Preparedness training

[klkak]

The way a person reacts to a stressful situation is relevant to the way they train to handle stressful situations.

The way you train is as important as what you train for.

As instructor at the US Air force Air Base Ground Defense school (ABGD) I would put each new class of students through the same scenario when they arrived.

The class would be sent on a patrol which would pass through the middle of an area called the “Transition pad”. A ½ mile long by ¼ mile wide flat open area with no cover bordered on one long edge by a heavily wooded area. When the patrol was in the middle of the pad they would be ambushed from the cover of the woods by OPFOR.

Without fail, when the weapons fire started and the GBS’s started booming. Every single person would either freeze or drop to the ground. Resulting in a very high casualty rate. In essences their minds would shut down.

After a couple weeks of high stress training in all aspects of ABGD, the students were again patrolled and ambushed. This time however they would attack the ambush (as trained) resulting in a much lower casualty rate.

This exercise was used for several reasons. One being a base line for their training. But more importantly it showed them that in a stressful situation you have to keep your mind moving forward. If you stop you die.

It’s not enough to rush the weapon firing at you. You have to think, you have to fire and maneuver.

This same type of training is important to everyday life. If you train yourself to handle even one highly stressful situation you enable yourself to handle other stressful situations better than not training at all.

For example: a family that has trained and prepared themselves for an earth quake is better able to handle a tornado or flood then a family that has never trained for any type of natural disaster.

Comments or questions, Anyone?

[BENESSE]

+1, couldn't agree more on all points, K.

[Alaskan Survivalist]

I agree as well but have come to this conclusion through a different, ancient disapline tempered by life experience.

Mushin (No Mind) and Rage!

This is setting the mind free of all thought and emotion and used in martial arts to achieve unencumbered movements. It awakens the unconscious mind and improves the connection between mind and body. A simple example of how it improves physical performance is speed, power and endurance. During physical battle people will tense up tightening muscles and working one against the other (like a clenched fist). To move one muscle must be released and the other tightened, the process slowing your movement weakening you working one against the other and work fatigues muscle sooner weakening you further. Far better to be relaxed and just tighten the muscle needed. This is just one example of the improvement of the mind and body connection. From the mental perspective alone the biggest advantage is in making the decisive first move. While others are accessing and thinking I act. While not thinking at the time does not mean thought was not put into my action and more than could thought in the split seconds prior to a response. I spent 6 months of my life alone thinking every possible situation a person would encounter in life and assigned priorities to all things so I have already made the choices that would give most pause to think. Things happen that trigger a trained response without thought.

It was Judo that made me aware of this and something that came very natural to me. To gain every edge for competition I furthered my knowledge of it through Zen, Yoga and Transcendental Meditation. The more I learned the more I understood there was nothing to learn. 8 years of submersing every waking moment in Judo gave me a holistic approach to life not learned through words but though motion and the effects of which extended far beyond the Dojo. Applied to everyday life I realize it does not matter what you think or how you feel only how you act that counts. Does it matter how you feel about getting up and going to work? No, you just do it.

I have found that my suppressed emotions remain buried deep inside. I do not suppress emotions of virtue like love or compassion. All that is in me is not good. Hate, fear, vengeance, anger, etc that when combined comes out in one form only, RAGE! I use the principles of no mind and mental discipline to keep it buried deep because I have no control of it except to determine to release it or not. Released it takes “No Mind” to unimaginable levels with no thought, no pain, only a pure release of adrenaline. This the dark side of me and the lessons I’ve learned in life which remind me of Satin’s words when he first tempted man “Eat of the tree of knowledge and you shall be as God, knowing good and evil”. I carry this always but there is another code of Budo roughly translated goes like this “Always be prepared for battle and live life with each breath”.

Survival mindset? This is my only mindset…May God have mercy on my soul!

[Rick]

I think you make some excellent points. Few train, which I think is the problem.

[Winter]

I agree that any training improves reaction.

There's "training" you can do even on untrainable events like an assault on your BIL.

That training would be war-gaming. It's a bit late to think about fields of fire and likely enemy avenues of approach when it's time to start shooting.

When did this forum become a martial survival forum?

[crashdive123]

It didn't, much to the chagrin of a few.

[JPGreco]

Didn't bobzilla think it was though? lol Or is martial survival different from militants?

Anyways... klkak, what you said is very true. I have minimal training in first aid from Boy Scouts and a pathetic first aid course I take for coaching. However, with never really having to use it, the few times I did, it was as good as it should have been (at least to me). I felt like I was fumbling around, even though I was right about what I was doing. And these instances were rather minor situations. Luckily, my training did allow me to function, but nowhere near the same level as an EMT can.

[crashdive123]

Klkak - I've posted this before ..... Not sure if it was unique to the Submarine Service, but we had a saying - "Train the way you are going to fight, because you will fight the way you train". Don't get hung up on the word fight. That saying held true for ALL training. Piloting, navigation, ship handling, fire fighting, damage control, rescue at sea, helo transfers, ship's destruct, and on and on.

[Rick]

Bars too????

[Alaskan Survivalist]

There are many situations that will require a trained reaction without time to think that have nothing to do with battle and still have to draw on the same qualities. Whether falling into class 5 white water or being charged by a bear from 20 feet there is no time to think it though and must rely on your instincts. Training is not just knowing it but training enough that it becomes your instinct.

[crashdive123]

Absolutely. It's terrible to see how the young, untrained Sailor can become hoodwinked so easily after being plied with libation. Training is important.

[crashdive123]

There are many situations that will require a trained reaction without time to think that have nothing to do with battle and still have to draw on the same qualities. Whether falling into class 5 white water or being charged by a bear from 20 feet there is no time to think it though and must rely on your instincts. Training is not just knowing it but training enough that it becomes your instinct.

Yep. That was my point.

[Rick]

I knew there was a moral to the story. No morals, of course, but a moral.

[klkak]

It's not a martial survival forum.

I used a scenario my background as an ABGD instructor as an example only in the OP.

I feel sorry for anyone in this country that thinks their future will include defending their home with inter-locking fields of fire. Or running for the hills watching their back trail and shooting at anyone following.

Time would be better spent preparing for things that are more likely to happen. Here in Alaska that would be an earth quake/tsunami or power outage in the middle of winter.

I credit my military training for making me prepare the way I do. It was good solid Military training, not Militant or Survivalist training.

[Pal334]

Klkak!!!! So you were that rotten SOB? " As instructor at the US Air force Air Base Ground Defense school (ABGD) I would put each new class of students through the same scenario when they arrived." I went through many sessions, and I agree with you basic premise. Training gives you confidence, and a basis for action / reaction. In my simplistic way, I felt it gave me the ability to "switch gears" in an emergency , my training and experience gave me that little extra time to evaluate a situation and react. So far, I never had to panic during a situation, now afterwards, sometimes was a different story.

[Winter]

Sorry Klkak, I must have misunderstood.

I prepare as my risk assessment dictates.

Starts at power outage and water shortage and goes clear through unemployment, earthquakes, and those nasty things that may require interlocking fields of fire.

Preparedness, as such, is not wilderness survival.

I have forums for the interlocking fields of fire discussions,,lol.

[Pal334]

You also hit a good point :"I feel sorry for anyone in this country that thinks their future will include defending their home with inter-locking fields of fire. Or running for the hills watching their back trail and shooting at anyone following"

The most likely things that folks should prep for are the non military "problems". In my experience, with a few exceptions, folks with military backgrounds seem to seek a decidedly non military primary course

[your_comforting_company]

Could it be called "intuitive reaction"?

When you can make a set of moves in response to whatever stimuli without hesitation (i.e. needing time to think) you are already a step ahead. You have to know what action to take without having to assess, register, and then take action.
I think this is a really good article. Good points made by all. Thanks!

[Rick]

I'm a weather guy myself. Other things could happen but I know the odds are much, much greater that I'll be hit with a power outage or a tornado than food riots. Food riots only happen around here after the local football game.

[klkak]

Sorry Klkak, I must have misunderstood.

I prepare as my risk assessment dictates.

Starts at power outage and water shortage and goes clear through unemployment, earthquakes, and those nasty things that may require interlocking fields of fire.

Preparedness, as such, is not wilderness survival.

I have forums for the interlocking fields of fire discussions,,lol.

That is a positive and productive mind set.