Larry Yatch the CEO of Sealed Mindset was interviewed on Blog Talk Radio today to discuss personal safety and self defense training.

Below is a description of the interview.

Join us as I interview couterterrorsim expert and retired combat veteran Navy SEAL, Larry Yatch. Larry is of www.sealedmindset.com, a personal safety and awareness training company. Larry has taken his vast knowledge and applied it to educating the average civilian via the comprehensive e-learning course “15 Seconds to Safety” that I too have benefited greatly from. Larry is featured in author Dick Couch’s book, “Down Range” as Sean Yarrow. This book recounts SEAL operations pre and post 9/11. Larry is also an industry leader in specialized technical surveillance training, which I also look forward discussing with him.

Navy SEAL Counterterrorism and Security Expert Says Americans Have a Responsibility to Protect Themselves from the Escalating Threat of Terrorism

Lt. Lawrence Yatch, a medically retired U.S. Navy SEAL and expert in the fields of terrorism and security, says that the threat of radical Islamic terrorist attacks against Americans will continue to escalate. He believes that the government’s security efforts will never be completely foolproof and that Americans need to take personal responsibility for their own safety. Lt. Yatch’s company, Sealed Mindset, specializes in developing personal safety and security training that teaches citizens how to protect themselves and their families.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) January 11, 2010 — Terrorists are nothing new to Larry Yatch, the President and CEO of Sealed Mindset, a San Diego based security training company, spent much of his military career hunting terrorists all over the world. When asked if the recent attempted Al Qaeda bombing of a commercial airliner on Christmas Day surprised him, he didn’t hesitate for a second before giving a one-word answer, “No.”

In fact, this decorated U.S. Navy SEAL combat veteran was not surprised at all by the attempted al Qaeda attack on Christmas Day. He also doesn’t think that such incidents are likely to stop anytime soon.

“We’re fighting an enemy that’s in it for the long haul. They don’t view the world the same way that we do. They have different values. They aren’t afraid to die and they are determined to bring the war here to America.”

He also doesn’t think that the government will ever be able to stop all terrorist attacks:

“No security is foolproof. We are facing an incredibly determined enemy. A determined enemy can always find a way to mount an attack, especially in a free society. Freedom and vulnerability are interconnected. We have a lot of freedom in this country and that increases our level of vulnerability.”

Despite his grim words however, Lt. Yatch (ret.) is optimistic about the future. He believes that individual citizens can make a difference by taking responsibility for their own personal safety and is working hard to develop training that will help them do just that.

Sealed Mindset, Lt. Yatch’s company, specializes in providing personal safety training solutions delivered conveniently through a self-paced, online training program. After being medically retired from the military due to combat related injuries, Lt. Yatch began working as a private security consultant and soon realized that there was an enormous gap in the training available for private citizens.

“The only security training available for civilians is focused on physical confrontation, by using a shooting or fighting system. Those skills are important to learn, but they should always be a last resort. The key to personal safety is learning to observe a threat and then learning how to avoid it; that knowledge has kept me alive in some of the worst places in the world.”

Once Lt. Yatch recognized this deficiency, he brought together a unique team of security professionals to build a training system designed to teach people how to increase their awareness, how to recognize potential threats and then how to avoid them. After a year of research and development, Sealed Mindset launched a web-based training program meant to teach business professionals, international travelers, housewives and students a simple system that increases their own personal safety by teaching them how to be more aware and how to avoid dangerous situations.

While the training program was originally developed to help people avoid criminals, Yatch says that it is also ideal to help people to identify and avoid terrorist attacks.

“Counter-terrorism is where the information in our curriculum originated.” He says, “The skills taught are exactly the same skills that I used every day in the field as a SEAL operator. This program teaches the student how to evaluate people and decide whether or not a specific person could be a danger. It teaches each person what to look for in a threat and then shows every individual what to do about it.”

This personal safety and security training program is called 15 Seconds to Safety. The curriculum is knowledge-based instead of physical skills based, which ensures that anyone can learn and apply the lessons. 15 Seconds to Safety is available at www.sealedmindset.com.

Sealed Mindset is also working in a partnership with a Minnesota based company called Range Systems, which specializes in building dynamic tactical training environments. Together, the two companies are developing a series of groundbreaking personal security firearms training courses that will train private citizens to use firearms in self-defense against both criminal and terrorist threats.

Larry Yatch and Sealed Mindset will be at the 2010 Shot Show, featured in both the Range Systems and Emerson Knives booths.

Sealed Mindset can also be contacted at: info@sealedmindset.com or via the website: www.sealedmindset.com

What’s missing from Concealed Handgun Classes?

All but two of the fifty states currently have some measure of legal weapons carry for private citizens.  Every state has its own rules, but many require some sort of training program before they will issue a weapons permit to private citizens.

http://www.carryconcealed.net/

The requirements for these classes vary, but typically the primary topics of instruction include gun safety, basic shooting mechanics and legal requirements specific to the state.

These topics are all critical for any citizen who intends to carry a weapon for self-defense.

BUT, what is usually missing, or brushed over in these courses, is the fundamental knowledge and skill necessary to avoid situations where use of a firearm could become necessary.

The use of deadly force is always considered an option of last resort, yet the skills and knowledge required for using a firearm are the bulk of available training for men and women.

What is missing from most firearms and self-defense training is in-depth instruction on a systematic approach to avoiding and deterring potential threats before physical force becomes necessary.

For example, most firearms courses teach you exactly what to do if you are confronted with a threat to your life. What they are lacking is a clear definition of what exactly a threat looks like. They also do not address or clarify exactly what other levels there are except for threats that require use of a firearm. Most of us walk around our worlds surrounded by people that are not threats to our lives.

We teach that all people that you come in contact with can be classified into one of five categories:

Non-threat – is not physically able and shows no intent to harm you.

Neutral – may be physically able to harm you, but shows no intent.

Possible Threat-poses significant physical ability, or is “out of place”.

Threat – physical ability does not matter, shows intent to harm you or someone near you.

Help – has the physical ability and personal or professional obligation to help you.

These classifications are just the beginning. The next step is to learn what distinguishes each category, and where to look for these distinguishing characteristics.

Now, for the first time ever, you can find this systematic approach and many others in Sealed Mindset’s online course, 15 Seconds to Safety.  This Sealed Mindset course will help you make the most out of your concealed handgun carry class, no matter what state you reside in.

For more information on gaining this fundamental knowledge and skill, visit www.sealedmindset.com today!

With the holidays upon us, and recent news headlines reporting an increase in violent crime on our military bases and in our workplaces, our concern for safety is at an all time high. You may notice many companies putting out safety tips aimed at preventing you from becoming the victim of a crime this holiday season.

Many of these safety tip lists are short, vague and do not address your real concerns, specifically “What do I do, if. . .?”

We’ve taken the typical list of tips and we’ve added the Sealed Mindset spin to give you practical, concrete examples of how to keep yourself safer over the holidays. You will read the first 5 points today, and we will post the next five later in the week.

The first portion of each tip is the “typical” advice. The second portion of each tip in italics is the knowledge from the Sealed Mindset Team. This revised list will give you real knowledge to help yourself take control of your personal safety.

1. Be aware. It is essential to be aware of your surroundings at all times. By being alert, you may be able to stop an attack before it occurs.

In order to be aware, you need a systematic method of opening your vision. Most people have been trained in school to stare straight ahead, whether at a chalkboard, a computer monitor or even another person while in a one-on-one conversation. Many people never use their peripheral vision.

To open up your peripheral vision and to train yourself to use it each day so that you can truly “be aware,” you can practice using your peripheral vision. For example, when you stand in a line at the supermarket, see if you can tell what is to your right and left without looking in those directions. See if you can tell what the person beside you is doing with his or her hands. If you practice connecting to your peripheral vision each day, soon you will be able to see more than ever before.

2. Trust your instincts. Listen to what your intuition tells you. This will allow you to avoid a situation that does not feel safe.

Your instinct is your mind’s ability to process more information sub-consciously than consciously. Your instinct is the word we use to refer to the feelings associated to the facts that your unconscious mind brings to your attention.

You can harness your instinct and sharpen it by associating your instinctive “feelings” with a touch. For example, when you get a feeling in the pit of your stomach that something is wrong, or when you feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, you can at the same time touch your inner wrist. This associative gesture allows you to train your instinct to work for you whenever you touch your inner wrist.

3. Keep your cell phone handy. It is critical to have a cell phone at all times, but do not keep it glued to your ear. Talking on the phone causes people to be less aware of their surroundings.

Plug in your cell phone to charge it each evening, so that when you leave home with your cell phone you know the battery is charged should you need it. Buy and place inexpensive disposable cell phone batteries, like the ones below in your car and purse:

Disposable Cell Phone Batteries

Memorize your closest friend, spouse, or family’s phone numbers so that you can call them from another phone, if you do not have your phone with you.

4. Avoid presenting a victim profile. When out in public look people in the eye, keep your head up, and walk with a confident stride. This could prevent an attack.

If you do not know what to look for in people around you, you will not be able to prevent an attack, even if you do walk with a more confident stride. True confidence does not come from looking people in the eye. In some instances, looking a person who is a threat in the eye can call their attention to you. Instead, look briefly at each person around you to identify if that person could be considered a threat, non-threat or source of help. Categorizing people is the first step to keeping yourself safer – for the complete list of characteristics to look for, check out Lesson 5 of Sealed Mindset’s 15 Seconds to Safety.

5. Lock car doors and leave. Many people have the tendency to get into their car and sit. This gives an attacker the ability to break into the vehicle and cause bodily harm, or allow them to steal the car.

Remember that your car is not only a means of escape, but it can also be a weapon. Think about the type of car you drive most often. Ask yourself questions about the feasibility of using your car as a weapon, for example: what type of clearance does your car have? Do you feel comfortable pushing the speed of your vehicle, if you needed to? What other types of drivable terrain are available for you to use other than the road directly in front of you should you need to find an alternate route? You can avoid becoming a victim by recognizing the driving rules that limit your ability to use your vehicle to escape harm, and then you can actively visualize yourself disregarding these rules in the safest manner possible to use your vehicle to your own advantage.

If you like what you read, check out www.sealedmindset.com for more real personal safety knowledge. The rest of the list will be posted shortly.