Professor Elam

Weekend February 23 2013

 Jeff Cooper's remarks about the combat mindset can be a good metaphor for a successful student  mind set. Read on to grasp the analogy. 

Jeff Cooper wrote for Guns and Ammo and served in the Marines in WW II and Korea. He described what he called the Combat Mindset. I am including it here fearful that you will not read the hyperlink.

• White: Unaware and unprepared. If attacked in Condition White, the only thing that may save you is the inadequacy or ineptitude of your attacker. When confronted by something nasty, your reaction will probably be "Oh my God! This can't be happening to me."

• Yellow: Relaxed alert. No specific threat situation. Your mindset is that "today could be the day I may have to defend myself". You are simply aware that the world is a potentially unfriendly place and that you are prepared to defend yourself, if necessary. You use your eyes and ears, and realize that "I may have to shoot today". You don't have to be armed in this state, but if you are armed you should be in Condition Yellow. You should always be in Yellow whenever you are in unfamiliar surroundings or among people you don't know. You can remain in Yellow for long periods, as long as you are able to "Watch your six." (In aviation 12 o'clock refers to the direction in front of the aircraft's nose. Six o'clock is the blind spot behind the pilot.) In Yellow, you are "taking in" surrounding information in a relaxed but alert manner, like a continuous 360 degree radar sweep. As Cooper put it, "I might have to shoot."

• Orange: Specific alert. Something is not quite right and has your attention. Your radar has picked up a specific alert. You shift your primary focus to determine if there is a threat (but you do not drop your six). Your mindset shifts to "I may have to shoot that person today", focusing on the specific target which has caused the escalation in alert status. In Condition Orange, you set a mental trigger: "If that person does "X", I will need to stop them". Your pistol usually remains holstered in this state. Staying in Orange can be a bit of a mental strain, but you can stay in it for as long as you need to. If the threat proves to be nothing, you shift back to Condition Yellow.

• Red: Condition Red is fight. Your mental trigger (established back in Condition Orange) has been tripped. "If 'X' happens I will shoot that person".

He wrote this for Marines or Police Departments or possibly someone in an athletic competition. it is not a stretch to see it right here on campus. A young woman is talking on her cell phone, strolling across the parking lot, oblivious to her surroundings. How often do we see this? Thisis an invitation to personal danger.

Most students are in Condition White. They are oblivious to their surroundings. Oh sure they sign up, pay the tuition, and come to class, but that’s about it. It was clear to me the last two days that many have not read an Intro to Futures and Options. In class you should at least operate in condition yellow. During tests you should be in condition orange . You should be preparing yourself for various certified exams. Passing certified exams (leading to a professional designation) will require a full blown nothing less will do, Condition Red.

Students who do poorly on exams are operating in what the Marines refer to as Condition Black. 

Condition Black: Catastrophic breakdown of mental and physical performance. Usually over 175 heartbeats per minute, increased heart rate becomes counter productive. May have stopped thinking correctly. This can happen when going from Condition White or Yellow immediately to Condition Red.

Regarding personal safety, several incidents in Texas this past week prompted me to post Mr. Cooper's color code. Many of our students are parents of kids that will soon become teenagers. This is a dangerous age as teens rarely to never consider their own mortality. 

Three Teens Die not Buckling Up.

This is acondition white event. Recall that Princess Di was riding in the back seat not wearing a seat belt in a speeding auto, just like the first two teens.

A 50 year old elementary music teachers killed by her boy friend.  Surely the boyfriend was giving some clues things were not right, did she notice?

Chris Kyle murdered on is own shooting range.  Chris authored American Sniper, and is credited with over 150 kills while serving in the middle east. But even  trained to this degree, chris was taken unaware by  someone he knew, just like the music teacher. 

A shooter in a San Antonio Theater was stopped.  The off duty officer was clearly in condition red. 

We live in dangerous times.  Operating in the  the appropriate color code could save your life or your test scores.