Advice?

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Remember, advice is usually worth exactly what you paid for it.  Assuming you don't include the time investment.  When you get good advice, on very rare occasions, and it's something you don't already know, however, then it can become quite valuable.  Then again, if you are given a ton of gold, but never sell it, you have gained nothing.  In other words, even good advice is only as valuable as you make it.

While looking around on YouTube, the internet, and other sources, I find a lot of people handing out advice that is less than valuable.  I do look at ideas, both to compare and potentially learn.  Combat, truly, is an act of the mind.  It takes on a form of reality when it goes from the mind to the environment.  So... thinking on these matters is important.  Every man, whether he knows it or not, on some level, is a warrior.  Some have quit beforehand, and will surrender.  Some have chosen to be the warrior within a family unit or clan, and thus have a slightly different ROE.  And, most will never have to do more than social posturing... that's another term for bluffing.  And yet, when God calls, sometimes all of our best laid plans, our hopes, our intent, are swept aside and we are left to deal with the realities at hand.  So... better to be ready.  And know... surrender will not see you to survival, just a quicker, possibly less painful, death.  Unless someone deems you healthy enough to work to death.  Still, it's your choice.

I saw a man, decked out in a t-shirt, bluejeans, a highly modded m-15, and tattoos costing more than his clothing and gear.  He was describing how to stand so as not to be thrown off while shooting in a standing position.  Ostensibly for tactical training.  Now, that is fine for the range, or plinking in some field, I guess if I would still argue against that as a general rule (shoot as you plan to shoot), but that should never be conflated with a tactical stance.  Unless you plan to mow down unarmed people.  If that is your plan, don't answer that.  And you are doomed.  The thing is this...  In a tactical situation, if you are on your feet so as to purchase territory through advancement, or find cover (I would go with the cover, then advancement, mind you), and you are in a hostile environment, you won't be planting your feet so that you may shoot from a standing position.  I suppose there is some call for that, in very limited situations, but not enough to give advice as to how best to do that.  The best advice that can be given regarding how to shoot is... to tell people to get out and shoot.  Experience will demand that you begin to figure things out on your own.  The cost of bullets and the marks on the ego from missing will fix teh stupid.  More?  What works for me may well not work for you.  Trust me hard on that last.

I guess what I am saying is, if you really want to understand some things, go do them.  True, you can't reasonably be expected to train in live-fire conditions.  Too many of you will not survive.  You can't just do what you wish, and some people can't handle surviving in a tight corridor.  Raise your head?  Lose it.  But you can, while target shooting, consider exactly what you would really do if someone was shooting at you.  Stand there, plant your feet just so, take aim, and shoot?  Yeah, no.  You drop to your belly, or lunge toward cover as fast as your little legs will carry you, depending on some factors you won't understand, always, even if you survive.  Though, with a little real life experience, assuming you survive, you will begin to make... better choices.  If the truth is, in a long enough war, survival rates on any individual drops to zero.

If you want to learn tactics, first, get out and shoot.  Then, think of the situations in which you might find yourself, and consider what you might do.  After you have filled out the notions as well as you can, practicing what you would do, and if you still feel the need, find tactical trainers.  While they might well take a noob, and your money, fresh off the boat, you won't be getting your full money's worth if they are having to teach you how to reload your rifle, or deal with your phobias regarding scratching your rifle, 'touching the dirt' with your clothes, or even keeping a solid safety barrel position.  They will babysit you, but only up to a point.  Don't bug them until you deserve to bug them.

Now, that is advice you can take to the bank.  But I can't do that for you.  You want it?  Go get it.  Now... get off my damned porch!