Situational Awareness
 

As a recruit-in-process filling some of the abundant wait time by trying to do his homework (reading both here and elsewhere) I hear a lot about the importance of situational awareness, especially when it comes to SF. Nevertheless, it strikes me as a rather nebulous and subjective thing for being so essential.

So I thought it would be very interesting and useful to hear a Professional's take. My questions: How would you define SA in the context of your profession? More importantly, it is something one is born with or something that can be learned? If it can be learned, it is something one can study intentionally, or is absorbed indirectly?

I graciously offer US$0.02 in advance for any takers.

You might want to hang on to your $0.02. You will most likely need it later because you've already flunked the pre-test. SA is about understanding your operational environment and being open to the subliminal clues that tell you something is happening that you need to pay attention to. In this case the "clue" was the welcome sticky encouraging the use of the search button. The early threads/posts/years of this forum are chock full of references to SA and mindset in general. Almost anything written by NousDefionsDoc or The Reaper during the early years will answer your question in more detail than any of us are willing to repeat today. (We don't normally tell you this because it's a test of your motivation to learn. You get the explanation because you just gave me an excellent opportunity to provide a "learning experience" for all the other new members. Thank you for volunteering to be a teaching point.)

SA is that state of mind where you are fully cognizant of everything around you and aware of all consequences of your and others actions in word and deed.

It can be learned but requires one to remove their head from their 4th point of contact** and use all senses available to them at all times.

Study your terrain, your audiences, the objects around you as you move about your day. Notice the little things that mean big consequences. Don't look, SEE, interpret meaning and consequences. Don't look at, see through, see over, see around, recognize it. Don't hear, listen. Don't talk, speak, with fore thought and full awareness of the different meanings of words and tonal inflection.

It is a state of being and mind.

Think, be aware, act only when and where necessary.

My 2 cents with only a partial explanation. It is not subjective and it is not nebulous. It is a mind set and it is instinctive. It is what has kept the human race alive as we do not have great strength and no innate weapon.

Now, run youngen.

** Teachable moment for those who do not know what this term means - it refers to what should be the 4th point of contact of one's body to the ground when executing a proper parachute landing fall - it's the muscles of the buttocks and a commonly used term among QPs/Vs/Ps in reference to someone having his head up his a$$. Richard

Since you asked, it is my opinion that you lack SA, or you would not have started a new thread about it with your second post. Some people have it, and some people do not.

Are you telling me that you have read all of the threads here about Situational Awareness already?

Search, read, and do PT.

TR

I had searched the threads here, but I see my search-fu is still weak.

Humbled apologies, gentlemen.