The M-9 Pistol

Advisors will be issued a sidearm in theater to be worn at all times except when in the shower.  Its clear to me that the former Military types will probably wear it there as well.  The M-9 Pistol is relatively small and somewhat lightweight with a magazine for fifteen rounds.  In a high stress situation, this should be sufficient for us civilians to put at least two in the bad guy and the rest in everyone else around him, but our instructors work us hard to make every round hits the intended mark.  

You clearly need finger calluses to be on this frequent shooter program.  Breathing and sighting is critical so you don’t rush, only to scare the terrorist with a well-placed shot to the ceiling.  Suit jackets over body armor, while stylish, don’t make it easy to un-holster your weapon.  We spent hours on breathing and sighting in so that every shot counts.   Handling and dry firing are paramount to avoid the unnerving “click” from the safety being on, when one expects to hear a “bang” or visa-versa. 

When instructors talk, its as if we are at a confessional. They are calm, quiet and speak in phrases that make everything seem so peaceful.  Like what a mother might say to little Joey when his birthday cake has fallen off the table.  “Things might go sideways”, “Put in two” and the ever popular “Sight Align,….tap-tap and move on”.  Like any tool, its all about getting familiar with how they work to understand when its not safe. 

In the old hospital, we drilled on getting to safe rooms, evacuating the buildings, and engaging bad guys, by shooting our real pistols and semi-automatic rifles with plastic bullets at padded actors. By the second day, most could pretty well clear a room of bad guys, some faster than others, on their way out of a building.  Some entertained us with well-placed shots to the ceiling or a barrel pointed at another candidate as they cleared a jam.  

I’ll keep an eye on a couple students given their odd grins as they went clearing room-to-room as if tasked by God with dispatching the unworthy.  One realizes quickly that most of what you see in the movies is crap.

Mantra:  Shooting slow becomes smooth, smooth becomes fast.