Special Ops Shooting Tests CTEs | Tactical Rifleman

Critical Task Evaluations  (Live 17 SEP 2018)
Combat Drills used by most operators as Standard Critical Task Evaluations (CTEs)
Conducted from 5-8 meters (varies by SOF Unit)
 
Notes from Coach: Weapons Handling is the secret to not being just a good shooter, but a great shooter. Being efficient, proficient and smooth in how you operate and manipulate your weapons is something that a trained instructor can see from a distance. Just like a major league pitcher can watch a ball game and tell the guy on the mound has been in the league for years, or is a guy that just came up from the minors.
 
Everything is fundamentals. I teach the same things in much the same way whether it’s to a twelve year old kid, a housewife, a young marine or an experienced member of a national asset special operations unit. It’s Fundamentals first. And that’s weapons handling.
 
These Squadron quals are a mixture of Team Six and Delta quals that served as standards for them at one of the finest instruction facilities in the US that you have never heard of. I use the    SEAL time standard which is slightly faster but the longer distances that SFOD-D fires from. (Well that sucks, you are thinking, right? Exactly.) 
 
Most of my cadet team members can pass these by the end of the first semester of their sophomore year. It’s a primary reason we are undefeated by our Service Academy competition for the last four years. At 51, I can still pass. Younger guys with skill can crush these standards. If you warm up for an hour, a lot of folks can pass. But you dont get to warm up in the real world. So these are a baseline for performance that sets a standard and a starting point to improve upon.
 
Presentation from the holster, reloads, presentation with rifle from various readys, multiple target engagement, footwork...it’s all there. Oh and accuracy, got to do that too. There is a specific target that these quals should be fired on, the one we are using in the video is not it. Use a 6 inch circle and you will be fine. 
 
Last thing. These are skill tests. They are testing and evaluating what you have programmed into muscle memory, and they demonstrate where you need to focus your training. They should fired cold, with no warm up. The day we filmed these was the day after Karl and I had finished teaching a class at T1G. I get to the range drinking coffee on my tailgate watching the film guys set up, not knowing what Sgt Maj Evil Genius has planned for the day. He walks over and says “hey man, you got your rifle today?” Yeah. “Cool! Stuff some mags, you are shooting your Squadron quals on camera in five.” What’s that saying the SEALs have? The easy day was yesterday? 
 
Enjoy the video. 
Kevin M. Jimmerson '89
Marksmanship Instructor