strategy should be to look at the way he or she typically dresses on a daily basis, as well as his or her normal daily activities. Based on that assessment and the “common ground” it identifies, the choices of practical carry style and position become apparent. For a person with a physical disability, the same process applies, however it must also include any mobility aids, special equipment, or other daily requirements that are relevant to your personal situation. Like your mode of dress, these items define your daily kit and offer either advantages or disadvantages when it comes to weapon carry. You should also consider your
(Left) A quick follow-up thrust to the groin drives the attacker back and buys the defender time to transition to a better weapon. Note: This was accomplished without substantial movement or footwork, and would be feasible for many cane users with limited mobility. (Right) Taking advantage of the opportunity created by striking the cane, the defender switches the cane to his left hand to maintain stability, while he goes for the J-frame in his front pocket.
to be faster, stronger or more capable than you are now. Although adrena- line may provide some help to extend your abilities, don’t count on it. In- stead, plan on working with what you have based on the capabilities and re- sources you’ve already defined. During the wargaming process,
don’t focus only on worst-case scenarios that would justify the use of firearms. Make sure you consider the full scope of potential threats you might face; from a belligerent drunk or aggressive panhandler through unarmed attacks, to committed, lethal-force attacks. As you consider each situation, think of all the tools you could potentially have available to you and how they would apply. Start at the low end and evaluate your ability to recognize the situation early, and, if possible, avoid it or escape it. From there, work up to verbal de-escalation and boundary setting. Finally, progress to physical skills that include unarmed tactics,
less-lethal weapons and, ultimately, lethal weapons. During the initial phases of
wargaming, focus on what you would do if you had a particular weapon at hand. Think about your ability to use that weapon to decisively stop your attacker; what you would do if there were multiple attackers, and how, if possible, you would escape to safety? Done honestly and objectively, this process should allow you to deter- mine the reasonable limits of what you could do if the right tools were available. Based on that, the next step is to temper “ideal” with “practical” and start thinking about weapon car- ry and deployment.
Weapon Deployment Your physical limitations will also
have a significant bearing on what weapons you can carry comfortably and how you can get them into action. For an able-bodied person, the first step in choosing a carry
strength, flexibility and range of movement when assessing your carry and deployment options, since they will also be major factors in deter- mining which carry positions work well for you.
Learn By Example To give you a better idea of how
this whole process works, let’s take a look at a representative example. Let’s say you have some type of medi- cal condition that makes it necessary for you to walk with a cane. Whether it’s a temporary or permanent condi- tion is irrelevant; you just know that you need it to get around. With that in mind, you should first consider how well you can move with the cane. In simple terms, if you were threatened and had the opportunity to escape, could you? If possible, try to estimate how far you could go and how fast. This information will help you deter- mine your response tactics. Next, you should determine
whether the cane represents a viable contact-distance weapon for you. Can you maintain your balance well enough without the cane to wield it as a weapon? If so, do you have the strength and coordination to wield it well enough to consider it a practical
With the J-frame drawn, the defender is in a much better position to finish this fight. If the situation involved multiple attackers or required more than five shots to achieve a stop, a small, high-capacity auto might have been an even better choice.
28 PERSONAL DEFENSE • FALL 2011 SPECIAL EDITION
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