Self-Defense TRAINING
A helicopter lifts off from a US military base.
LESSONS FROM BLACK HAWK DOWN Part II: One instructor’s perspective on translating combat lessons into civilian safety tips.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY PAUL PAWELA
Author’s notes: In the first half of this two-part series last issue, I referenced nine key lessons learned from Mark Bowden’s book, Black Hawk Down, and applied them to civilian defense tactics of today. Below are eight more takeaways from the book, along with modern parallels, to ponder. I would also like to thank former Delta Force operator/sniper Jim Smith, who is now the CEO of Spartan Tactical, for providing many of the Delta Force images.
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OINT 10: The book Black Hawk Down states, “Speed was critical. When a crowded house was filled suddenly with explosions, smoke, and flashes of light, those inside were momentarily frightened and
disoriented ... So long as Delta caught them in this startled state, most would follow stern simple commands without question.”
Parallel: “Stop! Don’t move!” When holding a bad guy at bay with a firearm, knife or protection dog, strong, short verbal commands work best. What you don’t want to get into is a long verbal barrage of words like, “Unpleasant citizen, please cease and desist all your unlawful and felonious activities. I am now placing you under a citizen’s arrest.” Remember, you cannot shoot and talk at the same time. Keep the dialogue short and authoritative. POINT 11: “Look, for the first ten minutes americanshootingjournal.com 63
