There are times when we just can't be by ourselves... Maybe we are with our family, a significant other, a child... For whatever reason we have people with us who have entrusted us with their security.
Me personally, if I have a girl with me and we're going out in town for some damn reason (folks, I don't get out of the house much if it ain't drawin' pay...) then you can bet your last red cent that I have told them "Look, if this happens and we're in X place, do this, don't do that." Yes, I'll hit the details of that further down the road... for how to handle things personally, and while the gist of things are the same, I'm not covering PSD's downrange and working here stateside... For two reasons... A. Each detail has it's own SOP. B. Some of my friends are on those teams and I'm not going to blow someone's OpSec when I could just mention a few common-knowledge tricks of the trade that are already all over the error-net.
Let's talk about the gas station... You and your significant other stop in at the local Stop-N-Rob for something on the way home from that movie and dinner (yeah... I know that movies are f**kin' ridiculously expensive, I don't go see them in theaters either)... and the local thugs have run out of cash, beer, and cigarettes... There have been cases of uniformed police officers being disarmed and killed during robberies... This is precisely why I don't open carry. So you're well concealed (you did remember to tell the new squeeze that you carry, right? A first date doesn't end well when your new interest gets am armful of Ruger GP100 .357 in your shoulder rig when she gives you the goodnight hug... TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!!!!)... The first rule is "Don't say a word about me being armed." Last thing you need right now is a BIGGER bull's eye on your back, bro. The less people that know you carry, the greater your survivability is... because now you have time. Time to get to the weapon and get it in the fray at a time YOU choose!
Next rule is "If I move you when there are "problems" then there's a reason... MOVE!" Your people have to know that if you're trying to get them out of a hot zone, someone is going to get jacked up if they don't move and right now... and that your number one goal is to make sure that the one on the receiving end ain't them.
Next rule is PHYSICALLY MOVING them from the hot zone... Why do we work our guns one handed? Easiest way to get a kid out of harm's way? Pick the rugrat up. Are you man or woman enough to move your significant other? If not, sounds to me like you need to go hit the weight bench before you hit the range (Deadlifts, Power Cleans, Squats, Snatches, Pull-ups, and the various Presses are your friends!!!) next time, hoss. Next part of this is can you run carrying your kid or significant other, possibly even dragging them as a casualty? It's no secret I come from the Marine Corps... And you can take the Marine out of the Corps but I promise you the values of the Corps are permanently embedded in that Marine... And Marines take that whole "Semper Fidelis" thing deadly serious. "Always Faithful" means exactly that and as such I won't leave ANYONE I care about to be hurt, murdered, or worse... Even if it means I suffer that fate.
How do we move a friendly while engaging a threat? Well, that's best shown in person but the gist of it is turn your back to them while drawing... With your support hand, grab a hold of their belt buckle and force them where you want while backing into them in the direction you want them to go... Simple enough, but it must be practiced... Especially when you're incorporating a draw and opening fire with this!
Just a few things to think about, folks.
Hope this finds y'all well.
Stay Frosty.
Stay In The Fight.
-Kenny Smith
President, TFTG