The course was held at Echo Valley Training Center in West Virginia, it is a remote location, exactly what you want for a gunfighting development class in varying levels of darkness. Being remote, you can add and remove light to the environment/scenario, but being too close to civilization with the ambient glow, takes away options. The facility was beautiful, and well set up; high berms, clean, well maintained.

We were intentionally a small group, as low light training requires stringent safety protocols. Instructor to student ratio was 1:1, a coaching intensive class, which is a JDC trademark. Tight accuracy requirements, also intrinsic to JDC training, each exercise was explained in detail, demonstrated first by an instructor, and then shot by the students.

A thorough lecture on different illumination techniques to search or fight from, different circumstances each would be the preferred option; positives and negatives of each. We practiced shooting each, and then did so from cover/concealment. I found the use and types of different lights/lumen level interesting. Their shortcomings in different situations, splash back/blinding yourself, backlighting yourself to the threat, indoor/outdoor/distance, all things you need to consider in the low light environment. Instruction was thorough, in depth, and presented clearly.

The live fire portion started at 4pm under full light. We ran a shooting qual from holster to ensure students were 100% tuned in, and were of a skill level to operate safely when visibility went to near zero. While this was an open enrollment course, I may have been the only civilian shooter there, attendees were an absolute pleasure to share a course with. Being included in a class with guys who put their lives on the line, is always an honor for me. While I take my shooting and skill development seriously, I have little to no skin in the game apart from random crime finding me by chance, (poor victim selection on the criminals part), they are playing for keeps, so I try to stay out of their way.

The information was presented in a logical progression, each technique could be repped, coached, and incorporated into the student’s standard engagement process, where applicable. Solid descriptions/demonstrations of applying a hand-held light to illuminate a threat while engaging were taught, as were search techniques with gun drawn and holstered. No matter the illumination technique, solid pistol fundamentals were stressed at all times, regardless of what the offside hand is doing, you shoot better with more support on the pistol, we were encourages to put as much support to the gun while holding a light as possible.

Lots of single-handed weapon presentations, as the other hand was manipulating a tactical light. Again, most of the class was guys on the job, they were running duty gear and war-belts, I was running AIWB concealed. If ever I am put in a situation where I must fight, I will fight from every day carry gear; So that is how I train. Load out: Glock 17.5 MOS, Modlight PL350 PLHv2, Holosun 509t, C&H plate, Tenicore Malus Sol AIWB, Streamlight HL-X set to high output only, w/ Thyrm Switchback.

I had a cover garment and later two covers to clear as it got cold. I understand why some civilian students train open carry, in a duty or a gaming rig. They can concentrate full attention on the subject at hand, removing the need to clear cover. Running concealed adds another layer of safety to worry about, especially when holstering after a rep. If you take a class open carry, but mostly conceal, remember to run those reps from your concealed gear too, as you may find something doesn’t work for you.

“Holster Intentionally” was often stated by the cadre after a rep. was completed, safety was top priority. While the focus on this course was the hand-held light, more than half of the students were also running pistol mounted lights. At the end of the evening, we ran some drills with pistol WML’s. Compared to hand held with a pistol, a WML is clubbing baby seals easy, yet probably something that is not applicable to the civilian in most circumstances.

Excellent course with high value coaching. I can see where someone who had zero low light training cold leave this course with everything they would need, except some practice time to build it all in. Always a high point in a JDC course is the working lunch break where a lecture on Justified Use of Force and the legal aftermath is worth the price of admission alone. I cannot recommend highly enough that you go and see this team for a greater understanding of what capabilities you are missing and how to develop them. I was one shot down from earning the coveted “patch”. Honestly, I didn’t shoot to my abilities and was glad to call that one -not a patch level event.

JDC will be holding this class again this November. I highly recommend it for both on-duty/the job, and civilian students needing to add handheld illumination skills.