"May You Live in Interesting Times" and Terrorism Awareness

 A Chinese curse is “May you live in interesting times.”  Well, we are living this curse now!  With a combat action going on in Iran it only follows that we will see more terrorist activity in the U.S.  We’ve had some shootings that have been radical Islamic connected.  We just had an attempted bombing in New York that was also extremist influenced.  I feel this is only the beginning and we experience more.

Each of us lives in different places with different environments. I live outside a small town that isn’t really known for crime, although there is some. I have a friend who lives in a metropolitan city with lots of crime. Each of you should do an honest assessment of where you live and work. I used to live in Arizona and lived outside of Phoenix. I worked in a few places on the South side of Phoenix which, at that time, was pretty rough. I knew that I did not stop unless I had to. I would generally not be there after the sun went down and even in daytime I’d stick to the main roads. I knew the convenience stores that would be prone to being robbed and those that were not. I’d go to work and then hit the freeway and get out of there as expeditiously as possible. I’d make sure my tires were good and my gas tank was full because I didn’t want to stop for anything.
If you know any law enforcement in the area you could ask them where you should and should not go, especially after dark. Or you could just stop a police officer that you see and ask him about the area. Tell him or her where you work and about the neighborhood. Law enforcement can tell you the troubled spots, stores, parks, and other areas you should stay away from.
More than good intel, you need to have your head on a swivel at all times. Be aware of what is going on around you. Practice good situational awareness. Keep your nose out of your cell phone or tablet. Watch people and constantly be going through the OODA loop.
Observe
Orient
Decide
Act
This is what we do all the time whether we know it or not. The most important parts of the OODA Loop is Observe and Act. If you are observing, you’re practicing good situational awareness.
In review the Cooper Color Code is:
Condition White
You feel secure, whether or not you are actually safe.
Condition Yellow
You are cautious. You should spend most of the time in this state.
You have a 360-degree peripheral awareness of such environmental danger spots as secluded doorways, entries, and alleys.
Condition Orange
You are in danger. You are aware of a potential threat.
Specific alert. A possible target has been identified. A particular situation that has drawn your attention and could present a major problem. Someone may be giving oral indicators such as direct threats or using suspicious language. Focus on the potential attacker.
Condition Red
You are in conflict.
Fight or flight. Flee, defend, or attack. You have evaluated the situation, and if there is a threat, you prepare to fight or run.
In this day and age in the United States of America I believe all people should be in Condition Yellow. It’s not a state of paranoia, but a state of awareness and readiness. If more people were in this state, they would be better prepared if a terrorist attack presented itself. Or at least they would better off.
 If you feel threatened and you are armed; you can have your hand on your weapon. Just remember that often distance is your friend. If you are aware of your environment, it is easier to see things that are wrong. Or you may see something coming.  At the least situational awareness could help you to see and avoid, an accident.
Being in Yellow will become a mindset and an everyday thing as you practice it and help others to look for it too. My family are so tired of me switching seats with them at a restaurant so that I can see the door. When they call me on it, I always say, “You want the one who’s armed to be able to see the front door and as many exits as possible, don’t you?” I think sometimes it’s a game that they play with me just to see if I’ll do it every time. I didn’t pick that seat one time and my wife called me on it. I told her, “Well you are armed tonight, aren’t you?” I noticed she wore her weapon that night, she doesn’t always. She said, “Yes”. I said, “Then tonight you have that responsibility of being aware.” She said later that by pointing out that she was armed and in the right position, this made her more aware of everyone coming in the restaurant.
Being in Yellow means you watch as you are approaching a store of who is “lurking” outside. It means you scan the convenience store to see what it looks like before you go in. It means you take note of the parking lot of that same convenience store as you go in so you know what’s different when you come out. It means that you don’t let anyone in your home door if you aren’t expecting them or don’t know them. It means you’re careful about what you put on the internet. It means you know where your children are and who they are with at all times. It means that you avoid dark alleys and deserted parking lots. You use common sense and you are scanning and assessing all the time. It’s not an obsession, but a mindset.
Really the only time you are in White is when you are asleep and even then you are only unaware.
I sincerely hope no one ever need use this state of awareness to fight or flight, but if you did need it, I would be glad you decided to practice Always In Yellow!
To maximize efficiency of situational awareness:
• Assume an optimal vantage point. If you’re in a crowd where a fight or riot could break out, for example, as odd as it might sound, climb up into a tree and observe from there.
• When possible place yourself within eyeshot of entrances to places like restaurants, courthouses, etc.
• Make sure you know where all the exits are from inside a building when possible.
• When standing in slow-moving lines, take time to observe people in the other lines.
• When using public transportation, look at everyone discreetly.
• Whenever you enter a new environment take note of the baseline environment for possible anomalies. For example, it’s not normal or routine for a person to be talking really loud at a quiet-type coffee house, but at a noisy bar and grill it is.
Situational awareness is more than just environment. The following guidelines are for reading people.
• Realize that a person who stands out in a group isn’t necessarily potentially harmful, such as an angry customer at a fast-food restaurant who got cheese on their burger when they ordered it without cheese. But do keep your eye on such individuals.
• If such a person, however, keeps looking around nervously, behind them, etc., that’s cause to raise your bar of awareness.
• A possible sign of threat is when someone is acting at ease when everyone else is panicking. For example, in video footage, the Boston Marathon bombers stood out like sore thumbs.
Plan of Action
• Great observation skills are great, but once you spot the threat, then what? Your plan, such as knowing all the exits, should already be in place.
• You can even have fun with this: Every time you’re out in public, imagine a dangerous situation and how you respond. What if a fire broke out? An errant car was headed for the window you’re standing near. Gunshots rang out? Or you felt something press against your waistline and heard a voice, “Come with me or I’ll shoot you”? Imagining how you’d respond will help you in a real-life situation.
Prevention Is the Best Medicine
• Don’t look like prey. I know a woman who, as she stands at her car late at night in a parking lot to unlock it, her feet are shoulder width apart, one fist on hip, and she looks all around first, shoulders square and chest puffed out—an “I dare you to mess with me” message.
Get a gun. Get trained. Be legal. If you don’t think a gun is an option carry pepper spray. But this is something you should also be trained in. Look like you are aware of everything around you. Walk with purpose. Look like someone who is in charge. The image you portray can make all the difference in the world. It’s easy to prevent being a victim if you pay particular attention and are aware of your surroundings.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

Tactical Training for Your Family

Family Training

Broad & Inclusive Training

No one is safe at all if they only learn how to protect themselves in one type of situation. That is why even if you are focusing on one specific discipline of tactical training you will find that it is both broad and inclusive of a variety of potential scenarios. Any good tactical training course will provide you with multiple situations to overcome, preparing you for a variety of both physical and psychological tasks associated with your survival. Yes, you can learn to shoot the same menacing looking targets in different orders each time at the gun range, but this only covers one scenario and is not effective tactical training. True tactical training will also call on more than one level of physical and psychological needs at any given time, to ensure you are well rounded and prepared for any situation. A good tactical training session might even appear chaotic, but they are highly structured to call on multiple skills to test a trainee. If you can use your range of skills to make sense and survive the situation, the chaos melts away, which is exactly what you are hoping to be able to apply to a real-life scenario.

I had my family learn how to shoot, how to use pepper spray, and how to grapple.  We talked about tactical thinking and situational awareness all the time.  Try to be versatile. 

Drills

Remember you can help prepare your family with tactical training as well. There is a fine line between preparing and scaring your children, so always consider their age and understanding level in every training scenario. Drills, however, are important and can give you the lifesaving seconds you need in a disaster scenario. Many families have fire drills for instance, so considering a few potential events and outcomes that your loved ones can practice, increasing your chance of survival is a form of tactical training that can keep your whole family safe and better prepared.

Keys to Good Tactical Training

• Avoid highly specialized training classes and events. While it is good to practice in specific ways, broad range courses are best for beginners, so you can build a solid skill set. You can go on to more specialized training down the road.
• Look for a course with scenario-based training as it can help prepare you psychologically, as well as physically.
• Hone your instincts. One of the goals of tactical training is to take actions from being intellectual to instinctual. In high-stress situations, if you can rely on your instincts to help in your defense you have a higher chance of surviving a confrontation. Any few seconds you can spare in mental processing and decision making, due to effective, tactical training could be lifesaving.
• Self-defense is a lifelong journey. You must adopt it as part of your regular life and commit to continually practice if you want to truly become a master in the art of self-defense and be able to defend yourself no matter what the situation brings

·         One of the most popular forms of civilian tactical training  is with the use of firearms. Ranges offer tactical shooting courses that provide you situations that represent more realistic scenarios, rather than just standing at one end of a range and shooting at a stationary target. Classes are often the best course for many, however, if you do have the property, or can find a place where you can lawfully fire the rounds, you may consider setting up tactical training courses of your own. Remember that the element of surprise is a huge aspect of tactical training. If you do set up your own course, you will need a partner who can change the targets and situations to create a unique training experience every time.

 

Psychological Aspects of Tactical Training

·         Tactical training requires a level of psychological involvement that is simply not applied in ordinary self-defense training approaches. Of course, learning a specific technical skill for defense is extremely important. However, a technical skill that is only mastered in a controlled environment is only applicable to similar controlled environments, not to situations in the real world. In order to learn a technical skill that will be helpful in any situation, you must be conditioned psychologically as well as physically. With the psychological aspect of tactical training in mind, you will practice your technical skill in a variety of anticipated states, considering factors like stress or exhaustion.

·         Preparing your mind for the possibility of these stressful situations will enable you to perform with greater effectiveness when an actual disaster occurs.

 

Hoplology

·         Not all tactical training is physical in nature, and hoplology is a great place for many beginners to start. As with most things, research can be a huge asset to a person’s self-defense repertoire. Hoplology is the study of the development of human combative behavior and performance. It is in short, the relationship between different cultures in regards to how and why we fight. Becoming a student of hoplology opens you up to a slightly different tactical approach. Taking the knowledge of why and how we fight into consideration can give you a slight advantage when engaging in combat with a potential assailant. Studying other cultures and fighting techniques can also give you an advantage when approached with any self-defense situation as not only can you anticipate what might be coming, but you can take appropriate action to combat it as well.

There are many ways to improve your family’s training.  Tactical is just one of them.  Find a course, or person, who can teach tactical training in a simple way that is understandable to your entire family.  Develop or find drills that can be practiced easily.  Make it fun for the whole family and you will find that not only is your family prepared and safe, but healthy and happy.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Terrorist Attacks and Lessons From Mumbai

 The terrorist attacks of 2008 in Mumbai provide a number of lessons for emergency-services agencies throughout the world. The attacks, which represented an ever-increasing level of sophistication and ingenuity of terrorist activity worldwide, started during the evening hours of 26 November 2008 when small teams of armed terrorists launched a well-coordinated series of assaults that challenged India’s local and national emergency-services capabilities for four days. The terrorist teams, which maintained radio communications with one another throughout the siege, moved swiftly and brazenly through the famous tourist city, initially firing on civilians and authorities alike before settling into hotels crowded with numerous Western tourists and businesspeople. The last of the hostage/barricade situations was resolved on 30 November, leaving almost 200 fatalities and over 300 injured. The terrorist tactics were relatively basic, but the overall operation was sophisticated. In contrast, the response by local and national emergency services agencies was much less coordinated. The terrorists used the now frequently experienced “multi-prong” approach by combining several IED (improvised explosive device) detonations in some areas with small-arms attacks in other areas. Separate teams used the small-arms fire to create a wider scope of carnage. The law-enforcement and military units responding were frustrated in their heroic but somewhat ineffective efforts to locate and contain the terrorist commando teams. The terrorist teams, using pre-programmed GPS devices, moved through Mumbai’s maze of streets like experienced tour guides. There were only ten terrorists in all; divided into killing teams of two to four, they moved swiftly from one crowded target to another, using taxis and stolen vehicles, but sometimes on foot. At one point, a terrorist team commandeered a responding police vehicle, killing its occupants, including Maharashta Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad chief, Hemant Karkar.  Law enforcement should learn from this and prepare.  But as the average citizen, we should be on guard and ready to act.

Run. Hide. Fight. 

We are told when a shooting starts, those are, in order, the most effective ways to survive. A study done by The Rand Corp. included 65 cases in which people fought back. In 85 percent of those cases, they stopped the gunfire or made the attacker flee. In 12 cases, people rushed the shooter from different directions and in all 12 cases, they stopped the shooting.  So be careful about creating a run, hide, fight checklist.  If fight is presented in a responsible way, it can be effective.  But if we’re relying on 5 people throwing hymnbooks or chairs we may come up short and end up stopping the killer but getting one or two of those 5 shot.  But if someone, or “someones”, were trained and armed, things could be different. 

By studying the Mumbai attacks, we can better prepare for what may come.

There are some general precautions everyone should take to prevent themselves from becoming a victim of terrorism. These include:

Situational awareness – try to be aware of what is always going on around you. This is especially important when traveling in countries with higher incidences of terrorism than the United States.

If you feel uncomfortable with a situation, leave. Don’t be paranoid, just be mindful.

Never accept packages from strangers or allow your luggage to leave your control.

If you notice any unusual behavior, always report it immediately to relevant security personnel.

Any time you’re in a public place, make sure to briefly note the location of emergency exits. They’ll be a lot harder to find in the event of any incidents.

For any possible scenario, emergency preparedness is key. Have cash on hand, emergency food and water supplies, and determine how much ammo you should have as part of building a decent cache of ammunition.

If you live or work in a large building, talk to the owners about getting basic emergency supplies on every level of the building – including first-aid kits, hard hats, dust masks, portable radios with extra batteries, flashlights with extra batteries, and tape to mark off dangerous areas.

Also consider talking to the owners about implementing a security program if they don't already have one. For example, adding metal detectors, cameras, and other items could help prevent terrorism as well as preparation.

These are the most basic precautions any of us can take against the possibility of a terrorist attack.  

We live in interesting times.  Chances for attacks like Mumbai are becoming higher as the world becomes more dangerous.  The precious administration for some reason let in millions of un vetted, undocumented, people.  Many of them just wanting a better life but when you let in that many, you’re bound to let in some undesirable and those wishing harm on Americans. 

Be vigilant and keep your head on a swivel.

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn

Please Listen With Spiritual Ears: Lovely Conspiracy (repost from 1 MAR 2016)

I know what you're thinking, "That Burn has finally gone off his rocker!"  Mostly I would agree but hear me out.  These are the last days.  Conspiracies do exist.  The crazy Epstein situation is a conspiracy come to light.  We need to be "awake to a sense of your awful situation."  Thus, I feel this way.  Defense is being aware of threats and fortifying against them.  If nothing else, I can entertain with my extreme ideas...

March 1, 2016

I love the show/movie The X Files. When I was young, I watched a show that was first aired in 1974 through 1975 called “Kolchak: The Night Stalker”. How I loved this show! This was about a newspaper reporter investigates strange supernatural occurrences in Chicago. It was the forerunner to the X Files. I liked these shows because I am somewhat of a nerd as my daughter likes to say. But mostly I liked the X Files because of the conspiracy behind the stories of space aliens. I have never been a fan of our government. Don’t get me wrong, The Republic is a wonderful form of government. But that kind of money and power is not to be trusted. That is why the founders gave us the 2nd Amendment. To keep our leaders in check a little bit. So, I am a conspiracy nut. I question some things that have happened. My wife is similar, but we don’t always agree on which events are conspiracies. When something significant happens in the world or this country, I usually default to whether a conspiracy was involved. Now to be truthful, I may joke about it or even have a passing wonder, but really for the most part, I don’t feel most things are a conspiracy. The problem is, some of them are. I can’t prove anything but it’s hard to believe that no events have a conspiracy behind them. Why do I think this way? Before you blame it on too much TV and movies, let’s look at things that I believe are true.
Apostle Ezra Taft Benson said this in Conference April 1972
“Now undoubtedly Moroni could have pointed out many factors that led to the destruction of the people, but notice how he singled out the secret combinations, just as the Church today could point out many threats to peace, prosperity, and the spread of God’s work, but it has singled out the greatest threat as the godless conspiracy. There is no conspiracy theory in the Book of Mormon —it is a conspiracy fact.”
In Ether 8:18 it says:
“18 And it came to pass that they formed a secret combination, even as they of old; which combination is most abominable and wicked above all, in the sight of God;”
This is why I believe as I do. These conspiracies, or secret combinations, will get above us.
Also in Ether 8
“23 Wherefore, O ye Gentiles, it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you, which are built up to get power and gain—and the work, yea, even the work of destruction come upon you, yea, even the sword of the justice of the Eternal God shall fall upon you, to your overthrow and destruction if ye shall suffer these things to be.
24 Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.”
Have we as the LDS Church become “awake to a sense of your awful situation”? If now is not that time prophesied in those scriptures then I’m not sure when they will happen. I believe this is happening now. These are some more reasons for my thinking.
Secret combinations have secret signs and words (Helaman 6:22), protect one another (Helaman 6:21, 23), and mingle into society in a manner whereby they cannot be found (Helaman 1:12).
The teachings and practices of the robbers are tempting and corrupt the hearts of the people as they spread, eventually even seducing most of the righteous into believing in their works, partaking of their spoils, and even becoming involved in their secret murders and combinations (Helaman 6:38; Ether 9:6).
One of the purposes of secret combinations is to gain power (Helaman 2:8; Ether 8:23, 11:15) by usurping power and authority over the people (Helaman 7:4). They seek to gain sole power over the government and, in the Book of Mormon, were successful in doing so (Helaman 6:39).
Secret combinations seek to overthrow government (3 Nephi 7:6), establish kings – or oligarchies (see Mosiah 29:21–22) – and destroy the liberty of a republic (3 Nephi 6:30, 7:10); the king-men believe they have the blood of nobility (Alma 51:21).
“And do not think that these usurpations, intimidations, and impositions are being done to us through inadvertence or mistake; The whole course is deliberately planned and carried out; its purpose is to destroy the Constitution and our constitutional government; then to bring chaos, out of which the new Statism with its slavery is to arise, with a cruel, relentless, selfish, ambitious crew in the saddle, riding hard with whip and spur, a red-shrouded band of night riders for despotism.” (J. Reuben Clark, jr.,Church News, September 25, 1949)
“Gadianton robbers fill the judgement seats in many nations. An evil power seeks to overthrow the freedom of all nations and countries.” (Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, speaking in the April 1980 General Conference)
“It is the terrorist organizations that must be ferreted out and brought down. We of this Church know something of such groups. The Book of Mormon speaks of the Gadianton robbers, a vicious, oath-bound, and secret organization bent on evil and destruction. In their day they did all in their power, by whatever means available, to bring down the Church, to woo the people with sophistry, and to take control of the society. We see the same thing in the present situation.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, General Conference, October, 2001)
Because of these scriptures and quotes, and more, I believe this conspiracy is alive and well and doing the work of the adversary.
There are others who feel the same as I in, and out, of the Church.
http://www.nachumlist.com/deadpool.htm
I only bring this “crazy talk” up because it does affect you and your family’s security and defense. If you can get your own houses in order and prepare for the worse but hope for the best then you and your loved ones will weather the storm better and survive.
Here are books I would recommend to “corrupt your brain” (said with tongue in cheek) with information. Some members will try to wave you off of this kind of thinking. Do not let them. The scriptures and prophets are clear, we must become educated and awake to our awful situation.
None Dare Call It Conspiracy (Gary Allen) – recommended in Conference by Ezra Taft Benson
(I can remember my Dad having a case of these in his study. I guess he was spreading the word)
The Naked Communist (W. Cleon Skousen) – recommended in Conference by David O. McKay
The Naked Capitalist (W. Cleon Skousen) – important sequel to The Naked Communist
The 5000-Year Leap (W. Cleon Skousen) – perhaps the most well-read LDS work on liberty
The Elders of Israel and the Constitution (Jerome Horowitz) – Recommended in Conference by Ezra Taft Benson
The Book of Mormon and the Constitution (H. Verlan Andersen) – LDS General Authority and very close friend to Ezra Taft Benson
The Moral Basis of a Free Society (H. Verlan Andersen)
An Enemy Hath Done This (Ezra Taft Benson, compilation of political speeches)
The Law (Frederic Bastiat) – not an LDS author but quoted heavily by Ezra Taft Benson
Prophets, Principles, And National Survival (Compiled by Jerrald L. Newquist) Quotes of the brethren published in 1964
These are just a beginning. There are many talks and books on this subject out there. I would caution you to not go crazy with this. It can be scary or at least become obsessive. Also, many LDS members, including local leaders, have a problem with this thinking and with this information. If you feel compelled to share, do so prayerfully and with restraint. I have argued with members who can’t seem to give me an answer why these scriptures exist. Why was President Benson so adamant about all of this? Was he the “nutty” Apostle and Prophet? One thing I noticed about President Benson that I like to share is he worked in government. He was hand-picked by U.S. President Eisenhower to be the Secretary of Agriculture from 1952 to 1960. He had been ordained an Apostle in 1943. He saw government up close and personal. He knew how it worked intimately. As an Apostle he wrote and spoke extensively about conspiracy. In 1985 he became the Lords Prophet. His counselors were President Hinckley and President Monson. As Prophet I think he looked for a way to continue his warning and he found that way.
He said in April Conference 1986:
"The Book of Mormon has not been, nor is it yet, the center of our personal study, family teaching, preaching, and missionary work. Of this we must repent" (Ensign 16 [May 1986]:5-6).
This is how we can learn of secret combinations (conspiracies) and how to recognize them. I believe it is too late to stop them, but we can be prepared to fight them and help our families to survive their influence.
I will also add, vote. I know it seems useless sometimes, but vote anyway.
Semper Paratus
Check 6
Burn

The Beginning of Self-Defense

 Self-defense is usually thought of as weapons and martial arts.  But most self-defense begins long before an attack.  You can win or lose a confrontation before you step outside.  The correct mindset makes all the difference.  Here are some things to consider before self-defense is called upon.

 

Situational awareness (SA)

I know some instructors who don’t agree that SA is that important.  I believe in the ADD method before violence.  Avoidance, deterrence, and de-escalation.  SA is needed to be successful with ADD.  Be aware of your surroundings.  To make your SA more effective consider these 3 points.

Stay off your phone in public

Observe your environment and know where exits are.  Focus on suspicious activity or potential threats.

Trust your instincts.  If it feels wrong, it's probably wrong.  Don’t second guess yourself.

 

Project Confidence and Strength

Attackers look for easy targets. Someone who appears weak, distracted, or timid is more likely to be chosen. To deter threats:

·         Walk with purpose, keeping your head up and shoulders back.

·         Make eye contact with people around you to show awareness.

·         Speak assertively if someone tries to intimidate you.

Develop a “What If” Mentality

Thinking ahead can prepare you for real-life situations. Ask yourself:

·         “What would I do if someone followed me to my car?”

·         “How would I react if someone grabbed my wrist?”

·         “Where is the nearest exit if something goes wrong?”
By mentally rehearsing scenarios, you train your brain to respond quickly under pressure.

 

Trust Your Gut

Your intuition is a powerful tool. If something feels wrong, don’t dismiss it. Take action by:

·         Changing your route

·         Seeking help from others

·         Preparing to defend yourself if necessary

Stay Prepared and Practice

A self-defense mindset isn’t just about learning techniques—it’s about making safety a habit.

·         Carry personal protection tools such as a firearm (if legal in your area), pepper spray or a tactical flashlight, and know how to use them.

·         Practice self-defense drills regularly so your reactions become instinctive.

·         Stay informed about safety strategies by reading, taking courses, and staying engaged with self-defense communities.

Conclusion

Developing a self-defense mindset is about being proactive, confident, and prepared. By improving your awareness, setting strong boundaries, and training in basic self-defense, you can significantly increase your ability to protect yourself in any situation. The goal isn’t to live in fear but to move through life with the confidence that you can handle whatever comes your way.

 

Mindset changes everything.  It gives confidence and keeps us prepared.

I know that many instructors don’t put much stock in SA.  I think it’s the beginning of self-defense.  Anyone can, and should, practice SA.  Stay aware my friends!

Semper Paratus

Check 6

Burn