till Valhalla ????

To counter one point he made: its hard for people who don’t either work in LE or .Mil to do anything other than train and get 3rd party instruction. Yeah, getting to test yourself in the real deal so you know how you’ll react and perform is great BUT as regular guys, we are subject to these situations being thrust upon us rather than being able to seek them out or initiate them. He’s right, you won’t know how you’ll react but at least through training and instruction you’ll be as prepared as possibly when that time comes.
 
Panone is correct....mindset is everything! I had a guy casing my house over the holidays and "confronted him" until the police arrived. I even had the ability to disagree with the 911 operator about holstering....much to her disappointment and angst. I defaulted to a level of training where it was automatic and did not think about anything but subduing the threat until help arrived. When the emotion set in action was all I had and I followed what needed to be done....just that simple. If I had never pursued situational education or firearm training I dont know how I would have reacted.
Rooster
 
He's right about the check 6. I see it all the time. People aren't really looking, it's turn left, turn right, holster. It would be a great exercise to put something to one side and ask the shooter to tell you what it was, after.
Heaven forbid if there's someone there. I tell people, always assume there's another guy.
While you're standing there swiveling your little bobble head, in the real world someone would be gunning you down. Move!

Ironically, his reference to "emotional control of a situation" is accomplished by training. But, proper training.

"I'm just a regular guy." "I've been fortunate enough to have been in some of best units in the world."
Hint: He's not a regular guy.

The trouble with the sit down with at drink and evaluate yourself idea is difficult at best. We're terrible at self evaluation. We always think were faster, leaner, stronger and more capable than we really are. And we don't know, what we don't know.

The mindset he refers to IS a way of life. It's not something you turn on. Because, when do you turn it on? Some might say when the situation gets bad. How do you know it's getting bad if you're not paying attention? And if this worked, it puts you way behind the curve anyway. In order to live a tactically secure life, you always have to be thinking about your environment. Some might think this is paranoia, but it's just always assessing your situation.
 
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The mindset he refers to IS a way of life. It's not something you turn on. Because, when do you turn it on? Some might say when the situation gets bad. How do you know it's getting bad if you're not paying attention? And if this worked, it puts you way behind the curve anyway. In order to live a tactically secure life, you always have to be thinking about your environment. Some might think this is paranoia, but it's just always assessing your situation.

Many years ago, my platoon did some training at The Farm in Virginia. While we were there we had some classes taught by CIA, most of it was on situational awareness and mindset. To your points, the training is such that it is so ingrained that it's just normal, and although you dial down 'level of awareness,' it's always on, just below the surface and idling, like a computer program in the background, but can ramp up in a nano-second. Kinda like driving, we've been doing it for years, and although we look both ways before turning at a stop sign, it's not a conscientious act.

It's all about reading a room, reading people, reading a situation.

To your point of self-evaluation, if all you do is blow sunshine up your ass, you are doing yourself a terrible disservice. We all suck at something. In the medical field we do a lot of self-visualization, running procedures in your head, talking them through colleagues, data show that the more you train in your mind for a procedure or contingency, the better it will be in real life.
 
Many years ago, my platoon did some training at The Farm in Virginia. While we were there we had some classes taught by CIA, most of it was on situational awareness and mindset. To your points, the training is such that it is so ingrained that it's just normal, and although you dial down 'level of awareness,' it's always on, just below the surface and idling, like a computer program in the background, but can ramp up in a nano-second. Kinda like driving, we've been doing it for years, and although we look both ways before turning at a stop sign, it's not a conscientious act.

It's all about reading a room, reading people, reading a situation.

To your point of self-evaluation, if all you do is blow sunshine up your ass, you are doing yourself a terrible disservice. We all suck at something. In the medical field we do a lot of self-visualization, running procedures in your head, talking them through colleagues, data show that the more you train in your mind for a procedure or contingency, the better it will be in real life.
Yes, the key being able to acknowledge you suck at something(s). Visuslization and mental exercises are great training methods, not only to rehearse known processes, but also to work out solutions to new problems. I often go through the exercise of, if this situation turned bad, how would I deal with it? Which direction would I go or what would make good cover? Ah, I'll have to remember that for next time. Kinda like, have a plan to kill everyone you meet.
Another great training method is the, see one, do one, show one concept. When you have to teach someone something new, you have break down the components of the process in order to explain them. This enhances your own understanding.
 
The trouble with the sit down with at drink and evaluate yourself idea is difficult at best. We're terrible at self evaluation. We always think were faster, leaner, stronger and more capable than we really are. And we don't know, what we don't know.

So very true.

Edit: Although this in itself is a skill that some are better than others at.
 
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He's right about the check 6. I see it all the time. People aren't really looking, it's turn left, turn right, holster. It would be a great exercise to put something to one side and ask the shooter to tell you what it was after.
Heaven forbid if there's someone there. I tell people, always assume there's another guy.
While you're standing there swiveling your little bobble head, in the real world someone would be gunning you down. Move!
.

The Warrior Poets Society guy did a great video on the "Post shoot scan" thing people do. While odd to watch at first, it makes sense. It focuses on actually comprehending what you are scanning as opposed to just making head movements. He actually mentions standing behind people who do that little head swivel and still don't see him when he is standing right behind them dancing.

Its worth a watch, but in short, it has to do with actually talking to yourself while you scan to the effect of:

(Eyes on Target) Target is down
(Eyes to the sides of target at about 100 Degrees) Anyone else want to play?
(Head and body turn around and look behind at 180) Did you bring any friends?
(Back up to the left and right of target) No one else at all wants to play?

The psychology is that when you slow down a bit and "speak" this out in your mind it makes you look at your surroundings, not just doing some super cool ultra operator move.
 
The Warrior Poets Society guy did a great video on the "Post shoot scan" thing people do. While odd to watch at first, it makes sense. It focuses on actually comprehending what you are scanning as opposed to just making head movements. He actually mentions standing behind people who do that little head swivel and still don't see him when he is standing right behind them dancing.

Its worth a watch, but in short, it has to do with actually talking to yourself while you scan to the effect of:

(Eyes on Target) Target is down
(Eyes to the sides of target at about 100 Degrees) Anyone else want to play?
(Head and body turn around and look behind at 180) Did you bring any friends?
(Back up to the left and right of target) No one else at all wants to play?

The psychology is that when you slow down a bit and "speak" this out in your mind it makes you look at your surroundings, not just doing some super cool ultra operator move.

Grossman's books do a great job of explaining what is happening physiologically. The fight/flight epi and cortisol dump will make everything a blur. Some sort of trick to slow time and actually see what you scan is so helpful; a KIMs game or something.
 
He's right about the check 6. I see it all the time. People aren't really looking, it's turn left, turn right, holster. It would be a great exercise to put something to one side and ask the shooter to tell you what it was, after.
Heaven forbid if there's someone there. I tell people, always assume there's another guy.
While you're standing there swiveling your little bobble head, in the real world someone would be gunning you down. Move!


I agree with that. I've tried it and it doesn't take long to stop seeing when I look. Plus, I think that's an exercise designed around the constraints of the range. There's no 180 rule in the real world.
 
The mindset he refers to IS a way of life
Could Not have said it better.
In order to live a tactically secure life, you always have to be thinking about your environment. Some might think this is paranoia, but it's just always assessing your situation.
I am so lucky to be able to shoot everyday and I do.
Cooper said it best...Panic is a normal reaction to a problem with no forethought solution.
The mindset he refers to IS a way of life.
This Is our life here at the Battery Oaks.
 
Could Not have said it better.

I am so lucky to be able to shoot everyday and I do.
Cooper said it best...Panic is a normal reaction to a problem with no forethought solution.

This Is our life here at the Battery Oaks.
I refer to it as having a Rolodex card of action for any given situation. It's when you come up blank, no card for that situation, that you panic or freeze. That's a hard reset of your OODA loop. But, even that can be trained for to a degree. In those rare situations where you come up blank, make your default action to move. Or, I believe bit was Malcom Forbes that said, When in doubt, duck.
 
How does the saying go?

“People do not raise to the occasion, they fall back to the level of their training”
 
A deadly encounter is not a good place for On The Job Training.

Exactly, complacency will get you killed and far too many people have a false sense of security because they go to the range, stand in one spot and shoot paper, it’s a lot different when your target is trying to kill you back.

Most of the people here have shot more and under more stress than most LE officers and even we know that’s not enough to guarantee you’ll come out on top of a life and death encounter.
 
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