| While I have no doubt you are an experienced trainer, I have to wonder
why anyone would want to come to Thunder Ranch the way you talk about them.
Having pet names for groups of people -- "gun camp junkies" -- (Reality
Check, March/April) and then putting it in print would discourage anyone
with any previous experience from coming to your class. The muzzle tucked
into the groin technique that you did not want to give a name to, is obviously
"SUL" as L.A. SWAT refers to it, or the "safety circle" as the N.R.A. refers
to it. You really should learn more about a technique before you put it
down. If the students were pointing the gun at their groin or their feet,
then they were not doing the technique properly. Law enforcement instructors
do a lot of things differently than civilian instructors, but our main
goal is safety, for police and the public. Done properly, the "safety circle"
is one of the safest ways to handle a firearm in a crowd. I would like
to be there if you ever care to show L.A. SWAT (the invento r of the technique)
its shortcomings.
Jim Bledsoe Southern Calif Clint Responds: Dear Mr. Bledsoe, "Gun Camp Junkies" is a term of endearment. It is not demeaning. Many of my students attend many schools and this is a name they have given themselves in good humor. As far as position "SUL" goes, Max Joseph created it, not LAPD SWAT. I disagree with any technique advocating I remove my visual contact
with a known -- or perceived -- threat (i.e. safety circle). And, you are
correct about there being a difference between LEO firearms instructors
and civilian instructors. A big difference is if a civilian student gets
killed in civilian
As far as teaching L.A. SWAT anything, I wouldn't be so bold. But part of that stems from the fact their representatives and I -- who I have trained with in rifle and other matters -- seem to get along just fine. As a side note, I phoned Scott Reitz, who is the Primary Firearms Instructor for the LAPD Metropolitan Division, and he said: 1. LAPD did not invent the SUL. 2. LAPD looked at the SUL technique and disregards the technique and concept. 3. LAPD does not teach the SUL. On May 20, 2003 I talked to Mr. Max Joseph in regards to the position SUL. Mr. Joseph outlined several points of interest: 1. He and Alan Brosnan of "TEES" developed the concept of SUL in 1997. 2. SUL is Portuguese for "South" or in this application, "down" or "muzzle down." 3. Many of their clients speak Spanish or Portuguese. 4. It is a simple command to stage, set or reset the muzzle direction. 5. It was developed for personnel armed mostly with handguns. It's a handgun position primarily -- minor modifications are necessary with long guns -- but they still use the term SUL. 6. It is designed for transient movement of personal in, and around, each other in team concepts. 7. It is applicable in close confines to keep muzzles off of themselves and other team members. 8. It is also used to maintain domination of unfriendly, but not necessarily violent, groups of people. As an example: if shooter ONE was holding an area of responsibility and shooter TWO needed to pass in front of shooter ONE, shooter ONE could lower or tuck the muzzle into a position where, during this action, shooter TWO was not covered by shooter ONE's muzzle. 9. It could -- and should be practiced -- but is not intended, needed or required for regular static range work. 10. SUL applied properly, is not intended to, or does it cover, the
person holding the gun or those around them. And, to clarify things, SUL,
as used by my "gun camp junkies" that day in class, was done incorrectly.
They were indeed pointing the muzzles of their respective handguns at their
feet,
Respectfully, Clint Smith Clint also received the following from Mr. Alan Brosnan, an associate of Max Joseph's: Greetings from Brazil, Position SUL, is not a classic "gun ready" position, but rather a "gun safety" position. It was primarily designed for the Brazilian officers as they poured Out of their SUVs on missions in the slums. Their muzzle control was atrocious, and since Max and I were in the SUVs, it did not take much brain power for us to create a solution to this evident problem -- be it right or wrong for many of the US instructors and critics. I think most of them thought it was a substitute for a classic "gun-ready" (position 3) position and that is where the confusion came in. The position has taken off very big among the law enforcement and military we teach in the US. After they understand the concept, it's hard for them to disagree with it, especially since it affects safety - predominately their own! Stay safe, Alan Brosnan For more information, contact, Tactical Firearms Training Team, Max
Joseph, 16835 Algonquin St. Suite 120, Huntington Beach, CA. 92649;
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