First visit to Gunsite Academy – a really good day!

[ditchparrot]

I've been here in northern Arizona for a little over 6 months and have been awaiting my first opportunity to visit the famous Gunsite Academy, designed and built by the late Col. Jeff Cooper. That came yesterday as I made the 45-minute drive up to Paulden to take the CCW course.

What an excellent experience! The course was far superior to the one I took a few years ago when I was still in California. The classroom curriculum was superb and we got to fire about 100 rounds on the range in actual drills – not just trying to put eight out of 10 rounds into a 12-inch circle from 7 yards or something like that.

The classroom stuff focused heavily on mindset. Of particular interest was the color-coded states of preparedness that Col. Cooper came up with decades ago. Perhaps some of you have seen this before.

White – just sort of vegging out, not really aware or interested in what's going on around you. This is the default state for many people.

Yellow – Alert to your environment and its occupants, but not focused on anything in particular. A good mode to operate in as you go through everyday life.

Orange – starting to focus on one or more specific individuals who've drawn your attention.

Red – wholly and completely ready to take action; "If he does this, then I'm going to do that."

Going from White to Red, should the need arise, will likely take more time than you'll have available. Yellow to Orange to Red is a much shorter and easier progression.

The whole thing made me realize that I occasionally drift into White if I'm totally disinterested in my current situation, such as if I have to accompany my wife into a grocery store or something like that. I can't let that happen and will do my damndest to prevent it in the future.

White is a nowhere place to be.

[daytime dave]

Those color codes are a very good and reasonable way for armed people to live by. Col. Cooper was a brilliant man.

[North Country Gal]

Those color codes have applications outside of shooting, as well. One of the reasons I so love aerobic outdoor sports like my XC skiing and, especially, my mountain biking, is that they force you to stay in the present and keep your mind 100% locked in on your environment.

[ditchparrot]

Those color codes have applications outside of shooting, as well.

Yes, they do. I should've mentioned that Col. Cooper made it clear that they apply whether a person is armed or not.

[Sir Henry]

Never heard of this before. I use what I call situation awareness. Most veterans learn it in action and it never leaves you. Matter of fact it can take over your life. Only in the last decade have I scaled it back.

[ChefDuane]

Agreed that most Vets learn situational awareness as part of their training. Especially those that were in some type of law enforcement duty (for me USCG shipboard and port security.) But also I believe that those folks who live in large city environments (LA, NYC, Philly, DC, Dallas) also tend to develop an urban situational awareness. It serves one well to be aware of what's going on around you in the big city. And if you carry it is incumbent upon you to remain aware at all times. Not disparaging anyone who lives in a rural setting! As situational awareness there has its own set of requirements.

[BrokenolMarine]

Always wanted to attend a gunsite class, too far to travel. Did take classes from a couple of their instructors guest lecturing at Quantico years ago, and at a week long street survival seminar my department hosted in the late nineties.

[Mags]

Being in the white zone almost got us mugged on the commuter train in Portland. It was a very fast rude awakening into orange/red mode. The two thugs backed off and got off at the next stop. Living rural and being on the lookout for prowlers is way different than staying first-person alert in the city.