Don’t Clear Alone

I realize that the idea of standing guard at a fixed point rather than actively searching for the bad guy in a situation where someone has entered your home is repulsive to many. In the article I wrote about “are you capable of using deadly force”  I discusses the morality of personal protection and my feelings on it. If you read that article with this one you may come to the conclusion that the two views are incompatible and I am being inconsistent.

It’s not about being afraid to shoot the bad guy; my suggestion that you don’t clear alone is based upon the most effective way to protect your family. It is common military science that takes a larger force to defeat fixed defenses. If I am standing in a covered position with my flanks and rear secured, with a clear lane of fire and plenty of ammunition for my shotgun, it is reasonable to assume it would take more than a couple of burglars to get to the boy’s room.

If that’s not good enough reason, you can look at the video below for the other reason. I suggest that the typical homeowner (typical as in a normally trained gun owner) faces an impossible task to clear rooms while ensuring previously cleared rooms stay clear. As the video shows, as the defender leaves one cleared space to scan a new area an intruder can slip behind you and get behind your defenses.

There is a reason that room clearing is done by a team, individual members can clear rooms, while additional team members can watch their backs and ensure that cleared rooms stay secure.

I realize that there are some concepts and procedures for solo room clearing, however, they cannot be adequately trained with a short article and a 10 minute video.