Got Awareness?

[41magfan]

All the recent talk about the Virginia TV News crew getting shot today has prompted me to post this.

About 35 years ago I was sitting in a restaurant one evening and felt a hand on my shoulder from behind. An acquaintance had recognized me and walked over just to say hello. Moments after he left, it became painfully obvious to me that had that friendly touch on my shoulder been a gun, a knife or a claw hammer I would have been in serious trouble.

So, I came up with this friendly little game that my fellow officers and I started playing with each other. The object of the game is to not let anyone you know touch you or get within arm’s reach - in a public place - without you seeing them first. If they do, you owe the tagger a dollar. If you’re unarmed when you’re tagged, you owe them another dollar; payable on the spot.

The purpose in this exercise is to add some realism to the notion that being truly “aware” of what’s going on around you is a fairly tedious process until Condition Orange actually becomes a part of your consciousness.

Think about it; if someone you know can go undetected in your immediate proximity, how can you reasonably expect to see someone or something threatening in time to plant your feet anywhere meaningful in the reactionary curve?

I can tell you after three decades of play that the humbling reality is simply this; everyone gets “tagged” (liars excluded). The only question is, how often does it happen and are you getting better or worse at honing your awareness skills.

The tactical principle of "forewarned is forearmed" cannot be overstated and it begins with awareness.

[RoyGBiv]

Given the increasing frequency of lone wolf attacks and more and more crazies trying to exorcise their psychopathetic, narcissistic demons on law enforcement and the general public, awareness is a critical skill.

[GardoneVT]

Situational Awareness saved my neck once. Because I was looking at the parking lot I was walking towards instead of some inane Facebook update on my phone, I spotted a carjacker when he was twenty yards away from me instead of negative point five Yds.Thanks to that awareness I had a plan to deal with him , resulting in Jerk running for the bushes instead of me looking suddenly at the wrong end of his gun barrel , or finding out he was armed via bullets flying at me.

[BehindBlueI's]

Is there anything like the Combat Hunter program that civilians can attend? Knowing the body language, proxemics, etc. that are precursors to an attack can help immensely. Awareness isn't just noticing what's going on around you, its sorting the irrelevant information you receive from the relevant, allowing more of your processing power to work on the things that are out of the ordinary. Noticing your buddy keeps your head up and on a swivel, but it also teaches you to look for your buddy. Combining that sort of game with training and practice on profiling would be better than either alone.

[41magfan]

I agree, but you can't spot something known until you filter it through the all the unrecognizable. The game we play is a means to an end; not the end itself. The manifestation of the practiced skill can be something as simple as this; I witness shoplifting just about every time I go in a store. Those that don't may not be as aware as they think they are.

[TGS]

Is there anything like the Combat Hunter program that civilians can attend? Knowing the body language, proxemics, etc. that are precursors to an attack can help immensely. Awareness isn't just noticing what's going on around you, its sorting the irrelevant information you receive from the relevant, allowing more of your processing power to work on the things that are out of the ordinary. Noticing your buddy keeps your head up and on a swivel, but it also teaches you to look for your buddy. Combining that sort of game with training and practice on profiling would be better than either alone.

Craig's ECQC.

John Murphy in Virginia changed up his programs after attending ECQC and covers it, as well. "Street Encounters" is the title of the course, I believe.

[StraitR]

I agree, but you can't spot something known until you filter it through the all the unrecognizable. The game we play is a means to an end; not the end itself. The manifestation of the practiced skill can be something as simple as this; I witness shoplifting just about every time I go in a store. Those that don't may not be as aware as they think they are.

While I see where you're going with that, there seems to be a high probability that the "unrecognizable" will be filtered quickly as a "means to an end", in your instance, finding friendlies. The game is to not be tagged by friendlies, which WILL be the inevitable focus. Even if only for the pure sake of competitiveness, or pride, players (dudes, most likely alpha types) are going to focus hard on not getting tagged (the object of the game) rather than what everyone else is doing while being filtered. Putting it another way, in this particular game, friendlies have become the threats, and the unknown pose no threat. What are you really looking for?

Not trying to bag on you or your game, just trying to add some additional perspective. It's a great thread, and I look forward to the discussion.

[BehindBlueI's]

Craig's ECQC.

John Murphy in Virginia changed up his programs after attending ECQC and covers it, as well. "Street Encounters" is the title of the course, I believe.

Good. That's the sort of training that often gets overlooked but can pay huge dividends. I took a body language class from a rodeo clown and it was well worth the time spent. (In fairness, he was also a PhD, LEO, blah blah blah, but the rodeo clown part was more interesting to me.)

[voodoo_man]

I have repeatedly addressed the "scan" post shooting as well as during your regular goings on.

The best method I have found is to make eye contact with everyone around you. I have done this for some time now, in various places. Eye contact is a positive way to make sure you see everyone around you.

[BaiHu]

I have repeatedly addressed the "scan" post shooting as well as during your regular goings on.

The best method I have found is to make eye contact with everyone around you. I have done this for some time now, in various places. Eye contact is a positive way to make sure you see everyone around you.

vdm and others, I'd like to hear your thoughts on the above.

I too, as a man, am more likely, more comfortable and more willing to make eye contact with most people in order to "say", I see you seeing me to the "right" people. This gives me general awareness of exits, crowds, police as well as specific awareness of who may be the "right" person/s to look out for.

However, certain subcultures see eye contact as a challenge and almost all cultures see eye contact from a woman as an invitation. This is something I find important to share with my male/female students.

Any thoughts, suggestions or tips that might aid in the awareness game? And yes I'm a big fan of MUC, I have taken ECQC and I'll be hosting EWO next spring.