Citizens Curriculum

[mercop]

I realize there are lots of LE/MIL here, but I know that the vast majority are citizens just like me (now). This is a list I came up with based on topics that I believe would be the most beneficial to the average citizen. Some because of time, location, and funds are more out of reach than others, but that does not change their importance in my mind, so any training on them is a good thing.

Interpersonal Communication Skills
High Threat Driving
Traumatic Injury Management

Open Hand Combatives
Improvised Weapons
Impact Weapons
Edged Weapons

Marksmanship with pistol, shotgun, rifle

Then tactics with the above three

All done with the consideration that during a large percentage of our day we are responsible for another person such as spouse or child.

Some may disagree with how far firearms are down on the list, But this is based on daily need, time and opportunity for use, and preventing the need for any level of force.

What do you think?- George

 

[MattCFII]

I'm glad to see trainers take a complete shift in training. It used to be that you would get a watered down version of the LEO/MIL class which was because A. you weren't good enough/couldn't be trusted to get the full version and B. it works for them so it should work for you. Even if they didn't do A. it would still not be better tailored to a what a CCW normally is, a single person defending oneself, or that person also defending there family. George definitely doesn't water down his classes and the the civilian one are made to maximize things for the civilian's unique problems.

I'm taking the shift too in not being just self defense oriented. I now carry a small trauma kit realizing that with my kids or just driving down the highway there is more of a chance that I'll use that to save a life (including my own) than potentially my gun and knives. But I do need better training for treating trauma...

The High Threat Driving sounds pretty interesting especially with the road rage incidents I've been witnessing lately (luckily not directed at me).

 

[obijohn]

I heartily agree with both the list and the order. Some of those topics are a tough "sell", but critical. First, I think we need to educate the public to the list and the priorities. It seems to be almost too easy to fill a "gun" class, but I wonder how many citizens are armed with an ar15 all or even most of the time. The old adage "If the only tool you have is a hammer, all your problems look like nails..." seems to fit.

We preach the gospel, is anyone listening?

 

[David Rose]

This is more of question than a suggestion but, I think I would put firearms above edged weapons.

My reasoning:
In most areas I can carry a knife I can carry a gun. Both are on the lethal force end of the force continuum. If I’m confronted with a lethal force situation and I have both on my person my default choice would be the gun.

On the other hand if you are covering defense against an edged weapons attack at the same time I can see the value of putting it higher on the list.

None of this is meant to diminish the value of the knife as a tool and as a weapon.

 

[bingley]

This is a list I came up with based on topics that I believe would be the most beneficial to the average citizen. Some because of time, location, and funds are more out of reach than others, but that does not change their importance in my mind, so any training on them is a good thing.

Time alone, as an issue, could make this citizen's curriculum unviable. Most of us work full time and more. Many of us have families. That leaves us at best several hours a week to do other things. Usually these other things, including firearms and emergency training and whatnot, are properly regarded as hobbies. But, hey, we've already got plenty of other hobbies: tennis, photography, knitting, movies, music...

To become capable of fighting decently whether unarmed or armed with edge or impact weapons, you'll have to spend 5 years, training three nights a week. You need to be in good physical condition, too, not to fight better, but to keep up with the intensity of the training. Most people don't have this degree of dedication. Those who do are usually in it because they just happen to like that sort of stuff. I'd think that something called the citizen's curriculum is for the average citizen who doesn't have the particular inclination to become a martial artist or an IDPA shooter. He/she wants to spend the minimum amount of time to get effective at handling emergency situations.

At least non-firearms combative classes are relatively cheap and more plentiful compared to firearm courses. To get good at firearms, you're looking at a pretty substantial investment in instructor fees, equipment, and ammunition. Not to mention time for travel to courses, to go to the range, etc. (If I'm wrong about this, please let me know! If 15 minutes with you can save me 15%...)

Now, if you are any smart at protecting yourself, you probably won't get to use any of this. That's a good thing. But I think the sort of awareness involved is developed out of experience of living in bad areas, and some of this stuff is local (criminals from different areas use different tactics). So this stuff probably can't be taught. On the other hand, after getting mugged a few times, you get better at picking up clues. This is probably the most valuable skill. Learn when things feel wrong and you have to turn and run. Fighting is often a bad option, because you might not win, and also because you might win and the law might not like that.

A knowledge of self-defense law. Don't forget that.

It would seem to me that we should probably shorten the list by reducing the "combative" skills to just defensive handgun. Take a course, and review regularly. Maybe do an annual refresher. That may be all the time the average citizen has. If you want to take trips to Gunsite so you can do all their courses up to extreme long-range sniper marksmanship, go ahead. But that's too much to expect of the vast majority of people.

So how do you learn high threat driving? Go to a bodyguard's driving school? That's very expensive, too. What options do we cheapskates have?

 

[MerKWorK]

What do I think....
I think you stated it best when you said we are usually responsible for others in our day to day environment. Another way of say that statement could be,"even if we are defending ourselves there will be others around us." It is incumbent on us all to be proficient in these means to ensure we do not hurt others through our negligence.

The thinking seems outdated, but I still believe that every citizen should be a soldier at the ready. A citizen soldier. Regardless of what the misguided laws say about it, we should also help in the policing of our communities. There are skills that need to be built to accomplish these tasks responsibly and efficiently.

And last but certainly not least. Practicing all that was listed in the starting of this thread increases your chance of success and survival in those given situations. That in itself should be an easy choice. At least being a father of 2 and a husband, it is for me!


Great thread...as usual!

 

[MattCFII]

This is more of question than a suggestion but, I think I would put firearms above edged weapons.

My reasoning:
In most areas I can carry a knife I can carry a gun. Both are on the lethal force end of the force continuum. If I’m confronted with a lethal force situation and I have both on my person my default choice would be the gun.

On the other hand if you are covering defense against an edged weapons attack at the same time I can see the value of putting it higher on the list.

None of this is meant to diminish the value of the knife as a tool and as a weapon.

Maybe, but the thing you find in force on force is that there is a "hole" up close where the gun isn't the best option and you have to create distance to access it and you need a combination of open hand/pen/kubaton and moment to allow you to get the gun in the fight. Or if you can't build distance, you access a folder and if unable to deploy it, at least use it as a blunt force tool until you can. If you have a fixed blade, even better. I'm starting to carry a small fixed blade because of this.

The great things about George's IET is that it is simple, almost purely defensive method (which is rare for a knife technique), and really seems to bridge a gap between open hand then pen/kubaton to knife to gun. It all seems to flow as one system on a building block approach.

While what you say about places you can carry a knife is generally place you can carry a gun is mostly true, there are usually less consequences in NPEs if you have knife (misdemeanor or less) than if you carry a gun (felony), especially if your knife isn't the "DeathDealer 2000" and viewed as more of a tool.

 

[IndySSD]

Interpersonal Communication Skills
High Threat Driving
Traumatic Injury Management

Open Hand Combatives
Improvised Weapons
Impact Weapons
Edged Weapons

Marksmanship with pistol, shotgun, rifle

Then tactics with the above three

What do you think?- George

I think (per usual) that you're spot on.

 

[mercop]

High Threat Driving Training is expense, I am luck enough to teach it and practice it on the DOD's dime. But the truth is it does not matter whether you are riding a bike or driving a car, there are only three inputs you can make-steering, accelerating, and braking. You need to understand that to the total of all three is can not be more that 100%. So what I mean is that if you stomp of the brakes 100% you can not effectively steer.

Like Interpersonal Communication Skills, HTD is something we get to practice every day. Do you make a habit of backing in or "combat parking" all the time? The reason I ask is because I give an example of you get into your car in a parking lot, and all of a sudden there is a guy in the front of the car with a tire iron yelling for you get get the fu*ck out of the car. This is an armed robbery in progress, you can use deadly force, but are you so fixated that your pistol, possible covered by your seatbelt is your only deadly force option? Or will you put it in park and use him for a speed bump. Have you ever thought about this?

What if you are driving down the street in an unfamiliar area and the same guy steps out with the tire iron. There is a car behind you and you cannot not go to either side. What do you do? Is your choice different if you have a kid strapped into a car seat in the back? Here we transition from HTD to Vehicle Tactics.

Our lack of time, interest, and training money, does nothing to change the threats we may face. - George

 

[MTC]

... any training on them is a good thing.

Interpersonal Communication Skills
High Threat Driving
Traumatic Injury Management

Open Hand Combatives
Improvised Weapons
Impact Weapons
Edged Weapons

Marksmanship with pistol, shotgun, rifle

Then tactics with the above three ...

What do you think?- George

Inclined to agree, though admittedly several items on that list were neglected, taken for granted or made a lesser priority than firearms training. Steps have been taken in the last few years to close a glaring gap in close range personal defense.

 

[bingley]

Our lack of time, interest, and training money, does nothing to change the threats we may face. - George

The threats we face also do nothing to make more time in our daily lives. I'm all for training as much as possible, and in fact I do way more than the average bear. On the other hand, I do know more than a few people whose lives are so busy with work and family that anything else is a luxury. Some people still remain interested in protecting themselves. It sounds like you're some sort of instructor. If you really want to design a citizen's curriculum (rather than amateur fighter's curriculum), you'd probably want to take into consideration limitations of time and money that many citizens face. Just my two cents. You're free to do whatever you believe is right.

Good luck!

 

[mercop]

Yep, I am some sort of an instructor. Thanks for your perspective.- George

 

[MattCFII]

Yep, I am some sort of an instructor. Thanks for your perspective.- George

One particular Lafayette Police Officer knows he's a pretty big deal (inside joke for a class up there)