Most defensive firearms training that I'v witnessed consists of exposing students to a series of psycho-motor subroutines and then drilling the skills until students can pass some kind of practical test. Basically, we have been teaching people how to skillfully operate a machine under a number of different sets of circumstances.
However, that is only part of the necessary preparation. Simply learning how to operate a machine means very little without exposure to the philosophical overlay without which none of it makes much sense.
Every civilization has its Warrior Class. I'm not talking here merely about standing armies. Most "soldiers" in standing armies today are not warriors at heart. A famous fighting general during The Great War pointed out that of every hundred men sent to him at the front, twenty never even arrived, being counted among the sick, lame and lazy. Sixty arrived, at least in body, but were little more than "animated targets," mostly fearful, self consumed and paralyzed, unable to carry the war effort forward in any significant way. Men of straw. The remaining twenty were actually functional soldiers who could be counted on to be where they were supposed to be and do what they were supposed to do. Out of that twenty, five were enthusiastic warriors.
Those five didn't just talk about being a warrior. They lived it! They would, on their own, train and hone their fighting skills constantly. Their weapons were always with them and were always ready. Those five actually understood the importance of the war effort and their contribution to it. They were top-flight marksmen and looked for opportunities to make contact with the enemy. They always thought in terms of victory and were cool and composed under fire. Those five provided the inspiration for everyone else. They rarely received medlas because the people who granted medals were curiously absent when real fighting took place. The five didn't care about medals. A bird doesn't sing because it has a song. A bird sings, because, if it didn't, it would burst! The five wen valiantly forward in battle always leading the way not because the were ordered to but because the could not stay back.
This book is written for The Five. That being the case, it will probably never be a best seller just as men of honor, dignity and purpose are never a majority.
So, fellow warriors, we must constantly refine our fighting skills and continually teach them to the worthy among us so that they will be carried through the generations and not be lost and have to be relearned, at great cost, by our sons who have to fight future conflicts. Mostly, we must inspire our fellow warriors and awaken the warrior spirit in the hearts of our students.
Merely learning and teaching fighting skills is just the frosting. The heart of the warrior is at the center. A famous proverb says, "A wise man never tries to warm himself in front of a picture of a fire." Even so, we must be genuine, fearless and relentless followers of The True Way, the Way of the Warrior.
John S. Farnam
June 2000
Ft Collins, CO
ISBN:0965942228
264 Pages, $25, ppd.
Destined to become a classic in the field of defensive shooting,
The Farnam Method of Defensive Handgunning authoritatively examines
the principles of mental preparation and tactical handgun operation.
These principles are not just John Farnam's opinions but principles
that are backed by years of experience in seeing what actually works
in real life deadly force encounters. There is an amazing amount of
information here: chapters that cover defensive weapons, use of
force, personal tactics, interaction with law enforcement officers,
defensive handgun mechanical systems, tactical handgun operation
and ammunition recommendations. No gimmicks, just plenty of
information that will allow you to dramatically improve your
defensive shooting technique.
Please contact DTI Publications to purchase any of our books.