I participated in The Human Element with MDFI this past weekend. It was not a typical class format, but more of an evaluation of my ability to deal with everything from difficult people to flat out killers. This took place at the Muncie Indiana MTAC facility which is designed to simulate common settings you would encounter in life, such as a home, a business, public buildings, and even a car. The two days of evaluation involved multiple real life scenarios where I interacted with role players. Some represented friends or innocent bystanders, while others were there to rob or hurt me. Bad guy weapons ranged from a poor attitude to fists to guns. My defensive tool options were words (used full strength), physical contact (simulated) , pepper spray (silly string), a pistol (SIM or UTM guns), or run Jeff, run. I also utilized a tourniquet and a cell phone during some of the scenarios.
I received direct feedback from the instructor, Trek, after each of the scenarios. I then wrote a report on what occurred as if I would need to defend my actions to authorities. Once all students completed a run of the same scenario and wrote their report, we had a group discussion about each of our results.
I entered The Human Element with a solid shooting skill set (mostly via MDFI classes), some medical trauma training (Dark Angel), plus use of force knowledge (CPL class, self study of relevant laws, and MDFI "When a gun is not an option" class). While all these are certainly critical to being a responsibly armed citizen, participation in The Human Element made it clear that there is much more to be learned and practiced regarding when to shoot vs other actions that can be taken to preserve life. Most of the scenarios unfold very quickly and require decisive action to prevail. Others teach that reacting with an inappropriate level of force or too quickly can lead to bad outcomes such as lethal injury or legal charges.
One thing is certain: it is far better to experience these types of situations in a training environment like MTAC before living it in real life where there are no second chances after mistakes in lethal encounters.
While I will continue to hone shooting skills, I am excited to have begun a new phase of defensive learning focused on scenario training. MDFI The Human Element is a safe and challenging opportunity for learning. I will be back for more, and I believe that anyone who assumes the responsibility of being an armed citizen should give it a try.