We are going to do this in "bite sized" threads - so this is the first "bite".

OK b here is the scenario.

You and three of your buddies/team-mates are with your families in the big city for a major holiday. The families consist of a few toddlers, a baby or two, and maybe some smaller children (5 years old or so). All of you (you and your three buddies) have trained together for years b and you are all armed with Glocks in CCW attire. And b as is SOP for you b you each have at least one spare/extra magazine and a light source too.

While you are enjoying a much needed family outing b a major riot breaks out b the scale of the LA riots in the 80b s. The riot is coming from the direction where your vehicles are parked b so you don't want to head that direction.

You also all immediately recognize that you cannot make a run for it b because you have too many small children. In this instance perhaps the best course of action would be to secure a room and wait for the main portion of the riot to pass by and then either try to make your way out or to wait it out in the room. Your call.

Note that what securing a room entails is at a minimum breaking and entering to possibly much more serious charges. But it is that or taking your chances with the angry mob outside that seems bent on racial violence.

In order to minimize the potential civil and criminal charges later b you choose what you hope is an unoccupied office/apartment. It STILL needs to be cleared though.

Here is how to do that.

 Room Clearing is DANGEROUS business but it is business that sometimes must be done.

First off lets look at some terminology.

STACK the group of assaulters that will clear the room. A stack is a MINIMUM of two assaulters but more is better. The stack is formed outside just prior to the assault usually right by the point of entry (which is usually a door.)

BREACHER the assaulter that opens the door, window, etc. The only rule about the breacher is that he is always the LAST guy in the stack to enter the room.

FATAL FUNNEL the area of the doorway. It is called the FATAL FUNNEL because it draws everyone's attention and GUNFIRE. To remain in the FATAL FUNNEL is DEATH to you and your team-mates. The FATAL FUNNEL must be negotiated as QUICKLY as possible.



There are two categories of entry, static and dynamic. STATIC entry/clearing is for when you have the time to go slow such as clearing your own house at night when you think your house has been invaded by a bad-guy. For static clearing you think 100% in terms of working the angles or slicing the 1,000's of pie's in every room. DYNAMIC entry/clearing is done in a blast. The room is quickly dominated through speed and aggression. Dynamic entry has been broken down into two different methods stacking and stackless. Case in point while you are all running to the building you have chosen you don't want to stack outside the front door and waste precious time getting in stack.

What I would envision is that three of you leave the main group and SPRINT over to the building and IMMEDIATELY enter the front door which is a hallway. THEN AFTER the hallway is secure go ahead and stack outside the office/apartment door prior to entry. (Stackless entry is VITAL if you are already receiving incoming fire. You don't have time to stack out there while under fire.) You would enter the final room only after the whole group is secure in the hallway. The guy you left with the group would provide security for the group b and would also act as your six. He would provide security in the hallway too prior to entry.

Here are all the necessary elements of CQB:
1. Planning
2. Preparation
3. Intelligence
4. Coordination
5. Execution
6. Safety
7. Training
With our scenario above the planning and preparation have occurred LONG before the visit to the city. The intel gathering came when you saw the unruly mob approaching your area. You then coordinated with each other about what to do (go to ground and secure a safe place to hole up). Then you executed that plan SAFELY. (Safely means that no one got hurt except those that you intended to get hurt.) Then when you get back home you will do an AAR and analyze what you could have done better and add that to your training.

Here are the Five Principles of CQB:
1. Number 1 man is never wrong
2. Move through the threshold/fatal funnel (Don't stop)
3. Occupy your sectors of fire (Points of Domination)
4. Cover your buddy
5. Dominate the room

Here are the Five Fundamentals of CQB:
1. Speed
2. Surprise
3. Violence of Action (some call it Shock Action to keep it all S's )
4. Simplicity (K.I.S.S. cause Murphy will be along for the ride)
5. Safety (have a b fail safe breach and know you sector of fire)

The Four Danger areas of CQB are known as b 3CS :
1. Corners
2. Ceilings
3. Closets
4. Stairs

STAY OFF OF THE WALLS! When in stressful situations b you will want to lean on a wall. DON'T. If you do you will drag the wall as you move MAKING NOISE. Noise is a target indicator that someone will eventually shoot at. MOST bullets go through MOST walls. This is especially true when in the stack! Most men b especially new guys b will want to lean against the wall while in a stack. DON'T DO IT! DON'T ALLOW IT!

While in the stack ALL firearms are pointed at the ground. This allows for unobstructed vision, and un-encumbered movement and SAFETY for the team. Think of it this way if your buddy behind you has an ND (Negligent Discharge) do you want the bullet in your foot or in your head?? In the stack the safety is ON! Fingers along side trigger guard.



As SOON as movement starts the firearms (be they long or short) can be brought to approximately a 45 degree angle. Then as SOON as the FATAL FUNNEL has been negotiated bring your firearm up to almost eye level, and into your firing position. While negotiating the Fatal Funnel the safety can come off but the firing finger is ALONG SIDE the trigger guard not IN the trigger guard. The firing finger only enters the trigger guard immediately prior to shooting NOT BEFORE. You want FULL eye vision but with the firearm almost at eye level so quick shots can be delivered. The barrel of the firearm should be parallel with the floor or close to parallel so if you have to shoot it will at least be a hit even if it is low. (With a handgun the arms can be bent and relaxed yet the muzzle will still be parallel with the floor so shots can be fired from this position. It is also FAST and EASY to bring the pistol out to full extension for more precise shot/s.)



The CORNERS must be DOMINATED FIRST! ESPECIALLY the corners adjacent to the point of entry. That means the #1 and the #2 man will NOT take the center of the room. At this point they will pretend the center of the room does not even exist.

Remember the danger areas of CQB?? Corners are the FIRST danger area so the corners are the HIGHEST priority. If you fail to dominate the first set of corners you fail to dominate the room. If you fail to dominate the room your team has failed its mission.

There are also some physiological and psychological reasons why the #1 and #2 man go in opposite directions too but I don't want to go into all of that. Just do it this way and live or do it another way and die. Your choice.

cheers tire iron

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