The OODA loop is well known in fighting circles. It’s even used in business.
Whether you’re developing a retirement savings plan, or buying lunch, you’re using the OODA loop. Even when you’re doing things as automatic as grabbing a drink from the fridge or driving the same route to work as you do everyday — you’re using the OODA loop. It’s a proven model, and when we use it to an extent that matches the importance of the actions we’re taking, it works remarkably well.
So, what is the OODA loop? OODA stands for Observe, Orient, Decide and Act. When we do anything this process is what our brain must go through. We observe that something is happening, orient towards it (figure out what it is), make a decision as to what we need to do and then act.
The OODA Loop principle was developed by Lt. Col. John Boyd for aerial combat in the Korean and Viet Nam war era. John R. Boyd figured this science out as a young U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. John was cocky even by fighter-pilot standards…he issued a standing challenge to anyone who dared to try to defeat him in mock aerial combat. To make it even more of a challenge for him once in the air he would start from a position of disadvantage. He bet that he’d have his jet on the challenger’s tail within 40 seconds, or he’d pay them $40. Legend has it that he never lost. His amazing ability to win any dogfight in 40 seconds or less earned him his nickname “40 Second” Boyd.
What Lt. Col. Boyd discovered was that if he could keep the opponent in the loop, and he got through OODA, that he had a great advantage. For example, if the enemy was observing Boyd roll right, was orienting to this move but before he could decide or act Body rolled left it made that enemy have to start the OODA loop all over again.
As Boyd taught the principal and taught airmen to get through the loop (and keep others in it) he discovered that after five go rounds at actual air combat that pilot became virtually unbeatable. After five they would not get caught in the loop but would rapidly get through it and act first. He put science behind what pilots had somehow knew in WWI and WWII as they called a pilot who shot down five enemies an Ace.
There is an FBI report on Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted. This report is based on interviews with those who have been arrested for assaulting police officers. Remember how the pilots were virtually unbeatable after five times facing combat? According to this report the average person who attacks a law enforcement officer in a deadly force engagement has had an average of five uses of deadly force in their past. This is why reality based training is so important. Our brains do not know the difference between real events and events in training. Using scenarios we could get through dozens of deadly force engagement and learn from them!
In self-defense we want to get through the loop and keep the attacker in the loop. If, while the attacker is observing and orienting to our defense they get kicked in the groin or finger jabbed in the eye their brain will automatically go back to observing and orienting. When they get to the orienting about the strike we then attack again and start the loop all over again for them. Keeping the attacker in the loop while we are to the action phase of the loop is a big step towards winning an encounter.
Porter Rockwell understood this. There is a story about him that illustrates Port’s keeping an opponent in the loop.
A young gunslinger got the drop on Rockwell. “Say your prayers,” he demanded. Rockwell replied, “You wouldn’t try and shoot a man without a cap on your pistol, would you?” The instant the man glanced at his gun, he was blown from his saddle by Rockwell, who had a gun hidden in his pocket. Port understood concealed carry. He also understood the OODA loop and how to use it effectively.
We too can be as wise as Porter Rockwell.
Semper Parartus
Check 6
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