Sheepdog Tip of the Day, During Combat tip 232
Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock (one of the U.S. Marine Corps' top snipers in Vietnam and subject of the book, Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills) tells of how he used a mental picture of "getting in the bubble" when it was time to fire a shot. This allowed him to shut everything else out that might cause a distraction so he could focus on firing the perfect shot. While in the bubble, he saw only sight picture and target. He didn't feel the rain running down his neck, the insects biting him, or even the snakes crawling nearby. It was like a cone of concentration that allowed him to shoot a perfect shot no matter what was happening around him. Once the shot was fired, he was back into the scan mode, making the conscious mind do its job, bringing his situational awareness back on line.
Linda K. Miller and Keith Cunningham, Secrets of Mental Marksmanship
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Other killology services:
Bullet Proof Mind for the Armed Citizen Seminar
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Additional Resources
For PTSD, Shepherd Resource Group.