Other Strong Hand

Why do I use it? Who invented it? Is this for real? Is mindset that important in this business? Nero linguistic what...These are all questions I hope to clear up here with this post.

There were some recent discussions on the net that were quite interesting (I didn't know about them until someone sent me a nasty gram) and I received a few emails about the subject and me and my merry coalition of friends (referred to herein as Feeder Trainers) and our constant use of the term - "Other Strong Hand".





Other Strong hand is the only way you can get cool pics of yourself riding your chop. Seriously, you should work up to this, only experienced riders can pull this off, and yes, I can


I think in some cases when your busted, your busted. Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa....I apologize and now wish to get it off my chest.

We invented the term Other Strong Hand so that one day we could say that we invented something. We want to be remembered for SOMETHING damn it! I want some fuckin’ glory!!!!!

I mean, here’s the deal; it’s nice that some military units we train give us thanks and citations but let’s get real – none of you (the shooting public) will ever see that meaningless crap. So how the hell can we become famous? That’s right - invent a tactical term. I tried all that other innovation bullshit like sights, gear, and consulting, but really Google is all you need, and eventually all those companies that were paying me figured that out.

Then I thought I would try my hand at this instruction gig, shit man, I ran Blackwater into the fucking ground before I finally got out of there without getting sued. I got the TigerSwan job by lying about being in a certain military unit, but god damn it, they found out I wasn’t even in the Army…..

It was at that point, while in line to collect my welfare checks that I finally stuck gold. I overheard the man in front of me say something to the effect of- “I’m strong with my right, I’m strong with my left “
and then he murmured some sophomoric genitalia reference about himself, but by then I had what I needed. What If there was no ‘strong hand’, and ‘weak hand’. What if there was…..”Other Strong Hand”. I knew deep in my loins that it would work, hell, others have come up with words to market, and all I would have to do to get started was dig up that falsified BUD/S graduation certificate again.

While at Kinko’s perfecting said certificate and simultaneously doctoring up a DD214, I met the next cog in my ever evolving, solar powered, mechanical wheel of lies and deceit. His name was XXXXXXX and he is a little person (please don’t use the term midget on my watch!). While paying me a compliment that I reminded him of Maynard James Keenan, he said he’d heard of me because his landlord met me in line at the welfare office. He related the story of me yelling at the top of my lungs -”OTHER STRONG HAND, OTHER STRONG HAND, OTHER STRONG HAND”, honestly, I don’t remember this in my euphoric state, but for those that know me this is a possibility.

XXXXXXXX was smart enough to know that eventually, even with big words like “OTHER STRONG HAND” I and the other Trainers of Feeders that I call my friends, would have to shoot in front of people. His idea was straight out of an Ayn Rand novel- we would bury him in the berm right next to the target and he would use his Wham-O slingshot and ball bearings from Jason Jessee’s old boards to put holes in the target I was shooting. This would give me the credibility I needed to get the tactical term going. Alas, it has worked perfectly for nearly 8 years now. There are, of course, drawbacks. Have you ever tried stuffing a little person into a suitcase with oxygen bottles and a down suit and putting them through checked luggage to go to the next range? Probably not.

Hey, listen, even some of the guys from the military units we’ve trained have gone as far to say to our face that we helped them with Mindset and Training, or they wouldn’t be alive, or blah, blah, blah, thanks for the mindless bullshit you showed us. Bottom line- anyone can do this masquerade as long as you have 3G or WiFi the night before and on the range the next day. Thank God for Google I say!

Does saying “OTHER STRONG HAND” really work….hell no it don’t. Mindset don’t mean dick in a real fight anyway, and it sure as shit don’t matter in training. Let’s face it, do any of us Trainers of Feeders really train anyone who fights for a living anyway...I wish. :)

Obamaism

An economics professor made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had recently failed an entire class. That class had insisted that socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer. The professor then said, "OK, we will have an experiment on socialism"...All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A. After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy. As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy. When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. As the tests proceeded, the scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else. All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great, but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

Blame others
What can I get for free
Eat til I'm fat
I'm entitled

Mindset and Training

Starting in all 2012 open, custom, and private classes, I will be giving a mindset talk during the class. There have been a few recent events that have led me to decide to do this even though I normally only delve into the subject heavily with my military classes.

The first is a LE officer that last week told me of something I said during his last training session with me last year. I remember the conversation but really was just responding to a question another student asked. The short of it is that this officer was involved in his first gunfight and performed very well. He says because of me, but I have been doing this long enough to know that if I contributed at all it was a small amount. Nevertheless, I think any small help is good for those that go in harm's way.

The second is another student that was involved in a rather high profile shooting in the last year, who again, prevailed, and performed superbly. He called to give me credit for something I taught him, and said to him during a class. Both of these learning points I made were very informal but, were in fact, part of a mindset brief I give to certain folks.

The last is the current crop of new books that highlight some things that I was involved in in my military career (sorry, but I refuse to elaborate, as self gratification or promotion is not my deal) . Although most have been documented already in other publications, the newer ones detail things that I have never discussed in the past as far as lessons learned goes, even to co-workers. After consideration and consulting some old salts, I think that it's better to share the info when it applies rather than die with it. Hopefully, it will provide the needed edge for someone, anyone.

Gas Ring Issue - Help!

I'm going through gas rings on one of my carbines every 2-3k rounds! WTF? I've tried everything; replaced bolt carrier, replaced bolt, replaced rings with a different type, changed ammo. Only thing left I can think of is the gas tube or gas block - but what is it that causes this. Doesn't happen on any other rifles I have or have ever had. It's a carbine length system on a 16" barrel.

Thanks,
KD

SA at 7-11 Today

What is situational awareness? Besides an overused term by a bunch of people that only do it on the range or when training, this is an example;

In 3 min and 35 seconds at a 7-11.....

60 something year old female Southern belle (Louis Vitton purse, David Yurman bracelet) opens and holds door for cane using, black, Korean War Vet for longer than normal...cool to me

Policeman (Glock 17 or 22, 2 mags, SERPA holster) in corner gives skateboarder (red vans, John Deere Trucker hat) tips on jumping parking blocks

Surfer looking Pepsi delivery dude (blonde hair, Ray-Ban Wayfarers) takes time to fix door mat even though he didn't move it, but saw who did (an overweight black lady whose heel snagged it on the way out)

Teenage girl(Honda Accord, listening to Black Eyed Peas) getting gas (87 octane) helps back an F350 dually (dude worked concrete business by tools in bed) into the pumps

Biker (engineer boots, KD sunnies, beard, denim vest) picks up dollar bill that plumber (Dan, whose kid scored a goal last night) dropped coming out the door, walks by him, hands it to him straight armed without looking, at the same time the plumber realized he dropped it, biker never says a word (gets atop a cherry 4 speed frame with a '68 gen shovel, narrow glide, and scallop paint job)

All this and I never spoke a word, just watched. There's alot that goes on around you if you'll notice it.

shhh...

Just remember when it comes out....tounge in cheek, and, it's good to not take yourself too seriously sometimes - especially in this business!