TNVC recently ran our first Nightfighter 101 class at The Sawmill Training Center in Laurens, SC on March 6-7. This was a sold-out class, and we really enjoyed having that many students. The class had a healthy mix of law enforcement, industry and civilians in the class and was one of the best classes we have run. This was the first time we trained at The Sawmill, and we really enjoyed being there. It is a great facility and will be a staple in our training venues for years to come.
Our Try Before You Buy event preceded this class, and it was a huge success. If you are looking to try out some gear before you make a purchase, be sure to check that out. More information is available on our website.
The weather was amazing—another perfect weekend. Lows were in the 30s, highs in the 50s and we had 0 precipitation. That is a rare occurrence for our classes.
We saw a wide spread of night vision devices in this class. Everything from PVS14s to white phosphor DTNVSs. No student complained of being under-equipped, and in low illumination conditions (at times) we were able to complete all the drills with little difficulty.
We had some initial issues with some dry guns in the class. Once they were lubed, they ran so much better. Additionally, one AGM PVS14 really stopped focusing properly (focus stop issue), but we were able to float him one of our goggles for the student to use for the rest of the class.
We also had a student travel back in time to 1999, as he ran a USGI skull crusher for his goggle and a PEQ2 on his rifle. But he performed well in the class—the whole “Singer/Song” argument. We encourage our students to bring what gear they have—learn to use what you have on hand, and then you can make informed purchases after the class. The only gear we strongly encourage purchasing prior to a class is a high mount for your carbine optic and a red dot on your handgun.
With the number of instructors we had for this class, and the capabilities of the facility, we were able to slightly modify our POI to take advantage of some neat opportunities at the class. While each Nightfighter 101 remains 90% similar, we see slight modifications in our instruction based upon the class composition and the host range capabilities. This time we did some more movement than usual and worked from laser comparisons on a known distance range.
Our schedule remains busy and full this year. There are still seats open in many of our classes for later this year.
The Sawmill staff treated us and our students amazingly well. Super friendly, eager to make sure that training was going right, and opened their amazing facility to us and our students. Again, check their calendar out and get there for a class if you can make it.
Additionally, several companies stepped up to offer students swag and such for their attendance. We really appreciate their generosity and are proud to have them associated with our classes.
Rite in the Rain
Ops-Core
Unity Tactical
Thyrm
Geissele Automatics
Otte Gear
Phokus Research Group
Blue Force Gear