Tactical Training

You don’t have to be a crazy old hermit to learn mantracking (but it helps!)

Mantracking to the uninitiated is like some weird Jedi trick.  The tracker looks down at an imperceptible depression in the leaves and without hesitation says “that’s our track”.  Here’s how they do it (well some of the basics anyway).

The initial step is to cut sign (look for indicators) around the last known point (LKP) or point last seen (PLS) to identify the track of the subject.  This will give you two important pieces of information.

First it will give you a track that you can identify as the subject so you can follow it, and it gives you a direction to look in.  Knowing where not to look, is almost as important as knowing where to look.

Click Here to Keep Reading Mantracking – The Basics Part 1 >>>

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I eat Twinkies for breakfast but I still think I am a warrior

Every time I see some fat ass at a training class, online, in uniform or working as a contractor I want to walk up to him and yell “STOP EATING”

The most annoying ones are the fat bodies who claim to be some sort of “bad-ass” or even worse – are actually working or teaching in a warrior related profession. And its not just the fact these guys are disgusting blobs of blubber, it’s the shitty tough guy attitude that just about every fat “warrior” has.

I remember a few years ago a buddy of mine asked me to take a knife fighting seminar with him because he paid for his wife to go and she backed out at the last minute. I figured “why not, its free” so after driving for 4 hours, paying for a hotel room and giving up my entire weekend I walked into the class to see this dude with a big fat belly standing there.

Now, my buddy knows how I am so as soon as he saw me looking at Mr. Chubby Knife Guy he said “Dude, please don’t say anything, he is a bit chubby but he knows his shit. So I bit my tongue for the sake of my buddy and went along with the program, and honestly the training wasn’t that bad until he started talking about discipline and warrior mindset stuff.

At that point I couldn’t control myself anymore so I asked “if you are a disciplined warrior than why are you so overweight?” Damn, the expression on his face looked like I called his mother a whore or something.

Anyway he went off on a rant about how he wasn’t really fat, had muscle underneath and could still kick ass and take names and all sorts of other insecure stuff fat people say when you call them out for being a buffet rapist.

Fo reals, how am I supposed to take some guy teaching a tactical course seriously if he doesn’t even have the discipline to stop bringing his hand to his fat fucking mouth?

Click Here to Read The DVM From Fat Body to Not So Fat Body Diet >>>

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As portrayed on the popular TV show “Lie to Me” body language can not only be an indicator that someone is lying – it can also indicate a violent attack before it even happens

One of the most often overlooked aspects of your training regimen is conflict avoidance. We train and train on how to resolve a violent encounter in the most efficient and (in certain cases such as an attack on principle in a High threat environment, or when someone is trying to kill you in) the Most violent manner possible to end the threat for our clients, our teams and ourselves.

What is so often missed is that prior to any attack there are certain clues that the attacker gives off that indicates that they are about to commit a violent act against us.  Having a full repertoire of the latest greatest ninja tricks and gadgets at our disposal is a great thing, but quite frankly, the best way to resolve a potential violent encounter is to not have one at all.

This idea was not lost on some of history’s greatest warriors including Miyomoto Musashi (The Book of 5 rings is a must read) and Roman Fabius Maximus who Incisively used the strategy of non confrontation as a battlefield tactic that arguably lead to the ultimate defeat Hannibal of Carthage.

Historically, The Romans viewed this inaction as a form of cowardice, and removed him from power, however, they later adopted it and the brilliance of his strategy was ultimately vindicated.

Having the ability to recognize when someone is about to become violent, and in some cases Hyper-violent is one of the essential tools for anybody, not necessarily just those of us in the security industry. If you can recognize the signs of violence and remove yourself or your client from the equation, you are far better served (It also covers the first two prime directives of PSD quite nicely).

Click Here to Read the 5 Most Common Body Language Indicators of Physical Violence >>>

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No need for crying here – just move on

How often do things ever go PERFECTLY in a venture? Rare, if ever, right?

Do you know we can learn from f-ing up? We can learn A TON

The chaos, friction, and the most assured probability of mistakes being made in the Red Zone is a tremendous learning opportunity if you survive it.

Your first order of business is to always fight through whatever gaffe takes place. This is not as easy as it sounds on paper. Seemingly simple matters tend to become wildly complex in the field.

Too many contractors and adventurists tend to dwell on the mistake in front of them and lose the immediacy demanded in combat or crisis to recover in swift fashion. They dwell on the ‘oh shit’ moment too long giving a decided advantage to their adversaries. This negative distraction and self talk invites disaster.

Click Here to Continue Reading SURVIVAL MINDSET Dealing With F-UPS >>>

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Understand Risk VS Gamble or You May Draw This Hand

If you carry a gun for a profession, then you’ve entered the world of risk management at the deep end. Traveling the semi/non-permissive zones of the world is what I share in common with Contractors, Soldiers, Jihadists, militiamen, criminals, and terrorists alike. The thing I’ve noticed is that some do a better job at managing risks than others.

Traveling the Red Zone offers a unique opportunity to examine, define, and truly get to know what risk is made of. A good starting point to gain a better understanding of risk and what it takes to manage it is to peer out into the space you occupy right now. You might be at home, in your car, or preparing to mount a mission in some shit-stain Country that the State Department warns you against ‘visiting.’

The point is this, you occupy space, are a human being that requires air rushing in and out and blood going round and round, and it’s a fact that you need to employ your brain to keep your other body parts intact. Hence, the everyday intrinsic need to the manage risks your environment, lifestyle, and job engender.

Read How To Manage a Risk VS Gamble Situation >>>

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Are You Ready For a Black Swan Moment?

Wikipedia defines a Black Swan as an… ‘Unexpected event of large magnitude and consequence.’

Basically it’s an event that occurs outside the expectations most people hold and is low probability but high impact if it does occur.

I am a trained and experienced operator with years in the field dealing with asymmetric threats, the frictions and uncertainties that only a combat environment can offer, as well as the general malaise of interpersonal violence that spans the world just like many of you reading this article.

I would consider myself more aware, capable, and prepared than most. I have managed the stress and complications from fixing a flat tire to a firefight in the red zone and consider living conditions in blown out sections of Baghdad ‘normal.’

However, I am not prepared to handle everything, and sometimes all I’ve had working in my favor is a f**k-it drive on mentality.

Read How I Prepare for Black Swan Moments >>>

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