AAR: NSR Consulting Solo Structure Strategies 1 - 23 March 2025

[Batteriesnare]

Date: March 23, 2025
Class Title: NSR Consulting - Solo Structure Strategies 1
Instructors: Mick and Jeff

Overview:
On March 23rd, I attended NSR Consulting's Solo Structure Strategies 1 class in Fountain, Colorado. The class was designed to teach practical skills for clearing structures, focusing on both deliberate and hasty clearing techniques. With only two students in attendance, the experience provided plenty of opportunities for hands-on practice, repetition, and individualized feedback. Instructors Mick and Jeff fostered a positive, ego-free learning environment, making the material accessible and applicable, especially for those without a military or LE background.

Class Breakdown:
Morning Session: Classroom Instruction and Shoot House Introduction
The morning session began with classroom time dedicated to discussion of safety, mindset, tactics and Colorado use of force law. Mick led the discussion of the first three topics, with Jeff covering UOF and its application to what we?d be practicing later in the class, as well as in our homes. Following the classroom, we moved into the shoot house and received introductions on handling L-Shape, T-Shape, and 4-way structures/intersections. Mick and Jeff provided concise explanations and demonstrated techniques for navigating these structural configurations. The session emphasized situational awareness and efficient movement, allowing the students to practice each approach and receive direct feedback.

The shoot house facility was outstanding and allowed Mick and Jeff to set up multiple structures between exercises and the students to rotate through different scenarios and get immediate hands-on experience. This setup created a dynamic environment where we could continuously be exposed to new structural problems to consider and navigate through. I particularly appreciated the opportunity to have direct discussions with Jeff on a couple of setups that I struggled with initially - he was very patient in helping me break down all the considerations so that my brain could absorb the material, without being pressured for screwing it up in several attempts.

Mid-Day Session: Systematic/Deliberate Clearing
After a break, we moved on to systematic clearing, focusing on methodical room-by-room approaches. Mick and Jeff emphasized the importance of thoroughness and situational awareness, teaching students how to clear structures deliberately while minimizing risk. The targets throughout the house were constantly varied between threat and innocent targets, requiring us to determine whether we needed to engage verbally, or engage with fire. I appreciated our discussion on verbal interactions and how the ordering of words can have very different meanings in a stressful environment.

Afternoon Session: Working with Closed Doors and Hasty Clearing
The afternoon session shifted to door considerations and hasty clearing techniques, where speed and efficiency took priority. A key focus was working with closed doors, teaching students how to open and clear them effectively while maintaining awareness of the overall task. With this in place, we moved on to hasty clearing and the balance of risk and speed when moving towards a stimulus (screaming and gunfire). This hands-on portion allowed the students to practice dynamic movements and tactical decisions in real-time scenarios, making use of the facility's diverse range of setups. We completed three hasty clearing scenarios each, with opportunities for debriefing and feedback after each run.

Key Takeaways:

• Instructors' Approach: Mick and Jeff were approachable and down-to-earth, fostering an environment where students felt comfortable asking questions and receiving constructive feedback. Their teaching style was engaging and effective.
• Material Accessibility: The material was presented in a clear, approachable manner, making it easy to apply for individuals without a law enforcement or military background. The real-world applicability of the techniques made the course accessible and valuable for anyone looking to improve their structure-clearing and awareness skills.
• Professional Facility: The use of a professional training facility greatly enhanced the experience. Multiple structures could be created between exercises, providing a varied and realistic environment for practice. This setup was invaluable for reinforcing the techniques learned throughout the day.
• High Value: The class provided exceptional value for the tuition and experience level of the instructors. The smaller class size was also beneficial, allowing for increased repetitions and personalized feedback.

Conclusion:
The Solo Structure Strategies 1 class was an excellent learning experience, thanks to the high-value instruction, the professional training facility, and the hands-on nature of the course. With Mick and Jeff's expert guidance, the class was both informative and practical. I highly recommend this course for anyone seeking to improve their structure-clearing abilities in a variety of scenarios and look forward to retaking this class along with the force-on-force version/level 2 class later this year.