All this training is paying off

V

Vermonter

New member
This is somewhat of an after action report. THERE WAS NO ACTION BUT I REACTED CORRECTLY ANYWAY.

I was sitting in my office doing the little bit of computer work that I always seem to need to do. As I sat some ice fell off the roof and slammed into the overhang breaking a window below. The ice impacting on the roof sounded like someone breaking in and the glass break only helped matters. Being that my back was to that side of the building three things happened without me realizing them.

1. My strong hand cleared my cover garmet and indexed my G27 in my Iwb remora holster.

2. My support hand came up to my chest to complete my draw stroke.

3. I swivled my chair in that direction while beginning my draw.

As I swivled that way I could imediatly see the "threat" was a simple Ice dam falling from our roof. My pistol never cleared the holster obviously. It is nice to have a real startled reaction with no training stimuli and no expectation of a threat. Figured I would share.

Reason I bring it up here is that I can't be the first to have had something like this happen to them. I was supprised how fast I reacted and how spot on my 1/2 draw stroke was. Anyone else care to share similar expirences.

Regards, Vermonter
 
Training never ends. It's great when the brain just kicks in without thinking, like what has been practiced and "thought about" repeatedly.

We practice drills at home, at work, and in the vehicles. You never know what's going to happen, but we believe that we are ready to go for our protection without having that 1-2 second delay while you try to comprehend something that's occurring around you.

When seconds count, I don't want to be one of the sheep that has to analyze everything before realizing that a threat is there, and I may not be able to defend myself or take defensive action in time.

My wife and I play a game in the car, where we'll unexpectedly quiz each other about what vehicle is in front of the one in front of us, two cars back, or what the billboard just said that we passed. It's about training the brain to always be scanning, listening, and being aware of things out of the ordinary. Then when something happens, you can react instinctively without hesitation.
 
A few years ago, my wife and I had just come out of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy and were walking north into the Piazza della Signoria. Florence is notorious for pickpockets and I was constantly aware of my surroundings. Florence is also a street performer's stage and there were plenty of them around.

I was glancing toward my right at a large statue when I saw a hand appear at my right side, just above my belt, right where I always carry a handgun when I’m at home in Florida. I grabbed it in the standard retention move, twisted and turned to find myself holding a mime in a wrist lock.

I never cared for mimes.

Apparently, this guy was playing for the crowd and had intended to tickle me, and maybe my wife, under the short ribs. Instead of getting a laugh, he was down on one knee and in considerable pain. Imagine my sympathy.

I eased off a bit on the pressure and, with my left hand, shook my index finger slowly in his face. The crowd laughed and cheered. I smiled at him, let him go and made a “shoo” gesture with both hands. He backed up a couple of steps and, you have to give him credit, gave me a deep bow.

Then I had to spend the next few minutes explaining to my wife why I’d assaulted a mime. Funny, I always thought that's what they were for!
 
I love hearing these stories too. I don't have anything real exciting to share, just one little thing. I am currently living with my parents (times are tough right now) and even when no one is home usually the porch light is on, a light in the living room and a light over the kitchen stove. Well the other night I came home and there were no vehicles here, the front door was unlocked, the porch light was NOT on and there was no lights on in the house at all. I drew my BG 380 and walked slowly through the house with it at my side aimed at the ground, until I got to the back of the house and saw my Dad laying in bed. Once I saw everything was fine I turned some lights on and talked to my Dad for a minute. I told him what I had done and he actually seemed like he was kind of pleased at the way I reacted (although he wouldn't admit it of course). Now before anyone says it, I wasn't in the state where I was going to shoot at anything that moves and if I would have been startled by my Dad I wouldn't have shot him. I live in a pretty good neighborhood in a small town without a ton of crime, but I still choose to be prepared because things DO happen.

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Different Circumstances at home

It is very very good to know when something is different in your house. Routine is good and anything that breaks that routine should be cause for moderate alarm.
 
I see all the time that "we live in nice neighborhood with very low crime rate... so it should be OK". At one time, I also believed that but not anymore.

This actually happened to my mom few years back, who lives in very nice neighborhood with very low crime..

She came home one day from work early, with her dog (a little maltese) who accompanies her all the time. She didn't find anything out of ordinary when she walked in through front door (all locked, nothing out of place), went into kitchen and came face to face with a guy she never saw before. She froze in place, as did the guy that was in the kitchen, and what happened next is the ONLY thing that saved her IMO.

Her dog, a little 5lb maltese, jumped out of her arms and went after the guy, the guy freaked out and went out the kitchen window (which he broke to get in) and ran away. It appears the guy broke the window and got in few moments before my mom pulled into driveway. Since kitchen is all the way in the back of the house, you can't really hear car pulling into the driveway. He was startled as much as my mom, and when the dog went after him, it must've scared him away.


She called the cops and they showed up 15 minutes later. If the guy had ANY intention of hurting her, or not been such a noob burglar, situation could've turned much worse.

I told my mom to feed that maltese well and get him a pal to play with - a nice big rottweiler or a boxer. She didn't, but from that point on, both my parents now use the home security system. Which they had all along but never used - they rarely if ever armed it prior to this.
 
Jumper

If you search my pervious posts you will find a thread called Mindset It will never happen here. All about this very subject.
 
I said I live in a good neighborhood but I stay prepared because things DO happen. I don't have that "something like that would never happen to me" mindset. As a matter of fact when I was younger our house was robbed. Luckily nobody was home. My dad left for like a half hour to go to the store and that ONE time the front door didn't latch when he closed it and he came home to a ransacked house. That is such a horrible feeling, it makes you feel so violated. I try my best to be observant of things and take note when something is out of the ordinary, like the time I came home to a dark house.

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