Boom.
The world around you has just exploded.
Following the blast, you hear a loud ear-ringing tone. Now around you the world is devolving into absolute chaos. Five seconds ago you were attending an event, be it a political rally, a concert, or even a wedding. Terrorism knows no bounds. Now, people are screaming, fire alarms are going off, and smoke is everywhere. What do you do?
Your answer could very well determine whether you live or die.
This is the same question hundreds of people had to ask themselves in Manchester just weeks ago. These attacks have only risen in density and frequency, so knowing what to do in the aftermath of a violent situation is becoming a skill everyone needs.
As a participant in several bad situations in nonpermissive environments, I feel I can speak from experience. As a U.S. Marine, we are taught a wide variety of different skills and tactics, but nothing is more important than being taught how to think on your toes.
One of those techniques is the OODA loop.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to escape from danger, the OODA loop can save your life.
It has saved countless lives since Colonel John Boyd invented the concept. The tactic is an invaluable mental technique to utilize in order survive the encounter described above.
When the adrenaline starts pumping your mind isn’t going to be sharp. The OODA loop is a simple acronym that can help you escape danger.
It’s a technique to deal with the situation in front of you, regardless of how dangerous or uncertain it is.
O – Observe
Observe the world around you and utilize all of your senses. You heard a boom — that likely means an explosion or a crash. You smell smoke in the air, so it was likely an explosive. You hear people screaming so you know you’re not alone. In this stage, you need to observe the unfolding circumstances in front of you and determine how they’ll affect you. You observe men and women in uniform filing into the building and begin directing people.
O – Orient
The Second O in OODA loop is Orient. Take the information you’ve learned and orient to it. This is a critical step because you will be hit with a wave of emotion, be it fear, sadness, anger, or even denial of what’s in front of you. You have to work through these emotions and filter what you’ve observed into useful information that helps you survive.
You observed an emergency exit near the bathrooms prior to the explosion, but it seems the explosion is in the same direction. You observed those people in uniforms filing in, and determine them to be police. Part of orientation is based on your culture and environment. In our culture, we have distinguished uniforms that are easily recognizable for emergency response personnel.
Orienting yourself to the broader picture means you know this situation is putting you at risk, and to survive you need to escape.
D – Decide
After you’ve observed and oriented yourself to the event around you, it’s time to make a decision on what you need to do. Be decisive and stick to your decision. The best way to survive this situation is to escape. You can attempt to reach the emergency exit and hope it’s accessible.
Or you can choose to follow the commands of police and venue staff. The safer decision would likely be to follow the instructions of police and venue workers. Overall, you have to make that final decision.
A – Act
The final step is acting. You’ve observed the information, you’ve oriented yourself to the information, and dedicated to act on available information.
Now is the time to act.
You move forward, making sure you hear the instructions being issued clearly and keep moving.
The Continuum
Now the OODA loop doesn’t end here. It’s a continuous process that constantly changes. In this situation you observe an officer telling you to head to the left, you hear the information, orient yourself to it, decide to listen to the officer and head left.
The entire process can be done in a second or two, or in ten minutes, or in an hour. It all depends on the situation.
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The best way to learn to use the OODA loop is to consciously use in normal everyday life.
I observe I am hungry, I orientate myself to the fridge, I decide I want a sandwich, I act and make a sandwich. Repeat.
It’s simple, but it’s effective.
It’s easy to practice, and best used when you are in a stressful situation. Try to use when you have a project or a deadline, and see how it can help you organize and act. You’ll be an OODA loop pro quicker than you’d imagine — and one day it could save your life.
— Travis Pike is a U.S. Marine veteran, an NRA certified firearms instructor, and a survival expert with real world combat experience.