Newsletter 3/2007
Please note that you will not be able to reach me during the month of March. I am going overseas and will be back by the end of the month. Email is not an option where I will be at so I will only be able to answer your questions in a few weeks time. Feel free to phone the office though as Billy will be there to help.
We have just returned from two great Patrol Rifle Classes that I presented at the Polite Society in Memphis. All the guys were professional gunmen and we had great training in between all the storms!
During February we trained hard. Our classes were filled to the brim. I want to congratulate each and everyone partaking in the Interactive Force-on-Force classes. We learnt a lot from these schools and in our next Newsletter, we will share the lessons learnt.
See us at the following National Conferences, where Henk Iverson will be a presenter:
- Texas Tactical Police Officer Association - March 30 - April 02 / Houston, Texas
- ILEETA - April 17 - 21 / Chicago, Illinois
- National Patrol Rifle Conference - May 02 - 04 / Detroit, Michigan
- IALEFI - May 20 - 25 / San Antonio, Texas
IN THIS ISSUE
IS THE OODA LOOP COMPLETE?
Much has been said, written, debated and commented on Col Boyd's OODA loop. We have used the OODA loop for years as a parameter training tool to illustrate to student how the brain acts/re-acts during violent confrontation. For those of you that are not familiar with the OODA Loop, let's recap.
The OODA Loop was first described and written down by Air Force Colonel John Boyd. As a young pilot, Boyd studied air to air combat and found a cycle of events that take place during such combat.
Boyd's OODA Loop consisted of the following:
O - Observation
O - Orientation
D - Decide
A - Act
O - Orientation
D - Decide
A - Act
A fighter pilot has to OBSERVE the enemy aircraft, then ORIENTATE its position, its intention, then the pilot can DECIDE what action/counter action he is going to take, and the ACT upon his decision.
To OBSERVE the enemy aircraft, a modern day fighter pilot has a huge array of technical
equipment to assist him such as onboard sensors, radar etc. The pilot can now basically predict the enemy's tactics as they study these non-stop. The pilot now places himself in
a position of advantage over the enemy.
The pilot ASSESSES (ORIENTATION) each maneuver the enemy makes and counters (DECIDE) each and every move made by the adversary. By doing this, the pilot can defend himself while attacking.(ACT)
The cycle is repeated as the fight continues.
LAW ENFORCEMENT TRAINING AND THE OODA LOOP
How does this apply to the modern Law Enforcement officer? The basics of the OODA loop is neccessary to win a fight against criminals. First you have to OBSERVE your adversary. You then have to ORIENTATE (ACCESS) his actions, movement and intent. Now your brain has to DECIDE what you are going to do to counter his actions and finally your body gets the message to ACT on your decision.
Again, the cycle is repeated throughout the engagement.
All sounds really good, BUT ..... the average Law Enforcement Officer does not have buit-in sensors to warn him/her of imminant danger! The first time you might OBSERVE your attacker is when he is swinging a machete at your head! A sniper will shoot you off your feet and you will never know what hit you! If you are day-dreaming in stead of being alert, you could be attacked in an instant and your re-action might be slightly late. FACT - ACTION BEATS REACTION EVERY TIME!SOODA LOOP
I have been teaching a modified version of the OODA loop for quite a few years now. I find the OODA Loop that is used by modern knights of the sky is not complete for use in a Law Enforcement enviroment. Something is missing and the missing element is CRUCIAL to the survival of street officers.
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IS THE KEY TO SURVIVAL. Seeing danger before it happens beats the daylights out of reactive defense! Nowhere in the Air Force "OODA Loop" is awareness catered for as pilots have those magic sensors! You have to be AWARE to OBSERVE the bad guy. You then have to ORIENTATE (ACCESS) his actions and intention, his movement, his tactics, his weaponry his demeanor. Now you have to DECIDE how you are going to counter his each and every move. Finally you will have to ACT on your decision, move to cover, present your pistol, verbal commands etc.
In most cases from observing the bad guy to taking action action, might take 1 - 2 seconds. Each individual will differ.
By adding SITUATIONAL AWARENESS to the OODA Loop, you can cut your reaction time in half.
S - Situational Awareness
O - Observation
O - Orientate (Access)
D - Decide
A - Act
How do you win a fight against an attacker? Disrupt his "OODA Loop". You have to break up the attacker's actions and train of thought through your response to his actions. A simple example of this is, is to move off the line of his direct attack.
If you are in a fight, Boyd's OODA Loop is as applicable today as it was in the '60s. In a more applied version which I call the SOODA Loop, it is a life-saver!
GUN BAN?
The Most Sweeping Gun Ban Ever Introduced In Congress; McCarthy Bill Bans Millions More Guns Than The Clinton Gun Ban.
On Feb. 14, 2007, Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) introduced H.R. 1022, a bill with the stated purpose, "to reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes."
McCarthy's verbiage warrants explanation. Presumably, what she means by "assault weapons ban" is the Clinton Gun Ban of 1994. Congress allowed the ban to expire in 2004 for multiple reasons, including the fact that federal, state and local law enforcement agency studies showed that guns affected by the ban had been used in only a small percentage of crime, before and after the ban was imposed.
With the nation's murder rate 43% lower than in 1991, and the re-legalized guns still used in only a small percentage of crime, reauthorizing the Clinton Gun Ban would be objectionable enough. But McCarthy's "other purposes" would make matters even worse. H.R. 1022 would ban every gun banned by the Clinton ban, plus millions more guns, including:
- Every gun made to comply with the Clinton ban. (The Clinton ban dictated the kinds of grips, stocks and attachments new guns could have. Manufacturers modified new guns to the Clinton requirements. H.R. 1022 would ban the modified guns too.)
- Guns exempted by the Clinton ban. (Ruger Mini-14s and -30s and Ranch Rifles; .30 cal. carbines; and fixed-magazine, semi-automatic, center-fire rifles that hold more than 10 rounds.)
- All semi-automatic shotguns. (E.g., Remington, Winchester, Beretta and Benelli, used for hunting, sport shooting, and self-defense. H.R. 1022 would ban them because they have "any characteristic that can function as a grip," and would also ban their main component, called the "receiver.")
- All detachable-magazine semi-automatic rifles-including, for example, the ubiquitous Ruger 10/22 .22 rimfire-because they have "any characteristic that can function as a grip."
- Target shooting rifles. (E.g., the three centerfire rifles most popular for marksmanship competitions: the Colt AR-15, the Springfield M1A and the M1 "Garand.")
- Any semi-automatic shotgun or rifle an Attorney General one day claims isn't "sporting," even though the constitutions of the U.S. and 44 states, and the laws of all 50 states, recognize the right to use guns for defense.
- 65 named guns (the Clinton law banned 19 by name); semi-auto fixed-magazine pistols of over 10 rounds capacity; and frames, receivers and parts used to repair or refurbish guns.
H.R. 1022 would also ban the importation of magazines exempted by the Clinton ban, ban the sale of a legally-owned "assault weapon" with a magazine of over 10 rounds capacity, and begin backdoor registration of guns, by requiring private sales of banned guns, frames, receivers and parts to be conducted through licensed dealers. Finally, whereas the Clinton Gun Ban was imposed for a 10-year trial period, H.R. 1022 would be a permanent ban.
Please be sure to contact your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to oppose H.R. 1022!
You can call your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121.
Copyright 2007, National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action. This may be reproduced. It may not be reproduced for commercial purposes.
In an article in the current issue of Infantry Magazine, authors were
assigned the task of articulating the current party-line with regard to continued
lack of confidence in the military's M855 "62gr green-tip" 223 round, still
being issued.
We are assured that extensive re-testing had been done in response to chronic complaints from the field. However, most such complaints are quickly dismissed as resulting from "inexperience" and "hazy recollections."
We are then told that all resultant testing only addressed close-range, exposed human targets (fifty meters maximum) that are unprotected by cover, ignoring the 223's (1) lack of acceptable terminal effect beyond 150m and (2) chronic lack of ability to penetrate commonly-used objects (like car doors)that the enemy uses for cover- the twin issues that are at the heart of complaints about this caliber and have for the past forty years. Government "studies" are all alike!
Authors went on to admonish us all that we need to be accurate shooters. No problem with that, but they then advocated "controlled-pairs" for engaging enemy soldiers. Funny, no one ever suggested the necessity of any such multiple-shot technique when we were using M14s, did they? Routinely firing " controlled-pairs" reduces a 28-round magazine to a 14-round one and effectively halves one's ammunition supply.
In conclusion, we are assured that inveterate complaints about the 223 round's dismal failure as a main, battle caliber are merely "myth and superstition. " The Stoner rifle in 223 caliber is the "best... available" we are told. Then, almost as an aside, it is sheepishly admitted that ineffectiveness and long range and second-rate penetration really are problems with this combination and that "something even better" may come alongsoon.
Well, it can hardly come too soon! The replacement forty years ago of heavy-caliber, main-battle-rifles, like the M14 and FAL, with light rifles in varmint calibers was, among other things, an attempt by "just-tech" types to degrade the importance and potency of the individual soldier and Marine, when it has been the heroism and gritty determination of the individual soldier and Marine that has consistently turned the tide of battle since this nation began!
It is a forty-year old, procurement mistake, and all the trumped-up "studies" in the world will fail to convince soldiers and Marines in the field who
are obliged to believe their own eyes!
The 223 round may be adequate for domestic, personal defense and domestic
policing. A convincing argument could even me made for its military suitability
in rear-area defense. But, as a main-battle-caliber, its glaring inadequacy
is obvious to all but a few, party-lines and party-liners notwithstanding!
By Louis Hayes
PART II: The Mind-Body-Spirit Tripod
This is part of the Mind-Body-Spirit series that began in the Jan 2007 edition. Click on those links to access previous columns.
Metaphors for the triad of components are endless. In the end they all reflect back on the same ideas: Mind-Body-Spirit, Mind-Flesh-Soul, Father-Son-Holy Spirit (Christian Trinity), Earth-Wind-Fire (Eastern). Even the US Army leadership program uses the Be-Know-Do phrase to represent this theory. The visual structures of these components are also endless: 3-leaf clovers, triquetras, pyramids, three pillars, three overlapping circles, or a triangle. I have always been partial to the tripod. Forgive me briefly. This section is agreeably the most abstract (perhaps a touch of West Coast here). It will set the foundation for the rest of the columns in the series.
Imagine a typical camera or telescope tripod. It has a base (to which the camera mounts) and three legs. Most have telescopic legs that allow the user to adjust the height. In life, we all build our own tripods. The goal: It must reach as high as possible, and withstand the most weight…and I’m not telling you what goes on top yet.Human life is a tripod. Each of the three legs of the tripod represents one of the components of mind, body, and spirit. It is impossible to completely separate the tripod legs. The relationship between legs is fierce. The lengths and strengths of each of them affect the ability of the others to function properly (or to their fullest potential). To achieve the most stable platform, each of the legs must be the same height.
If two of the telescopic legs are extended, and one retracted, then achieving a tall height is impossible. The short leg restricts the ability of the other two to rise. Likewise, each of the legs needs to be strong to support the weight of what’s on top. Sometimes what’s on top is not completely balanced, and exerts differing downward pressures on the legs. And since we don’t yet know what’s on top, we need to be prepared and have them all be sturdy.
Success is measured against different standards. Growing up in school, success is measured in grades… smarts and intelligence. In childhood sports, success might be evaluated on physical prowess. In the workplace, promotional potential might be based on interpersonal skills, how well we work with others, or on work ethic. In extremely general terms, success in life might be defined as the ability to get the highest tripod…being able to handle (or have handled) the most. Everyone needs a balance of mental, emotional, and physical aspects to survive all the things thrown at us during life.
If two of the telescopic legs are extended, and one retracted, then achieving a tall height is impossible. The short leg restricts the ability of the other two to rise. Likewise, each of the legs needs to be strong to support the weight of what’s on top. Sometimes what’s on top is not completely balanced, and exerts differing downward pressures on the legs. And since we don’t yet know what’s on top, we need to be prepared and have them all be sturdy.
Success is measured against different standards. Growing up in school, success is measured in grades… smarts and intelligence. In childhood sports, success might be evaluated on physical prowess. In the workplace, promotional potential might be based on interpersonal skills, how well we work with others, or on work ethic. In extremely general terms, success in life might be defined as the ability to get the highest tripod…being able to handle (or have handled) the most. Everyone needs a balance of mental, emotional, and physical aspects to survive all the things thrown at us during life.
Now I will reveal what it is to be balanced on top of the tripod: STRESS. Yes, stress. No tangible item to see, feel, or touch. Stresses come in all forms: death of loved ones, loss of a job, illness, facing a deadly force threat, peer pressure, divorce, staying awake all night, financial troubles, worry, physical fatigue, planning a wedding, responding to a critical emergency incident, desire to win a game, fear of failure or embarrassment, or hunger. Sometimes they gradually and expectedly build up, and other times an enormous stress blindsides up.
Identifying how different anxieties or traumas affect “the tripod” is the first step to supporting it. Look at some of the below analyses:
Identifying how different anxieties or traumas affect “the tripod” is the first step to supporting it. Look at some of the below analyses:
People who work a midnight shift for the first time in their life experience stress (even though it may not be perceived as such). Most obvious are the disrupted sleep patterns. Staying awake during the night is not natural, nor is resting during the day. Eating habits are twisted with unhealthy foods and irregular times. When the effects are compounded, one might experience poor work performance or make bad decisions. This can parlay into bad evaluations, discipline, or loss of promotion….which is another swelling of the stress.
What started as purely a physical stress, it now begins to affect mental decisions, which escalate into emotional strains. On a different note, I have a friend whose parents died at different points in her life. When the father died, she comforted herself with food. When her mother died, she nearly starved herself. During her father’s grieving, she gained weight, and thus became more depressed at her body image. More than ten years later, during her mother’s grieving, she completely lost her appetite. She became susceptible to illness, and did just that: got weak and sick. Her emotional turmoil exacerbated into physical problems.
What started as purely a physical stress, it now begins to affect mental decisions, which escalate into emotional strains. On a different note, I have a friend whose parents died at different points in her life. When the father died, she comforted herself with food. When her mother died, she nearly starved herself. During her father’s grieving, she gained weight, and thus became more depressed at her body image. More than ten years later, during her mother’s grieving, she completely lost her appetite. She became susceptible to illness, and did just that: got weak and sick. Her emotional turmoil exacerbated into physical problems.
Consider a police officer confronting a man with a knife. The sudden acknowledgement of the danger needs to be followed with action…but only after realizing how law and policy control options. Is the offender threatening the officer? Is the offender running away, as in an escape? This officer needs the physical skills to take action…which may include moving, communicating, and/or shooting. Lastly, but definitely not least, s/he must have a mindset to prevail this encounter. A police officer needs all three tripod legs to be sturdy during this incident.
These three cases aren’t any stretch of the imagination. They are real life anecdotes. In each, we can see how certain attacks on our body can weaken the spirit, or how assaults on our spirit can diminish the body. The components of Mind, Body, and Spirit are uncontrollably joined. While we can analyze them separately, their relation to one another is near indescribable.
In the case of the midnight shift worker, the stresses of sleep deprivation and poor diet can be expected. The pressures on the body can be anticipated, then planned for and controlled. Preparing for abnormal sleep, and scheduling meals and snacks can reduce this type of stress, or at least make it more manageable. Each person who regularly works the midnight shift will normally have a ritual or practice to help them through the abnormalities of the lifestyle.
For my friend whose parents died, one was sudden and one was a long diseased death. Prior to both losses, she was healthy and fit. But when these tragedies came into her life, temporarily wounding her spirit, her physical health was overpowered too. Imagine how problems could have snowballed out of control if she had begun with an obese figure, or she herself was sickly. Her preparation of maintaining a healthy body (although not done with the intent to get her through the bereavement of death) saved her.
The officer was unexpectedly faced with an edged weapon. He didn’t begin his shift knowing this would happen, or rehearse a response for the exact circumstances. But through realistic training, he conditioned himself to quickly act appropriately. His success hinged on a solid foundation of preparation. Another officer without the proper mindset, knowledge of law, or precise shooting skills may not be so fortunate.
So as I said, some of these stresses are expected, and others take us by surprise. In either case, having a solid foundation to support the weight is paramount. We need to form habits that enrich each of the legs of the tripod….behaviors and routines that make them stronger. We may never know when the next stress might come; having strong, balanced legs is the only way to be ready. From a generic point of view, self-education by reading and studying is the best way to make advancements in the mental realm. Mind games such as Sudoku, puzzle games, or other tests of logic exercise the left side of the brain as a muscle, making it more adept to leaning, and quicker to act. Reading, creating artwork, or writing in a journal are ways to touch the right side of the brain.
Maintaining a high level of physical fitness, a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and practicing physical skills promotes the best case for peak body performance in the future. By nourishing friendships, religion, family, spirituality, or another motivational goal we maximize the potential for the human spirit. These above practices are of course a baseline to enrich life in a broad sense. As one’s own application of M-B-S becomes narrower (applying it not only universally, but to specific parts of life, like being on SWAT or coaching a youth football team or training for a marathon) the things one can do to develop his/her own tripod become more specialized.
Maintaining a high level of physical fitness, a healthy diet, adequate sleep, and practicing physical skills promotes the best case for peak body performance in the future. By nourishing friendships, religion, family, spirituality, or another motivational goal we maximize the potential for the human spirit. These above practices are of course a baseline to enrich life in a broad sense. As one’s own application of M-B-S becomes narrower (applying it not only universally, but to specific parts of life, like being on SWAT or coaching a youth football team or training for a marathon) the things one can do to develop his/her own tripod become more specialized.In our journey, I will dissect these issues with different and more complete perspectives. We will examine not only general practices that build up the “legs,” but specific ones that target goals and missions. How do we shore-up our emotional side? How do I enrich my mind? Am I doing the right things for my body?
Enough chatter for now. In the next section, I will turn away from the so-called “flighty and abstract” talk, and get into the meat of it: Firearms Training.
Kelly S. Worden's background is quite diverse with 35+ years of Boxing, Modern Arnis, Kickboxing, JKD, Wing Chun, Sombo, Small Circle JuJitsu, and he balances the teaching curriculum and method through the functional attribute extractions of the Filipino Stick and Knife arts. Simply put, it has all been Americanized for realistic function and practical use.
Kelly S. Worden's Combative Program has been extremely well received through the U.S. Army 1st. Special Forces at Ft. Lewis Washington for the last 5 years. Prior programs include the USAF 62nd Combat Controllers at McCord AFB under the guidance of Col. Michael Vrosh, and countless seminars throughout North America.
The Combative Program Kelly S. Worden currently instructs covers Stick or ASP Baton, Short Staff, Knife, Machete, Improvised weapons, Trapping, Throws, Locks, Non-lethal control, Counter-Grappling, and Kickboxing strategies.
Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major Lawrence Jordan, was selected by former U.S. Army Special Forces Commanding General Frank Toney Jr. to evaluate the vast majority of Special Forces units on their existing CQC programs, Worden's name was at the top of the list.
The Combative impact and edged weapon curriculum also employs a self defense tool Kelly Worden designed years ago called the Impact Kerambit and is now produced in an even more covert model the Travel Wrench. The instructional material embraces concepts of cross referencing skill development from improvised impact weapons into knife and empty hand tactics. The method allows trained individuals to implement almost any object into a weapon for self protection, escalating or de-escalate the level of force needed depending on the situation.
The program is direct and breaks down the cultural barriers of different arts into a curriculum that is direct, quick, easy to assimilate, and instruct. The majority of the format works on empty hand and weapon development to include close quarter striking, projectiles, controls, locks, human shielding, throws, kicking, foot trapping, re-directional manipulation etc. This method establishes geometric relations to movement including plus signs, times signs, circles, boxes, and lines. Tactics that connect the principles into offensive, defensive, evasion, distance and depth control as it relates to individual or multiple attacker strategies and physical positions.
Kelly S. Worden's teaching method has focused primarily on developing and complimenting an individuals personal and instructional attributes. He is a worldwide recognized instructor, equipment innovator, radio talk show host, writer, and former weapon's editor for Full Contact and Fighting Knives magazines. Worden has produced over 25 internationally acclaimed instructional video programs and designed knives manufactured by Crawford Knives, Bud Nealy, Timberline, TOPS, Al Mar, and his latest model by Ontario Knife Company, the Special Forces Machete.
On a personal note directly from Kelly, "I pride myself on developing leaders and teachers not followers of a cultural style or agenda based strategy that dictates or advocates one method of training to be superior to another. It is the individual and not the style that distinguishes validity in martial combat and personal protection."
THE LIBRARY - Suggested Reading For Professionals
By Henk Iverson
Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror
By Robert Young Pelton
Published by Crown Publishers
ISBN: 1 - 4000 - 9781 - 9
From the Inside Cover:
By Henk Iverson
Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror
By Robert Young Pelton
Published by Crown Publishers
ISBN: 1 - 4000 - 9781 - 9
From the Inside Cover:
"Robert Young Pelton first became aware of the phenomenon of hired guns in the War on Terror when he met a covert team of contractors on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border in the fall of 2003. Pelton soon embarked on a globe-spanning odyssey to penetrate and understand this shadowy world, ultimately delivering stunning insights into the way private soldiers are used.
Enter a blood-soaked world of South African mercenaries and tribal fighters backed by ruthless financiers. Drop into Baghdad’s Green Zone, strap on body armor, and take a daily high-speed ride with a doomed crew of security contractors who dodge car bombs and snipers just to get their charges to the airport. Share a drink in a chic hotel bar with wealthy owners of private armies who debate the best way to stay alive in war zones.
Licensed to Kill spans four continents and three years, taking us inside the CIA’s dirty wars; the brutal contractor murders in Fallujah and the Alamo-like sieges in Najaf and Al Kut; the Deep South contractor training camps where ex–Special Operations soldiers and even small town cops learn the ropes; the contractor conventions where macho attendees swap bullet-punctuated tales and discuss upcoming gigs; and the grim Central African prison where contractors turned failed mercenaries pay a steep price.
The United States has encouraged the use of the private sector in all facets of the War on Terror, placing contractors outside the bounds of functional legal constraints. With the shocking clarity that can come only from firsthand observation, Licensed to Kill painstakingly deconstructs the most controversial events and introduces the pivotal players. Most disturbingly, it shows that there are indeed thousands of contractors—with hundreds more being produced every month—who’ve been given a license to kill, their services available to the highest bidder."
Enter a blood-soaked world of South African mercenaries and tribal fighters backed by ruthless financiers. Drop into Baghdad’s Green Zone, strap on body armor, and take a daily high-speed ride with a doomed crew of security contractors who dodge car bombs and snipers just to get their charges to the airport. Share a drink in a chic hotel bar with wealthy owners of private armies who debate the best way to stay alive in war zones.
Licensed to Kill spans four continents and three years, taking us inside the CIA’s dirty wars; the brutal contractor murders in Fallujah and the Alamo-like sieges in Najaf and Al Kut; the Deep South contractor training camps where ex–Special Operations soldiers and even small town cops learn the ropes; the contractor conventions where macho attendees swap bullet-punctuated tales and discuss upcoming gigs; and the grim Central African prison where contractors turned failed mercenaries pay a steep price.
The United States has encouraged the use of the private sector in all facets of the War on Terror, placing contractors outside the bounds of functional legal constraints. With the shocking clarity that can come only from firsthand observation, Licensed to Kill painstakingly deconstructs the most controversial events and introduces the pivotal players. Most disturbingly, it shows that there are indeed thousands of contractors—with hundreds more being produced every month—who’ve been given a license to kill, their services available to the highest bidder."
THIS IS A GREAT READ! Highly recommended!
WINNING THE FIGHT
By: Jeff Chudwin
"Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win."
Sun Tzu
If we choose to be more than uniformed observers facing a threat to life situation, first responding police officers must have training, equipment, and will to win the fight. Whether the threat presented is active shooters in a high school or a gang of armed robbers attempting to escape capture, the choices we make today for training and planning strongly predict the future outcome. Does our current training and preparation afford us a "win first" probability?
What is Required for Victory?
In making choices for success, particularly in deadly force incidents, the essential elements are:
- Reality driven training
- Frequently practiced
- In the likely environment
- With equipment suitable for the task.
We have identified the elements to build a valid training program if there is a desire to do so. Yet it will be of zero value if the money required to fund the training, equipment, and overtime is not made available. Historically, the first item to be taken from the budget when money is short is the training line item. Every physical and mental skill requires basic and continued training. What we are facing in terms of countering violent offenders is the Olympics of police work. What successful Olympian practiced once a year?
It Never Happens Here
The cost, time, and energy to be truly prepared for the coming danger is high. The fatigue factor is a reality. Vigilance is tiring, boring, and vital. The belief that "it will not happen here" is easy to accept. Yet every community that has fallen victim to a monstrous crime has been seen on the news with their representative saying the same; "such things do not happen here". If we base our willingness to spend our time and money on the frequency of a terrible event occurring, we will likely do nothing. Failure to prepare is a gamble; the currency at risk, the lives of our children and families. This is a gamble we must not take. As Special Agent (ret.) John Hall of the FBI described in his series of articles regarding firearms training; the need to train for critical events must not be predicated on frequency of the event but rather on the critical and harmful nature of the event.
I cannot think of a more critical or harmful event than the mass murder of our school children.
Good endings reinforce poor practices.
Too long we have seen this occur, wrongly rewarding conduct that was fundamentally flawed but achieved a "good ending". We must never confuse success with good fortune or a lucky break. Training is no different. Consider firearms training: too often police firearms training occurs indoors where weather and clothing are not factored in as it would be on the street. Too often all happens with full lighting, unlike the street where so much happens in low light of the night or inside darkened buildings. Too often it focuses on a single offender when multiple offenders are a reality. To train for the highest stress incident with no stress involved and courses of fire with and no basis of reality to the street, ask yourself if the training you receive is preparing you for the truth of physical combat or simply done to fill a training folder. Is the training done once a year, or once a month? Do your officers take the training to heart and make it part of their daily work effort? Are they filling a vital role as first responders or simply filling a space on a schedule?
If it is the latter, what chance will there be that officers will have both competence and confidence to use their firearms timely and effectively when no other option exists? We must never allow the motto of failed police response to be "we cannot help you, because we cannot help ourselves".
We Are It
Good endings reinforce poor practices.
Too long we have seen this occur, wrongly rewarding conduct that was fundamentally flawed but achieved a "good ending". We must never confuse success with good fortune or a lucky break. Training is no different. Consider firearms training: too often police firearms training occurs indoors where weather and clothing are not factored in as it would be on the street. Too often all happens with full lighting, unlike the street where so much happens in low light of the night or inside darkened buildings. Too often it focuses on a single offender when multiple offenders are a reality. To train for the highest stress incident with no stress involved and courses of fire with and no basis of reality to the street, ask yourself if the training you receive is preparing you for the truth of physical combat or simply done to fill a training folder. Is the training done once a year, or once a month? Do your officers take the training to heart and make it part of their daily work effort? Are they filling a vital role as first responders or simply filling a space on a schedule?
If it is the latter, what chance will there be that officers will have both competence and confidence to use their firearms timely and effectively when no other option exists? We must never allow the motto of failed police response to be "we cannot help you, because we cannot help ourselves".
We Are It
As police officers, we took a sworn oath to carry out our duties of public service and protection, recognizing that we will face dangers. Dangers, that include confronting and defeating violent armed criminals and terrorists. We go armed when others do not. We are trained to act when others cannot or will not. It is therefore our responsibility and duty to run to the fight when all others run away.
It must be understood and embraced that we take on these dangers; not recklessly or foolishly but with acceptance that the safety of those who rely on us will come before ours.
There are no secret police coming to save you. We are it. We are the last ones to hold the line. When we fail, all fails. It is not TV with a good ending. We will at times face the reality of only bad endings, with some far worse than others if we do not act with speed, resolve, and ability.
Where is Leadership?
If we truly believe and accept that we are the final option, then the Chiefs and Sheriffs of today must lead the way in making certain that our men and women are not only up to the task of daily police work but stand instantly ready for violent confrontation. All officers, REGARDLESS of rank, must be able and willing to act. Where strong leadership exists, it is because of leading by example not by proxy. The key to success is a valid program lead from the top down. Only the bosses can make this happen and they must be active participants not disinterested observers. Those who lead must never forget where they began. Those in charge must not lose touch with the core issues of street enforcement. Every administrator needs to get out among the troops and show interest and concern.
The Coming Fight
The Coming Fight
Confrontation is coming to every town and officer. As seen in New Lenox Illinois on the night of December 7, 2006, a traffic stop behind a high school turned into a prolonged gunfight. The first two officers were wounded but stayed in the fight. These men and two additional officers fought the shooter without hesitation or retreat. Their superior and brave actions prevented the gunman from entering the school where evening activities were underway. They fired on the shooter who died trying to murder them. They responded as trained, showed courage and tenacity, and now are examples of what all of us need to be.
Continued and Future Threats
Continued and Future Threats
Our children are our greatest treasure and at highest risk. How will we respond when we face the atrocities of Beslan Russia? There will be no negotiation, only murder. Tell me the value of each child saved to their mothers and fathers. If we do not seriously train for this type of attack today, we will fail in total when it happens tomorrow. In the active shooter or other high intensity deadly force confrontation, the equation for success is will and skill. We must get highly motivated, well trained officers on scene with rifles and associated tactical response gear to immediately bring the fight to the terrorists before they can execute their plan and then the hostages.
Again, look in truth to your training. Are you training to defeat a teenager with a gun or a group of dedicated attackers? As ITOA Conference trainer Paul Howe wrote; are you training for the fantasy of the fight or the reality?
Time to Decide
Again, look in truth to your training. Are you training to defeat a teenager with a gun or a group of dedicated attackers? As ITOA Conference trainer Paul Howe wrote; are you training for the fantasy of the fight or the reality?
Time to Decide
Today we are at a fork in the road when deciding our present and future ability to combat the violent threats we are certain to face. We cannot stay where we are and the path we choose once undertaken cannot be changed. One direction is certain failure based on inadequate or flawed training and preparation. The other direction is hope of success. Hope not founded on wishful thinking but on practiced actions.
For those of you who read this to the end, will you take the right direction?
For those of you who read this to the end, will you take the right direction?
Consider, how many did not and will not?
One man or woman can make the difference.
As my Brother Ed Mohn says;
"Train hard for the day will come"
One man or woman can make the difference.
As my Brother Ed Mohn says;
"Train hard for the day will come"
That day is not far off.
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
" The days pass and I become duller of mind and tireder of the war. The way is long and sometimes I question the wisdom of it all, of continuing to live. There may be a real purpose in it all, which is percieved only at the end of the journey. Somehow I feel that is true."
J. Glenn Gray
From the Book: "The Warriors - Reflections on Men in Battle"