Traveling Without Weapons For Personal Protection

I’m sure you’ve noticed the gap in posting over the last week and that’s because I was traveling.  The fact that I was away from the homestead was bad enough, couple that with I was gone for 7 days with a small roller bag / backpack and not a single traditional self defense weapon on my person made things more interesting.  I’ve done it frequently in the past and it’s usually because of two factors:  Where I’m going and the sheer amount of distance needed to travel over a short period of time.  I know many of you will have traditional initial responses like:

• If I can’t drive with my vehicle and all my kit I’m not going
• If it’s a place that I can’t carry I won’t go

That’s truly a best case scenario but sometimes just not reality when one has to put bread on the table.  Last week I went to Los Angeles, Chicago, Cincinnati and then Nashville and as most of you are aware those first two stops negated the idea of bringing the personal firearm.  I’ve done the same when traveling to Washington D.C. or other states where my CCW Permit is not valid.  As an aside, flying with a weapon is pretty simple in checked baggage and I’ve done it for years so no real issue there outside of the laws in the states where I’d be visiting…but I digress.

The Rogue Factor

There are those of you out there who might be reading this who quickly come to the conclusion: F the rules I do what I want.  Well, that’s certainly an option and people are allowed to do whatever they want – at least once.  Personally I don’t subscribe to that and it’s why I always vet those who I’m going to train or certify (firearms) in order to understand their true motivation before agreeing to work with them.  Do I believe a certain amount of push back to the powers that be during this time in our history is necessary?  Absolutely.  Am I going rogue while committing multiple felonies so that I can exercise my perceived freedoms (read: carrying a weapon in a state that does not permit it)?  Yea, probably not on my to do list for the day.

The Probability Factor 

The stats are the stats and I don’t have them memorized and quite frankly am too lazy to look them up, do a bunch of copy and paste in order to make a point.  What I will state is this: there is a very very low probability that in a nation of 300 + million that the need will ever arise for one to use a firearm in self defense.  Granted, I train with mine frequently while hoping to never ever use it…but if that need ever arose I want to be more proficient than the average backyard / indoor range plinker (which still guarantees nothing).

All that stated to make the point of while not optimal sometimes I have to travel to these places knowing that I must be unarmed.  I’m perfectly fine with those odds and I also understand that if I’m in the wrong place at the wrong time and get smoked without a firearm on my person – well it was just my time.  What was the famous quote from Band of Brothers, we are all dead anyways (paraphrase).

Mentality (Armed Citizen Saves The Day) 

I’d be remiss without addressing this mentality with armed citizens, I’ve known a few guys over the years who carry in the hopes that they get into some conflict so that they can use their firearm to save the day.  Idiots.  I can remember during my last tour in Iraq getting Intel briefs before missions that related to enemy activity and latest contact against our forces, likely areas we would get hit or ambushed (Small arms fire, IEDs) etc.  Sure we prepared and we rolled out heavy but I truly don’t think that any of us (myself included) ever wanted that to happen and when it occasionally did we executed per our training and just moved on.  So it always puzzles me when I meet these guys, most of which wouldn’t know the barrel from the grip of a pistol, who carry for self defense but want that opportunity to prove themselves.  Be careful what you wish for.  As previously stated I train with my firearm but if I never have to use it in my life to protect myself that is a life well lived.

Self Defense

What’s the phrase: Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.  I get it, probably not a good idea to try to run across a 50 yard field to kung fu chop someone with an AR and full mag.  Yet I truly believe that there are merits to understanding some form of martial arts / self defense.  Personally I train in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and have been fortunate enough to attain the rank of purple belt, nothing spectacular but it affords me a certain skill set when out there on my own with nothing but lint and some chapstick in my pockets.  Being able to handle one’s self outside of the traditional football tackle, shove to the chest, haymaker punch that most dudes default to can truly be helpful in the time of need.  How many videos are there out there of cops getting their a$$ handed to them by some thug because quite honestly, they don’t know how to fight or de-escalate against someone else who only knows how to hulk smash.  It’s dependent on the situation but I would rather use my hands to de-escalate versus with my pistol in my waist band (resorting to deadly force)…and I say that because I know that when compared to most folks who have little to no training the odds are on my side.  Just some food for thought.

Final Thoughts 

The gun in my waistband does not define me nor should it you.  The M4 and 240 / Ma Deuce in the hatch of my MRAP did not define me either while overseas, just so we we are clear.  I have to travel unarmed to many places in this country and that does not deter me from functioning.  Situational awareness is critical, the ability to adapt and analyze / process information and quite frankly just go about business as usual.  It’s not a perfect scenario but also palatable if done with purpose and intent.  Let me know what you think in the comment section below.