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Old 02-15-2006, 21:58   #46
Warrior-Mentor
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Adversity Makes You Stronger

"Most all good things come through adversity:

Looking back it seems to me,
All the grief that had to be
Left me when the pain was o'er
Stronger than I was before.

- Unknown

"I believe that. We get stronger when we test ourselves. Adversity can make us better. We must be challenged to improve, and adversity is the challenger."

- John Wooden
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Old 02-16-2006, 20:34   #47
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thread

Is this a new thread or have I been looking at porn to much. Loop has taught you well NDD.......All kidding aside I printed it and I will read it several times. Best info I have seen on here. Once again I will say this is the first page I go to when entering the net.
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Old 02-16-2006, 21:50   #48
NousDefionsDoc
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Thank you all for your kind words.
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Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
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Old 02-18-2006, 23:03   #49
NousDefionsDoc
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Been thinking some tonight

Just rambling...

I recently saw on another board a phrase I like very much - "We die in the gaps." It wasn't exactly used in our context, but I think it could be, especially with initiative based ops. Gaps interrupt the flow, the Zen-like water wave of the flood. Gaps leave things needed doing undone.

If you have to rush, you probably caused it.

I try to be on the look out for ways to instill mindset in students. But I can do more. It is hard to get them to visualize unless you have the same number of instructors that have been working together for years to give them a demo. Over and over again. Even then, you can't explain it.

There is no substitute for experience and teamwork. You have to train together to fight together. And you have to experiment. New Targets - New Situations.

Mindset and professionalism are more important than we realize a lot of the time. We all spend a lot of time on individual skills - shooting, etc. I'm not sure we spend enough on mind set and team building unless forced to do so. Hanging with the right people I think is a critical element. Both mindset and professionalism are contagious.

We have to study our craft. Knowing the enemy, truly knowing him, will help. In the old days, most warriors personally knew or knew by reputation the individuals they were likely to face. We can't do that now, but we can know the groups inside and out.

There is nothing wrong with saying, "I don't know how." as long as you remedy the situation. On a good team, somebody will have the skill set - ask for help. Get a class on it. Plus cross-training keeps it fresh.

Long discussion on tactics over beer are a must. "How 'bout if we..." has probably solved more opportunities for excellence than anything else. But theory won't get it done, you have to actually try it. SIMs is a great tool for this, but you can usually see if it will work or not on tape.

My kit will never be "right".

Medical skills are perishable. So are comms skills.

There are a lot of skill sets that need practicing. Sometimes you have to get your ass off the range and do other things.

Document what you do, whether it works or not. Re-inventing the wheel is usually a waste of time.

Don't forget to have fun and smile - also contagious. Nobody wants to be on a team with a negative MFer all the time. That shit is also contagious.

"never volunteer" is bullshit.

Check lists are good. So are notes.

Being called "dependable" might not be something you want to say to the wife, but I'll take it.

Be there. Be ready is redundant.

Learn to write. Bunbu Itchi.

If you don't trust him - DX him. Life is short.

They were right about Quiet Professionalism. They didn't know it, they wanted it for all the wrong reasons and they didn't know how to go about getting it - but they were right.

Women shoot better than men, who gives a shit? That tells me something, but I don't know what.

Some people will rise to the occasion when pushed, others won't. Both are good to know - so push.

You only get the amount of respect you demand and deserve. If you aren't getting it, look in the mirror.

Paul Howe gets it.

If your shooting partner is dicked up, it's partly your fault too.

You can go too fast - and often do. Smooth really is fast.

I like the saying "Fight the enemy, not your equipment." You're not doing yourself any favors by scrimping.

Try to get knowledgeable people from outside your org to come critique your training whenever you can and get to that level. If you think you're getting it all, you're fooling yourself.

Be proud if you're good. Toot your own horn every now and then - nobody else will. But you better be able to back it up - because they will damn sure call you on it.

There's no excuse for an instructor not being able to do what he is requiring the studs to do. Be prepared to demonstrate anything in your POI at any time. This means you have to keep your own skills up. If you're going to strap it on, they have a right to ask you to prove it.

We're generally not training or working with stupid people - treat them with the respect they are due and don't abuse the position of instructor.

I can still stack rounds at 100 meters with an AR10 - but I have to focus a lot more than I did when I was 30.

Planning is a good thing. Choreographing is not.

If you're allergic to gunpowder, go work in a fucking bank.

Everbody has a bad day every now and then - it's what you do with it that counts.

Never settle for less than what you came for. It's a bad habit to get into.

I like the saying, "Don't be that guy, be the that 'go to' guy."

"Fook anybody that ain't us" is not necessarily an indicator of a bad attitude.

If you think you've found the "perfect technique" call somebody that knows and they'll screw it up for you.

You can have too many tools in the toolbox. If you're doing your job right, the guy you use it on will never see it again - 'cause he'll be d.e.d. dead.

Alcohol changes people - don't think you know your team mates until you've seen them drunk. Same with stress.

Putting five in a hole from 5 meters with a Glock doesn't impress me - putting two in the kz after a transition and mag change on the move at 16:00 after working all day does.

You have to be good cold and right out of the box if you want to be a Dude. Alot of people are good after they get warmed up. You also have to be good cold and tired and wet and hungry.

Snipers and Breachers are you friends.

Stairs and hallways suck, but all targets have at least one of them.

WWII combatives are simple, easy to learn and they work. Unless you are doing it for enlightment, enjoyment, exercise or fun - you don't need to be a Ninja to kick somebody's ass. They work good inside too - but you should never have to find that out.
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Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
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Old 02-19-2006, 03:55   #50
Martin
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Thank you for all these posts, NDD. Frickin' excellent!

Martin
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Old 02-19-2006, 07:51   #51
jatx
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Lots of really good stuff here, whatever your endeavor. Thanks!
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"If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be, and we must be secret to keep them so." - JRRT
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Old 02-19-2006, 11:23   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc
You can have too many tools in the toolbox.
which is to say "master the tools you have..."
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""A man must know his destiny. if he does not recognize it, then he is lost. By this I mean, once, twice, or at the very most, three times, fate will reach out and tap a man on the shoulder. if he has the imagination, he will turn around and fate will point out to him what fork in the road he should take, if he has the guts, he will take it.""- GEN George S. Patton
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Old 02-19-2006, 11:28   #53
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Well said, brother.

Not to step on your thread, but I would add the following.

Saw Paul last week, he does get it. Anyone sees an op to train with him, take it. You will not be disappointed.

Don't forget that the medic can be your very best friend.

I have also learned that it is easy to be good when you are fresh, on a flat range, plinking paper in broad daylight. Show me your skills after the infil, the hump to the target, hurt, against live opponents, in a nasty structure, in the dark.

Video is a great addition to training, especially if it is used properly. Video can end that "yes I did", "no you didn't", "I got you first" line of argument, and makes it easy since if properly placed, the student can critique himself.

Sims are really great, especially when you think you are getting good.

If you take a course, you should always learn something, even if it is something not to do. A course where you learn a new "tool" for that kitbag is a good one. If you learn more than that, it was a great one. Remember that you have more than one hammer in that bag, and don't get stuck on your favorite trick. If the skill you learned is applicable, and you have demonstrated efficacy in training, use it. Remain flexible without becoming completely limp.

Gear doesn't make the man. The mall ninja with $10,000 in Gucci gear will lose to the warrior with a sharp stick every time.

Gunwriters get paid to sell magazines and keep advertisers happy. Not all are as good as you might think, or even as good as you would hope.

There is a never ending battle between perfect, and good enough. Learn to walk the line.

Same holds with gear. You can never carry everything you might need, but you can frequently find youself without something you do need. Men die because of this, and I have lost brothers over it. The ideal situation is to find yourself at the end of the mission having used everything that you carried at least once, and having had a back-up for any mission critical gear.

Learn the difference between need, and want.

Remember PACE. Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency.

The only time you can be carrying too much ammo is when you are trying to swim.

Try not to go out on a mission with unproven or unreliable people. Better to go shorthanded than with people you cannot trust.

Not much to add to what NDD said. Those words are pearls. Thanks brother!

TR
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Old 02-19-2006, 11:38   #54
NousDefionsDoc
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Excellent points both, thank you both for contributing.

Since kg has become TL, he has been videoing and showing them to the studs after they get a basic feel for it - great tool.

I love PACE

Steve,
I think it is better to master two than know ten.
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Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
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Old 03-16-2006, 07:54   #55
Five-O
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Required Reading

Nous,

Your original post should be posted on every elementry school chalkboard throughout CONUS and integrated into the daily lesson plan, just before they read "Billy has two mommies."

Five-O

Last edited by Five-O; 03-16-2006 at 08:25.
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Old 03-16-2006, 08:32   #56
lksteve
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NousDefionsDoc
I think it is better to master two than know ten.
yup...no sense having what you can't use in the dark in the rain under stress...
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""A man must know his destiny. if he does not recognize it, then he is lost. By this I mean, once, twice, or at the very most, three times, fate will reach out and tap a man on the shoulder. if he has the imagination, he will turn around and fate will point out to him what fork in the road he should take, if he has the guts, he will take it.""- GEN George S. Patton
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Old 03-16-2006, 13:13   #57
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...at the corner of four map sheets.
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Old 03-16-2006, 13:17   #58
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.......in a denied environment with a bounty on your head..
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Old 03-16-2006, 13:52   #59
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Digressing...

"Learn as if you were going to live forever,
Live as if you were going to die tomorrow."

"Know that when you are through learning, you are through."
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Old 03-16-2006, 14:34   #60
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Originally Posted by Warrior-Mentor
Digressing...

"Learn as if you were going to live forever,
Live as if you were going to die tomorrow."

"Know that when you are through learning, you are through."
What's the source on the first one, Sir? Liked that, adding to list.

Thanks.

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