“Good luck is when opportunity meets preparation, while bad luck is when lack of preparation meets reality.” — Eliyahu Goldratt
This past week a Fortress LE student engaged in an officer involved shooting (OIS), the details of which we are unable to publish until all investigations are put to bed and our student decides what (if anything) may be shared publicly.
What we can say is that he performed as perfectly as possible in what appears to be a 100% justified shooting. He escaped a direct lethal force threat without physical harm, and (until further notice) remains on this mortal coil to continue to hug his wife and children.
He has confirmed that he “fell back on his training” (which was extensive throughout the years from Fortress) and thanked us profusely.
This isn’t our first, as they say in the business, “save.” And it is incredibly easy to allow ego to take over while tearing a rotator cuff patting one’s self on the back. However, we’ve never “saved” anyone, as we don’t save lives. All we do is place directional signs along the recommended route – we point out the off ramps, speed limits, and potholes, while encouraging “safe” driving. It is up to our students to put that information to use.
The student saves their own lives! When the moment of truth arrives, we are nowhere to be found. Each student (like everyone) is on their own!
The hero here may have trained with us, but he was the one who made the decision to seek out that training, attend the classes, practice what he was taught, and engage in proper mental preparedness to put his training to use. He is the one who took his job, his oath, and his duty to his family, seriously. His investment in himself paid off in the ultimate way. And far too many have paid the ultimate price by not making the investment.
It is my, and the entire Fortress Staff’s, most sincere prayer that every single one of our students live long, boring lives, void of any lethal force encounters. Of course, we also wish money grew on trees and, on a few hot summer days, that rainwater was iced tea. However, Planet Earth is an incredibly dangerous place where only the naive rely on wishes to save them and embrace hope as a plan. The logical adults take reality seriously and provide for it accordingly.
WHEN the lethal force encounter occurs, our goal is to make sure we’ve equipped our students with the tools they need to extend life. It is up to each of them individually to embrace the lessons and put them into practice. This week, that is exactly what our officer did.
We should all follow his example.
“Defensive small-arms training requires a lot of dedication and forethought. It takes a tremendous amount of effort and investment for a payoff day that may never come. But if the day does arrive, it will be the best insurance policy you can hold.” — Louis Awerbuck, Tactical Reality
