With the smaller tactical lights, they have a jagged front that will do interesting things to somebody's face or arm.
Posted on 07/23/2012 10:08:01 AM PDT by marktwain
As I continue to read about the terrible tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, I can’t help but think there’s some lessons from my time as a Navy SEAL that I can pass on to the average citizen. So here goes…
Don’t Make Yourself an Easy Target
When at sporting events, concerts, and the movies, choose seats that give you a tactical advantage always. What do I mean? Choose seats that allow good and east vantage points and a hasty exit point. Always stack the odds in your favor. It’s the reason I still combat park (back in to a space) and sit with my back to the wall when I’m eating.
Active Shooter Scenario Advice
Take cover and not concealment. Concealment hides, cover hides AND protects. It’s the difference between hiding behind a movie seat or a concrete wall.
Don’t lie there with your eyes closed and get shot. Think and move. A good decision executed quickly is better than a great one never executed. Violence of action, as we call it in the Spec Ops community, will often change the odds in your favor.
For close quarter combat drills we’d draw a gun with someone over 20 feet away running at us. In most cases you can be on someone before they can draw and take a shot. I’m not advocating running straight at someone but if you have the tactical advantage (jam, re-loading, distraction or the shooter isn’t paying attention) then take the shooter down or get the hell out of there. Deal with the situation with your eyes wide open.
In Aurora, the shooter was severely weighted down with armor and his helmet would have also limited his vision. You can use all this to your advantage.
Flashlight anyone? I have one for daily carry and take it everywhere with me. It’s become another extension of me and has diffused at least two potentially violent confrontations in a non-lethal way. I recommend 200+ lumens.
How to use it in this situation?
I would have pulled my high lumens pocket flashlight and blinded this guy. The high powered beam would have taken away his vision for 3-4 seconds, which is an eternity and enough time to flight or fight. There’s also no shame in surviving and getting you and your loved ones out of harm – especially little ones. Be a Hero to your kids and family for surviving, nobody can expect more of you than that. Like we say in Survival Escape Evasion Resistance (SERE) school, “Survive with Honor.”
Concealed Carry
If you’re lucky enough to live in a state like Texas that not only allows concealed carry, but supports the use of deadly force, then train to use it.
Think seriously about whether it’s worth a Carry Concealed Weapon (CCW) permit in states where you’re likely to get screwed by a jury if you use it. Example: I can get a CCW in CA but I’m likely screwed if I shoot somebody. The mostly liberal (I’m a registered independent for the record) jury will be sure to have my ass and it’s why I own a dog that’s trained to bite and protect (another good option). Nothing makes me happier then visualizing PETA pitted against other wild-eyed liberals.
Bottom line is that if you own a gun and have it as daily carry, you’d better rehearse your use scenarios both physically and mentally, and the same with the gun in the home. Mental practice is extremely valuable after you’ve mastered the basics. FYI, shooting paper at the local range will not prepare you for a defensive shooting situation. Rehearsing defensive scenarios is the only thing that will prepare you.
For most of you, the best bet is to buy a good tactical flashlight, there are plenty on the market. Specs: At least 200+ lumens, waterproof, LED, and a 3volt lithium battery. Use and carry your light with you at all times. It’s the best non-lethal and practical option available, in my opinion. You can take it anywhere – including on an airplane – and if it’s a high lumen model it will blind people in broad daylight. I can’t recommend this purchase enough.
Learn From an Expert
There are plenty of former Military and Law Enforcement that have great self-defense skills. Just vet your instructor carefully, ask for references and proof of service. While there are many solid instructors out there, there are also a plethora of wannabe Rex-Kwon-Do types who are self-proclaimed experts and worse – lie about their service.
Alter Your Lifestyle, and it May Save Your Life
Avoid opening night and large crowds (e.g. go to Disney World during off-peak) that make easy targets. FYI, most domestic and foreign terrorists want the biggest bang for their buck. They want Yankee stadium sold out and not Padre stadium at 60% capacity. It sucks to live this way sometimes but ask the survivors from Colorado if it’s worth a minor lifestyle change. I say it is, and it’s the main reason I’m watching the Olympics on TV and not attending this year. London is too much of a risk for a variety of reasons that I will not go into on this post.
Don’t Be a Victim
Rehearse emergency scenarios before there’s an emergency, the time to practice is NOT when it’s happening.
The world is a dangerous place these days. Be prepared.
A great book I’d also recommend is, Escape The Wolf by Clinton Emerson.
My condolences to the victims and their families in Aurora Colorado.
-Brandon
Brandon is a former Navy SEAL, and worked as a Special Operations intelligence & security specialist in Iraq during 2006-07. He is also author of the New York Times Best Seller, “The Red Circle”.
Being aware of one’s surroundings, particularly in an urban area, is always a smart move
Ping
Here’s a review. They are at Costco. They were there this weekend in the west Cincinnati store. I saw them at the Louisville store a few weeks ago. They are a current item.
http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=218055
I will. That is the first order of business.
I know what I am capable of and what I am not.
Part of being prepared is being able to understand what one is able to do.
Having a pistol in public is a choice some people make. That is fine with me. I know that in public my decision making is not fast and would be more dangerous than helpful.
The caveat to that is do not firkin come into my home ——all bets off at that instance
“..please remember to hold out the flashlight at arm’s length, i.e. as far away from your body mass as possible.”
Thanks. That’s right; because a shooter most certainly would tend to use the center of the beam of light as a target in an attempt to neutralize it.
Excellent. Especially about the flashlight.
A big ditto for that one. The usual conversation I have when showing somebody mine is “Don’t look directly into the”. Next comes a squawk as they do. And then, “light.”
Pretty nifty. Looks like the poor man’s version of the Surefire Defender, and very cost effective in this obama Depression. :P
Oh, okay.
So by blinding him you ruin his ability to take aimed shots. . .and that’s a bad thing?
Or are you saying not to resist an armed nut-job. . .that you trust this armed nut-job to NOT fire?
;-)
Or else skip a lot of the modern Hollyweird offerings all together. When “Batman” came out in the sixties, it was a largely innocent production; now it is a dark, computerized, sick drama that appears to be destroying lives right and left. It’s not guns and it’s not the 2nd Amendment; but they’re accused by the left who ADORES the $$$$ and celebrity that Hollywood offers them.
“A good hard stare can make many potential attackers move on to an easier target.”
Once I did just that but added a bit of screaming b!tch - worked just great. I realized a guy was trying to follow me out to my car when I had been at the mall, turned on him and yelled “are you FOLLOWING me???” and he took off out the door.
If I have to go in to a place with a no guns sign I ignore the sign.
Both my gun and I are safer together than we are apart.
Plus in CO all they can do is ask you to leave. Here in MN if they find out it’s a small (25 bucks?) fine.
With the smaller tactical lights, they have a jagged front that will do interesting things to somebody's face or arm.
The edge around the lens is pretty sharp, too. I think I could kill an animal with it if necessary.
I wouldn’t want to try to fillet a fish with it, though...
Indeed.
I appreciate your candor. I carry most of the time (not at work, however). My wife is very comfortable with it but has asked in certain social settings if it was appropriate (Chuckie Cheese for a 3 year old D-day party for instance). I have explained it is habit like having my wallet and phone. But I have also explained I don't carry only in places that I expect to need to defend myself. I wouldn't risk going anywhere that I thought I might need to have a weapon to defend myself or family. The best defensive weapon is common sense and planning IMO. A gun is usually only needed in the most unforeseen circumstance (like a movie theatre, college campus, classroom, shopping mall, etc.)
I carried the Surefire Z2 for a while, then switched to a Guidegear rechargable with 200 lumens.
For the money, the Fenix TK35 is the best hand-held illumination tool out there. It has four settings from 40 lumens to 860 lumens, with a tactical strobe and an s.o.s. strobe at the push of a button.
Bookmarked.
I bought rechargable batteries for the Fenix instead of using 123a’s. It also comes with a belt-loop holster, open top, though, which I don’t like.
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