Train on the Range

Written by Kenya McCullum

U.S. Department of Defense turns to private
sector companies to obtain the services and
facilities it needs - during the times it needs them.

“The military as a whole has the instructor capability, but the problem is that the subject matter expertise is spread out throughout all of the military bases or is deployed. A private company collects all of this talent, experience and subject matter expertise and makes it available to the government at a very comfortable rate,” said Brian Bonfiglio, founder of Eagle Rock Training Center. “This is a cost-effective way for the government to get the training that they can’t get within the military because once a unit is done and they’ve met all of their training expectations, they don’t have to continue to pay for the instructor.”

In addition to these financial concerns, private-sector-owned and -operated training ranges eliminate much of the administrative overhead and other complexities associated with teaching necessary skills. The red tape that bases would have to untangle can be tremendous as there are a number of standards that have to be adhered to in order to conduct training classes.

“There are things that we do at the range you normally wouldn’t see at a military range because of Environmental Protection Agency standards and safety or capability requirements,” said Tom Harm, vice president of International Training Inc. (ITI). “We provide solutions for all of those problems and follow EPA guidelines, OSHA standards and any other requirements that need to be adhered to.”

Harm also notes how easy ITI makes it for customers that use his facility when they come in for training. Trainees do not have to worry about bringing anything other than personal supplies—everything else is provided for them.

“We’re set up so that when the military sends a group of people, they can pretty much just arrive with their clothes,” he said. “We supply everything for them—the ammunition, the weapons, the cars—everything they need all the way down to hearing protection and eye protection.”

TYPES OF TRAINING CAPABILITIES

In order to prepare trainees for the realism of contemporary battlefield missions, the military often relies on training ranges to provide classes in several areas including driving, firearms and explosives, and security.

Driving. The driving courses at training ranges prepare soldiers by giving them access to the types of vehicles they will be using in the theater of operations— such as four-wheel-drive vehicles and vehicles powered by diesels—as well as a replica of the conditions that they will actually be driving in. Based on the specifications of the client, training ranges can create terrain that has any of the obstacles that soldiers actually face when driving—like gravel, mud, sand and water crossings.

The department’s surging interest in these facilities was evident when Force Protection Inc. recently opened its newly completed mine resistance ambush protected training and capabilities center. “Through the center, Force Protection will provide further pre-deployment training for produce end-users so that they are fully prepared to safely operate MRAP vehicles over rough terrains. The center boasts a full curriculum for armed forces, including a number of test tracks that resemble on-road and off-road terrain that troops often experience overseas,” read a statement provided to MT2.

Firearms and explosives, and security. For service men and women that need to learn or refresh their marksmanship skills with different types of weapons, training ranges provide large shooting areas where training audiences can increase their proficiency. In addition to being able to hone their skills with a variety of firearms, trainees can also practice shooting from vehicles and through glass, hitting moving targets, and assembling and disassembling the weapons.

Training ranges also provide soldiers experience with explosive devices, including how to store and use these weapons and how to investigate an explosion to determine what kind of device was used. These skills are particularly important for trainees that are being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, said Hanan Yadin, owner of Instinctive Shooting International Inc. (ISI)—a training facility that has unique knowledge of these types of threats because of the Israeli military background of the staff.

“We put an emphasis on a lot of critical elements that our experience enhances— and these critical elements are actually the ones that save lives,” said Yadin. “We come from an area that has been dealing with terrorism nonstop for the last 60 years—especially the Gaza Strip, which is the terror lab of the world. Everything that you see a terrorist use starts there. Because of our knowledge of this area, the experience we bring to training is very authentic.”

INSTRUCTORS

Instructors at training ranges have diverse backgrounds, including former military service and civilian subject matter expertise with teaching backgrounds. This combination of skills makes the learning process much easier for students and is an effective way to prepare warfighters for what they will face when they are deployed.

“We are teachers and are very well-versed in getting skills to the client with ease and with the ability to handle different learning styles. We are known for getting a client to think dynamically and independently in all terrain and conditions. This is in contrast to other driving schools that are basically teaching just specific things and not teaching the client to be able to adapt and problem-solve,” said Bruce Elfstrom, founder of Overland Experts LLC. “I have developed a curriculum that concentrates on method and a linear approach to skills training, which is more effective than other approaches.”

Another attractive feature of training ranges is the flexibility that they offer to military trainees. Customers have the ability to use the instructors’ expertise in order to develop training courses that are customized to their needs at any given time.

UPBEAT FORECAST

The private sector is expected to provide additional ranges-based instruction and facilities in the near future. Ivor Wigham, president, European Rally School & Motorsport Park, told MT2 that the majority of his company’s training “has been with groups from SOCOM: SEALs, Army Special Forces, Army Rangers, MARSOC [and similar units].” Wigham is also chief executive officer of the new International Security Training Center—a 25,000-acre facility near Warner Springs, CA.

He added his forecast, which is in harmony with his industry counterparts: “A lot of the training for these groups is outsourced; I think this will increase with the extra troops being deployed to Afghanistan. With our new facility being a one-stop shop, we expect to increase dramatically the amount of training we do. We also will offer many more varieties of training.” ♦

 Back to Top