SECURITY & TACTICAL ADVISOR Volume 1 November 2013 | Page 10

Take the case of a United States Marine named Jake… Jake had served his country as a United States Marine. He was also the victim of a violent home invasion. One night, Jake’s seven-year-old son came into his bedroom to tell him that someone was trying to break in to their home. Jake dismissed the child’s chatter as wanting to engage dad in some conversation in order to stay up. That seeming to be the case, Jake instructed his son to go back to sleep in his room. A few minutes later his son came back into his bedroom and again said to his dad that someone is breaking into their house. This time Jake got out of his bed to take a look. As Jake entered the living room area, he saw what his son had been trying to tell him…2 men were, at that very moment, coming thru the window. And Jake, the U.S. Marine, froze at seeing this horror of someone violating his living space. He then made a loud scream. Someone had violated his living space! The two men proceeded to enter the living area and immediately cracked Jake across the face with a handgun. Jake then fell to the floor unconscious. During this time, the two home invaders duct taped his son and wife up leaving them on the living room floor out of view from any potential observers. Did Jake have the combat mindset? Next, these two violent criminals woke Jake up from unconsciousness and fondled his wife in front of him and his seven-year-old son. They then put a gun to the child’s head and said they would kill him if he (Jake) did not give them all his money and jewelry. To make a long and unfortunate story shorter, Jake and his family survived the incident, but are all in psychotherapy every week still two years after the event. The psychological damage from the attack scarred all of them for life. They all find nighttime very difficult. Sleeping problems and nervousness as well as a host of other problems have surfaced as a result of the violence. Sadly, Jake never adopted the combat mindset. When your life is on the line, you can choose to do what Jake did and lose or you can give everything you have to fighting and win. What would you have done if you were Jake? What could you do? I have seen many so-called “experts” tell you to comply with the demands of these violent individuals in the hope that they will not hurt or kill you. From my years of operating in some of the most hostile environments on earth, I would tell you this: ACTION BEATS REACTION EVERY TIME. Criminals use violence to intimidate and scare you. Criminals, when wholeheartedly committed to the act, will stop at nothing less than inflicting maximum damage to their victims as rapidly as possible with no regard for your well-being. This type of violent action always beats reaction or what politically correct folks like to call self-defense. Once initiated, you are overwhelmed and mentally unprepared to be in a struggle for your life. Remember this…When you have the combat mindset, you are less likely to need it than someone who has chosen to adopt the “compliance” mindset. 10