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As you watch this gripping footage of a U.S. military medic being shot by Iraqi insurgents, watch how quickly this soldier regains his composure, gains control of his weapon, begins scanning for the threat and gets to cover.
“It’s obvious from his outstanding performance under extreme circumstances that this man was mentally and physically prepared for the reality that he might be shot,” national firearms expert John Farnham told Police1. “Because of this, he was able to get back in the fight quickly and avoid falling prey to further attack.”
Although filmed in a war setting, this footage can serve as a learning tool for law enforcement. “Just as in war, one of the realities of police work is that you may get shot,” says Farnham. “We take every possible step to avoid that and we don’t willingly accept it when an officer takes a round, but we have got to remember that being shot is possible. If we don’t, a situation like the one shown can result in an officer becoming physically and mentally paralyzed when preparation may have avoided it.
“Within less than a second, the soldier in this clip found himself on the ground after being hit. He had no time to think about what just happened and he didn’t. He got back in the game immediately…and that, along with his vest, saved his life.”
