By Tammy Kovaluk, MTI Contributor Grit, resilience, hardiness, and mental fitness are a few commonly used words to describe mental fitness for the tactical athlete (9). These commonly used terms can all be the difference makers in achieving success or not, for both enduring the intense physical training and in handling job requirements. In […]
Knowledge
5 Mistakes – And 5 Successes – From My First Year As A Basic Training Instructor
By Piers Edlund-Field, MTI Contributor A year ago I was promoted into the NCO ranks and was tasked with instructing on a Basic Military Qualification (BMQ) course, AKA bootcamp. After one year and three courses, I’ve compiled a list of five of my mistakes – and five of my successes – from that short period. […]
Adaptability, Discipline, Deception and First Strike: Warfighter Lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War
By Evan Ringel, MTI Contributor “In order to construct this decoy OP, you will need a shovel, a thermal blanket, and a candle.” As the Lithuanian Reconnaissance Platoon Sergeant continued with his block of instruction on decoy OP emplacement, my Soldiers were stunned at the simplicity and ingenuity. During a two day training operation, the […]
Re-imagining Policing: Using the JSOC/CIA F3EAD Model to Lower Crime
By William Gage, MTI Contributor May 2, 2011, Operation Neptune Spear. The raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. Much has been written about the raid conducted by U.S. Navy Seals of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, or DEVGRU. There was even a Hollywood movie about the raid titled, “Zero Dark Thirty.” Most of […]
Including subordinates in tactical training event design offers considerable learning opportunity for both student and teacher
By Zach Roberts, MTI Contributor When I was selected for my first SWAT team I was met with the statement “congratulations for making the team, you should keep your mouth shut for at least six months.” Even though I was fairly fanatical about my membership in this new group, I was basically along for […]
Implementing an Essentialist Approach to the “Big Army”
By Matt Lensing, MTI Contributor Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Michael Grinston recently told Army leaders to skip annual web-based mandatory training, and instead, “set priorities for your organization and fight for it.” While this may seem like he’s stating the obvious its actually not what most Soldiers experience in conventional “Big Army,” […]
Wildland Fire Rapid Extrication Module: UTV Rollover Preparation and Mitigation
By Joe Poulton, MTI Contributor In 2019 on the Wildfire Lessons webpage Travis Dotson wrote an article titled How We Roll. In it he brought up that fifty-nine percent of 2018 rollovers were Dozers and Water Tenders in that 2018 year there was also a UTV and an ATV. At the end of his article, […]
Q&A 10.20.22
QUESTION 33 y/o Deputy US Marshal and reserve EOD tech. After a real stressful year I put on 35 pounds and ended up in abysmal shape. I am finishing week 5 of bodyweight beginner, looking for direction with limited equipment plans. My running base isn’t where I would like so I was looking at the running […]
The Dangers and Consequences of Chronic Sleep Deprivation in the Fire Service
By Jim Spengler, MTI Contributor There is an inextricable correlation between inadequate sleep and detrimental health outcomes. Fire service culture and wellness programs have done little to address the omnipresent problem of sleep deprivation. MTI publications describe the burden of constant fitness and individual responsibility towards one’s fitness. Understanding and taking steps to mitigate guaranteed […]
Fighting your Circadian Rhythm: Dealing with the effects of disrupted sleep cycles on willpower, and the knock-on effects to your physical training and diet
By Trent Gardner, MTI Contributor Introduction In 2015, I started working a position that required 24/7 coverage. To ensure a fair distribution of the downsides of late-night work, my organization implemented a rotating shift pattern, requiring an 8 hours shift in sleep schedule every six weeks. Unsurprisingly, this continuous cycling led to a chronic disruption […]