• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Loadout Room

The Loadout Room

Professional Gear Reviews

Hardcore Gear and Adventure

Menu
  • Shooting
        • Pistol
        • Pistol Accessories
        • Rifle
        • Rifle Accessories
        • Shotgun
        • Machine Guns
        • Air Guns
        • Ammunition
        • Optics and Sights
        • Weapon Lights
        • Tips & How-To
        • Concealed Carry
        • Holsters
        • Suppressors
        • Precision Rifle Shooting
        • Firearms Training
        • H&K MP-5 Sub-Machinegun: Famous but not FriendlyH&K MP-5 Sub-Machinegun: Famous but not Friendly
        • Glock-17_1A Former Delta Force Operator’s Glock 17 Setup
        • 300-blackout-used-for-home-defense-ar-15-pistol-fThe Home Defense AR-15 – Setting Up for Success
        • lossy-page1-1280px-Da_Nang_Vietnam…._Sergeant_Robert_E._Fears_clears_an_area_using_his_flamethrower._-_NARA_-_532491.tifThe Brutal Reality of the Flamethrower and the Men Who Carried It
    • Close
  • Gear Reviews
      • Mission Gear
      • Camping Gear
      • Survival Gear
      • Medical Gear
      • Adventure & Travel
      • Knives & Tools
      • Overland
      • Disaster Preparedness
      • Footwear
      • Womens Gear & Clothing
        • Winter-AdventureGet Ready for Winter Fun: The Ski Gear Guide
        • RIP-MVehicle Preparedness: Fast access to essential items | Grey Man Tactical RIP-M
        • Midland radioOverland Essential | Midland Radio MXT275 | GXT1000
        • ppGrab your gear and go | Here’s everything you’d need to build an adventure go bag
    • Close
  • Men’s Lifestyle
      • Fitness
      • EDC
      • Eyewear
      • Watches
      • Electronics & Technology
      • Downtime
      • Mens Clothing & Accessories
      • Manly Skills
      • Style & Grooming
      • Gentleman Drinks
      • Crate Club
        • Georgia-Army-National-GuardHow to Use Military Mindset While Preparing for a Race
        • jelmer-assink-gzeTjGu3b_k-unsplashFitness Gear Standard Weight Bench: A Budget Gym Equipment Review
        • alexander-andrews-BX4Q0gojWAs-unsplashEDC 101: What EDC Means and 4 EDC Gear to Have
        • 275067423_3229648577268120_1392851511843662528_nFit or Flop?: A Review of the WOOBIES Men’s Mod-1 Canvas Shoe
    • Close
  • News
  • Video Demo
  • Buying Guides
  • Shop
Think Like a Green Beret

Think Like a Green Beret: Tactics

February 4, 2015 by Mark Miller 7 Comments

Think Like a Green Beret: Tactics

Green Berets have extensive training in tactics. Phase three of the qualification is 12 weeks of “tactical skills.” In Afghanistan or Iraq, tactics mean the difference between taking fire and being overrun. The word has been diluted and overused. Green Berets know a few things about tactics.

“Tactics mean doing what you can with what you have.”—Saul Alinski

Currently, there seems to be a movement to ridicule the ubiquitous word “tactics.” I mean to take the word back. “Combat” is also a much-abused word, as is “operator,” but that is another problem altogether.

Tactics are not strategy. Tactics are an action or series of actions performed in a way that gives you an advantage. Strategy is a plan, which may involve many tactics, to obtain a goal or objective. Today we talk about tactics.

“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.”—Sun Tzu

Back in the ’60s, it was realized that we needed police officers who were trained and equipped to deal with dangerous suspects. Special weapons and tactics teams were formed and given a non-threatening name. This is where tactical marketing started.

Many lazy advertising wannabees use the word tactical to describe any device which can be sold to the military or law enforcement. The word conveyed use in combat and implied adventure. The users said things like, “The company painted it black and put Velcro on it. Now it is tactical.”

Tactical Ladder courtesy of littlegiantladders.com
Tactical Ladder courtesy of littlegiantladders.com

In chess, a tactic is a series of moves which limit the opponent’s options and may result in tangible gain. The fundamental building blocks of tactics are sequences in which the opponent is unable to respond to all threats, so the first player gains an advantage.

“Players lose you games, not tactics. There’s so much crap talked about tactics by people who barely know how to win at dominoes.”—Brian Clough

In life, like chess, we can gain an advantage by acting first and correctly anticipating the actions of others. Have you ever looked around and picked the short line at the grocery store or the fastest lane during a traffic jam? Boom! That, my friend, is tactics. Once you are in front of your competition, you have positional advantage

With situational awareness and conscious action, your entire life can be made better, safer, and will last longer. The problems you avoid make this practice worthwhile.

Tactics can be any action or device that gives you an advantage. Retake the word.

Green Berets plan ahead; they get good gear and quality training. They see the bad guy or the problem first and anticipate threat strategy and tactics.

Come up with some rapid strategery (this is not a word but it should be) of your own and use good tactics to gain and maintain a position of advantage. Win.

Share This

About the Author

Mark Miller is a Green Beret who served in Afghanistan and a number of other live fire locations. He's a poet-warrior in the classic sense, a casual hero and a student of science.

See All Mark Miller Articles

More From The Loadout Room

Comments

Primary Sidebar

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates daily and to hear what's going on with us!

Find Us on Facebook

The Loadout Room

Recent Comments

  • Kurt Kusenko on Sig Sauer Romeo 7: Hands On Review
  • interloper on 5 Best Glocks for Concealed Carry
  • KhaleesiJohanna on The 6 Best Backpack Coolers for Your Next Outdoor Adventure

Latest From SOFREP

The Pic of the Day

The Pic of the Day: USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) Arrives in Piraeus, Greece

Foreign Policy

Biden Approves $10B HIMARS Deal with Poland

Military History

The Untold Story of Europe’s Forgotten Heroes in WWII

The Pic of the Day

The Pic of the Day: Task Force Spartan, Israel Defense Forces Team Up for Exercise Juniper Oak 2023

© Copyright 2023 SOFREP Media Group · All Rights Reserved.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Advertisers
 

Loading Comments...