The LESC Newsletter: People Ideas and Hardware in that Order! "Tactics" Issue 4

leland Creating Awareness and Situational Understanding for Those who Protect and Serve!

“If we watch a torrent bearing down on each successive bank or earthen dam in its path, we see that it first beats against the obstacle, feeling and testing it at all points. Eventually, it finds a small crack at some point. Through this crack poor the first driblets of water and rush straight on.

The pent up water on each side is drawn towards the breach. It swirls through and around the flanks of the breach, wearing away the earth on each side and so widening the gap.

Simultaneously the water behind pours straight through the breach between the side eddies which are wearing away the flanks. Directly it has passed through it expands to widen once more the onrush of the torrent. Thus as water pours through in ever-increasing volume the onrush of the torrent swells to its original proportions, leaving in turn each crumbling obstacle behind it.

Thus natures forces carry out the ideal attack, automatically maintaining the speed, the breadth, and the continuity of the attack.” ~B.H. Liddell Hart

Welcome

The forth issue of the LESC Newsletter: People Ideas and Hardware in That Order. The newsletter is named in honor of the late COL John Boyd USAF whose passion for understanding conflict in its “whole form” and his strategic insight into tactical decision making concept known as the Boyd Cycle which helped develop the human factor in creating better decision makers. Boyd would shout to his audiences “people, ideas and hardware in that order!”

His message in my view and therefore my goal for this newsletter is a people and ideas centric message. To often we focus and throw money at things (hardware, equipment, tools). This is good, but in this process the frontline personnel get lost in the mix and their needs to become better at what they do, detect, prevent , deter and resolve conflict through awareness, decision making under pressure and taking appropriate actions is jeopardized.  Obviously this varies and is based on the overall intent of the organization, which is jeopardized by lack of effort and resources provided to training and developing people and ideas so that the utility of their insight-imagination-initiative is adapted and applied to the problems and complex crises we respond to. Something to consider!

IALEFI Annual Training Conference 2009 West Palm Beach Florida

I had the honor to attend a few days of the 2009 IALEFI annual training conference which had over 300 members participating and all willing and ready to further develop their skills, needed in their efforts to protect and serve and stay safe while doing so. 

I had the honor of presenting my workshop on the Boyd Cycle: Threat Assessment and Management. This presentation incorporated ideas and was deeply influenced by COL John Boyd and his works, as well as the work of folks who worked with Boyd or whose work is inspired by Boyd such as Chet Richards, Frans Osinga, and my friend Don Vandergriff as well as Sun Tzu's The Art of War and Gary Gagliardi of the Science of Strategy Institute. The program received great feedback and reviews and i hope to be back next year to present the important topic again. 

The folks that put on the conference worked tirelessly to ensure all attendees and instructors had everything they needed and all should be commended for the fine work the organizing has done putting these on over the years. It had been a while since my last conference 2001 when i presented a program on Use of Force and it appeared to me the same folks in charge then, were still in charge this year. this speaks of dedication to the cause of preparing officers for the jobs they must do.

The day before i presented my workshop I sat in on a presentation presented by an Officer David Staskiewicz  of the Omaha, Nebraska Police Department who presented his departments AAR on their response to the tragic shooting that took place within their jurisdiction on December 5th 2007, at the Westroad Mall in which 9 people were killed including the shooter (19 year old)and 4 severely injured in this murder suicide.

As I listened to the presentation I could not help but visualize the off duty officer activating himself from off duty shopping mindset to one of interaction with a killer, in an instant at the sounds of gunfire and the decisions he must have gone through via the Boyd Cycle as he engaged the shooter and kept the shooter occupied and unable to freely continue to kill at his own pace. Boyd said a good strategy is, “that which persuades an individual or group of individuals to do what we want them to do. Meanwhile, in all likelihood our opponents are trying to enforce a similar program on us. In conflict this may require that we: Deny our opponents the opportunity to achieve their goals, or deny them the ability to survive on their own terms, or deny them the right to survive at all.” this officer and his agency as they responded handled themselves as true professionals and prevented even more from being killed on that tragic day.

In the Westroad Mall case the shooter took his own life but in understanding the trinity of a good response, strategy good tactics and operational art (knowledge of conflict and what methods to utile to resolve it) combined with rapid decision making and decisive controlled action via the Boyd Cycle we can prevail.  But to do so we must be willing and dedicated to continually learn more about conflict and violence and at the same time be open-minded enough to unlearn what we know and adapt innovative methods and tactics based on the changing conditions and relearn and apply new and even better methods on the move, as the situation continues to change as violent encounters always do. 

In a world where checklists and canned responses are looked for despite the fact that we know they do not work in the complex nature of conflict and violence, its an honor to be presenting the theories of a man and those who understand and honor him by continually trying to refine these theories so they are applicable in a combat zone like Iraq or Afghanistan, on the street, a security post, a university or campus, a workplace, in the home or at the mall in keeping us ahead of our adversary.

For all who organized, instructed and attended…thank you for your service!

The Tactical Concept of the week is Tactics.

The tactical dimension of dealing with conflict and violence is built on the foundation of strategic and operational elements. (We’ll talk about the lost operational art next week) The tactical dimension is the when and the where of the situation, the  time and place. It also includes who, who is the adversary what are his strengths and weaknesses and who are the people to execute and focus on the endgame via a strategy, lets say for the sake of this short article to “prevent or resolve conflict.” Is this situation to be handled by a single officer, multiple officers or a tactical unit? Whatever the case it effects the tactical concepts you will utilize in resolving a specific incident. 

Tactics are learned in a linear way as a series of specific things to do in a step by step way to resolve a particular problem. In the complex world of crisis, conflict and ACTIVE SHOOTER 2 091violence this how to method is inefficient in the type of nonlinear, rapidly changing circumstances we respond to. In the maneuver warfare handbook, William Lind defines tactics in a more useful way: “Tactics is a process of combining two elements, techniques and education, through three mental filters or reference points—mission-type orders, the focus of effort or Schwerpunkt, and the search for adversarial surfaces and gaps (strength and weaknesses) with the object of producing a unique approach for the specific adversary, time and place.”

This definition is much more applicable to the fast paced, complex and uncertain and non-linear environments and climates we face in the protection professions. You must always keep in mind both the friendly and adversarial situation and the environment you are in. It could be the street, a business, a car stop, a university or campus a home etc. Wherever it is you must understand how this effects the tactics you will use.

What to do?

Tactics is not just doing something, instead it is the mental game of interaction and isolation, Interaction with your environment and the individual(s) involved on both sides, friendly and adversarial. It’s not only what methods and tactics you choose to use, but is also why you chose the particular method. Tactics are used to impact the moral, mental and physical dimensions of conflict. The intent to slow down your adversaries Boyd Cycle  so you gain an advantageous position that effects the outcome in a positive way. Tactics can effect the mental, moral and physical realms of conflict and must be applied with all three dimensions taken into consideration. In Boyd's words; “Observe-Orient-decide-act more inconspicuously, more quickly, and with more irregularity as basis to keep or gain initiative…to repeatedly and unexpectedly penetrate vulnerabilities and weaknesses…. .tie-up, divert, or drain-away adversary attention (and strength) elsewhere.” To do this you must take unique approaches to specific situations and circumstances.

Tactics are both an art and science for solving and winning crisis situations. Winning without fighting being the primary objective of tactics. Tactics include; positioning, communication (friendly and adversarial), negotiation, recognizing the signs and signals of danger (recognizing patterns of behavior and reading body language). The ability to adapt or understanding when to move forward, backward or to stay in place. It is also knowing how to move so you are at less of a risk. Tactics could be a dynamic entry or a slow and deliberate entry, be it a team, or individual or the most prevalent tactical unit, the responding officer and his back-up.

Do you know how to move tactically in either of these types of units or is it hit or miss based on habit and luck? Do you understand and utilize cover and concealment in an effort to gain the advantage. Do you take the time to communicate as a tactic of gaining control or voluntary compliance through interaction with the person(s). If you engage a person and realize it was a mistake do you have the mental ability and strength of character to adapt and disengage to a position of advantage? Do you understand that yesterdays tactics used successfully may not work today with a different person, time and place? Do you develop and master these methods so if you do need to use them, they come natural to you in a crisis situation? If it is a dynamic spontaneous situation such as an active shooter or similar type incident, do you know how to work as a cohesive unit and can you move, shoot, rescue and evacuate victims in an effective manner? Do you understand the tactical methods that may apply based on who your adversary is; say a angry student (Columbine, Virginia tech) verses a terrorist organization (Beslan) or do you apply a 4 man diamond formation for both? Have you thought about it?

Exercises and Critiques: Tactics for developing the art and science of tactics

In the aftermath of an incident I consider it a tactic to conduct a decision making critique or after action review in an effort to pull out the lessons learned and make our responses even better. How about decision making exercises as a tactic to help develop the mental dimension of decision making in conflict under pressure? In spite of the differences in environments we protection professionals may work in, i.e. the cop on the street, (state, local, federal, university or campus), the security officer on a post (Federal building, Mall, housing development, school, Hotel etc) decisions and actions create changing conditions and we must apply the appropriate methods and tactics in an attempt to  create the change we are looking for and then adapt. Decision making exercises and critiques will help you develop these necessary skills to a level of mastery you can rely on in dealing with conflict and violence. 

My point in this short rant on tactics is that the art and science of tactics is more, much, much more than getting somewhere quickly and knocking a door down and coming out with one in custody, although that can be part of it, part of it when all else fails and as a last resort when violence is escalating and imminent. Instead think of tactics as the methods and schemes you use to gain the advantage, a real advantage in setting up the adversary and getting inside his mind so that he cannot cope with your methods and voluntarily complies.

Remember tactics are used to meet your overall strategy of preventing or resolving conflict and violence. If all levels of an organization share a comprehension of the overall intent and mission and what the focus of effort is, then all can be trusted to carry out the mission through applicable tactical concepts adapted to the situation with success is truly understand the art and science of tactics. As Mushashi stated in the Book of Five Rings; “To assess the intelligence and strategy of each individual opponent, to know the opponents strong and weak tactics, to use the knowledge and virtue of the art of war of find out how to overcome all others, is called mastery of this science.”

In the end understanding the art and science of tactics and applying tactics (methods, techniques and schemes), should be part of every individual who protects and serves knowledge and ability to apply a winning strategy through use of tactics.

Stay Oriented!

Fred

A little fun: Can we drop formalities, have fun and still be professional?

We’ll call this one “dazed and confused” or as Boyd says, folding the adversary back inside himself so he is unable to cope, becomes disoriented and confused!  Sometimes they do make it easy!

One homeowner experienced three break-ins in the same number of months. The home was in an isolated area with no streetlights, so the homeowner bought a gun to protect himself from any future burglaries. As a result, when one burglar broke his living room window and climbed in, the homeowner, who heard the noise, was inside waiting for him. The homeowner stepped out from behind the wall, pointed the gun, and said, “You’re a dead man.” In response, the would be burglar gave out a loud scream, dove through the window, and took off running. in fact, he ran so fast, he left his car in the driveway, still running, providing the police with helpful assistance in tracking him down.

Information and Intelligence

The articles, police, security, university and campus related news and related reports as well as the programs of instruction posted in this newsletter are believed by me to be of value to those who protect and serve and will keep the process of evolutionary learning and adaptability alive and well in our professions so we train to make a difference! A difference in how we, observe our surroundings and orient to the whole situation as it unfolds. In an effort to make good intuitive and explicit decisions based on time and risk that can be adapted and applied through various actions while enhancing officer safety and the safety of those we protect.

Please remember the newsletter is linked to the WWW.LESC.NET the LESC blog, where we can discuss these issues and any other topic you would like to bring up. In the end learning, education and training are linked and it takes collaborative efforts by all to make the difference that is needed.

Articles

News

Reports

Recommended Books to Enhance Awareness, Adaptability, Decision Making and Preparedness (new recommendations in each issue of the newsletter)

Links

 

LESC Upcoming Programs of Instruction

Location: American Firearms School, North Attleboro, MA 

Start Time 9AM

All articles and news reports posted in this newsletter are linked through the LESC website WWW.LESC.NET for the purpose of creating discussion which in turn will help us all in developing our knowledge and to learn-unlearn and relearn with the purpose of developing adaptability which is crucial to dealing with conflict.

I both ask and encourage all of you to post your comments (positive or negative) in regards to the material set forth in these newsletters so this learning talks place. Learning that will in the end will develop our awareness, attitudes and decision making abilities in a positive way and keep us safe out there! Thank you.