I eat books. Not just read them but ingest them in high volumes, specially if I am researching something.  Lately I have been trying to get more into the criminal & violence mindset of certain individuals that chose the side of crime and discovered that most of the books are written by shrinks who are desperate trying to cure all the ailments of the world, LEOs that are in an “I an so awesome” ego trip or plain idiots that have no experience with violence.

Then I bump into a barely two hundred page book titled Facing Violence: Preparing for the unexpected. By Rory Miller and I had to go HOLY S***!” (that be squat not the other word.) After spending countless hours reading thousands of pages of books written by people with more degrees than Phoenix in August, here comes this Corrections Officer, cuts through the BS and gives you a no-nonsense short guide to criminal offenders, what will get your ass kicked or killed and perhaps the best techniques on de-escalation I have ever seen. And that is only the first 100 pages which are worth the full retail value of the book.

Now, it is a bold statement to say “best techniques on de-escalation” but not really. I found myself saying over and over ‘Yep, that is the way it works… done that, he is right… done that too and works… I have seen that and it will get you face used as mop’ which is my way of saying Been There Done That and Have a Skin Without Scars that were not Self Inflicted and Mr. Miller is not talking out of his rectum.

I always admire anybody in the defensive biz that starts with and emphasizes Avoidance, Deterrence and De-Escalation as the most important part in a self defensive strategy. Many “instructors” think it is cooler to show how bad ass they are with fists, knives and guns, but takes real fortitude teach how to play dumbass and leave a potential bad situation with just words exchanged without anger and no blood spilled.

If your inner Rambo can stand it, get this book, read it, internalize it and make its lessons a part of your self-defense strategy.

…so I am taking a break.

Which means I’ll have something to write about in the next hour or so.

Then again it could not happen to a better bunch.

Police: teen shot dead by alleged robbery accomplice

But did the producers had to make Amanda Hardin pose in the typical Sabrina stance – Charlie’s Angels Intro?

It is no wonder that Top Shot is losing favor by the bucketload among Shooters. Jersey Shore with Guns.

First let me say that if you served in the Military my undying thanks.  But we must address the fact that your experiences in the Sandbox did not prepare you one bit to train civilians in Defensive Shooting.  We have come a long way from the times where a NRA basic Pistol class was enough for anybody to go packing in the real world. Now good instructors will cover not only the operation of a firearm but the mindset that goes along in both engaging a bad guy or avoiding engagement with a bad guy. And let us not forget what comes afterward.

If you still feel that I am wrong, please allow me the following mental exercise:

You are back in the Sandbox. You are told by your superior that you must go to a market in Location X, look around, obtain certain items and return back to base. Intel says Location X is pacified, but you know better and have learned to expect the unexpected. You estimate a minimum of 30 minutes to complete the tasks at the market plus 15 minutes or so for the total trip.

Rules:

1. You are going alone.
2. You will only carry your issued Beretta M9 sidearm. You may carry 3 or more fully loaded magazines.
3. The sidearm will be kept covered under your uniform coat. At no time it should be visible unless you need the sidearm for self defense.
4. No grenades of any type or any explosive device.
5. No radios. You are allowed to carry your personal cellphone.
6. No tasked emergency support for your trip. If you should find yourself in trouble, you will be assigned help depending on availability and type of emergency. No air support will be available.
7. You will drive in an unarmored civilian vehicle to your destination and back.
8. At your destination, you will move around the crowd normally. No aggressive postures or tactics.
9. You may not initiate any defensive usage with your sidearm unless you have a clearly defined enemy presenting an immediate danger to you. Immediate Danger is defined if the enemy is armed and attacking or poised to attack you within a reasonable distance.
10. If you successfully engaged the Enemy, you must call the provided emergency number and request that civilian authorities and civilian medics come to the location.  Do not leave the area.
11. Upon arrival, the Civilian Authorities will confiscate your weapon and detain you for further investigation. You may have your rights read and you may solicit an attorney.
12. Press corps may arrive in full force. They will demand an interview with you. You may decline. They will likely portray you as a vigilante or a murderer now and issue no correction later.
13. After preliminary on-site investigation is done, Civilian Authorities may either take you to their precinct for further interrogation or release you on your own recognizance. If so, return to base ASAP since now you are unarmed.
14. Upon arrival on base, you will now wait for the authorities to determine if the engagement was justified; it may take up to a year. If the engagement is determined not to be justified, you may not expect us to provide you with a lawyer or any type of support. You are on your own.

No member of the Armed Forces in his/her right mind would take on a mission under those parameter. Yet that is what civilians endure every day they carry a concealed weapon. And yes, you can teach how to pull the trigger, but that is the easy part. The rest of the dance is the bitch that will break you down.