Est. 1984
For any questions regarding the Hostage Rescue Symposium contact Marco Lopez at [email protected]. Students must pay at the time of registration. If your agency will be paying for the training and there will be a delay in payment, contact Marco Lopez immediately upon registering. If your agency will be signing you up for the class. Make sure the person registering you for the class provides us with the students email and personal phone number (not agency or dispatch number).
The Texas Tactical Police Officers Association (TTPOA) is proud to host the 2026 Hostage Rescue Symposium, bringing together a select group of SWAT operators from across Texas and beyond for an advanced week of training dedicated exclusively to hostage rescue operations. This symposium will be broken down into two tracks, assaulter and sniper. Towards the end of the week, the sniper and assaulter cells will be combined in a full mission profile scenario.
This symposium will be led by Eduardo Guerra, Rick Lofton of Obsidian Spear Group and Forward Observation Group together. They bring decades of Tier 1 operational experience, leadership, instructional expertise, and real-world hostage rescue knowledge. Their collective backgrounds span special operations, direct-action missions, close quarters battle (CQB), command and control, operational planning, and high-risk crisis response.
This instruction is designed for tactical teams whose primary mission includes hostage rescue. This symposium will focus on the critical components required to successfully plan, coordinate, and execute hostage rescue operations in complex and rapidly evolving environments.
It will emphasize the integration of assault forces, overwatch, command elements, reconnaissance and intelligence assets, communications architecture, contingency planning, and decision-making under pressure.
Instruction will include the integration of supporting capabilities commonly employed during hostage rescue operations, including NVG capabilities, Noise Flash Diversionary Devices (NFDDs), breaching considerations, sniper support, command-and-control systems and communications (MPU5/ATAK). Particular emphasis will be placed on understanding how these capabilities can be synchronized with assault force actions to create and maintain tactical advantage, regain surprise during dynamic situations, and increase the probability of mission success while minimizing risk to hostages and operators.
Participants will train alongside highly motivated operators from across the state while learning proven tactics, techniques, and procedures from instructors who have extensive operational and instructional experience conducting and supporting hostage rescue missions.
PRIMARY AREAS OF INSTRUCTION
HOSTAGE RESCUE CQB OPERATIONS
• Fundamental and advanced hostage rescue principles
• CQB tactics, techniques, and procedures for hostage rescue environments
• Problem solving in dynamic and uncertain operational conditions
• Immediate action considerations during rapidly evolving threats
• Threat discrimination and engagement decision-making
• Assault force integration and movement during hostage rescue operations
• Employment of Noise Flash Diversionary Devices (NFDDs) to create tactical advantage, disrupt adversary decision-making cycles, and regain surprise during dynamic operations
• Integration of NFDDs into hostage rescue assaults, emergency action responses, and contingency execution
• Integration of explosive/manual breaching procedures during hostage rescue missions.
COMMAND, CONTROL, AND DECISION MAKING
• Leadership considerations during hostage rescue incidents
• Tactical command and control structures
• Decision-making under compressed timelines
• Information management and operational prioritization
• Synchronization of multiple operational elements
• Contingency development and crisis response planning
COMMUNICATIONS AND OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION
• Internal team communication procedures
• Cross-element communication between command, assault, sniper, breaching, and support assets
• Information flow and reporting requirements
• Maintaining situational awareness during execution
• Communication challenges during high-risk operations
• Synchronization of actions across multiple operational elements
PLANNING, REHEARSALS, AND FULL MISSION PROFILES
• Operational planning methodologies
• Intelligence preparation and target analysis
• Rehearsal development and execution
• Contingency planning and branch plans
• Integration of supporting capabilities into hostage rescue operations
• Full Mission Profile (FMP) exercises designed to replicate realistic hostage rescue scenarios
ASSAULT FORCE AND SUPPORTING ASSET INTEGRATION
• Roles and responsibilities throughout the operation
• Coordination between assault, command, and supporting elements
• Integration of tactical snipers into hostage rescue operations
• Pre-assault considerations and operational contributions
• Synchronization of actions before, during, and after execution
• Transition between mission phases and operational objectives
• Integration of breaching, NFDD employment, and supporting capabilities into assault force operations
• Decision-making considerations for NFDD utilization based on threat behavior, environmental factors, hostage considerations, and operational objectives
LIVE FIRE FLAT RANGE OBJECTIVES
• Refine marksmanship fundamentals under stress
• Shooting drills on the clock (self induced stress)
• Immediate action drills to correct all malfunctions
• Enhance efficiency in target-to-target transitions on the clock
• Learning to maintain composure, accuracy, and safety under stress
• Strengthen the “basics on demand” concept capability for real-world defensive use
SYMPOSIUM OBJECTIVES
The Hostage Rescue Symposium is designed to challenge experienced tactical personnel to think beyond individual tasks and focus on the broader operational requirements necessary to successfully resolve hostage incidents. Participants will gain practical experience in planning, communication, command and control, CQB execution, and the integration of multiple capabilities required to support hostage rescue operations.
This event is intended to foster collaboration within the hostage rescue community, encourage the exchange of lessons learned, challenge assumptions, and elevate the capabilities of tactical teams across Texas and beyond.
When innocent lives are at stake and failure is not an option, preparation, training, communication, and professionalism become decisive factors.
This IS NOT an entry-level course. Attendance is intended for currently assigned SWAT personnel and tactical leaders seeking to refine their understanding of hostage rescue operations and enhance their team's ability to operate effectively in high-risk, high-consequence environments.
MANDATORY EQUIPMENT:
500 rounds rifle (live)
500 rounds pistol (live)
1000 rounds siminution rifle (no high velocity rounds)
250 rounds siminution pistol (no high velocity rounds)
MPU5/ATAK systems will be provided but if you have your own MPU5/ATAK system bring it. We will all use MPU5/ATAK comms for team communication between assaulters, snipers and the tactical operations command.
Full kit (armor, gun belt, helmet, NODS, rifle, pistol, aiming device for NODS, wraparound eye protection is mandated)
NFDD’s (live or training), equipment for explosive breaching (details will be specifically sent out to teams that have the VERIFIED capability.) THIS IS NOT AN EXPLOSIVE BREACHING CLASS OR TO BE USED AS A CERTIFICATION FOR EXPLOSIVE BREACHING.
The training Dates are as follow November 2–6, 2026
El Dorado Training Grounds
El Dorado, Texas
This does not include travel days
Attendance is limited to vetted SWAT personnel. Seats are extremely limited and will be limited to FOUR (4) per department. We will have an established waiting list per agency, first come first serve basis.
This class will not have a traditional schedule with set hours. There may be some nighttime training involved, and tentative schedules will be pushed out. Questions, reach out to Marco Lopez [email protected]
Lodging/Price Points:
We are proud to announce that 5.11 has partnered with the TTPOA as a supporting sponsor of this event by contributing $200 toward each student registration. Through their commitment to training and professional development, the cost of attendance has been reduced to $1,800 per student, making this premier training opportunity more accessible to operators from across the country. This price includes lodging and food for the entire training period. Operators will stay on the training site for the duration of the class. More details to follow
We sincerely appreciate 5.11’s investment in advancing the capabilities, preparedness, and success of the law enforcement professionals attending this symposium. El Dorado Training grounds physical address will be pushed out when you sign up and PAY for the class. The nearest airport is San Angelo (SJT airport)
Registration/Payment Instructions:
1. You must register as a member for any TTPOA course ($30 for one-year individual membership)
2. Credit card payment is strongly recommended. This class is extremely limited, and proof of payment or payment is going to be required immediately upon signing up, due to the demand of this class.
Mail checks to:
TTPOA
Att: Hostage Rescue Symposium (assaulter)
PO Box 304
Burnet, TX 78611
*Please make checks payable to "TTPOA"
Questions, contact TTPOA Vice President
