CLOSE-UP CONFRONTATIONS LOW-LIGHT ENVIRONMENT WINNING THE “LYING GAME” TACTICS ANDPREPAREDNESS SKILLS AND SURVIVAL FOR ALL SITUATIONS FEBRUARY 2014 ISSUE 4

The Surefire X400 Ultra produces a brilliant 500 lumens and includes a laser.

THE

PHOTO ©SUREFIRE BY: DR. LEONARD M. BREURE, Ph.D. As a police officer in the 1980s I carried a large, heavy, not very OFbright flashlight. POWERHandheldhe Kel-Lite and VersusStreamlight of Weaponsthe day weapons Mounted mounted lights. TheLights: list of manufac- were the only choices back then. They turers and models seems to grow every day. TChoosingwere OK for basic the illumination, right but toolswere In additionfor the to choosing job! a light, users have a PHOTO ©SUREFIRE extremely awkward to shoot with. Searching number of techniques to select from in how an area while trying to manage a flashlight to use their light. Hand held or Weapons Mounted light? The and a firearm at the same time was an even answer is that you need BOTH. In fact, it is greater challenge. Tactical Light Basics Things have changed considerably since SureFire is probably the number one manu- highly recommended that you carry a primary then. Today there is a plethora of small, bright, facturer of tactical lights. In their video, “The and a secondary hand held light in addition tactical lights on the market. Choices include Power of Light” they list three requirements to the lights on your handgun and long gun. incandescent and LED versions, handheld and for a tactical light that ap- continued on next page Above: Surefire E2D LED Defender Ultra. LIGHT TACTICS ANDPREPAREDNESS CONTENTS

01 THE POWER OF LIGHT: HANDHELD Vs. weapon-mounted lights BY dr. leonard m. breure, ph.D.

05 WINNING AT THE “LYING GAME”: LIARS AND LIES CAN BE DANGEROUS

08 DOES YOUR BREAKFAST MAKE

YOU “BULLELTPROOF?” PHOTO ©SUREFIRE BY “OX” Surefire ultra-high two-output-mode LED WeaponLight for 10 considerations for your survival in the low-light Remington 870. environment ply to both hand held and weapons mounted Some have worked great, others have been BY edward m. santos lights: junk. One light that I mounted on a student’s 1. High Output Beam Glock broke after he fired only a few rounds. 13 DEALING WITH CLOSE UP 2. Reliable High Energy Power No, it wasn’t made by one of the major manu- CONFRONTATIONS 3. Tactically Correct Switching facturers. Like everything else, you get what you pay for! 16 LEADERSHIP DEFINED The industry standard used to be that a tacti- BY COL. S. RANDY WATT cal light should produce at least 60 lumens. Weapons Mounted Lights That has progressed over the years to 80, Operators have been mounting all sorts of then 100 and now there are single battery, lights to their weapons for ages. However, OUR LAWYERS INSIST WE MAKE THE FOLLOWING DIS- compact LED 200 lumen flashlights. Lumen is not since LAPD SWAT got together with Sure- CLAIMER: You may die in an emergency, even if you fol- short for luminous flux. A lumen is a unit of Fire prior to the 1984 Olympics did we really low this training to the letter. You might get hurt doing measure used to measure the total output of have a workable solution. Things have come some of the exercises suggested, hurt someone else, or a light source. The older candlepower ratings a long way since 1984 and today’s weapons be subject to civil or criminal liability if you do anything measured only a single spot of light, usually mounted lights are nothing short of awesome. mentioned in this newsletter. Verify that the actions men- just the hottest spot in the beam. Just ask any of our service members clearing a tioned are legal where you are before even considering Most tactical lights are powered by long house in Iraq or a cave in Afghanistan. them. This is presented as a tool to help increase your chance of surviving natural and manmade disasters. lasting CR123 Lithium Ion batteries. They pro- While we guarantee your satisfaction with the informa- vide the reliable high energy power source. Hand Held versus Gun Mounted tion, we can not guarantee your survival or well-being. Lithium batteries have many advantages over As holsters for handguns with lights attached The author provides information about his experiences alkaline batteries, including longer shelf life are becoming more available, more and more and preparations and gives general information. He is (15 years), higher power density, higher unit professionals are opting for a gun mounted not an accountant, doctor, investment advisor or attorney voltage, lighter weight, better cold-weather light. While a great aid to shooting in the dark, and is not in the business of advising individuals on their performance and superior voltage mainte- a gun mounted light comes with some seri- specific situation. If you need specific professional assis- nance. ous liability issues as well. What’s the liability tance, please contact a local professional. The older, click on side-mounted switching issue? Imagine hearing a bump in the night of the standard police lights was awkward and grabbing your trusty defensive firearm ©COPYRIGHT 2014 TACTICS AND PREPAREDNESS. ALL RIGHTS at best and nearly impossible to manage un- (regardless of whether it’s a pistol, rifle or RESERVED. THIS PUBLICATION CONTAINS MATERIAL PROTECTED UNDER INTERNATIONAL AND FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAWS AND der stress in the dark. Today’s momentary tail shotgun) with a light attached (and no other TREATIES. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRINT OR USE OF THIS cap or remote switches do a far better job of light source) and going to investigate. MATERIAL IS PROHIBITED. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE meeting an operator’s needs. As you’re going around the house, pointing REPRODUCED OR TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, your light (and the attached firearm) at all the ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR BY ANY INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL Hand Held Choices nooks and crannies, what if you find that the SYSTEM WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE Over the years I’ve collected quite a few tac- noise was caused by a child, pet or relative? AUTHOR / PUBLISHER. tical lights. My wife has shoes, I have lights! If your weapon-mounted light is your only

2 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 THE POWER OF LIGHT light source, you had to point your weapon at one using a long gun for them to identify them. “social” purposes owes Even if the noise was caused by some ran- it to themselves to have dom event, do you think you’d be able to clear a good light mounted your house in the dark with a weapon-mount- on that firearm in ad- dition to their hand If you haven’t experienced the held light. All my tacti- cal shotguns and black effects of being in a darkened rifles have dedicated PHOTO ©STREAMLIGHT lights on them. We all room and then having have a moral, ethical and legal requirement someone illuminate you with to positively identify a high intensity flashlight, you our target before pull- ing the trigger and not really need to. The effect is to endanger innocent people in our environ- totally disorienting. ment in the process. John Meyer of ed light without aiming it at something in the TeamOne Network puts same room or on the other side of a wall that it well, “The gun mounted light enhances an The 160 lumen Streamlight Nightfighter has you aren’t willing to destroy? Of course not! officer’s ability to identify and engage a tar- That’s why a combination of hand-held and get if the officer has justification / reason to a unique adjustable ring to fit any hand. weapon-mounted lights is the ideal. have their gun drawn in the first place. A gun It is next to impossible to manage a hand mounted light is not an illumination tool; con- cers draw their gun to use the light attached held light and accurately maneuver and en- sider it to be part of the weapons system.” I to it when it was totally inappropriate to have gage with a long gun at the same time. Any- don’t know how many times I’ve seen offi- their gun out. This brings me to the answer to the ques- tion: Hand held or Weapons Mounted light? The answer is that you need both. If fact, it is highly recommended that you carry a pri- BY: DR. LEONARD M. BREURE, Ph.D. mary and a secondary hand held light in ad- ery few people or organizations have teach seven different techniques for the dition to the lights on your handgun and long Vdone as much studying of the dynamics use of a hand held light. I have the stu- gun. I’m a firm believer in the two-is-one and of low light shooting as the SureFire Insti- dents practice all of them with the lights one-is-none theory. tute. They have come up with seven prin- on. After they have had an opportunity So, how does all of this shake out? For me, Principles thatci plapplyes to andlow light Te engagements:chniquesto for see what Low works Lig forht them, Sh weoo turnting out when I’m working, it goes like this: I normal- 1. Read the Light the lights. It’s usually eye-opening when ly dress in civilian clothes with my primary 2. Move to the lowest level of light what a student thought might work well sidearm, a Springfield Armory MC Operator 3. Avoid or control backlighting turns out to be unmanageable. With a lit- 1911 in .45 ACP with a rail. That rail holds a 4. See from the threat’s view point tle practice students are able to settle on SureFire X400A tactical light and fits nicely 5. Light and move a technique or two that works for them. into my Blade-Tech Kydex holster. The Spring- 6. Intermittent light at random heights These couple of techniques must then be field is complemented by a Kimber Tactical 7. Dominate with light practiced until they become a reflexive re- Pro II in a shoulder holster (no light). On With proper understanding of, and train- sponse. my belt you will find the latest and greatest ing in, these principals today’s operator Besides basic techniques to search and two-battery torch from Surefire, Streamlight, can substantially increase the odds of a fa- shoot with a hand held light, students Blackhawk or another high-end, battle tested vorable outcome should they be involved need to master the skills needed for the manufacturer. I usually wear a 5.11 vest for in a low light encounter. rest of our gun handling issues such as re- concealment and in the right center pocket In addition, the serious student of all loading and malfunction clearing. Finally, we will find a second light, usually a SureFire things tactical must have in their tactical we also need to address strong hand and G2Z. The Remington 870s that sit behind the toolbox a good selection of techniques for weak hand only as well as proper use of door in my bedroom and the one that rides using the tactical light. These should in- cover with the light. in my vehicle are equipped with SureFire clude: the Rogers/SureFire technique, the I can’t stress enough the need for prop- DSF870 dedicated forend lights. Finally, the Harries techniques, neck indexing and the er training and regular practice when Colt M-4 carbine in my squad car sports an modified FBI techniques, among others. it comes to our low light skills. Your life M-500 forend light as well. In my low light training programs, I could very well depend on it! 3 If you don’t recognize these lights by name,

TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com 3 THE POWER OF LIGHT

you’ll quickly see that some of them cost as BY: DR. LEONARD M. BREURE, Ph.D. much as a new firearm. The dilemma that this raises reminds me of the saying, “Don’t be afraid of the man with dozens of guns. Fear ohn Meyer and his TeamOne Network 3. Avoid mounting your light the man with a single gun who knows how Jhave developed several important con- when your weapon is loaded. to use it.” siderations for those using a gun mounted It’s best to always abide by the policy that At some point, as uncomfortable as it may light on their sidearm. The basic foundation nothing, including any part of your body, be, the prudent choice may be to sell an “ex- that they build upon is that the justification should pass before the muzzle of your tra” gun or two to make a single gun truly ex- GUNfor drawing MOUN and TpointingED LIG a HTfirearm CONSIDERA should loadedTIONS weapon unless you plan to shoot or ceptional and/or to pay for additional train- NOT change simply because the operator destroy it. ing so that you can actually use your guns has a light attached to the firearm. with predictable results in a life or death They list five “cornerstone concepts” re- 4. Ensure sufficient situation. lated to the safe use of the weapons mount- ambient lighting. ed light. They are: Be sure that your weapon-mounted light Final Thoughts issues enough ambient light to illuminate First, buy the best light that you can possibly 1. Carry a primary flashlight the peripheral while your weapon is held afford. There is a lot of cheap junk out there. in addition to your in low-ready position or off to the side of SureFire, Streamlight, Insight Technologies, weapon-mounted light. the target you want to see. This will help Sig Sauer and a few others make great torch- A weapon-mounted light does not elimi- you avoid the need to point your weapon es that you can trust. Ask guys coming back nate the need for a primary flashlight. For directly at a subject or location simply to from overseas and local law enforcement obvious reasons, at no time should you illuminate it. Again, it’s best to abide by the what they trust. Talk to people who use and be forced to draw your weapon solely be- rule that nothing should be in line with abuse their gear and have to depend on it for cause you need illumination. Once a light your muzzle unless you are in a situation their survival, not your buddy who has a sub- is mounted on a weapon, it should be con- that would justify your use of deadly force. scription to some cheesy gun rag and twenty sidered part of a law enforcement weapon At no time should you be pointing your “safe queens” that don’t have any scuffs and system, not simply a source of light. weapon at a subject simply as a means of scratches on them. illuminating him in a situation that does Second, get some good training in how 2. Carry the appropriate holster. not warrant the presentation of that level to properly use your light. All of the better Be sure you’re equipped with a holster of force. schools and instructors are now offering specifically designed to accommodate your low light instruction. The SureFire Institute weapon-mounted light. Being forced to re- 5. Train for the realities of is probably the best, but there are a lot of move your light before holstering hinders low-light situations. other good programs out there. (David’s your ability to promptly de-escalate and Officers operate in low-light conditions note: I would argue that Ed Santos (Cen- may force you to handle a loaded weapon more than they actually fire their weapons terTargetSports.com) and Matt Seibert (In- in a manner that could be dangerous. in those settings. Be sure that your training sightFirearmsTraining.com) are two of the isn’t solely focused on firing your weapon. best, if not THE two best low light firearms It must also include substantial focus on all instructors in the country. Ed is the author of other low-light operational issues. 3 “Low Light Combatives” and “Rule the Night, Win the Fight.” Matt created the high-stress, low light training programs for multiple Tier As holster for handguns with I CQB/entry teams. Ox and I train and talk lights attached are becoming with both of these guys on a very regular ba- more available, more and sis and have the utmost respect for them.) Finally, practice, practice, practice. Most more professionals are opting shootings occur in low light, yet how often for a gun mounted light. While do we practice in low light? This practice a great aid to shooting in the needs to be two fold. First you need to find a dark, a gun mounted light range where you can get in regular low light shooting sessions. Secondly, your practice comes with some serious should involve some type of force on force liability issues as well. exercises. They are the only way that you can Left: Bersa BP9cc in a really see what works and what doesn’t. Leatherneck Tactical holster, Hand held or weapons mounted light? If you have to choose one, it’s got to be hand designed to carry both the held, but if I’m going into harm’s way, I’ll be Bersa and it’s mounted carrying both! 3 Viridian C5 green laser. PHOTO BY OLEG VOLK A-HUMAN-RIGHT.COM

4 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 Lies and Liars can be dangerous PHOTO BY PAOLO NEO PHOTO BY PAOLO Winning At the “Lying Game” Certain types of violence are usually preceded with what is often referred to as “the interview.” n an interview, the criminal has identified ing poker counts as lying) you will not be as Are these people telling the truth? Should a possible victim and now he must con- good at this game as your opponent. You are you comply with their orders? Ifirm his decision. Sometimes the interview going to need some tactics to help you level is limited to observing the proposed victim’s the playing field. Are all lies and liars bad? body language; but often the criminal will en- The criminal’s goal is to deceive and ma- I’d argue that they are not all bad. Undercov- gage the victim in conversation. He uses this nipulate their intended victim. The more er law enforcement officers must lie. Peo- opportunity to test the victim’s awareness, they can deceive you into believing they are ple in clandestine services must lie. Special self-confidence and willingness to defend nice guys and that you are perfectly safe, the Forces teams working in counter-insurgency himself. If the criminal perceives the person more off guard you are likely to be when roles must lie. People who deal in classified, as being an ideal victim, he may also use the they decide to strike. The ability to identify a secret and confidential work end up lying on interview to intimidate his intended victim lie in verbal communications is an important a regular basis to protect their patients, cli- and set the stage for an easy crime. part of our awareness training. ents and work. In fact, I bet you’ve told someone that you Criminals tend to lie. • A person suspected of stealing says, “I can’t have less money than you really do when It’s a skill that they practice on a regular ba- say who might have taken the money” or “I negotiating over the price of an item you sis and it’s a skill with immediate and some- would deny any accusations made against were interested in buying; maybe even lied times self-correcting feedback. If they do me” or “I can’t imagine anybody would even to law enforcement by telling them that you it poorly, they don’t eat as well, make more suspect me of doing something like this.” weren’t speeding when you knew you were. enemies and may end up in prison. The bet- Did you ever think of giving a mugger your ter they are at it, the more unconscious the • An armed robber says, “You will not be hurt “mug money” or “mug wallet” instead of your skill will become and the harder it will be if you do exactly what I tell you to do.” real one or using a similar deception with to detect. criminals? Can you tell me how that’s NOT If you don’t lie on a regular basis and don’t • A street mugger says, “Nobody wants to lying? Does it make you a bad person? spend time around people who do, (play- hurt you, I only want your money.” I don’t say that to complicate the issue;

TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com 5 winning at the lying game

just to point out that in an ideal world, lying this pattern also shows itself when you’re very complex. For the purpose of this article would be a black and white issue, but we’re talking with people who are converting we only wish to stimulate your thinking and not living in an ideal world. thoughts to speech for the first time or who show you how, by paying close attention to are trying to formulate a response to a moral what people say, you can become reasonably The liar’s mindset. or ethical question on the fly. In other words, sophisticated in the art of spotting lies and When a criminal engages in conversation sometimes honest creative thought and lying deceptions. designed to manipulate his victim, he knows look the same. he is going to lie and, therefore, must hide Let’s look at a case where it is a criminal Follow the three strike rule. his true intentions. And while some violent who is lying: Liars have all kinds of verbal tools that they criminal acts are impulsive, most crimes are use to evade and misdirect people away from planned and mentally rehearsed prior to be- Q. Did you steal any of that missing money? the truth. You don’t have to become an ex- ing committed. pert in language to spot a liar. We suggest you It’s important to note that many people A. Why would I steal money from where follow the three strike rule: feel NO guilt about lying. Some people feel a I work? I am not the kind of person who Ask someone a question. If you get an eva- religious justification for lying. (For example, steals. I have a good reputation and I would sive answer, ask the question again. If the it’s OK for Muslims to lie to Infidels.) Others deny any accusations that point to me as person avoids or evades the question, ask it a feel a moral justification for lying (the end being involved in this. third time. A person telling the truth seldom justifies the means) and some have a psycho- has to be asked the same question twice. A logical justification for lying (Life is about me If he is not the thief, why didn’t he just say liar will almost always engage in verbal games and you’re just a pawn in my game.) Some no? The answer is guilt and anxiety. as he tries to hide his guilt, anxiety or true people don’t think that the gravity of the lie If our street mugger who says, “Nobody intentions. is worth getting upset about (a husband tell- wants to hurt you, I only want your money,” is On the street the three strike rule becomes ing his wife that she doesn’t look fat.) telling the truth why wouldn’t he say, “I won’t the one strike rule. Dealing with strangers, In other words, some people exhibit guilt hurt you, just give me your money.” where the chance of violence is high, we sug- when lying and others don’t. Phrases such as: I can’t; I could, would or gest that one evasive response should raise should; that’s a hard question; the answer is; your state of awareness from condition yel- How liars lie. all suggest that the person may be holding low (aware) to condition orange (danger is When someone tells the truth, they tend to back all or part of the truth. likely). be direct and to the point. Liars are evasive, If a person’s answer to a question has noth- For example, a suspicious vehicle is parked answer a question with a question, talk in ing to do with the question or if the response near your house. You approach the driver and a passive voice and they keep on talking as is a rambling dissertation, then he is probably ask, “Why are you sitting here?” He responds, though they are trying to convince them- suppressing his guilt or anxiety. The study of “I ain’t doin’ nothin’.” selves. Keep in mind that in social situations, language and the verbal behavior of liars are The driver has not answered the question. When a criminal engages in conversation designed to manipulate his victim, he knows he is going to lie and, therefore, must hide his true intentions. PHOTO BY JOHN SULLIVAN

6 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 winning at the lying game

The question was why not what. The re- revealed in a person’s voice. We must pay at- this?” If they stall answering a question by sponse was evasive. That should be enough tention to verbal quality and content. Verbal coughing, repeating the question or laughing; to warn you that trouble may not be far away. quality involves changes in the pitch, volume if they try to distract or change the conver- People who lie to you should be consid- and rate of speech. sation by statements like, “Why would I take ered as potential threats to your safety and Fear-provoking questions tend to cause the the money and not pay my bills?” Then the well-being. Be careful. Liars are not always pitch of a person’s voice to rise. It may also person is probably using deception to reject dangerous people, but dangerous people al- cause the voice to crack. reality. ways lie. Stress also tends to cause a change in vol- Why do criminals or other types of danger- ume. It is more common for a person to raise Bargaining. ous people lie? Because lying is a great way the volume, almost to the point of shouting. People who use religious statements such as, to either lull you into a false sense of security This is a sign of anger and may indicate a fight “I swear to God” or “I swear on my mother’s or distract your attention away from the liar’s or flight response to a threatening question. grave” or they substitute soft words to de- real intentions. It makes no difference wheth- Some people will lower the volume of their scribe harsh deeds or make statements that er the person is a mugger, armed robber or voice under stress. This may indicate signs of elicit sympathy may be attempting to plea simply a trouble-maker in search of a fight. depression or a state of denial. Stress also may bargain a deal. They are holding their admis- Their rules of engagement are pretty much result in some form of speech dysfunction. sion of guilt until they work out an accept- based upon the rule: “never give the victim a Deceptive people tend to have more speech able compromise. chance to defend himself.” problems than people not under stress. Prob- Acts of violence are seldom purely random As we said earlier, certain types of criminals events. Bad guys, crooks and troublemakers who commit violent acts tend to screen their often know their victims. They may be a co- Spotting lies can be a victims. This means talking with the target. worker, neighbor, someone you meet or deal It means they will probably be telling lies to with on a regular basis, even a family member. valuable early warning signal. create a distraction that gives them the ad- Spotting lies can be a valuable early warning vantage of surprise. signal that tells you trouble may be brewing. Your ability to quickly spot lies gives you For most people—even experienced crimi- lems may range from stuttering to slurring the advantage. Listen to your gut. Learn to lis- nals—lying can be uncomfortable or difficult, words and usually include the addition of ten carefully to the sound of a person’s voice, so they will often tell a partial truth. They’d nonspeech sounds such as “ah,” “er,” “um,” “uh” to the way they answer your questions and to rather lie by omission, not commission. and other similar sounds. Then there is verbal the stories they tell you. If you detect a high Here’s a recent example of language that content. The next time you ask your spouse level of stress or you spot obvious lies or real- may very well indicate a lie. There were ru- or child a question that they don’t want to ize they are trying to distract your attention, mors circulating that singer Whitney Hous- answer, observe their response. be on your guard. ton and her husband were using illegal drugs. People covering up guilt or hiding bad in- Pay extra attention when someone’s voice When she was asked by a reporter if it was tentions try to use some form of distraction or language suddenly changes. It could signal true, she got angry and said, “I am not a drug or misdirection. Here are some verbal re- that they are getting ready to take action. addict. If I were an addict, it would adversely sponse signals to watch for: Try to consciously watch and listen to affect my performance on stage. Therefore, as people you’re interacting with over the next you can see, I am not a drug addict.” Anger. several days. Pay particular attention to in- The problem here is that she was not ac- Watch for obscene language; attacks on you; dicators that the person is engaging in cre- cused of being a drug addict, only of the occa- attacks on the subject or facts in question; at- ative thought to come up with their words sional recreational use of an illegal substance. tacks on minor details or trivial information. or lying. In fact, try asking people questions She got angry, over-reacted and did not an- This may indicate lying. where you know they have to come up with swer the real question. a creative response, rather than a logical one A person who has committed a crime or Depression. or one from memory and pay attention to the may be in the process of “interviewing” a po- If the person you are questioning mentions subtle changes they make in their speech pat- tential victim must also deal with the same sleeping problems; comments about feeling terns and even what their eyes do. kind of stress that results in a fight or flight depressed or emotional problems; brings up One thing that you will quickly see is that response. Hiding guilt or bad intentions family or job problems, talks about leaving different people look different ways when creates a great deal of stress. There are five town—even committing suicide, they may be they’re lying or being creative and there’s stress-response states involved in verbal and trying to change the subject or redirect your no one-size-fits-all pattern, unlike what many non-verbal communications. Four of them are attention away from the problem. books and courses teach. Do this enough negative responses: Anger, depression, denial times with friends, relatives and acquaintanc- and bargaining. They represent a general re- Denial. es, consciously paying attention to the subtle jection of the situation. The fifth response is If the person claims memory failure: “I was changes that happen and within a few weeks, admission of guilt. too drunk to remember.” If they use guilt you’ll quickly develop the subconscious skill To detect lies, you must sharpen your lis- phrases such as “You’ve already made up your of being able to pick up verbal and non-ver- tening skills. The presence of stress can be mind that I’m guilty, so why should I discuss bal tells. 3

TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com 7 PHOTO FROM FREERANGESTOCK.COM. PANCAKES BY CHANCE AGRELLA, COCONUT BY CHRIS WINDRAS COCONUT BY CHRIS AGRELLA, BY CHANCE PANCAKES PHOTO FROM FREERANGESTOCK.COM.

BY: “OX” There’s an old saying that, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” I agree with that statement, but only if breakfast is done correctly.

’m a body and brain hacker who is always you’ve got kids or grandkids who you pick stumble into someone’s house where he was looking D oesfor ways to squeezeYour extreme perBreakfas- food for, it’s worth testingt Makeout whether immediatelyYou rejuvenated with a cup of Yak Iformance out of my not-extreme body. Be- changing their diet changes the quality of the butter tea. That event caused him to explore cause of this, I look at what I eat for breakfast choices that they make. This change could the effect of good fat on human performance. as one of the highest leverage activities I do make a huge difference in your quality of life. It turns out that the human brain THRIVES on a daily basis. So, back to breakfast that makes you bul- on good fat, and it makes the tummy feel full If I drink fruit juice, eat fruit, pastries and letproof … and comfortable for longer than most other flour based products like toast, pancakes, bis- About a year ago, I spent the weekend with foods. cuits and most cereals, I end up on a notice- some friends, all of whom were incredibly For starters, the addition of the good fats able blood sugar roller coaster for the day. high level achievers and one who happened seems to clear any early morning fog in my When I became aware of this, I started watch- to be the head medical advisor to three world mind almost instantly and keeps my mental ing the people I’m around and I can fairly re- champion teams in the same year. performance at a high level, without notice- liably forecast people’s future cognitive and Somehow, I’d missed the memo that I able fluctuations, for hours—regardless of physical abilities based on what I see them should be putting butter and coconut oil in whether or not I have any other food. put in their mouths. my coffee. There are many mornings where I start As a side note, I see the exact same blood You read that correctly; butter and coconut working and realize that the entire morning sugar roller coaster (and a lot more discipline oil in my coffee. A lot of the research around has passed, that I’ve been incredibly produc- issues) with our kids when we give them this originated with an entrepreneur named tive and focused, and that I’ve forgotten to eat these same kinds of foods. It’s caused us to Dave Asprey from BulletproofExecutive.com. anything. completely rethink whether the act of giv- I’m not sure if his story is true, but it IS awe- Without the butter and coconut oil, I nor- ing them sweets is an act of love or one that some. He found himself exhausted at 18,000 mally need to eat two or more times per almost surely guarantees a bad outcome. If feet near Mt. Kailash in Tibet, but was able to morning to keep my tummy and brain happy. 8 Buwww.tacticsandpreparedness.comlletproof?TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 This has been an incredible find for me and quality of the butter. Grass fed butter has bet- it has made a noticeable improvement in my ter fat than grain fed butter. (Yes, I know that ability to perform demanding mental tasks for butter doesn’t eat, but it’s easier than saying long periods of time, my ability to do intense “butter that comes from grass fed cows.”) physical activity for long periods of time and Specifically, it has more Omega 3 fatty acids, my ability to concentrate for long periods more vitamin K2 and more Conjugated Lin- while attending presentations and training oleic Acid. In my experience, grass fed butter classes. such as the Kerrygold Irish Butter that I use There are a couple of nice additional ben- blends better, tastes better and digests better. efits in that the combination can ratchet up In a very non-scientific explanation, most your metabolism and encourages lean muscle of the great benefits of coconut oil come growth. from MCT oil and the MCT oil that you can Here’s how I make mine. I like my coffee buy is concentrated from coconut oil. In ad- extracted with high pressure (espresso) in- dition to being found in coconut oil, MCTs stead of low pressure (coffee), so I start with are found in breast milk and are given intrave- four shots of chemical-free decaf and two nously and through feeding tubes to people shots of chemical-free caffeinated espresso. who are incredibly sick as an efficient way to Then I add two tablespoons of organic, grass fuel their minds, bodies and immune systems. fed butter, a splash of maple syrup and one MCT oil is digested almost immediately shoot tablespoon of medium chain triglyceride without adding stress to the pancreas or the in 21 days or your (MCT) oil that’s extracted from coconut oil. digestive system, which makes it an incred- Blend it for 20-30 seconds and enjoy. It’s not ibly efficient food. The more efficient the money back... food you eat, the less food you have to eat; the for300% less than th e less your food taxes your digestive system, the happier it will be. cost of a box Of MCT is neat in that most people recognize the effects of taking it very shortly after con- pbracteittce aermmo! sumption. It’s pure brain food and the in- crease in mental clarity and performance is quick, noticeable, and dramatic. One thing that you need to be aware of is that you will probably have to start with 1/2 or even 1/4 tablespoon of butter and MCT and work your way up to whatever quanti- ty works best for you. You’ll know if you’re pushing it too far if you get loose, URGENT The human brain THRIVES on stools. That being said, I’ve worked up to where today I had three cups, each with two good fat such as coconut oil. tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of MCT, with no ill effects. Dave Asprey sells regular and decaf coffee greasy and it’s so delicious and satisfying that as well as MCT oil on BulletProofExecutive. you’ll probably start craving them after your com, but I haven’t tried his brand. The brands first or second glass. I use are: NOW MCT oil (because it’s the only There are a few important details to the in- kind I can buy locally), chemical-free caffein- gredients. ated espresso from Nespresso in my Nespres- 52D rdryy fire Fire training Training exercises and drillsCards that cover: – First, the body will tolerate a lot of things so Pixie and organic caffeine-free espresso T• firearmshe Bes fundamentalst Way to Keep Your that aren’t good for it, but the more junk you from either Larry’s Beans (on Amazon) or • advanced concepts force it to work with and metabolize, the from local roasters. Sh• dryoo fire texerciseing Sdrillskills In Peak lower your performance level will be. In this Wherever you get your raw materials from, • dry fire complex movement drills Condi• low-light drillstion All Year Long case, it means limiting the petroleum based I want to encourage you to try this crazy They are a force multiplier that will allow you to create chemicals that you put in your body in the drink. The effects of a clearer, faster thinking muscle memory and hardwire perfect form into your form of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and mind are rewarding and far reaching in good subconscious mind faster (and cheaper) than what is fertilizers, etc. That’s why I said I use “chemi- times, can give you an advantage in sports humanly possible with just live fire or traditional dry cal free” coffee and “organic grass fed” butter. and tactical endeavors and could buy you the fire alone. With the butter in particular, what the extra edge that you need in a post-disaster cows are fed will dramatically influence the situation. 3

TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com 9

DryFireCards.com/tnp It Takes More Than

M omirovic A leksandar PHOTO BY Equipment and Techniques to Make You a Low-Light Winner

Considerations for Your Survival In the Low-light Environment BY: EDWARD M. SANTOS Recently, there seems to be more and more written, discussed and even advertised about working under low-light conditions. aybe I am just more sensitive to these teaching the popular flashlight techniques issues as this is a subject that I am pas- that have been around forever. That’s OK to Msionate about and feel compelled to a point. Flashlight techniques are important A note on techniques: learn more. Through research, experimenta- and they need to be understood. However, Many instructors demonstrate the tion and clinical study, I am constantly look- there is more to operating in the dark than techniques, but fail to discuss their ing for answers. The purpose of this article knowing how to hold a flashlight. pertains to how I believe you can immedi- specific pros and cons. Take the time ately impact your low-light survivability. Develop an Understanding to research the flashlight deployment Like so many other law enforcement skills I believe you need to develop greater under- techniques you use every day. Learn and tactics, it seems someone is always trying standing of the physiological and psychologi- about the pros and cons associated to reinvent the wheel. Don’t get me wrong; cal aspects you will encounter while under as it pertains to equipment, we have seen stress in the dark. A comprehensive under- with the techniques that make up your some tremendous improvements in low-light standing of these factors will allow you to system. This research may make you illumination and night vision. select and train in the techniques that work aware of some issues that cause you It has been my experience that many agen- for your particular environment and personal to rethink how you manipulate your cies fail to understand the critical nature of limitations or capabilities. You need to under- realistic low-light training. Sadly, many fire- stand that these are factors that affect every- flashlight and firearm. arms instructors spend most of their time one who operates in a low-light environment,

10 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 LOW-LIGHT ENVIRONMENT good guys and bad guys alike. Developing to manage under stressful conditions. We the high stress environment of a gun fight. the knowledge, tools, tactics and techniques have all heard instructors talk about Fight or I often see a lack oft visual patience dur- to “Rule the Night” and not merely exist in it Flight Response. Lately we are hearing the ing live-fire low-light drills or when we are could save your life. term Body Alarm Response (BAR) in the place conducting low-light force on force training A great place to start to improve your low- of Fight or Flight. The BAR is the body’s re- scenarios. On the live fire course, I will often light survivability is by studying human eye sponse to the high stress of a life threatening expose the student to multiple “bad guy” tar- physiology, effects of Body Alarm Response attack situation. Add the psychological and gets that look identical. (BAR) in the dark and the low-light skills of physiological changes that are magnified by Typically these are full color realistic sil- Visual Patience. Don’t overlook the impor- the lack of light and the Low-Light BAR can houette targets of bad guys holding weapons tance of using your light source as a control be the most severe you will ever experience. of some sort. I often raise the intensity of the device. I don’t have the space in this article The most immediate visual change in re- live fire drills by introducing three dimen- to provide all the specific information to sup- sponse to the BAR is that the eye loses its sional mannequin targets. Many times, these port the above topics. I will however, pro- ability to maintain clear focus on targets at mannequins are dressed in male or female vide some general factors for you to consider close distances. During the first few seconds clothing to add a sense of realism. as you begin your research. that you experience the BAR you are unable I often replace the weapon on one of the to focus on the front sight of a gun. Your vi- targets with surrender hands. This is a subtle sual focus will be drawn to infinity. This is change in the overall appearance of the bad RODS sometimes referred to as getting “Big Eyes.” guy. The students will typically fail to take This focusing change toward infinity focus is the necessary time to make the appropriate due to the transition from parasympathetic target identification. They fail to have the Vi- nervous system control to sympathetic ner- sual Patience to properly identify the target CONES RETINA vous system control. as a surrender target and they wind up shoot- “Tunnel Vision” or “Perceptual Narrowing” ing a target that should have been treated as can be explained by the physiological and a no-shoot. psychological changes that accompany the You should spend time training under RODS BAR. As humans we have an innate tendency similar conditions to those mentioned above. to narrow attention upon a threat during ex- Get together with teammates and create sce- treme stress. narios that require visual patience. These The cones in the eye provide us with color and scenarios can be practiced during live fire or detail in a lit environment, but in the dark the rods Visual Patience conducted during briefings using airsoft or take over and allow us to see movement rather Visual patience is a term I use to describe the other simulation guns. The key is to make than fine detail. act of leaving your light on long enough to the scenarios fun and challenging in a way identify what you are looking at. Emotions of that you must use visual patience in order Physiology the fight and visual patience are often mixed to be successful. If conducted at the shift At a minimum, learn the function of the eye’s or confused when we attempt to analyze level, they will have the additional benefits Rods and Cones. Understand how the cones provide us with color and detail in lighted en- vironments. In the dark the rods take over and allow us to see movement rather than fine detail. Knowing that cones are concen-

trated in the center of your vision will rein- PHOTO BY OLEG VOLK A-HUMAN-RIGHT.COM force your understanding of why off-center viewing is so critical at night. Did you know that the amount of light we need to see at night doubles every 13 years? Your vision is typically 20/800 during your initial exposure to a darkened environment. Develop an understanding of the light to darkness adaptation rates and the levels of visual acuity. This knowledge could prove to be very helpful in assessing your suspect’s ability to see at the time of your contact.

Psychological As humans we have an innate We need to understand that in reduced light, our mind will try to fill in what our eyes can’t tendency to narrow attention upon see. This reality becomes even more difficult a threat during extreme stress.

TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com 11 LOW-LIGHT ENVIRONMENT

of developing team work, confidence in your partners and providing supervisors with a benchmark of the participant’s collective skill levels.

Control with Light Here is where you can tremendously im- prove your ability to win at night by learning

to use light to control your suspect. How do PHOTO ©F eni x you use light as a force option? I bet I’ve got you wondering now. Imagine your sus- pect experiencing 5-7 seconds of disorienta- tion as a result of something you do at your discretion, from a distance, using only your flashlight. Would you do it? Would you flip that proverbial switch just before you go Five to seven seconds of disorientation in your attacker can hands on? I bet you would. mean the difference between life and death. By placing the hot spot of your light in the suspect’s eyes, you reduce his ability to see above: The Fenix TK15 is compatible with a tactical flashlight ring or remote pressure switch, and delivers a powerful 400 lumens. you clearly and mount any type of attack as you approach. He is unable to assess your you or not, it deserves your consideration. are apparent. After all, we will increase both physical conditioning, your size, determine Look at both the offensive and defensive our reaction time and our movement time if if you are alone, look for an escape route or applications of quality light as you begin to we choose to deploy a tool other than what look for cover, just to mention a few advan- assess the feasibility of adding light as a force we already have in our hand. tages. Would you find any advantage in put- option to your tactical toolbox. We already Don’t misunderstand me; I am all about ting your suspect in a situation that would have enough going against us as we often getting rid of anything that will not be of take him about 90 seconds to regain approxi- find ourselves in a reactive mode. How many benefit to you during those critical situations. mately 70 percent of his ability to see that he times have you been told “Action is faster This is one of the cornerstones of my motiva- had before you flashed him with the light? than Reaction”? We all know it to be true. tion to write this article. At a minimum, the Would you consider that to be a tactical ad- Typically, we utilize tactics, training and coordinated, efficient deployment of a qual- vantage to yourself? Sure you would. Try it. troops to overcome many of the situations ity flashlight is a tremendous equalizer. In You will like the results. we are faced with. Look at the effective de- fact, I have always felt the light has given me If you have a quality light source, and ployment of a quality light as another tool a distinct advantage over my suspect. you know how to use it, you can gain the to help you win. You are often working in a I believe the single most important thing advantages as stated above every time you diminished light environment when you are you can do to improve your survivability is confront a suspect in a diminished light envi- confronted with a lethal encounter. The very to improve your understanding of operating ronment. I can’t stress enough that in order fact that you are in less than desirable light- in the low-light environment. Never before to see these results you must have training, ing conditions means you more than likely have we had the tools, access to the knowl- quality equipment and the confidence to ap- are using some type of artificial light. As stat- edge and clinical research available to us to ply the techniques. ed earlier, most of you only use the light in truly rule the night. 3 If you are to have a reasonable expecta- a traditional sense to navigate, investigate or tion of the suspect’s disorientation, you must perhaps communicate, but there you are in ABOUT THE AUTHOR know the light flashed in his eyes is free of a low light environment with the flash light Edward M. Santos is the author of “Rule any dark spots or imperfections. Make sure in your hand and you need to take some de- the Night, Win the Fight” and “Low Light the light you select and use will project a fensive or offensive action as a result of the Combatives” which are both available on clean beam with a pattern free of any dark suspect’s actions. Amazon. Ed is a retired U.S. Army sniper spots. Many instructors say you must have Does it not stand to reason that if you can and has 20 years of law enforcement ex- a light with a minimum of 65 lumens. As gain the defensive or offensive advantage by perience who writes from a position of technology has improved and prices have deploying the tool you already have in your experience and expertise. He also owns dropped, my preference has changed from hand, you should do it? Center Target Sports (CenterTargetSports. 65 to 80 to 100 to 200 lumens. The advantages of such actions are many com) in Post Falls, Idaho, which is a full- To many people, using light as a force and go way beyond reaction time in its purest service range and firearms training center. option is a new dynamic. I can’t remem- sense. When you consider the reduction in Ed splits his time between teaching in Post ber ever seeing “The Use of Light” in any motor skill performance and the time wasted Falls and teaching advanced low light and of the footnotes that accompany the vari- as you decide what tool you are going to de- full light fundamental and tactical courses ous Use of Force continuum charts I have ploy after you do something with the light at various ranges and departments from looked at. Whether the concept is new to that is already in your hand, the advantages coast to coast.

12 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 PHOTO BY OLEG VOLK A-HUMAN-RIGHT.COM

On a regular basis, police officers approach within several feet of a suspect they believe to be armed and dangerous. Dealing with ftentimes, the officer’s weapon is that they have the ability to fire their weapon and predefining trigger points for confronta- drawn and pointing at the suspect. the moment they see the attacker go for his tions. OThey instruct him to put his hands up. weapon. They further believe that their shot So, if you see a need to discharge your Some of these officers will not go home at or shots would hit and neutralize the attacker firearm, it’s safe to assume that it will take the end of their shift because of a simple before he could draw and use his weapon. In at least a quarter of a second before you can truth I’m going to share with you. these situations these officers were wrong. take action. There are times when ordinary citizens Some of them were dead wrong. What does this mean? At close range, if you might need to be the one to confront a sus- Reaction time is the amount of time it are confronting an offender who has a knife pect or offender. Whether you’re in law en- takes to start to move after the perception of in his hand and his hand is by his side with forcement and taking the fight to the bad danger. In the case of a well-trained shooter, the blade pointing downward, you are at guys or a citizen and you’re an unwilling that reaction time is around two or three great risk. Even if your gun is already drawn participant in a violent encounter, the rules tenths of a second. Well trained, in this case, and pointed at the suspect, you are likely to we’re going to discuss are the same. could be considered someone who is doing lose the fight. During such confrontations many people, at least 100 dry fire or live fire repetitions per By the time you see him move and you including experienced law officers, believecl week asose well as constantly gaming u scenariosp fire your first shot, he will be accelerating his TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014confrontationswww.tacticsandpreparedness.com 13 In these situations these officers were wrong. Some of them were dead wrong. CLOSE-UP CONFRONTATIONS

weight toward you with his knife aimed at float effortlessly. For years, UFC lightweight chest. Your peripheral vision will enable you you. Physics being what it is, even if you are fighter, Clay Guida was one of my favorite to see their feet and hands. If the distance able to shut down his central nervous system examples of this. He always appeared to be you want to maintain is four feet, cut a string with your first shot, his inertia may very well within striking distance, yet when his oppo- to that length and tie it between both of you still drive the knife into you. The reason be- nents struck at him, they found only empty onto each of your belts. As your opponent hind this is that he acted first, and you react- air. Maintaining a safe distance between you moves, you shadow him while keeping the ed. In reacting, you were at least a quarter of and your adversary allows you time to react, string at full length. If you’re too slow, the a second behind him. Worse yet, if you were move, defend, counterattack or even turn string will sag and if you move too far away talking to him, your reaction time would be around and run away. the string will break loose. With practice you even slower, up to as much as three-quarters It makes no difference whether your op- will actually be able to sense the proper dis- of a second, That is plenty of time for him to ponent is using fists, a knife or a striking tance and anticipate your opponent’s move- cover five or more feet. weapon such as a stick, you must judge the ments. Before long, your opponent will find This three-quarters of a second is impor- proper distance and stay just out of range. If it impossible to close or open the distance tant to know, because the distance that an your adversary shifts his weight toward you between you. attacker is able to travel during the three- to attack, you glide back (away from him) You, in effect, will be in control of the fight. quarters of a second it takes you to react is If your adversary can’t hit you, he can’t called your “reactionary gap.” hurt you. You can simply stay out of his range when he’s strong, yet be able to close in on Reactionary Gap him when he’s weak. The important thing to Everybody has a reactionary delay. It may be remember is that you, not your enemy, must two-tenths of a second or it may be two sec- be in control of the fighting range. onds. If your reaction time is three-quarters This isn’t an option for many readers be- of a second and your attacker can close the cause of age or injuries, and many environ- distance within one-quarter of a second, they One of the most important ments don’t allow for the freedom of move- essentially get a free pass for the remaining ment that this requires. If, for whatever rea- half-second until you get up to speed and things that you can control son, you can’t control the range, there are still into the fight. other factors at play that you may be able to In 1983, SWAT Magazine ran an article by control that will shorten the reactionary gap. Salt Lake City Police Officer, Dennis Tueller atin the a violentsame time, forcemaintaining encounter exactly the As an example, having your firearm drawn that put concrete numbers to this abstract same range. Skilled fighters often don’t even and aimed center of mass will reduce your idea. Officer Tueller directed several officers botheris the putting distance their hands between up in defense, you reactionary gap considerably. In addition, if see how quickly they could cover a distance knowing their opponent can’t touch them. you are in your kitchen with a firearm and of 21 feet while holding a knife. The answer Many professionaland your fighters attacker. use it as a show your attacker is in your living room with a was 1.5 seconds. of disrespect and as a way to taunt their op- knife, simply moving a chair between you One and a half seconds was (and still is ponents into making silly moves. This kind of and your attacker or positioning yourself so in many places) also the benchmark for how tactical skill seems almost mystical, but it can that your kitchen counter is between you long an officer had to draw his firearm and be learned with a little bit of practice. and your attacker will shorten the gap. fire two center of mass shots. Each of these techniques will reduce your What that means is that if an officer has Here’s how you can reactionary gap and increase safety consider- his firearm holstered and a knife wielding at- Develop this skill ably. If you can fire two center of mass shots tacker decides to attack him at a distance of Choose a partner and each of you assumes in one-half second by having your firearm 21 feet or less, the officer should expect to an aggressive or fighting stance. Keep just drawn, then your reactionary gap drops to be stabbed. enough distance between you and your op- roughly seven feet instead of 21 feet. When In this example, 21 feet is the reactionary ponent so you are just beyond his reach. you add in the time it would take for your gap if you’ve got a holstered firearm and are Have your opponent begin to move about, attacker to get around the chair or counter, facing an attacker who is armed with a knife. trying to either get closer to you or farther it would shrink your reactionary gap even If they are any closer than 21 feet and they apart than the set range. You, in turn, will more. start their attack, you’re likely to get stabbed move with him, always maintaining the prop- If you’re confused by the reactionary before you are able to fire two center of mass er distance. In effect, you must learn how to gap, think about drawing a dot on a piece shots. This is why one of the most important become your adversary’s shadow. It’s difficult of paper. Then draw a medium sized circle things that you can control in a violent force at first, but with practice it becomes second (the exact size doesn’t matter) around the encounter is the distance between you and nature. If you’ve got more experience danc- dot and assume that the circle represents a your attacker. This single factor can both ing than fighting, just think of it as being the distance of 21 feet away from the dot. You give you a big advantage if you have to go same color called a different name. In both are the dot. Place more dots on the page to “kinetic” and provide a trigger that you can disciplines, you’re simply mirroring your represent attackers. Any dots that are within use to take action. partner and maintaining proper distance. the circle are within your reactionary gap Some martial artists develop the ability to Focus your glance on your opponent’s and could get to you before you could imple-

14 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 CLOSE-UP CONFRONTATIONS ment an effective defense. Any dots outside even if you also get him. That is still not very of the circle are outside of your reaction- encouraging. ary gap and you should be able to eliminate So, if you are going to let him make the them as a threat before they can hurt you. first move, you need to be beyond 21 feet, Reducing the reactionary gap simply have your weapon drawn or have an ob- makes the circle smaller and you safer. stacle between you and your attacker. And “How to that’s no guarantee that you will survive, but Survive The The one who acts first usually wins. at least it takes away most of his advantage. At Most Critical (Also termed speed, surprise and distances greater than 21 feet, you have the 5 Seconds Of violence of action) time to put additional distance or obstacles Your Life” is If someone has approached you, has a visible between you and your attacker. weapon, has expressed their intent to harm One of the best books on this topic is an excellent you, they’ve ignored your pleas, retreat is not “How to Survive The Most Critical 5 Seconds to useresource concealment. to Fight from a darkened an option and they are within your reaction- Of Your Life.” by Tim Larkin and Chris Ranck- helparea oryou in handle the shadows. An ordinary wall, ary gap, your best choice may very well be Buhr and you can order it on Amazon or get shrubs anor aarmed darkened window will not stop to go on offense with the intent of attacking it at https://www.targetfocustraining.com/ a bullet,encounter. but it may make it more difficult for the central nervous system to the extent that bookpdf/ the suspect to locate you to begin his attack. they are no longer a threat to you. This is In your home, try to keep furniture, coun- because if they decide to start their attack Here are some other things you can ters or doorways partially between you and within your reactionary gap they will, by def- do to decrease your reactionary gap your attacker. inition, be able to hurt you before you’re able Give short commands, but don’t get into a Set your mental trigger. When confronting to mount an effective defense. two-way conversation. You can’t do two a violent attacker, you must set your mental This is a personal decision that everyone things at the same time. If you are going to trigger to reduce your reaction time. has to make, not only because of the moral talk, talk. If you are going to shoot, shoot. You can’t pull the trigger on your weapon and human consequences, but also because Don’t try to talk and shoot at the same time. unless you have first made the decision to of how difficult it may be to justify your ac- Remember, talking adds time to your reac- shoot. So what you need to do is say to your- tions to law enforcement or a jury. tion time. self, “If he does this, I will shoot.” Unfortunately, few martial arts or self-de- Ignore his questions. If you have to say You also want to shoot while moving later- fense instructors or studios teach the con- anything, only give commands: Stop; Don’t ally (left or right). This is called “getting off cept of pre-emptive attacks in a form that is move; Drop your weapon, are good exam- the ‘X’” and has a physiological basis that’s moral, ethical and‑hopefully‑legal. Most sell ples. worth knowing. As the heart goes past the the fantasy that you’ll always be able to re- If you can’t find suitable cover, at least try pulse rate that’s common for exercise and act to a lethal force attack that happens at smell-the-breath distance if you advance far enough in their particular system. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been arrogant and slow and caught punches square on the jaw plenty of times in fights! Now I like having a few tricks up my sleeve that will work if I face an attacker who is high on meth and faster than me on my best day. If they decide to start their attack Regardless, at smell-the-breath dis- within your reactionary gap tances up to six feet, you have little chance of winning, no matter what they will, by definition, be the combination of weapons is able to hurt you before in the fight‑unless you attack first. If you react, you are de- you’re able to mount pending upon pure luck; an effective defense. luck that he misses, and that you have one or more center mass hits. At less than 21 feet, even if he only has a knife, he will have the PHOTO BY OLEG VOLK A-HUMAN-RIGHT.COM ability to kill you,

TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com 15 CLOSE-UP CONFRONTATIONS

into the range that only happens in extreme adrenaline states where the brain fears its imminent demise, vision closes down to where it’s similar to looking through a card- board toilet paper tube or paper towel tube. ON LEADERSHIP By simply moving a few feet from where LEADERSHIP DEFINED you were when your attacker began their BY: COLONEL S. RANDY WATT, former COMMANDER, US ARMY 19TH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP attack, they might not be able to see where you are anymore and their inertia may sim- eadership, like diagnosis of a major ill- working through others. There isn’t a leader ply cause them to attack the empty space ness, often is not clearly visible on its that we (particularly Americans,) consider where you were. own, but is identified by its symptoms. great who did not accomplish great feats, For example, you give the command, LIn fact, it is difficult to put what “leader- often in times of adversity or peril. And the “Don’t move!” Your attacker has a weapon ship” actually is into words. True leadership leader didn’t do it alone, they leveraged the in his hand. You tell yourself that if he starts is results-oriented and is normally recogniz- power of the subordinates they had author- to move in the slightest way, you will slide able by what it accomplishes, more so than ity over, to accomplish the goal. In other to the left (or right) and shoot, or shoot as what it actually looks like while it is being words, Leadership is the ability to influence you slide, depending on your level of com- done. Much like the ruling in the infamous others to accomplish the mission. fort with arms. No further thought is re- pornography case, we may not know how quired. He has lethal force in his hand and to define it, but we know what it looks like. he has taken actions that indicate that he And yet, we still constantly work at defining intends to violently attack you. leadership in order to get better at doing it. True influence is accomplished This concept works without a firearm as If you are working at being a good leader, well: just picture a matador stepping out of you are constantly reading and reviewing by developing a strong sense the way as a bull tries to gore the empty media material on the subject of leadership. space where he just was. There are reams of material available and it of teamwork, by creating These concepts are applicable regard- is often difficult to sift “the wheat from the shared values within the unit, less of whether you’re facing an attacker chaff.” In the last twenty-five years I have read armed with a bladed weapon, firearm, club numerous books and articles on the subject by developing a commitment to or empty hands. and each one contained its own definition. Some definitions were short, one-liners, and excellence within the organization, How can I apply this some were multi-sentence paragraphs. Each information immediately? one was measured against my own points of by creating a disciplined Great question. As you’re going about your reference, likes and dislikes, examples and day, aware of your surroundings and gaming personal experiences. Some held promise, organization dedicated to the scenarios, think about how long it would others appeared to be just plain wrong. I take you to react if something were to hap- continued on in my hunt for the right defi- accomplishment of its mission. pen or if you picked up on pre-incident nition, believing that would result in instant triggers telling you something was about to assimilation of the best formula for success- happen. Then, pre-determine your action in ful leadership, but I was never able to find it. The three main components of this defini- light of how long it would take you to react. Without realizing what was happening, tion center on an action imperative and are As an example, if I’m eating at my favorite my search led me to compile several defini- ability, influence others, and accomplish the lunch spot wearing my sidearm in a Smart- tions of leadership, combine their effective mission. Ability is defined as (1) state of be- Carry concealment holster and someone parts and then distill them into the simplest ing able; possession of qualities necessary. comes in shooting, I know that my method form. The result was an efficient and effec- (2). competence, skill, a particular talent.1 of concealment would increase my reac- tive definition, one that matched the results In order to have a skill, we must put forth tion time and require me to get to a posi- of years of study, example, influence and ex- the necessary effort to gain the foundational tion of concealment before drawing my perience. It is not a perfect definition, but it knowledge and requisite experience. For in- firearm and engaging the shooter. is one that I believe allows us the best grasp stance, in order to be physically fit, we must In many scenarios, my first response to of the tenets necessary to be successful as first learn what physical fitness is and how to a violent encounter is not to take direct leaders in the action-oriented environment gain it through a study of its precepts. Then action; it’s to get to a tactically superior of law enforcement special operations. You we must apply that knowledge to exercising position where I have an unfair advantage are not required to accept this definition, the physical body. When applied properly, if the attacker wants to try to hurt me. We however, if it will help guide your leadership the foundational knowledge plus the physi- will have more on this concept in a future efforts to success, as it has guided mine, feel cal exercise enhances and speeds the pro- article. Until then, feel free to contact me free to use it. cess of developing physical fitness. Exercise at [email protected] with any Successful leaders have always been ca- without the foundational knowledge is often questions. 3 pable of accomplishing great things while counterproductive. Foundational knowledge

16 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 LEADERSHIP DEFINED without the exercise serves no purpose. once stated, “The discipline which makes necessary, within the bounds of law, policy, So it is with leadership. In order to have the soldier of a free country reliable in ethics and morality, to ensure success. There the ability to lead, we must embark on an battle is not to be gained through harsh or is nothing that will make up for a unit’s fail- earnest study of the foundational principles, tyrannical treatment. On the contrary, such ure to get the job done. The leader and the precepts, philosophies and concepts. This treatment is far more likely to destroy than subordinates must be totally committed to must be followed by exercise, by our appli- to make an army. It is possible to impart accomplishing their mission in the most ef- cation of this knowledge in a leadership en- instructions and give commands in such a fective way possible. History is replete with vironment, complete with continued refin- manner and in such a tone of voice as to in- examples of the results of failure to accom- ing and development of our skill. This will spire in the soldier no feeling but an intense plish the mission and the devastating effects produce leadership ability. desire to obey, while the opposite manner that followed. The leadership skill of the To influence others is the core to leader- and tone of voice cannot fail to excite strong person in charge, combined with his or her ship. When I was a police sergeant, a wise resentment and a desire to disobey. The one ability to influence their subordinates, will police lieutenant once told me, “You don’t mode or the other of dealing with subordi- result in the greatest chance of accomplish- get paid for what you do, you get paid for nates springs from a corresponding spirit in ing the assigned mission. what you get your officers to do.” He was In the U.S. Army there is a saying that goes, absolutely correct. As leaders, our job is not “Mission First, Men Always.” What is meant to do the tasks, but to supervise the tasks, is that the best means of accomplishing the to get the most out of our team members “Example is not mission is through the subordinates, but that that they are capable of. True influence is ac- care and concern for the subordinates can- complished by developing a strong sense of not overshadow the importance of accom- teamwork, by creating shared values within the main thing in plishing the mission. Taking care of our sub- the unit, by developing a commitment to ex- ordinates also means ensuring that the risks cellence within the organization, by creating influencing others, we place them in are truly in keeping with a disciplined organization dedicated to the the importance of the mission. “We will risk accomplishment of its mission. our officers’ lives only when necessary and Creating positive influence is hard work. it is the only thing.” only in a calculated manner”3 is an axiom In order to positively influence others, the that all good leaders will recognize and ad- leader must have interpersonal skills. Posi- here to. There are risks that we are willing tive influence requires constant effort and the breast of the commander. He who feels to accept as leaders. We will risk our units’ regular inspection. The leader must create respect which is due to others cannot fail lives to save innocent lives, such as hostages. a vision of success, be capable of getting to inspire in them regard for himself, while Based on our code of ethics, our personal the subordinates to see the same vision, ef- one who feels, and hence manifests, disre- morality and our warrior ethos, we are will- fectively communicate that vision and the spect toward others, especially his inferiors, ing to die, if necessary to save lives worth importance of reaching the goal, and then cannot fail to inspire hatred against himself. saving. We always have been and we always focus the team’s energy in the appropriate [underline added]”2 will be. In contrast, good leaders will rec- activities. Whether it is a selective enforce- The most effective way to influence oth- ognize the fallacy of accepting high risk in ment operation or a hostage rescue, the ers is through the example that you provide. order to protect evidence or property. leader plays the critical role in obtaining the In order to effectively lead, you must be ca- Leadership is not easy, that’s why there unit’s success. pable of demonstrating your own commit- have been so few great leaders. This defini- Negative influence is easy. Poor leaders ment to the effort. Dr. Albert Schweitzer is tion of leadership is not perfect, but it does believe that influence is accomplished by reported to have said, “Example is not the help a growing leader to identify the basic shouting, threatening or through other co- main thing in influencing others, it is the tenets of leadership, which is exercising the ercive behaviors. These kinds of leaders only thing.” If I want people to have a com- ability to influence others to accomplish the believe in the authority of their position mitment to being physically fit, I must dem- mission. 3 alone and make no attempts to mediate it onstrate my own commitment. If I want my with skilled and positive influencing of their officers to have excellent shooting skills, I subordinates. They fail to recognize the fun- must demonstrate my own willingness to (Endnotes) damental truth that one cannot simply order reach high standards. In other words, if I 1. The New American Webster Dictionary, August 1995, Signet Books. people to get things done, there must be a want to “talk the talk,” I must “walk the walk.” 2. Major General John M. Schofield, Address to the Corps of Cadets, defined, acceptable and shared purpose to Accomplish the Mission means that, as a USMA, West Point, 11 August, 1879. the work. Major-General John M. Schofield leader, I must be prepared to do whatever is 3. Robert Mathis, 1993, ICS for Law Enforcement.

Randy was gracious enough to allow me to print a series of short pieces that he wrote on leadership. Whether you are in a leadership position or not, it’s important to understand the many traits, qualities, and behaviors associated with great leaders. If you’re a leader, you need to do this to identify your strengths and weaknesses and decide whether to work on your weaknesses or find a co-leader who is strong where you are weak. As a leader, you can be a true force multiplier every day, in a tactical situation, and/or in a survival situation. If you’re in a support role, it’s important to identify your leader’s strengths, accept the fact that they have weaknesses, and help them compensate. And, if you’re in a support role or simply a follower, it’s important to be able to quantify leadership qualities and traits so that you can effectively evaluate leaders and potential leaders and decide who to hook your wagon to. This is an important skill to have on a daily basis, but in the organizational vacuum that oftentimes happens after a major disaster, it’s critical to understand leadership...regardless of whether you’re leading, following, or getting out of the way.

TACTICS & PREPAREDNESS FEBRUARY 2014 www.tacticsandpreparedness.com 17