Layers of Defense – One of the first things you learn, when you get into the military, is that defense is not like the days of old where you have one or two means of defense, and if they get past that picket, welp, you are screwed. Today’s threats are everywhere, from online stalking on your social media to the opportunistic thief casing your neighborhood to more desperate and hardened criminals either intent on violent crime or worse, a mass atrocity. So, in a world such as this, it is best to practice what I learned a long time ago, layering your defenses because, unfortunately, you won’t know there is a weakness in your defense until the Huns are already through the gate.
Mindset:
First and foremost, you need to be in the mindset that you are a potential payday to someone, regardless of if you have millions or just a few dollars. Unfortunately, there are people with ill intent, and you are their target of choice to them. So, accept that bad things can happen, and decide if you want to be a victim or a fighter. If it is the latter, read on.
Don’t present an opportunity:
If you are that person that is more interested in their phone as they walk, fumble for their keys for minutes at their car, or flash cash or valuables, you are the type of target that presents itself to an entrepreneurial criminal. If you are distracted, you are much easier to assess risk, find an opening, surround, or attack with limited risk to the assailant. Most criminals don’t want a fair fight because that leads to jail time or holes in their body God didn’t put there. Know where your keys are before you go out of the store, and only unlock them when you’re at your door, not 50 feet away. Also, look around, not on your phone. That alone prevents someone from getting into your blind spot. If you are at home, do simple stuff. Lock your damn doors. Switch out your deadbolt screws with 2–3-inch deck screws that go into the actual studs in the framing. Keep up with your yard so it looks like you are home, with no tools or large rocks around to aid entry. Solar motion lights, alarm systems, a dog, and curtains drawn are also great deterrents.
Firearms: Your last line
Ideally, you never want to get to this stage, but if they are hell-bent on what you got, you now need to commit to defending yourself as your life depends on it. In the two incidents, I have been involved in, just my presenting a firearm immediately stopped the altercation. The second one was four minutes before the police arrived when the perpetrator was shooting his firearm. The biggest factor outside the home is…. did you bring it? I know when I was first carrying, I was about a 50% chance I was carrying because my weapon was too big, the holster too uncomfortable, and I couldn’t wear it unless I were in jeans/khakis or a button-down shirt. Nothing screams “Look at me” when it is hot as hell, and you are overdressed. I highly recommend looking at the Original Holster as it is versatile. You can wear it with gym shorts like I frequently do. I would encourage you to do it as well at home, but I know I sometimes want to kick back and relax. While most people think they will get broken in at night, statistically, it is during the day. My wife works from home and homeschools our kids, so we practice locking our doors even while at home, and my wife knows where a defensive weapon is in the house. If it is when I am home, there are places where I have a gun in the event, I am caught without mine on my hip, but with small kids, they are still under lock and key for safety. As a final note, I would encourage everyone to look deep and mentally prepare for the possibility of that shot and that it may not be the person you imagine. It is just as likely, if not more so that the person breaking in might be a female drug addict as a large burly guy with ill intent. It could also be a solicitor at your door, dressed nicely in an official uniform to “test your water,” and really, they are scoping out the house. Be prepared, be aware and in the words of General “Mad Dog” Mattis, “Be polite, be courteous, show professionalism, and have a plan to kill everyone in the room.”
Author: Ian Bolser