After Action Report – Team Leader Course by Von Steuben Training and Consulting LLC

What’s going on, Partisans??? Once again, I will be taking a brief detour away from fitness and health in this post, to describe my experiences participating in Von Steuben Training and Consulting LLC’s Team Leader Course on 5 – 6 March 2022. Then, I have the Brushbeater Human Tracking Course coming up at the end of the month, so I’m fixing to get back to fitness and health posts after that, around mid-April!

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Foreword

After several months of winter and laying in preparations locally, it was once again time for another training excursion from Western NY down to North Carolina, this time for the Team Leader Course, offered by Von Steuben Training and Consulting LLC (“VSTAC”). After a good amount of experience training with my local Mutual Assistance Group (“MAG”) in small unit tactics (“SMT”) over the 9 months or so (since having taken the Brushbeater Scout Course), I felt it was time to go beyond the roles and tactics of individual Team members in order to get the “big picture” view of training a Team, and instead get into SMT from the viewpoint of the Team Leader. In fact, my MAG decided to put off any additional SMT training until I went through the VSTAC Team Leader Course so that we could make our MAG’s approach to training more efficient and effective. As such, my hope was to walk away from the Team Leader course with a better idea of what skill areas in which to train my MAG, as well as how and when to best train in the selected areas – a tall order.

Well, the short of it all was that I wasn’t disappointed one bit. If anything, the VSTAC’s Team Leader Course was absolutely bursting at the seams with volumes of information, methods, and skills for leading a Team! In fact, there was SO much useful and relevant information to capture that my usual commando-level note-taking skills were really severely tested in this course like never before, as I furiously struggled to stay on top of the incoming volleys of key information. But as always, the hardships were well worth the effort!! And as such, this AAR will be a bit longer than average, in an effort to cover the mind-boggling volume of information and skills taught by Mike in the Team Leader Course, so please bear with me as you read!

The contents of VSTAC’s Team Leader Course could be summed up as follows: the Team Leader Course is a superb blend of SMT exercises at the Fire Team level (importantly, as seen from the perspective of both the Team Leader and the individual Team member), together with a parallel academic portion that teaches leadership skills and principles; best practices and approaches to Team training; and specific activities and styles that Team Leaders should use to best work with and train their Teams to maximum effect. In other words – exactly what I was looking for when I signed up for the course, and much more!

Truly, with his Team Leader Course, Mike of VSTAC has thoughtfully and carefully put together a perfect and relevant course offering ideally suited for civilian-side MAG Team Leaders. The course covers a wide array of specific skills, concerns, and approaches to leading a Team that truly ALL Partisans can benefit from taking, as I’ll explain in detail in the After Action Report below, using a brief day-by-day accounting of course events.

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4 March 2022 – Friday

A fellow Brushbeater course alumni friend of mine (whom I’ve done several courses with by now – always a good time training with him!) and I both arrived in the clear, pleasant mid-afternoon at the Team Leader Course training site, located in eastern-central NC, not far from Camp Lejeune. Mike of VSTAC and a third course participant (out of an eventual total of four) were already on location; Mike greeted us and gave us all the lowdown on what all was around the area, where the bathroom was, etc. We all got our shelters set up for the weekend and then spent a few hours hanging out and shooting the breeze while we waited for nightfall and Mike’s night vision / thermal imaging device demonstration.

Around 30 minutes after sunset, all who had them broke out their NOD’s while Mike provided additional NOD devices to those who didn’t possess any. Mike went over the differences between night vision and thermal devices, as well as different versions of each (for example, white vs. green phosphor NOD’s; brands; etc.); he also got into mounting options, possible applications, and other aspects of using these types of visual enablers.

In addition to familiarizing Team Leader Course participants with the said devices, the four of us enjoyed that unwritten but very definite benefit of hanging out after course hours by the campfire, which is always one of my very favorite features of any tactical training I’ve taken. Like all the other well-conducted training courses I’ve been fortunate enough to take, Mike of VSTAC effortlessly switched modes from “instructor” to “bro” after course hours, and so we all hung out as equals until around a rather late 2300 before turning in; our discussions included current events (always a hot topic these days), weapons, gear, and varied experiences. Things were off to a great start!

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5 March 2022 – Saturday

Saturday morning started off cold and crisp, but at least the clear weather was holding. Team Leader Course training began officially at 0900 that morning (in truth, somewhat later, since one member arrived a bit late due to not having been able to find the training site), starting with an academic portion in which Mike provided a brief overview of what information and battle drills the course would be covering. Mike also took the time to give a proper Safety Brief about potential course hazards, while also highlighting that, as Team Leaders responsible for the welfare of our MAG’s, we’d need to do similar briefs with our Teams in order to minimize/mitigate risks.

Next, Mike covered the organization of the basic 4-man Fire Team (as adapted from USMC Infantry Doctrine), who all composes the Fire Team (such as the Rifleman, Automatic Rifleman, etc.), and the written symbols used to represent them (as pictured in the opening featured image of this post). The specific roles of each member were also covered in extensive detail in this section.

Clearly, the Team Leader had the greatest number of tasks/roles to play, as Mike taught us. The Team Leader, who is responsible for the Fire Team, must be concerned with a wide-ranging variety of Team-related matters, such as:

• Training Team members – individually and as a group
• Controlling Team members via leadership
• Implicit vs. explicit communication
• Taking care of Team members
• Etc.

The discussion about the role of each Fire Team member also covered important details, such as: how much load each Team member should carry; the purpose of suppressing fire and achieving fire superiority; best rates of fire to use; the best weapons to use for each role; types of triggers to consider for different roles; the need for standardization of cartridges and weapon systems among the Team; and much more!

A particularly important requirement of leadership, as taught by Mike, is to control only a limited number of men (or Teams, for the Squad Leader), and also to delegate tasks to Team members; these promote maximum efficiency of training, action, and leadership. Mike explained that the Team Leader’s primary role is to manage his most powerful weapon, which is his Fire Team; that’s where the “Rule of Three’s” and delegation have a huge role to play, and Mike explained how and why in detail, while also discussing the pitfalls of micromanaging, and how to avoid it.

Written Symbols for Special Team Weapons

Next, we covered Team Special Weapons (as pictured above) and how to best employ them by the Fire Team. This academic portion covered Team use of:

• Machine guns/automatic weapons – different rates of fire; how to use a spotter; using machine guns defensively; etc.
• Designated Marksman – various roles in combat; weapon options; etc.
• Anti-Materiel Rifle (“AMR”) – unique role in defeating vehicles and equipment; different types of 50 BMG ammo; best places to aim the AMR for max effect; etc.
• Air Guard – In the evolving modern battlefield, Partisans must take drone warfare into account; Mike covered how to approach this, using electronic tools and other means to defeat; etc.
• Etc.

On top of all that, Mike even covered a range of other special, non-weapon tools such as radios, smoke grenades, whistles, optics, STANO Gear, and many other specialized pieces of gear that Team Leaders should be aware of and train with in order to improve the Team’s tactical game (I found this section of the Team Leader Course to be particularly illuminating).

Finally, after unloading all the aforementioned knowledge, the Team Leader Course then got to the first Field Exercise, which focused on Reacting to Contact. The exercise covered the following, in detail:

• Pre-Combat Check and Pre-Combat Inspection
• Immediate Action Drill: Reacting to Contact – Returning fire; bounding towards the enemy; Fire and Move
• Best cover options while bounding; member dispersion
• Leader assessment of Team’s suppressing fire effect
• Etc.

As I mentioned above, when it came to the Field Exercises, Team Leader Course participants rotated in the roles of the Team Leader as well as Team members, and were thus able to experience the action from both the Leader and Team member side. We also got a good taste of how to use implicit communications while Reacting to Contact, instead of calling everything out as we did it – that was pretty cool.

As should be the case, group cohesion started improving immediately with each successive iteration of the React to Contact Drills; by the end of this first Field Exercise portion, we were already executing operations much more smoothly, which was exciting and rewarding, and helped build a more “can-do” attitude amongst our Team. Mike also took the time after each round of specific drills to do a quick AAR about how things went and what could have been done better, which was very useful.

After the first Field Exercise portion came the Tactical Decision Game (“TDG”) portion of the course, in which Mike gave us a particular scenario as but one example meant to familiarize us with potential decisions and types of situations we as Team Leaders might encounter in the future. We were given 5 minutes to analyze the given scenario (pictured below) and come up with a way to approach the scenario’s dilemma. It was a fascinating exercise for my own brain, and equally interesting to listen to the solutions put forth by the other participants, most of which I confess I’d never have thought of. Mike also gave some possible solutions for that particular TDG, as well as highlighting some general lessons learned from it.

Tactical Decision Game

Then, Mike took the time to cover the importance of generally using TDG’s with our MAG’s in order to get our men thinking of how to resolve general tactical dilemmas, how those that came before us resolved tactical dilemmas, as well as for members of our MAG to expose one another to different, creative approaches that we could assimilate into our own tactical game. Mike also offered resources for obtaining TDG’s, as well as ideas on how to use them for our group.

Once again, yet more food for thought to carry back to our people at home! As you can see, there was just SO MUCH information to capture!!! By now, I was already at a saturation point for taking in new information, but too bad, so sad LOL! There was still much more to come.

Next, Mike got into how a Leader should actually train his Team. This training evolution covered training techniques to best conduct Team training, which was a mix of knowing individual member skills and abilities, and then to match these against the capacity of the tool/weapon or against specific skill requirements, as well as against the needs of the Team’s overall mission. This section covered critical individual Team  Member capabilities that should be known to the Team Leader, such as:

• Marksmanship Skills
• Discipline
• Physical Fitness
• Specialized Skill Sets, if any
• Etc.

From there, we got into how to make a training plan. Mike gave us a multi-step approach to formulating a relevant and proper training plan to include defining the specific overall mission, creating a Mission Essential Task List (“METL”) to organize and best direct all the training, and how to realistically and measurably approach the various relevant spheres of training that come with the overall mission, such as:

• Small Unit Tactics Drills
• Tactical Decision Games
• Patrolling
• Medical
• Physical Training
• Much more!!

This portion of instruction included best practices and suggestions that I’d never considered, such as coordinating free time to train with Teammates using tracking tools, (pictured below) and also spontaneously grabbing Team members to train vs. planning every event way in advance (only to then have people not show up or find reasons not to go – been there, done that!). Mike also got into the importance of allowing for creativity by the Team, so they could grow individually and also contribute to the collective Team with their creative ideas. I was really digging the fresh new perspectives on training, and I was already getting ideas as to how I’d proceed with my own MAG, which once again, was exactly why I took the Team Leader Course to begin with.

Team Training Tracker Grid

After all this, it was time for the second Field Exercise, this one focusing on Assaulting an Enemy Position. Here, we covered what to do after we’d established fire superiority and were ready to take the objective. This drill built upon the previous React to Contact/Fire and Move drill we had done earlier; we also covered post-assault follow-up actions, for example: consolidating Team forces; (L)ACE Reports; setting up post-assault security; and other key details.

The second Saturday Field Exercise also included Reacting to Contact for Near and Far Ambush drills, which was a pretty grim but important drill to perform; Mike covered the differences and proper Team approaches to each type of Ambush. Finally, we concluded with Breaking Contact drills, together with the attendant procedures and details. The weather had warmed up quite a bit, which brought out the freakin’ bugs in spades – and they were relentless.

Again, each participant in this small class was able to get a good number of “reps” in, both as the Leader as well as the Fire Team member; reps is what perfection is all about, right?

We were very comprehensive and finished our afternoon drills by around a rather late1800 hrs. Now, as if all that weren’t enough… there was still yet a nighttime training portion that evening in which we’d get Patrolling training using NOD’s and luminous tape/Cat Eyes. So we had a roughly two hour break to freshen up a bit, have our chow, and let our eyes acclimate to nighttime prior to setting out for the nighttime patrol training

The Patrol itself had two versions – one in which only the Team Leader had NOD’s, and the other in which all members had NOD’s (which Mike was kind enough to furnish once again). It was interesting and valuable to get hands-on experience with the NOD’s and experience them in use to walk through the somewhat rough terrain of the surrounding woods.

Finally, the training day came to a close at around 2130 hrs, after which we all packed away our gear and settled in around the campfire to hang out some more before turning in at around 2300 again. All in all, a super-packed and excellent training day!

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6 March 2022 – Sunday

Sunday morning was significantly warmer, but still beautiful and dry, although filled with bugs once again. In the remaining few hours of the Team Leader Course, there was still much to cover, and Mike delivered once again.

But first, Mike started the day out at 0730 with an optional 30 minute Bible Study, in honor of it being Sunday. To be honest, the Bible Study was one of my favorite elements of the Team Leader Course; it transcended the technical aspects of training and fighting to cover the SPIRITUAL aspects of training and fighting. The theme of the Bible Study was “The Godly Warrior”; Mike conducted the Bible Study by reading verses from the Old and New Testaments and historical accounts that spoke of warriors of the past anointed by God to do battle for him, such as King David and even General George Washington himself, which I especially liked. Relevant verses from Scripture and historical writings were covered at first, followed by a brief prayer, after which we covered more Scriptural verses, and we then concluded with a final prayer and got on with the business of the day. I was particularly moved by the Bible Study, as it reminded us of why we Partisans do what we do, and that we must always remember the noble purpose behind our efforts, as well as the place of Almighty God within the big picture.

Class officially began on Sunday at 0800, and the opening academic portion of Sunday started by covering how to lead the Team. We covered the 11 Basic Leadership Principles (adapted from USMC Doctrine) in detail, which quantified how a one goes about leading his Team, point by point. For example, the 11 Principles touched on the need to lead by example, and to make sound and timely decisions (among others). Importantly, this section covered some of the psychology of leadership, such as making Team members feel useful by including them in the training effort with any special skills they may have, plus many other good practices; this academic portion also touched on different leadership styles, along with examples, and when the different styles might apply.

From there, Mike got into when and why to conduct Team operations. Here, we covered appropriate timing of missions to mitigate risk and maximize Team safety, as well as justified reasons for conducting operations that might risk the lives of Team members; for example: Gaining/keeping support of the local populace; restricting the enemy’s ability to operate in your AO; harassing the enemy; etc.

Once we concluded that academic portion, we all suited up and headed out for our final Field Exercise of the course, which focused on Fire and Maneuver in detail. This set of drills once again built on the previous drills we’d done; Mike had clearly organized the Team Leader Course in a “crawl-walk-run” format, and by now, we felt quite prepared for bringing it all together for Fire and Maneuver.

Mike started out by using Toy Soldiers to convey the battle plan, in which we’d be conducting a Raid on an enemy position that had two machine gun emplacements and a mortar pit behind them (see photo below – Mike definitely employs Toy Soldiers very well for the purposes of the course!). This drill would include a Support by Fire and an Assault/Maneuver element, together with a Leader’s Recon, conference, contingency fallback and final planning, and Raid execution, followed by any post-assault action.

Field Exercise #3 – Enemy Position Using Toy Soldiers

This drill was a damn good time and was my favorite. Our Team covered the aspects of Fire and Maneuver with the various elements taking part, and we drilled this repeatedly. I’m pleased to say that, by the final run of this drill, we were moving like a well-oiled machine relative to when we first began our drills the day before. Our maneuvering and commands were tight, and our implicit command chops were on the money! It felt awesome to witness the different parts getting executed smoothly, and Mike even threw in some use of smoke grenades for added training and effect. Cool AF!

As always, Mike was on hand and carefully observing all the action in order to provide feedback, which was very useful and which offered nuances and details would make for a better outcome.

Following the drill, Mike wrapped up the Team Leader Course with an academic segment that covered the following:

• Defensive Fundamentals – how to build a defensive position and important defensive considerations; etc.
• Defense and Drones – how to mitigate thermal signature and the importance of taking them into account when defending a position
• Patrolling – Types of patrols; patrol formations (Toy Soldier representations pictured below); pro’s and con’s of different formations; when to best use each type of patrol; etc.

Toy Soldier Representation of Patrol Formations

Finally, after covering the course’s last academic portion, the Team Leader Course ended with an After Action Report at around 1230; we all parted ways, and I then headed home on my 12-hour trip back to Western NY. Of course, I made the MANDATORY stop at Waffle House (I fucking LOVE that place!!!) to have the customary 4 eggs over-medium, well-done hash browns and white toast with butter, and a bacon double cheeseburger with jalapenos on the side. I was also lucky enough to catch the awesome Freedom Convoy as it made its way to DC, since I was on I-95 North heading home. That brought a patriotic tear to my eye, and was a cool and appropriate bonus to an excellent training weekend, for sure.

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Afterword

Again, sorry for the lengthy AAR! This was my longest yet, and maybe the longest AP AAR ever? But it just goes to show how damned much information and skills are taught at Von Steuben Training and Consulting LLC’s Team Leader Course; it’s really beyond belief, but yet, all of it is useful, vital knowledge that every Partisan should know!! After all, as Mike conveyed to us, we should all aspire to be a Leader, and all of us can lead our Teams in some way or another, whether we are the formal Team Leader or not – an important takeaway of the course, for sure.

As for my Team Leader Course experiences, I feel Mike did a truly impeccable job in his role as the instructor. Mike is very patient and extremely knowledgeable not just about the immediate course subject matter, but about the context that comes with each subject area taught in the course. He’s obviously well-read in history, which helps a lot, and is also well-versed in various technical areas, such as strategy, shooting, radio, and many more; Mike brings all of this to the table in his instruction to make for an absolutely information-packed training event that is second to none in its quality. I’m really fired up for future VSTAC courses coming up (such as the Support Weapons Class in September 2022), and I just cannot wait to bring these skills and training back to my MAG! In conclusion, I highly, highly recommend that anyone interested in stepping up their Small Unit Tactics and overall Leadership abilities take the Von Steuben Training and Consulting LLC’s Team Leader Course ASAP. It’s truly worth every effort made and penny spent!!

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Anyway my fellow Partisans, I’ll be back in a few weeks with a new AAR for Brushbeater’s Human Tracking Course, as well as more fitness posts. Thanks for reading, everyone!