Why Train in

Low light?
l  91% of engagements are within 21 feet, 67%
within 10 feet.
l  Average engagement is less than 2.5 seconds.
l  40% specifically ID lighting conditions as a
contributing factor.
l  Average time since last night training:
–  4 - 6 months, 1 year, never.
–  Average number of patrols conducted at night. 10% of
training or less conducted at night (live fire).
 The Human Eye
l  Normal vision is 20/20.
–  Visual acuity drops to the
20/400 to 20/600 range during
lowlight conditions.
l  Every 13 yrs the amount of
light needed to see in low-
light conditions doubles.
–  45yrs = 4x (19yrs).
l  An estimated 80% of our
sensory information is
received through the eye!
 The Human Eye
Retina
l  Cones (receptor cells):
–  Day
–  Perceive colors
–  High acuity
l  Sharpness in objects

–  In low-light conditions
they don’t work very
well
 The Human Eye
Retina
l  Rods (receptor cells):
–  Night.
–  No color.
l  Black.
l  White.
l  Shades of gray.
–  Low acuity.
l  Blurred edges.
–  Off-center vision and
scanning.
 The Human Eye
Adaptation
l  Cones adapt more rapidly than rods.
l  Cones regain complete sensitivity in
10-12 minutes.
l  Rods regain complete sensitivity in
30-60 minutes.
 The Human Eye
Adaptation
l  Dark adaptation-
(Moving from light to dark)

–  Slow.
–  May be temporarily blind.
l  25 minutes – 80% adaptation.

l  60 minutes – 100% adaptation.

 The Human Eye
Adaptation
l  Light adaptation-
(Moving from dark to light)
–  Fast.
–  2 phases:
l  Sensitivity of whole retina is decreased to
½ original sensitivity.
l  Slower adaptation time leads to increased
sensitivity (recovery).
–  Example – walk out into bright sunlight.
 Physical Fitness
l  Blood pressure changes allow for faster
dilation.
l  Control of stress.
l  Nicotine impairs night vision adaptation.
l  Oxygen is a critical component for vision.
 Use of Light
l  Absence of Light; Stance directed fire.
–  Muscle memory.
l  Contrasting backgrounds.
–  Silhouette sights on lighter or darker background than the
adversary.
l  Fore lighting.
–  You are backlit.
l  Back lighting.
–  Enemy is backlit.
l  Muzzle flash indexing.
–  Bullet magnet!
 Improper Use of
Lighting Tools
l  Telegraphing location.
–  Leading.
–  Trailing.
l  Self blinding.
–  Only use when necessary.
l  I.D.
l  Front sight.

l  Backlighting others.

 Principles and Techniques
of Low-light Combat
l  A principle can be defined as a
fundamental truth, law, doctrine or
motivational force, upon which all
techniques are based.
l  A technique is a method, procedure or
manner of using basic skills to achieve the
goal of a principle.
 Principle of Low-light Combat
l  Techniques are only the means to the Principle.
Understanding the fundamental concepts of
fighting in the dark is the key to successful low
light engagements.
l  Most shooters can execute at least one handgun
flashlight technique. If you ask those same
shooters if they can state one lighting principle,
articulate it clearly and correctly apply it, you
might find a few blank faces looking at you.
 Principle of Low-light Combat
l  Addressing techniques only in any area of
study falls far short of what is needed.
l  Principle must be evaluated at the core
level.
l  Ask the following questions:
–  Do the Principles I’ve adopted work at all
ranges of combat?
–  Have they been tested?
–  Are they repeatable and are they useful?
 Principle of Low-light Combat
l  One must understand both techniques and
fundamental Principle of low-light
engagements to be successful.
l  After years of reality based training in a
force-on-force environment, certain
Principle of low-light engagements have
emerged. These are the basic truths of
fighting at night in a projectile based arena.
Ken Good, Strategos Intl.
 Principles of Low-
light Combat
l  “Read” the light.
l  Operate from the lowest level of light.
l  “See” from the opposite direction.
l  Light and move.
l  Power with light.
l  Align three things.
l  Carry more than one light.
 Principle One
l  Read the Light.
–  The prime directive for the successful
negotiation of unknown terrain so that you can
exploit all available strategies and tactics is to
read the lighting conditions in the environment
you are situated in.
–  Boyd’s Cycle “OODA Cycle” : Observation is
only the starting gate and must be exited
cleanly to survive the encounter.
 Principle One

All lighting conditions can be placed

in the following categories:
 Dawn & Dusk
There is
enough light to distinguish shapes, texture
& color of objects with noticeable shadow
areas.

Threat identification is impaired.

 Bright High Noon

The environment is a well lit area.

There is a high level of detail, excellent depth

perception.

Threat identification is excellent.

 No Ambient Light

This environment is rarely encountered, but

typically exists in underground structures,
sealed warehouses, etcetera.

Threat identification is non-existent without

artificial illumination.
 Low Full Moon

There is minimal ambient light-

weak artificial sources such as distant street light,
emission of light from another room.

Eyes detect shapes only; distance judgment

and threat identification
is severely impaired.
 Principle One
l  Regardless of the lighting condition you
find yourself in, attempt to get to a better
one than your opponent. Create or alter the
lighting if you have to. Backlight the threat
not yourself or your partner.

“Not by strength, but by guile.”

motto of British Special Boat Service (SBC)
Principle One
 Principle Two
l  Operate from the lowest level of light.
–  “Predators” operate from the “cover of
darkness.”
–  Flush out potential threats prior to moving to
the lowest level of light.
–  Assume that “All dark holes have guns.”
–  Once occupied, threats must operate from a
backlit position or use an illumination tool.
Principle Two
“Let there be light”
Book of Genesis
 Principle Three
l  “See” from the Opposite Direction.
–  You must learn to “see” yourself as a threat.
l  Need to know what you look like from the threat’s point of
view.
–  Know when you can be seen clearly, silhouetted,
partially obscured or completely invisible.
–  Know when to move or not move at all.
–  This vision will determine route selection, timing and
communication method.
 Principle Three
See the enemy as he truly is while letting him see
only that which will beguile him.
 Principle Four
Light and move.
–  Best described as trying to create the view of a
“firefly in motion.”
l  Threat never really knows where, when or how
many “fireflies” there are.
–  Light on, light off, then move. Don’t stand
still.
l  If you use the light be prepared to beat feet to
another location.
Principle Four
“Death waits in the dark”
motto of U.S. Army Task Force 160 “Night Stalkers”
 Principle Five
l  Power with Light.
–  Create a wall of light to dazzle or blind your
threat.
l  Change the threat’s perspective from viewing the
world clearly and without interruption to seeing
nothing but brilliant white light with no clear
comprehension of force deployment.
–  Eliminate dark holes and the concealment they
offer by “powering with light.”
 Principle Five
Let your plans be dark and as impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
 Principle Six
l  Align Three Things.
–  Eyes, weapon and light when searching for threats.
l  Align the weapon with your vision , then ensure that the “hot
spot” of your illumination is where you want it to be.
l  Do not stare at the sights but keep them “in battery” hinged
just below the sight plane ready to be reattached to your vision.
–  A proficient low-light operator keeps his eyes, weapon
and light aligned most of the time unless specifically
directing them in alternate directions for a specific
purpose.
 Principle Six
“There is only one tactical principal which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the
maximum amount of wound, death and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time.”
General George S. Patton, Jr.
 Principle Seven
l  Carry more than one light.
–  Do you carry a spare tire in your car? A spare
magazine on your belt?
–  In a low-light engagement your life may
depend on your ability to illuminate the threat.
l  Personal survival is worth more than the
cost of an extra source of illumination.
Principle Seven

“Alas! How easily things go wrong!”

George McDonald (1824-1905)
 Handgun Flashlight
Techniques
l  Most law enforcement shootings occur
during the hours from sunset to sunrise
when ambient light is either greatly
reduced, even when artificial lighting is
available, or is virtually nonexistent.
l  Most citizen shootings occur under the
same conditions.
l  Criminals are more active after sundown.
 Handgun Flashlight
Techniques
l  All Hands.
–  Hands together techniques.
l  Gun hand and the light hand are pressed together.
–  Harries.
l  Allows the operator to duplicate a two-handed firing
grip.
–  Hands apart techniques.
l  Gun hand and light hand move independently.
–  FBI
l  Designed to maximize tactical considerations.
 Handgun Flashlight
Techniques
l  Tactical Considerations.
–  With a hands together technique realize that the
gun hand is the master hand; the light hand is
along for the ride.
–  Adopt the mentality that when the flashlight is
activated, what you see is what you get. Be
prepared to shoot with whatever part of the
beam happens to be on the threat.
 Handgun Flashlight
Techniques
l  The well rounded shooter practices all the
techniques and uses whatever is best for a
given set of circumstances.
l  There is not a best technique for all
situations.
 Handgun Flashlight
Techniques
l  Harries
l  Marine Corps
l  Chapman
l  Ayoob
l  FBI
l  Keller
l  Neck-Index
l  Cigar
 Harries Technique
l  Named after the late Michael Harries, a
pioneer of modern practical combat
shooting.
–  Developed in the 70’s for use with large bodied
“police flashlights.”
–  Widely used today; works well with smaller
flashlights.
–  Hands together technique.
 Harries Technique
l  Flashlight is held in an “ice pick” grip with
the lens on the side opposite the thumb.
l  The thumb or finger operates the switch;
either body or tail cap mounted.
l  Wrists nest together with the backs of the
hands firmly pressed together to create
stabilizing isometric tension.
–  Large/long flashlights may rest on the forearm.
Harries Technique
 Harries Technique
l  Pros
–  Works well with small/large flashlights.
–  Aligns the beam with the weapon’s muzzle.
–  Steadier shooting platform.
–  Less fatiguing with large flashlights when using
the forearm rest.
–  Conforms well to the guard position.
–  Conforms well to the Weaver stance.
 Harries Technique
l  Cons
–  Displacement of the beam from the muzzle during
firing.
–  Proximity of hands increases chances of “hand
confusion.”
–  Muzzle sweep during hasty employment.
–  Lends to self blinding when a right handed shooter
attempts to navigate a corner or wall on the right side.
–  Light is located at shooter’s center mass.
–  Poor ergonomics for other stances.
 Marine Corps Technique
l  Attributed to USMC embassy guards.
l  Hands together technique.
l  Grasp the flashlight in a sword grip with the
thumb or finger on a body mounted switch.
l  Rim of flashlight is pressed forward against
the tips of the firing hand’s gripping
fingers, creating a stability tension.
Marine Corps Technique
 Marine Corps Technique
l  Pros
–  Comfortable/stable.
–  Aligns the beam with gun barrel.
–  Stable tow handed support of the weapon.
l  Cons
–  Limited only to side switched lights w/large lenses.
–  Beam displacement during firing.
–  Proximity of hands increases chances of “hand
confusion.”
–  Light is located at shooter’s center mass.
 Chapman Technique
l  Named for Ray Chapman, one of the five
original Combat Masters, founder of the
Chapman Academy and 76 IPSC world
champion.
l  Hands together technique.
l  Adapts well to isosceles/modern isosceles.
l  Second most widely taught technique.
 Chapman Technique
l  Flashlight is held in a sword grip, but only
with the thumb and forefinger encircling the
body of the light.
l  The other three fingers of the light hand
wrap around the gripping fingers of the
weapon hand.
l  Arms provide stabilizing isometric tension.
Chapman Technique
 Chapman Technique
l  Pros
–  Works with small or large flashlights.
–  Aligns beam with weapon’s muzzle.
–  Steady two hand support of weapon prior to
shooting.
–  Easily used by isosceles shooters.
–  Mimics a two handed shooting grip.
 Chapman Technique
l  Con
–  Limited to side switch flashlights.
–  Difficult to use with small hands or heavy flash light.
–  Displaces alignment of light and weapon during firing.
–  Fatiguing with large flashlights.
–  Proximity of hands lends to “hand confusion.”
–  Light is located at the shooter’s center mass.
 FBI Technique
l  Probably the oldest formally taught technique.
l  Originally emphasized as a way to prevent the
flashlight from marking the shooter’s position.
l  Maligned as outmoded. Useful when used in a
relaxed, movement oriented, unstructured room
clearing and dynamic firefight situations.
l  Hands apart technique.
 FBI Technique
l  Flashlight is held in a sword or ice pick
grip.
l  Light hand is extended well away from the
body.
l  Lens of flashlight is held slightly in front of
the body to avoid illuminating the shooter.
FBI Technique
 FBI Technique
l  Pros
–  Works well with small and large lights.
–  Eliminates displacement of beam and/or firing grip
upon firing.
–  Reduces chance of “hand confusion.”
–  Enables searching with the flashlight without
simultaneously pointing the muzzle with the beam.
–  Masks the precise location of the shooter.
–  Transitions well to other hand apart techniques.
–  Adopts easily to shoulder fired weapon techniques.
 FBI Technique
l  Cons
–  Limits the shooter to shooting one handed.
–  Difficult to maintain alignment of beam with
muzzle.
–  Fatiguing if performed for long periods.
–  Precise alignment of beam with muzzle takes
practice.
 Ayoob Technique
l  Developed by shooting instructor Massad
Ayoob.
l  A hands together technique that utilizes
isometric tension to stabilize the weapon-
light platform.
l  Best used in a fast and dirty CQB
environment.
 Ayoob Technique
l  Flashlight is grasped in a sword grip with the
thumb or any finger on the side mounted switch.
l  The thumb of the flashlight hand is pressed
against the thumb of the weapon hand, creating
isometric tension that steadies the weapon.
l  Hands may be held near the body in a ready
position or may be extended to a firing position.
Ayoob Technique
 Ayoob Technique
l  Pros
–  Assumed easily from a normal (sword) grip on
a flashlight with quick, gross motor
movements.
–  Beams aligns with muzzle.
–  Excellent close-in technique facilitating
weapon/light retention.
 Ayoob Technique
l  Cons
–  Limited only to side switch lights.
–  Displaces alignment of beam and barrel during firing.
–  Fatiguing with small and large flashlights.
–  Proximity of hands increases chances of “hand
confusion.”
–  Weapon tends to bang into light during execution.
–  Light is located at the shooter’s center mass.
 Keller Technique
l  Named for Georgia State Trooper, Van Keller.
l  Can be described as a variation of the Harries, it
is a hands together technique.
l  Flashlight is held in a sword grip, with the thumb
on the switch.
l  Shooter’s arms are extended outward, with the
arm of the shooting hand below the arm of the
flashlight hand.
l  The wrists nest together and the back of the
weapon hand presses firmly against the back of
the flashlight hand to create stabilizing tension.
Keller Technique
 Keller Technique
l  Pros
–  Aligns flashlight beam fairly well with barrel.
–  Enables steady, two handed support of the
weapon prior to firing.
 Keller Technique
l  Con
–  Complex motor skill-slide into wrist/forearm.
–  Limited only to side switch lights.
–  Displaces alignment of beam and barrel during firing.
–  Fatiguing with small and large flashlights.
–  Proximity of hands increases chances of “hand
confusion.”
–  Weapon tends to bang into light during execution.
–  Light is located at the shooter’s center mass.
 Neck-Index Technique
l  One of the newest technique to be
devolved. First taught in a 1992 by
Combative concepts then appeared in a
magazine article in 1994 by Brian Puckett.
l  Hands apart technique.
l  Flashlight is held in an ice pick grip.
l  Weapon and light can be held in either the
strong or support hand.
Neck-Index Technique
 Neck-Index Technique
l  Pros
–  Clear illumination of the sights and threat
simultaneously.
–  Natural transition from the FBI technique.
–  Works with small or large lights.
–  Adapts to both side and rear tail cap switched lights.
–  Minimizes muscle fatigue.
–  Eliminates beam/grip displacement during firing.
–  Reduces “hand confusion.”
–  Allows independent searching with light.
–  Supports an aligned body position for movement in any
direction.
–  Excellent for ambidextrous firing during lateral
movement.
 Neck-Index Technique
l  Cons
–  Must shoot one handed.
–  Can create excess splash of the beam off the
rear of the weapon.
–  Light is located near the shooter’s head.
 Cigar Technique
l  Rear Tail Cap Switches.
l  Switch is pushed using the fatty part of the
palm of support hand.
l  Light, usually small, is held between index
finger and middle finger.
l  Bottom two, ring and pinky still maintain
grip on gun as does thumb.
Cigar Technique
Cigar Technique
 Summary
l  Physiology of the eye.

l  Difference between Principle and Techniques.

l  Seven Principle.

l  Seven Techniques.