The assessment area was set up much like the regular training, empty and devoid of any personnel or objects. Only the testing zone in the center was dimly lit by a single light.
Clay looked up at the overhead walkway and then walked directly to the center of the testing zone.
Over the past month of S&T training, the walkway had been sparsely populated with only Adam and two instructors, but now it was crowded with people.
Jason and Ray from Team B stood on the right, while Special Training Officer Adam stood on the left.
In the middle was "Smurf" Malcolm.
Even the head instructor, who rarely appeared once every couple of months, was present at the assessment site, highlighting the importance of the S&T course to the special forces.
When Clay reached his designated position, the instructor gave the order to reset.
The familiar black hood slowly descended from above, covering Clay's head and blinding his vision. Then the door and a wall in the center "split" open.
A dozen instructors entered, quickly setting up the assessment scenario.
Twenty seconds passed.
The first assessment scene was completed, and the setup team quickly retreated.
At thirty seconds, the sound of a store door creaking open echoed, and several incandescent lights appeared in the training room. They weren't very bright, but they weren't dim either, mimicking typical household lighting conditions.
At forty seconds, Clay's hood was suddenly lifted.
The lighting wasn't very strong, and since the hood hadn't been on for long, Clay quickly adapted to the light by squinting his eyes for a brief moment.
During this short adaptation, Clay demonstrated solid special forces fundamentals.
He entered the ready stance, disengaged the safety, switched to single-shot mode, scanned the room rapidly, and transitioned into combat mode—performing these movements smoothly and without hesitation. His initial preparation actions were undoubtedly flawless.
*Bang!*
The sound of a door opening came from the left.
Clay's sight followed the muzzle of his weapon as it moved toward the left side of the room. He saw an armed figure wearing a headscarf burst into the room.
There was no one else in the room. An armed intruder had just forced his way in.
Clay quickly assessed that this was a scenario where his side was holding out and awaiting reinforcements. The enemy had launched an assault, and he needed to neutralize the intruder swiftly.
The target, armed and displaying hostile intent, met the rules for lethal engagement under special operations protocol.
*Pew! Pew!*
The sound of the shots was significantly suppressed by a silencer and simulated subsonic rounds, quieter than a mere cough.
Clay fired two accurate shots, one to the chest and one to the head.
Control first, then neutralize, and finally confirm the kill—these are the "SEAL indoor combat principles." Both white-seal and elite SEALs follow this protocol.
However, there is no specific rule about how many shots should be used to control the target in the first step. It's based on personal habits and isn't enforced.
Clay didn't use the Mozambique Drill but instead fired a single shot to control the enemy before delivering the lethal shot. This differed notably from Long Zhan's method.
Which approach is better remains subjective, as shooting techniques vary from person to person.
Just as Clay neutralized the armed intruder on the left, the door at the 12 o'clock position was kicked open, and another target appeared, wearing a headscarf and carrying an AK.
*Pew! Pew!*
Two shots, quick and precise, not giving the intruder any chance to fire.
After taking down the two armed intruders entering the room, no other targets entered. Clay immediately took advantage of the lull and confirmed the kill on the two fallen targets.
After waiting for about ten seconds and confirming no further threats, Clay raised his right hand and shouted, "Clear!"
This is the standard phrase every trainee must say at the end of a regular assessment. It holds great importance not only in training but also in real combat situations.
The term "clear" lets teammates know whether you're injured, if there's any danger in your direction, or other important situational details, helping the leader or team members make more informed decisions.
Tactical language is typically brief, with just a word or two, so it can be communicated quickly.
Tactical language covers many aspects, and while many of the phrases are used within the team, there are at least a hundred common phrases from the training syllabus.
For example, during sustained engagements, when a team member runs out of ammo while suppressing fire, they must shout, "Reload," to prompt teammates to take over and continue the fire suppression.
In a "watch" mission, the team member on guard cannot leave their position or even divert their gaze without receiving new instructions. They must keep their eyes fixed on a specific area to ensure that no threats, even small, go unnoticed.
If a team member conducting a room search reports "clear" and is ready to continue searching, they must shout, "Move!" before advancing.
For silent operations, sound-based commands are avoided. Instead, non-verbal cues like "shoulder taps" or "PTT button presses" are used to communicate movement or safety status, signaling to teammates that the area has been cleared and they can follow.
Neglecting to notify teammates of your actions puts both you and your team in danger. If you move without informing your team, they may not be aware and could fall into a vulnerable position themselves.
Although Clay was alone during the assessment, the scenario still reflected the dynamics of team operations.
Thus, it had to meet real-world combat standards.
Had Clay failed to shout "Clear" at the end, despite executing the preparation and kills flawlessly, he would have been deemed to fail, with the assessment marked as zero.
Teamwork is the foundation of special operations, and Green Team holds a zero-tolerance standard on this. New trainees are never allowed to overlook such details.
Clay performed excellently in the first scenario, and the next, more challenging scenario would soon follow.
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