Close Target Reconnaissance (CTR) 1 Day seminar, Fayetteville, NC, (19 June, 2026)

This is a 1 day Close Target Reconnaissance (CTR) seminar being hosted in Fayetteville, NC on 19 June. All equipment is provided and class will run from 0900-1700. Location to be announced. 

Close Target Reconnaissance (CTR) is the deliberate, low-visibility collection of detailed, near-range intelligence on a specific person, location, or object to support timely decision-making and operations. When conducted responsibly and within legal/ethical boundaries, CTR fills the critical information gap that distant or technical collection cannot—providing precise, human-observed detail about patterns, vulnerabilities, access routes, and immediate threats.

Organizations and individuals that lack trained Close Target Reconnaissance capability are frequently blind to the subtle, near-range indicators that precede hostile action, criminal exploitation, or mission compromise. This gap results in missed early-warning signs, poorly informed planning, higher operational risk, and decreased ability to protect people, assets, and critical infrastructure. Reliance on remote sensors or after-the-fact reporting alone leaves decision-makers without the granular, context-rich intelligence needed to make timely, informed choices in dynamic environments.

Consequences of not addressing the problem

Missed indicators: Patterned behavior, rehearsals, or access rehearsals are overlooked until it’s too late.

Higher risk of compromise: Ambushes, targeted theft, or operational failure become more likely.

Poor planning: Decisions based on incomplete or low-fidelity information increase resource waste and mission failure probability.

Reduced deterrence: Adversaries exploit predictable gaps when they know targets aren’t being watched closely.

Overreliance on tech: Cameras, signals intelligence, or databases alone cannot replace contextual, human-observed detail in close environments.

What learning CTR delivers (benefits)

Early warning: Detects pre-operational behaviors and immediate vulnerabilities.

Actionable detail: Produces high-fidelity, time-relevant intelligence for planning and response.

Improved safety & survivability: Enables route selection, protective measures, and counter-surveillance.

Operational flexibility: Supports discreet reconnaissance in denied or sensitive environments where other means aren’t viable.

Stronger investigations & prosecutions: For law enforcement, CTR yields corroborated observations and documentation that strengthen cases.

Unit specific problem statements

Military / Special Operations: Units without CTR capability are vulnerable to being observed, tracked, and targeted—losing the initiative and increasing mission risk.

Law Enforcement: Investigations lacking CTR miss actionable patterns of criminal planning and lose opportunities to disrupt offenses pre-emptively.

Corporate / Private Security: High-value assets and executives are exposed to targeted exploitation when organizations cannot detect close, hostile reconnaissance.

Civilian / Homestead Defense: Families and community defenders who cannot recognize Close Target Surveillance indicators leave themselves open to burglary, targeted theft, or violent intrusion.

*This can be a physically demanding course. Show up in good health and drink water.

CTR I is the basic course with classroom instruction. 

CTR II employs more advanced tactics and more difficult targets as well as night operations and more advanced tech.