On Saturday, October 1, 2016, Holland Lodge No. 1 will host a Virtual Tactical Academy (VTA) course for its members, and Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts. This is an opportunity for Holland Lodge to get very practical training and have some great fun at the same time! If you have a Texas license to carry or you have a gun for home protection, training is important, but shooting at a piece of paper at a range is training only to shoot paper at a range. You need to train in the realities of fighting with a firearm. The VTA course uses a powerful state of the art virtual reality system to project life-size realistic scenes. The VTA system has about 600 different scenarios filmed with real actors in branching video, projected life-size so the instructor can make the actors interact with you in almost endless combinations of virtual reality.
Brother Austin Davis will teach the VTA course. Brother Davis is a former Texas Peace Officer with more than 25 years experience training law enforcement, corporations and individuals in a variety of crime and crime prevention topics. Brother Davis is the owner of Kangaroo Carry Holsters and founder of Virtual Tactical Academy. He is a Texas License to Carry Instructor and Director of Training and Education for Texas Concealed Handgun Association.
The VTA course starts with a short briefing to teach all the skills needed to succeed. Then one by one the students step into the virtual reality world, and just as in real life will have to speak, think fast, move and maybe even use simulated force with a VERY realistic recoiling laser pistol. You will be amazed at how realistic your brain perceives the conflicts! Students will do far more than just deal with the immediate threat. After every scenario we practice calling 911, interacting with law enforcement on scene and even dealing with the all too likely gunshot wounds.
There will be two sessions, one from 9am to noon and one from 1 to 4pm. Each session will include a 15 minute briefing, 90 minutes of individual scenarios, and a 15 minute debrief. There are no live weapons allowed in the training area. Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely. There is no cost to the members. Lunch is on your own.
Brother Davis will have sign-up sheets in the dining room of Holland Lodge No. 1. Space is limited to 20 students at each session, so we encourage all interested Holland Lodge No. 1 members, Entered Apprentices and Fellowcrafts to come to lodge and sign up early.
