I just posted this on the Warrior Talk News blog, and wanted to share it here.
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Everyone in the USA is having difficulty finding ammunition in most calibers, and the ammo that is found is usually expensive. Most stores are limiting the sales to each person, as well. If you didn't stockpile prior to the recent situation, or if you are concerned about being able to resupply that stockpile, you might be reluctant to sign up for a gunfighting class.
Yet at the same time, are we not realizing that the skills we teach in Suarez International classes are incredibly important now, more than ever! We must give up the fantasy that we all live in some happy Utopia. Ladies & Gentlemen, we are living in a time and place that is essentially a combat zone. Just as those living in Israel have learned to live a happy life, but never forgetting to be on their guard, we must do the same.
We have for many years believed nothing bad will happen to us if we stay out of "bad neighborhoods". Then we started realizing that meth labs are proliferating in the rural areas, and those folks are happy to kill you if you get in their way. We now know that various gangs are viewing the USA as their next territory to own, since they now literally govern much of Latin America. And even our local thugs are looking to follow Sutton's Law, and go make their robberies in the nicer neighborhoods, "where the money is". And what about the simple nut jobs who decide to shoot up a school or a mall, due to their own inner demons?
So if that isn't enough reason to learn proper skills, now it is becoming obvious that Anytown, USA is also a place that terrorists can easily operate. For all too long, we were worried that the Russians would launch a nuclear bomb into our big cities. Much of our national defense thinking, as well as our personal approach, was oriented toward that. The attacks of 9/11/01 made us realize that terrorism could hit us hard. However, even after 9/11, we were left primarily with fears of a more large-scale attack, involving hijacking & bombing buildings and airplanes.
Our friends in Ireland and Israel learned long ago that small scale attacks are perhaps even more effective purveyors of terror. The two bombs set off by the Islamist terrorists in Boston this week were small, easy to make, and easy to transport. From a perspective of killing personnel, they were not very effective. These small bombs only killed 3 people, and maimed several dozen, when set off in a very crowded location. Yet from a terrorism perspective, these little improvised explosive devices were incredibly effective.
The fear of even a tiny IED has potential to destroy your way of life. Terrorists don't have to kills thousands like they did at the World Trade Center. Striking in any way at a mall in Peoria, a kid's soccer game in Tupelo, or a church in Boise would truly be even more effective to spread terror. Even Tom Clancy published a novel with this concept years ago. Is it not obvious that the jihadists will take this approach sooner, rather than later?
So when (not if) this happens, are you prepared? Do you know how to protect yourself and your loved ones? Are you ready to attack those who wish to destroy our way of life? What are the clues to let you know something bad is about to happen? Do you know how to respond during and after such an attack? When do you move? When do you close vs create distance? When do you go hands-on vs drawing your gun or knife? What is a tourniquet, and when do you apply it?
Suarez International instructors are very attuned to the fact that the paradox of need for training, and lack of ammo, are both legitimate concerns. We believe the skills we teach are vital today, more than ever. It just so happens that some of our most important classes are actually fairly low round count classes. Even the classes that traditionally have been higher round counts are being done in ways to reduce your ammo expenditure, if you need to conserve. The trauma/tactical medicine classes (TMCO and ATM) and Zero-5 Feet Gunfighting use less than 200 rounds, and of course knife, FoF and CQB are zero round count. The Terrorist/Active Shooter Interdiction (TASI) class is specifically designed to help you in these situations, and requires only ~250 rounds. In these classes we spend a lot of time doing Force on Force (Airsoft) and dry drills. We also spend a huge amount of time emphasizing tactical thinking.
This is not the time to avoid training, in order to save your ammo. This is the time to get the training you need to survive in our current reality. We will help you do this in the most efficient way possible. But only you can make the commitment to get the skills. Sign up for some SI classes now.
Dr. John Meade is Director of Tactical Medicine for Suarez International , and a board-certified Emergency Physician. He is a reserve police officer on a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team, an EMS medical director and an NRA certified instructor. He may be contacted on WarriorTalk, or his website at www.statdoc.com .
_______________________________________________________________________________
Everyone in the USA is having difficulty finding ammunition in most calibers, and the ammo that is found is usually expensive. Most stores are limiting the sales to each person, as well. If you didn't stockpile prior to the recent situation, or if you are concerned about being able to resupply that stockpile, you might be reluctant to sign up for a gunfighting class.
Yet at the same time, are we not realizing that the skills we teach in Suarez International classes are incredibly important now, more than ever! We must give up the fantasy that we all live in some happy Utopia. Ladies & Gentlemen, we are living in a time and place that is essentially a combat zone. Just as those living in Israel have learned to live a happy life, but never forgetting to be on their guard, we must do the same.
We have for many years believed nothing bad will happen to us if we stay out of "bad neighborhoods". Then we started realizing that meth labs are proliferating in the rural areas, and those folks are happy to kill you if you get in their way. We now know that various gangs are viewing the USA as their next territory to own, since they now literally govern much of Latin America. And even our local thugs are looking to follow Sutton's Law, and go make their robberies in the nicer neighborhoods, "where the money is". And what about the simple nut jobs who decide to shoot up a school or a mall, due to their own inner demons?
So if that isn't enough reason to learn proper skills, now it is becoming obvious that Anytown, USA is also a place that terrorists can easily operate. For all too long, we were worried that the Russians would launch a nuclear bomb into our big cities. Much of our national defense thinking, as well as our personal approach, was oriented toward that. The attacks of 9/11/01 made us realize that terrorism could hit us hard. However, even after 9/11, we were left primarily with fears of a more large-scale attack, involving hijacking & bombing buildings and airplanes.
Our friends in Ireland and Israel learned long ago that small scale attacks are perhaps even more effective purveyors of terror. The two bombs set off by the Islamist terrorists in Boston this week were small, easy to make, and easy to transport. From a perspective of killing personnel, they were not very effective. These small bombs only killed 3 people, and maimed several dozen, when set off in a very crowded location. Yet from a terrorism perspective, these little improvised explosive devices were incredibly effective.
The fear of even a tiny IED has potential to destroy your way of life. Terrorists don't have to kills thousands like they did at the World Trade Center. Striking in any way at a mall in Peoria, a kid's soccer game in Tupelo, or a church in Boise would truly be even more effective to spread terror. Even Tom Clancy published a novel with this concept years ago. Is it not obvious that the jihadists will take this approach sooner, rather than later?
Suarez International instructors are very attuned to the fact that the paradox of need for training, and lack of ammo, are both legitimate concerns. We believe the skills we teach are vital today, more than ever. It just so happens that some of our most important classes are actually fairly low round count classes. Even the classes that traditionally have been higher round counts are being done in ways to reduce your ammo expenditure, if you need to conserve. The trauma/tactical medicine classes (TMCO and ATM) and Zero-5 Feet Gunfighting use less than 200 rounds, and of course knife, FoF and CQB are zero round count. The Terrorist/Active Shooter Interdiction (TASI) class is specifically designed to help you in these situations, and requires only ~250 rounds. In these classes we spend a lot of time doing Force on Force (Airsoft) and dry drills. We also spend a huge amount of time emphasizing tactical thinking.
This is not the time to avoid training, in order to save your ammo. This is the time to get the training you need to survive in our current reality. We will help you do this in the most efficient way possible. But only you can make the commitment to get the skills. Sign up for some SI classes now.
Dr. John Meade is Director of Tactical Medicine for Suarez International , and a board-certified Emergency Physician. He is a reserve police officer on a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team, an EMS medical director and an NRA certified instructor. He may be contacted on WarriorTalk, or his website at www.statdoc.com .
