GRYPHON GROUP SECURITY SOLUTIONS,INC. - Executive Protection / Force Protection

Gryphon’s Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course is the next step in providing Special Operations personnel with realistic tactics and techniques that will reduce the effectiveness of an actual attack.

For the last 6 years, Gryphon Group Security Solutions has trained thousands of fighters

from the U.S. Army Special Forces Groups, Naval Special Warfare Groups, Marine Corps and Air Force special operations units, Department of State Diplomatic Security Service members, and Department of Defense operators.

Regardless of the specific mission of the unit, Gryphon's Phase I Mobile Force Protection Course helps prepare war fighters to survive and win close quarters combat in the worst-case scenarios. Gryphon strives to keep its training and countermeasures relevant to the current battlefields that special operations personnel are fighting on today.

The Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course is a result of that continual process of reacting to new information coming from the battlefield. It is a fast-paced, five day course that takes the worst-case scenario driven contingency training featured in the Phase I course the next level. The cost of the Phase II course is the same as the Phase I. In addition, a valid Phase I Certificate of Completion is a prerequisite for Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course.

Phase II postponed until Summer of 2008

Day One

The first day of the Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course will reassess each operator's ability to safely and effectively execute all of the Level 1, 2, & 3 Counter Vehicle Ambush Tactics that they learned in the Phase I course.

Level I Evasive Driving Skills Reassessment: During the Phase I Military Mobile

Force Protection Course, each student qualified, in 4- door sedans with automatic transmissions, on the nationally recognized Cumulative Skills Acquisition Course. During Phase I, for safety, each student will be reassessed on this 300 cone course which they must negotiate in under 60 seconds while hitting not a single cone. These maneuvers include collision avoidance, decision-making and lane

evasion drills, threshold-braking techniques, forward and reverse serpentine drills, minor road turnarounds, constant radius curves, and brake and evade drills.

On today's battlefield, the SOF operator cannot predict what type of vehicle may be required to complete the mission. These fundamentals of evasive driving are applicable to any vehicle platform that an operator may be utilizing. Students will have two hours on this Level 1 course in sedans, then each fighter will move on to the Phase II Drills which will entail, among other skills, negotiating the same course in full size SUVs, Pick-up trucks, right-hand drive foreign vehicles and other types of NTVs.

Level II Disaggregated Counter Vehicular Ambush Tactics: After reassessment

on the Level I Evasive Skills, each operator will review the various countermeasures that were layered on top of that solid foundation of evasive driving fundamentals during the Phase I course. The review will cover the Snap Ambush Overtake Sequence, Deadman Takeover Drill, Bailout Drills, Breakout Drills, Counter Force Off Tactics, Counter PIT Maneuver, Tactical Ramming, and Dismounted Force-on-Force Break Contact Drill.

Level III Counter Vehicular Ambush Tactics Full Tactical Scenario: This drill will bring together all of the skill sets and counter ambush tactics taught in the Phase I MFPC using full size sedans. The drill will force the operator to face a Snap Ambush Overtake Sequence, Deadman Takeover Drill, Bailout Drill, Breakout Drill, Counter Force Off Tactic, Counter PIT Maneuver, Tactical Ramming, and Dismounted Break Contact Drill without stopping and under ever increasing stress. By the end of the first day of Phase II, each fighter will have reviewed, practiced and refreshed their memory of 80% of the Phase I countermeasures.

Day Two

The second day of the Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course will refresh each fighter on the fundamentals of Counter Vehicle Ambush Battle Drills in a rural environment that they learned in the Phase I course. Because of the perishable nature of such skills, each fighter will have a few hours to demonstrate their current capabilities of conducting what took 6 days to learn in Phase I. On this day, each operator will also begin the Level IV Counter Vehicular Ambush Tactics which will bring together all of the skill sets and counter ambush tactics taught in the Phase I MFPC except in Phase II the operators will utilize Full Size SUVs.

Convoy Ambush Counter Measures in a Rural Environment Reassessment: The students will review the convoy ambush scenarios in a rural environment with

armed aggressors and simulated RPG attacks in route. The counter-ambush drills will be conducted with 4 SUVs loaded with three students each. Each student will be armed with a high performance paint marker rifle, either semiautomatic or full automatic, along with protective equipment. The convoy will proceed along a three-mile route that will combine hard surface and off road environments during which it will be ambushed with simulated RPG's, 12 gauge shotguns, pyrotech devices and full automatic small arms paint marker rifle fire by at least 6 heavily armed aggressors. This review will prepare the operators to conduct these same drills in an urban environment later in the course.

Level IV Counter Vehicular Ambush Tactics: This drill will bring together all of

the skill sets and counter ambush tactics taught in the Phase I MFPC. In Phase II the operators will utilize Full Size SUVs. The drill will expose the operator to full size SUV Vehicle Dynamics During Evasive Driving Track Drills (Nonpursuit); SUV Tandem Movement Runs From Level 1 Cone Course through Level II (Nonpursuit); Left Rear and Right Rear Shooters With High Performance Paintmarker Rifles Engaging Wooden Reactive Targets; and SUV Tandem Snap Ambush/High Speed Reverse/Deadman Takeover (Pursued).

Day Three

The third day of the Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course will refresh each operator on the fundamentals of vehicle and firearms tactics in close proximity ambushes with .45 cal pistols utilizing sedans. Because of the perishable nature of such skills, each fighter will have a few hours to demonstrate their current capabilities of conducting what took 6 days to learn in Phase I. Then, each fighter will conduct the same drills with M-4s utilizing full size SUVs.

Phase I Live-Fire Moving Vehicle Counter Ambush Drills Reassessment: To

refresh each operator on the fundamentals of this close-proximity live-fire drill, the soldiers will conduct Phase I live-fire drills utilizing .45 pistols from an enclosed moving sedan to repel a determined assault from multiple targets. Three students-one driving, one right front, and one right rear--in a variety of vehicles from a seated position will engage steel targets 10 to 20 meters away at 10 mph. Each student will rotate through the three positions and shoot reactive steel targets through the back glass, side glass, and front windshield.

Phase II Live-Fire Straight-line Moving Vehicle Counter Ambush Drills: Each soldier will conduct Phase II live-fire drills utilizing .223 M-4 rifles from a full size SUV to repel a determined assault from multiple targets. Three students-one driving, one right front, and one right rear will engage reactive targets 10 meters away at 10 mph. Then, each participant will engage reactive targets with .223 M-4 rifles in a 180o arc of fire while moving 10 mph in a full size SUV. While one fighter drives, the left rear and right rear shooters will engage all targets on the left & right flanks while traveling in a straight-line forward until an IED forces them to reverse out while continuing to engage targets.

Probable Cover and Barrier Penetration Drills: Each fighter will shoot 9mm,

.45cal, .223cal, 7.62 munitions through a variety of materials found in current combat environments that may be utilized by the operator for cover or the enemy as a barrier; such as wooden utility poles, railroad ties, sandbags, vehicle doors and tailgates, concrete blocks, a variety ballistic helmets, panels and plates, wooden and metal doors, and varying thicknesses of dirt.

Day Four

The fourth day of the Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course will continue the Phase II Live-fire Drills with M-4s utilizing full size SUVs. However, instead of straight-line forward and reverse movement during drills, the vehicles will now be forced to evade obstacles in their path while the other fighters will engage reactive targets out of the left and right flanks. Then, the teams will conduct the same drills except now they will be in two vehicle tandem configurations. Additionally on this day, each operator will conduct worse-case scenario live-fire drills by being forced to bailout of a downed vehicle and engaging reactive targets 10 to 20 meters away while bounding back to distance themselves from the danger close ambush while covering each other with live fire. Then, the fighters will commandeer a vehicle and escape the scene of the attack while the rear shooter engages an attacking vehicle that is chasing them. The operators will then conduct QRF and counter ambush drills in an urban environment.

Phase II Live-Fire Evading Single Vehicle Counter Ambush Drills: Each participant will engage reactive targets with .223 M-4 rifles while moving 5 mph in a full size SUV. While one fighter drives, the left rear and right rear shooters will engage all targets on the left & right flanks while traveling evasively around obstacles in the vehicle's path.

Phase II Live-Fire Evasive Moving Tandem Counter Ambush Drills: Each soldier will conduct these Phase II live-fire drills in a 180° arc of fire utilizing .223 M-4 rifles from two full size SUVs moving in tandem to repel a determined assault from multiple targets. Three students-one driving, one left rear, and one right rear will engage reactive targets 10 to 20 meters away at 5 mph. While one fighter drives, the left rear and right rear shooters will engage all targets on the left & right flanks while traveling evasively around obstacles in the vehicle's path. Both vehicles will travel in unison until forced to reverse out in tandem.

Phase II Live Fire Break Contact Battle Drills: Each student will utilize the areas on a full size SUV that can be used to protect them from 7.62 enemy fire and conduct

drills dismounting and live firing from these points while engaging multiple reactive targets utilizing .223 M-4 rifles from full size SUVs. This drill will begin inside a disabled vehicle and will be run with two students. They will bound back to distance themselves from the danger close ambush while covering each other with live fire and ALL targets while bounding back 3 vehicles. Then, one operator will commandeer a vehicle while another provides cover fire. Then, the cover fire fighter will run to the awaiting vehicle and jump into the rear seat. The driver will begin moving at 5 MPH with a Towed Target Array with two ten inch head plates in the driver and passenger seats. The rear shooter will then engage these targets through the back glass of the SUV into the windshield of towed vehicle.

QRF and Convoy Ambush Countermeasures in an Urban Environment: The

students will conduct QRF and convoy ambush scenarios in a rural environment with armed aggressors and simulated RPG attacks in route. The counter-ambush drills will be conducted with 4 SUVs loaded with three students each. Each student will be armed with a high performance paint marker rifle, either semiautomatic or full automatic, along with protective equipment. The convoy will proceed along the streets of an urban environment with 24' wide streets and three story buildings surrounded by 8' walls and gates. During the movement the convoy will be ambushed with simulated RPG's, 12 gauge shotguns, pyrotechnic devices and full automatic small arms paint marker rifle fire by at least 6 heavily armed aggressors. Then, a single vehicle with four students will travel through the urban area until ambushed and forced to create a hard point, call for the QRF, and wait for extract.

Day Five

The fifth day of the Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course will allow each operator the opportunity to apply the fundamentals of vehicle dynamics and control techniques utilizing a variety of Non Tactical Vehicles common to many of the Areas of Operation SOF personnel are currently working, including right-hand drive foreign vehicles with manual transmissions. Each Operator will also learn various methods of commandeering a vehicle in extremis conditions including "hotwiring" techniques. Additionally, each fighter will practice Phase II Tactical Ramming Techniques such as reversing through roadblocks and tandem ramming problems.

Level I & II Evasive Driving Skills Utilizing Non-Tactical Vehicles and Right Drive Foreign Vehicles: During Phase II, with a variety of NTVs and right-hand drive

foreign vehicles (such as manual left hand drive pick-up trucks, right hand drive vehicles; and manual left hand drive sedans), each operator will drive each type of platform and negotiate the Level I Cumulative Skills Course (collision avoidance, decision-making and lane evasion drills, threshold-braking techniques, forward and reverse serpentine drills, minor road turnarounds, constant radius curves, and brake and evade drills) into the Level II course without stopping where they will confront a Snap Ambush and be chased under fire.

Level I Vehicle Commandeering Drills: During the Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course each operator will explore ways of quickly acquiring a vehicle in extremis conditions. Vehicle Commandeering will cover circumventing ignition (Hotwiring); Forcing to a Stop and Extracting Previous Driver and Running Vehicle Appropriation.

Phase II Tactical Ramming Drills: During the Phase II Mobile Force Protection Course, each operator will extend the tactical ramming techniques learned during Phase I into scenarios that require them to ram through multiple obstacles in reverse instead of forward. This exercise draws out the difficulties of utilizing the rear of a vehicle to clear obstacles.