Color Codes

[NordicTexan]

I have seen many references in various posts to color and conditions, ie go to yellow? What exactly does this reference? I assume ( yeah I know dangerous) that these refer to readiness conditions but thats only my assumption. Is there a standard or a best practice that these come from? If I recognize that a potential BG is approaching, do I need to shift to a highten readiness condition, such as be prepared to draw my weapon and this is classified as yellow? I don't have a law enforcement or military background so if this is related to a standard training technic I appologize, I just don't know and I am curious.

[TexasGal]

It is referring to Jeff Cooper's Color Codes of Awareness. He was one of the great men whose ideas of tactical awareness and readiness earned him a place in history. Many, if not most, who have learned them have adopted them as the standard of behavior while going about their day. You will find a good explanation at this link to Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper

I have to admit I strongly support this mindset. It saved me from what I am sure would have been a most unpleasant mugging.

[sugar land dave]

Thank you, TexasGal! Nicely done!

[TexasGal]

Thanks I admire Jeff Cooper. His teachings may have saved my life and who knows how many they have surely saved. From what I have read of him, he was a man of honor, intelligence, and wisdom. I wish I had met him before he was gone.

[NordicTexan]

Wow, perfect, Jeff Cooper sound like a very interesting guy.

The Wiki page led me to Jeff Cooper Books as well. Any recomendations on selections because these look like some really good reading materials? I really enjoy history and biographies in addition to the firearm training.

[MoJo]

I teach color codes like this.

White - - - You are texting while driving.

Yellow - - - You are in your car paying attention to things around you.

Orange - - - You notice a kid riding a bike and slow down a little.

Red - - - The kid on the bike suddenly turns into the path of your car and you apply the brakes.

Black - - - You look up from your text to see the kid and bike tumbling away from your now damaged
car, slam on your brakes and scream Oh My God!

[jframe.38]

The color codes is the most useful thing that I learned from my CHL class. I have never drawn my concealed handgun but have used the color codes to stay away from trouble plenty.

[TexasGal]

Absolutely, and his Four Rules were genius. No one can be wounded if they are being observed when people make mistakes. I think the only improvement I have ever come across is the addition of Rule #5: Always maintain control of your firearm.

[The Annoyed Man]

Cooper's commentary was hugely funny....

“If you must carry a .25 ACP caliber pistol, do not load it. For if you load it, you might use it. And if you shoot somebody with it, and they find out about it, they’re likely to be very upset with you.”

[Jumping Frog]

Black - - - You look up from your text to see the kid and bike tumbling away from your now damaged
car, slam on your brakes and scream Oh My God!

It's a free country and all of us can modify and add to this concept as we see fit.

But for historical purposes, this is what Jeff Cooper had to say about adding black in his book Gargantuan Gossip 2 and recently quoted in the May 2012 Combat Handguns:

I continue to object to the expansion of the color code to place "Black" beyond "Red." In Red you have made the decision to take the irrevocable step. You have no place further to go than that and there is no need to clutter up the scene.

[The Annoyed Man]

I teach color codes like this.

White - - - You are texting while driving.

Yellow - - - You are in your car paying attention to things around you.

Orange - - - You notice a kid riding a bike and slow down a little.

Red - - - The kid on the bike suddenly turns into the path of your car and you apply the brakes.

Black - - - You look up from your text to see the kid and bike tumbling away from your now damaged
car, slam on your brakes and scream Oh My God!

Mojo, that is a great illustration, and with your permission, I'm going to use it from now on with my gun safety classes. The reason that it is a great illustration is that it bridges the gap between the gun world, and the world of the uninitiated. The Cooper color codes tend to be taught in the context of carrying a gun; but they are absolutely applicable to to a large part of life, whether or not guns are involved in it. I think that when it is cast in that light, even your students who are most oblivious to their own personal safety can understand the concept......

.....with or without the black.

[Jumping Frog]

By the way, I found this to be an interesting article by Stratfor: A Practical Guide to Situational Awareness

It also uses the "driving a car" analogy.

Stratfor is an interesting site for people who like to follow what is going on in the world.

In addition to describing various awareness states, there is also good discussion on transitioning form one state to another. A small excerpt:

If you are tuned out while you are driving and something happens -- say, a child runs out into the road or a car stops quickly in front of you -- you will not see the problem coming. This usually means that you either do not see the hazard in time to avoid it and you hit it, or you totally panic, freeze and cannot react to it -- neither is good. These reactions (or lack of reactions) occur because it is very difficult to change mental states quickly, especially when the adjustment requires moving several steps, say, from tuned out to high alert. It is like trying to shift your car directly from first gear into fifth and it shudders and stalls. Many times, when people are forced to make this mental jump and they panic (and stall), they go into shock and will actually freeze and be unable to take any action -- they go comatose. This happens not only when driving but also when a criminal catches someone totally unaware and unprepared. While training does help people move up and down the alertness continuum, it is difficult for even highly trained individuals to transition from tuned out to high alert. This is why law enforcement and military personnel receive so much training on situational awareness.

[MoJo]

I teach color codes like this.

White - - - You are texting while driving.

Yellow - - - You are in your car paying attention to things around you.

Orange - - - You notice a kid riding a bike and slow down a little.

Red - - - The kid on the bike suddenly turns into the path of your car and you apply the brakes.

Black - - - You look up from your text to see the kid and bike tumbling away from your now damaged
car, slam on your brakes and scream Oh My God!

Mojo, that is a great illustration, and with your permission, I'm going to use it from now on with my gun safety classes. The reason that it is a great illustration is that it bridges the gap between the gun world, and the world of the uninitiated. The Cooper color codes tend to be taught in the context of carrying a gun; but they are absolutely applicable to to a large part of life, whether or not guns are involved in it. I think that when it is cast in that light, even your students who are most oblivious to their own personal safety can understand the concept......

.....with or without the black.

TAM you are very welcome to use it. The reason I put Black into the continuum is my CHL Power Point presentation has it. It also helps show what happens to a person who is jolted out of white by an event they could have seen coming if in yellow.

edit: I started using driving as an example because almost every CHL student drives an automobile and those that don't drive ride in cars it's a familiar concept.

[Lambda Force]

Considering the principles of personal defense, we have long since come up with the Color Code. This has met with surprising success in debriefings throughout the world. The Color Code, as we preach it, runs white, yellow, orange, and red, and is a means of setting one’s mind into the proper condition when exercising lethal violence, and is not as easy as I had thought at first. There is a problem in that some students insist upon confusing the appropriate color with the amount of danger evident in the situation. As I have long taught, you are not in any color state because of the specific amount of danger you may be in, but rather in a mental state which enables you to take a difficult psychological step.

More details are at http://www.frfrogspad.com/color.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MoJo]

Considering the principles of personal defense, we have long since come up with the Color Code. This has met with surprising success in debriefings throughout the world. The Color Code, as we preach it, runs white, yellow, orange, and red, and is a means of setting one’s mind into the proper condition when exercising lethal violence, and is not as easy as I had thought at first. There is a problem in that some students insist upon confusing the appropriate color with the amount of danger evident in the situation. As I have long taught, you are not in any color state because of the specific amount of danger you may be in, but rather in a mental state which enables you to take a difficult psychological step.

More details are at http://www.frfrogspad.com/color.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I love Fr. Frog he's usually right on top of the solution to your problem.