1. Colonel Jeff Cooper

2. Cooper’s Mental Awareness Color Codes
Colonel Cooper established the Gunsite Academy
Was considered the father of modern handgun training
His precepts also apply to the average person on the street

3. Why do we Care?
The color codes of mental awareness will keep you OUT of trouble!
They will also help you to recognize when you are in trouble

4. I carry a gun, know martial arts
What you carry, what you know is not of much use when you give the first shot to the other guy
“Lose sight, Lose the Fight”
Chances are, if you don’t see it coming you will never get a chance to employ your skills

5. Why Is this not just Common Sense?
First, common sense is not very common
We try to avoid violence, that is not the world we want to live in
Without mental preparation, an act of violence is abhorrent to civilized people – you are not prepared for it

6. The Color Codes Condition White Condition Yellow Condition Orange
Condition Red
No – we are not talking about danger levels – this is not the airport
This is how we think to keep ourselves out of danger

7. Condition White Unaware and unprepared
Where we would be in a perfect world
Examples:
Walking, hands in pockets, cell phone or ipod in the ears
Sitting on a park bench reading a novel
Driving, already at work mentally
Arms full of Christmas presents, in a dark parking lot

8. Condition White Easily caught by surprise
Not reacting to your environment
Your skill in martial arts, weapons, running like the wind, etc. does not help because you are not prepared to use those skills

9. Condition Yellow Relaxed but alert Not paranoid, but aware
Hands at your side, head up, looking around
Examples:
Walking out of Strawberry Mountain
Getting your morning paper (if we had one)
Sitting in a restaurant
What car is following you toward home?

10. Condition Yellow Don’t look like an easy mark
Most criminals are cowards
If they cannot surprise you, scare you, inflict injury without defense, they will go somewhere else
Your response is much faster because you are aware that things are changing around you
You distance yourself from corners, dark alleys, troublesome looking characters, surprises
This is the state you want to be in at all times

11. Condition Yellow Examples Strawberry Mountain Parking Lot
2 – 20 year old males pull in behind you
Someone enters a restaurant wearing a trench coat

12. Condition Orange Identifying a specific potential threat
Something out of the ordinary now has your attention
Time to formulate a plan for evasion, getting the threat to show his hand

13. Condition Orange Examples
The parking lot is empty except for two men smoking
The truck follows you through three turns
The person is wearing a trench coat, in summer

14. Condition Orange
Time to identify the validity of the threat or extract yourself from the opportunity
Formulate the plan for if it is real

15. Condition Orange Example:
You start for the car (with keys in hand) and the smokers attention shifts to you; or you decide to find someone else to escort you
You make an unnecessary turn to see if the truck follows
You decide to leave the restaurant

16. Condition Red You know the threat is real
Set your limiting condition, mental trigger
If your opponents steps over that line, you act!
Time for the Combat Mind Set

17. Condition Red
The smokers attentions are on you and they approach – what is your limiting condition? What action will you take if they cross that line?

18. Condition Red
The truck follows – if you are in unfamiliar territory and don’t know where the police station is, what is your plan?
There is a stop light ahead. If they climb out of their car what will you do?

19. Condition Red
As you prepare to leave the restaurant the potential threat pull a weapon from under their coat and points it at the cashier. What will you do?
The perpetrator signal you to come to the register. Where is your line in the sand? What action will you take when he crosses it?

20. Condition Red (or Black)
You are engaged with the threat
Have the mental checklist ready
If he does X, I will do Y
If he indicates a threat to life or limb I will respond
Evade if possible
If not, present the most intense defense
There are no points for second place

21. Is This Where You Want To Be?
Alertness, preparation, following the thought process for awareness will hopefully keep you from ever having to make such decisions
Once the line is crossed, do not hesitate, do not shrink or capitulate, that is the Combat Mind Set

22. Moral of the Story Stay in condition yellow
Be aware of your surroundings
Be aware that your risk profile is changing
Already have a plan to avoid trouble
Visualize your day