Article on awareness from "The Tactial Wire"

[MoJo]

This is an excellent article on awareness from today's "Tactical Wire"
http://www.thetacticalwire.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Skill Set: Aware and In Tune
by Tiger McKee

Maintaining awareness of our environment is the key to spotting potential trouble. This advance notice provides the time necessary to formulate a plan for defeating your opponent, through avoidance and escape, or if necessary fighting. In addition to being aware of your surroundings, you also need to be in tune with your environment, which means blending in and not attracting attention. By being in tune with the world around us we fly under the radar without attracting attention. Being in tune also lets us see disruptions in the harmony of our surroundings that might indicate trouble, and quicker than when we are out of tune.

The ideal way to go through life is without attracting attention. Wearing clothes imprinted with your favorite brand pistol or the Scout/Sniper school you just attended is going to attract peoples' attention, including bad guys. When you're in the big city strolling about admiring the various sights while everyone else is moving quickly with a destination in mind you're going to stick out. And, if you have a NRA sticker on the back of your truck window then I know you have guns at home, and if I were a bad guy, I might just try to take them someday. The point is you don't want to stand out in the crowd.

One problem with this is that we all want to express our individuality, proclaiming our status by what we drive, how we dress, the watch we wear, and our body language. Remember there are predators out there looking for victims. While the majority of them are looking for easy prey, there are others who are actually looking for a fight. If you look like a victim, completely unaware of your environment, you're volunteering to be attacked. And if you look like you'll fight at the drop of a hat, you may find somebody to take you up on that one too. What we want to do is find that happy middle ground. Keep your head and eyes up, looking and assessing, telling possible threats that you wouldn't be an easy victim, but don't parade around like the badass on the block, bristling up anytime someone gets near you and visually issuing challenges to anyone looking your way.

To blend into your surrounding you need to be in tune with it, becoming one with the flow. Anything that attracts attention may attract the wrong kind of attention. It's sort of like being an actor, camouflaging, dressing and presenting the personality of who you want others to see, not necessarily the true you. But when forced to confront a threat, it's time to "man-up" - regardless of your gender - and show them who you really are. Let them know that if they come prancin' around they're liable to get fractured, and when it's time, follow through and put a hurtin' on 'em, quickly.

Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama, author of The Book of Two Guns, a staff member of several firearms/tactical publications, and an adjunct instructor for the F.B.I. (256) 582-4777 http://www.shootrite.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[joe817]

Excellent article MoJo!! Thanks so much for sharing! The guy is right on in what he says and I fully subscribe to that kind of mindset.

[Keith B]

I don't know, I like wearing some of my logoed items. I saw a guy one day wearing a Kahr cap at Wal-Mart in the . I doubt anyone other than a shooter would know what it was. I asked him "What kinda of Kahr do you drive?" He said, "Uh, a Honda, why?" I laughed and pointed to his hat and said "No, what kind of Kahr do you drive?" He then laughed and said "A PM9." We then had a good conversation on how we liked our PM9's.

Back on the original post, this is a good reminder on situational awareness. Thanks for posting MoJo. We should all be cognizant of our surroundings and happenings at all times. Kinda like driving a car. I do mirror checks constantly to know who is around me at all times so I can make a tactical move if needed to avoid being ran into. It amazes me how many people NEVER look in their rear-view or side mirrors to know what is behind or beside them. Then, they just blindingly change lanes. Then they are in trouble! Same with waling across a parking lot or through a store. Know who is walking/driving around you and have an escape route/plan in your head at all times so you will not be cornered or trapped.

[ScottDLS]

I saw a pilot at DFW with a "GOT SIG?" bumper sticker on his flight bag. This after he walked around the metal detectors after showing the TSA and DFW cops a plastic card and some papers. I assume he was an armed flight deck officer, but I didn't ask.