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John Lindsey
15th October 2007, 21:36
Observation!

One must be in the proper mindset at all times to be observant of the surroundings. This is easier said than done. I feel that one of the benefits of Japanese martial art training is the development of focused observation.

Learn to read your enviroment. This is more difficult while in a moving vehicle. You literally only have a second to see something or someone and determine its threat status.

One common threat on the streets is drivers using cell phones. They only have one hand on the wheel, and their attention is often not directed to the road. They are driving reactively, not pro actively.

Then there is trusting your gut feeling.

One of the best ways to learn observation skills is to watch other people as they go through their daily activities. Watch them in the parking lot as they get in their vehicle. Watch them walking down the street, etc. Guess what, this is what the bad guys do when they want to pick a victim!

Lee Mc'pherson
16th October 2007, 08:58
Another very useful skill I feel is the ability to make one self inconspicuous. The classic image of the massive bodyguards in their shades is just so wrong. It is better to blend in with your surroundings and be ready to act rather then projecting yourself as a target and praying...

Brian Owens
16th October 2007, 10:24
...The classic image of the massive bodyguards in their shades is just so wrong.
It depends on the time, place, and situation.

Sometimes being "high profile" is required, sometimes it's not. (Oh, and the reason we often wear "shades" is so that if we have to run into a dark building we don't have to wait for our eyes to adjust.)


It is better to...be ready to act rather then projecting yourself as a target and praying...
I'll agree with that.

I also agree with John, that the most important skill is awareness: situational awareness, and SELF awareness.

Josh Reyer
16th October 2007, 10:34
Surely the big guys with the shades are the omote bodyguards... ;)

Lee Mc'pherson
16th October 2007, 13:47
High profile is useful when wanting a visble presence to deter .cClebrity close protection for example . But in an enviroment such as Iraq or Afganistan were leathal force against the client is the norm. I would opt for low vis. and make use of existing security forces in the event of not having a covert option. Of course it all depends and any good close protection proffesional should be able to adapt to the situation.

P.S.
omote bodyguards LOL

Hissho
16th October 2007, 14:18
Yeah, those contractors sure are inconspicuous...

I think Brian hit the nail on the head. Its a matter of time, place and mission. What John is doing is different than say, protecting one of Joint Chiefs in a law enforcement capacity, which is still different than say, protecting a member of a foreign government a) during their very public speeches on controversial topics and b) later that evening when they decide to go out for drinks or shoe shopping.

A security detail has to adapt to the situation.

Now, on a day to day living and civilian basis, becoming a "Gray Man" has many advantages. This is a common problem with police officers who still affect police garb when they are off duty. As well as with police trainers and the like who are non-police but seem to feel the need to "look the part" by decking out in 5.11, tan boots, and Oakley sunglasses everywhere they go. Then the Police T-shirts, fanny packs, tactical style boots, and the like are huge flags to garden variety bad guys, to others who are in the same "profession," and to what would be your worst nightmare, the bad guys who are trained.

Haircut, build, and carriage are also red flags to a lot of folks.

On TPI we had an interesting discussion regarding the new "off duty" look that seems to be growing among armed professionals of sturdy hiking shoes/boots, jeans, and a button down shirt. Even "going Gray" ain't so gray sometimes.

Cady Goldfield
16th October 2007, 14:50
On TPI we had an interesting discussion regarding the new "off duty" look that seems to be growing among armed professionals of sturdy hiking shoes/boots, jeans, and a button down shirt. Even "going Gray" ain't so gray sometimes.

Kit,
You've just described the professional uniform of us landscape/horticultural professionals. ;)
Although, we also wear polo shirts.

Hissho
16th October 2007, 18:21
LOL, I wear a polo shirt in my desk job now!

I always pictured horticulturalists with a ratty T shirt with an environmentally friendly slogan, shorts, and thick socks rolled up at the boot tops.

But since that isn't the case, don't be surprised if some operator guy looks askance at you in the check out line, Cady. :)

John Lindsey
16th October 2007, 18:59
When you are observing around you, it can be overt or covert. Maybe you want to let the scum bags know that you are watching them. Or, you may want to observe the threat, but not show your hand just yet till you are in a better situation.

To do it overtly, stop and turn your head around in all directions. Keep your head and body erect in a "power" posture. People seeing this will know that you are looking for something.

To do it Covertly, the key is not to turn your head, but rather your body. You want to think about clearing zones as you move. For instance, as you get out of a car, face to the rear and clear in that direction, then turn your body clockwise and continue to clear as you close the door. Or, you exit a building and clear in one direction, then change your path to be able to clear the others. Sunglasses work well for this. So does aikijujutsu. :)

JNavarro
16th October 2007, 19:39
Observation!

........I feel that one of the benefits of Japanese martial art training is the development of focused observation.

.......One common threat on the streets is drivers using cell phones. They only have one hand on the wheel, and their attention is often not directed to the road. They are driving reactively, not pro actively.



A few months ago, I was driving on the interstate to the airport. As I'm passing an SUV I noticed that the driver was talking on his cell phone, with his left hand making his blind spot even bigger than normal. Just as I'm on his blind spot he decides to change lanes. I tapped the brakes and moved to my left as well, to give me enough space and time to get out of the way; I did not have enough time to honk the horn. Unfortunately, the was a small curb to my left and as my left front tire hits it, my vehicle started skidding. I'm used to driving in the snow and losing traction, so I recovered almost instantly, but the noise that my tires made scared the other drive, who had not seen me up to that point. He panics, swerves to the right a little to much, his SUV tilts to the left, so he swerves to the left, over turning too much again, and ends up at a right angle to the traffic, with me in between his SUV and the wall divider. I relize that he's about to pin me against the wall, so I hit the brakes and see him go by me right in front of the vehicle. His car hits the wall, shattering and deploying every air bag in the car. Now, all of this took probably less than two seconds, and we were doing about 75mph.
The first thing I did the next time I saw my Sensei was thank him for his training because I believe that it gave me enough situational awareness to react properly, not panic, and not get fixated on a signle vehicle, but see the entire picture and be able to maneuver to a safe spot. Also, I was pretty surprised that after the accident I did not get any adrenaline dump, which I was expecting.
I always keep phone conversations to a minimum while driving and I hate using bluetooth earpieces, but ever since, whenever I'm driving I wear one. I don't want to be the idiot that kills someone because I was too distracted on the phone.

Cady Goldfield
16th October 2007, 21:21
I always pictured horticulturalists with a ratty T shirt with an environmentally friendly slogan, shorts, and thick socks rolled up at the boot tops.

That's what the laborers wear if they're college students hired for the summer. The landscape architect, designer, or horticulturist (I'm the latter two) have to have a neater, more professional look. A lot of 'em have the obligatory cell or Blackberry hooked to the belt (quality oiled leather with brass buckle or, for the extroverts, a big silver-and-turquoise Navajo/Hopi buckle).


But since that isn't the case, don't be surprised if some operator guy looks askance at you in the check out line, Cady. :)

Once I learn some of the cool tricks John is sharing, I might be able to have some fun messing with their minds. :D Or, maybe I should have a dual career. I'll save money on the wardrobe.

Back to the topic, it is amazing how many things people do while driving and still manage to stay on the road. Not just talking on cell phones, but shaving or applying makeup, eating/drinking, looking at their GPS in addition to any or all of the above activities... I've even seen guys typing away on their laptops and reading newspapers or othe stuff while also talking on the phone. Yeesh.

They may think they are multitasking, but the brain is not set up to handle more than one complex task at a time while also overseeing the autonomic activities (heart, breathing, etc.). The level of awareness must be close to nothing, and it would explain the increasing number of near accidents I spot almost every day. Do these people forget that they are in a moving vehicle that THEY are supposed to be controlling?

Observation skills are necessary not just when driving. What about environmental-situational awareness? In my neighborhood, a quiet side street in a small city with a "typical" crime rate (always at least several daily "incidents" that require police intervention), the residents instinctively note the coming and going of vehicles and pedestrians, and notice familiar patterns and routines to the point where they are aware of changes in their neighbors' daily patterns and are also quick to note the presense of unfamiliar vehicles and individuals.

On the other hand, there are affluent communities in my area where, because they are rural and the McMansions separated by lots of wooded privacy, the residents are oblivious to their neighbors and wouldn't know a resident from a stranger. equate that with "far from crime." Lately, the police blotter in the area newspaper has reported dozens of burglaries where expensive vehicles were left unlocked, sometimes with the key in the ignition, and the car stuffed with goodies: laptops, GPS, wallets, money...

What's weird, is that even after the first rash of thefts, nobody in neighboring affluent towns seems to have learned from this and taken precautions. There has been one burglary after another, all from vehicles containing valuables. Some were locked, but the burglars broke the windshields of course. And still, the reports are in the news daily. What's with those home/car owners? As clueless as the cell-phone-yakking drivers.

Hissho
17th October 2007, 04:12
I think a key point in awareness, and one which may speak to the issue Cady mentions, is that it is an active process, not a passive one.

It is a state of being or a way of life, really. Training and conditioning oneself to be aware begins with a lot of hard work and experience - learning to trust your gut as John notes, without becoming hyper-vigilant.

For many people, the training process is the opposite - they are trained by their way of life to NOT be aware, and in fact, to dismiss their intuition, warning bells, and even blatant red flags in an effort to appear more socially accepting, more "diverse," or what have you... the end result is often shock and dismay and a realization that one actually ignored or dismissed their gut reaction which was screaming "danger" at them.

Many rape and assault victims will tell you the same. Others can't tell us, because the price of ignoring training their awareness and ignoring their gut reactions left them dead.

Here is a link to an old Aikido Journal blog that very much demonstrates this problem:

http://www.aikidojournal.com/index?id=3357

JNavarro
17th October 2007, 04:23
"The gift of Fear" by Gavin De Becker discusses precisely what you're talking about. I believe it's been discussed on e-budo before, but I can't seem to find the thread. I highly recommend it.

Lee Mc'pherson
17th October 2007, 09:05
Observation? Awarness? Anyone here drive a motorbike? :)

BC
17th October 2007, 19:59
There was a local news report about a Chicago city alderman who voted in favor of Chicago's ban on using cell phones while driving. He recently received a traffic ticket for talking on his cell phone while driving in his own precinct.

What a moron.

Nowadays if I see the driver of a vehicle near me talking on their cell phone I give them a wide berth. I've had too many close calls like the one Jose described. I've had them where I did have time to honk my horn and the other driver STILL didn't take notice.

I used to work for a guy who was notorious for talking on his cell phone while driving. Being a passenger in his car was always dicey. Then one day he got a Blackberry! Talk about frightening. Fortunately for me I got a new job shortly thereafter.

Awareness and body language are always so important in regards to self defense. Does anyone remember when so many tourists were getting pick-pocketed and mugged in NYC because they showed their lack of awareness by walking around Manhatten looking up at the skyscrapers?

Hissho
20th October 2007, 06:58
The current issue of SWAT magazine has an interesting article by Marcus Wynne outlining basic concepts and training for situational awareness from the combatives perspective. Wynne has real world military and protection experience and was involved in NLP. It is an interesting read that hits on some important key points re: awareness and behavioral cues.

allan
22nd October 2007, 06:20
Thanks for kick-starting this forum John. Things have been real slow around here lately!

John Lindsey
22nd October 2007, 06:47
More to come! :)

ElfTengu
22nd October 2007, 10:57
Observation? Awarness? Anyone here drive a motorbike? :)

Funny you should mention that, since I've been riding a motorbike my awareness and anticipatory instincts have expanded massively.

I guess it is partly because, unlike combat or bodyguarding, which you train for intially in a dojo or CP training environment, motorcycle trainining moves straight onto the real road/battlefield the same day that you first ever sit on a bike, which starts you off on the right foot.

Plus us bikers are all too aware of how many of us suffer a violent demise out there.

Gary Arthur
22nd October 2007, 12:16
If were talking about driving awareness here in the UK one can get free advanced driving lessons from the Instutute of Advanced Motorists. well worth the time if one wants to be a better driver and be more aware.

One of the things I learnt in regard to driving awareness when i was in the police force was "Full Beam, Dipped Beam" in other words during the day imagine you are driving at night, and constantlt flick your attention from where your dipped beam would be and your full beam would be.

A handy Mnemonic I learnt was "When in town, window down" Its amazing how much our sense of sound gives us advance warning of what is happening around us, and like the mobile phone, loud music in the car can also be a distraction.

Garth

Cady Goldfield
22nd October 2007, 15:53
If you find that riding a motorbike requires heightened awareness, try riding a horse. ;) Not only do we have our own awareness of the environment, we also have to be alert to the horse's perceptions- which usually are keener than humans', and more directed toward detecting "predators."


Funny you should mention that, since I've been riding a motorbike my awareness and anticipatory instincts have expanded massively.

I guess it is partly because, unlike combat or bodyguarding, which you train for intially in a dojo or CP training environment, motorcycle trainining moves straight onto the real road/battlefield the same day that you first ever sit on a bike, which starts you off on the right foot.

Plus us bikers are all too aware of how many of us suffer a violent demise out there.

ElfTengu
22nd October 2007, 16:15
And try riding a motorcyle past a nervous horse with a meaner kick than Bill Wallace that it aims at you head every time you try to get past, even though you're goingslow and not revving.

EVERYBODY suddenly has heightened awarness!

John Lindsey
22nd October 2007, 19:52
Gary brought up a good point about windows down. Here is a pic from Iraq 2004 showing how we operated (I don't have the goatee now BTW). We used regular cars, with no armor at all. That is all we could get. Armored cars were the client vehicles. Windows are down and everyone has a sector they are watching (except when the camera man is taking their pic). No helmets, short sleeve shirts, real laid back. There is a guy in the trunk ( the trunk monkey) watching the six. Even if you are in London or Dallas, and you have multiple people in your vehicle while driving thru a bad part of town, you can still assign sectors to watch. Windows down at halts and in areas of thick pedestrian traffic can be a problem, so roll them up halfway to make it harder for someone to grab you.

We actually took some rounds shortly after this pic was taken. It is on Route Tampa heading N to Baghdad. I was leaning out and heard the rounds wiz by our car, but could not see any targets. We just increased our speed and kept going. Three shots, probably a lone shooter with an AK47. There was no need for me to shoot without a good target. At that speed, he would have to have been close for me to hit them. But, it works both ways. Hitting a car on the freeway is hard unless you set up a wall of fire that the vehicles have to drive through.

If you always drive at full speed, you have no alternatives other than keeping the same speed or slowing down. Even at full speed, you can be tracked, but even a 20 MPH increase can be enough to throw off an attacker.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d127/Iraqninja/softskin.jpg

In late 2004 it become the norm to use all armored vehicles with the windows up, due to road side bombs. We also wore helmets, nomex gloves, etc.

So, the lesson for the rest of us is to set up 360 degrees of security to observe.

Cady Goldfield
22nd October 2007, 19:54
ElfTengu,
Well, 'cycles register as one of those "predators" the horse is wary of. :D
To be fair, horses can be desensitized to anything with time and excellent training. Police horses (and "show biz" horses) can be trained to be calm under gunfire, riot surges, etc.

When I had a horse (for 21 years), I was able to train her to be calm for motorcycles, tractors/farm equipment, bicyclists in bright Spandex, even cars with broken mufflers or backfiring exhausts. It takes awareness, a firm but light hand, leg control and a lot of gumption. :)

Hissho
22nd October 2007, 20:47
....(I don't have the goatee now BTW). .

But it looks so dashing, especially with the "farmer tan."

I agree with "TJ," this jump start is refreshing. I like this stuff your posting John, lots of food for thought.

John Lindsey
22nd October 2007, 20:55
Thanks Kit.

I cringe a bit when I look at these photos, seeing how we used to ride. But, the threat was not as organized as it is now and we didn't know better.

BTW, you can hang an extra set of body armor on the door, one side inside, one side out. This gives you a bit of protection. Also attach a spare set of Level 4 plates to the rear of the head rests. Lots of attacks come from the rear, especially as you are speeding away. You don't want your driver to get wacked at that time.

Gary Arthur
23rd October 2007, 09:39
John Lindsey posted

Gary brought up a good point about windows down. Here is a pic from Iraq 2004 showing how we operated

Forgot to mention that I keep my M16 in overhead rack. :shot:


If you always drive at full speed, you have no alternatives other than keeping the same speed or slowing down. Even at full speed, you can be tracked, but even a 20 MPH increase can be enough to throw off an attacker.

Another point with this of course is that in low gears a car will drive itself without any need for a foot on the acelerator and on coming down hills will maintain a standard speed due to the gearing slowing the vehicle down.

We used to use low gear to move slowly through industrial estates looking for anything suspicious. The vehicle becomes quite quiet using this method (even diesals) And of course the pick up from first is quite quick and allows you to accelate fast.

I have found with a landrover (I drive a Discovery) that even on inclines of 45% or more the vehicle will happily climb in first if low range is chosen and I guess in a situation where you want to bring weaponry to bear from the drivers window that the car will drive itself allowing the driver to return fire without having to keep the foot on the pedal.

Garth