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Video by Michel Sauret

Park Rangers conduct SPEAR training

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District

March 17, 2025 | 1:00

Park Rangers from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District conducted SPEAR training as part of their annual mandatory curriculum.

SPEAR is a close-quarter defensive training to protect against an aggressor. It uses the natural human flinch response to block an attacker and get away. The goal is to de-escalate physical confrontations and seek safety.

The acronym stands for Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response.

At the beginning of the training, rangers completed a dodgeball exercise to show the body’s natural flinch reaction when something like a dodgeball is thrown at them. Ranger learned how to weaponize that flinch response to defend themselves against an attacker while exercising their duties in the field.

The training concluded with oleoresin capsicum training, also known as pepper spray.

(U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Pittsburgh District video by Michel Sauret)