Texas License to Carry a Handgun Course Online

Transcription

1 Texas License to Carry a Handgun Course Online Mental preparedness, mental preparedness is one of the most important skills you can acquire. Why is this important? Well, for several reasons, it can prevent an incident before it can occur. It can provide you with the basic game plan in the event something does occur. It can also save a life after an incident. One thing criminals look for is an easy target. This may be a home they want to break into a car they want to steal or a store. They want to shoplift from poor a person they want to assault. When it comes to a physical attack on a person, an easy target might be a person on a park bench with their headphones on while reading a book. That person may not be aware of anyone or anything that's going on around them. That person is completely unprepared for an attack. A US Marine writer and firearms instructor Jeff Cooper developed the theory that the combat mindset is the primary tool for surviving a confrontation. A combat mindset is far more important than the weapons involved. Cooper used a color-coded system as an indication of the mental state. With a proper combat mindset. You are the weapon your firearm is just a tool. There are four colors of mental state in Cooper's theory, white, yellow, orange, and red. If we go back to our example of the person on the park bench, this would be conditioned white, the person is unaware and unprepared for any attack. The person in condition white could be a sleeping person. They could be daydreaming or just in their own world, completely immersed in their own activity. A person and condition White is an easy target, and they are completely surprised when something takes them out of it. Now imagine a woman walking down the sidewalk she's looking around watching for traffic and dodging people passing the other direction. This would be conditioned yellow, she's not panicking, but she's aware of her surroundings and using good judgment to avoid conflict and confrontation. As she continues she notices two men down the block are staring at her. They're talking and acting suspiciously, the two men ducking anally and out of her sight. She is unsure of any intent that the men may be having so she crosses the street to the other side to avoid it. walking past the alley, she actively chose to avoid giving them an opportunity to do anything. This would be condition orange. She's not panicking, but maintaining her awareness of her surroundings, and using good judgment to avoid confrontation. She has targeted a specific threat and identified that something is not quite right in the situation. by her being aware of a potential threat and creating distance between her and the two men. It gave her an advantage of space and reaction time if something were to happen. As she walks past the alley from the other side of the street, she looks down the alley and sees the two men now at the far end of the alley walking away. Luckily, it was nothing. She can now go back to condition yellow and carry on. Now, what would happen if the men saw her and ran across the street towards her. This is the moment when she needs to decide if she is going to use force to defend herself. Rapid decisions must be made

2 immediately on how to react to an apparent imminent threat. If she has mentally prepared, she will make those decisions quickly and react smoothly. She makes the decision that this is not a friendly encounter, and she needs to use force. This is now condition red. Condition red is when the threat is verified and there needs to be an execution of the necessary response. If you're in condition yellow while driving. If you suspect you're being followed, you can easily find out drive to a block you're familiar with. Make sure you don't take a dead-end loop, make a right turn. If they make the right turn as well. This might elevate you to condition orange, take the next right turn. If they're still following you take the next right turn. Now you've completed a full circle. And if they're still following you, you are being followed. At this time, you're probably deciding whether or not you're going to move into condition red. You can do the same thing while walking outside or inside of buildings use reflections in glass and objects to keep an eye on potential threats. situational awareness just by maintaining a condition yellow awareness level will keep you at an advantage from a surprise attack. Criminals intent on doing harm to someone may choose not to attack you simply because they notice that you notice them. Begin by paying attention to your physical surroundings. One, consider checking safe parking locations. Check for adequate lighting. Remember where you parked your car. Have your keys in hand and ready before exiting a building. This way you can quickly get into your vehicle. Also, your keys can make a great contact weapon if needed. To look before entering your car, look before entering a building. Watch behind you by using reflections on glass and windows to see if someone is behind you or following you. When inside a building. Know where the exits are in case you have to make a quick escape. Pay attention to the people around you. One watch for loitering and seasonally inappropriate attire, like someone wearing a coat in warm weather to listen for unusual conversations. Listen to the words that they are using. Listen to the tones and demeanor in which they talk. Three, watch other people's actions and nonverbal cues such as clenched fists, rapid or deep breathing, excessive sweating, crying blading often their stance and their eyes fixate. Be safety conscious at all times. One, lock your car doors when you get into the car. To win at a drive-thru pick one that doesn't box you in and block you from getting out in the event of an emergency. Three. If you need to use an ATM, be cautious of blind corners or places that someone could hide. Always be aware of what's around you for using the buddy system whenever possible. Just because you have a license to carry a firearm doesn't mean you should take risks beyond what you would normally have done. One example is shopping in a certain neighborhood after dark. If you wouldn't normally shop in this area because it's a little sketchy. Don't do it just because you now have a gun. use good judgment. With proper avoidance, you can stay out of or stay in front of it. Looking for a License to Carry a Handgun (LTC or CHL)? We are a DPS approved Online Course provider in Texas. Get certified for concealed carry of a gun and weapons.