The Tactical Mind

BigDave said:

If things go wrong and you do not make it for some odd reason, are they cared for, will your absence be greatly missed? I think so.

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I've got an ex-wife I don't miss.

Not sure if the "fleeing is a no-no" stuff was directed at me or not, but I'll throw in my two cents on it anyhow.

My main priority is my fiance and the rest of my family/friends that are around me at the time. Second place to that are bystanders. I am not a superhero. I could not live with myself if I decided to engage someone and my fiance got shot in the process, when I could have escorted her out first. I am going to escort my family out before I decide to duke it out. Once they are safe, then that's another story. If I'm alone, that's another story. Then I think it's your responsibility to protect bystanders. But if I'm with my family, they come first...I'm getting them out safely first, then I'll worry about whoever else might be in danger.

I routinely get "in trouble" when I go out to eat with someone because they think I am not paying attention to the conversation. I am paying attention to them but I am also ALWAYS checking out my surroundings with casual glances and reflections off objects.

Having my back to the door bugs me but not to the point of leaving or waiting for a specific table.

Situational awareness for me is either all on or all off. There is no half-way.

TheJeepster said:

Situational awareness for me is either all on or all off. There is no half-way.

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I am rarely unaware...nearly all the time I am at orange when it comes to awareness. I would rather be in orange all the time than white.

I don't see any paranoid people here.

Situational awareness is something that humans have evolved to keep out of really bad situations. Just call me more human than human. I scan crowds, sit in a chair in the back or side facing the door, and chase shadows or reflections. It's become a fun little game for me.

Situational awareness has pretty much become a habit for me. I don't consciously think about it much any more. Whenever I leave a building such as my house, a store, etc. I am scanning my environment just to see what's there and especially if there is anything unusual, such as the guy in Federal Way Starbucks Saturday. He was a bit strange, looked and acted like he was high. He doesn't know how many pairs of eyes were watching him! Once in awhile I catch myself not paying attention, then I get upset with myself. But at least I noticed that I was not paying attention, since SA is the norm now.

Beretta92FSLady said:

Where do you sit when entering any business? Do you find yourself at times not having a tactical mind, sitting at the front with your back to the entry way of the business you happen to be in?

Heck, maybe I am just paranoid...RIGHT

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Where in the establishment varies, but I always try and sit facing the main entrance or at least with an easy view of the main entrance and I never sit with my back to a major window.

I was at a local Cutters Point today and ther was a young TPD officer there. He had his back facing the door the whole time and looked like he was reading something on his phone most of the time. He was completely oblivious to anything going on behind him.

USMC1911 said:

I also do this ^
Not paranoid ... just being safe, being aware, being ready, being a Sheepdog and not a sheeple.

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And if the bathroom is a mess or disaster area... I LEAVE!

If the staff are leaving the BR in such a foul condition they certainly can't clean the hands in that bathroom adequately, even IF they follow the "employees must wash their hands before they return to work" sign!