, “We’re going to start you off with an Ass kicking session were you’ll be numb at best if you can keep up”.
Now, by no means and I superior in the fitness department. Sure, I can run with the best of them, but my strengths are shooting and fighting, not push-ups and flutter kicks.
In total we did about 300 pushups, 100 flutter kicks, 200 Side straddle hops (jumping jacks) and countless “fall on your front/back and get back into ready stance immediately” drills. Needless to say, I was already out of gas by the end of that little “Warm Up”.
Next we went into Ground Fighting.
They showed us a few moves I already knew and let us alone to fight our partners. When it came to that, I severely out skilled my partner and I kept using some more advanced techniques which the instructors yelled at me for doing.
My partner mounted me while I was on my back and I simply grabbed an armed and hooked the same side leg, tossing him off. Instructors told me that we weren’t up to ‘that level’ move yet.
I mounted my partner while he was on his back and his objective was to toss me, I just swam through his arms and laid my stomach flat on this chest while keeping my legs hooked between his, effectively suffocating him into submission.
Instructors said I was jumping the gun again.
Finally, an instructor decided to show me up and made me fight him.
Long story short, I did my best and came out with Five separate bruises on my arms and legs, and very sore at that. He not only ‘really fought’ me, but he also used pressure points… Yeap.. my 100% was his 30% I think.
So, utterly exhausted we were then sent to the gun range.
Excellent, something else I enjoyed.
We started off standing at the 7 yard line doing rapid action drills. Based on accuracy, the Instructors would move us left or right down the line, left being skilled, right needed help from an instructor.
Long story short, I ended up third man in line on the left with the two SWAT guys.
That’s when I started having magazine failures. I purchased 3 new magazines from a different company then normal since they had the ability to hold 17 rounds instead of 15… big mistake. I was down to one functional magazine almost immediately with the other two only able to hold 4 rounds before the follower, the thing that leads the bullets up and to the top of the magazine, would tilt forward causing the next round not to feed into the gun…
I managed but it was hard. My fingers we’re almost bleeding from having to reload so fast I barely had time to reinsert the magazine.
That’s when the range PT started..
Now, I was already out of Gas from the Fighting and now I had all of my gear on, Vest, Gunbelt, and TONS of ammunition in my pockets (at least 100 rounds). Now, ammo is VERY heavy… and I had so many rounds that getting up and sitting down were made ‘that’ much harder.
Instructor told us to get into a push-up position and then barked the normal, DOWN UP, DOWN UP. I was burned already so I tried and tried but soon my arms wouldn’t move anymore. I held my ‘up’ position and fought hard not to let my chest hit that dirt.
The instructor singled me out, “Hey Dash! Something the matter? You better get your ass in gear and get with the program! I see you didn’t prepare for this class!”.
I thought to myself, “I’m going to kill my SGT, would have been nice to know about this little PT aspect”.
I responded, “Sir I can do more Sir!” and tried my little heart out, pushing out half of one more.
He screamed, “Since Mr. Dash can’t do a f—-ing push-up, maybe we should do some flutter kicks”
Whew, I could do those..
PT continued like that on the range for another 30 minutes and then back to shooting.
Man of man.
Upon finishing the shooting session we were told to go back into the starting classroom.
They gave us a lecture on what to expect for ‘tomorrow’ and the lead Instructor stood up and pointed to 9 people in the class.
He said, “Everyone I just pointed too, don’t come back tomorrow.”
I was not one of those people.
In RID, everyone has their own roll. Everyone. Some people are runners, others are fighters, and some are shooters. I am definitely a shooter and I know my role, I think the Instructor saw that and let me slide on the Physical aspect.
Then, when it was time to leave, they told us to Form up outside and PT’d us for another 45 minutes.
I got home hurting all over and in a good amount of pain.
Four full days of this abuse left and I’ll be certified. I can do it and I’m going to complete the training. I’ll write about todays events when I get home.
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