Do You Really Have A Combat Mindset? -concluded-

Yesterday we talked about conditions ’White’ and ‘Yellow’ and today we conclude as follows:

Orange – Specific alert. Something is not quite right and has gotten your attention.

Your radar has picked up a specific alert. You shift your primary focus to determine if there is a threat (but you do not drop your six).

Your mindset shifts to “I may have to shoot HIM today,” focusing on the specific target which has caused the escalation in alert status.

In Condition Orange, you set a mental trigger: “If that goblin does ‘x’, I will need to stop him.” Your pistol usually remains holstered in this state.

Staying in Orange can be a bit of a mental strain, but you can stay in it for as long as you need to.

If the threat proves to be nothing, you shift back to Condition Yellow.

Red – Condition Red is fight. Your mental trigger (established back in Condition Orange) has been tripped. If “X” happens I will shoot that person.

The USMC also uses “Condition Black” as actively engaged in combat, as do some of Cooper’s successors, but Cooper always felt this was an unnecessary step and not in keeping with the mindset definition of the color code since it is a state of action.

Conclusion:

In short, the Color Code helps you “think” in a fight.

As the level of danger increases, your willingness to take certain actions increases.

If you ever do go to Condition Red, the decision to use lethal force has already been made (your “mental trigger” has been tripped).

All credits for introducing this entire concept go to Lt. Colonel Cooper, USMC (ret.).