“There is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it, never care for anything else thereafter.” – Ernest Hemingway

All men experience fear no matter how airtight their life philosophy is.

Killing is the most intimate act in the universe and the level of intimacy is dependent on proximity to the target.

If you do not relish the opportunity to clash with another human in lethal combat, you’re in the wrong profession. This does not mean the unnecessary seeking of conflict but rather the understanding of the reality. If your mentality graduates from this, it’s time to move on from armed conflict. The “God forbid I have to take a life” guy is not who you want in your corner when the bullets start flying or weapons get pulled. The guy who won’t shut up about the deed will crumple under real pressure just the same.

The most dangerous man in the room will never tell you.

A professional warrior should not have a favorite weapon. Exclusivity is the ultimate crutch; overspecializing inherently breeds in weakness.

You’re going to get shot, you’re going to get stabbed, you’re already dead; accepting this increases your chances of survival exponentially.

I don’t practice tactical reloads. I’ve never had to reload under fire with anything less than a “OH SHIT” speed reload or simply swapping out magazines casually from cover. In my experience, you’re either in a fight or you’re not.

Knife techniques and katas are great for training, but when the adrenaline is pumping you’re probably just going to sewing needle their face and soft parts with the pointy end or receive the same treatment should you be too slow.

80% of CQB is violence of action (aggression) and speed, 10% is surprise, 10% is tactics and technique; none of it matters if you don’t have the balls to die right then and there.

Bullet size be damned, there’s still a hole in them and, if I can, I’m going to continue to put holes into them until they stop moving or I have to reload. Whichever comes first.

Hardware will never make you better. Software is where it’s at, but attitude is king

If the gun goes bang 98% of the time the trigger is pulled, then who cares (in regards to whatever bullshit reason that a particular gun is better or worse than another).

Tourniquets make up for the majority of combat medicine.

Finish the fight or obtain site security in one way or another before attempting combat medicine.

Buying expensive name brand gear is for suckers. An “outdated,” less expensive, quality-made chest rig will carry magazines just as well as “insert gear company name here” one, and it costs a fraction of the price. If it get’s trashed during ops, I’ll buy a new one or get issued another of whatever. The money I save will go to training.

Nobody will care how cool you look if you are dead, they will be too busy looking at the people who lived.

Amateurs talk equipment, professionals talk tactics, and masters talk logistics.

Train how you fight, but how do you know what to train for if you’ve never been in a fight? Isn’t every fight different?

Adapt, improvise and overcome.

If manual safeties are so inadequate for a defensive handgun, then what makes the M4/M16 variant such a good rifle?

Carry an EDC weapon like a smuggler on the run, not like a mall cop with authority. Weapons are meant to be felt, not seen.

Volume of fire wins in maneuver warfare. If I shoot too many bullets at you too fast, you won’t have time for accuracy and when you look up it will be to watch the maneuver element shoot you in the face from point-blank range.

Speed and accuracy win at close range, hands down.

In combat you should always “look for work.” Physically this will keep you engaged and active during the fight; mentally it will keep your mind focus on the situation at hand.

All men die in shock that it actually happened — no one ever thinks it’s going to be them that gets it.

Your fancy techniques go out the window when you’re hugging the dirt to avoid grazing fire.

The best time to avoid capture is at the moment of attempt, if it can be done without incurring a lethal response. During initial transit is good if the abductors can be lured into a false sense of security. Vehicles provide tight spaces for easy access to vital organs with sharp objects and crashing the vehicle often brings everyone to the same level. Hasty abductions or “snatch and grabs” usually don’t leave time for thorough searches of the victim. Remember the principles of speed, surprise and violence of action when in close proximity to targets.

Sometimes you have to slow down. People train for life or death fights as though milliseconds count but when you step out side a certain bubble, it is not applicable. Don’t rush to death, slow down and observe your enemy. Battle is a metronome and how you fight should match it; if you go the wrong speed, it could cost you.

Violence in combat is like an explosive charge to a door breach (or pressure as I like to say). Put too much in and you level the building, put in too little and the door doesn’t fall. Either way the end result can be hazardous to self, so balance and control must be attained here.

In the land of darkness, men with flashlights are king — but night vision is god and those without it will be at their mercy.

Your combat fantasies are bullshit and when the rounds start flying they will seem even more irrelevant.

A ribbon or badge does not make a combat qualified man, and if he is worth his salt he cares for neither. A true warrior is in it for nothing less than the satisfaction.

A career mercenary once told me, “A bullet is small and the world is very big.”

In the absence of clarity, anger and aggression will always trump fear.

No plan survives first contact and what can go wrong, will go wrong.

If your attack is going well, you’re probably walking into an ambush.

Patience is the ultimate virtue.

Know your enemy and research him on the most intimate level. This will give you insight into how he thinks and how he fights.

Patriotism, honor, money, etc. It all goes out the window during a life and death struggle.