Thinking with a Gun in Your Hand: Interview with John Hearne

[Tony617]

I did by a book years ago by Ayoob called "In The Gravest Extreme". I know book was written back 1980 but it was still a good book to read. I believe there is an updated version as well now.

 

[Hayharnel]

John Hearne's career in law enforcement is as a Park Ranger. Honest truth.

I've never heard of Her? Must be very important? Probably thinks She knows everything?

 

[titsonritz]

Final word:

There are those who have the experience and those that created their experiences. I've met Mr. Hearne and was not impressed. Nor were some of the other instructors I've met who have attended his training blocks.

But, I was never a Park Ranger…perhaps there is something deeper that some of us just don't get.

How To Win A Gunfight

 

[DunRanull]

I was in a state of shock for 5 days before it wore off. Might have been a mild concussion too, received during the initial assault, which occurred in our home. Funny thing, I didnt realise that I was in shock, until it cleared off...
That said, I was a "Park Ranger" for years and my shooting generally involved a shotgun and rogue bears...

 

[NobullSKS]

"how bad meter broken" …. Goes a long way…

Also I think it's great he mentioned practicing something goes to removing the brain thought process from the intense situation.

Some Comments are kinda going in the direction of…..this guy has no teaching value. Makes me think about journeyman in the trades, ripping each other apart. Or Captain Miller being a school teacher (Saving private Ryan) … it's a movie yes but the stories are true.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

"Hey Joe where you goin' with that gun in your hand...? "

Just how one reacts in a shooting will be different.
Each situation is different...to say that A will happen followed by B ...then C...is foolish.
Life doesn't care about your plans or how you trained or who you trained with .

Sometime else to consider is how one reacts during the shooting...
In the immediate aftermath...
Days / weeks later...
To years later...will change as well.

Kinda like the so called 5 stages of grief...they may all happen...or they may not.

In any event...how you react and feel , needs to be on your time table , based on your experience and not someone else's.
How you think and feel about the experience needs to happen in your order...not according to someone else's timeline or order.

I can say from my experiences in combat...what I learned...how I felt...what happened to me...
How someone else processes that experience will be different.

Killing is the most intimate experience you can have with another person.
Even more than lovemaking...since with lovemaking there is the possibility of making life...
With Killing ...you have both taken life ( theirs ) ...and given ( saved ) life ( yours or others )

Granted the above is again...my thoughts , based on my experiences in combat...
Which has indeed changed over the years.
Others will no doubt have a different view.

My thoughts are "valuable" to me for sure...to others...maybe.

If I were to give a class...
It would be short :

Avoid having to shoot , as best as you can.
Know that at times ...the mind "sees" what it expects to see...and that may not be what it actually happening...

If you have to shoot...shoot well....and with no regrets.
You probably will not be presented with the range perfect shot that you have practiced with ...

Understand that others will judge you for your actions...and that no matter what the outcome of the experience is...
It will be life changing for all involved.
Andy

 

[Knobgoblin]

 

[osprey]

No dog in this fight but you can't always judge a book by it's cover as the saying goes. We used to have a wdfw enforcement officer that was also a trainer for multiple wa state law enforcement agencies in the art of hand to hand combat.

 

[JRuby]

I learned many things while in the service. One of the most important lessons I learned is that your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy - you need to learn how to control it.