We in the gun community tend to use a lot of jargon. Do you know what EDC stands for? How about CQB? Have you ever fired a double tap?
We also often buy things marketed as “tactical” when we really don’t need them. The running gag in the industry has for a while been best described thusly: Make it black. Put Velcro on it. Call it “tactical.” People will buy it.
There are entire companies who have made millions by selling “tactical” gear to people who will never use it. I happen to wear tactical pants every day, because carrying a wallet in my hip pocket was causing serious back problems. Now I carry the wallet in my cargo pocket and am pain-free. But I, too, have fallen prey to the marketeers of “tactical gear.” For a while I even edited a magazine with that name. But not everyone wants or needs to be Jason Bourne. Most of us are just people who hope we never have to pull out a gun in the face of danger. But “tactical” still sells, so people still use the word … a lot.
As a result, I have, over the years, come to appreciate discussions on self-defense that do not include the word “tactical.” That’s why I smiled broadly when, more than a year ago, I heard fellow USCCA Training Counselor Will Parker say, “I am fully dressed.”
Parker was responding to a question asking if he was carrying a firearm. I love that response. It says everything that needs to be said in just a few words, without bravado and in a manner that truly and clearly states our position on the topic of carrying a firearm daily for self-defense.
“Fully dressed” means you have everything you need to protect yourself or your loved ones should the need arise. Typically, that means you have a firearm, spare ammo, a flashlight, a cellular phone and very likely some other means of self-defense. Still, everyone will have a different wardrobe, and the style you choose may not be the style someone else chooses.
I am a firm believer that no one should leave home without being fully dressed. It’s a matter of public decency. You, as a decent citizen, have an obligation to yourself and to your family to protect those you hold dear. If you wish to extend that obligation to other members of the general public, you may choose to do so, within the boundaries of the law. And these are things you should do while fully dressed. Seems like there should be no argument about this.
I like this term. It provides a complete and accurate explanation of your state of readiness, but also allows for interpretation and even discussion. So, let us know, what elements make you feel fully dressed?
