Personal Strategy

[bikerdoc]

Personal Strategy

This is an update of an older post, I hope it stimulates some serious intellectual discussion.

Been trying to put my thoughts on my Self defense philosophy into a format I can share with others. It is more about thinking and planning than blazing guns.
Here it is. Tell me what you think. It is not carved in stone and I am open to all suggestions!

I use the acronym STARE W

S = Situational awareness. Think! Be aware of what is around you, and how it is developing, and how it will affect you. In a static situation like the home,keep thinking and re-evaluating your plan.

T = Train with all your weapons of choice. Create a layered defense, Become proficient using your brain, hands, impact weapons, knives,and guns. recognise what your needs are.
Think about other things that can be improvised weapon in a given situation.

A = Avoid potential trouble. Make good decisions. Blend in. Keep your mouth shut.

R = Remove yourself from the area, run, walk, drive.

E = Escape or evade from the problem, if you can

and the W is:

W = Win if fighting is your only option.

 

[Kleanbore]

Good. Very good indeed.

One suggestion, should you want to invest the time: each of those elements could be expanded upon, to make them more understandable by those who have done no training at all or who have not read many of the excellent books on the subject, and also to better differentiate them from one another.

In doing so, should you choose to try, you can could add something about what to do after a shooting. That could easily fit in under "win".

My thoughts, anyway.

You may well end up saving lives.

 

[parsimonious_instead]

Biker:

Your "S" and "A" go hand-in-glove. Good situational awareness leads to better chances of Avoidance.

Avoidance is something that the antis feel we don't practice. In contrast, What I keep reading, again and again, is that once people start packing,
they ramp up their "S&A" so that the gun doesn't even have to be brought to bear. Wayne Gretzky says, "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take,"
but I think it's fair to say that "you win 100% of the fights you avoid."

On the "T" and "W"... one forum that I won't mention claims that "combatives" are under-emphasized at most of the mainstream gun schools. Not having been to the major gun schools,
I can't agree or disagree, but I do think it's an important part of training that people learn how do retain/disarm, and otherwise deal with the physicality of
what is most likely going to be a "close-in" encounter.

 

[Mikhail Weiss]

I hope it stimulates some serious intellectual discussion

I probably can't help you on the bolded part, but my 2-cents sez this is easy to remember, and some of it is redundant.

R = run away

E = run away

Perhaps replacing E with “Engage” skips redundancy and removes the oddball “W”?

 

[uspJ]

i have to agree with others allot of this falls under situational awareness. avoiding trouble is being situationally aware that trouble may be present and removing yourself from the situation before it happens or leaving before an ongoing bad situation has a chance to escalate farther.

i do agree with your thoughts on training and tactics. it's vital to become familiar and proficient with all your weapons ( not just the ones you've designated as your defensive weapons ) as you never know how or what or when the situation will play itself out.

 

[navyretired 1]

The situational awareness is the most important part, If your always paying attention when your out and about you seldom find yourself in harms way.
You should always know everything going on or not going on and place yourself in safe position.

 

[shockwave]

Another nod here for SA (situational awareness). In the combat styles I've trained in, this is something that is actively developed and means a very great much more than just "being alert" and cognizant of one's surroundings. Part of it can include noticing what is "normal" and what is out of place. Sights, sounds and smells are all engaged. The mind is active and imaginative - what if a person were hiding over there? What if a person is waiting by my car? etc. Just like in driving, you don't only look out the front, but you frequently scan your side and rear-view mirrors, getting the picture of flow around you in all directions.

These are all things you can do, and SA improves the more you do them naturally and instinctively. Just this alone can head off trouble because alert and aware people don't make tempting targets. Projecting calmness and confidence may not allow you to easily...

Blend in.

Sometimes that's good strategy, sometimes not. Hard to say as this could mean a variety of things. Again, good SA will mean that your behavior is appropriate to your surroundings. Regarding "Training" I could not possibly agree more with you. A major error I see on firearms boards is a tendency for people to fixate on the gun as the answer to all problems, such that there has to be a gun in every room, one between the sofa cushions, etc.

Look at the photo used as a banner at this forum. Danny Inosanto would be the first lay odds on the guy with the knife. Especially if that pistol needs to be racked. At the kinds of CQC distances we're likely to face in life, you want to have a lot more game than a fast draw. Good post topic.

 

[navyretired 1]

In my earlier post I talked about SA, but right next to SA is training. Without the mindset, muscle memory, and target practice to build confidence in abilities.
It's mostly like gaming, keeping watch for situations and thinking WHAT IF and imagine what you would I do if certain situations developed the gaming keeps you aware and helps you with your situational awareness.

 

[Old Shooter]

I appreciate your posting your format and I took a look at my situation compared to your listings.

S: I do this constantly even more so now that I have my CCW permit. At home and about I try to be aware of what is going on or likely to happen. I consider this in the choice and locations of my SD and HD weapons.

T: Plenty of range time practicing point shooting, draw and fire, accuracy both aimed and pointed. I believe my days of entering into hand-to-hand combat with a young pup may be coming to a close, but that is why I have things that go bang.

A,R & E: Considered, in my plan, got them covered. Will avoid such situations if at all possible.

W: Gonna do my damdnest to ensure I win. Hope to get rounds on target whether by skill or treachery. I know I'm gonna die someday but it doesn't need to be today.

Again, thanks for the post.

 

[bikerdoc]

Good stuff gentlemen. Very refreshing to see others using the brain and training to keep safe and then passing it along.

 

[navyretired 1]

When it come to self preservation I don't even cheat fair.