An epiphany...maybe

[kikr]

I had an epiphany of sorts on the way home the other night, it’s an hour drive to work and I was thinking. Keep in mind it’s not a complete thought, but you guys can help fill in the holes.

I was thinking about the OODA loop, I think I’ve got a better than average grasp on the coneept which means I’m giving myself too much credit. Anyways I was thinking about how it’s always been applied to actions of combat, and then got to thinking about how it also applies to avoidance and prevention. Observation, Orientation, Decision, Action. We all know that the eye sees (in general order) movement/light, shape, color, and detail. (Which also why you get the “a (chose your race/color) male” descriptions, it’s the highest level of observation that can be easily articulated). So in order to avoid a conflict we can’t let our opponent see us. That’s figurative, meaning he doesn’t notice details. Either he doesn’t “orientate” on us because we don’t appear to be a worth while target, or because we appear to be a target that’s too much trouble. Or we simply don’t attract his attention in the first place. Orientation, OK so we screwed up and got noticed, now we have to practice a little E&E and find an exit, or a crowd, or some way to limit his access to us so that he can’t get the “sticky eyes” on us and ours. Applying the 11 and 1 o’clock from the attack/defend mode I’m thinking 5 and 7 o’clock. Anyways, we’ve messed that up and now we have to keep him from making the “Decision” to attack us. Maybe we employ our command voice (since presence was ineffective) or maybe or a cell phone call for help, or maybe it’s time to unsnap that thumbsnap. Because if he does decide, it’s down to act and at that point it’s gets back to the basics of 100 yard dashes, or stance, grip, breath control, and trigger squeeze. Not really, but anyways. After typing and reading this maybe it wasn’t as insightfull as I thought. What do you folks think?

 

[James T Thomas]

nuances

Kikr:

The Observation portion is difficult to avoid while we go about our everyday lives, however, I marvel at those who I often see displaying large wads of cash, and know that others have seen it too. Etc.

The Orientation, I believe, is more the situation that you have placed yourself in -or not. If you walk through the parking lot with an unknown male or group in close proximity, without slowing your pace, or stopping while you "search your pockets for your keys," in order to let them walk on and bypass you, or you approach a traffic light intersection, not varying your car's speed to avoid the red light stop at night, or just placing yourself in a position to be vunerable when you could have just as easily avoided it. It's taught in the military, that once you are positioned in your enemy's kill zone, the ambush, you have almost doomed yourself. I would not surrender, but would go down fighting.

The Decision is tricky, too. As whatever the decision you make, you will be then committed to some Orientation, again, in order to take the action your decision requires. Weigh your decisions along with the orientation that accompanies them.

The action can fail you if you fall short of commitment to it. On the other hand, know when to quit.

A good martial arts training, or several, will be beneficial for those developing their OODA loop reflexes.

 

[1911 guy]

I learned the ODA loop.

Similar, Observe, Decide, Act. Deciding to avoid and acting on that decision is perfectly acceptable. I observe all kinds of things, most I decide are no threat. If I deem a threat to be near, I can avoid if possible or take another action if needed.

 

[hso]

No, it's a good observation. If we can break the script of an attack before it occurs we're far ahead of the BG.

 

[Run&Shoot]

The point is to out OODA your opponent

One of the main goals of understanding OODA is that we need to out perform the opponent executing our OODA while he executes his, right?

We can do this in two main ways. First, we can try to disrupt his OODA loop. Confuse, disrupt, inspire "awe", etc. Second, if we are to win then we need to reach the "ACT" step faster than the opponent.

The original OODA scenario that I learned was the fighter pilot in a dog fight. To win you have to observe what the enemy is doing, figure out what it means, make a decision of how to counter attack, and then act faster than he can run through the same process. Pre-emption beats reaction.

In a self defense situation I think there are a few key points.

1) First, we need to have tactical awareness in order to recognoze a threat situation as early as possible. Pretty hard to defend when you don't know, or can't mentally accept, you're already in a fight.

2) You need to have a planned response to fall back on and be prepared to act. Training, pre-planning, and running through options quickly is important.

3) Once you have assessed the situation you need to be decisive and act on it. It could be to evade, try to defuse the situation, or to pre-empt. The point is that you have to act ahead of the threat. Don't wait for him to pull a gun/knife and then react. Is he moving toward you and ignoring commands to stop? Lots of subtle cues as to whether he is acting like a normal person or someone that intends to harm you.

Pre-emption comes in many forms. As in the dog fight example, positioning may be essential. If he is attacking then he must feel he has you in a disadvatageous position. Any movement is probably better than staying static. Movement to the side is harder to track than striaight away. Distance from the threat increases your chances of survival tremendously. On the other hand, if he has already decided to attack and is looking for an opening than totally unexpected actions may put him off balance. This could be any number of things depending on how dangerous the threat is. Also, cover and concealment.

The main point of OODA is to continuously run through your loop faster than the threat, and do it with hopefully better information (observation and preparation), with greater awareness and more decisiveness and agression.