A look into what we do and offer.
Lone Operator Series Course Purpose and Scope
The purpose and scope of the Lone Operator series of courses is to provide deploying elements with personal force protection fighting techniques and concepts in support of U.S. Government operations, activities and investments. The T3i Lone Operator series of courses meet the unique challenges of single or small operator teams in today’s modern threat environment.
T3i teaches the custom designed HITS fighting system developed over 3 decades by Henk Iverson. These courses use a methodology uniquely designed to train operators with a range of fighting experience to seamlessly integrate our fighting skills into the operator’s mastered skills and tactics knowledge.
The T3i curriculum incorporates a non-sport, street fighting system with the integration of Empty Hands, Edged Weapons and Combat Ballistic Weapons fighting strategies for the modern Special Operations low visibility soldier.
Training Methodology
Not all people learn the same way and at T3i Lone Operator we acknowledge that fact. Through many years of experience, we have found a middle path to assure that all students benefit from our training. The training methodology we use for our T3i Lone Operator courses is: EDIP
Explanation: Explanation by the instructors to WHY we use this tactic or technique
Demonstration: Instructors demonstrate the tactics and techniques
Imitation: Students imitate what was taught to them by T3i staff. Instructors oversee and correct any problems during this phase of training.
Practice: Students practice the tactics and techniques under the supervision of T3i staff. Repetition is reinforced throughout and the key to subconscious competency – our goal.
To augment our training strategies and techniques, we use a building block system where we add strategies only when students have mastered what was taught to them before. Each course day begins with a review of the preceding day's instruction and ends with a graded level qualification and stress shoot. We do not just check boxes. Our students leave with life long tactical knowledge and skills.
Lone Operator Series Course Information
All LO courses are 5 full days of instruction and are led by Henk Iverson and his cadre of HITS certified instructors at our training facilities located in Casper, WY (available 01 March to 31 October) and St. Augustine, FL. (year round).
Our minimum student course load is 10 and maximum is 16. Units bring their own weapons, concealment holsters, ammunition, simunition kits and rounds. Weapons type, ammunition type and amount vary by course. We have secure weapons, ammunition and sensitive items storage at both training facilities. Ranges, dojos, classrooms and improvised weapons workshops are all located in close proximity.
Lodging and meals are not included in the course cost. There are numerous hotels and restaurants in the vicinity of our training sites. Students bring lunch each day of the course to remain on site and maximize training time.
Additional details such as cost quotes, Student Guide to include detailed gear list and Daily Program of Instruction can be provided upon request once the participating units desired course, training location/dates and number of operators have been coordinated.
Courses and Descriptions
1. Advanced Force Protection in Hostile Environment (AFPHE) Course
The AFPHE is our foundational course. Operators will learn diverse skills ranging from deceptive striking techniques, hand power strikes, leg kicks, knife strikes, shooting integrated into hand-to-hand fighting, concealing and employing weapons in your clothing. The AFPHE Course is divided into modules to include: Street Fighting, Improvised and Edged Weapons, Ballistic Weapons Employment, Tactical Use of Cover and Concealment, Confined Space Warfare and Vehicle Fighting, Tactical Combat Medicine Under Duress and Integrated Scenario Fighting.
2. Advanced Combat Pistol (ACP) Course
The ACP is custom designed by T3i’s lead tactical instructor, Henk Iverson, and forms part of the HITS Fighting System. Through many years of real-world experience, we have seen the damage sport shooting techniques and tactics have caused our soldiers. Pistols are seen as a “secondary weapon” – and this cannot be further from the truth. If your carbine goes down, your pistol becomes your “primary weapon” in an instant.
If you work in an urban environment or in an austere environment, in civilian clothing, your pistol will almost always be your primary weapon. Pistols need a lot more training hours to master.
A shooting match is not a gunfight. If your leg hangs out from a barricade in a match, what happens? Maybe you will be penalized with overall time or points or maybe nothing. What happens in a fight for your life when you let your leg hang out from cover?
This training course teaches sensible fighting tactics and techniques with the combat handgun with real world fighting skills as our goal. All aspects of combat pistol fighting are dynamically covered, to include movement, multiple attackers, using cover in a gunfight, escaping life threatening situations, extreme close quarters fighting, fighting with one hand, wounded warrior tactics, low light/no light tactics, fighting in and around vehicles, integration of empty hand strategies, edged weapons and combat pistol shooting to name a few.
The ACP course is a dynamic, living being. We are constantly modifying and updating drills based on real world feedback and to keep up with the modern-day battlefield, enemy tactics, new gear, and firearms.
3. Advanced Combat Carbine (ACC) Course
This training course teaches fighting tactics with the combat carbine with all aspects dynamically covered, to include movement, multiple attackers, using cover in a gunfight, escaping life threatening situations, extreme close quarters fighting, fighting with one hand, wounded warrior tactics, low light/no light tactics, fighting in and around vehicles, integration of combat carbine and combat pistol gunfight tactics and more. The ACC training course is dynamic and physical in nature. As with our other courses, we are constantly modifying and updating drills to keep up with the modern day battlefield, enemy tactics, new gear and firearms.
In certain environments, Operators have the capability to covertly carry combat carbines. During the combat carbine phase of the ACC course, accuracy and ammunition management is stressed throughout. Resupply is not an option and backup may be hours away. Strategies for extreme accuracy are taught and tested throughout. Carry methods, the tactical presentation of the carbine under duress, sustainability, stoppage reduction, tactical movement, wounded warrior, tactics in and around vehicles are all part of the ACC curriculum.
Each student is put through rigorous tactical exercises to ensure that safety, marksmanship and tactical thinking is ingrained to the utmost. Students are taught how to stop a gun grab, defend against multiple attackers, escape strategies for small groups of operators, and how to fight effectively with a minimum amount of ammunition.
Scenarios are set up so that Operators will have to egress out of a disabled soft skinned vehicle, procure their carbines from deep concealment, use the vehicle as concealment to escape to cover, fight from cover, make extremely accurate shots under duress, manage minimal ammunition, apply tourniquets during a sustained attack, under duress, and still be in the fight. Students will deal with simulated eye injuries utilizing blindfolds over one eye as well as arm and leg wounds set up by a certified doctor.
4. Hard Targets Course (HTC) Note: HTC is only taught at our Casper, WY training location
The HTC is designed as a follow-on course to the AFPHE course and students must successfully complete the AFPHE course in order to attend. The HTC builds further, more advanced skills based on the AFPHE foundation. The HTC curriculum incorporates an advanced street fighting system with the integration of edged weapons, ballistic weapons, improvised weapons, and fighting strategies for the modern Special Operations low visibility operator. The HTC is scenario based training and all skills are thoroughly tested under extremely realistic operational conditions.
5. Improvised Casualty Care in Austere and Non-permissive Environments (ICCANE)
Built on a foundation of TCCC, this evidence-based medical course is designed to teach special operations warfighters the skills necessary to manage combat trauma in extreme resource-poor environments without the assumption of close medical support, ready air evacuation, access to resources, etc. Each block starts with a focused review of TCCC concepts and techniques, then quickly transitions to casualty care with little or no purpose-built medical equipment. There is a heavy emphasis on self-care for the lone operator as well as integration of tactics and soft skills to augment capabilities and circumvent challenges.
The 5-day course includes ongoing skills assessments, scenario-based training, live fire, force-on-force, field exercises and as much hands-on practice as possible.
Note: The ICCANE course can be condensed to 2-3 days if given immediately following a conventional 2-day TCCC certification course (with integration of live-fire and force-on-force throughout or at the end).