Part of the Light Fighter Concept that has become integral to Lodestone’s philosophy is scaling up or down based on circumstances or threat. It is silly to go to Walmart kitted-out to the max. It’s just as silly to think, “Nothing will happen today”, and go to Walmart with only your cell phone and a debit card.
Read More"Owning a handgun doesn't make you armed any more than owning a guitar makes you a musician." ~ Jeff Cooper
Responsibility and accountability are words we hear regularly these days in a variety of applications. But what do they mean for gun owners in general and the Lodestone community specifically?
Read MoreIn the Training Mindset article, I talked about the ubiquitous “Tactical Tool Box” and I wanted to expand on that a little bit. Another way of thinking about the “Tactical Tool Box” was given to me by a friend who put it this way: Every single time you draw from the holster or bring your rifle on target, your mind does the mental equivalent of placing a card into your mind’s file cabinet.
Read MoreIt was mid-day in the deep south of Missouri and the sky had just turned a sick greenish color as the sun disappeared and darkness took over. It sounded like a train as it flew by in the sky. As the tornado passed over “The Garden,” the 11-year-old boy prayed, “Please God… let this tornado take me now.”
Read MoreWe all know the guy who has a gun for every day of the year, but has very little clue as to how to employ them. We also know the guy that goes to the range with a mountain of ammo and zero structure, then leaves with a ragged target (and most likely, target stand) and not a thing learned. He looked great and had fun doing it, though!
Read MoreWe all have different ways of learning and ways of being taught. I saw an awesome t-shirt the other day that said “The Winner Spoils and the Loser Learns”, so naturally I picked it up for myself. In a society of First World problems and participation trophies, it can be easy to stagnate.
Read MoreAfter wrapping up the Urban Evasion Workshop, a common phrase I heard was, “I’m really glad I was concealed-carrying a firearm.” But what if you find yourself in an environment where you can’t? Whether it’s the location or situation, it may not be always be feasible to concealed-carry a firearm. I had a discussion with a family member who lives in New York City.
Read MoreI've been wanting to write this article for a few weeks now, without knowing how to start, so I'm just going to do it. We find ourselves standing at the edge of a Cliff, looking off into the future and seeing many potential hazards. We do not want to fall down this Cliff, so we make preparations to be ready for the things to come. We make plans, we store goods and equipment, and we train. We know there are many dangers ahead. In this article, I want to address one of those dangers.
Read MoreI can’t wait for the Second Annual Pennsylvania Light Fighter Challenge! With it being held at the incredible Ben Franklin Range, it will be bigger and better than last year. It is designed to give you an opportunity to learn a little about yourself as you navigate a 10-plus mile course.
Read MoreI’m sitting on a plane, flying out to Las Vegas to run a week-long Patrol Rifle class for an agency. They asked us to set up a Patrol Rifle program for them. We are going to be traveling all over the country to teach their agents the basics of Patrol Rifle. Once that’s accomplished, we will be holding advanced training for their in-house instructors. In a sense, we will be teaching ourselves out of a job.
I’ve been sitting here and contemplating how far I’ve come as an instructor.
Read MoreThis article comes from a conversation with my 16-year-old. The other day, she had an event that, for weeks, email reminders had gone out, telling everyone to be on time. Because I grew up in the 82nd Airborne, I need to be places ten minutes before the event starts. It is better to be ten minutes early than one minute late.
Read MoreI had a Team SGT that would say “when you point a finger at someone you have three pointing back at you”. This saying has stayed with me and it is often very true. As I prepare to write this article those three fingers are poking me right in the eye. We all can use self-reflection.
Read MoreThere are three things that will keep you alive in a combat situation, in order of precedence they are: 1. The guy next to you. 2. Your training. 3. Your Weapons (includes other equipment).
Read MoreWhat condition should your pistol be in as you carry concealed? That question is asked often in classes. A lot of our students are surprised and a little uncomfortable when we reply, ‘chambered.’
Read MoreOn August 2nd, we posted Season 3 Episode 5 of the LTAC Podcast, “Preparing Like an ODA”. If you haven’t listened to it, I suggest you do. In it, we talk about one of the best ways to prepare for emergencies. It’s not about how many or what type of guns should one have. Or how many beans should you store. It was about how a special forces team prepares for a mission and tackles problems.
Read MoreMost of us have had the experience of meeting a person who is just miserable to deal with, because they are arrogant. Whether it is work or recreation, this person has all the right answers and cannot be wrong.
Read MoreI would like to take the time to talk a little bit about planning. The intent of this article is not to teach a class on MDMP (Military Decision-Making Process) or TLPs (Troop Leading Procedures) or any other type of specific planning models. These models are used by the military and are very effective, however, for the average person, I believe that looking at planning from a broader point of view will be more helpful.
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