CWP, 22 December MMXIX Anno Domini

Hi Sheepdogs,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Warrior's Prayer
Dear God,
     Please give us discernment to distinguish
friend from foe from innocent bystanders.
Give us clear vision so our aim is true. 
Give us calm so we execute correctly.
Give us spiritual maturity so that we stop the attack
without excessive force, without revenge.
In Jesus name,
Amen

*****     *****     ***** Software *****     *****     *****

----- Mindset -----

Avoidance, Deterrence, and De-escalation
-- John Farnam

Responder Zero
https://www.integratedskillsgroup.com/blog/responder-zero
Excerpt: 
     "One of the most basic skills is recognizing when you can't help."
     "Followed closely behind is 'when you shouldn't'."
     "Despite stories of ambushes using broken down cars as a 'lure',
there's almost ZERO credible evidence of this happening, and there
is zero evidence that it happens regularly enough to make it a major
concern."  [This is false.  As an intelligence analyst, I read many
reports of auto collisions with injuries being used as a means of
stopping our troops to initiate an ambush.  That's why the briefing
for those coming into country specifically instructed drivers to
never stop to assist anyone on the roadways.  Call it in, but never
stop to help.  Because it is an ambush. -- SSgt. Low, Operation
Iraqi Freedom]
     "You can do everything right, and still end up dead."
     "Society and law expect that because they're no longer shooting
that they're done committing violence, but that's not how it works. 
You have to assume that such a lull is only an end of the lethal
threat in the eyes of a court.  On the ground floor, where the
violence is playing out, that shooter is still every bit as dangerous
as he was when he was shooting people."
     "Remember, force is an option, not your only option." 
     "As an example, part of your ongoing plan for readiness should include: 
     A physical fitness regime that keeps you improving or maintaining
a good level of performance.
     Practice good awareness.  Remember, awareness isn't a switch,
it's applied.  So are distractions.  Minimize your distractions and
be a part of the world while you're out in it. 
     Upkeep with martial skills across the spectrum; hand to hand and
range training.  Shoot a variety of qualifications to keep from
stagnating.  Do force on force!  Get humbled.  We need to have the
option to match force, but unlike those who live in the profession
of arms, we need to cautiously guard how and when we use it. 
     Basic medical competency, updated as required by the AHA. 
[Lots of possibilities as to what "AHA" could stand for.  That's
why one should never use acronyms when writing to a lay audience.
-- Jon Low]
At a minimum, be 1st Aid/CPR/AED qualified and current.  Bleeding
control classes are cheap and widely available.
     Test your ability to 'rough it' periodically.  Get uncomfortable
so you're not surprised when discomfort comes around."

Fighting or Shooting?
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/f24783c2-b35a-42b5-a8c0-e26eea0e79f4
Excerpt: 
     It is in one of the finest pieces of cinema ever produced (in my opinion) --
THE SHOOTIST (1976), where Ron Howard (Gillum) says to John Wayne (J.B. Books):
Gillum: "How did you get into so many fights and always come out on top?
I nearly tied you shooting!"
Books: "Friend, there's nobody out there shooting back at you!
It isn't always about being fast . . . or even accurate . . . that counts.
It’s being willing!  I found out early that most men, regardless of cause
or need, aren't willing.  They'll blink an eye or draw a breath before
they pull the trigger . . . and I won't!"

     In a recent class that I taught, when we were discussing plea bargaining,
a retired prosecutor and defense attorney said that prosecutors over charge to
threaten a long prison sentence to get the defendant to plead to a lesser
offense to reduce the potential time in prison.  It's really hard not to
take the plea deal.  This was in response to my teaching that you should
never take a plea deal, because in the end we are all judged by God. 
I don't want God to ask me, "Why did you confess to a crime you did not commit? 
Didn't you know that lying is a sin?"
     We tried to get President Trump to pardon a Marine.  But, the President
couldn't, because the Marine had taken a plea deal, where the Marine had
confessed to the crime.  It's really hard to pardon someone who confessed to
the crime.
     President Trump did pardon two soldiers, one of whom had spent significant
time in prison, but never confessed.  Often a condition of parole is confessing
to the crime that you were convicted of.  So, people will confess to get out
of prison.  But, the soldier would not lie.  So, he stayed in prison until
President Trump pardoned him.
https://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-donald-trump
     Military prosecutors, who prosecute members of the U.S. Armed Forces
for the murder of anyone during combat operations, are scum.  I have yet
to meet a JAG officer who had any combat experience.  As an enlisted, you
have the right to have at least 1/3rd enlisted representation on your jury. 
But, there is no right to be tried by jurors who have any combat experience. 
Can you imagine being tried by a bunch of POGs for a combat war crime? 
Remember, officers don't actually do any manual labor.  They are executives. 
(The NCOs are the managers.  The Staff NCOs are senior management.) 
The officers don't clean the toilets, take out the trash, or pull triggers. 
Officers are issued pistols, not rifles, because the enlisted men do the
fighting.  The officer's pistol is to summarily execute those who display
cowardice in combat or refuse to obey orders in combat.  (At least that
is what we were taught in the Marine Corps in the early 80's.  Policies
change.  The realities of combat do not change.)

METT-TC and how it applies to us
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2019/12/01/mett-tc-and-how-it-applies-to-us/
Study the table in the article.

     ". . . The roles of soldier, police officer, and armed citizen
are VERY different.  You need to consider that whenever you seek
out training classes taught by military vets and cops.  They have
lots of experience operating with guns, but that experience may
not necessarily be applicable to the skill set you need to survive
against an armed robber or home invader." -- Greg Ellifritz

----- Safety -----

Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
Be in bed by 10 PM.  Your own bed.
Don't look like a freak.
Don't fail the attitude test.
-- John Farnam

Situational Awareness With Children
http://limatunesrangediary.blogspot.com/2014/11/situational-awareness-with-children.html

Gun Safety: Never throw a 6 volt battery into your pocket with live rounds!
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2019/12/12/gun-safety-never-throw-a-6-volt-battery-into-your-pocket-with-live-rounds/

“The fast and/or emphatic reholster
is an awesome way to shoot yourself.”
-- Chuck Haggard

----- Training -----

     "No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn
starting from scratch.  To be successful, we absolutely, positively
have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the
things that we need to learn to achieve our goals."
-- Brian Tracy

What is the value of training?
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2014/11/09/what-is-the-value-of-training/
Excerpt: 
"Reasons for training: 
1.  You don’t know what you don’t know.
2.  Much of what you know is wrong.
3.  It’s good to have some of the answers to the test before taking it."
     I recommend you also read the audience comments to this article. 
Claude replies to many of the comments.

     "The real value of training, though, is that it improves competence,
which leads to a higher level of confidence." 
-- Rehn & Daub

If You Want to Go Fast, You Need to Slow Down
https://gatdaily.com/if-you-want-to-go-fast-you-need-to-slow-down/

"You train for the people who love you."
-- Tatiana Whitlock

Care enough to continue your training.

Why train?
    "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment
when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and
offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique
to them and fitted to their talents.  What a tragedy if
that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that
which could have been their finest hour."
-- Winston Churchill

"Training is NOT an event, but a process.
Training is the preparation FOR practice".
-- Claude Werner

----- Practice -----

      Practice is the small deposits you make over time,
so that in an emergency, you can make that big withdrawal.
-- Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, III

     “Be careful what you practice. 
Because you will do in combat whatever you have practiced,
no matter how ridiculous.”
-- “Shooting in Self-Defense” by Sara Ahrens

Slow is smooth (because you can control what you're doing). 
Smooth is efficient (because elegance automatically removes inefficiencies). 
Efficient is fast (no wasted motion). 

"It’s not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!"
-- Bruce Lee

----- Techniques -----

“Use only that which works,
and take it from any place you can find it.”
-- Bruce Lee

5 Choke Hold Defenses Women MUST Know | Self Defense | Aja Dang
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V4vEyhWDZ0
     Technique will conquer strength.  Of course, you have to
know the technique and execute it correctly.

When you can't pull the trigger
https://www.thearmorylife.com/when-you-cant-pull-the-trigger/

"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee

----- Tactics -----

You win gunfights by not getting shot.
-- John Holschen

Preemptive Strikes and Weapon Brandishing
https://www.forcenecessary.com/preemptive-strikes-and-weapon-brandishing/
Excerpt: 
A collection of advice looks like this:
1.  Prepare for problems by using the Who, What, Where, When, How and Why questions. 
2.  Avoid possible dangerous arguments and confrontations when possible. 
Conduct yourself with smart, self control.  Leave if you morally, ethically can.
3.  Obtain a valid, concealed carry license for all your weapons. 
4.  Keep your weapon concealed. Do not open carry it. 
5.  Do not display a stick/baton, knife or pistol, or threaten deadly force
unless you, or others are threatened with imminent death or serious bodily harm. 
6.  Do not in any way reveal your stick/baton, knife or gun.  Do not point to it,
or indicate that you have it.
7.  Attend a fundamentals of fighting with and without weapons training
and learn the use of deadly force laws in your city, county, state and country.

"Audacity wins."
-- Carl von Clausewitz

Tactical Tips
Well, Tactical-ish, At Any Rate
https://gunsmagazine.com/discover/tactical-tips/

Shooting on the move or move then shoot?
http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=12547
 
----- Education -----

"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam

The Counter Terrorist Magazine, December / January
https://issuu.com/sbradman/docs/ct_mag_december_2019_final?mc_cid=d72bd7320c&mc_eid=8134d8f97c

"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons
if you’re unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin

*****     *****     ***** Hardware *****     *****     *****

"I would like to see every
woman know how to handle
guns as naturally as they
know how to handle babies."
-- Annie Oakley

----- Gear -----

“Preparation doesn't assure victory.  It assures confidence.”
-- Amit Kalantri

4 Qualities Your Concealed Carry Gun Must Have
https://gundigest.com/handguns/concealed-carry/4-qualities-your-concealed-carry-gun-must-have
     This article is an excerpt from
"Concealed Carry Class: The ABCs of Self-Defense Tools and Tactics"
by Tom Givens. 
https://www.gundigeststore.com/product/concealed-carry-class-the-abcs-of-self-defense-tools-and-tactics/
     If you pre-order, it's supposed to ship before Christmas. 
My copy arrived on December 20th of 2019 A.D.

     A gun belt should be continuously adjustable, because you change.
A gun belt should have a quick release buckle, because it makes
going to the bathroom easier.

"The Nine Worst Holsters" 
https://www.redhawkfirearmtraining.com/confidence-blog/holsters
     The title should actually be,
"The 9 Traits A Holster Should Not Have". 
Only 2 holsters are bad mouthed by name.  And rightfully so.

The Key to Cutting Deep
http://knife-gear.com/the-key-to-cutting-deep/

What is +P Ammo?
https://www.wideners.com/blog/what-is-p-ammo/

Cleaning gear suggestions from Eric Hung
https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-gun-cleaning-kits/

Tweaking Your Wardrobe for Effective Concealment
https://thesuitedshootist.home.blog/2019/12/15/tweaking-your-wardrobe-for-effective-concealment/

----- Technical -----

"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen

Ballistic gelatin comparisons: Part I
https://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/ammunition/articles/ballistic-gelatin-comparisons-part-i-ndmFBGUHw79F9s0a/
Ballistic gelatin comparisons: Part II
https://www.policeone.com/police-products/firearms/accessories/ammunition/articles/ballistic-gelatin-comparisons-part-ii-NVdpfONSxRFxBwTL/
There is supposed to be a Part III, but I can't find it.

“Destiny doesn’t make appointments,
nor does she waste her time with the naive and unready!”
-- John Farnam

*****     *****     ***** Instruction *****     *****     *****

Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God’s gift to our students.
Our students are God’s gift to us."

----- Instructors -----

Remember, the students who require the extra effort are the ones who need us the most!
-- John Farnam

     If you care, you will be aware.  Otherwise, you will have an abundance of ignorance.

Qui docet, discit.  (Who teaches, learns.)
-- motto of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers

     "We have done lots of research over the past three years,
and we have found that leaders who have the best coaching
skills have better business results."
-- Tanya Clemens, V.P. of Global Executive & Organizational Development at IBM

     “Be careful what you teach. Because your students will do in combat
whatever you have trained them to do, no matter how ridiculous.
     Be careful what you practice. Because you will do in combat whatever you
have practiced, no matter how ridiculous.”
-- “Shooting in Self-Defense” by Sara Ahrens

     “If you want to be exceptional, then be the exception. 
Forget about what most people would do in a given situation,
and do what is best, what is right, what makes the most
positive contribution.  Exceptional performance is the result
of exceptional thinking.  Instead of merely reacting to
circumstances and events, use the awesome power of your mind
to develop a thoughtful, effective response.
     To be exceptional, be yourself.
You have something valuable and original to contribute to
every situation.  Exceptional accomplishments are authentic
accomplishments.  Allow your priorities and your actions to
be based on the values, purposes and vision of life that
you feel most intensely at the center of your being. 
Exceptional performance is meaningful performance. Look
beyond the temporary and superficial, and put your energy
into creating lasting value that serves a real purpose. 
You were born to be exceptional, to blaze a trail into
territory where no one has ever gone before.”
-- Ralph Marston

     "If there is any profession where one never plays it safe,
it’s coaching.  If you’re afraid to have the courageous
conversations or take risks, your clients will take that
cue from you.  If we can’t stay two steps ahead of current
trends and the ‘norm’, help clients see beyond what they
already know, then we’re not doing them a service. 
     Be remarkable." 
-- Donna Karlin

     "Every time I teach a class,
I discover I don't know something."
-- Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch

----- Pedagogy -----

Teach positive.  Teach what to do.  Don't talk about what not to do.
-- from John Farnam's Instructor Development class

     "The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has happened." 
-- (Attribution unknown)

     Dustin Solomon, in his book “Building Shooters” states that
an instructor should not expect any learning to take place
the first time new information is presented.
     That's why you have to send your students a detailed lesson plan
before the class in enough time for them to read it before attending
your class.  John Farnam does this.  I do it.  So, should you. 
     You should want your students listening to you, thinking, and asking
questions; not writing notes.  Tell your students, "You don't have to
take notes, because everything I will be saying is in the lesson plan
that I emailed to you.  I want you listening to me when I talk."

     "Train, Practice, Compete
are the key elements in the development of humans."
-- John M. Buol, Jr.

*****     *****     ***** Legal, Political, and Philosophical *****     *****     *****

How do you win a gunfight?
Don’t be there.
-- John Farnam

4 dead, 12 hospitalized in shooting at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida
https://www.policeone.com/active-shooter/articles/4-dead-12-hospitalized-in-shooting-at-fla-naval-air-station-WM1fosLuVc2EHyEK/
Excerpt: 
". . . [Base commander Captain Tim] Kinsella noted that weapons are not allowed on the base." 
     So a Saudi terrorist brought pistol into a gun-free-zone? 
Capt. Kinsella should be court martialed for having such a stupid policy on his base. 
Anyone with a lick of sense knows that the effect of gun-free-zones is to
create unarmed victims for armed criminals to prey upon.

Fate of the Unarmed!
http://defense-training.com/2019/fate-of-the-unarmed/
Excerpt: 
"
“… no sailors nor Marines, other than Military Police on duty, may possess weapons on-base”
Well once again, Islamic terrorists just can’t seem to follow instructions.
"

FBI says it presumes base shooting was act of terrorism
https://www.policeone.com/terrorism/articles/fbi-says-it-presumes-base-shooting-was-act-of-terrorism-7toP7qE5x9rfHMxw/
     This article identifies those killed and the FBI Special Agent
in charge of the investigation.

Deep Waters!
http://defense-training.com/2019/deep-waters/
Excerpt: 
     "DOD currently requires active-duty sailors who are “standing watch”
to be disarmed as they “guard” other naval personnel and naval property." 
     [When I was in the Marine Corps, we were armed (M-16, round in the
chamber, full magazine locked in the mag well) when on guard duty. 
I was in 1981 to 2014. -- Jon Low] 
     " “Action” that needs to be taken is to implement an audacious new
policy where all military officers and S/NCOs are to be continuously
armed with issue M17/18 pistols at all times, on and off base!" 
     [Officers are not trigger pullers.  Staff NCOs are older.  It's
better to have the young enlisted personnel armed.  They run faster,
have better reaction times, and aren't encumbered by institutional
inertia. -- Jon Low]

Report: Pensacola Naval Station Attacker Obtained Gun ‘Legally’
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/12/08/report-pensacola-naval-station-attacker-obtained-gun-legally/

Installation Commanders Prevent Troops Being Armed for Self-Defense
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/12/09/installation-commanders-self-defense/
Excerpt: 
     "Amendment S. 1536 passed both House and Senate in 2015 as part of the
“National Defense Authorization Act of 2016.”  It allowed installation commanders
to okay individual carry of firearms for self-defense on military installations."
     "[The] Naval Air Station Pensacola commander had made clear [that] concealed
carry permits were not honored on base and personal firearms had to be stored
in the installation’s armory."
     [Such base commanders are directly responsible for armed terrorists being
able to prey upon unarmed U.S. Armed Forces service members. -- Jon Low]

Navy Identifies Three Sailors Killed in Naval Air Station Pensacola Shooting
https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=111621
Excerpt: 
     ". . .  the Naval Security Force that were the first responders on the scene . . ."
     [Then why didn't the Naval Security Force kill the terrorist?  The terrorist
was killed by Excambia County Sheriff's deputies, because they were the fist
responders.  The unarmed Naval Security Force was nowhere to be found. -- Jon Low]

Pearl Harbor gunman was unhappy with commanders
https://apnews.com/2dec5ee8ce885061fe25c699a43eb71b
     The headline is completely misleading.  The Navy spokesman refused to comment
on the motive of the shooting.  The bad guy is unhappy with his commanders,
so he shoots 3 civilian shipyard inspectors?  Ya, right.
Excerpts: 
     "Romero was . . . armed for his job standing watch and provid[ing]
security for the fast attack submarine USS Columbia, which is at
Joint Base Pearl Harbor - Hickam for maintenance . . ."
     "Romero used his two service weapons in the attack, . . ."

When Training Is Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Be Training
https://marcuswynne.wordpress.com/2019/11/29/when-training-is-outlawed-only-outlaws-will-be-training/
     I once operated under written orders from the second President Bush
that cited a classified executive order, in the context of the Global
War On Terrorism (there is even a GWOT medal that one can wear in one's
fruit salad).  So, politicians have a long history of doing this sort
of thing to set precedents for extra-constitutional operations. 
Un-constitutional is illegal.  Extra-constitutional is . . . , well I
guess it depends on whether or not anyone is in a position to prosecute
you for it, and whether or not that person has the inclination to do so. 
As we've seen, President Trump will pardon such, (1st Lt. Clint A. Lorance,
Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn, et al)
https://www.justice.gov/pardon/pardons-granted-president-donald-trump
as long as you don't do anything stupid, like plea bargaining. 
Hard to pardon a guy who has confessed to the crime (SSgt. Wuterich, et al). 
Hey, I wrote to President Trump and asked. 
     John Farnam says, the way to win a gunfight is don't be there. 
I was never there.  So, I can't be prosecuted.  My friend Amy urged me
to contact my U.S. Representative to get the record corrected.  But, I
explained to her that eliminating the possibility of prosecution is
far superior to any pension. 
     Do likewise.
     I actually contacted the Board for Correction of Naval Records,
https://www.secnav.navy.mil/mra/bcnr/Pages/default.aspx
to get my Korea Defense Service Medal added to my record. 
They asked for documentation.  I told them I never got any, but I was
there in formation when the Marine Colonel pinned it on me.  They
asked me for the name of the Colonel.  I told them I didn't know,
we ain't drinking buddies.  They told me to pound sand. 
That's the real Marine Corps.

     Andrew Branca has a valuable gift for you,
an info-graphic describing the 5 elements of the law of self defense. 
You may download a copy free of charge at
https://lawofselfdefense.com/beginjourney/

     You buy life insurance to protect those you love in case you lose the fight. 
You buy self defense insurance to protect your loved ones in case you win the fight. 
     6 Concealed Carry Insurance Options To Protect Your Six (2019)
https://gundigest.com/handguns/concealed-carry/4-self-defense-insurance-options
     Self-Defense Gun Owner Insurance Programs Compared
https://www.concealedcarry.com/self-defense-gun-owner-insurance-programs-compared/
     This web page, the chart, and the PDF file are updated on a regular basis.
     You don't want to buy insurance from a company that has refused to
pay because they think their customer is guilty of murder.  Such a company (USCCA)
does not understand the concept of "innocent until proven guilty". 
 
Andrew Branca says (concerning self defense insurance programs),
     "If, however, the “self-defense insurance” provider you’ve spent years
paying, reserves to right to DECLINE to cover you, at THEIR discretion, in
the ABSENCE of any apparent qualifications to make such an assessment, and
even worse WITHOUT prior notice to their members that they intend to reserve
the option to apply this condition, ambush-style — well, then what the heck
have you been paying for all those years?"

     I taught a pistol course over the Thanksgiving holidays. 
One of the students, who had been a prosecutor and a defense
attorney, said one should never consent to a search.  Because
the police might plant drugs.  If the cop says he found drugs,
what are you going to say?

Experiences with Eyewitness Testimony
https://armedcitizensnetwork.org/experiences-with-eye-witness-testimony

Zimmerman Files $100MM Lawsuit Against False Accusers
https://lawofselfdefense.com/zimmerman-files-100mm-lawsuit-against-false-accusers/
     The actual civil complaint filed by Zimmerman may be downloaded at this link:
http://lawofselfdefense.com/zimmermanlawsuit
     Reading the complaint, you will see that the false prosecution
of George Zimmerman was much more insidious than you could have
imagined.  At the end of the document, you will notice that Larry Klayman
is Zimmerman's attorney (How do you get someone like that to take your case?). 
Zimmerman is going to win big.  Remember the Duke University Lacrosse team?

Pop-Quiz!
http://defense-training.com/2019/pop-quiz/
Excerpt: 
"The murderers were Black Hebrew Israelites (BHI),
deflating hyper-ventilating media leftists who were
wildly salivating as they prepared to falsely
report it was MAGA-hat-wearing “white supremacists.” "

“Day”‘s night today! Wrong’s “right” today!
http://defense-training.com/2019/days-night-today-wrongs-right-today/
Excerpt: 
“I was repelled by the sleazy reality of Communist countries: 
politicians were shameless.  There was corruption, pollution,
shoddy goods, long lines, and suicide everywhere, but leaders
kept boasting about their ‘great achievements’ and ‘bright
tomorrows.’ ” -- Antonin Kratochvil

"Self-defense is inherently an intentional act.
If your use of force is unintentional — and accidents are,
by their very nature, unintentional, something you did not
want to happen — then it could not also have been
intentional self-defense."
-- Andrew F. Branca
[So, don't ever say, "It was an accident.  I didn't mean to shoot him." 
You will be sealing your conviction on charges of reckless homocide. 
You should be saying, "Yes, I shot him and I was justified in shooting him." 
-- Jon Low]

Culpeper board votes to bolster ‘God-given right’ to bear arms
https://www.starexponent.com/news/culpeper-board-votes-to-bolster-god-given-right-to-bear/article_f134f6fb-9f92-55fc-abf4-fb3b66961d54.html
Virginia sheriff will deputize residents if gun control laws pass.

Virginia County Passes Resolution in Support of Raising Pro-Gun Militia
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/12/18/virginia-county-passes-resolution-support-raising-pro-gun-militia/
Embedded links to other primary sources.

86 of Virginia’s 95 Counties Now 2nd Amendment Sanctuaries
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/12/18/86-virginias-95-counties-2nd-amendment-sanctuaries/

*****     *****     ***** Survival *****     *****     *****

"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Sherman House

     You must keep good tires on all 4 of your wheels. 
People incorrectly think that the front tires are more
important because they affect steering and braking. 
If you slide, you can turn your front wheels into the
rotation of the slide to get out of the slide.  You
can't turn your back wheels.  So, only the good condition
and tread of the tires on the back wheels will allow
you to get out of the slide.  Of course, sometimes you
can't get out of the slide, but you should want to
maximize the probability of getting out of the slide. 
     And sometimes you have to drive backwards to
get out of an ambush, in which case your back wheels
are now your front wheels. 
     So, make sure you have good tires on all of
your wheels.

Hearing loss is permanent and cumulative. 
So, where ear protection when shooting.

*****     *****     ***** Basics *****     *****     *****

"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses." 
-- Tom Givens
     [So, practice your responses until they become reflexive.  -- Jon Low]

"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN
      [So, practice making the choice in simulations and visualizations,
so that you can make the correct choice under stress. -- Jon Low]

*****     *****     ***** Miscellany *****     *****     *****

When it’s least expected, you’re selected.
-- John Farnam

Gun Culture 2 0: How a Card Carrying Liberal Professor Became a Card Carrying Liberal Armed American
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_b9HIrjrAY&feature=youtu.be
Excerpt: 
     "Guns are normal. 
Normal people use guns."
     This is actually a deep academic presentation in the field of sociology.

"What’s Next? Understanding and Misunderstanding America’s Gun Culture" by David Yamane
https://gunculture2point0.files.wordpress.com/2019/11/whats-next-understanding-and-misunderstanding-americas-gun-culture-etext.pdf

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Rasmussen and practical drift,
Drift towards danger and the normalization of deviance"
https://risk-engineering.org/concept/Rasmussen-practical-drift

     "This is a bit deep and academic, but it clearly describes how in
police work (and likely many other fields), shortcuts are developed
and then followed until the point of becoming dangerous.  This is the
scientific proof of the idea that “good luck reinforces bad tactics.”
     This meshes with the idea of “Survivorship Bias.”  "
-- Greg Ellifritz

     “A stupid decision that works out well
becomes a brilliant decision in hindsight.”
-- Daniel Kahneman

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

     In life, you don't get what you want.  You get what you are. 
     Speak to please God, not to please man.
     All the little things matter, the hundreds of micro decisions we make every day. 
-- Pastor Mike Ayon

Examine what is said, not he who speaks.
-- Arab Proverb

     My favorite ancient Arab proverb is,
"May your enemies die peacefully in their sleep." 
(The context is 'immediately'.)

“Our power does not know liberty, nor justice.
It is established on the destruction of the individual will.”
-- Lenin
     I spent most of my military career fighting the communists. 
Those in our country who advocate communism (in any degree: 
socialism, liberalism, progressivism, etc.) are engaged in an
act of criminal stupidity.  Which is their right of free speech.
Such is freedom.

Semper Fidelis,
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com

CWP, 3 December MMXIX Anno Domini

Happy Thanksgiving Sheepdogs,

     The primary attribute of a weapon system is reliability. 
A weapon system without operator training is worthless and
dangerous to everyone within range.  There is nothing natural
about shooting.  There is nothing instinctive about shooting. 
Training is required for competence.

*****     *****     ***** Software *****     *****     *****

----- Mindset -----

Avoidance, Deterrence, and De-escalation
-- John Farnam

     You can't predict the future.
     You can't predict when some drunk or distracted driver will ram you. So,
you always wear your seat belt when driving.  And you always make sure your
passengers are wearing their seat belts before moving. 
     You can't predict when a fire will start in your abode.  So, you always
keep a fire extinguisher in plain view in your residence. 
     You can't predict when a criminal will attack you.  That's his choice,
not yours.  So, you always carry your pistol on your body with a round in
the chamber.  You're not going to have time to load your gun.  You're not
going to have time to get your gun from where ever you stored it.  So, you
have to carry your loaded gun on your body at all times. 
     [My wife objects to me wearing my pistol in bed.  But, she knew what
she was getting when she married me.  John Wayne kept his shotgun with him
when taking a shower.  Can you name that movie? (It's a classic Western.)] 
     "Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a
weapon in the other, and each of the builders wore his sword at his side
as he worked." -- Nehemiah 4:17-18
     ". . . each had his weapon, even when he went for water."
-- Nehemiah 4:23, New International Version Bible

3 Must-Have Elements of Personal Defense
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/11/8/3-must-have-elements-of-personal-defense/
     AWARENESS
     AVOIDANCE
     SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Notice, weapons are never mentioned.  Material possessions are never
mentioned.  Invest in your skill, not material.

No Safe Spaces: Why We Need Personal-Defense Skills
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/11/18/no-safe-spaces-why-we-need-personal-defense-skills/

MENTAL TOUGHNESS:  Fighting Edge for Women
https://www.swatmag.com/article/mental-toughness-fighting-edge-for-women/

----- Safety -----

Don't go to stupid places.
Don't do stupid things.
Don't hang out with stupid people.
Be in bed by 10 PM.  Your own bed.
Don't look like a freak.
Don't fail the attitude test.
-- John Farnam

     Dorchester County (South Carolina, USA) Sheriff, Ray Nash, gave a
radio interview and said that the indicators of a criminal are: 
no shirt, tattoos, bad teeth, and body odor.
     Smoking destroys your sense of smell and taste. This means you won’t
be able to smell the enemy. 
     Smoking destroys your night vision. This means you won’t be able to
see the enemy at night. 
     “A pack-a-day smoker builds high levels of carbon monoxide in his blood,
which reduce 20 percent of normal night vision at sea level, an effect that
increases with altitude; by 10,000 feet, he’s lost 40% of his night vision.”
– “The Ultimate Sniper” by Major John Plaster, U.S. Army retired,
Paladin Press, Revised edition January 2006, page 8.
ISBN-10: 1581604947, ISBN-13: 978-1581604948

Situational Awareness and Positioning (part IV)
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2014/10/18/situational-awareness-and-positioning-part-iv/
     Training and practice => skill => confidence. 
You will leak information in the form of body language. 
The bad guy will perceive your confidence, it cannot be bluffed. 
That's why Keanu Reeves had to take gun training.  Without it,
his John Wick movies would not have been believable. 
Unless the bad guy is stupid or insane, he will decide that
you are a hard target and move on to an easier target. 
Farnam refers to this as "failing the interview".

“The fast and/or emphatic reholster
is an awesome way to shoot yourself.”
-- Chuck Haggard

----- Training -----

     "The real value of training, though, is that it improves competence,
which leads to a higher level of confidence." 
-- Rehn & Daub

Busting 3 myths of the ‘21-foot rule’
http://exclusive.multibriefs.com/content/busting-3-myths-of-the-21-foot-rule/law-enforcement-defense-security

"You train for the people who love you."
-- Tatiana Whitlock

Critical Pistol Skills course:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/critical-pistol-skills-229-tickets-76342545609
Standing Your Ground course:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/standing-your-ground-229-tickets-76352156355
Lee Weems of First Person Safety
https://firstpersonsafety.com/about/

Care enough to continue your training.

Why train?
    "To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment
when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and
offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique
to them and fitted to their talents.  What a tragedy if
that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that
which could have been their finest hour."
-- Winston Churchill

Tatiana's schedule of classes is out for 2020 A.D.
https://tatianawhitlock.com/event/

The Farnams' schedule of classes is out for 2020 A.D.
http://defense-training.com/schedule/

Lee's partial schedule of classes
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/first-person-safety-lee-weems-7661504729

"Training is NOT an event, but a process.
Training is the preparation FOR practice".
-- Claude Werner

----- Practice -----

      Practice is the small deposits you make over time,
so that in an emergency, you can make that big withdrawal.
-- Chesley Burnett Sullenberger, III

STANDOFF HANDGUN DRILLS:  Accuracy at Situational Speed
https://www.swatmag.com/article/standoff-handgun-drills-accuracy-at-situational-speed/

     “Be careful what you practice. 
Because you will do in combat whatever you have practiced,
no matter how ridiculous.”
-- “Shooting in Self-Defense” by Sara Ahrens

Slow is smooth (because you can control what you're doing). 
Smooth is efficient (no wasted motion). 
Efficient is fast. 

"It’s not daily increase but daily decrease - hack away at the inessentials!"
-- Bruce Lee

----- Techniques -----

“Use only that which works,
and take it from any place you can find it.”
-- Bruce Lee

How to Spot Thieves, Thugs and Terrorists
https://modernsurvivalonline.com/how-to-spot-bad-guys/

Self-Defense for Women: Getting to "No!" You
https://www.nrafamily.org/articles/2019/10/30/self-defense-for-women-getting-to-no-you/
     "Sorry, Sir, I can't help you." and keep moving.

3 Techniques Predators Use to Hunt Women | by Corinne Mosher
https://warriorpoetsociety.us/corinne_mosher/
Ambush
Distract
Disparity of force

"Real fights are short."
-- Bruce Lee

Massad Ayoob’s Tips and Tactics for Staying Alert and Aware
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2014/10/staying-alert-and-aware/#using-your-peripherals
     Mas recommends not putting the strap of your purse over
your head on the other side of your neck, as opposed to just
over your shoulder, because the purse snatcher can injure
your neck when he yanks on your purse.  I would suggest that
having the strap across your chest, rather than just over
your shoulder would cause the thief not to attempt the grab
in the first place. 
     As always, it's a judgment call that you have to make.

Defensive Shooting Stances in the Real World
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/11/1/defensive-shooting-stances-in-the-real-world/
     You can practice by assuming other (even awkward) stances and then
executing from there.  No need to maintain the stance.  Adjust as needed.

How to Spot Armed Suspects
https://www.calibrepress.com/2019/10/how-to-spot-armed-suspects/

The Universal Draw Stroke
https://www.growingupguns.com/2014/10/05/the-universal-draw-stroke/

Pat McNamara on Dealing With D-Bags and When to Draw Your Weapon
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2019/10/pat-mcnamara-draw-your-weapon/
     The tactical draw stroke - taking a step to the side while drawing.
Why you should do it and why stepping to the side works even when not
drawing your pistol.

      If the enemy is far enough away that you need to use your sights to aim
your pistol, you need to extend your arms to bring your pistol up to your
line of sight. (Don't bend your neck to move your eye inline with your sights. 
Your head must remain erect, otherwise you will disturb your inner ear balance. 
Rotate your arms at your shoulders to move your pistol up to your line of sight.) 
      If the enemy is close enough to grab your pistol, you need to keep your
pistol in close to your body in a compressed ready or close contact position. 
Both forearms should be firmly pressed against your rib cage.  Tilt the top of
the pistol away from your body, so the slide doesn't get fouled on your shirt. 
If your breast will get in the way of slide when it reciprocates, pull your
pistol further around to the side of your torso, or tilt the top of your pistol
further away from your body.
     If you only have a one hand grip on your pistol, pull the firing side
elbow as far back as possible, press the bottom of the grip or your hand
firmly against your rib cage, and tilt the top of the pistol out away from
your body to prevent the slide from getting fouled on your clothing or breast.

     When shooting with a flashlight, push the emitting end of the flashlight out
in front of anything that you are using for cover.  If you have the flashlight
too far back, the light will reflect off the cover and illuminate you.  Yes,
this exposes your gun and hands to an enemy hiding around the corner, so be careful. 
If you don't push the flashlight out in front of the cover, the reflected light
can blind you, or kill your night vision for several seconds.
(Thanks to Jonathan Clapp, BestDefenseLLC.com) 
     When shining a flashlight though a window, press the emitting end against
the window.  Even a small gap will generate glare that will inhibit your view
through the window. 

Turning To Face A Threat
https://gundigest.com/gun-videos/video-turning-to-face-a-threat

Appendix Carry
http://defense-training.com/2019/appendix-carry/
     There are also documented cases of the shooter shooting himself in the leg
and foot while holstering to a waist holster at three o'clock or nine o'clock. 
But, the femoral artery is the main concern.

Shooting Proficiently With Your Support Hand
https://gundigest.com/gun-videos/gundigest-tv/video-shooting-proficiently-with-your-support-hand

Close-Quarter Confrontations: Defending Yourself at Short Range
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/11/22/close-quarter-confrontations-defending-yourself-at-short-range/

Video: The Ins And Outs Of The Concealed Carry Purse
https://gundigest.com/gun-videos/gundigest-tv/the-ins-and-outs-of-the-concealed-carry-purse
     One should also practice shooting without drawing the pistol out of the purse. 
Shooting through the purse would put a bullet hole in the purse, so should probably
be done as dry practice.  Though only live fire will allow you to determine whether
or not the purse will foul the cycling of the pistol.
     One should also wear the strap across one's chest, not just over one's shoulder,
as this is much more secure.
     The strap must have a steel cable running through it to prevent the purse snatcher
from cutting the strap.

Insults and Challenges- 5 Tips for Effective Verbalization During a Violent Encounter
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/insults-and-challenges-5-tips-for-effective-verbalization-during-a-violent-encounter

----- Tactics -----

You win gunfights by not getting shot.
-- John Holschen

     Retreat is not surrender.  Retreat is a tactical maneuver. 
When the bad guys move to cover or places of tactical advantage,
they are still a threat.  Shooting them in the back is appropriate. 
     Telling the bad guy (who is shooting up the mall or church)
to drop the gun, lets him know where you are and gives him time
to shoot you; which he will do.  (Yes, there are several documented
cases of this.)  Just quietly shoot him in the back of the head.

Shot In The Back
https://americanhandgunner.com/our-experts/shot-in-the-back/
     Captain Massad Ayoob (of Syrian descent, because he mentioned
it in class) gives a much more detailed explanation in his MAG20 class
(which is the lecture portion of his MAG40 class).

"Audacity wins."
-- Carl von Clausewitz

Friends Don’t Let Friends Open Carry
https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/friends-dont-let-friends-open-carry
     This article is occasionally updated.

     Positioning – When entering a room: Look to see where the exits are.
If necessary could you break through the window?  Where are the light switches,
fire extinguishers, first aid kits, etc.?  Look for cover and concealment. 
When choosing a seat, be in a position to observe entrances, that affords
you mobility, and that prevents unseen approach to you (back to a wall). 
     Warnings - Do not give verbal warnings.  You will lose the element of
surprise.  To quote Tuco from “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”,
“When you have to shoot, shoot, don’t talk.” 
We are not police.  We have no obligation to give a verbal warning. 
If you waste time saying, “Halt! Military Police.”  You’ve given the enemy
7 syllables, enough time for him to shoot you several times.  The way human
brains are set up, talking is a high order intellectual activity. It’s almost
impossible to talk and shoot at the same time.  But, it’s easy to get punched,
shot, or stabbed while talking.
     Plan - Have a conscious plan, not just a subconscious reaction.
What will I do if a bad guy enters that door?  What will I do if someone
tries to rob the cashier?  Etc.  Have your plan in mind before you move.
     Maneuver – Never attempt to clear a building.  It's an extremely dangerous
operation that requires hundreds of hours of training and practice.  Even if
you are intimately familiar with your house, you can still get ambushed. 
So, why should you learn how to do it?  You hear glass breaking in the middle
of the night and your daughter screaming from her bedroom down the hall. 
Getting yourself killed doesn’t help anyone.  You must get down the hall
quickly and in a condition to apply accurate fire.  This requires training
and practice. 

     When shooting from cover, shoot at whatever first becomes visible to you,
e.g. a foot, an elbow, etc.  The idea is to shoot the enemy without exposing
yourself.  You don't need to get a center-of-mass shot.  Shooting his elbow
or foot may be enough to make him stop the attack.  You win fights by
minimizing your injury.  What happens to the enemy is incidental to your
purpose of stopping the attack. (Thanks to John Holschen)

     When shooting to the front of a human, the target is within a triangle defined
by the nipples and the bottom of the throat. 
     When shooting to the back of a human, the target is between the shoulder blades. 
     When shooting to the side of a human, the target is behind the armpit.
     We may have to shoot through the enemy's arm, as well as his rib cage;
and maybe even body armor.  Yes, there is a greater than zero probability that your
pistol bullets will penetrate body armor.  There are all kinds of body armor on the
market, between the rubbish issued to military police and the plate carriers issued
to artillerymen.  [Artillerymen don't run around and maneuver as infantry, so they
generally wear the best (heaviest) armor.]  (The Jihadists in Garland, TX wore body
armor, but the police officer, Gregory Stevens, shot through it with his standard
issue pistol.) 

----- Education -----

"Cogito, ergo armatum sum." (I think, therefore armed am I.)
-- John Farnam

Rangemaster Newsletter, November 2019
https://rangemaster.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-11_RFTS-Newsletter.pdf
Excerpt: 
     In a single year, your odds of encountering a potentially dangerous criminal
involved in a violent crime are NOT "on in a million," they are actually "1 in 54."

Active Response Training
http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/

5 Steps To Surviving a 911 Call
https://www.uslawshield.com/5-steps-to-surviving-a-911-call/

The .40 Story
https://americanhandgunner.com/discover/the-40-story/
     A detailed history of the development of the 10mm and
the 40 caliber S&W cartridges.

Headspace
http://defense-training.com/2019/headspace/

Pronunciation Woez
https://americanhandgunner.com/our-experts/pronunciation-woez/

     After Action Analysis, every Tuesday at 2 PM Eastern Time
https://lawofselfdefense.com/after-action-analysis-show-nov-19-2019/
facebook.com/lawofselfdefense
https://lawofselfdefense.com/

History of the Modern Technique
The “Modern Technique”
https://www.thetacticalwire.com/features/6356720b-9e0a-497c-810b-3fa94c145279

"You will never get smarter or broaden your horizons
if you’re unwilling to learn from others and read."
-- Becca Martin


*****     *****     ***** Hardware *****     *****     *****

"I would like to see every
woman know how to handle
guns as naturally as they
know how to handle babies."
-- Annie Oakley

----- Gear -----

“Preparation doesn't assure victory.  It assures confidence.”
-- Amit Kalantri

Brownells Premium Electronic Earmuffs 2.0 – $ 29.99
http://www.gunsandtactics.com/brownells-premium-electronic-earmuffs-2-0-29-99?
     Can't go wrong for $30. 

     Your flashlight must be bright enough to blind your enemy. 
If you can blind him, you might not have to shoot him. 
That's a big win for you. 

     Wear gloves when it’s cold. Cold fingers will get numb and fumble
ammunition and pistol. Practice with gloves on. When it’s cold, you will be
wearing gloves and you won’t have time to take them off.
     In cold weather wear a hat.
“HEADGEAR: 
     You should have a soft, jungle-style hat for warm weather
because it creates an irregular, difficult-to-detect outline. 
     For cooler temps and night, wear a wool navy-style watch cap. 
Remember that your body loses about 15 percent of its heat through your head.”
– “The Ultimate Sniper” by Maj. John Plaster, U.S. Army retired,
Paladin Press, Revised edition January 2006, page 27. 
ISBN-10: 1581604947, ISBN-13: 978-1581604948

     Do not use a pistol with a ported barrel or compensator as your defensive
weapon.  If you do, when firing from close contact, the muzzle blast will burn
your face and put particulate matter in your eyes.

     If you have painted on white dots in your sights, take a dental pick and dig
out the paint, and then take a black indelible marker and blacken the dots out. 
In low light conditions you won't be able to see the dots and will be using the
silhouette of the sights to aim.  In bright lighting conditions you might,
or might not, use the dots.  The dots and the silhouette will have different
points of impact.  You need to keep your system simple.  You need to have only one
sighting system.  So, get rid of the other sighting system.  If you are hesitant
to blacken out the white dots, check your attitude.

     When aiming, you should have a generous amount of light on both sides
of the front sight to allow you to easily center the front sight in the rear sight. 
If you don't have a generous amount of light on either side of the front
sight when aiming, machine out the rear sight by taking 1/100th of an inch off
the inside of both the right and left hand sides of the rear sight.  For a
total widening of 2/100ths of an inch. 
     In low light conditions, you should be able to easily center your front
sight in your rear sight.  If not, widen the rear sight.  There is nothing wrong
with admitting that your eyes are getting bad.  It happens to everyone with age. 
The only way to avoid it is to die young. 

     Documented cases in which being able to shoot more than 6 rounds without
reloading was the difference between life and death.  Don't let anyone tell
you to use a revolver.  They require reloading too often.  They are much more
difficult to reload than magazine fed semi-auto pistols, which under stress
is devastating.  They take much more time to reload than magazine fed
semi-auto pistols, which in combat is the difference between life and death. 
 ---
"5 Gunfighting Myths Debunked By Massad Ayoob"
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2014/10/5-gunfighting-myths-debunked-massad-ayoob/
Excerpt: 
     "The history of gunfighting is, when the fast and furious shooting starts,
what we have on our person is all that we’re likely to have to fight with."
 ---
     You have to carry extra magazines, because one may not be enough. 
(Dedicated enemy who needs multiple rounds to be put down.  Enemy wearing body armor. 
Enemy high on drugs.  Multiple assailants.  The list goes on and on.)
     You have to have your pistol on your body, because you're not going
to have time to get to your shotgun or rifle.  The gunfight will be over
long before you can retrieve a long gun.  Even if it's on an overhead rack
right next to you.  That's how fast gunfights are.
     If you are in condition white, BANG! It's over.
     If you are in condition yellow, you can recognize the presence of the enemy
before hostilities start.  You will see them maneuver into position and elevate
to condition orange.  You will recognize the pre-assault cues and elevate to
condition red.  BANG!  Hopefully, that's you being decisive.  No telegraphing
of your intentions.  No warnings.  Just execute correctly and legally.

The Problem With Revolvers For Concealed Carry
https://www.concealedcarry.com/firearms-ownership/the-problem-with-revolvers-for-concealed-carry/
Excerpts: 
     "There are plenty of documented gun fights where having dozens of
rounds of ammo saved the life of the good guy, . . ."
     "For anyone with the mindset of, well, if I need more than 5 shots
I'm screwed anyway, or, I'm a good shot and don't need more than that,
I can tell you that you're wrong."
     "Going to the range and shooting your revolver and practicing
quick reloads under stress and time is a good idea to help you define
the fine motor skills required to reload."  [If you do this in good faith,
you will quickly convince yourself that it's physically impossible to
reload a revolver as quickly as you can reload a semi-auto.  So, why
would you ever put yourself and your loved ones at such a disadvantage? 
-- Jon Low]

Electronic Hearing Protection: We Test Four Units Ear to Ear
https://www.gun-tests.com/issues/31_11/features/Electronic-Hearing-Protection-We-Test-Four-Units-Ear-to-Ear-27049-1.html#.Xcyet697ncs

     Wally World has Hyper Tough flashlights for $25.  800 lumens. 
Rechargeable via USB port.  (You can plug it into your wall outlet
if you've got an adapter.)  Click switch (not pressure switch) on
the rear that you can activate with your thumb, while holding the
flashlight correctly.  LED (not incandescent bulb).  Aluminum body,
steel pocket clip.  Lithium battery.  3 hour duration at maximum
brightness (800 lumens).  Supposed to be able to withstand a 1 meter
drop.  It's got a oval cross section, so it won't fit in any common
flashlight pouch that you might find at a police or gun store.  But,
you can clip it to the inside of your pocket.  Can't go wrong for
25 bucks.  It works.

----- Technical -----

"The shorter the fight, the less hurt you get."
-- John Holschen

     The most important feature of any weapon system is reliability.
Copper jacketed round nose bullets give you the most reliable feeding and chambering. 
Reliability is more important than terminal ballistics.  The gun must go bang when
you pull the trigger. 

“Destiny doesn’t make appointments,
nor does she waste her time with the naive and unready!”
-- John Farnam

*****     *****     ***** Instruction *****     *****     *****

Colonel Robert Lindsey to his fellow trainers:
"We are not God’s gift to our students.
Our students are God’s gift to us."

----- Instructors -----

Remember, the students who require the extra effort are the ones who need us the most!
-- John Farnam

     I am working with a couple of ladies who cannot allocate large blocks of time
for training, due to small children and other commitments.  So, we are doing the
20 hours of classroom instruction of my NRA Defensive Pistol course in 2 hour
segments every Sunday from ~13:00 (after morning church service) to ~15:00 (when
the babies wake up from their naps).  One must adjust the manual exercises and
lectures to accommodate.  It can be done.  With planning, the time is constructive. 
The key is to think about what you are going to teach, and find logical starting
and stopping points.  Having a week to practice the material taught, has resulted
in zero time being spent on review of last week's material. 
     One week to practice the two hours of material taught.  Compare that to a
4-day handgun course at one of the big gun schools, where the student is expected
to spend a couple of hours at night practicing the 10 hours of material taught
that day.  If the student doesn't fall asleep from exhaustion after the 10 hours
of training.

Qui docet, discit.  (Who teaches, learns.)
-- motto of the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers

     What is old and obvious to you is novel and unfamiliar to your students. 
So, take your time to explain everything carefully.

     Please practice both right and left handed.  So, that you can stand facing
the student and mirror the students actions to demonstrate the technique. 

     "You don't have to memorize formulae.
Because you can always derive them from first principles."
-- Prof. Sven Hartman, Physics Department, Columbia University
     Teach first principles.  Let the student derive tactics based on the principles
and the situation.  Don't teach situation specific tactics.  Because your students
will default to them, rather than relying on first principles to decide what to do. 
     "But, pre-programmed responses are faster. We don't have time to analyze
during the fight."
     That's only true if you're the bad guy.  The good guy has a duty to think. 
Which includes, but is not limited to, the safety rules.  Yes, combat is a very
difficult, complex, and intellectual endeavor, for the good guy. 
     "Thinking is the hardest thing a person can do. 
That's why so few people do it." -- Henry Ford

     Massad Ayoob says many people lack the money to travel to take firearms
classes.  So, you should assume the responsibility to teach them. 

     “Be careful what you teach. Because your students will do in combat
whatever you have trained them to do, no matter how ridiculous.
     Be careful what you practice. Because you will do in combat whatever you
have practiced, no matter how ridiculous.”
-- “Shooting in Self-Defense” by Sara Ahrens

     Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, I taught a 4-day pistol class.  One of
the students had small hands, weak grip strength, and weak upper body
strength.  None of my pistols would work for her.  I always bring lots of
pistols for students whose equipment does not work for them.  Which was
the case.  She had a pistol, but the grip was too big (she could not get
her middle and ring finger tips to point back toward her) and the recoil
spring was too strong (she could not rack the slide).  Fortunately we
were at a range, Lone Star Gun Range in Austin, TX, that had a large
assortment of rental guns.  She rented a Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ. 
The rental had a thumb safety.  But, I recommended that if she chose to
buy one that she get it without the safety.  This pistol solved the problem.

"Every time I teach a class,
I discover I don't know something."
-- Clint Smith, Director of Thunder Ranch

----- Pedagogy -----

Teach positive.  Teach what to do.  Don't talk about what not to do.
-- from John Farnam's Instructor Development class

     It is generally correct to teach positive, what you want the student to do,
not what they should not do.  The exception to the rule is that you must teach
why the wrong sequence in unloading a semi-auto pistol is wrong by demonstrating
that if you rack the slide first and then remove the magazine, the pistol is LOADED! 

     "The biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has happened." 
-- (Attribution unknown)

"Informal Instruction" by the Tactical Professor on November 16, 2019   
https://tacticalprofessor.wordpress.com/2019/11/16/informal-instruction/
Excerpt: 
     "When we teach an adult, it’s always worth remembering to approach it that way. 
Even if we are a Subject Matter Authority, the person is one of our peers and
deserves to be treated respectfully.  They should be treated like a client in an
Adult-Adult relationship, not a grade school student in a Parent-Child relationship."

     Dustin Solomon, in his book “Building Shooters” states that
an instructor should not expect any learning to take place
the first time new information is presented.
     [That's why you have to email the students detailed lesson plans a couple
of weeks before the class starts. -- Jon Low]

     "Train, Practice, Compete
are the key elements in the development of humans."
-- John M. Buol, Jr.

*****     *****     ***** Legal, Political, and Philosophical *****     *****     *****

How do you win a gunfight?
Don’t be there.
-- John Farnam

     Why do you think the Founding Fathers refused to ratify the U.S. Constitution
until the Bill of Rights was added?  Why do you think we have the 3rd Amendment?
Amendment III
"No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house,
without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war,
but in a manner to be prescribed by law."
     To the best of my knowledge there is no U.S. law that prescribes such a manner. 
Think it could never happen here?  It did.  That's why the Amendment exists. 
Think it could never happen now days?
"China’s Uighurs told to share beds, meals with party members"
https://apnews.com/9ca1c29fc9554c1697a8729bba4dd93b
     The ChiComs arrest the men and throw them in to concentration camps. 
Then the ChiComs force Communist Party Members into the homes and beds of
the wives and children of the imprisoned men. 
     You think any Muslim in China petitions his government for redress of
grievances?  Not when they know the result will be their imprisonment and
their wives and children being raped by ChiComs.  Only evil people do such
things.  ChiComs are evil and always have been evil.  Where do you think
the American Liberals got the idea to control population by murdering
babies?

     Andrew Branca has a valuable gift for you,
an info-graphic describing the 5 elements of the law of self defense. 
You may download a copy free of charge at
https://lawofselfdefense.com/beginjourney/

     We used to get free shipping and not charged any state sales tax
when buying from out of state.  But, now the ammo companies are charging
state sales tax due to a U.S. Supreme Court decision.
     On June 21, 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in
favor of the state in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc.  The decision
overruled a longstanding physical presence rule, allowing states to
require remote sellers to collect and remit sales tax.
https://www.avalara.com/us/en/learn/sales-tax/south-dakota-wayfair.html

Caution! The Wrong Lawyer Can Sink Your Self-Defense Case
https://lawofselfdefense.com/caution-the-wrong-lawyer-can-sink-your-self-defense-case/
     Yes, there are inept attorneys.  As Federal District Court Judge
(Hawaii, 9th Circuit) Samuel King said (publicly), "You have to be able
to sleep with your eyes open."  (When you've got a life time appointment
and can retire at anytime, you don't care what anyone thinks of you.)
     Hey, Washer got almost all of his convictions overturned by the appellate
court.  (5th Circuit Court of Appeal, Florida)
https://lawofselfdefense.com/law_case/washer-v-state-2019-fla-app-lexis-17123-fl-ct-app-2019/
     Now he has to do the trial all over again.  Do you think he has
any money left to pay for a second trial?  Do you think a public defender
will mount much of a defense?  (Yes, of course, some will.)
     Remember Bill Cosby.  Hung jury on first trial.  Convicted at the second trial. 
Do you think he had any money left for a second trial?  The defendant almost
always gets convicted at the second trial, because he has no resources to pay
an attorney, private investigators, and expert witnesses.  So, he gets a public
defender, no investigators, and no expert witnesses.  Nobody works for free. 

     Andrew Branca has a special deal for you at
https://lawofselfdefense.com/checkouts/ccwsafebook/
Two copies of his book, "Law of Self Defense" 3rd Edition
for $16.90 in total (including shipping, handling, tax, etc.) 
     Christmas presents for my sister, the attorney, and
friends at church.

Crime Prevention Research Center, Dr. John Lott
https://crimeresearch.org/

     “The tone and tendency of liberalism is to attack institutions
of the country (specifically Judeo/Christian values) under the name
of ‘reform’ and to make war on manners and customs of the people,
under the pretext of ‘progress’.” -- Benjamin Disraeli

22 Virginia Counties Declare Second Amendment Sanctuary Status
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/11/30/22-virginia-counties-declare-second-amendment-sanctuary-status/

*****     *****     ***** Survival *****     *****     *****

"If you prepare for the emergency,
the emergency ceases to exist!"
-- Sherman House

How to Survive Riots and Civil Unrest
https://www.theorganicprepper.com/survive-civil-unrest-riots/
Excerpts: 
      ". . . this past Friday was a particularly beautiful day. 
 By lunchtime, people were out in the parks enjoying the weather. 
 It was calm, peaceful, and joyful. 
     Within a matter of hours the city had turned into a war zone.  Hours. 
     One of my team members told me on the phone yesterday,
 “If you had said on Friday afternoon that Santiago would be in
 chaos by nightfall, I would have laughed . . .  And then it happened.” "
     "A small woman can defend herself from multiple large intruders with a firearm
if she’s had some training and knows how to use it properly.  But put a kitchen
knife in her hand against those same intruders, and her odds decrease exponentially."

The Importance of Assessment & Awareness in Self-Defense
https://www.shootingillustrated.com/articles/2019/11/15/the-importance-of-assessment-awareness-in-self-defense/
Excerpt: 
     "In the debriefing, the student told the instructors that he was an EMT
and that he had to go to the aid of the girl.  One of the instructors said,
“No, you used to be an EMT. Now, you’re just a dead man.” "
     ". . . when we encounter a person making an attack, or even one who
is acting suspiciously, we should assume that he or she is not alone."

“If you look like food, you will be eaten.” -- Clint Smith

6 Concealed Carry Insurance Options To Protect Your Six (2019)
https://gundigest.com/handguns/concealed-carry/4-self-defense-insurance-options

Self-Defense Gun Owner Insurance Programs Compared
https://www.concealedcarry.com/self-defense-gun-owner-insurance-programs-compared/
     This web page, the chart, and the PDF file are updated on a regular basis.

Hearing loss is permanent and cumulative.

*****     *****     ***** Basics *****     *****     *****

"Panic is simply the lack of preprogrammed responses." 
-- Tom Givens

     Statistically speaking, civilian gun fights last 2 seconds, and one or two
rounds are fired from a distance of within 5 feet 50% of the time, within 10 feet
75% of the time [citation Police Officer’s Safety Association].  So, you won’t have
time to load your pistol.  And you certainly won’t have time to get your pistol if
you don’t have it on you.
     If you practice a lot, you will be able to get your pistol from the holster
onto the target and fire in about one and a half seconds.  A concealment garment
will add half a second to your time.  That’s two seconds. 
     If you don’t keep a round in the chamber because you don’t think it is safe,
you don’t understand the mechanics of your pistol.  It is completely safe to keep
the pistol loaded.  The pistol cannot fire by itself.  You must pull the trigger
to fire the pistol.  Just as it is completely safe to keep the gas tank of your
car filled.  There is no chance that your car will run someone over by itself.

"Fear is an instinct. Courage is a choice."
-- Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, USN

*****     *****     ***** Miscellany *****     *****     *****

When it’s least expected, you’re selected.
-- John Farnam


Semper Fidelis,
Jon
Jonathan D. Low
Jon_Low@yahoo.com

The Warrior's Prayer
Dear God,
     Please give us discernment to distinguish
friend from foe from innocent bystanders.
Give us clear vision so our aim is true. 
Give us calm so we execute correctly.
Give us spiritual maturity so that we stop the attack
without excessive force, without revenge.
In Jesus name,
Amen