Modern Warrior

In today's "tactical" world, this image has become all to common. The current trend is to pretty much buy everything that you can and put it your tactical vest in an effort to be at the "top" of your game. The problem is that to many people have trained in "Tactical Consumer" classes versus tactical skills classes. "If I have the newest shiniest toys I will win whatever I face." I see that a lot in schools that I have attended as well as those I have taught at. Everyone wants the toy with the highest CDI factor (Chicks Dig It) and they think that it is the magic solution. "If I just have the XYZ transmogrifier, I will prevail in every confrontation."

The problem with this line of thought is that people forget the fundamentals of what ever they are striving to achieve. They forget that the real answer to most problems is hard work. It is the time in the Dojo, on the range, even the time in class to learn the reasons why we do what we do. People forget that they are the Weapon and everything that we carry into combat is a tool for the weapon system to use.

The Modern Warrior needs to step back a little and evaluate their needs and goals in regards to their tactical equipment. Is the answer buying more stuff or is it training to use what you already have in your arsenal.

We need to be the "Naked Warrior'" to borrow a great term and idea from Tony Blauer. The basic premise is that you can defend yourself without all of the tools and gear if you need to. It is a very powerful premise in that it reshapes the way you live and train. You than start to rebuild your system from the ground up in such a way that they all mesh.

I like to teach all of my students that everything we do is based on the same platform, whether it is hand, stick, knife or firearm that they are deploying. It makes since once you realize that there is no reason to separate your skills into different branches or actions. One seamlessly flows into the next, because in Combat you can be at any level of force at any time. The real confrontation is not a case of meeting at High Noon for the shootout. It is the push, punch, weapon drawn from a hiding place and used against you. If you are not the weapon system, how do you defend yourself and prevail?