Situational Awareness Training
Situational Awareness Training | The American Firearms Network
The Best Way to Win a Fight is to Never Be There in the First Place.
The most important tool for your protection isn’t carried in a holster—it sits between your ears. At The American Firearms Network (AFN), we believe that tactical proficiency is incomplete without the “Left of Bang” skills required to identify, avoid, and de-escalate threats before they turn violent.
Our Situational Awareness (SA) Training is designed for everyone: from corporate professionals and solo travelers to concealed carry holders who understand that a firearm is always the last resort, not the first.
What is Situational Awareness?
Situational awareness is the ability to perceive, understand, and anticipate environmental elements and events. In a self-defense context, it means recognizing the “pre-attack indicators” that most people miss because they are distracted by their phones or surroundings.
The AFN Mindset: The OODA Loop
We teach the legendary OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) framework, used by elite military units and law enforcement to make split-second decisions in high-stakes environments.
Our Situational Awareness Curriculum
This course goes beyond “paying attention.” We provide actionable frameworks for personal security in the modern world.
1. The Color Code of Mental Readiness
We utilize Colonel Jeff Cooper’s famous Color Code to help you manage your mental state:
Condition White: Unaware and unprepared (The “Victim” state).
Condition Yellow: Relaxed alertness (The “Lifelong” state).
Condition Orange: Specific alert (Identifying a potential threat).
Condition Red: Action (The fight or flight response).
2. Recognizing Pre-Attack Indicators
Criminals rarely attack without warning. We teach you how to spot:
Targeting behavior: Identifying when you are being “scoped.”
Anomalies in body language: Identifying nervous tics or aggressive posturing.
Environmental Red Flags: Recognizing “funnels” or “choke points” where attacks are likely to occur.
3. Strategic Positioning & “The Wall”
Learn how to navigate public spaces like a professional:
Where to sit in restaurants to maintain visual control.
How to use reflections (windows, phone screens) to see behind you.
Maintaining your “Personal Space Bubble” to prevent being ambushed.
4. Verbal De-escalation & Exit Strategies
If a threat is identified, the goal is “Escape and Evasion.” We cover:
Using command presence to deter an attacker.
Verbal scripts to de-escalate aggressive individuals.
Identifying exits in unfamiliar buildings (Home, Office, Malls).
