TRAINING TIP TUESDAY: SIMPLE IS EFFECTIVE

As we get farther from the proving ground of our tools, they become more and more extravagant. If we pay attention to the lessons that we learned (at great cost) over the last few decades, we’ll note that equipment got much simpler. Particularly, critical equipment.

Organizations that prided themselves on tailored and hand fitted pistols converted (almost completely) to the overwhelmingly reliable, and undeniably uncomplex Glock 19. The same applied to sights. The simple and almost unbelievably rugged Aimpoint Comp Series became a mainstay, because of what they delivered to the warfighter: solutions and confidence under the worst conditions.

We still need these things because conditions may have changed, but we haven’t. Under stress, we still need elegant answers. Cognitive processing (of almost anything) isn’t our strong suite when we are “running from the tiger.” What we are designed for is simple. I call it “binary decision” making: fight or flight. It doesn’t get a great deal simpler than that.

So, what happens when we introduce complexities in these stressed moments? Very often, they create a cascade of failures in the process that we are trying to execute. Take an external safety on a pistol as an example. If they fail to sweep the safety off on presentation, they discover the problem as they try to press the trigger. Most of the time, the shooter breaks their grip and looks at the gun trying to understand the “fault.” To anyone watching and not under stress the problem and answer is glaring.

When the shooter finally fixes the problem, the next shots are almost always misses as they rush to “catch up.”

Similarly, when a shooter mounts a rifle or pistol and expects a reticle or dot to be there and it isn’t, they go into the same problem-solving loop. Unfortunately, their capacities have usually been reduced in the direction of the binary decision model (mentioned above) and they stare blankly at the gun for precious seconds while their brain works to catch up.

This is why simple is effective. The more complexities we infuse in our critical equipment, the more we have to process “in the moment.” We aren’t designed to do that, and it becomes immediately apparent when we face the smallest stressors. When things go wrong, we prefer not to problem solve but arrive quickly at a simple solution. Fight… or flight.

Before you commit to a piece of equipment designed to save your life, put it to the “parachute test.”
Is it effective?
Is it as reliable as I can obtain?
Is it simple?

If any of these are in question, perhaps you should consider something else. The hazards of failure (as with a parachute) are far too great.

Complexities are insidious and often not warranted. Remove them as best you can. Remember: Simplicity wins, complexity kills.

Until next time, train smart (and simply.)

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Author Bio

Duane “Buck” Buckner

After spending 25 years in the USCG, Duane “Buck” Buckner is now the U.S. Director of Training for Aimpoint. The Aimpoint Training Division conducts training courses for military and law enforcement agencies up to the Federal level as well as for the prepared civilian. Buck is widely known for his emphasis on brain psychology as it relates to combat and survival.

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