PMCI October 2017 | Page 15

EDITORS COMMENT noses stuck to the screens they seemed to drift past me like aimless ghosts. Crowded trains and tubes make line of sight all but impossible, and the thought that the majority around me were not in any way “switched on” had me shaking my head. In this issue you’ll find the report and photo gallery of what we saw at DSEI in London this year, and what a show it was! I am not saying in any way, shape, or form that the threat of However, when getting ready to head off to the city I found my terrorist attacks should stop us doing anything, buy why will head turning towards the current security situation; whilst I did people not learn to be more aware? Skills that once were taken not for one moment question my intent to attend the show it for granted are perishable, and erode all too easily if they are did go through my mind that I needed to, as they say, “have my not worked on. head on a swivel”. Whilst PMCI is squarely aimed at, and indeed designed for those Further recent atrocities, perpetrated by cowardly pond-life that that wish to enhance their personal skillset for professional live in the darkest pools of our ever more fragile societal lake, reasons, it strikes me that we are becoming equally as valid as bring personal safety and security to the forefront. This summer a publication for the wider community. Surveillance and CQB I have undergone major surgery and although fitness is returning skills are not necessarily needed for modern everyday life, and I am by no means at the top of my game right now. Physically thorough knowledge of tactical clothing, equipment, knives and I am slower and less agile than I would normally be, although firearms are frowned upon by many, but it’s the mindset that is mentally I hope I’ve still got all my marbles in the jar! the thing. I found myself thinking how I might be able to react if an If the mindset to be aware, to recognise where and when you are “incident” were to occur, but once I started out on my journey in life, even to simply survive is lost then we truly have already I realised that all things are relative. Mixing with tourists and started to hand over to those that would see ill done to us both commuters both it struck me just how unaware people are, as individuals and as a society. VANISHING MINDSET, VANISHING SKILLS People were just not engaged in their situation, on the phone, both spatially and situationally. Okay, I work day in, day out with the firearms, training and tactical communities so perhaps I am Wherever you may be people, switch on, train hard, stay vigilant more aware than many, but the seemingly blissful lack of any and keep safe. kind of place and time in others shocked me more than I would have liked. pmcimagazine.com