Today, we're going to start our series off on the fundamentals of Close Quarter Battle (CQB).

CQB is the physical confrontation between two or more combatants. As the name implies, these fights take place in close proximity - typically at ranges of 100 meters or less (yes, you read that right) - involving the use of firearms; edged and impact weapons; improvised weapons; or even hand-to-hand combat.

While most discussions surrounding the topic of CQB centers on room clearing, which is the systematic method of neutralizing a threat or group of threats room by room to secure a structure, the subject is much broader than that.
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Rooms in a structure can open up into long hallways, corridors, even streets or alley ways ranging out to 100 meters or more. The potential for distances to open up from immediate to longer ranges can impact our load-out choices, so it's important not to pigeon hole ourselves into thinking that CQB is just "room clearing."
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Have you met old man Murphy before?  He's the guy that makes sure that "if something can go wrong, it will."  We have a related saying in the military that goes: no plan survives first contact.

That's because there's a wide range of factors and variables that come into play, many of which we have little control over, that can influence our desired outcome.

In the civilian realm, we also recognize that things don’t always go as planned. That’s where the concept of a Plan B or not to putting all your eggs in one basket comes from.
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But sometimes, even that's not is enough.

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When you think of danger zones, what comes to mind?  A war-torn country with a volatile government? A high-crime city with a dangerous gang presence?  While these are all valid danger zones, there are other, less obvious places that can be just as hazardous.

For instance, people have been attacked while attending a funerals, in church, picking their kids up from school, eating in restaurants, and other places that seem to be unlikely epicenters for violence.


The fact is, we live in a world where these attacks are occurring in a-typical settings with increasing frequency and lethality - like the one that happened here at this hospital.
While most of us will never be personally targeted in venues like this, that doesn’t mean you can’t be collateral damage. Once you step out into the public square, there are no real safe zones.
So, here's few tips in general to increase survivability:

​Have you ever heard that phrase, "failure is not an option"? I understand the sentiment, but I've never been a fan. That's because fear of failure is what stops people from pursuing their dreams in the first place.

Let's face it, failure disappoints. It stings. It hurts. And most of us naturally gravitate away from the things that cause us pain.
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But I want to share a personal story about how failure can actually be good for you. In fact, it might just be the key to the success you're looking for.

The greatest lessons you learn in life tend to be the most painful ones.  They stick with you.

That's why 2020 should've been your best year yet.  2020 was like a course accelerator with twenty years of life's lessons crammed into a 12 month span!

Just think of it:  pandemic; shortages and disruption to the supply chain; riots and security threats; financial hardships, systematic breakdown of political and civic institutions - and that's just off the top of my head!

So, what did you learn about yourself?

1.  How prepared were you?

2.  How did you adapt to these unprecedented changes?

3.  Did you innovate and solve your problems?

4.  Did you overcome and thrive or are you still waiting for someone to wake you up from the new normal?

If you've been following my posts on the American Insurgency and how you need to Prepare Yourself Now, then you know I believe that there are some serious things we are facing in the future.

Am I being a conspiracy theorist?  Judge for yourself.  In the past few months we've seen:

• Covid-virus bring our economy to its knees 
• Conflicting and contradictory information by the experts
• Censorship of medical experts with opposing views
• Irrational panic buying of goods like toilet paper (revealing the fragile mindset of people)
• Riots and looting in major cities
• Corrupt leaders on both sides posturing to take advantage of the crisis

And that's just going off the top of my head.  

As we go into the next 90 days before the election, let me ask you this question: 

Call it Murphy’s Law, call it bad luck - call it what you will - but there's a saying in the military that goes: no plan survives first contact.

In the civilian realm, we also recognize that things don’t always go as planned. That’s where the concept of a Plan B or not to putting all your eggs in one basket comes from.  But sometimes, even that's not is enough. That’s why the military utilizes PACE planning.

PACE is an acronym which stands for: