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Posted: 10/30/2016 7:33:56 PM EDT
After taking the NRA's Protection Inside and Outside the Home classes I realized that Situational Awareness is really more important that gear and marksmanship. I want as much and as intense as possible. Any ideas? Im on the East Coast.
Link Posted: 10/30/2016 7:36:46 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Acebris] [#1]
You could consider taking a physical security or VIP protection detail course somewhere.

EDIT:  I don't feel I was clear or very helpful.

Situational Awareness is part mind set, part knowing what to look for.  

For the first part of situational awareness some of that you learn on your own.  Look at the people around you, how they move, talk, and act.  Reading people and situations around you is critical and can be taxing.  This is why police officers can suffer from higher levels of stress, we refer to it as hypervigilance.

For the second part, knowing what to look for.  The classes I mentioned above might be a little pricey however, they offer a perspective on what an individual (or group) needs to do to secure a physical location as well as a person and should offer insight on how that is done.  That process includes looking for certain things that are red flags but, might be missed by a person without the right knowledge.

Of course, you can learn what to look for on your own.  But doing so alongside people who do it for a living...you pick up additional information as well as networking.  Plus, if it is a good class, protection detail training can be REALLY fun!
Link Posted: 12/14/2016 3:29:17 PM EDT
[#2]
Well, OP, any updates to your search?

When I was in the active army from 2004-2008, we did a lot of urban training and operations in country. The result now is that I am sort of permanently switched on and assessing the people and terrain around me.

I have found that most women tend to have low SA.

I often see people making themselves sitting ducks by staring at their smart-guy phone.

The only tip I can think of for you to self-train would be to stalk people in public. Not super-creepy like, but just imagine yourself as a bad guy, and think of who looks like a hard target, and who looks like you could probably put them in a rear-naked because they are so oblivious.
Link Posted: 12/19/2016 7:45:29 PM EDT
[#3]
I think these are a pretty solid explanation of the fundamentals.

Ep. 1 - SITUATIONAL AWARENESS without Being Paranoid


Episode 2 - SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: Spotting Threat Indicators

Link Posted: 12/22/2016 1:16:43 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Overtorque] [#4]
Left of Bang.
Link Posted: 1/5/2017 1:34:25 AM EDT
[#5]
Start with where you live. Pay attention to what normal looks like for your neighborhood. After awhile, anything out of place stands out. This will take some time then switch to your work place. Then concentrate on what is normal for your commute to and from work.

People out of place will really stand out after awhile.
Link Posted: 1/5/2017 2:40:49 AM EDT
[#6]
Situational awareness cannot really be trained. You are either aware or not. I think you can train how to react to a situation, but if you never notice it it's a moot point anyway.
I know cops that have terrible SA on the job, at home everywhere. I know others that are tuned up all the time and seem jumpy as hell.
I don't now a single person that can turn it off and on, unless they are at home or a safe place in which they still have the ability to address situations.
Link Posted: 1/7/2017 10:04:23 PM EDT
[#7]
Situational Awareness can be trained if you can get people to get off social media, put down the cell phone, coffee, and tobacco. SA is nothing more than attention to detail on a larger scale. Starts with the right attitude and paying attention to the real world not the virtual world. Addiction to smart phones will be the death of us all.
Link Posted: 2/15/2017 6:05:04 PM EDT
[#8]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By TANGOCHASER:
Situational Awareness can be trained if you can get people to get off social media, put down the cell phone, coffee, and tobacco. SA is nothing more than attention to detail on a larger scale. Starts with the right attitude and paying attention to the real world not the virtual world. Addiction to smart phones will be the death of us all.
View Quote


+1

If you care enough to see the threats around you then you will see them. The trick isn't in the seeing - it's in the caring. Most people care more about what someone just texted to their phone than what is happening around them - so they don't see the threats.

The rest of the equation is analysis of what you DO see. If it looks weird then there is probably something afoot. Most dirtbags have rote theatrics that they use to establish their lead up to an attack. Once you get used to their patterns it looks like bad acting and you can just watch it all evolve in relative safety. If you don't recognize it then you may become an unwitting actor on their stage. There is usually a con before an attack - they want to get all of your senses drawn into a fairy tale so when they launch their attack you are off guard. Don't let their theatrics enthrall you.
Link Posted: 2/21/2017 1:00:18 AM EDT
[#9]
Most service-members get to boot camp as nothing but whiny brats who care more about what they look like, than what the world around them looks like. Their situational awareness is encompassed in where they left their phone, and the latest gossip on <insert social media here>. Take it all away, and they are able to become valuable members of a team.

Situational awareness IS trained. Humans lack the reliance on instinct that animals have, and even they have to learn from their parents. Some people just learn to observe earlier than others do.
Link Posted: 3/6/2017 11:51:27 PM EDT
[#10]
Sgt. W has it right, you need more than a day long course. You actually need to practice it. A course will teach you what to do, but it only works with practice.

0, 5, 25, 100. Scan your area from near to far real quick, searching obvious threats. You will always scan right to left, bottom to top, then if you have time, the inverse.

Watch people, how they dress, stand, move, speak, look for items on a store shelf, etc. Watch for indicators of a weapon, malicious intent and mental illness.

Watch your area (as above) for objects and people that don't belong.

You can practice this with a simple trip to walmart.

A couple times in the past few years I've actually managed to spot people who definitely should not have had a gun on them, with a gun. Thankfully nothing happened, or even got close, I wasn't on their radar and they didn't appear to want me on their radar.

Paying attention like this also works while driving to defend yourself from road hazards and other drivers.

Apply the tactics we've learned over the years to counter IED's to your life.

Just don't get too in depth when the situation doesn't warrant it, or you will live life hyperaware and paranoid.
Link Posted: 10/3/2017 1:14:20 AM EDT
[#11]
Wanted to take this for a while, but haven't had the chance http://www.grahamtradecraft.com/graham-combat-araindrop/
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