Changing Hearts and Minds: Teaching Shooting (Repost from 15 November 2017)

Lately I've been approached at the shooting range with requests to help a shooters family member afraid or just against guns.  This old article is exactly how have dealt with this problem and other problems that arise from someone not educated with guns.  I've done the exact same treatment with someone very anti-gun.  It doesn't change their politics, but it gives them reality based, real experience that they can share with others.  Conservatives aren't the only gun nuts out there!

Burn 

What to do if your wife (or girlfriend, significant other, spouse, mother, for this article I will use wife) doesn’t want you to protect your family with a gun?

I have been a gun guy, shooter, hunter, instructor, for many years. The other night I was a possum killer. (A possum had killed a chicken in our coop.) I like guns and they have been my passion for many, many years. A coworker bought a concealed gun and got his license a few years ago. He is former military so he has a little experience and training. His wife is also former military but is liberal in her point of view. So these two were at an impasse and it was affecting their marriage a little. He came to me and asked if I would teach his wife about guns and try to change her view of them. I said I would teach her safety, how guns work, and how to shoot a gun, but as for changing her view, that was up to her.
I’ve read stories or have seen videos where a person (usually a woman) has been taken to the range for the first time and have been treated pretty poorly by spouse/boyfriend, and instructors. I think the last thing we in the gun world should ever do is try to show off, intimidate, or scare a potential shooter. We have enough problems fighting what stupid people do with guns, what uneducated people and politicians say about guns, without ruining another person who is honestly giving shooting a try.
My experience with my co-worker and his wife went like this.
I told them to meet me at the range and I was a half hour early. I set up some simple targets, just 10 inch paper plates. I brought several handguns with me and even a rifle and shotgun.
The guns I brought were a .22 rifle and pistol, a .380 pistol, a few 9mm pistols, a .38 revolver and an AR and a 20 gage shotgun.
I had the pistols in cases in a bag and had the .22 pistol on the shooting rug. The rifles and shotgun were still in the truck.
When they first arrived we sat on some benches and just chatted. I wanted her to know this is not a high stress environment and to be at ease.
I told her a little about my experience not to brag, but to let her I knew what I was talking about.
I then talked about how I teach safety and even brought out my visual aids that I use. I told both of them the 4 safety rules:
1. All guns are always loaded
2. Never point a gun at anything you’re not willing to destroy
3. Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until you have sights on the target
4. Know your target and what’s beyond that target.
I then gave my usual mini-quiz.
Me: We never point a gun at something we’re not willing to destroy because of what rule?
Answer: Number 1
Me: Correct. Why do you think it’s a good idea to know what’s in back of your target?
Answer: Because paper, cardboard, wood, and even some steel, does not stop bullets and you are responsible for every bullet that leaves your weapon.
Little questions along these lines. Throughout the “course” I continue to ask these questions pertaining to the safety rules. It helps people to know why we have the rules and helps them remember them.
I taught a mini lesson on the parts of a gun, and how to hold, and aim. Some of this was a refresher.
I then had them pick up the .22 and pointed out the controls of that particular gun. I had her load the magazine, and then load the gun, all the time reminding her of aiming techniques and safety.
She shot the .22 and was pretty good. I instructed her to press the trigger instead of slapping it. She shot several magazines and we evaluated her shooting. I then brought out the .380 and 9mm’s. We went through the same routine all the while talking about safety and her experience. I asked about her likes and dislikes. This was turning into a fun experience for her. I threw in some funny stories of experiences I’ve had teaching others and my kids. We moved up in caliber and talked about it. She asked how long I’ve carried and why I carry. I answered honestly and as best as I could. I told her about an experience I had where I used my weapon as a defense. She asked what I carried and why.
I then brought out a .22 rifle. She shot that after a little instruction. I then pulled out an AR-15. She was game to shoot anything by then and she liked the AR experience. I then pulled out the shotgun. I had a hand clay pigeon thrower and we played with that a little.
When we finished I asked her what the 4 safety rules were and she knew them. I then asked which gun she would like to carry and she picked a SKKY CPX-2. I asked her if it was because it was turquoise? I was joking and she did laugh.
I asked her if this experience ended up different than she had anticipated. She admitted that she felt different about guns now. I asked why she thought she felt that way now? She said, “Because I’ve been better educated and I had a positive experience.”
I think that this experience speaks volumes. As gun enthusiasts we need to stop being gun snobs. We need to understand that many people are not as acquainted with guns as we are and that we should patiently teach them. The more positive experiences we can give, the more people we can get who are not hysterical about guns. The more people that will be able to look at guns as tools instead of living organisms with a mind of their own.
As instructors we should be actively looking for ways to make our training less stressful, more fun, and more positive. Guns are a serious business and I’m not suggesting we sacrifice any safety but I’ve been to some courses and ranges that are like shooting in Siberia! I love shooting and enjoy it so much. Sometimes I’ve seen instructors that thought I was betraying the brotherhood of nuclear secrets club because I interjected a little humor into shooting! It’s my passion so let me enjoy it! We win friends and recruit advocates if we teach shooting to be serious but fun. Serious with safety but fun with shooting.
Let me mention jargon. I’ve served on military bases my entire adult life and I use a lot of jargon and acronyms. Shooting is similar. It has a lot of jargon that someone on the outside does not understand. I have a shirt that says “Happiness is zero at 300.” The average person doesn’t know what the heck that means! There are many things I know nothing about. I’m just as ignorant on those subjects as some are about guns. I would hope that someone would patiently teach me or at least speak in laymen’s terms for me to understand. We need to cut out that jargon when training or just taking someone to the range for the first time. There’s no need to humiliate them or to show off our expansive knowledge by using slang, jargon, and acronyms. Be clear in your instruction especially concerning safety.
Caliber is one thing that seems to be the “thing” with guys and their girlfriends at the range. Don’t hand a .44 magnum pistol or a 12 gage short barreled shotgun to a 94 pound, 5 foot 3 20 year old girl! If she wants to shoot it you shoot it first and show her. Warn her and make sure she has a good grip on the weapon and it won’t kick into her face! It’s not funny and it’s potentially a danger. Remember the girl who killed her instructor in Vegas with a full auto weapon? Now he is dead and this poor young girl is scarred for life! How stupid can you be? Gun people have no excuse. Actually most people have no excuse.
Most girls and women are better marksman right out of the box than any guy. They are easier to teach and easier to get along with as an instructor. I remember one particular guy who would not stop arguing with me. He paid for this training! I finally told him I was going to stop the course and give him his money back. He finally shut up. It’s not that he was completely wrong either. But there can only be one teacher because it’s not fair to others.
Make sure if you have not been trained as an instructor that you cover everything. Remember safety first. There are many schools of thought here. I like the Gunsite Academy rules because they are precise, short, and easy to remember. The NRA has their rules that are not bad but I feel more difficult to teach and retain when being taught. Their fundamental rules are exactly like Gunsite’s.
Get a hold of a curriculum and change it to meet your needs. If you’ve been taught you can probably teach. But not necessarily. I’ve heard many who have said that family should not teach family. Especially husband with wife. I think this is absurd. Because you are married to someone does not mean you can’t be patient, tolerant, and kind in teaching them to shoot. I think it may not be for everyone, but most couples may need to re-evaluate their communication skills if they can’t go through a session without damaging their relationship. Some men need to swallow their pride, stop trying to impress everyone, and teach without being condescending and a jerk. Our goal is to arm our spouse and make them safe, not feed our stupid egos.
The topics of a very basic course is:
Safety rules
Different guns and actions (usually a semi-auto and a revolver)
How to shoot (grip, stance, aim, recovery)
We need to change the hearts and minds of most people who are anti-gun. Most of them are not just plain stubborn and only want political gain. Most citizens understand that the police, as good and dedicated as they are, will normally not be able to be there in their time of need. I’ve heard some smugly say we don’t need defense in this day and age. These usually comes from people who have never experienced violence or live in a place where there is little violence. They are under the delusion that it can never happen to them or that it doesn’t happen in this country. That is a pretty crazy notion to most law enforcement. They know the truth about how violent the world is. It seems to be getting worse also. Trying to change people will go no where by insulting and berating them. I admit it’s tempting when they say such stupid things. “A clip should not hold more than 10 bullets.” “No one needs a machine gun.” “There are gun show loop holes.” Yes it’s easy to insult their ignorance. But we should resist and try to intelligently educate them. It’s the only way we can win the fight! (Apart from a good slap!  Kidding, of course :)
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

Training Value Part 2-Using Drills

  

Training Value 2

What is training value?  It is the worth of a certain activity of training to the individual or team.  This training has many factors.  Time, cost, difficulty, terms of what the training actually teaches.  In this series we’ll explore the many different training avenues available and talk about their worth.

Number 2  is Drills. A drill is simply an exercise that should repetitively work a technical skill until it is ingrained. The important question is not what drill to do, but rather what skill to build. 

Drills can be shooting or non-shooting.  These are all shooting drills.

Drill One: Five Shot Group Drill

Purpose: To verify the gun is zeroed, ammunition hits point of aim/impact, and that the shooter has the ability to fire the gun without moving it.

Actions: With a two-handed grip, extend the handgun and fire five shots as accurately as possible. There is not a time limit, and the goal is specifically the most accurate group you can fire. Repeat as many times as needed.

Why I do this drill: My first goal as an instructor, as well as shooter when I am practicing, is to verify that the gun is zeroed, and that the ammunition shoots well in it. This automatically sets me up for success for the next drills. If I or the student know the gun/ammunition combination is good, then there are no excuses for shots that do not land where they should.

Drill Two: One Shot Extend, Prep, or Press Drill

Purpose: This drill is a grip building exercise. It allows the shooter to work on building and testing hand placement and pressure on the gun, one shot at a time.

Actions: Starting position is with an unbuilt grip but with the support hand index finger touching the underside of the trigger guard. Extend the handgun, prep the trigger and fire a shot. Make sure to reset the trigger quickly even though you are not firing the second shot.

Why I do this drill: It is critical that shooters know how to build a consistent drip on handgun. This drill allows for the repetitive practice of building a perfect grip, then watching the gun in recoil to see how it worked.

Drill Three: Five Shot Pace Drill (body)

Purpose: This drill adds to the previous one by allowing the shooter to continue to test their grip.

Actions: Starting position is with an unbuilt grip but with the support hand index finger touching the underside of the trigger guard. Extend the handgun, build a perfect grip, and fire five shots to the body scoring zone.

Why I do this drill: Maintaining grip pressure is the KEY to shooting multiple shots fast. This drill tests that skill at a fast pace (fired on the body).

Drill Four: Five Shot Pace Drill (head)

Purpose: A second grip testing drill, but this one emphasizes harder shots. Start position and everything else is the same.

Actions: Starting position is with an unbuilt grip but with the support hand index finger touching the underside of the trigger guard. Extend the handgun, build a perfect grip, and fire five shots to the head scoring zone.

Why I do this drill: As with the last pace drill, maintaining pressure is the key. This drill gives me the ability to see if a shooter is maintaining pressure at a slower pace. Most shooters relax when they slow down. It also allows me to see if the shooter understands how to reset and prep the trigger repeatedly.

Drill Five: 3/2 Alternating Pace Drill (body/head)

Purpose: This drill is once again a five shot drill that allows continued work on the grip mechanics but adds the element of having to apply different trigger mechanics and sighting to hit two varying target areas.

Actions: Starting position is with an unbuilt grip but with the support hand index finger touching the underside of the trigger guard. Extend the handgun, build a perfect grip, and fire three shots to the body, and two shots to the head scoring zone. Then repeat reversing that pattern. Why three/two? Simply because most students have at least 10 round magazines in class.

Why I do this drill: This critical drill is all about putting it all together. Is the grip perfect and pressure maintained through the fast and slow shots? Is the trigger manipulated as needed to ensure hits on the two different target areas? Is the shooter varying what they need to vary to properly verify gun alignment (soft focus versus hard focus)?

Firearm shooting drills can be a terrific training tool for new and experienced shooters alike. They help build and evaluate skills and set a guided training standard for your time at the range. They are great, but they are just one piece of the puzzle. So, use drills, get some quality training, and keep improving — because competency with a firearm is more than just shooting straight. 

Using a shooting range is an important part of training.  It’s as close as you can come to the real deal. With drills you can use the range more efficiently. Use it to your advantage as much as you can.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Defense Wisdom From Porter Rockwell

 A young gunslinger got the drop on Porter 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.

 

Conceal Carry.  Take the time to think about your family's and your personal defense.  When I was going through some weapons training in the military I shot in a shoot house.  If you ever have the opportunity to shoot in a shoot house take that opportunity.  It is a very real type of training.

 

 

One day a Sheriff Reynolds came to the jail and offered Porter a large sum of money if Porter would take him to Joseph Smith so that the Prophet could be captured. “I will see you damned first,” responded Porter.  Not only did Porter defend himself, but he defended Joseph and the Church.  Men and brethren, be like Porter.

 

The philosophy basically is that there are 3 types of people. They are described as Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs. The sheep are mostly people that you know and see. They are good, productive members of society who would not hurt anyone or anything. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a sheep. Then there are wolves. Wolves are evil, selfish near-humans intent on taking what they want. They are not interested in who they hurt in this process. They are a large minority and many are locked up. Then there are sheepdogs. Sheepdogs care about the sheep even though sometimes the sheep don’t appreciate them. The sheepdogs want the sheep to be safe and to be rid of the wolves. I’ve read so many writers who don’t believe that sheepdogs exist. They think that those who believe themselves to be sheepdogs are camo wearing wanna-bes. I’m sure some Rambo camo wearers do exist. (After all, my favorite color is camo) But I know enough people who, when confronted with violence, go toward it.  They have trained and had experience of warding off violence.  Many are in law enforcement and the military already.  But many were, or lean toward, these sheepdog traits.  I’m not bringing this up to recruit, but to let some closet sheepdogs know that we are out there.  We are everywhere.  One of the problems of those who would subvert our freedoms is that we are there, and they know we are there.  President Biden said we cannot fight F-15’s and tanks.  He is mistaken.  What happened in Viet Nam and Afghanistan?  The former President does not understand.  I believe one of the reasons the Japanese did not invade the U.S. is there is a sheepdog behind every blade of grass.  Now more than ever.

Sheepdogs defend the weak and fight against evil. Sheepdogs in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints should also defend the church.  I’m not saying pick up a weapon and stand a post but fight against those that would disparage and destroy the church.  As of now, I don’t think we need to worry about someone attacking the Church physically.  Although that is increasing. But there are those Zarahemna’s out there.  They are ex members who have “intimate knowledge” of what it’s like to be an "oppressed" member of this Church.  They are usually the same as most exmos (ex-Mormons) I’ve seen since the 70’s.  The Tanner’s, the Dehlin’s, the Kelly’s.  They all have an axe to grind and think they can get their whining way by pulling, oh sorry, “saving” those trying to get out of the Church.  I wonder what they would do if the Church went away?  They would stop making all the money they make from fighting against the Church.  Then they would have to get real jobs.  As you can see, I’m not very charitable to these lowlifes.  I have a hard time dealing with people who leave the church but can’t leave the church alone.  Or those who are more enamored with their cause than the truth.  It’s easy to be an exmo.  Just whine and the woke of the world will follow.  Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about those who honestly leave the Church and move on with their lives.  I’m talking about those activists who don’t believe anymore but are so offended by those who do.

So what do these disgruntled ex-members have to do with the OP Rockwell philosophy?  I think there are certain enemies of the Church we need to keep our eye on.  Some evangelical Christians, fit this category.  But the exmos are an enemy that could turn, or influence others to turn, violent.  The Grand Blanc Michigan shooter had a bad experience with a member that turned him into a killer. But at the same time evangelical leaders were spewing the same "Mormons are anti-Christ" rhetoric that the killer in Michigan had expressed.  Members need to be prepared.  The "run, hide, fight" policy may have killed members in Michigan as the building was set on fire. To the credit of the Grand Blanc Police Department, officers were on site 30 seconds after the 9-1-1 call.  Yet 4 people died and 8 were injured.  8 people were either killed or wounded by the shooter.   4 of the deaths and injuries were from smoke.  I have searched, but not found, the reason the 2 died from smoke inhalation instead of just leaving the building.  I don't know if they were hiding.  But regardless, we need to be prepared in all things.  No one thinks this will happen in their Church until it does.  

According to the Family Proclamation:   

“By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.”

Protection for their families.  We as Americans give away this responsibility for physical protection to the police.  Yet the police are not, I repeat, not responsible for our safety.  The Supreme Court said that police have no obligation to protect citizens. In 1989 and 2005 the Supreme Court made that ruling regardless of what it might say on their cars. 

If we are legally responsible and divinely responsible, then I think we should be trained and actually be responsible. 

Think about this and pray about it.  You will reach the conclusion that the U.S. Constitution was inspired, the 2^nd Amendment allows us to fulfill the responsibility to protect ourselves and our families. 

Get trained and be a force to be reckoned with.  Be as Porter Rockwell.  Use the OPR Philosophy.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Training Value Part 1- The Range

What is training value?  It is the worth of a certain activity of training to the individual or team.  This training has many factors.  Time, cost, difficulty, terms of what the training actually teaches.  In this series we’ll explore the many different training avenues available and talk about their worth.

 

Number 1 is Range time.  We all like to go to the range.  I tell my wife I have to blow things up so that I can do self-therapy.  It is therapy, and a healing balm to my soul.   I love the sights, the smells, the feel of an outdoor shooting range.

Every shooting range is different.  My range doesn’t have a RO (range officer).  It is very low key and there is plenty of room for several people to shoot at the same time.  I can do many different things as far as shooting from many different positions.  I also shoot from various distances concentrating on 5 to 10 feet.

If you go to the range, standing, worrying only about stance, grip, aim, press and you’re expecting to be ready for a defensive shooting or a firefight, you may be deadly mistaken.  Standing and shooting paper or steel is fun, but ineffective.  When I competed, and I use the word “competed” lightly, I would run a course over and over until I got it perfect.  It did not make me a dead shot, it did not make me a dangerous threat to criminals or terrorists, it made me a mediocre competitor.  Quality range time means improving in the reason you carry a gun.  If you carry a gun for defense, you need to train for defense. This is much more than basic marksmanship.  If you have little to no experience shooting basic marksmanship is where you start. But remember that there is more to it all than just marksmanship.

Your range time should be more than just recreational.  Even though it’s ALL recreational to me!   

It takes some preparation to make your time at a range productive.  Here are some ideas to help.

Prepare your range bag a head of time.  Make sure to have personal protection equipment for safety.  Ear and eye protection, gloves if you feel the need.  But include targets and a cleaning kit, plenty of ammo, a timer and record book.  A range bag can be a personal thing.  I include a first aid kit.  A well thought out bag ready to go can save time, money, and make the most of your visit.  I load all magazines and take plenty so I don’t have to use time loading.  I usually take only one gun although lately I’ve been taking a .22 pistol along with a 9mm.  .22 Ammo is cheaper and I have plenty of it.  Focusing on one or two particular areas is better than trying to cover many.     

Decide ahead of time what are going to do.  If you’re limited with time this is especially important.  When I go to the range I limit myself to 50 rounds.  Unless the drills happen to require more.  If I’m limited to 50 rounds I won’t blow through 200 rounds.  I enjoy it all too much.  By limiting my rounds I can take my time and give myself more critical training.  By critical I mean really looking at each firing and critiquing myself for improvement.  Be specific in your planning.  For example:

• Maintaining proper grip.
• Proper sight picture and alignment.
• Maintaining focus on the front sight post.
• Regaining proper site alignment after each shot.
• Proper posture, stance, and arm position.
• Executing proper trigger pull.
• Reloading.
• Strong or weak hand shooting (for pistol shooters).
• Proper cheek weld (for long gun shooters).

Some of these are not extremely important.  Some you may not have trouble with.  Pick skills where you’re weak.

One of the reasons I limit my rounds is it also limits my time.  There is a point where you’ve shot enough and you won’t improve because of fatigue.  I limit my rounds, you can limit your time.

There are many places in this country to shoot.  In door or out door ranges use paper or steel.  Some may have reactive or moving targets.  Some ranges have room for you to move.  A shoot house is a great realistic way to train.  All of these are available in the U.S. but you may be limited to what is in your area.  If you have the room to safely shoot on your property, and it is legal in your area, building your own personal range.  Doing this is usually very versatile.  

Using a shooting range is an important part of training.  It’s as close as you can come to the real deal.  Use it to your advantage as much as you can.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Anti-anti-Mormon Rant

 I am definitely torn.  At the risk of looking like an anti-anti-Mormon, I want to gloat over an incident that has happened in Utah.  I probably talk about these kind of things too much but I need to get it off my chest.  John Dehlin and “Mormon Stories” podcast are finally getting their comeuppance.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has finally had enough of this guy and his attacks.  They are suing for trademarks and copyright infringement.  They tried to work it out with John but as usual, this ex-mo thinks the Church is unreasonable.  In an article by Tad Walch in the Deseret News he said:

The two sides attempted mediation, which began in February. That process ended in March. Dehlin agreed to some changes but refused to make others, according to the lawsuit.

“The church’s demands were just too unreasonable and we walked away,” he said in a statement then.

What a surprise John.  I still maintain that if the Church said, “You know, we’re done.  We’re disbanding the Church.  It will be no more.”  If that happened, John would be screwed.  He’d have to start attacking Catholics or Baptists or something else.  He’d be out of business.  I think the Salt Lake Tribune would survive, but John would be in trouble.

John has maintained many times that he is not anti-Mormon.  Of this I beg to differ. He is extremely anti-Mormon and in my opinion an enemy of the Church.  John is a hack that if he wasn’t anti-Mormon, he’d be out of a job.  He’d have to take that fine education he has and actually do some work.  Not that it isn’t work coming up with the crap he peddles.

When John was excommunicated, he maintained that he was still a Mormon.  I’m not sure he would maintain that now.  I do feel bad for him, he would not let go of his conviction that what he was doing is right.  My view is that his conviction was and is more important than his membership.  I have a hard time understanding this.  I feel I would give up quite a lot for my membership.  I feel his conviction in his testimony was weaker than his conviction that he was spreading the truth.  That’s why I feel sorry for him.  You would also think that he would come to his senses and do whatever it took to receive his membership and blessings back again.  The lure of money and his stubborn “conviction” outweighed his desire for salvation.  Or his testimony of salvation was weak.  I’m not trying to be critical because I think he’s become a bitter snake and has been wooed by the world.  He would not agree with me, but everyone has their opinion.

I know my opinion of those leaving the Church and fighting against it.  Jeremy Rennels, Sam Young, Kate Kelly, John Delin and many others are much more concerned about their “causes” than their own salvation.  That’s ok, they can do that.  But when you demonize the Church and try to tear it down, and drive people from it, that’s when you become an enemy.  I know what many members will say, “Love them back in.”  They have to be willing.  These type of enemies fight against and have animosity for the Church.  I will call them out for what they are, Zarahemna’s, enemies of the Church.  If you are fighting against, want to harm the Church physically, or in any other way, you will have to fight me.  I will stand up for the Church and not back down.  If you only want to tear down, then you are not welcome in the Church.  If you are still a member and are causing havoc in the Church, then begone with you!  Get out and good riddance.  If ever you feel bad about what you are doing and want to change and come back, welcome!  But don’t be surprised if those like me keep a close eye on you.

I don't mention the evangelical Christians and their rhetoric because that is a whole other enemy of the Church.  Mark Driscoll spews more crap than a waste system in a slaughterhouse.  Frankly Mark is just a hack who got kicked out of Seattle and moved to Arizona to peddle more baloney.  But these enemies are a whole other post. Mark tries to be a tough guy, but I don't buy it.  If confronted with a real tough guy, he wouldn't survive.  But like I said, that's my opinion and fodder for another post.

So McConkie Brothers, game on!  Sue the crap out of John Dehlin, this enemy who needs to leave the Church alone but can’t make a living any other way.  He thinks he knows the Church but his years he claims being a “member in good standing” I question.  What kind of devotion made you abandon what I’m sure you proclaimed as true many times in your life.  Sarcastically speaking, I guess you were just brainwashed.  How can anyone take you at your word now when you broke your word concerning your covenants?  You can’t be trusted, John. 

Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see him abandon his “causes” and return to the truth.  But I think he’s convinced he’s right.  How he can believe that when he was so “wrong” about his upbringing in the Church.  But now he’s got it right.  Yea, right!

We’ll see how this lawsuit ends.  In the mean time, the ex mos may continue to reap the whirlwind.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Terrorism: Suicide Bombers Profile

From 2015 Post.  Some things never change!

 In 1989 I went to a course on terrorism.  At the time it was not a mandatory class but 3 years later it was mandatory for being deployed.  When I asked a friend I know who is in the Air Force serving in very close to the same jobs and involvement that I did in the military, he sent me this handout he received in the same course that I took in 1989.  I=m sure the course content has changed a great deal since >89.

 

Perhaps because of this country=s lack of direct experience with suicide bombings, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has released a statement claiming there is Ano specific profile for those who have engaged in suicide/homicide bombings.@

In contrast, Israel, which has experienced over 300 such bombings since 1993, with 242 of them occurring since 2000, has developed some guidelines and profiles that highlight the general characteristics of a suicide bomber.  These include:

32% have at least a high school education and more than 25% have some college background. 

Suicide bombers participate in months of indoctrination training. When ready for the mission, they are in a Ahypnotic state@ believing that the mission will open heaven=s gates. 

A majority of suicide/homicide bombers are unmarried. Some have spouses and children. 

Most are male between 17B23 years of age; however, women, children and older men have been recruited for suicide bombing missions. 

The first known suicide bombing by a woman (January 2002) was carried out by Wafa Idris, a 27-year-old divorcee who volunteered as a paramedic. More recently, Reem Raiyshi, a 22-year-old mother of two, perpetrated an attack at a border crossing between Israel and the Gaza strip. The media have reported recent attacks by Chechen rebels, whose suicide bombings have mostly been carried out by women. It is generally believed that the Chechen women were not acting on religious fanaticism, but rather avenging the deaths of friends or relatives in the conflict with Russia.

Approximately a quarter of suicide bombers are between 24B48 years old. There are also reports of attacks carried out by children and by older individuals, although exact numbers are uncertain.

 

General Demeanor

Certain behavioral characteristics of a suicide bomber have been identified. These include:

The appearance of being nervous. They may seem preoccupied or have a blank stare. 

Focused intent and vigilance. Such an acute focus may result in no response to verbal or other contact. 

An awkward attempt to blend in. Behavior will seem odd or overtly out of place. 

Avoidance behaviors toward authority. If security is present, suicide bomber tries to be inconspicuous. 

May be praying fervently to him/herself. This gives the appearance of talking or whispering to someone. Keep in mind that many people talk to themselves, thus this behavior in and of itself has little meaning. Further, either of these behaviors could be confused with speaking on a cell phone headset. 

Behavior may be consistent with that of a person without any future. For example, giving away things of value, buying a one-way ticket, or being unconcerned about receiving change for a purchase. In addition: 

Profuse sweating that is out of synch with weather conditions. 

Walking deliberately toward a specific object or target, often pushing their way through a crowd or around barriers. May show a high degree of focus or intent, especially if the target is in sight. 

Lack of mobility of the lower torso may cause upper body stiffness. This is due to the bomb device that is strapped to the body. The increased use of backpacks may reduce or eliminate this element. 

In order to disguise the appearance, a beard may have been recently shaved or the hair cut short. There is a noticeable difference in the skin color of the recently shaved area. 

To smell better when going to paradise, the suicide bomber may use herbal- or floral-scented water. 

General Appearance

As the event draws near, the suicide bomber needs to prepare to deliver the device. There are certain clues in appearance, such as clothing, that could foretell of an impending attack. The suspect might be purchasing, wearing or carrying such items as:

Clothing that does not match the weather. For example, wearing a heavy coat on a warm day. 

Clothing that is excessively loose, giving the appearance that the head is out of proportion with the body. The loose clothing is used to conceal explosives worn close to the body. 

The suicide bomber may carry a backpack, bag, briefcase or luggage. 

The detonating switch is often held in a clenched fist. Backup devices might also be used, including a timer, pager, cellular phone or booby-trap switch. An accomplice or supervisor can remotely detonate the bomb if the attacker is detained or killed, or if the attack is otherwise aborted. 

The appearance of excessive weight. Many bombs will be packed with shrapnel such as ball bearings, nuts, bolts, screws, nails or other small metal objects that are dispersed into the crowd upon detonation. These comprise the bomber=s primary Akill@ mechanism.

 

 

I share this for your education.  I seem to constantly talk about situational awareness, but it is so important in the world we live in. Be aware. 

 

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn