I said my goodbyes to all the guys who drove in for Training on Saturday morning and the rest of the guys loaded the van for the airport. We had one quick stop to make at a local Mall and I dropped of the AOT guys with Ben for a Reconnaissance.

Lots of backslapping at the airport, I picked up Pat who had attended last years April Course and said goodbye to a tough bunch of guys who had just completed Advanced Training.

A VERY memorable Class, we had been through much together in the past week.

Pat and I sped away to catch up with the others at the Mall. No rest for the weary, (ME, DIANE and BEN) Advanced was over and AOT was beginning…

I linked up with the rest of the AOT guys in the Mall Food Court and introduced Pat. After handshakes were passed around, I began explaining techniques for Surveillance/Counter Surveillance.  

I had explained to the guys that morning that Surveillance and Counter Surveillance would bring out a side of “Paranoia” they never knew existed in themselves.
It ain’t easy knowing that people in a crowd are watching and following you while you try and figure out who they are.

Is it and old woman, a guy in a wheel chair, or is it just coincidence that the person you just made eye contact with looked away quickly and is not involved in the Exercise.

The guys had been with Ben for less than an hour before I arrived and I began going over tonight’s exercise.
I’m not a big fan when guys aren’t paying attention as I speak and I corrected a couple guys by quickly explaining, “You’re gonna blow tonight’s mission… PAY ATTENTION…”

One quickly shot back saying, “Those two guys have been following us since we arrived…”

When I stopped laughing… I explained, “That’s how this game works, were alone and you guys are already Paranoid an hour into it.”

NO, NO, NO… we’ve taken their pictures… their watching us now… look at them… look at them…

There was nobody watching or following them but I had no luck convincing them of that fact.

We did attract the attention of a Mall Cop who professionally wondered what a group of big guys were doing pointing out stores, looking at reflections in glass windows, and taking notes.

It was time to leave before he confronted us and remembered faces. All part of Surveillance/Counter Surveillance, if he remembered faces and saw the guys again that evening, we could have trouble.

The purpose of the Recon was for the Class Leader to establish pre-planned points for the guys to position themselves at that night during the exercise and get a lay of the land.

In a few hours, at 1800, they’d all be in position.

Each one of my guys had a Bad Guy counter part and the numbers on both sides were equal with the exception a ringer we threw in. The “Ringer” came in the form of two nice looking young ladies who would pair with two of my younger guys and hopefully appear as a couple in the mall and not attract the attention of the Bad Guys.

Hopefully… They would go unnoticed…

In position at 1730, Ben began the Operation at 1800 by walking in McDonalds at the food court and meeting our “Friendly Agent.”
“Joe,” as part of the scenario, was a deeply implanted agent in a major Terrorist Organization and known to the Terrorists as “Zack.”
Zack was a trusted and senior member of the Organization and would “Feed” us information through the week that would ultimately lead to the location of “Taka Gah.”  

The guys had two Missions that night.

1. Follow and protect Ben.
2. Identify and photograph suspected Enemy Agents with Zack.

The catch… If you ID someone incorrectly; if you photograph someone who is not involved in the Operation; if you let “Paranoia” get the best of you… YOU FAIL THE EXERCISE…    

Let the games begin…

Zack and Ben conversed at the food court for a while before moving around the Mall.

We had guys playing video games in a nearby arcade and watching the pair inconspicuously…

So did the other Team…

They had guys eating in the food court and watching the pair…

So did we…

It became clear that the Bad Guys picked out the same spots as our Class did and the guys were “Danger Close...” Don’t draw attention, be a good actor.

As Ben and Zack began moving through the crowded Mall the others followed and camera phones began snapping pictures.

A few lessons were learned that night.

1. Turn off the sound a camera phone makes if you’re right behind a suspect…
2. Turn off the flash on the Digital Camera…

As all were moving trying to be stealthy and inconspicuous, a BRILLIANT FLASH lit up the Mall attracting the attention of EVERYONE...

That was a bad thing…

Two hours later, Ben and Zack exchanged information in a clandestine hand-to-hand exchange and separated leaving the Mall.  

Back at the Cabin, the guys laughed and joked about the adventure and began describing to me who was involved from the other Team.

An Asian guy with a Pony Tail??? “No,” I replied.

He was wearing a “Marine” shirt… He had a beard??? “No,” I replied.

A short black girl with a blue shirt??? “No,” I replied.

Blue jeans, black shirt… A tall white guy??? “No,” I replied.

They did guess right on about three of the Bad Guys… The Bad Guys nailed about three of ours…
We were dead even…

The next morning after PT, Ben and myself began teaching the guys how to escape from restraints.
Handcuffs, leg irons, shackles, flexcuffs… You name it; we taught them how to escape quickly from them…

They built “Escape and Evasion” kits into belt loops and seams on their cammies hiding various small objects that would hopefully go unnoticed during a routine search if they were captured during the week.

The whole week would be spent working undercover for the Surveillance Exercises during the day by gathering intelligence and hitting a Target at night from the intelligence they gathered.
Hit the Target… Get more intelligence for another Target… Hit that Target… Get more intelligence for the next Target…

By weeks end… They should know the location of "Taka Gah.”

Their Final Mission… Assault Taka Gah, and put the Terrorist Organization out of business for good…

One more thing… DON’T GET CAPTURED…

During breaks between the training on restraints all I heard about was “who was who” last night? They were convinced I was up to something and lying about who was involved in the exercise.

Ben began teaching the “Close Quarter Combat" after lunch; during breaks the “who was who” kept rearing it’s ugly head again… and again… and again…

I met and coordinated with one of the key role players for the exercises to coordinate the next days Mission. He’d been in the Mall and was no more experienced than our guys at Surveillance/Counter Surveillance.
As I extended my hand to greet him he exclaimed, “Did you have guys in the Olive Garden today???"

OK… This is getting out of control, I thought…

Eating lunch with his girlfriend, he was convinced he was being Surveiled by us.

We were 20 miles away blindfolded and in handcuffs while he was having lunch…

I had to do something as the “Paranoia” thing was out of control on both sides.

I took “Chris” and sat him in a chair with his back turned in the shadows of a dark storage shed we have and put a balaclava over his head.
I called in the Class and told them Chris had been in the Mall and will answer questions without giving up his own guys.

He’ll rule out the non-players only…

It started… Fat guy, short girl, black shirt, hooded sweatshirt…

Very entertaining stuff and a surprise for the Class as Chris would answer “No,” and the guys would universally reply, “Damn… I was sure he/she was involved in the Exercise…”

Chris, not being totally prepared for the whole back-turned-balaclava thing, would sometimes hesitate slightly when they did describe someone on his Team. It was enough hesitation for the guys to figure a few “who was who…”

Satisfied… The Class began to leave when Chris loudly said; “I have a few questions for you guys myself…”
Red t-shirt guy… shaved head dude… standing by the escalator with sunglasses…

It seemed my guys were not prepared either and would hesitate and look at each other smiling when he guessed right.
It was enough hesitation for Chris to figure out a few of our guys as well…

A big laugh for all, much Paranoia vanished as well and that was a good thing. They’d need to push past that mental block of “I’m being watched by EVERYONE,” and stay focused during the week.  

The Class spent the rest of the day and well past dark honing Close Quarter Combat skills, and Ben worked them hard. The week would be a complete mess without Teamwork and plenty of it…

They’d need a good nights sleep and a good plan using what they had learned so far. Their first Target was VERY HIGH PROFILE and we’d need to hit it quick and I’d drive the extraction vehicle "LIKE I STOLE IT” trying to get out of the area before the Police were called.

The Target was in a local Strip Mall, and we’d hit them in broad daylight carrying machine guns and wearing balaclavas at 10 am in the morning. Any bystanders that witnessed the “Hit” would certainly call the Cops…

I’d worry about explaining my actions at the Police Station later if we were caught…

As real as it gets… We’d need speed, surprise and violence of action to pull this off.

I would tell nobody outside of the Class what we were doing, and let the chips fall were they may.

Getting “Caught” would be a Bad Thing…

Tomorrow morning was their first “Hit...”

We blew off PT on Monday morning and began prepping for the “Hit” early. Matto shows the guys a solid First Phase BUD/S PT during the first week. On Sunday morning of AOT, Ben showed them a standard SEAL Team PT and it had taken its toll.
SEAL Team is the only place you can show up at 0700 in the morning feeling fresh and rested; by 0730 your shirt is covered with snot and vomit, as the PT’s are brutal and lengthy.

Ben gave them a solid “This is what you can expect at SEAL Team for PT,” and on Monday morning, each man’s body was very stiff and very sore.

Ben’s favorite display of pain during the hour and a half PT session is any exercise and doing 230 of them. 230 push-ups, 230 sit-ups, 230 jumping Jacks, 230 whatever…

Ben’s BUD/S Class was Class 230…

Zack had passed Ben the message below, that gave a “Coded” address for their Target and the number of suspected “Hostiles” they could expect on the Target. After figuring out the simple code in a couple minutes, the Class began planning the “Hit.”

1:22 is my flight arrival time if you wish to pick me up. Before arriving, can you contact father and explain my decision to leave his side. After spending much time caring for him, little time has been spent talking care of myself. Together, we can do much good for those less fortunate. Too many others have tried and failed this endeavor.  Lesser men chastise us for our belief in compassion.  Even though most would never undertake such a large undertaking… Fewer still will seek the reward we seek. Instead my brother, let us fault them not. Everything we have spent a lifetime doing, has now confronted us. Like mother explained… Don’t try to understand them, because they don’t understand you. Before closing this letter dear brother remember… Love all others… Violence only comes to the unbelievers. Don’t worry… Simply forget the past. Our day has come dear brother. Ultimately… Take control of our blessed situation. Heaven is where we are headed… 3-5 days from now we’ll reunite. Take care dear brother. After everything we’ve been through… Nothing can pull us apart again… Great things await… Only time will tell our “Successes.” zack

Ben would take one guy with him and watch the Target building from a Kentucky Fried Chicken parking lot close by. Using binos, they’d positively ID the suspect from black and white surveillance photos Zack had provided Ben in the Mall and call in the Assault Team.

We weren’t after the suspect… We were after what he was supposed to be carrying.

If he had a package when he arrived, Ben and our Trainee would radio us in the Helo Bus a mile away in another parking lot and we launch the Assault.

In position before 0900, we got the call from Ben and our Trainee that Zack and another “Unknown Hostile” had arrived at 0930 and were in the store.
Another call from them at 0945 that our suspect had arrived and that he had a package in his hand.

The suspect was scanning the area closely and was not going inside.

We have a problem…

We’d need to take him inside the store, as “Hitting” him outside would attract too much unwanted attention. It was bad enough that we’d be exposed entering and leaving the store all geared up for the Assault… We’d need to do this thing FAST…

The other problem was too much coffee in the morning, and the guys continued to piss in water bottles over and over waiting for the Hit.

Lesson learned… Don’t pound too much fluid before an Assault…

The next call I got was that the suspect entered the store and I fired up the Helo Bus and gave the “Two Minute Warning” as I sped out of the parking lot toward the Target Building.

Our Trainee gave the “All Clear” sign as I pulled into the parking lot of the Target Building indicating that no one else had entered the building, and that no one had left. The “All Clear” should have included bystanders as well, and the guy walking his dog nearby was about to get a fee show into the World of Special Operations…

I drove around the back of the building and yelled “30-Seconds.” This was the signal for the guys to ready their weapons and pull their balaclavas over their faces. I pulled up to the front door and yelled, “Go.”

Spilling out of the Helo Bus in a tight, neat Assault order, they quickly “Stacked” on the door and made entry in seconds. I entered last, as the Assault Team threw everyone in the place to the floor and began searching them while the rest of the Team quickly cleared the remaining rooms in the Building and set “Security” on all the doors.

Zack was one of ours, but he needed to be treated like a “Hostile” to ensure his “Cover” wasn’t blown, and he was thrown to the floor like the others and searched.
The “package” our suspect was carrying was found and checked to ensure we had what we needed, and I yelled how much “Time” we were pulling every thirty-seconds.

My final call was “TIME ON TARGET: ONE MINUTE THIRTY SECONDS,” and the guys were stacked and security was collapsed at the front door. They quickly moved out to the Helo Bus and we sped away for home with what we came for.

With the final “All Clear” given by our Surveillance Team, they broke off as well and took another route home. We held our breath until we were clear of the City and high-fives with much excitement took over the Class.

The brazen daylight Raid was a MAJOR shot of Adrenalin and very successful.

The “Package” contained aerial photos of another Target Building concealed deep in a vast wooded outlying area and far away from the City.
It also contained photos of a British Scientist who produced and sold “Dirty Bombs” to Foreign Country’s hostile to the United States.

He’d already sold one bomb, and the Intelligence gathered showed he was making another at the Facility. He had a large group whose sole job was to protect him at “Any Cost,” and the date for delivery was two-days from now.

During delivery, we could expect to be vastly out numbered by Hostiles…

The Mission… Recover the “Bomb” during delivery; Kill the Scientist…

The rest of Monday morning was spent in a “Restraint Exercise” that had the Class trussed up in every conceivable way. As soon as one guy got out of his restraints, he’d begin helping others.
Guys became so good, so fast, that they’d be out in mere seconds. The entire Class would be free in less than a minute.

We’d work them hard throughout the week on escaping restraints and evading capture.

Who knows??? I might just be working them hard for a very good reason…

We had scheduled “Close Combat Shooting” for the afternoon but the rain fell heavy all day and we taught the Reconnaissance Class and prepped for the evening “Hit.”

Another message was delivered from Zack and given to the Class to be deciphered. The below message contained “some good news, and some bad news.”
The good news was the Target was a 52-year old woman who lived alone. The bad news was she had a dog.  

During the ‘Hit,” the Class would discover the “Good News” was the “Bad News” as the 52-year old woman was a FIGHTER.

The “Bad News” about the dog was the “Good News” as the dog wanted nothing to do with the Assault Team and only wanted to save his own skin… His Master was on her own…

Below is the “Coded” message they received…

425 is the new area code where Sarah lives now. Arriving here is a breath of fresh air and the climate is warm. Never have we seen this kind of beauty since we left Denver dear brother.  Every time the sun rises, my thoughts turn to you and Richard. Soon we will all be together again. Other than the beauty here, our church is grand and a warm welcome is given to all new arrivals.  Not to worry dear brother, you’ll feel right at home…Remember to call and let us know your arrival time. Do you have everything packed? 52 “Years” is a long time brother. Often my time is spent thinking of all those many years of separation. From now on we will be together. Even when exhausted from my job as a Mailman, my time is spent in deep thought dear brother. After so many years, Linda has agreed to come as well for our reunion. Even she believes we are doing the right thing.  Don’t worry brother. Others will never understand our plight. Going slowly is the best move we can make. I vow to help you. Never forget that dear brother. Simply remember the good times you and I shared in Denver. Everything will work out. zack…

After “Test Firing” weapons and rehearsals, the Class loaded the Helo Bus for Insertion at Sunset.

The plan was as simple as they come.
Insert the Assault Team near the Target House…
Send out a Recon Team to have a look-see and find a way inside quietly…
Call in the rest of the Assault Team and “Take Down” the “Hostile...”  
Get the Intelligence we came for…
Call for immediate Extraction…

While the plan was simple enough… It would become anything but SIMPLE as the Class would quickly figure out that “Anything that can go Wrong, will go Wrong…”

It was about to become a long night for the Class…

Quietly slipping in the Targets yard, the Recon Team began searching for an entry point. Finding an unlocked window, they decided to use it and would assist one of the Assault Team through it, and he’d open a locked door for the rest of the Class.

Watching the Target through a crack in the mini-blinds, she was watching TV and soon went to bed. The pre-planned signal was a green lens flashlight that would signal up the remaining Assault Force from their concealed position a hundred meters away.  

Problem was… with streetlights in the area and headlight reflections from passing cars, the Assault Force believed they saw the signal and moved quickly into position around the house.
With everyone there, the chances for compromise were heightened and the decision was made to make entry early.

Helping one of the guys through a small-unlocked window, he quickly opened a sliding glass door and the Assault Force was on their Target faster than a Hobo on a Ham Sandwich… The fight was on.

Being taught to only use as much force as necessary to subdue a Hostile, the Class was also taught not to dick-around either and risk blowing the Mission. As the brawl continued, the Class got serious and had her in flex cuffs soon.

They were also taught to say little when on a Target and keep talking to an absolute minimum. A voice cracking; a voice that’s excited from adrenaline, a rapid-fire voice that shows fear; all these are heard by a Hostile and processed by their brain.
If the Hostile senses apprehension, confusion or fear in the voice of his captors, they may try something stupid.

Keep your mouth shut…

A couple reasons for wearing a balaclava in the first place are certainly to conceal the identity of the wearer for one thing, but mainly it’s for intimidation and to conceal facial expressions. When someone can only see the “Eyes,” and not be able to read the face of the wearer, it’s powerful stuff…
They have no idea what you’re thinking, how old you are, if you’re scared, of if you have an unthreatening boyish face behind the balaclava instead of what appears to them as “The Grim Reaper” has just arrived and I’d better just comply.    

After demanding the Intelligence they knew she had, the Target screamed and carried on that they were at the wrong house and demanded to know who they were and what this was all about.

A very convincing show… everyone kinda stopped and looked at each other with a puzzled look of “are we at the right house?”

While the puzzled looks continued and everyone began second-guessing themselves, one of the guys noticed what they were looking for on a coffee table.
Checking the package, they called for extraction…

Problem was… They were supposed to call for extraction when they entered the Target house and not after they were finished.

I called “Ten Minutes for Extraction,” and began moving the Helo Bus in their direction from miles away.

While waiting for me to arrive, they just kinda stood there looking at her on the floor. Being a polite Class, I’m sure most of them wanted to compliment her home décor and taste in nightgown style. I’m also sure if they released her while they waited, she would have made something for them to eat.
As I arrived, the Class began moving to my position for extraction. As they were leaving, the Target YELLED, “ARE YOU GONNA GET ME OUT OF THESE THINGS.”

They cut her loose and we left quickly…

Tuesday morning had Ben leading PT again. Rope climbs and pull-ups, he worked hard on upper body but Ben gave each mans other parts a solid, well-rounded, snot-blowing workout as well.

After a great lunch and much reminiscing about the last evenings Hit, we loaded up and went to a new shooting area for “Close Combat Training.”
Using a couple AR-15’s and 9mm pistols, we set up and began demanding drills to improve shooting skills. With the groups “tightened up,” we began a few “Stress Courses” where the guys would do push-ups and deep knee bends to elevate the heart rate before running to the firing line and engaging Targets for accuracy.  

After a few hours and a pile of spent rounds, I placed small targets that when hit with a bullet, would explode in a deafening “BOOM,” and a brilliant flash with plenty of smoke.

Safely conducting another tough shooting evolution, the Class cleaned up and we departed for home and Mission Planning for the nightmare of a Target they’d hit at sunset.

Prepped and briefed, each man knew his job and the job of the others. The plan was again as simple as they come; insert near the Target, patrol to the Target, recon 360 degrees around the Target, regroup, disseminate information they learned about the Target to the Assault Force Leader, make a final plan, brief the plan, and execute the plan.

As simple as is sounds… it ain’t…

Arriving in the Target area, pairs were sent out to sneak around the entire Target in broad daylight. While the front of the Target was clearly visible, and plenty of Bad Guys were moving around and conducting Patrols, they’d need to see all sides to ensure they knew where all exits were.
Also important was that nothing BAD was in the rear of the building they hadn’t seen.  

Initial planning before they left was to sneak a Sniper Pair in close before sunset to shoot the Scientist before the Assault began.
Their primary Target… the Class would work hard to ensure the Scientist did not escape.

Ben went in with the Class, while I would monitor safety and ensure a fair test was given to the Class and the Opposing Forces who had worked their asses off to provide a GREAT Target for the guys.

As I drove up, the OPFOR went nuts diving into concealed positions and surrounding the bus with all weapons shouldered and ready to fire...

“Be cool dudes, I’m alone…”  

They insisted on searching the bus believing the Class might be hiding behind the seats.

While the OPFOR were as paranoid as they come, it was not without good cause. Each time we HIT them during any of the different courses, I challenge the Class to find a “Clever” way of doing it.

We’ve posed as fisherman, we’ve posed as Pizza Delivery dudes, we’ve hit them from the North, from the South, and from the North and South simultaneously.

We’ve infiltrated their Team with our own guys; we’ve hit them by Zodiacs from the water, from vehicles on land, and from the land and water simultaneously. We’ve also sent out Snipers early to radio their activity and pick off a few before the Assault begins, and Trojan Horsed them with guys hidden in the trunks of cars..

In short… they never have a clue of what we’ll do next, and it FREAKS them out…

The BIGGEST part of the FREAK FACTOR is the one thing we always do… We ALWAYS come at night…

I entered the building of dim lighting and blare of Middle Eastern music. I assured everyone that I was neutral in the exercise and that I’d let the chips fall where they may.
I was taken to the Dirty Bomb they had constructed complete with small flashing lights in its core, and realistic laboratory they had built for it.
 
Very, VERY, impressive job and much work, this would be the best Target ever Hit at Extreme SEAL. It was also the toughest and the guys were out numbered 3:1.

I met the Scientist who was Active Duty Navy and was dressed the part. A white lab coat, pocket protector with plenty of pens, he looked just like what you’d think a Scientist would look like. Clean-shaven, very short hair, even his face fit the role, as he just looked intelligent.

When I explained that he was the Primary Target and that the Class would shoot him on sight, the intelligent look on his face vanished is a nanosecond and he quickly grabbed a second pistol and shoved it in his pants.

I didn’t tell the OPFOR, but the plan was to begin the Assault at 2100 sharp. As darkness fell, the Bad Guys became noticeably more nervous and the patrols and outside activity stopped.

None of them wanted to leave the building knowing the guys lurked somewhere in the darkness.

Coming up with a creative plan during the Recon, it was decided that two of the guys would turn their cammies inside out in and try to look like the OPFOR and attempt to infiltrate the Bad Guys for some close shooting that would begin the Assault.

Doing the best they could to disguise themselves, the pair began walking into the Hornets Nest ready to open fire while the rest of the Class watched the show and waited. One of the guys even found an empty Coke can and acted like he was drinking it as they nonchalantly sashayed into the large group to further the masquerade.

The deception worked like a charm as they walked within spitting distance of the Bad Guys…

Well… it almost worked like a charm until the “It’s a Small World” thing bit them in the ass.

As they walked up to the group, they hesitated instead of just opening fire as close as they got. The OPFOR just thought they were a couple of their own guys who had shown up late for the fight and were looking for direction on where to position themselves.

One of the Bad Guys asked them, “What are you guys doing?”

They replied back with, “Joe sent us.”

Problem was… It was Joe they were speaking with.

Joe replied, “I’m Joe!” and the gig was up as the Bad Guys knew immediately who they were and both sides opened up on each other beginning the Assault.

The lengthy and painful firefight was on…

I ducked down in the building trying to avoid being shot. A large warehouse filled with furniture, tables, and woodworking tools, the Bad Guys scrambled behind them all getting out of the line of fire.

The Scientist became unglued and dashed for cover. Not satisfied with his choice, he moved again and again trying to hide. Finally he decided to settle in the area I occupied and we were both COVERED up with the painful projectiles as the Class lit him up...

With the Scientist down, they just needed to recover the Bomb and extract to complete the Mission.

Problem was… The Bomb was located smack in the middle of them and the Bad Guys and the fight became brutal.

Several of our guys had taken refuge behind a wooden bar. I was unfortunately between them and had the Bad Guys behind me. The Class had turned the light off in the building when they entered and all that was seen in the darkness were flashlight beams and lasers from the weapon optics bouncing widely and calls for Teamwork from both side as each worked hard to maneuver against the other.

Crouching in continuous pain from being shot so many times, I wondered if I was being deliberately targeted by both sides as BB’s stung my front and back over and over again.

I wasn’t even armed…

I figured out why after the Assault was over… I’d been video taping the fight and my camera has a “Night Shot” on it.  Filming the Good Guys in front of me, all they saw was a small red light from the camera and believed it to be a Laser from a Bad Guy weapon. Turning around to film the Bad Guys behind me, they thought the red light was a Laser from the Good Guys weapons.

I was chewed to pieces…

The Class finally secured the Bomb and called for extract. The fight went on for a half hour and both sides took heavies.

When clear of the Target and we had a good head count, I called both sides together for a big laugh and plenty of backslapping. Before we did though, I yelled for each man on both sides to not reveal their faces to the other side.
With balaclavas on us, and masks or smocks the other Team wore, they carried on for a few minutes showing wounds from the projectiles and asking “Who was behind this and who was behind that” during the fight.

Tomorrow was their final Surveillance Exercise and hopefully the Assault on “Taka Gah,” and neither Team would do well if the other Team got a good look at their faces…

Tomorrow would be tough…

What the Class didn’t know was just how tough it would be.

When they’d finally finish... 34 hours later... each man would agree that this Exercise made Hell Night look like Band Camp.

A TOTAL Test of what a man has inside himself, tomorrow would be the “Toughest” thing each man in the Class had ever endured, and the “Toughest” evolution we’ve ever run at EXTREME SEAL.

Ben and I had been planning this for months and it was going to SUCK…

The biggest SUCK would come from not knowing what was going to happen to them next, or when the NIGHTMARE would end…

Tomorrow would be FILLED with suprises.

Up early on Wednesday, the guys woke to rain and Ben gave them another tough PT to begin the day as it fell heavy from the sky. The weather reports called for it to stop by noon just as their final Surveillance Exercise would begin.

Joe would use my EXTREME SEAL van to transport his Team to the Oceanfront Boardwalk for the Exercise driving on a route from the west, and he’d park a half-mile from us. I’d drive from the south in the Helo Bus with the Class.

Hopefully neither Team would see each other until the Exercise began.

I had separately taught Joe’s Team Surveillance/Counter Surveillance a couple weeks before the April Class arrived. My guys got the class the day they showed up for Training and today would be their biggest test of “Staying Cool” under pressure…

Each of my guys had a Bad Guy counterpart and Joe had placed three women on his Team to make things harder on us, as my guys were expecting men. Neither Team was sure what the other Team looked like, and much time had been spent by both sides deciding on what to wear that they could reverse or change during the Exercise.

It was IMPORTANT to be able to change their appearance during the Exercise…

Each Team would do four different runs for the Exercise. They were all given “Coded” messages that gave them a start point for the Exercise and Joe’s Team would “Post” first.

Each of Joe’s Team would go to a specified location from the message and stand in the open for 15 minutes. They posted in front of specified Statues, at specified Buildings, and other specified landmarks I gave them.

They were “Not” to hide; they were to make themselves “Clearly” visible to the other guy looking for them.

For each of Joe’s Team posted at different locations along the Tourist Strip, they had a counterpart from our team who would have the same message and would go to the same location.
The trick for our guys was to stay hidden and blend in. Move slowly to a place they could watch the specified location and ID the other guy or girl waiting there.  

“DON’T LET THEM SEE YOU WATCHING THEM.” "DON’T GET TOO CLOSE.”

After 15-minutes, Joe’s Team would leave the location and just walk around for 45-minutes while one of my Team followed them.
They could eat at McDonalds, buy a shirt, get some ice cream… Whatever they wanted to do and wherever they wanted to go for 45-minutes.

The job of Joe’s Team was to use techniques I’d taught them to “expose” who was following them.
The job of my Team was not to get “Made” or busted by his bad guy counterpart.

A VERY difficult Exercise for both sides, at 1200 we began…

After the “Paranoid” first run was completed at 1300 everyone went back to their separate rendezvous point and received another message to decipher.
It was my guys turn to “Post” for 15-minutes at a location, and Joe’s guys turn to follow them.
On each of the four different runs, I set it up that neither Team would follow, or be followed by the same person twice.  

Each run we did, they’d never see the same person twice…

If anyone had problems, they were to call me or Joe and we’d “Reset” them and continue the Exercise.

The biggest problem we had were both sides calling us and saying, “Nobody’s following me…” We’d call the person following them and ask if they were on their “Target.”
Every time we did, the response back was, “Yep, I’m on him.”
We’d then call the Target back and say, “He’s on you, he’s just doing a GOOD JOB at what he was trained to do.” “Continue the Exercise, you’re being watched, don’t get paranoid.”

We did have a few other problems though. One of our guys decided to change his appearance a bit and had his belt off and pants wide opened. When he turned around a Cop was watching him. Being the oldest guy in the Class and in that position, I’m sure the Cop thought he had a Pervert exposing himself to passing Tourists. After careful study though, and an “I’m stupid, but I’m not doing what you think I’m doing” smirk from my guy, the Cop drove away…

The next problem was all about my video camera and me.

I was standing at an intersection trying to capture some of the Exercise on tape when two young and very nice looking girls walked out of a store behind me and straight into the camera view while I was filming two of the guys.
Being “Vain” little twats, they immediately thought I was capturing them for my private pervert collection, and I quess it may have looked that way.  

I continued filming as they walked away sneering at me…

A few minutes later… here they came again as if they wanted to confirm me as a “Dirty Old Man.” What the two dumbasses didn’t know was that they were walking side by side on the busy street with one of my guys, and behind them was my guy’s pursuer.

I continued to film as they sneered at me…

Crossing the street, my guy walked into a store and his pursuer stopped outside the store and waited. So did the girls… A complete coincidence, I kept filming and they had no idea what was going on and thinking that I had nothing better to do then hang out filming young girls…

One finally flipped me the “Finger” and they left… I was sure they’d call the Cops, but they never did…  

If the footage looks good though… I’ll Youtube them for the AOT Class video…

With the exciting second run completed and both sides getting a chance to follow and be followed, it was time for the “Cleaning Run.”

This time each Team would “Post” again at a different location and with a different pursuer. The purpose of the first two runs was to ID who was following them, and to follow without being caught.

The “Cleaning Run” would be much the same, EXCEPT the purpose of the “Cleaning Run” was to lose the pursuer.

They’d have 30-minutes to do whatever it took to lose the other guy except running away from him of her.

They could enter a restaurant and go out the back, they could jump on a Trolley, go up alleys… Whatever it took to lose the other guy… Do it…

Joe’s Team posted first for 15-minutes and the Exercise began. 45-minutes later, my guys posted for the other Team and the Exercise concluded when they finished…

It had been an exciting Exercise that screamed “PARANOIA,” and everyone did exceptionally well.

We called everyone together from both sides for a big laugh. The cat and mouse game had been going on since Saturday night at the Mall and everyone finally got a good look at each other.
Even with not knowing what the other players involved look liked until just then, much camaraderie had been built between them and all became friends through a shared experience…

All good friends now… in a few hours they’d meet again at “Taka Gah,” and all bets were off.  

The Class had worked their asses off all week to find the location of Taka Gah, and how many Terrorists the location held.

They had a pounding PT that morning in the Rain, and I figured they walked about 5-miles during the Exercise. What they didn’t know was that their version of Hell Night had begun that morning, and it was about to become much worse tonight.

This Class was about to endure a Hell Day, Hell Night, and another Hell Day all rolled into one.

No cold water, no screaming in the Bullhorn by us, no squirting them with a hose; none of the typical Hell Night stuff we do…

They just needed to follow Ben and myself, and do what we told them to do…

It was about to get very ugly, very fast, and they hadn’t even “Hit” Taka Gah yet…

The schedule on my website reflected nothing about any form of Hell Night or asskicking during the AOT Course. Anyone who knew me, or had been to a course before, should have known that there was NO WAY they were not going to do something that SUCKED OUT LOUD and in a BIG way before graduation.

One of the Class Studs told me when it ended, “If you would have told me what we were going to do, before we did it, I would have quit before we even started…”

The guys began to doze off during the ride back from the Surveillance Exercise, and I hit every bump in the road to keep them awake. For the final Exercise, for all the hard work they had already put in, for the final “Death Blow,” I’d need them very tired and very hungry to get the effect Ben and I wanted.

Arriving back, they began to prep Mission Specific Gear for Taka Gah, while Diane put out a spread fit for any mans last meal before execution.

I briefed Taka Gah to the Class and they made final assignments. The plan was for Ben to insert them at 2100 near the Target, while Id arrive early to ensure the set up was complete.

Believing big in “First Impressions,” when they saw the Target I wanted them to immediately think, “HOLY SHIT, WHAT THE F**K IS THIS AND WHAT THE F**K IS INSIDE.”

Our TV Show on the Travel Channel “EXTREME ADRENLINE RUSHES” aired at 2000 that night. With weapons test fired and assignments made, the guys filled my living room and we watched the show together.
Actually, we watched it a couple times because we couldn’t get Jay to shut up each time his face appeared on the TV. Jay has NOOOO problems mugging for the cameras and saying what’s on his mind.

Jay actually got more camera time than I did…  

I received the call that the Class had inserted and were patrolling toward the Target. I did a final sweep and watched Bad Guys scramble from room to room trying to find a good hiding place.
The Bad Guys were FREAKED…

I met the guys quietly on the front porch to capture the “Entry” on film. I whispered to the Pointman, “Do this thing quick, and do this thing quietly.”  
They slowly moved to the front door and “Stacked,” passing the “Thumbs Up’ that they were ready.
Each man ducked his head in case of flying glass, and Jay fired the breeching charge.

When the “Shot” went off it RATTLED the Bad Guys beyond words and the fight began. They achieved the element of surprise; teamwork was now their best weapon.

One of the first “Lessons Learned” this night came from the Number 1 man on entry. He learned that “Modern” doors have a thing called a “Door Knob.” It’s a thing you twist to open the door.
While his method of shoving his fist and arm through the glass on the door worked, he also could have just twisted the door knob and saved me a few bucks…

Making a beautiful entry, the Class was met by a WALL of BB’s from a dark room in front of them. With a few of our guys down, the rest pulled together and knocked the shooters out.

Black lights brightly lit up glow in the dark messages of praise for bin-Ladin and his Taliban followers that were painted on the walls. Bright strobe lights blinded the guys, and the rooms were all lit with red and green lights, while Middle Eastern music blared in the background.
The place was as CREEPY as they come…

They now held the first two rooms, and quickly cleared an adjoining bedroom. Holding security on what they had taken, it was decided quickly to clear the upstairs before continuing with the rest of the house.  

Trying to get up the stairs was the challenge, and upstairs held a pile of Bad Guys not about to let them up.

They tried a few methods and remained calm during the fight. No idle chatter, Tex kept them working together as a TEAM and by virtue of that, the Bad Guys were outmatched and didn’t stand a chance.

Securing the upstairs and recovering the well-protected Dirty Bomb that had been sold, they proceeded clearing the rest of the lower floors.  

Breeching another door, they entered a Bee’s Hive of Bad Guys that shot the HELL out of the entry Team.  Keeping “Cool,” the Teamwork continued and they secured the entire house in about 10-minutes and whacked 15 Bad Guys.

Close in work, it wasn’t over yet; they still had to clear the old slave quarters, a barn, and stables that were ALIVE with Bad Guys determined to hold their positions. The work for clearing those would be at longer distances.

Bad Guys Snipers pinned them down several times in the darkness outside. They worked as a TEAM though, and maneuvered like pros. Outmatched again, the fight was over about 20-minutes later and all the Bad Guys were down.

The Class had taken Taka Gah…

I yelled “CEASE FIRE,” and called in both sides for some final backslapping and handshakes. The two sides had worked hard all week and I was very proud of both Teams.

Joe set up a few scenarios and all continued to shoot each other for another hour and just have fun. Ben and I left to get a few surprises ready; we’d be back in an hour.

Pulling out, I was met by two Sheriffs who had received a call about activity on the abandoned farm. As they got out of their patrol cars and scanned the thirty plus guys wearing Taliban clothing and balaclavas carrying weapons, the first Cop remarked, “Looks like fun!”

Very cool guys, it’s nice having such a good relationship with local Law Enforcement when running these courses.
I’ve said it before… If you don’t have a Cop friend, you need to get one…

Ben and I arrived back at Midnight sharp, and the OPFOR left the Target. The Class was alone with Ben and myself on a very dark chilly night, and the first of many surprises for the Class began.

Those surprises would continue for the next 15-hours.

Not a beating, no yelling by us, no cold water, they simply had to do what we told them to do, or they could just quit and leave.
A very well thought out series of tests, all of them had a well thought out point.

Every single one of the tests was designed to be meaningful, and to teach a valuable lesson of overcoming adversity and pulling out inner strength when it was needed during life’s endless challenges.

I was giving them a “Gift;” they just didn’t know it at the time…

I was also going to starve and utterly exhaust them past what they thought was possible to endure. The hardest part of the entire 15-hours would be that they would never know when it would end, or what they were doing next.

I would say nothing and we’d see how they did at the finish.

At midnight, Ben lined the Class up and said “two words” to them…

Those “two words” completely wiped the smiles off their faces FAST…


I know all my email subscribers expect to read about what happened during the 15-hours of HELL the Class went though after Taka Gah. It was actually a lot longer, as it began the morning of the Surveillance Exercise. The Class just didn’t know it…

With the AOT Course a MAJOR success, I’ll not spill the beans about what happened that night and the next day to the Class. I’d just ruin it for others in future AOT Courses.

I’ll say this though, at its conclusion, we all went home to Diane for a well-disserved “Gut Bomb” of spaghetti. With a full belly… Ben, myself, and the entire Class was asleep in minutes after eating…

I had decided to blow off the AFF jump scheduled for the AOT, and elected “Vehicle Interdiction” and Sniping from Helo’s instead. A BAD ASS day was planned, and we bought a 4x4 Jeep on Thursday just for the occasion.

Up early on Friday, the guys didn’t need any PT that day after what they had endured the day before. We rolled out as the sun rose on a beautiful day in a convoy of vehicles, weapons and bullets.

We set out ten targets for the guys spaced ¾ of a mile along the muddy clear-cut. Our trusty Helo Pilot Dave would make gun runs along its length as the guys engaged the Targets with “Live Fire” 5.56 weapons.

Dave was scheduled to arrive at 0900. He called at 0830 and said he was preparing to leave and asked if I wanted a second Helo for the day as well. He explained that another Pilot was doing some Training nearby and could join our merry group of Commandos if I liked.

OOOOO HELL YES I DO…

Both Helos arrived and the HOOT began. The guys had done great treating the weapons with MUCH respect through the week, and safety wasn’t an issue with these guys.

We had a BLAST flying past the Targets at high speed and firing the weapons until they were too hot to touch. Each man kicked ass and a great time was had.

We began the “Vehicle Interdiction" runs after a couple hours. A couple Bad Guys would drive the 4x4 like they stole it through the deep mud as the Helo gave chase.

One of the Snipers in the Helo would fire a blank7.62 round simulating knocking out the engine block and disabling the 4x4.
The Helo would land and the Snipers would rip the Bad Guy from the 4x4. Each man did a couple runs in each position, and we then included the “Tom Car” as a second chase vehicle.

Bad Guys in the 4x4, Snipers in the Helo; we gave chase and forced the 4x4 past the awaiting Good Guys hidden in the woods. With all in pursuit, the Sniper would fire the shot and hold security from the air.
The good guys in the Tom Car would then capture the Bad Guys.

A wild day… we briefed for the final evolution and threw the guys out of the moving Helo for a chilly dip, and ended AOT casting each man into the water…

We cleaned gear, and graduated AOT Class 0409 late in the afternoon.

The evening was spent catching catfish from the pond, eating oysters and the huge spread Diane laid out that night, and singing as Ben played the guitar and banjo…

The strange thing about this place is that it always changes. The Training is never the same, as I always find a better place to train and more diverse things to do with each course.

The first thing I tell each Class arriving here is that I’ll take this Course as far as “You’ll” safely let me. I fear nothing, and I have the confidence, knowledge, and skill to pull off the most dynamic Training outside of actual SEAL Training.
I also have Diane, Ben, and a cast of SEAL Instructors that PUT THE F**K OUT for guys who come for Training.

The BADASSES who took the first AOT Challenge set the bar high for future guys coming here, and I feel I did them much justice in return. TEAMWORK works both ways here, from the Class and from the Instructors.

In the end… we’ll all get it done together…

Below is the Youtube link for the AOT Class video. Have a good look at Pat smiling as he jumps from the Helo and remember that look of confidence.
Pat came for the Advanced Course here last April, and completed AOT this April.

Much bigger and much stronger than last year… Pat has joined the Navy at 17-years old and is headed for BUD/S. A very likable guy who never stops smiling, he’ll be embraced in BUD/S by the Instructors as a guy they will want in SEAL Team…

If the Instructors like you at BUD/S, you’ve already won half the battle.

If they don’t like you, you’ve already lost the fight and you don’t even know it.
It’s only a matter of time before the dream ends for your career in SEAL Team…

On a final note… I bought Diane a new vehicle the other day. I tell her it’s hers, but I really need it for the courses as well. A “Small World” thing again, the young man who was selling it was the Son of a very good SEAL friend of mine.

Jerry and myself SUFFERED terribly together in the miserable deserts of Pakistan and Afghanistan for months. We struggled in the terrible heat and endless misery in two of the biggest shitholes the World has ever produced.  

Jerry took very good care of the vehicle, and I related a few Jerry stories to his Son. Rommie choked up and told me his Dad had called him and said he was coming home in a few days from Iraq.

Six-hours after receiving the call from his Dad, my SEAL buddy Jerry was killed in Combat…

Kick Some Ass…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQG8ti-Clvk