The Ambush

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

  The best way prevail in an ambush is to not be in one! There are two frequent sources of violent ambush:  garden variety street crimes that come from strangers, and cruelty wrought by someone with real or imagined hurt feelings in a romantic, work, or financial relationship.

  Regardless of the motivating factors, the best defense against ambush costs nothing and is largely common sense. Situational awareness is key for anyone not wanting to be a victim. Exercising awareness begins in the mind and extends to the senses. One must acknowledge this abundantly obvious fact:  evil lurks in the hearts of some men and women, and can be unleashed upon us as individuals or groups at any time.

  With the acknowledgement that wrongful acts are at times directed at good people, casual monitoring of one’s environment naturally follows. Stay aware of what’s happening, using primarily eyes and ears. Is there an argument developing nearby? Sometimes other senses come into play as well. For example, the scent of marijuana, cigarettes, or gasoline in a place where that’s not normal is cause for extra attention. Or maybe a specific person or persons who seem to be out of place are in the vicinity. Maybe there’s only that unsettling feeling:  something’s just not right. Regardless, don’t ignore these signs—take action to avoid the area or plan to take cover and/or action if things escalate and you must stay in the location. Execute your plan if worst-case events unfold. Freezing in fright is the one universally bad response.

Incident Prevention as a Way of Life

  There are many ways to reduce your chances of an ambush by the way you conduct yourself. Navigate public areas with an erect posture and confident stride without drawing attention to yourself. Even if you’re feeling ill or down, strangers don’t need to know. Avoid conspicuous displays of wealth, saving lavish jewelry and designer gear for occasions where they’re the norm. Make casual eye contact with others—and be willing to do the uncomfortable work of turning around to greet, politely and firmly, anyone who seems to be following or closing distance on foot, skateboard, bicycle, etc. The simple act of eye contact with a polite greeting has put off many a would-be assailant who’s looking for easy prey.

  Avoid distractions, especially phones, in public. If you must wear earbuds, keep the volume such that you can hear conversations near you. Shun the bad habit of surfing the ‘net or otherwise dawdling in your vehicle. While the car may feel secure and homey, it is while sitting in them idly that we are very vulnerable. The lowered profile and cramped quarters that are inherent to car-sitting are weak positions from which to begin a fight. If you must sit in a parked car, do it with the seatbelt off, offering yourself a bit of maneuverability and chance to escape. This shouldn’t be construed as advice to not wear a seatbelt in a moving vehicle.

Training Matters

Get practical training beyond basic marksmanship skills. Here is a short list of suggested competencies:

• -Rapid malfunction clearances and reloads for your EDC and vehicle firearms
• -Ability to draw and fire accurately on a torso-size target within 2.0 seconds or less while seated—both in a car and at home
• -At least three simple empty-hand strikes and at least one restraint technique
• -Skills and tools with non-gun weapons, i.e. blades, pepper spray
• -Obtain skills and tools to manage anxiety and overcome restraints or imprisonment
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  There are countless schools and philosophies of fighting out there. Some are valuable and some are ineffective or even counterproductive to winning the fight for your life. Shop wisely for methods that are proven—people of smaller stature, advanced age or frailty, and women must be especially cautious consumers.

Mindset is Key

  My first serious mentor in the realm of victimhood prevention, CJ Caracci, said, “the will to win is more important than the skill to win.” Training is good and provides the skills to prevail when things get ugly. But it is that line in the sand of the mind that drives decisive action and fills in the gaps between skills with pure resistance.

  If “pure resistance” sounds a bit uncivilized, accept that a true ambush is nothing short of a threat on your life or the lives of loved ones. There are times for avoidance, de-escalation, and compromise. An ambush is a sudden and direct attempt on your life. This usually includes crimes like carjacking or arson done with no regard for the lives in the way. In the face of a life-endangering threat, your response must be instant and more brutal than that which is being unleashed on you or yours. Decide today that you will not be a victim and will do what it takes to win the fight for your life. When you do, the door to winning that attack to be opened—everyday objects can reveal themselves as weapons; physical strength and endurance can be exercised at normally inaccessible levels.

  Drawing that line in the sand will help you prioritize the tools and training needed to protect yourself and your family. Pretty is as pretty does! Choose equipment accordingly. In the words of another cherished mentor, “don’t let your equipment defeat you.” I have seen countless failures from tricked-out Glocks, for example, with hundreds of dollars of modifications to make them “better.” On the other hand, it is rare to see a plain, off-the-shelf Glock fail. Money spent does not always correlate with ability or confidence. Time and commitment invested are the real winners.