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Monthly
Lecture: 02-2007
You Maybe Whatever
You Resolve to Be
ATSA STUDY GROUP
February 17, 2007
By:
Skip Gochenour
YOU MAY
BE WHATEVER YOU RESOLVE TO BE
As a person who
carries weapons about in society you have decided that you are a moral arbiter.
THE
RULES ARE YOUR MASTER UNTIL YOU ARE A MASTER OF THE RULES.
EVERY
ENDEAVOR HAS RULES.
THIS
IS A PERFORMANCE BASED MODEL.
INDIVIDUAL
DRILLS ARE SET IN PLACE AND IN SOME FASHION, NOT ALWAYS
CLEARLY, ARE COUPLED TOGETHER
THE PRACTITIONER IS
TO TAKE ON FAITH THAT THE TECHNIQUES HE IS
LEARNING HAS SOME RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT HE WILL NEED TO KNOW IF HE HAS NEED FOR
THE SKILL
IN A MASTERY BASED MODEL THE PRACTITIONER IS GIVEN A VIEW OF WHAT THE NATURE OF THE MATTER STUDIED IS
LIKELY TO LOOK LIKE AND THEN HE IS GIVEN THE SPECIFIC SKILLS
THE MASTERY BASED
MODEL ALLOWS THE PRACTITONER TO FOCUS ON THE
SKILLS HE NEEDS AS THEY ARE INTRODUCED AND CONCEPTUALIZE THEIR ROLE AND
IMPORTANCE
FOF IS INTRODUCED EARLY IN THE TRAINING EXPERIENCE
INITIAL ACTUAL
PERFORMANCE IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS PROVIDING AN OVERALL VIEW AND THE BEGINNING
OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE COLLAGE OF EXPERIENCES JUST FACED TO HELP FOCUS AND
MOTIVATE THE PRACTITIONER IN SUBSEQUENT STUDIES.
THE DEBRIEF AND
AFTER INCIDENT DISCUSSIONS SHOULD FOCUS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL,
EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL EXPERIENCES WITH
EMPHASIS ON HOW NATURAL THEY ARE AND HOW THE TRAINING WILL HELP AMELIORATE THEM
AND TURN THEM TO USEFUL FORCES AT THE PRACTITONERS DISPOSAL.
INTER-PERSONAL
CONFRONTATION SKILLS TRAINING
Inter-personal
confrontation skills’ training involves interactive interpretations
skills. It is role playing. The first step in role playing is for each Practitioner to learn the
roles.
DRONE WEAPONS
It is
important to learn how the VCA thinks. Practitioners must learn to see any
environment in the fashion that the VCA will see the role of the environment to
aid in accomplishing his task. At this
stage in the training only drone weapons are used. Eg. Red Guns
Using drone weapons at this point focuses all parties to the scenario on
the thinking and interpretation of the evolving scenario and away from the
desire to shoot the gun.
To do so the
Practitioner decides what his goal is and he will accomplish it. It may be a straight robbery. It may be the expressive act of killing a
third party and anyone near by. With
that goal in mind the Practitioner/role player evaluates the venue for the most
use it can be put to accomplish his goal.
If the scenario
calls for multiple role players they should discuss and practice their strategy
for accomplishing their task.
When the role
players have decided how they will accomplish their task a Practitioner is
introduced into the scenario. At the end
of the scenario the role player is asked to describe what he heard and saw that
caused him to take the actions he performed.
The role players then describe their interpretation of what they
observed and how they responded. They
should also describe what would have changed their response should the
Practitioner made different choices.
Within a few
iterations the role players will learn to operate with one another with “looks” and recognizing movements or body positions.
At the end of that
particular Practitioner’s iteration of the scenario he remains in the
environment to watch at least two iterations performed by other
Practitioners. On the third iteration of
the scenario the Practitioner replaces one of the role players and performs the
role of a role player.
Time and experience
will develop a cadre of role players and will
also help all participants learn to read an environment, read the motives of VCA
and practice the various skills associated with confrontations.
It is
important that role players pay attention to their own reactions to the conduct
of the Practitioner and the other role players as the scenario unfolds. Behavior exhibited by each person party to
the scenario that emboldens or chastens the role player should be noted and
described. This information will help
all understand what effect any action within the scenario has on shaping the
response of all parties. The lessons
should help all participants to understand the ebb and flow of events and how
to manipulate them.
The goal of this part of your training is to give you and understanding of how
the VCA will use the environment to his advantage and your disadvantage as a
means of preparing you to read any environment. It also prepares you to read the VCA as he
interprets your responses to his confrontation and to know how to avoid
behavior which emboldens him as well as manipulate his actions to your
advantage.
CORRECT
PERFORMANCE IN A VCA CONFRONTATION
THESE ARE THE
SUBJECT AREAS YOU MUST EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO PASS FROM UI TO UC.
YOU WILL KNOW YOU
ARE ON YOUR WAY TO MASTERY WHEN YOU ARE ABLE TO
GET THROUGH FOF WITH SELF CONTROL AND ARE COMFORTABLE IN THE PPROBLEM.
YOUR ANXIETY IS OVER YOUR CONCERN FOR YOUR PERFORMANCE IF YOU ARE OPERATING WITH SELF-CONTROL
AND COMFORT HE WILL BE WORIED ABOUT HIS PERFORMANCE.
YOU ARE NOT THERE TO
TAKE HIM INTO CUSTODY.
YOU ARE TRYING TO ADEE.
USE YOUR
SOCIAL SKILLS.
UNDERSTAND
THE LEGAL AND MORAL IMPERATIVES
USDOJ STUDIES REPORT
ON THE RATE OF INCIDENCE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY SHOOTINGS THAT OCCUR IN LEGALLY
JUSTIFIED HOMICIDES.
LEARN TO
INTERPRET VCA BEHAVIOR
REVIEW
In our past meetings
we have discussed encounters with VCA, largely from their perspective. We have looked at their thinking, overall
motive pattern, their probable weapons skill level, their tactics and
willingness to fight.
Today we will look
at a training model designed to prepare you for
engaging VCA while observing the rules of moral and legal decision making.
MOTIVE MODELS FOR
VCA
Instrumental
Expressive
·
Violence offered is an expression. It
is to set the world right as the VCA sees it.
·
He is particularly unlikely to be susceptible to forming restraining judgments.
·
He is very likely to transfer his hostility to anyone he interprets as
part of the wrong he is trying to right.
·
There is a greater likelihood his weapons skills will be good.
·
He is more likely to use conventional transport systems.
·
His weapons are more likely to be
of good quality and well maintained. He will likely have multiple
weapons and additional ammo. He may even have breaching capabilities.
·
He is much more likely
to fight.
·
He is not likely to form
restraining judgments.
·
He is probably operating under
some psychological and/or emotional imbalance.
·
He is less likely to plan on escaping the venue uninjured or alive unless he has
other killing venues planned.
·
He is there about honor
as he sees it.
Instrumental/Expressive
LEARN
THE ¼ SECOND WINDOWS OF
WEAPONS SYSTEMS AND
THE LIKELIHOOD OF EMPLOYMENT.
The greater the intimidation factor of the weapons system, the less
likely it is to be employed. The less
the intimidation factors of the weapons system, the greater the likelihood it
will be employed.
This
observation applies predominately to the instrumentally and instrumentally/expressively
motivated VCA.
A recent medical
study of assault injuries done in
The greater the number of antagonists, the more likely there will be
an assault regardless of your cooperation.
If there are three or more antagonists
an actual attack is almost assured.
When confronted, you
must operate on a Plus 1 premise. No matter how many confront you, you must
assume there is another until you have proven otherwise.
LEARN
HOW YOUR BEHAVIOR EFFECTS VCA
They will be emboldened by your lack of recognition of what they
are.
LEARN
SELF-CONTROL AND DISCIPLINE
LEARN TO
COMFORTABLE IN CRISIS EVENTS
NEVER
TAKE COUNSEL OF YOUR FEARS
In order to be an
effective fighter, morally and physically, you must first develop the
discipline and self-control to master your fears.
Notice that
Self-mastery is to
be practiced daily in the ordinary affairs of life in order that they become
instantaneous and second nature. You
must learn to make decisions without regard to fear of the consequences.
This is a different
concept than “fearlessness”. It is the
recognition of fear and the skill to use it to your value.
The role of training
discipline is to prepare the body to accomplish a constellation of physical and
mechanical techniques instantly and with seamless transition without conscious
mental enunciation of each component of the action.
LEARN TO
HANDLE YOUR CRISIS MANAGEMENT TOOLS
TRAINING TO GO FROM
UI TO UC
The goal of UC
training is to imbed a sufficient number of
physical and mechanical skills into your response system that they occur
without conscious thought and more particularly without the need to mentally
walk you through the technique.
The
ability to perform these mechanical operations frees the mind to monitor other
environmental factors for clues about what is happening and how best to respond
to them.
The best example of
this is operating a motor vehicle. The
example that best illustrates this process is operating a motorcycle as
compared to spending $10.00 worth of quarters.
It is fundamental
that you learn these skills with positive self-talk. Hence, you tell yourself to press the
trigger, not “don’t jerk the trigger”.
As each component of
a skill set is imbedded to the degree it is done without conscious mental talk
through, move on the next skill set.
The practice of
positive self-talk has the added advantage of preparing you to engage in that
mental activity during any incident where stress is operational. As an imbedded habit, it will take over in
crisis circumstance.
To test the level of
imbedding increase the “background noise” by
using a weapon platform with which you are not familiar and by using a dynamic
environment to distract you.
PRIMARY COMPETANCY
SKILLS
Commonly referred to
as the Gunsite 4 Rules, it is PRIMARY that you have these rules firmly
embedded. As a moral arbiter it is
incumbent upon you to understand they are Rules, not suggestions or
Recommendations.
Rule # 1
All guns are always
loaded.
Rule # 2
Never allow the
muzzle to cover anything it is not your full intent to destroy.
Rule # 3
Never place your
finger on the trigger unless your sights are on something it is your full
intent to destroy.
Rule # 4
You are completely
responsible for each projectile you fire from ignition to terminus.
The purpose of these
rules, which are redundant and dovetailed, is to avoid unintended discharges,
especially those which lead to injury.
They also
create behavior that that complies with the dictates of the law.
The practice of
these rules gives rise to some techniques that
must be incorporated into your repertoire of fighting skills.
There may be
instances where you must deploy a weapon and immediately engage a VCA. In such instances you will pass through Rules
# 1-3.
There may be other
occasions where a threat seems apparent but the
“need” to engage is not manifest. In order to comply with the “4” Rules you
need a “contact ready” position. From “contact ready” you can gather
sufficient information to determine the need to move to “engage ready”.
Following “engage
ready” and, in some instances, “contact ready” you need to have a “360 ready” position in your skill sets.
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT
If you are going to
carry weapons about in society you have presumed that there may be an occasion
where it will be needed.
If that is the case,
you are presuming a critical incident may occur without warning.
The imperative is
the weapons system. Every consideration defaults
to the consideration of the weapons system.
CLOTHING
The primary purpose
of clothing is protection. Critical incidents often have broken glass,
twisted debris and flame associated with them.
In addition,
critical incidents often require rapid movement across uneven and debris strewn
ground.
Clothing
should not identify you as someone who is likely carrying
a weapon or someone who might cause a problem if an incident starts.
Eg. Shorts, T shirt
and shower shoes. Eg. If you feel you
must wear a “gun” vest, put a Nikon patch on it.
Clothing should be
selected for its ability to protect you and to conceal
and provide an adequate support system for the
equipment you have chosen to carry.
Pants must have belt
loops that will allow for an adequate weapons transport system.
Cover garments,
including suits must allow for the weapon to be carried without “printing”.
TRANSPORT SYSTEM
The belt
is the foundation of the transport system. It must be constructed in such a way as to
support your various equipment.
The holster and
transport devices for other equipment must fit the belt and remain in place.
EXCESSIVE EQUIPMENT
Many carry much more
equipment than they need.
Besides a firearm
and supplemental ammunition, it is important to have a sturdy
blade and a light source.
TRAIN WITH ALL
EQUIPMENT IN INTERGRATION
Some part of your
training must include the integrated use of all equipment you have on your
person.
We see instances
where people forget they are carrying a second gun or blade.
TRAIN WITH AN
EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Having a cell-phone
on the belt in a fashion and location where it interferes with access to other
equipment.
Having a light in
the magazine well as a result of carrying it too close to the spare magazine.
Putting a
partially depleted magazine back on the belt. Relying on the ability to see the witness
holes as a means to confirm onboard ammo supply implies you will always have
sufficient light available and your eyesight
will always be good enough to make that discernment.
Use your
tactile senses and your equipment management
system to inform you of your equipment status, not just your vision.
Train and discipline
yourself to see everything that is on your person is part of your crisis
management system. If it is chosen
otherwise it is likely to be an impediment to your performance.
HAND SKILLS
ACCURACY
The purpose of
shooting is to hit an intended target.
Accurate fire can
only be accomplished as fast as you can see.
In a confrontation
with a VCA that must be terminated with gunfire each shot fired must be of
sufficient speed and accuracy to terminate the encounter at the earliest
possible moment.
This
skill must operate at the UC level. Hence, you must employ a training regimen
that coordinates visual cues with tactile sensory response.
Additionally, you must
train to “see” no more than is needed to “see”
to make the shot required. That is, you
must train the eye to recognize the relationship
between the size of the intended target and the required “sight picture”.
Assuming adequate
tactile weapons indexing skill and the target is large enough and close enough,
the back of the hand in the center of the
target may be sufficient to accomplish adequate
“aimed” fire. “Seeing this
relationship between the target and the alternate
“sight picture” should instantly communicate the form of trigger finesse required to make the required
shot.
Seeing the
relationship between the sights and a 6” target at 25 yards should communicate
to the tactile senses the amount of trigger finesse required to make that
required shot.
UC in
accuracy is attained when the trigger finger “knows” the amount of trigger
finesse required based on the relationship between the “aiming system” and the
target.
You must
know how much time it takes you to perform any technique.
EMERGENCY RELOADS
(Slide-lock)
UC in
weapons manipulation skills is attained when you can “feel” that the weapon is
not ready to fire the next shot.
You must develop a
training regimen that allows you to not only know the weapon is not in battery,
but what state of out of battery it is in.
The regimen should include operating the weapon in
very reduced light.
Remember,
if the slide is not moving, you must be moving. Get off the line of force at a minimum and to
cover if possible. You must be able to
do this instantly upon the weapon failing to fire.
LIA RELOADS (Lull in
Action)
LIA reloads are just
that.
MALFUNCTIONS
Reducing
malfunctions must employ a non-diagnostic system. Remember that even if you can do a 1 second reduction drill you will be out of action for
2.5 seconds or more from the time you initially
recognized the need to make a shot, recognized the weapon malfunctioned,
reduced the malfunction and reacquired the target sufficiently to make the
required shot. That is a long time to be
in one place.
If the
slide is not moving, you must be moving.
ENVIRONMENT CONTROL
SKILLS
VCA, regardless of
category, seeks to control the environment in
which they operate. You must reduce or
overcome that control.
PHYSICAL PRESENCE
Physical
presence and bearing
will carry you through most encounters.
The single most important attribute to develop is that of being comfortable in any situation. You must actually understand that no matter
what happens you will be able to handle the current circumstance and the aftermath.
All other
expressions of physical presence are merely techniques you use as tools to accomplish specific
momentary goals. Demonstrating
passiveness, assertiveness, aggression and dominance are calculated
demonstration designed to manipulate the moment to moment ebb and flow of the
situation. If you are comfortable you
can call up each of these behaviors as needed and modulate
their duration and intensity. Being comfortable means you are in control of you. The situation is not in control of you.
You can not fake
being comfortable. VCA are very adept at
spotting anxiety and discomfort and exploiting it.
VERBAL
During
any form of confrontation verbalization will either underscore your comfort
level or immediately reveal your anxiety.
The purpose of
verbalization in a confrontation is to communicate. Communication takes two forms. One is to give
another person direction. The other is to gather
information for an incomplete decision making process.
Verbalization that
is confusing, contradictory, indecisive, timid, pleading or yapping will embolden those who
are making decisions about what they will do next.
Some Practitioners
advocate imbedding a “tape loop” of
instructions to be used when involved in a confrontation. The tape loop concept is developed through
advanced speculation on the form of confrontation you may encounter. If that speculation
is accurate the technique may work. If
it does not fit the circumstance as you encounter it you may merely embolden
the VCA.
Silence
and a smile can be more unnerving than
invective filled screams.
Verbalization in a
confrontation should enhance your communication of comfort with the then
existing circumstance.
If you are still in
the decision making/information gathering
phase, verbalization should be designed to get you the information you need to
make the decision.
Yapping is
counter-productive to this process.
MOVEMENT
Movement allows you
to control the environment and conveys you are in control of the environment.
Movement is dictated
by the then existing imperative. If
within reactionary distance movement gets you
off the line of force and provides additional time to implement a response.
If you are moving
through an environment movement allows you to minimize
your exposure to hazards while implementing your response to the
situation or deciding what response is immediately called for.