The conversation went in a lot of directions, these kinds of discussions typically do. At on point team leadership came up. I ran a drill with the guys that I do with T/L Classes. I had them tell me traits of a good leader. They started to fire off words, Integrity, Honor, Discipline, Dedication, Character, Courage, Communicator, Diplomat, Fair, and so forth. The list is always the same and I use this to illustrate that the concept of a good leader is universal. Be that guy, and you will be considered a good leader. Deviate in any one category and you may not be.

Here is a news flash for some of you young(er) studs. The list applies equally to you. If I was to name off traits of a good team member, the list is the same. Instead of pointing up, look in the mirror and ask yourself whether or not you are meeting the stringent requirements you demand of others. If you are not, fix yourself. Self reflection is required of everyone who takes up arms, who has the responsibility of defending others from harm, who have the sacred trust of others.
 
I am not perfect, I have made alot of mistakes over the years from the time I was a Sergeant in the Army until now. I have tried to learn from my mistakes. I have tried to be a model for others in the SWAT world. I have tried to remain self disciplined, forthright, and honest with team members, T/L’s and team command. I am not perfect, but goddamnit, the mistakes I have made are not from a lack of trying.

Run your own list, and then regardless of position, try to live up to your own high standard.

If you are interested in hosting a course or attending any of the courses above, please contact me to get scheduled.

One of the easiest and maybe most effective and versatile personal breaching tools that you can own is a Tomahawk. I see and hear alot of discussion about small halligans, sledges, Fubars and so forth as a means to make emergency entry into a structure for LE. Discussions about using 5.56 as a breaching round in the worst of scenarios, driving cop cars through doors, and full size tools work but may be impractical for the given situation.

A quality Tomahawk that is built first as a TOOL, will take the place of many other options. I am fortunate to possess an RMJ Shrike Tactical Tomahawk http://www.rmjtactical.com/. The good folks at RMJ make a top quality product that is buit to take abuse. I have tried other tomahawks of lesser price and lesser quality. In most cases the steel is dinged up quickly, the handles break under pressure or the design is better suited for throwing than real world applications.

The RMJ ‘hawk can and will breach padlocks, light doors, windows, sliders and trailers in short order. With a little more effort, you can defeat solid core residential doors to make your entry. The sheath system is secure and quick to deploy. The shoulder sling allows you to carry it in the back out of the way and deploy it with a single tug. It is very quick to put it away as well. You can tell the moment you touch it that it is built to last.

The stigma of carrying one is the biggest hurdle for LE. It is “aggressive” and I dont advocate carrying it for normal patrol calls. It is a great thing to have behind the patrol bag and quickly slings up in case you need it. It would be really nice to hanve a tactical wheelbarrow full of every breaching tool known to man for the emergency call. I could just roll it up and select the best tool for the job. However, that is not efficient or practical. The RMJ Shrike is a great all around tool, it is not cheap, but you will only have to buy one. Save your pennies and pick one up.

I will be including a Tomahawk block of instruction during the breaching courses from this point forward. I am sure you will be surprised at what a quality Tomahawk can accomplish in trained hands.