Security Mindset

We live in the country and that poses problems sometimes. We just heard that a neighbor was attacked by a mountain lion and is in the hospital. This alarmed us and put us more on guard than usual. As I went into work this morning I thought about security. I mean, just getting in the front gate at work I need to show ID and run through a maze and armed guards. I’ve been doing it so long I don’t think much of it. As Americans we don’t think much about security. If there has been burglaries in the neighborhood we may put on some lights and try to be more vigilant, but after time has passed, we get lax again. Actually, that is one of the wonderful things about the USA. We have relative peace and security. Some places in certain cities or towns might make us be more alert but for the most part, we trust our safety and security to professionals who do a wonderful job. I believe law enforcement officers (LEO’s) in this country are the best trained, best equipped in the world. The problem is, they can’t be everywhere at once. Our security depends really on ourselves. Whether it is security from a mountain lion in my neighborhood, or security from criminals, or keeping terrorists from taking away our freedoms, security is the answer. Now I don’t propose that you hire a team of armed bodyguards who protect you and yours 24/7. Even though that would be nice, it would be expensive and would take control from you. There are many ways to be prepared with security. Like most of preparedness, this is an individual thing. It depends on you and your family’s situation. I have a large family and some of my kids are grown and living away from home. At Christmas we were all together. I took that opportunity for some security training. We have a good friend who has been involved in self-defense his whole life. I asked him to give us a class to start us off in this area. It was very informative and I learned a lot. I hadn’t had any hand-to-hand combat training for many years and some of my kids had never had it. He gave us an assignment to practice and so we’ve had a chance to practice these things. I plan on having another class this next Christmas again, and to continue. Once a year is not much, but if we practice throughout the year it will become part of us. My teen aged daughter loved it! This is only part of our training. I plan on implementing other things into our training. All of my family is familiar with firearms. I believe every family should be familiar with them. I’m not proposing you even own a gun, but at least be familiar with how to handle one. The best deterrent for children accidently discharging a weapon is training. My children knew how to handle a weapon when they were pretty young. Now some may be appalled at that notion. It is a fact that children come across guns. Whether it is a careless adult or just a weapon found in the weeds, children are exposed to these things. I would rather a child know how to handle a gun rather than have them, or another child, pick one up and have an accident. This is a controversial subject and I won’t address this in this post. But my opinion is strong and tested with my own bunch of children. Other than guns and self-defense, there are many non-lethal weapons out there. They too require training. There are edged weapons, pepper spray, and even batons. Good training in any self-defense method is imperative. After that, a practice program is important.
Having a self-defense method is necessary but I think the most important thing to learn is a security mind set. Most of us are careful about our personal information. Social security numbers, credit card numbers, and other information can be used to steal identity. This goes for security on the internet. Your address and phone number may not be a good idea to put on the internet as casual information. This is what the military calls COMSEC or communication security. Many pieces of small, seemingly insignificant bits of information can be put together to form a large profile of someone. Facebook is a place that we seem pretty free as a society. I don’t even have to be “friends” with someone to find out a lot of information. I can see what they look like, where they live, how many people are in their family, where they work or go to school. To most Americans this is pretty insignificant info. It can be a dangerous thing. Without being paranoid, you can be secure. Ensure your children are aware of security concerns that you may have. Safeguard your information and limit your personal information where it can viewed by anyone.
A security mind set is one that gives you options. Being oblivious to what goes on around you can get you killed. In the military and law enforcement this is called situational awareness. Convenience stores may as well have a big sign on them saying “Rob Me!” Next time you buy gas at one take a look around on your way in. Is there somewhere someone could hide to rob you or car jack your car? Look in the window, does everything and everyone look normal inside? Last of all, how does it all feel to you? If things don’t look or feel good, maybe you should pay at the pump or go to a different store. Look at lighting and the view inside. Lots of stores have so many things on their windows that you can hardly see in or out! When you find a store that is safe, frequent it. Take a look at the cameras outside. Do they even have any? You may not notice these things but I guarantee the criminals will. As you walk into Wal-mart at 11 o’clock at night take a look at people. Are there some just “hanging out” in front? Before you get out of your car you should be aware of who may be waiting to meet you. Are you parked next to a big van or SUV that would block your view to anyone else? It’s not very difficult to live this way. Choosing a different parking place or a different convenience store is really not that big of a deal. Just be aware. Most criminals are looking for someone who is walking in a dark parking lot with their nose glued to their cell phone unaware of what’s going on around them. These are crimes of opportunity. This is true of any situation. It doesn’t have to be crime you are avoiding. This mind set is important in combat. Most of us won’t be in combat ever in our lives but this thinking is the same. Fighter pilots talk a lot about situational awareness.
I have a many friends in the intelligence community. Their lives are consumed in security to where they live and breath it. One particular friend works for a civil service security organization. He is ex-special forces. We met in jump school and he has taught me much just by the stories he tells and the questions he asks. I asked him how difficult it was to secure a person who is in a crowd. He told me that especially in the U.S. it’s not as difficult as it seems. His security team is usually the only people in the crowd who are really alert and aware of their surroundings. That is half the battle.
With a little effort you can improve security in your own lives. Whether it is at an ATM or going into a store late a night. Most of us can be more aware of our surroundings. All of us can improve our training programs. If you don’t have a training program commit to organize yourself to have one now. Security is as much a part of preparedness as food storage. You wouldn’t probably be surprised if you knew someone was taking a food storage class, but if they were taking a self-defense or a shooting class you might wonder why. A training program should include all aspects of learning from classes to books to internet sites and blogs. Be anxiously engaged in a good cause. Training for your family’s future. Security should be a part of that. I like the saying, “Be Alert. The world needs more lerts!” So be one!

Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn