The Principals of Personal Defense: Alertness

Lieutenant Colonel John Dean “Jeff” Cooper (1920-2006) is widely recognized as the father of the “modern technique of the pistol”. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean War. Following his military service he became a part-time high school and community college history teacher. He was involved in competitive handgun shooting and became a firearms instructor. He began writing articles that appeared in several gun-related magazines in the 1970’s and also authored several books. In 1976, he founded the American Pistol Institute, which later evolved into the world-famous Gunsite Academy.

In his teaching and writings, Cooper articulated the “modern technique of the pistol” which defines how the pistol should be used for personal protection. The “technique” includes using a two-handed grip to hold the pistol — prior to that time the one-handed grip was the norm. He also advocated the use of the Weaver stance in facing towards the target/threat. Additional elements of the “modern technique” include:

• Use of a large caliber pistol, preferably a semi-automatic. He felt the Colt Model 1911 chambered in .45 ACP was the best choice for a personal defense handgun at a time when the majority of American law enforcement agencies issued .38 caliber double-action revolvers.
• The use of an efficient draw stroke to bring the pistol from the holster and point it at the target.
• The use of the “flash sight picture” to enable the first shot(s) to be fired very quickly.
• The use of a compressed “surprise trigger break” when firing the pistol.

Today we recognize these “techniques” as the most accepted way to handle and fire a handgun. In articulating his ideas on the defensive use of a pistol, Cooper changed the way the world viewed the use of a hand-gun forever.

Cooper believed that skill in the use of a handgun was secondary to having the proper mindset prior to and during a violent situation. He outlined his ideas in his 1972 book, Principals of Personal Defense. In that book he defined seven principals. These include:

1. Alertness
2. Decisiveness
3. Aggressiveness
4. Speed
5. Coolness
6. Ruthlessness
7. Surprise

“Alertness” is his first principal and it simply means that you must be aware of what is happening around you. In describing the levels of alertness that individuals need to have in various situations, Cooper developed his “color code” system that is routinely used by firearms instructors as part of their instruction on situational awareness.

I have written extensively about the need for situational awareness so I am not going to repeat that information here. But, you need to recognize that “alertness” is the foundation of personal protection. Without being alert, there is little or no chance that you will be able to avoid a violent encounter or even respond to it in time to protect yourself or someone else from serious bodily injury or death.

In future articles, I will deal with Cooper’s other principals in detail. In the meantime, stay alert!

Gary Evens is a NRA-Certified Instructor and Range Safety Officer.