Fit 360: GBF Operation Contact 2024

TRAINING LEAD-UP

Monday, Jul 22:

Yoga for Hamstrings & Upper Back Love | Yoga for Back Pain with Adriene

Tuesday, Jul 23:

Glute and pec PT v2 in 28:17, HDT IR17-18.1.2 (core & legs) in 41:46

Wednesday, Jul 24:

100 rounds of dryfire with the Ruger Precision Rifle, alternating double high kneeling on a wobbly high stool and standing on a stable bannister.

- practiced my shot process with dialing before moving

- practiced doing wind holds left and right, to get used to using stadia

My old rifle felt light compared to the newer one, almost as if it was an AR in comparison.

The Vortex bubble level was also much more intuitive than the electronic Send-it level.

GBF OPERATION CONTACT

GBF expanded into the tactical event space last December with Operation Shooter. This would be their summer event, which would be more team tactics oriented, and a little less competition-oriented, although they'd still be scoring some events.

This event started on Friday evening, instead of Saturday morning. You had to stay onsite, so that you could get a more immersive experience, as opposed to a little vacation day trip where you went back to a hotel every night.

Friday Night Nav

The first event was a night navigation exercise, which was briefed at 9pm. We were split up into teams of three. We were shown three points on a map of the Sawmill Training Complex grounds, which we could takes notes on. When we found each flag, we had to take a selfie. Once we found all three points, we could return to the lodge.

Before we left at 10pm, we had to load up our rucks with 50# dry, bring a rifle, and cover our faces, necks, and hands with camo paint. I volunteered to be the team leader for our group, since I had done the December event and have been here before. One of the guys had also been here before, and knew some of the route, which was nice. We decided to go on the slightly longer, safer road-based route, vs a possible trail that would go along the creek, since it was more obvious where the road led. At the creek point, we came across the teams that had gone the shorter way, which was pretty much all the other teams, and then we went back to get the bus point on the power line. The third point was at the back gate of the property, and although we had been last place before, we made up about half the spots in the field by bushwhacking from the back gate back to the lodge.

We finished in less than 90 minutes, which meant we got to shower and then sleep for about 4 hours.

Saturday Morning PT

At 5:30am, we met for an hour of body weight PT and relays. I wore MACV2s, which was good for protection against the dew, but they were heavy to sprint in.

Event 1: Endurance

After breakfast, we had our first real event, "The Endurance", which was similar to one we had done in December (the one where I got my face bloody).

We had to ruck 2.3 miles with 25#, with 3 mags of pistol and 3x10R, plus the weapons. We went along the road to the back gate and back, instead of through the creek like last time. The surprise was that when we got back to the lodge, we were told to drop our gear and repeat the movement but slick.

Once you got back from the run, it was time to kit up for the shoot. From 50yd, you have 1 min to shoot 10 standing rifle at the red chest bullseye, mag change to 10 kneeling a the red chest bullseye, mag change to 10 prone at the red head bullseye.

We were allowed to remove the ruck on the clock if we wanted to. I chose to do that, to try to help with my shooting.

Last year, I had tons of time left but made zero hits, so this time, I focused on getting fewer but quality shots off. I was excited to get 4 hits this year... that's not a lot, out of the 20 that I attempted and the 30 possible, but that was actually tied for second. The best person made 5 shots, one other person made 4 I think, and many made 2, 1, or 0.

Event 2: Assemble & Assassinate

With 3 full mags of rifle and pistol but no ruck, we had to run to the top floor of the connex, fire on 4 targets with 3 shots each, then run down to range 5. You had maximum of 1 mag of rifle to engage the connex targets.

At range 5, you stripped and reassembled pistol and had to make 12 hits alternating on left and right targets. Then, run to range 8, strip and reassemble rifle, and shoot at 5 targets L->R, 3x through.

Rifle from the connex wasn't easy and I went through the full mag with 1 hit that I still had pending.

Pistol was ok on the left target, but missed more on the right one for some reason (used 20 rounds).

I used 25 rounds at the rifle assembly stage.

I had the fastest time by 30s at the time, and maybe one other person beat me in the end, but there were some disputes about wait times, so that was unclear. Fortunately, this wasn't a scored stage, so it didn't matter. Gregg likes to make it ambiguous about which stages are scored, so that we always try our best.

Rotation 1: Dry Fire

With rifle and no mags, we practiced bouding in pairs and in two pairs.

I learned about the benefits of running in high port so that if you fall, you fall into prone, with the gun pointed at the target, vs muzzle down.

It's also a good idea to zig zag as you bound forward, so that you're a harder target. Just be sure not to bound into your buddy's line of fire.

Also, it's good to change mags before leaving your safe spot. You don't want want to get caught running dry when you're supposed to be covering your buddy.

Rotation 2: Rest

Rotation 3: Run & Arcade (my name for it)

With pistol and up to 4 full mags, run 1 mile, for time.

On the beep, shoot at a 6 plate rack at about 15yd, and then a 6-arm Texas Star at about 10yd.

I ran at about a 9:15/mi pace. I had an aluminum mag stuck in a rifle mag holder, but that was so light that it jumped out during my run. Lesson learned. Fortunately, I still had 3 other mags. I just had to not miss as much.

I braced for the plate rack but not for the star, which was oriented a bit higher. It was fine, since the targets weren't as far away as they were last year.

The Carry

With a 25#R, rifle, pistol, and 3 mags/caliber, carry your buddy with your full kit and their full kit. It ended up working out ok, even with all the extra weight.

Afterwards, go prone, load, and shoot L->R on 3 targets, 3x through.

Run up to the first block and shoot at a red steel 3x.

Run up further to the second red circle steel and shoot it 3x too.

I was perfect on rifle but used 9 rounds for my 6 pistol hits, due to heavy breathing. I was pretty efficient with my movements and prep, though.

Optional Live Fire Contact Drill 5-5:30pm

With a 25#R, rifle, and rifle mags, on "Contact", fire 6 rounds at a big white circle steel.

Move to the first barrel and go prone, and shoot the second steel target once.

Low crawl forward to the second barrel and shoot at the 3rd steel 2x.

Low crawl aaaaalllll the way to the left side of the bay, and from the 3rd barrel, shoot the 4th steel 3x.

Low crawl forward some more and shoot the 5th steel 4x.

Low crawling is fatiguing!

Maintain muzzle discipline as you low crawl with your hot gun.

Second Optional Drill

No ruck, but drag a cinder block, with only the first 2 barrels in play, to change it up

Rappelling @ 7:30pm

Always a cool experience! I had to go single rope to make it easy enough for my low body weight to go down with gravity. If you're light, you have to make bigger throws with your right hand, almost to the point where your arm is upwards like the Statue of Liberty.

I was a bit braver with big bounds this time.

Night Nav #2

We went out in pairs of our choosing this time. It was originally going to be an individual exercise, but they decided it would be safer in pairs.

We had four points to find, named after Gregg's adorable dogs. We got to take a picture of the map this time, to use as we navigated.

We only had to carry 20# for women, 30# for men, plus the rifle. The rifle is always fun to carry at night.

Teams were told to go to different points first, so that it wasn't a big "follow the leader".

We took the long range trail this time. We looked at the wrong turn onto the long range the first time, but went further and found the point at the next turn.

We got the next point further on the long range.

Then, we found a trail back to the road with the bus, and then we found the one by the pond.

We covered 2.85 miles at a 19:18 pace, which wasn't bad. We finished at 11:10pm.

Fake Sunday Morning PT

My partner and I were the only ones who thought Gregg was serious about there being 5:30am PT in the morning. We were already to go, but we were the only ones there. I had a good time stretching, though.

Live Fire Contact Drills

We finished the event with live fire contact drills.

We first did dry fire bounding in pairs.

Then, we did live fire bounding in pairs.

We did lateral break contact drills in sets of 2 pairs, first dry, then live.

We did just the break contact part live at the end, with smoke grenades.