STEEL DOCTRINE

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💥 Steel Doctrine: The Modern Minuteman Class 💥  

Steel Doctrine is a pair of one-day advanced field courses that prepare civilians for real-world team operations. Students learn mission planning, movement, communication, reconnaissance, and threat response in austere environments where support may not be available. The courses build practical skills and confidence for those who take community defense and readiness seriously.

This class is right for you if:
✅ You believe the next fight could be local and want to be prepared for it.
✅ You want to train beyond the flat range with realistic patrol and field skills.
✅ You’re serious about mission planning, reconnaissance, communications, and ambush tactics.
✅ You understand that outside help may not be available and want to be self-reliant.
✅ You want to develop practical skills for survival, team coordination, and operational readiness.
✅ You are a civilian committed to serious, real-world preparedness rather than hobby-level training.

 Prerequisites:
✅ Completion of a basic civilian carbine course from a recognized source. Urban Rifleman or Expert Rifleman from Patriot Training preferred.
✅ Ability to safely handle a rifle/carbine at all times
✅ A working understanding of your chosen rifle platform (loading, unloading, and basic manipulations will not be a focus in this class) 

Fair chance: THIS IS NOT A SUITABLE FIRST CIVILIAN CLASS FOR ANYONE.

📅 Steel Doctrine: Anvil - April 11, 2026

📅 Steel Doctrine: Hammer - October 3, 2026

🕗 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM

📍 Mountain Top Gun & Archery Range, 11564 Harrison Ferry Rd, McMinnville, TN

👉 Seats are limited — lock in your spot today!

Steel Doctrine goes beyond typical range work, focusing on realistic team movement: patrolling and operational tactics. Participants will learn mission planning, team organization, communications, and reconnaissance techniques, along with how to respond to threats and ambushes in urban, suburban, and rural environments. The course emphasizes practical skills that translate directly to real-world scenarios, helping students operate effectively when help is not coming.

The class also covers patrol types, support team considerations, and engagement strategies for a variety of scenarios. Students practice moving, observing, and striking in dynamic environments while learning how to coordinate with a team and make critical decisions under pressure. Steel Doctrine is designed for civilians who take personal responsibility for readiness, community defense, and operational competence.

TOPICS INCLUDE

• All Patriot Training live fire classes have a thorough safety briefing and medical plan. 
• Mission planning: to include (but not limited to): infiltration, action at the site, exfil, as well as other considerations. 
• Patrol team structure and assignments. 
• Patrol organization and coordination. 
• Support team considerations. 
• Patrol types and purposes. 
• Dealing with an enemy ambush against your patrol. 
• Civilian patrolling considerations. 
• Communication - with and without electronic devices
• Danger areas, choke points, rally points, and other geographical points of interest. 
• Initiating action against an enemy patrol. 
• Recon patrol considerations.
• Combat patrol considerations. 
• Major differences from military style patrolling and why. 
• Steel Doctrine: Hammer will focus on domination of an area of interest or influence. 
• Steel Doctrine: Anvil will focus on neighborhood and homestead defense. 

FAQ

• Prerequisite: A basic civilian carbine course from a recognized source - the ability to safely handle your rifle / carbine at all times. We will not spend much time on basic weapon manipulation, loading, unloading, etc.  Expert Rifleman or Urban Rifleman from Patriot Training are strongly recommended. 
• NOTE: This is NOT a ‘teach someone how to shoot’ class. All students must be able to safely handle their equipment / firearms; to include loading / unloading, drawing / holstering safely to attend 
• Fair chance: THIS IS NOT A SUITABLE FIRST CIVILIAN CLASS FOR ANYONE. 
• CURRENT / FORMER MILITARY: This class is designed to complement military training with skills and contexts outside typical service doctrine. 
• CURRENT / FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT: This class covers practical rifle application and judgment-based problem solving often omitted from traditional LE training.
• All PATRIOT TRAINING Class pricing includes any applicable range access charges - no surprise "gotcha" fees!

GUNS & GEAR

• A zeroed "fighting" rifle (semi auto magazine fed). AR or AK style rifle strongly preferred. AR/AK pistol OK.
• PCCs and 22 LR rifles are NOT recommended. They jam too much. The ones that jam the most are the ones that "never have had issues before." 
• Your SPR or DMR is welcome - be prepared to bring the skills to back it up! 
• Your rifle needs to have a Sling. Patriot Training recommends a 2-point Vickers sling, a Magpul MS style sling, or similar.
• Iron sights, red dots, LPVO scopes all acceptable. 
• 5+ rifle magazines, minimum.
• 250 rounds of rifle ammo - same brand / same type. 600+ is better. 
• Eye protection & ear protection.  
• Chest Rig or Battle Belt - Able to transport a minimum of 3 rifle mags at a given time + mag in the rifle.
• Leatherman or similar
• Flashlight (not affixed to rifle)
• IFAK suggested, not required.
• Rucksack / Backpack
• New Notepad & pen - prefer "write in the rain" style.
• Lighter
• Survival knife (can be worn on belt / rig, or kept in rucksack)
• BRING A LUNCH - we will have a "field lunch" each day.
• Duct tape
• Canteen(s) / water bladder - 2+ L of water
• 50 feet of 550 cord or similar
• Creature comforts - bug spray, sunscreen. 
• Your rucksack should weigh less than 30 pounds. 
• An LBE style belt is acceptable in place of the chest rig & ruck sack (or battle belt & ruck).  
• LBE must be able to carry all of the items from the chest rig + the rucksack. Most LBE belts will do this easily.  
• Range appropriate clothing
• Food & Water
• Notepad and Pen
• Sunscreen & bug spray
• Hand warmers in cold weather months
• Sight adjustment tools for your rifle
• Medical kit / IFAK (optional)
• Lawn Chairs (optional)
• Rear shooting bag (optional)
• Shemagh (optional) 
• Binoculars (optional)
• Range Finder (optional)
• Poncho (optional)
• Poncho liner - "woobie" (optional) 
• If you wear prescription lenses / glasses - BRING THEM! 

STRICTLY OPTIONAL

• Pistol / mags / ammo - we won't use it, but it is not forbidden. 
• Plate carriers / body armor - we won't use it, but it is not forbidden.

DO NOT BRING TO CLASS

• Green tip or armor piercing ammo - we will be shooting steel targets. 
• Steel cased ammo for AR-15s - you will hate yourself. (Steel cased ammo OK for AK-47 and AK-74)
• Hand loaded or remanufactured ammunition. Bring factory ammo only. 
• Mixed brands/types of ammo - bring a single brand and type
• SERPA holsters or any holster requiring the trigger finger to disengage retention are forbidden. 
• Nylon holsters forbidden. 
• Revolvers

FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED

You will be walking over 2-3 miles each day in class. You will need to be able to bend, kneel, go prone, etc. You will be carrying your rifle and a patrol pack most of the day each day. If there is a flexibility issue, we will try to accommodate. 

LOCATION

This class will be held at 

Mountain Top Gun & Archery.

11564 Harrison Ferry Rd., 

McMinnville, TN 37110

CLASS IS HELD 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM 

REFUND / RESCHEDULE / TRANSFER POLICY

REFUNDS

Patriot Training does NOT offer Refunds. 

* Tuition sale is final and is a commitment to train with Patriot Training at the date and time scheduled.

* Tuition paid guarantees your spot in class. Patriot Training does not overbook. 

* Your payment secures a spot in a specific class, and nothing more. Patriot Training cannot and does not guarantee individual performance or results. Therefore, failure to pass a course (such as a carry permit evaluation) does not qualify for a refund.  

* Patriot Training does not offer refunds, reschedules, or transfers to students who fail to show up for class. If you decide not to attend, that’s your decision. 

* This policy is firm and there will be no exceptions.

*  Due to safety concerns, all Sig P320 variants are banned from use in class. No refunds will be issued based on this policy. 

Why? 

- Because if you decide the day before class that you don't like the weather forecast (or insert whatever excuse here), we will not have time to sell that spot to a serious participant that has been turned away. 

RESCHEDULE

Long Range Patrol Cannot be rescheduled. This will be the last time it is offered. 

LIMITED TRANSFERS

Can't make the class and want to transfer (give/sell) your spot to someone else?

If you want to transfer, sell, or give your seat to someone else, that’s entirely up to you and is fine by us. 

You must notify us no later than Thursday, 6:00 pm, prior.  

If that person cannot make it, the same no refund policy applies. 

CANCELLATIONS

In the unlikely event Patriot Training is forced to cancel a class, refunds and reschedules will be offered.