Taking Aim at Better Training

BY CAROLYN CRIST

Virtual weapons training at InVeris Training Solutions prepares military, law enforcement, and safety personnel for whatever comes their way.

WITH TROUBLING HEADLINES—school shootings, officer involved fatalities, and active shooter scenarios—demand is up for better ways to train safety personnel, teach de-escalation techniques, and ensure the best outcomes in high-pressure situations. Traditional training programs with classroom lectures and role-playing exercises don’t cut it. Fortunately, new virtual reality and augmented reality options provide hands-on, tactile experiences that get as close to a real-life encounter as possible.

Based in Suwanee in Gwinnett County, InVeris Training Solutions hopes to answer the call. The company hosts both live and virtual weapons training demonstrations at its headquarters, as well as at sites across the U.S. and in more than 50 countries worldwide. Several systems allow trainees to practice with simulated weapons that are similar to their own live models, rehearse common stressful scenarios, and even maneuver spaces modeled after the important locations they protect, such as schools and government buildings.

“Our tagline is Because Seconds Matter,” says InVeris CEO Clyde Tuggle. “Our job is to build systems to make the world a safer place and give military personnel and law enforcement officers the tools to make good decisions. “Many of the people who work for us and with us are veterans or former law enforcement, which is part of the real magic,” Tuggle continues. “They’ve been in uniform.

They’ve done this training. They know what does and doesn’t work and how to adapt the programs to create a better experience.”

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As the industry leader in integrated live fire and virtual training solutions, InVeris continuously evolves its products to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world. SRCE™ (See, Rehearse, Collectively Experience), our Augmented Reality (AR) training system, has long been at the forefront of this revolution, combining real and virtual elements to offer an unparalleled level of realism, performance assessment, and flexibility in training for military and law enforcement.

Now, we are excited to announce a suite of advanced features that further refine the SRCE experience, keeping it at the cutting edge of AR training technology.

Introducing new and improved features

Firstly, we’re thrilled to introduce support for the Magic Leap 2, the most cutting-edge headset on the market. This integration allows trainees to dive even deeper into the immersive training scenarios, enhancing their engagement and learning experience.

One of the most significant enhancements in the latest update is the expanded functionality for characters. Instructors can now make selected characters perform numerous actions for de-escalation of force training, such as getting on the ground or putting their hands behind their back. Further, they can also guide a character’s movement within the virtual environment, providing more realistic and unexpected scenarios for trainees to respond to.

To increase the realism of training scenarios, we’ve also added advanced options for modifying character’s properties and behaviors. These include adjusting a character’s reaction time, crouch state, preparedness level, and even the number of hits needed to neutralize a threat. AI patrolling and voice responses with realistic lip sync can also be enabled, contributing to an even more immersive and realistic training environment.

We’ve also broadened the variety of characters available within SRCE, with an array of different ethnicities, body types, and attire to choose from. This diversity allows for the creation of training scenarios that are truly representative of the real world.

Finally, the addition of microphone communication enhances the realism and effectiveness of training. This feature includes microphone recordings in After Action Reviews (AAR) and simulated radio communication between the instructor and trainees, further bridging the gap between training scenarios and real-world situations.

These latest updates to SRCE fortify its position as the leading augmented reality training solution for military and law enforcement. SRCE can simultaneously support up to four trainees using BlueFire weapons in an actual or 3D training environment, where they can see their own hands, feet, weapons, teammates and surroundings as well as CGI elements using an AR headset.

By continuously incorporating innovative features and improvements, SRCE remains at the forefront of preparing professionals for the challenges they will face in the field. The enhanced SRCE experience truly allows trainees to See, Rehearse, and Collectively Experience scenarios with a level of realism and effectiveness that is unmatched in the industry.

We are firm believers in getting things done right, the first time, every time. As the industry leader in providing live-fire and virtual firearms training solutions for both military and commercial customers, InVeris has a reputation for getting “ranges done right.” This holds true whether the client is military, law enforcement, a businessman looking to set up a profitable indoor commercial range, or a sportsman dreaming of building a private training facility.

Military-grade shooting ranges on a commercial budget

With normal maintenance, the military ranges we build consistently fulfill and exceed the 15-year lifespan required by our military clients — and we deliver the same durability and rugged reliability to the commercial shooting ranges we are entrusted to build for private individuals.

That’s because we apply the same level of attention to design, detail, and quality to all our shooting range builds, be they military, civilian, or law enforcement.

So how do we do it? A big part of the reason is that we’ve been designing and building gun range equipment (drawing from our Caswell and Meggitt heritage) for more than 95 years. We’ve been there, done that, and seen it all: what can be easily overlooked but shouldn’t, what to pay crucial attention to, and what should never ever be scrimped on.

Get started on your indoor range design

Now here’s the good news: we’ve created a comprehensive Indoor Range Design Guide, which we’re providing free of charge to help you get started on your own build or upgrade your current range.

The InVeris Indoor Range Design Guide covers the following:

If you would like a free copy of the InVeris Indoor Range Design Guide or get expert advice on building a new shooting range or upgrading your current range, simply go to https://inveristraining.com/a-range-built-to-last/

A survey conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum in 2021 revealed an 18% increase in resignations and a 45% increase in retirements among law enforcement agencies compared to 2021. This means that law enforcement must recruit new officers, and thereby new periods of training.

Training your officers has come a long way in the past decades; it has evolved along with modern-day technologies and new systems and approaches. In this blog post, we provide details on state-of-the-art training technologies and solutions that your agency can implement to effectively train your officers.

Live-Fire Training

Live-Fire training entails building and maintaining a range — from ventilation, lead abatement, general environmental concerns, zoning regulations, and proper range equipment, among others. This comprises design, construction, and maintenance.

Here is a brief description of the main components needed in a modern-day training range:

Bullet traps. Modern-day bullet traps need to be secure, innovative, and robust in order to ensure the safety of trainees, trainers, and officers. Or even the community within the nearby location. Live-fire products such as InVeris’ GranTrap™ feature a patented stair-step design that uses GranTex™ granulate rubber material to stop incoming rounds. The bullet impacts the soft media, and the trap captures it predominately intact.

Shooting Stalls. Innovative stalls should be stalls customizable, interchangeable, and convenient — yet still safe. InVeris SafeZone™ is the best and most flexible stall by design. SafeZone offers pistol and rifle-rated frames with interchangeable options including lighting, A/V communication systems, and barricades for a premium experience. At InVeris, we can help agencies create clear stalls, solid stalls, and custom stalls with texture and various materials such as wood, leather, or vinyl to capture the look of surrounding spaces.

Target Retrieval Systems. Retrieval or carrier systems should be reliable, rugged, and ready to work. InVeris XWT Wireless Target Carriers are the most innovative wireless target retrieval system. It is the industry’s first wireless, 360-degree turning target retrieval system that features longer battery life, brighter and more durable, less noise to distract the shooter, less maintenance, and programmable control for skill set development. Meanwhile, XCT Target Retrieval System is a rugged and stable system that features a non-turning target carrier. Operating on an overhead monorail track and operated by tablet or PC, the XCT is suitable for handguns, submachine guns, and shotguns, allowing a full spectrum of training and usage. Lastly, InVeris’ CEA and CEB are classic gun target retrieval systems. These are fixed-speed, electrically powered trolley wire target systems via a forward-stop-return control switch located at the firing line.

Stationary Target Systems. Training won’t be complete without the targets. A target is that one physical evidence that your officers are ready to be deployed. InVeris provides Pop-up Turning targets, Tandem Turning Targets, Electro-mechanical, and Pneumatic Pop-up and Turning Target Systems, Turning Targets capable of rotating a target up to 360 degrees, and Running Man or Pursuit Targets. All of these target systems vary, and combined together, they can simulate real-life combats to ensure your officers are trained for battle.

Ballistic protection. Last but not the least, ballistic protection is important in training; your trainees’ safety matters. So, InVeris’ Air-Space Ceiling System comprises mixed layered panels strategically engineered to contain a misdirected round while decreasing sound levels. Standard Rubber Paver (SRP) floor coverings provide a steady footing for trainees.

Virtual Training

Virtual training takes everything to the next level. Training your officers for experience in a virtual world has now crossed from science fiction to reality. The following technologies can become significant parts of your virtual reality law enforcement training.

BlueFire® Weapon Simulators. Wireless BlueFire is designed to simulate the same form, fit, and function of an officer’s duty weapon with unprecedented realism. They are fully sensor-equipped weapons that reinforce recoil with a rechargeable magazine of compressed gas, delivered through a fill station. The full sensor provides feedback for comprehensive diagnostics and After Action Review (AAR) with data delivered directly to the instructor.

FATS® 100LE Virtual Training System. The world’s most proven virtual training system, FATS® 100le Virtual Training System provides simulation firearms training that meets the rigorous standards of military forces, modified for law enforcement needs — all with the ease of tablet control. It is designed to help your agency to enhance accuracy with 3D marksmanship training and improve officer judgment through scenario-based judgmental training.

FATS® 100P Portable Training System. This is the on-the-go version of the FATS® 100LE Virtual Training System. Compact, lightweight, and easy to operate, this turnkey small arms trainer offers unprecedented mobility for judgmental training, including de-escalation of force scenarios, and 3D marksmanship.

FATS® 100C Marksmanship Training System. A virtual training system designed to let officers practice for state-specific certification tests while eliminating the costs of live practice ammo. The system couples basic to expert-level courses of fire, industry-leading BlueFire® simulated weapons or laser insert weapons, and impressive analytical skill feedback to help instructors perfect trainees’ skills at all levels, including shooting fundamentals, grip, sight alignment and picture, trigger control, and recoil management.

FATS® 180LE Virtual Training System. This technology provides a three-screen,180° field of view for superior marksmanship and judgmental training in an immersive environment that increases the realism of training as well as heightens awareness and proper use of force responses. Its “Judgmental Mode” heightens situation awareness and training with three fully reconfigurable screens to immerse users in the situation

FATS® 300LE Immersive Training System. This technology provides next-level immersion in five screens — a 300° field of view puts your officers in the action, so they are trained from an unexpected threat from any direction. It is designed to improve the de-escalation of force skills with over 1,250 video scenarios and hone marksmanship ability in a ballistically accurate simulator.

Virtual or Live-Fire, InVeris Can Help You

InVeris has more than 90 years of experience building compliant, safe, and user-satisfying shooting ranges. InVeris’ team of experts — from engineering to sales — can help streamline the entire shooting range construction and design process, allowing you to reach your milestones for your officers’ training in time. They can guide you through every step, from the research and bid process to range design, construction, and maintenance.

For more information on how you can get help in building a safe, reliable training environment — be it live-fire or virtual — contact InVeris Training Solutions.

Today’s environment calls for confident officers trained through both simulation and live fire so they can identify threats and act decisively in seconds. Yet increased training for officers has raised concerns about indoor range safety. Hence, range operators must make every effort to address safety concerns.

Considerations for Ensuring Safe and Effective Training

While the most obvious and extreme safety concerns on a range include death and serious bodily harm, fortunately, these occurrences are exceedingly rare. Other less serious, and far more common concerns affecting both shooters and range staff include the potential loss of hearing by the continued discharge of firearms, the hazard of ricochet fragments, and the potential damage caused by excessive exposure to lead contaminates.

To ensure a safe, noise absorbent, and environmentally sound indoor gun range, the following are the critical things to consider:

Ballistic Safety. All surfaces exposed to gunfire need to be assessed for ricochet potential. The most critical area of misdirected shots to compromise a shooter’s safety is typically the area between the firing line to twelve feet downrange.

Hearing/Sound Concerns. Most experienced officers understand the need for hearing protection while on the firing line. It is mandatory in most facilities and it is the range operator’s responsibility to ensure this policy is enforced.

Eye Protection. Since the typical range has become increasingly complex with more advanced target equipment, additional lighting, and other related safety equipment, the hazard of redirected particles and ricocheted bullet fragments has increased the risk of eye and facial injuries.

Lead Exposure. Lead can be a silent killer. It can build up in your body’s organs and bones and slowly cause permanent, irreversible damage to your body. Thus, extra care must be taken to protect people inside the range whenever lead dust is being created.

Ensure Safety Using Proven State-of-the-Art Equipment

Invest in the safety and effective training of your officers with InVeris’ proven state-of-the-art equipment. InVeris supplies everything your shooting range needs for safe live fire training.

The above products are InVeris’ proven live fire innovations that will ensure dynamic and safe training for your officers. To learn more about live range ballistic protection, contact our customer support team today!

How do you build an “intelligent” shooting range? Focus on construction and design. And in doing so, there are structural, environmental, and safety considerations.

In this blog post, let’s take a closer look at each.

Structural Considerations

When we say structural considerations, that mainly puts the focus on the design and construction of walls, floors, and ceilings.

For walls, your first choice should be poured-in-place or tilt-up concrete panel walls for maximum noise attenuation and ballistic security; your second choice would be concrete masonry units (CMU) filled with cement or grout. Do not use gravel or sand as filling material for concrete blocks, since they can leak onto the range floor if the wall is cracked or breached. If you will be using an existing structure with inadequate wall material, steel plating can be applied to the side walls downrange.

When a bullet hits an object downrange, it may be deflected from its original path — traveling in a different direction such as the floor. This is why a hard and smooth floor is best since it makes for less erratic ricochets. Non-absorptive hardened concrete is the recommended flooring from the firing line to the bullet trap since this area will get a lot of low-angle impacts. For the area behind the firing line, vinyl, rubber, or any non-slippery flooring material can be used for shooter comfort and safety.

Regarding the ceiling, go for a smooth concrete surface — such as slab or precast — on the range side (underside) of the ceiling and route all your lights, plumbing, ducting, and range ventilation on the outside. If a slab or precast ceiling is out of the question, use a truss ceiling with redirective guards and air-space baffles to protect ceiling fixtures.

Environmental Concerns

Establish environmental soundness from the start. Make sure that you maintain all regulations and eco‑friendly standards, from lead abatement and air quality to acoustics and appropriate zoning. A smart training solutions provider like InVeris Training Solutions has decades of experience in helping commercial, law enforcement, and military training institutions and shooting ranges in ensuring these standards.

To further address environmental concerns, InVeris also installs noise absorbent indoor ranges with the highest air quality by engineering ballistic baffles and guards to contain misdirected shots and maintain ballistic integrity as well as bullet traps that reduces lead dust (more on the lead dust later). These engineered baffles and guards not only absorb noise for the sound level inside but also prevent noise transmission outside the range.

When dealing with environmental concerns, also consider the location of the property. Consider the intended site’s current zoning, any special-use permit process, ease of access, existing utilities, and any signage limitations.

Safety

Whether you’re building an indoor shooting range from the ground up or repurposing an existing space, one of your foremost considerations should be the overall safety of your customers, trainees, and staff.

This is another area where InVeris’ experience shines. Commercial shooting ranges can protect their customers and range by capturing and containing the entire bullet. This is possible through the GranTrap™ rubber bullet trap’s patented stair‑step design, which uses unique GranTex™ granulate rubber material to stop incoming rounds mostly intact. That action minimizes airborne lead dust, averts back splatter, avoids ricochets, and reduces impact noise. Plus, the GranTrap’s rugged design stands up to busy ranges.

Leverage Turnkey Range Solutions

InVeris Training Solutions, makers of FATS® and Caswell technologies, draws on a 90+ year history and comprehensive knowledge of live fire ranges to do something that hasn’t been done before: provide an end-to-end range that meets the needs of a commercial shooting range.

InVeris professionals will design, equip, and provide training for your best-in-class commercial shooting range on time and within budget, meeting your end user’s requirements.

For more information on how you can get help in building a safe, reliable commercial shooting range without cutting too many corners, contact InVeris Training Solutions.

As warfare changes in sync with geopolitical upheavals, a major challenge for military decision makers is optimizing the way their warfighters sharpen and acquire new skills, taking into consideration limitations in terms of time, costs, safety, and logistics．

Traditionally, trainees learn how to handle potential battlefield situations through live field engagements, attending lectures, or watching videos. These traditional training methods can feel insufficient given today’s constantly changing battlefield requirements, and they also lack the capacity for objective assessment, progression tracking, and immediate and accurate feedback.

Although traditional training methods are irreplaceable, they sometimes lack realism and are not enough to optimally train soldiers. One way to address this gap is by augmenting traditional methods with simulation platforms that provide hyper-realistic training for combat personnel.

Immersive Training using Virtual and AR platforms

Immersive training utilizes developments in both virtual and augmented reality (AR) and helps elevate warfighter training by empowering soldiers via interactive experiences, actionable metrics, and continual learning.

Training simulation improves soldiers’ combat skills by simulating actual vehicles, soldiers, enemies, and other threats in the environment. Using a VR headset and controllers, trainees are completely immersed in virtual environments where they can practice battle strategies and maneuvers. It provides an immersive environment where drills can be carried out with repetition, simulating actual field attacks.

Simulations stimulate the brain on different levels: cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and experiential. Immersive training helps soldiers synchronously develop both emotional and rational reactions under intense pressure, sharpening critical skills for enhanced performance during actual battles. This is especially important as skills become intuitive when our brain is able to simulate outcomes.

Improved Welfare and Safety

From 2006 to 2021, 38.8% of active-duty military deaths in the U.S. were the result of accidents. More than half of those accidents occurred in circumstances related to training with vehicles.  

Training simulators provide trainees a safe environment where they can practice operating dangerous weapons and vehicles without endangering their lives. This gives them the opportunity to gain the necessary skills and experience they need in actual encounters. By using training simulators, militaries now have the ability to experiment and test out different scenarios without risking the safety and welfare of its personnel.

Objective Measurement and Feedback

Simulation training combines qualitative analysis with quantitative analysis, and carries out simulation experiments by creating mathematical models, semi-physical models or physical models. It is considered more scientific than the traditional and manual system, thus minimizing subjectivity and making the training results more objective.

Training simulators make it possible to objectively measure individual progress over time. The simulator program can document trainees’ every action and decision which can be monitored and become the basis for feedback.

Flexibility and Scalability

Simulators can be controlled to produce a variety of unique environments and scenarios for different training sessions. They can be tailored to cater to a specific situation or skill which provides more focus on specific training goals. Elements such as simulated soldiers, enemies, and vehicles can interact in different weather conditions and landscapes within the simulation in a very realistic manner. This provides trainees with knowledge and experience when it comes to working in different conditions that would have been difficult for them to encounter in their actual training or live field engagements.

Simulation training from the world’s most respected industry leader

As the world leader in integrated live fire and virtual training systems, InVeris Training Solutions has fielded more than 5,100 virtual systems worldwide. InVeris Training Solutions provides the design experience, state-of-the-art products, backed by dedicated support, necessary in today’s fast-paced training environments. Its military virtual training solutions offer:

Scalable Platforms
From scenario authoring, branching scenarios and an extensive library of environments, our virtual products will ready your troops for anything imaginable.

Proven Technology
As the the recognized global leader in military simulation, experience features like AAR and PTT within judgmental, marksmanship and collective-based training

Realistic Hardware
With the largest weapon library in the industry, combined with our patented BlueFire technology, we train like you fight.

Contact us to learn more about our virtual training solutions and how it can meet your training needs.

So you’re thinking of setting up an indoor shooting range. Whether you’re building one from the ground up or repurposing an existing space, one of your foremost considerations — way before you even get into the nitty gritty of bullet traps and target systems — should be the structural foundation of your soon-to-be training facility.

We’re talking about the walls, floors, and ceilings of your shooting range, of course — the top-to-bottom barriers that will ensure ballistic security and the overall safety of your users, trainers, and facility staff.

Here are some structural considerations to keep in mind when you’re building an indoor shooting range:

What’s the best wall material for an indoor shooting range?

Your first choice for walls should be poured-in-place or tilt-up panel concrete walls for maximum noise attenuation and ballistic security. Second choice would be concrete blocks filled with cement or grout. Do not use gravel or sand as filling material for concrete blocks, since they can leak onto the range floor if the wall is cracked or breached.

If you will be using an existing structure with inadequate wall material, steel plating can be applied to the side walls downrange.

Why smooth concrete is the safest floor for indoor shooting ranges

A hard, smooth floor is best since it makes for less erratic ricochets. For this reason, non-absorptive hardened concrete is the recommended flooring from the firing line to the bullet trap, since this area will get a lot of low angle impacts.

For the area behind the firing line, vinyl, rubber, or any non-slippery flooring material can be used for shooter comfort and safety.

How to protect ceiling fixtures in an indoor shooting range

When and if feasible, go for a smooth concrete surface — such as slab or precast — on the range side (underside) of the ceiling and route all your lights, plumbing, ducting, and range ventilation on the outside.

If a slab or precast ceiling is out of the question, use a truss ceiling with redirective guards and air-space baffles to protect ceiling fixtures. InVeris Training Solutions can help you with the optimal placements for air-space baffles or redirective guards along with the load weight computations to your range planner as part of our submittal drawing package.

Get a free Indoor Range Design Guide

If you found any of these tips useful, then consider downloading InVeris Training Solutions’ Indoor Range Design Guide — it’s a free, 32-page e-book that covers everything you need to know from planning and design considerations, to choosing your range type, equipment, safety considerations, noise standards, sample range layouts, and more.

These are challenging times to be in law enforcement, which makes it even more important for those who are ultimately responsible for their welfare — their trainers, supervisors, and chiefs — to ensure that they are fully equipped with the right R.I.G.

We’re not talking about their physical rig like body armor, sidearms, and comm devices, however. When we say RIG, we’re referring to (R)eflexes, (I)nstincts, and (G)ood Judgment.

How do we give our officers the right Reflexes, Instincts, and Good Judgment in the midst of high-stress situations?

How do we ensure that our officers are equipped with all the mental tools they need to respond to high stress situations that elicit the “fight or flight” response first described by psychologist Walter Cannon in the 1920s — when their adrenaline is pumping, their pupils are dilating, and their hearts are racing?

How do we give them the right reflexes, instincts, and good judgment?

The answer, as trite as it might sound, is: Training.

In a landmark 2021 study titled A Reasonable Officer: Examining the Relationships Among Stress, Training, and Performance in a Highly Realistic Lethal Force Scenario, researchers from Carleton University in Canada revealed that, in extremely stressful scenarios, multiple aspects of police performance are impaired including shooting accuracy, quality of skill execution, proportionality of force applied, and memory.

But here’s the catch: According to the researchers, “stress response also appears to have differential effects, whereby rehearsed and automated skills are influenced to a lesser degree.” This is a fancy way of saying that the more officers have trained (rehearsed), and the more automated (instinctive, reflexive) their skills, then the less their performance degrades, including  the proportionality of force (good judgment) they apply in high-stress situations.

Scenario-based training: The best law enforcement training for high-stress situations

The researchers go on to cite a wide range of training techniques that can improve performance even under high-stress, including spaced practice, providing the appropriate feedback, and scenario-based training.

Scenario-based training (SBT) is particularly effective, since it can gradually “inoculate” officers by exposing them to simulated high stress situations, so that their skills and performance become “stress-resilient.”

Multiple studies, including The effect of stress inoculation training on anxiety and performance, by Saunders, et al., (1996), and Pressure training for performance domains: a meta-analysis, by Low, et al., (2021) have shown that SBT measurably improves performance under high stress.

Are you providing scenario-based training for your officers?

Given the challenges law enforcement faces on a daily basis, and especially in those rare, high-stress situations, we owe it to them to make sure that they are equipped with the right RIG.

The only way we can do that is to have them rehearse their responses, reactions, techniques, and tactics in simulated scenarios repeatedly and deliberately, until they become part of their inner mental toolbox.

Contact us if you would like to learn more about InVeris Training Solutions’ full lineup of live fire, simulation, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) training systems for law enforcement, military and commercial shooting range applications.

In 2022, the U.S. Army is aiming at full-force qualification under its new combat-focused small arms standards.

InVeris stands ready to support the first overhaul of live fire training since the Cold War.

In 2019, the U.S. Army published a document Training Circular (TC) 3-20.40, entitled Training and Qualification, Individual Weapons.The manual represents a milestone in small arms training: a comprehensive training guide to prepare soldiers for combat-focused marksmanship amid the new threats of near-peer and urban warfare along with Great Power Competition.

There has only been one other such revamping in U.S. history. From the Revolutionary War through the two World Wars and Korea, America lacked a standard rifle qualification. Commanders had no precise way of assessing the proficiency of their troops. Consequently, it is estimated that only one in three combatants had the skills to recognize and engage targetsinally in 1953, the Army instituted a systematic approach to qualification, yet one that still lacked moving targets and rapid magazine changes as well as demonstration of situational awareness and problem solving.

This training environment, however, lasted until 2019 when the new program began. Similar to the implementation of the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), the Army is now changing how soldiers qualify with their weapons, making individual qualification more combat focused. Begun in October 2019, the new standards are expected to be in place service-wide in 2022.

The InVeris Marksmanship 95-year Legacy: Caswell technology and 15,500 live fire ranges

InVeris Training Solutions, the world leader in integrated live fire and virtual training, offers commanders, staff and NCOs the resources to support the implementation of TC 3-20.40. Our ranges and equipment have long been used by U.S. and allied military forces to prepare trainees for weapons qualification. Unlike current marksmanship qualification courses, the new program requires soldiers to engage targets faster and to operate as they would during an enemy engagement. InVeris provides the range design, target selection and carriers, LOMAH assessment, plus other state-of-the-art tools that can serve military leaders in up grading to the new standards.

For decades, our focus has been on creating the most realistic and challenging training possible. To that end, we have developed an extensive live fire portfolio, including such key products as the GranTrap™ granulated rubber bullet trap, the Road Range™ self-contained, transportable weapons training facility, and the Shoot House Optimized for Tactical Training, or SHOTT™ House. Our targeting systems encompass XWT, the industry’s first wireless, 360-degreeturning target retrieval system, as well as the Multi-Function Stationary Infantry Target (MF-SIT) that can respond to hits or a pre-programmed scenario, ensuring trainees do not anticipate target actions.

 Finally, in its range requirements, the new Army qualification protocols call for the LOMAH(location of miss and hit) system to calibrate the information needed to display shot grouping and zeroing of weapons more effectively, resulting in improved marksmanship skills. LOMAH adds shot scoring to targets on military live fire ranges by measuring the precise time of a bullet’s supersonic shock wave passing over a ballistically protected microphone sensor array. Triangulation of sound waves for hit location makes InVeris’ offering unique for militaries, determining the bullet’s location and presenting a graphical image on the shooter’s firing point computer. LOMAH can be installed easily via a retrofit kit or on new, LOMAH-capable InVeris targets such as the MF-SIT.

Complete end-to-end, turnkey design and construction of durable ranges

With a variety of shooting lanes and control systems, InVeris can uniquely provide a comparable total firing range solution. We offer defense training facilities an agile approach, backed by expertise and best practices in training technology, honed on thousands of installations. As a result, we can design and deliver customized, cutting-edge, first-rate training solutions that keep military clients safe, prepared and ready to serve. Our tagline “Because Seconds Matter™” is especially applicable to accelerated qualification situations like TC3-20.40, which force the trainee to function under combat-type conditions.

If desirable, InVeris can help your command construct a brand-new range in as little as 120 days, from start to finish. We can similarly upgrade and retrofit your current training facilities with the latest advances in realistic targetry, ballistic containment and environmental considerations. With knowledge and experience in navigating acquisition regulations, InVeris contract experts will work with your officials to streamline the process of complex construction procurements.

By relying on our capabilities, you have more time to devote to training priorities, such as the Army-wide transformation of qualification standards. Instead of focusing on range construction management, you can give your attention and energy to your objectives, curriculum and throughput.

InVeris ranges have staying power. At many U.S. and international bases, InVeris equipment has been in the field for a decade or longer. Yet it still stands up to the rigors of live fire training range conditions. Consider that some of our moving armor target systems are entering their thirtieth year of operation. That is the kind of proven durability that can outlast shooting hazards, weather and age.

The soldier’s preparedness is critical to maintaining overmatch and deterrence in the emerging battlespace. InVeris looks forward to speaking with you about serving your training objectives.

 For more information or to arrange an appointment, please contact  ITS-MilitaryLiveFire@inveristraining.com.‍

[1]The circular is available in its entirety here: https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/pdf/web/ARN19574_TC_3-20.40-Incl_C1_FINAL_WEB.pdf
[2]Sergeant First Class (SFC) John Rowland and Second Lieutenant (2LC) Keaton Crowder, “New Individual Weapons Strategy Approved,” Infantry News, Summer 2019, retrieved from https://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/magazine/issues/2019/Summer/pdf/2_New1_NewTC.pdf

Police One showcases shooting range equipment and simulation training systems by InVeris.

In their desire to provide ballistic protection, some range planners have designed highly specialized structures that become unusable for any other purpose. This may not necessarily be of great importance in a municipal range.  However, it does impact a public or commercial range building. You should look for a manufacturer that specifically designs shields and guards to contain misdirected shots within the range and maintain ballistic integrity. Range planners should avoid heavy earthen berms and overly thick concrete walls and ceilings in their building design. Other key structural considerations include:

Walls:Range walls should be of poured concrete or concrete block filled with cement or grout, not gravel. This type of construction provides maximum noise attenuation and ballistic security. Blocks filled with sand are not recommended as any crack or penetration of the block will cause leakage onto the range floor. For additional ballistic protection, steel plating can be applied to the side walls downrange.

Flooring:The most suitable type of flooring for the range is a smooth, non-absorptive hardened concrete floor from the firing line to the bullet trap. The floor will take a lot of low shots, so a smooth floor results in less erratic ricochets. The firing line and the area behind it are typically covered with vinyl or rubber flooring. Due to environmental considerations, floor drains require filtering systems to collect range contaminates. These systems are typically expensive, so the vast majority of range planners today exclude floor drains and sloped floors from their design.

Ceiling:A slab or precast ceiling is most suitable because it normally requires minimal baffles and guards. Guards are still required for lighting, plumbing, conduit, ducts, or protuberances in the ceiling downrange. Therefore, when using a slab or precast ceiling, the range designer should attempt to route pipes, conduit, etc., on the outside of the range and enter into the range only at the points absolutely required. For other types of ceilings, a series of angled air-space baffles or redirective guards suspended at various locations are usually required. The exact placement is determined by ceiling height, range length, and if any shooting activity will be conducted beyond the primary firing line. Meggitt Training Systems provides these suggested placements and load weight computations to the range planner as a part of the drawing package.

Dividing the Range:Dividing the range into bays should be considered if the range will exceed ten shooting points. Generally a ten-point range will function more efficiently if divided into two bays of five points each; a twelve-point range into two bays of six points, etc. By dividing the range into bays, several advantages can be realized. Among the most significant are:

A solid or a minimum 8-inch fully grouted block wall is recommended for separating the bays. The type of shooting activities planned for the range will dictate the thickness. The separating wall should be continuous from the front to the rear wall of the range and extend from the floor to ceiling. This is required for range safety, noise reduction and ventilation integrity. Doors between adjoining ranges may be required to meet fire regulations so the range planner should verify this with the local fire department. Spectator area walls separate the firing line from the ready room or lobby area. Bulletproof glass must be specified for the viewing area that is capable of stopping the largest caliber round that will be shot on the range.

To learn more about designing, building and equipping a gun range, request the Range Design Guide.

De-escalation training, more than ever, is consequential for law enforcement. This comes in the wake of recent controversial incidents that highlight officer use of force that were met with adverse public reaction.

Increasing public backlash and the pressing desire to reduce risks for officers and citizens alike have inevitably led law enforcement to reassess their roles.

Training and Job Reality Mismatch

There is a clear mismatch between how law enforcement officers are trained versus the actual demands of their job. This is where the fundamental issue with law enforcement training lies. We train our officers for a role that is not clearly proportional to the one society expects them to play.

A survey conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum revealed that for every one hour of training allocated to teaching and practicing de-escalation techniques, there were eight hours of training allocated to learning about using some type of force. Recruits are trained in academies whose training philosophies are anchored on the deployment of force and law, and are always equipped with dangerous weapons. Training then should be restructured to incorporate an increased focus on conflict de-escalation and crisis intervention.

When Trainees Lack the Gift of Gab

Law enforcement officers are given the difficult and often dangerous job to resolve or de-escalate tense and hostile situations. In many circumstances they regularly face, the right words, spoken in the right manner, can either calm a situation or at least earn compliance. This is where one’s verbal communication skills come into play. Unfortunately, not all of them are equipped with the ability to articulate their thoughts effectively and confidently.

However, it is important to note that one’s communication skills are not the be-all and end-all of the de-escalation process. When needed, physical action is also an essential part of de-escalation.

Training Recruits for the Reality

As new recruits spend a bulk of their time cultivating their firearm proficiency and combative skills, they sometimes don’t develop sufficient verbal de-escalation skills that are critical in resolving conflicts in actual crises. Hence, continued education is a must.

Training solutions like virtual simulators place trainees in an immersive environment that increases realism of training, heightening awareness and proper use of force responses. Virtual simulators that have de-escalation scenarios, where officers must “talk down” a potentially violent suspect could greatly enhance new recruits’ verbal de-escalation skills. By simulating different situations, going through the necessary steps, and getting objective feedback on their performance, they will be more prepared to deal with extremely stressful scenarios in the future.

InVeris’ VR-DT Virtual Training System, for example, brings the power of virtual reality police training, scenario authoring, and simulated weapons to a 3D environment. It offers a realistic scenario library, with branching outcomes — from offices to schools, jails, traffic stops and domestics. The VR video content offers all applications, from use-of-force, de-escalation or active shooter, to person-in-crisis response.

With its enhanced capabilities like Push to Talk (PPT) technology, it allows trainees to engage in a conversation with the suspect, role-played by the instructor. Depending on the trainee’s actions, the instructor can branch the scenarios to escalate or de-escalate the situation. It’s After Action Review (AAR) enables instructors to review their decision-making skills to ensure proper tactics are used from any angle.

Contact us to learn more about InVeris’ Virtual Training Systems and how they can meet your training requirements.

The popularity of shooting has soared dramatically with an estimated 40 million recreational shooters in the US alone every year. However, a hidden killer crouches within America’s estimated 16,000-18,000 gun ranges. When shooters shoot guns with lead-based ammunition, they spread lead dust and fumes which can lead to serious health problems.

Health Risks Associated With Lead Exposure at Commercial Firing Ranges

According to a study conducted by Environmental Health, individuals who frequent or work at firing ranges had blood lead levels from between two to eight times the level of exposure considered acceptable by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exposure to lead dust and fumes at both indoor and outdoor firing ranges presents a potential health hazard to shooters, range employees, and their families.

Exposure to lead in indoor firing ranges comes basically from breathing in lead particles suspended in the air within the range. Fine and coarse lead particles from both the primer and bullet fragments can also stick to their hands, hair, skin, clothing, and other surfaces, and can be accidently ingested.

On the other hand, lead exposure from outdoor ranges stems mainly from spent shotgun pellets and rifle bullets, which also involves matter fired into backstops. This also poses an environmental hazard as lead can also contaminate the outdoor range’s surrounding environment.

Employees and shooters in many firing ranges unknowingly accumulate so much lead that steadily poisons their bodies. When exposed, the symptoms may barely be noticeable initially. However, prolonged and continued lead exposure can damage the brain, blood, nerves, kidneys and reproductive organs. The damage can also cause memory loss, extreme tiredness, emotional problems, kidney failure, even coma or death.

Children are also especially vulnerable to lead exposure. Lead dust can attach to shooters’ or employees’ clothing during the day. They unintentionally carry lead residue or what is known as take-home lead that can contaminate their cars and homes, inevitably exposing young children to lead-contaminated dust. Moreover, medical research has revealed that exposure to lead can affect a child’s behavior and intellectual development. It can cause damage to their brain and nervous system that  results in slowed growth and development, learning, behavior problems, as well as hearing and speech difficulties.

It has long been acknowledged that police officers, soldiers, and others who train with firearms are exposed to a significant amount of lead dust and fumes. Fortunately, there are strict workplace rules and regulations in place to minimize their exposure and to regularly monitor their blood lead levels for safety purposes. However, the same cannot be said for recreational shooters. Commercial ranges are not subject to the same kind of strict safety regulations as workplaces.

Reducing Lead Hazards at the Firing Range

Lead poisoning is avoidable. Good range-management and basic personal hygiene practices can minimize or even eliminate the risk of lead exposure. The following simple steps are recommended to avoid lead exposure in firing ranges:

• Make sure the range is correctly ventilated and that the ventilation system is working properly.
• At the range, wash your hands and face before eating, drinking or smoking.
• Wash hands and face before leaving the range.
• Wash range clothes separately from the rest of the family’s clothes.
• Always load bullets in a ventilated area.
• Do not load bullets at home or in areas children frequent.
• Do not allow children into the bullet loading area.
• Keep the bullet loading area clean by using detergent.

Protecting the health of employees, customers, and their families, while also reducing environmental contamination from lead exposure, is crucial to the safety plan of commercial firing ranges.

InVeris Training Solutions has all the resources you need under one roof to guide you through the processes of range design, development, and management. Our GranTrap™ granulated rubber bullet trap also boasts a patented stair-step design and is the industry’s first environmentally friendly option that minimizes airborne lead dust.

Contact us if you would like to learn more about InVeris Solutions’ commercial shooting range products and how we can help you prevent lead contamination in your shooting range.

 

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