Gray Man

Camouflage for Crowds, Cities, and Civil Crisis

by Matthew Dermody

© 2017 by Matthew Dermody

ISBN 13: 978-1-9763-5118-1

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. Except for use in a review, no portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in or
introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means--electronic, mechanical,
photocopy, recording, or other method without the express written permission of the publisher. The
scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or any other means without the
permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for the use or misuse of information
contained in this book.

Front and back cover photos are commercial free use photos courtesy of the website www.pixabay.com

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Other published works by Matthew Dermody:

Books:
Appear to Vanish: Stealth Concepts for Effective Camouflage and Concealment
Hidden Success: A Comprehensive Guide to Ghillie Suit Construction
Website Resources: (www.hiddensuccesstactical.com)
Civilian and Military Camouflage Patterns - General Editor (free download)
Inexpensive Winter Ghillie Blanket
3 Reasons to Stock up on Halloween Make-Up
The Tactical Drawbacks of High-Definition (HD) Camouflage Patterns
Guest Blogs:
Six Materials for Field Expedient Natural Camouflage - @www.WillowHavenOutdoor.com
Do You Really Need A Ghillie Suit? - @www.itstactical.com
Build Your Own Ghillie Suit for Under $75 - @www.itstactical.com
Practical Alternatives for Buried Survival Caches - @www.survivalschool.us

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 "People, people everywhere
There's revolution in the air
Protest signs and people walking
Talking heads on TV talking
Pick a team, choose your side
Ain't no room for compromise
We're running out of better days..."

- Bon Jovi - Touch of Grey

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 Acknowledgements

Many thanks to my friends and colleagues within the Law

Enforcement, Survival, and Tactical Tracking communities who
have offered their support, encouragement, and mentorship. I am
truly thankful to be able to write and teach on a subject capturing
my passion for all things related to camouflage and concealment.

A special thanks to my friend, Pamela Scott, who served as

the editor for this book. Her keen attention to detail, and honest
analysis of my writing style, helped make me a better writer and
Gray Man the best it could be.

Most of all, I would like to thank my wonderful wife, who

continually supports me and applauds my writing success; and to
my beautiful daughters, my inspiration and motivation for hiding
and protecting precious things from the ever-present evil existing in
this world.

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 Disclaimer
This book is intended for informational purposes only. Neither the
author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability for
the intentional use or misuse of the information contained herein.
It is the sole responsibility of the reader to observe and obey all
applicable federal, state, and local laws.

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 Reviews
"I have been a student of the Gray Man concept for some time now. Matthew
has hit this topic with both depth and breadth and it will sit in my reference
library. He says things that will make some of us uncomfortable (quit
wearing that tactical hat), but they are true and he backs it up with research.
Great information for those traveling in high risk environments."

- Kevin Reeve, Urban SERE instructor

and Founder of onPoint Tactical

"GRAY MAN extensively addresses the finer points of urban concealment

and camouflage. The concepts brought forth will help the survivalist, the
foreign traveler, the bustling urbanite, and SPECOP personnel who need, at
varying degrees, the ability to remain low-key and unobstructed. For those
wishing for practical and proactive guide for remaining safer in urban
environments, look no further. I highly recommend this book."

- David Everheart, Certified Senior Scout Tracker

and GTSB Lead Examiner, Eastern United States

“As a SOF operator specialized in operating in the clandestine realm of the

Gray Zone, I can tell you GRAY MAN, has hit the mark beyond expectations.
I have studied and employed many of these principles and methods and can
tell you that Matthew Dermody has presented the subject in a very sound,
structured, and readable format that will set the standard for learning and
understanding how to melt away into your surroundings. This book is a
MUST read for the professional warrior and prepared civilian.”

- Troy Lettieri, US Army and SOF veteran

"I have been a fan of Mr. Dermody's books for quite some time now. He has
a wonderful ability to take complex subject matter and make it usable to
those who have interest in his topics. GRAY MAN takes off right where
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Appear to Vanish left us. It helps the reader understand the intricacies of not
being noticed while in an urban environment. This is a must read for those
that want to be safer in their communities. Whether you are an average
citizen, law-enforcement, or military personnel, GRAY MAN will not
disappoint."

- Craig Caudill, Director of Nature Reliance School, and

author of Extreme Wilderness Survival and
Ultimate Wilderness Gear.

"GRAY MAN will find a place in my training cycle for my advanced classes.
It carries the essence in the written word of what it is to be an urban scout."

- Cmdr. (Ret.) Ty Cunningham, MMAS, CMST

and retired U.S. Marshal

"For anyone wanting to explore the concepts and pathways of social dead
space, GRAY MAN provides you a clear and concise route to follow. Matt
spells out clearly the concepts required to establish a "low profile" which you
can tailor to your exact situational needs to remain "safe" in a variety of
situations. A must read! History has taught us that situations, and even
civilizations come and go, but what endures are those people who can adapt
and pass unnoticed through the veils of circumstance.

- Eddie Starnater, Co-Founder, Director of Programming/ Head Instructor

of Practical Primitive, and author of Principles of Natural Camouflage: The
Science of Invisibility

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 Table of Contents
Foreword

Chapter 1: What is the Gray Man Concept?

Chapter 2: Stimuli
Chapter 3: Self-Control
Chapter 4: Symbols
Chapter 5: Suspicion
Chapter 6: Society
Chapter 7: Stereotypes
Chapter 8: Situational Sense
Chapter 9: Surveillance
Chapter 10: Status Quo
Chapter 11: Supplies

Conclusion

References and Additional Resources

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 Foreword
The purpose of this book is two-fold. First, it re-introduces the lost art
of blending in, thereby being aid to survivalists, undercover surveillance,
intelligence agencies, field operatives, urban trackers, and even international
travelers. Second, it attempts to explain the science of how and why the Gray
Man concept works to help us blend into our urban surroundings and pass
unnoticed.

Again, using the similar format I used in my previous book, Appear to

Vanish, I'll address camouflage and concealment tactics designed specifically
for urban and highly populated areas. These tactics focus heavily on
behavior and both received and transmitted stimulus. The focus is no longer
to move and operate unseen. The evasive movements and behavior used in a
rural or remote setting are no longer practical within the parameters of a
bustling urban environment. It is important to understand the physical and
psychological difference between being unseen and unnoticed. The sheer
number of eyes makes being unseen impossible, so the focus switches to
being unnoticed. The secret to moving around unnoticed in an urban
environment lies in the ability to reduce stimuli. The question then becomes;
how and with what components or tools does one accomplish this endeavor?

In the color spectrum, the color gray seems to move on a sliding scale
of gradients, based upon the amount of natural or artificial light present. It is
not static in the sense there is only one shade of gray. Unlike the other
popular fictional series of books referencing the various shades of gray, this
book is far more practical. It still may be found offensive, graphic, and
provocative. Rather than romanticizing the sexual deviance of the above
inference, GRAY MAN acknowledges the harsh reality of non-consensual
kidnapping and abductions to those wishing to avoid becoming captured,
bound, and tortured.

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 International travelers have long known to avoid looking like the
stereotypical tourist dressed in Bermuda shorts, flowery Hawaiian shirt, sun
hat, and a fanny pack. Modern smart phones and selfie-sticks have replaced
the bulky cameras strapped around the neck. While there is nothing wrong
with the inevitability of being a tourist, the willful appearing as one is a
recipe for disaster. Fashionably flamboyant people make easy targets.
Distracted and unaware people make easy victims. Targeted and victimized
people become statistics.

Shortly before this book's publication, I put these concepts into practice
during an international trip to Perth, Australia. Everything I packed in the
way of clothing had a specific purpose. For example, none of my clothes had
distinct American logos. I chose neutral, muted tones of gray, brown, and tan
colors. I used Australian terms and slang. I avoided the high crime areas.
My family and I, we blended in. Even at tourist sites such as the Perth Zoo
and Freemantle Prison, we looked like Australians. When we spoke and
people discovered our different accent, most wrongly guessed us to be
Canadian. More importantly, we didn't correct them. This only added to our
anonymity.

One experience I had helped serve as the catalyst for this book. After
taking a tactical tracking course at Gunsite Academy hosted by David Scott-
Donelan, I spotted former Milwaukee County sheriff David Clarke at
Phoenix International Airport. Despite the enhanced security associated with
airports and air travel in general, one can still maintain a semblance of Gray
Man tactics. He was leaning with his back against one of the many terminal
pillars, trying to keep a low profile. However, I keyed up on him and
recognized him quickly, despite the hordes of scrambling air commuters. I
casually approached him and asked for a photo together. He politely declined
stating he didn't want to attract attention. I explained how I noticed him and
we chatted for a brief moment, exchanging a couple of quick stories about
my hometown of Rockford, Illinois.

In recent years, Rockford has quickly ascended to one of the most

dangerous murder cities (per capita) in the nation. This once great
manufacturing city in the Midwest has now descended into an urban warzone
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riddled with gang violence. Watching the news and researching on the
Internet exposes the harsh reality of increasing worldwide terrorism, civil
unrest, and the lurking presence of kidnapping and human trafficking. People
need to do whatever is necessary to reduce their risk of becoming a target.
This includes wearing neutral colored clothes, planning routes and activities,
learning some of the language, and avoiding trouble areas.

For this reason, the Gray Man subject has been more prevalent because
of increased Internet blogs and video tutorials. However, it needs and
deserves more than just the standard blending into your surroundings or not
bringing attention to yourself definitions. Knowing what the Gray Man
concept is only by its definition is just the tip of the spear. While their
descriptions and recommended application of the concept are correct in
general terms, the key lies in knowing the how and why it works based on
human behavior. For this purpose, I have written this book on the subject.

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 Chapter 1:
What is the Gray Man Concept?
The Gray Man deliberately decides that he is ultimately responsible for
his own safety and survival.

The Gray Man concept is the antithesis of individual expression. It

hides in the corners of conformity. It only flaunts a quotidian nature. It
meanders through the mundane and occupies the ordinary. Individual
expression and exceptionalism are its enemies. The Gray Man is the
forgettable face, the ghost guy, the hidden human. Becoming the Gray Man
is more than looking less tactical, less hostile, or less threatening. It is the
willful, attempted abandonment of anything and everything defining oneself
as different. The successful result of the proper application of the Gray Man
concept is summarized in two words: Safety and Survival.

The concept of urban camouflage and its utilization is nothing new.

However, the technology and the techniques often employed to maximize its
effectiveness are boundless. The success of urban camouflage is the result of
the correct application of culturally cognizant clothing, self-realization, and
self-discipline.
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 To a majority of the population who have a fundamental knowledge or
an affinity towards camouflage, the term urban camouflage simply registers
as a camouflage pattern consisting of blotches of black, grays, and white
printed onto fabric, which is then used to make clothing or gear.
Unfortunately, this perception of urban camouflage is rather useless in terms
of true effectiveness.

Typical "urban" camouflage, based off the US M85 woodland camouflage pattern. Photo courtesy of
www.pixabay.com

Few camouflage patterns effectively and realistically mimic urban

landscapes. However, there have been tested prototypes. Some have fallen
into the realms of obscurity, like the incredibly rare T-Pattern, tested in the
San Francisco area in 1999 during the Urban Warrior training exercises.1

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 This prototype of the CUEPAT pattern by HyperStealth features horizontal, vertical, and diagonal
straight lines mimicking the manmade straight lines found in urban architecture. This clearly
demonstrates a technique I learned in art class where the angled lines converge at a horizon point,
creating the illusion of depth. Photo credit: Guy Cramer, HyperStealth Biotechnologies Corp. Used
with permission.

Other pattern designs are still in testing, being improved, wrapped up in

bureaucratic red tape, or stuck in financial limbo. The most intriguing urban
pattern design I've come across is the developmental Canadian Urban
Environment pattern or CUEPAT, developed by Guy Cramer, founder and
CEO at HyperStealth Biotechnologies Corporation. His design captures
some of the most important elements commonly missing in other typical
urban designs: straight lines and angles. While it is very environment-
specific, it does reflect the essence of many urban structures.

To me, urban camouflage simply means operational opacity. Most of

my daily "operations" consist of running errands, driving my girls to
gymnastics or ballet, while bringing as little attention to myself as possible.
My actions, demeanor, and clothing must be a practical blend of the three
A's: ambiguity, anonymity, and amorphousness. I strive to be the opposite of
the old Polaroid snapshots. Instead of emerging from opaqueness, I want to
cocoon myself within it. I want people left holding an unexposed or
underexposed picture, which fails to develop into a memory of recallable
significance.

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 Opacity is the opposite of transparency. Webster's Dictionary defines
opacity as the state of being opaque; of not letting light pass through; not
reflecting light; not shining or lustrous; dull or dark.2 In my last book,
Appear to Vanish, I discussed the concepts of effective camouflage and
concealment, focusing more on the remote and rural environments. In the
rural environment, we want an adversary to see through us; even if he is
potentially aware of our presence, hence the term "transparent presence" used
in Appear to Vanish. However, in an urban environment, those same
methods to reduce the S's regarding camouflage and concealment now
become suspect in a populated, downtown area. Wearing military style
camouflage clothing, crouching behind mailboxes, standing behind building
pillars in an effort to reduce your profile would draw obvious attention.
Therefore, we must adopt a lifestyle of intentionally blurring and obscuring
the most identifying features we possess.

The Gray Man is generally accepted and presented as a concept, but it

has also been referred to as a theory, a mindset, a strategy, a tactic, or a
principle. The terms are interchangeable as far as I'm concerned, as most
people are not going to be overly concerned about the syntax and lexicon of
the English language. While the Gray Man concept has been discussed
frequently in blogs, articles, and YouTube videos, there has never been a
comprehensive, published book dedicated solely to the Gray Man subject
until now. The closest book is Invisible Resistance to Tyranny by Jefferson
Mack, which introduced the concept in practice, but not necessarily by name.

Further, the aforementioned published materials have only a few types

of people in mind as their audience: the clandestine tactical operator, the
freedom fighter, and the survivalist/prepper. They fail to include people or
groups who may have need of the information, but no concept of the need for
tactical movement. They further alienate them by using language deeply
rooted in military linguistics and acronyms.

Other members of society, especially international travelers and

tourists, should be an actively sought out audience for this information. By
employing the Gray Man concepts covered in the book, the potential for
reducing international kidnappings and providing vacationers with a little
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more peace of mind is much more advantageous. If there is one area seeming
to have some knowledge gap, it is between the military's understanding and
training on SERE (Survival, Escape, Resistance, Evasion) and a suitable
civilian training/instruction equivalent. There are well-developed SERE
courses available to civilians, but they are typically marketed towards the
survivalist/prepper rather than the international traveler. However, the trend
is starting to shift towards reaching that under-cultivated market.

I don't think it is necessary for everyone interested in adapting the Gray

Man concept to be as equipped as a CIA field operative graduating from The
Farm in West Virginia. Nor do I believe it prudent or feasible to try to adopt
it into a 24/7 lifestyle change. The intention is to implement the concepts of
the skill set as needed.

Some of the concepts blur the line into situational awareness, as some
people won't be able to immerse themselves completely due to certain
handicaps, medical conditions, or physical traits. However, none of these
conditions disqualifies anyone from incorporating as much of the Gray Man
fundamentals as they possibly can. What these people cannot do to blend in
or be less conspicuous, they can prepare by being more situationally aware of
their surroundings. Actively avoiding conflicts and trouble areas are essential
for establishing a foundation from which to start.

Just like in my previous book, I've broken down the effectiveness of the
urban Gray Man into another distinct set of S words. Each S word conveys a
unique urban element, different from the words I used to describe the more
rural camouflage and concealment practices. They are in no order of
importance, as they must all be applied in the same respective inter-
dependence as all other concepts of effective camouflage. The list is as
follows:

Stimuli
Self-Control
Symbols
Suspicion
Society
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Stereotypes
Situational Sense
Surveillance
Status Quo
Supplies

Readers of Appear to Vanish will notice the inclusion of Status Quo, as

it addressed the early research and concepts of the urban concealment aspects
of this text. In this book, it refers more to the preservation of your
safety/existence rather than the maintaining of an undisturbed natural
environment, with no evidence of human interference or presence.

Stimuli - Stimuli refer to anything that may trigger or elicit a response from
another organism. In this body of work, we are strictly discussing human
response, even if the trigger isn't necessarily another human. Any of the other
S words can serve as the catalyst. A loss of self-control or self-discipline can
activate it. A symbol or logo can spark it. Stereotypes and suspicions can
amplify it. Surveillance algorithms can be set to detect it. Anything and
everything we do or don't do can act as stimulus, eliciting or, at least,
foreshadowing a reaction or response from another person.

Self-Control - Self-Control is critically needed to keep a level head and

avoid drawing attention towards you. Losing our cool and becoming angry
or frustrated can cause us to respond contradictory to the best practices of
anonymity.

Symbols - Symbols are any visual, non-verbal stimuli. These can be logos,
trademarked designs and colors (like Coca-Cola red and T-Mobile pink),
brand names, or deeply ingrained and recognizable pop-culture items.

Suspicion - Suspicion is our natural, gut-feeling sixth sense. When

something doesn't look right, sound right, smell right, taste right, or feel right,
our gut feeling acts as an additional alarm to make us stop and evaluate our
current actions or circumstances.

Society - Society is the giant melting pot of ideologies, beliefs, opinions, and
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cultures. At best, it's a huge powder keg where every race, gender, ethnicity,
political affiliation, creed, religion, sexual orientation, etc. politely gather.
However, all possess a stick of dynamite and a match. Harmony and respect
abound until one or more groups feel (or unfortunately are) mistreated,
persecuted, maligned, or in any other way marginalized by one or several
other groups. Oftentimes, open communication and diplomacy corrects the
issue, applying a damp cloth to the lit fuse. Sadly, our current society
consists of an entitlement mentality and an over-abundance of political
correctness. This volatile mix ignites the groupthink mindset where groups
vindictively wait for the next atrocity aimed at them as an excuse to blow the
entire thing up, with little regard for society as a whole; only their demand for
social justice.

Stereotypes - Stereotypes and generalizations are the fences we construct to

keep unwanted members of society from entering our comfort zones. I won't
get into the moral discussion about their justification or demonization.
However, I will say this. There is strong evidence throughout history that
anyone can find and use anything to justify his or her own personal opinion
on the subjects of race and ethnicity. Despite the unrealistic, utopian notion
of all stereotyping to be inherently evil and wrong, quite the contrary is true.

This may challenge your core beliefs, but consider this: Stereotyping is
a form of bias. Biases are one way our brains categorize, compartmentalize,
and characterize everything having meaning or interaction with us on a daily
basis. For example, if you don't like bananas, you have a personal bias
towards bananas. This doesn't mean that all bananas are bad or that your bias
against them is unwarranted. It simply means, based on your personal
experience of tasting or eating a banana, you found the flavor, texture, or
smell to be undesirable. This bias doesn't mean that you refuse to be in the
same room if bananas are present, nor do you scream or shrink back in fear
while passing the bananas in the produce section of the grocery store.
Furthermore, you don't disassociate from any friends or family members who
like bananas. Are there people who act irrationally because of their dislike of
bananas? Sure there are. However, these peoples' behavior can be attributed
to a combination of immaturity, stupidity, and paranoia. No one is actively
forcing them to eat or enjoy bananas. People have free will and still form
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opinions about what they like or dislike and those opinions may become
more favorable (or adverse) later.

Situational Sense - Situational Sense is a blending of situational awareness

and common sense. It is being cognizant of your immediate surroundings in
a prudent, intelligent, proactive effort to avoid/minimize threats or danger. It
is allowing all of your senses to receive information from your current
environment or situation and base your response(s) on that information as
they are processed through the filters of personal preference, formed
opinions, past experience, societal norms, behavioral cues, biases, and
warning signals. The inputted information runs through these filters in a
matter of nanoseconds.

"The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears."
- General James Mattis

Surveillance - Surveillance is the overt and/or covert recording and

documentation of our movements in society. We are recorded everyday at
the bank, the grocery store, the shopping mall, everywhere. Society is the
opposite of privacy. By entering into society, we give up a good portion of
our reasonable expectation of privacy in order to participate in the various
aspects of society and daily life.

Status Quo - Status Quo refers to the attempt to keep a condition or

circumstance from changing, regardless of whether the force initiating the
change is subjectively good or bad.

Supplies - Supplies is the broad term to describe the necessary clothing,

disguises, tools, and/or equipment needed to execute the tactics and
techniques of the Gray Man successfully.

To adopt the Gray Man effectively, it behooves you to become a

student of differing cultures, body language, psychology, and human
behavior on some level. It doesn't mean having to earn a college degree in a
particular field of social science; but does necessitate a desire to learn how

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humans behave and recognize the stimuli initiating their behavioral
responses. It can be summarized with the following quote:

"The key to becoming the Gray Man lies in your ability to observe and
mimic."
- Kevin Reeve, On-Point Tactical

The ABC's of the Gray Man:

A - Anonymous, Ambiguous, Amorphous
B - Boring, Bland, Benign
C - Clandestine, Covert, Conforming
D - Deceptive, Discerning, Discreet
E - Evasive, Elusive
F - Forgettable
G - Guise, Ghostly
H - Hidden
I - Incognito, Invisible
J - Judging
K - Knowledge
L - Location
M - Minimalist, Mundane, Mimic
N - Non-threatening
O - Ordinary, Observant, Opacity
P - Private, Plain, Passive
Q - Quotidian
R - Reclusive, Reserved
S - Secretive, Shielded
T - Tactful, Transparent
U - Uninteresting, Unnoticeable
V - Vague, Vigilant, Vanishing
W - Wise
X - Xenos (Greek word for stranger)
Y - Yawn...getting sleepy...
Z - Zzzz, Zzzz...

As the list concluded, you may have gotten bored reading a list of
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ordinary, plain attributes defining what the Gray Man concept embraces.
However, the point of the Gray Man concept and its application is to be plain,
ordinary, uninteresting, and forgettable. Some letters have more descriptive
words, better defining the effectiveness of the Gray Man concept. This list,
by no means, is intended to be exhaustive, as its purpose is to provide a
clearer, encompassing definition of the Gray Man, rather than be a thesaurus.

The reason for the application of the Gray Man concept is a

straightforward one. It is one of simple survival. It is to avoid or reduce the
risk of becoming a target of assaults, ambushes, and abductions. Our fellow
man is the greatest, most resourceful, and most lethal predator on the planet.
It is part of our unfortunate human condition. Man has invented, improvised,
and improved upon hundreds of weapons and various methods to kill another
human being. With all morality and theology aside, our survival instinct to
kill comes down to two reasons: 1. The desire to protect one's possessions,
loved ones, or maintain a current state of existence, and 2. Possess what one
desires through force. There are other reasons why people kill, but these
reasons usually stem from some type of mental psychosis with the perpetrator
receiving some real or imagined gratification from the act of intentionally
taking another's life.

The possibility of death because of violent assaults and abductions is

the reason why I recommend everyone take heed to the concepts presented in
this book. The following ancient Chinese war proverb by the military
strategist, Sun Tzu, reflects the overall theme throughout this book.

"The individualist without strategy who takes opponents lightly will

inevitably become the captive of others."
- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Citations:
1 http://prepare-and-protect.net/2014/09/urban-camo/
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2 Webster's New World Dictionary, Simon & Schuster, 1991

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 Chapter 2:
Stimuli
The Gray Man must proactively attempt to reduce stimuli produced
from his actions, presentation, and body language.

How We Process Stimuli

Effective urban concealment is all about reducing the stimuli that cause
observers to shift their attention towards us. All of the stimuli around us are
perceived through the five senses. Because of this, we must acknowledge the
plethora of stimuli in the world around us. To complicate things further,
barring some universal exceptions, most stimuli is subjective to the life
experience of the recipient. Certain sounds might not bother you, but may
trigger unusual or even inappropriate responses from others. Food is a
perfect example of highly subjective stimuli reaction and response. Do you
remember the earlier banana example? I used the following graphic in my
previous book, Appear to Vanish. It provides an accurate, yet simple
explanation of sensory function and how we perceive and interpret the
content of our world.

Of the five senses, sight, sound, and smell are usually one of the first
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sensory inputs used to detect stimulus. The reason is one of simple
proximity. Light waves, sound waves, and odors can travel over greater
distances. The sense of taste and touch are dependent upon incoming
physical stimulus coming in direct contact with the sensory organ(s). Kevin
Reeve, of On-Point Tactical, puts the concept of stimulus concisely with four
words, "Don't trip their triggers."1

Graphic designs by Stephanie Hoffman. Used with permission.

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

The effectiveness of any Gray Man attempt has to take into

consideration the how and why people, objects, and events are remembered.
The mind's ability to remember and recall are directly correlated to the
amount and type of stimulus received by the sensory organs. The gathered
information travels to and through the section of the brain called the Reticular
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Activating System (RAS) that filters the incoming data. The RAS interprets
the data and determines what information requires a response and what
information can be ignored/discarded in an effort to process data quickly and
efficiently.

Our bodies attempt to maintain homeostasis, a relatively constant state

of existence. Our nervous system is constantly monitoring the data it
receives to interpret the stimuli having the greatest possibility to negatively
affect that state of existence. In other words, it's searching for potential
threats. While vision is our most relied upon sense, the other senses of sound
and smell also reach the RAS for interpretation. This is why certain ambient
noises, like household appliances and the hum of fluorescent lighting are
largely ignored due to the filtration provided by the RAS.1 A major portion
of the RAS is partially sheathed within the Pons and the Medulla Oblongata
area of the brain. Both serve to protect the vital brain/spinal cord connection,
and are generically referred to as the brain stem. It has long been accepted as
the definitive, threat-stopping target. Any severing of this connection results
in the immediate loss of both voluntary and involuntary nerve and muscle
response.

Adaptation of Adam Sicinski's Reticular Activating system with the Mastermind Matrix2

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 While firearms and military course instructors refer to the Medulla as
the primary target for immediate threat suppression, they actually mean the
RAS. The body's nerve impulses carried through the RAS make contact with
every part of the brain via the interconnecting web of neurons. Severing this
connection instantly and irrevocably disrupts every physiological and
psychological nerve impulse the body needs to sustain life. Just like a light
switch, "flipping the switch" makes everything go black. The RAS is the
convergence point where "your thoughts, internal feelings, and outside
influences" meet.3 Apart from the obvious military, law enforcement, and
self-defense applications, it is important to understand the RAS's role on the
way stimuli is both formulated and responded to both in and by our brains.

There are various types of threats and many of them are subjective in
their level of severity, based upon conditions and experience. Some threats
turn out to be false, based upon additional information received. Once
enough information is collected and processed, the situation is deemed either
safe or the flight or fight response is initiated to regain that safety.

For example, let's say you are unarmed and an unknown man
approaches you with a brand new canister of three tennis balls. He pops the
top, pulls the metal lid open, tosses it to the ground, and says, "I can hit
anything I aim at when I throw a tennis ball." He grabs two of the balls and
throws one at a trashcan 30 feet away, hitting it dead center. The noise from
the trashcan startles an alley cat that darts out, and he reflexively throws the
second ball and hits it on the back hip, causing the cat to tumble. Amazed,
you turn and watch the cat run off, as the man reaches down for the last ball
and holds it behind his back. You are standing 15 feet directly in front of him
and he menacingly says, "Unless you give me your wallet, I'm going to break
your nose with this last tennis ball."

Based on the above information, is the man's threat valid? Is there

sufficient evidence to prove he is capable of carrying out the threat? Maybe
there's supplemental information from your past when your nose was broken
in high school from a basketball thrown at you? How do you evaluate your
ability and skill to dodge the ball?

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 Let's list eight things we know or can reasonably/safely establish.
First, the man is a stranger to us, so we don't know whether he's serious,
playing a joke, mentally unstable, or any combination of the three. Second,
he has verbally articulated his intent; threatening us as a means to gain our
compliance. Third, he has demonstrated his skill and ability to carry out the
threat. Fourth, we know tennis balls are often sold in packs of three, and
despite throwing two already, we know he still possesses the third. Fifth, we
know we are half the distance from the objects he originally targeted,
increasing the probability of being struck. Sixth, we know the obvious
discomfort associated with being struck on the nose, which results in the
involuntary shutting/watering of the eyes and the reaction to bring the hands
up to the face. Seventh, he has told us the intended trajectory and target of
the tennis ball. Eighth, we know turning our head or ducking will likely
protect our face.

Let's continue the scenario. The guy holds the ball, winds up, and
attempts the throw. You hunch slightly, raise your hands, and turn your face
to avoid the ball. However, you neither feel the impact of the ball nor hear
the sound of it striking another object. You turn back to see the guy
immediately within grabbing distance and he's holding the razor sharp lid
from the can against your throat, demanding your wallet again. So what
happened? What did we fail to notice? What assumptions did we make?

He created misdirection in order to get a strategic advantage on your

position, using your flinch reaction as the catalyst to make his move. Most of
our initial evaluation of the situation was true, but now we find ourselves in a
predicament that we didn't foresee. We made a potentially fatal assumption
that he only picked up the last ball and not the metal lid. He had us thinking
about the ball, based upon his words and his actions. There was little from an
experience aspect that we could have used to prepare us for this outcome.
However, this is a fictitious example, and now having read it, it has the
potential to become a recallable memory you can use, should you find
yourself in a similar situation in the future.

What We Perceive as Stimuli

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 There are literally hundreds of thousands of people, places, things,
activities, or ideas we can perceive as stimuli. It sounds exactly like the
definition of a noun. When you add action verbs to the mix of perceptible
stimuli, that's a lot of potential stimulus to sift through and interpret.
However, I'm not going to address it in noun/verb terms. I only mention it so
that you can begin to grasp the weight of how much stimuli is actually in the
world around us. Let's start by looking at some common stimuli as it relates
to the Gray Man concept.

Clothing - To some degree or another, we use our clothing to

communicate non-verbally our values, our occupation, our socio-economic
status, etc. Some clothing decisions are ours to make while others are
dictated by social constructs or policies set forth by employers or
organizations with which we maintain membership. Apparel choices for
urban concealment should be free of easily identifiable symbols/logos or
visual stimuli like bright colors and unique designs. Adopting the Gray Man
also means avoiding the clichéd tactical clothing apparel. This is not an
indictment to the quality of the clothing or its suitability for certain
operational components of the Gray Man strategy. The biggest disadvantage
with these types of everyday tactical choices is the identification by law
enforcement and government agencies, active military and veterans, and
those trained in highly specialized counter-intelligence and field operative
work. It is, however, safe to say, that wearing tactically inspired clothing
isn't going to register in the minds of the average person; depending, of
course, on the region or country you're living in, operating in, or visiting.

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 Tactical clothing has its place and may appear "Gray" to some people. However, trained military,
LEO, and government contractors will key up on such attire. Photo by Twelvefortytwo. Real identity
concealed by request. Used with permission.

The following list of brands is well known throughout the military and
law enforcement communities. This is not a comprehensive list, but does
serve as an example to the number of different brands available. Even some
more civilian-aimed brands are highly recognizable.

5.11 Tactical
Condor
Voodoo Tactical
Vertex
Blackhawk!
Propper
Tru-Spec
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LA Police Gear
Tactical Tailor
Maxpedition
Mil-Spec Monkey
North Face
Cabela's
REI
Arc'Teryx
SOG
Rothco
RAP4
Blauer
Under Armour
Redhead
Guide Gear
Fox Tactical
Crye Precision

Adopting the Gray Man often means abandoning the likes of some types of tactical clothing and
accessories. The operator hat is the key feature I target for marketing. My friend, Shawn Swanson,
refers to my tactic as "Ambushing someone armed with just a business card." The camouflage patterns
and morale patch adornments make easy targets to mark. Photo by author.

The biggest indicator of tactical clothing (especially the pants) is the

increased number of pockets. Because the pants are designed to be multi-
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functional, the ability to carry essential gear is a big selling point. Multiple
pockets, dull military colors, and the noticeable fabric rigidity associated with
the integral kneepad pockets are key features. Closer inspection usually
reveals the quarter inch square thread weave of ripstop fabric, a popular
fabric choice for its durability.

Brand name tactical clothing may work in towns and small cities far
enough away from military bases with large populations. In sparsely
populated, larger counties without significant urban pockets, the population
may be too small to justify a SWAT team as part of the local sheriff or town's
police department. Thus, the probability of someone zeroing in on tactical
apparel may be reduced.

An easily recognizable article of specialty clothing promoted and

predominantly displayed in survival/tactical magazines is the oversized desert
scarf known as the keffiyeh shemagh. This Middle Eastern cotton head-wrap
is worn throughout the Arab/Muslim world. They are the equivalent to an
extra large bandana. Their uses and functionalities are both boundless and
warranted from a survivalist standpoint, but do attract attention. They scream
to be noticed, especially when worn as a face cover in a manner similar to
Islamic extremists and terrorists. The distinctive checkered patterns and the
fringed tassels bordering the outer edges make them easily identified. Even
wearing one of these scarves during a breakdown in civility, regardless of
your reason, can attract large amounts of unwanted attention.

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The shemagh is a traditional Middle East headscarf popular among preppers and survivalists. They are
also popular among terrorists and radical extremists, too. Here, they were used to travel more freely in
hostile/enemy controlled areas of Iraq. Photo by Shawn Swanson. Used with permission.

Generic designs such as stripes or plaids (more correctly referred to as

tartans) are better suited for certain Gray Man applications. Tartan color
schemes should still focus on neutral earth tones, and unlike several hundred
of years ago, there is no longer a strict adherence that any wearer of a tartan
has to be Scottish or more importantly, a member of a particular clan
designated by the unique clan tartan. Most tartans, especially fashion tartans
not affiliated with a particular Scottish clan, can be worn in America with
little scrutiny or harassment from those with even the purest of Scottish
blood.

Logos, Brand Names, and Sports Affiliations - I am not a big fashion

person, and never have been. Even among the countless camouflage patterns
like Mossy Oak and Realtree, and despite my obsession for camouflage in
general, I normally don't wear a lot of camouflage in public. I actively avoid
any type of clothing where the company logo or trademarked brand garishly
displayed on the garment. I don't wear Nike or Adidas sportswear. I don't
purchase Ralph Lauren or Tommy Hilfiger shirts. Nor do I wear Converse
All-Stars or Reebok tennis shoes. Why? They are distinctive brands with
iconic logos or designs. These companies knowingly take advantage of their
customers, using them as an "off the books" marketing department. It's not
illegal to do so, nor is it expressly immoral. However, I'm not obligated to
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advertise their name or product without compensation. I've long passed the
days of succumbing peer pressure in order to gain a desired level of social
status through the purchase of popular products.

Despite this personal aversion to logos and brand names, there may be
appropriate times and places to wear certain sports team or college/university
apparel. For example, on a Sunday during football season, if I have to take a
trip into a city with a pro sports team, wearing the appropriate ball cap or
even a jersey would create a plausible identity so I wouldn't be seen as a
strictly unique individual. However, if I were to wear my favorite college
football team hat and/or colors in most Washington cities, I would definitely
look like an outsider because I'm not a fan of the state teams. On the other
side of the state, another team is much more popular. While that team isn't
my college team of choice, either, I can wear my favorite team's colors,
because it closely matches one of the state teams. As long as I keep the logo
obscured under other apparel, many people will incorrectly assume the
affiliation with the regional team in the state where I reside.

Colors - For most Gray Man applications, bland, neutral colors work best.
Part of the overall effectiveness of the Gray Man concept, is there exists an
extremely large palette of colors. Within the color spectrum, humans can
identify or at least differentiate between hundreds of colors and shades. Like
all other colors, grays are subject to varying degrees of saturation and
intensity. To further aid in Gray Man concealment, most people (unless they
are artists or interior decorators) refer to colors in very generic terms. The
color red, for example, runs the gamut from maroon all the way to fuchsia.

In fact, if you ask most men, they'll simply describe the color as red and
differentiate the intensity of colors with words like, light and dark. Women,
on the other hand, may offer more descriptive color names describing both
color and its intensity. You may get responses like cranberry, crimson, rose
petal, scarlet, tomato, pimento, strawberry, dark cherry, lipstick, and rust.
Colors evoke emotions that demand to be scrutinized and understood in the
context of their placement and existence within a certain environment.
Because men and women interpret colors differently, their responses will also
differ.
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 Six different gray T-shirts displayed on a tan leather couch. Variants range from a light heather gray,
blue grays, all the way to dark charcoal gray. Despite the variations, people will still call each
individual T-shirt gray, pointing out the subjectiveness of color. Photo by author.

This potential disparity between the observed color and its description
by an observer is what makes the Gray Man concept potentially effective in
the first place. Anyone who has observed you has to have a description
matching or closely resembling those of other observer(s). If not, the
credibility of the observer(s) is called into question.

It is widely accepted neutral colors like the obvious shades of gray,

black, tan, and brown are among the best colors for urban concealment.
Neutral colors, by their definition, do little to provoke reactions. Most
people, if they can describe a neutral color at all, commonly assign it
adjectives such as inviting, homely, relaxing, distant, non-committal, tepid, or
plain.

Weather/Climate Considerations - The weather often dictates how we dress

and with what we dress ourselves. It seems to me over the last several
decades, Americans, as a whole, have lost the fine art of layering. We often
go on short errands and trips throughout our daily lives and our actual
exposure to the elements has been reduced by modern mechanized travel;
therefore, we tend not to layer our clothing. Our ability to adjust the
temperature in our personal vehicles to our own liking is possibly the main
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reason why we no longer layer our clothing. Public transportation does not
provide that luxury.

In other countries, layering is still commonplace, as people tend to walk

more and rely less on vehicular travel in certain regions. A perfect example
of this was when I traveled to Ireland in 2014. It was April and in the mid-
50s (Fahrenheit). To the Irish, this was a mini heat wave. Many were
wearing shorts and t-shirts. I had packed pants and long sleeve shirts. At the
time, I didn't practice layering so I couldn't remove my long sleeve shirt, as I
had no short-sleeved shirt underneath. I looked like an out-of-place tourist as
I failed to respond to the weather conditions as the locals. My Irish last name
and inability to successfully obtain a suntan did little to remove the suspicion
of some passersby.

Another example happened during a recent trip to Arizona to visit

renowned tactical combat tracker, David Scott-Donelan. It was right after
Christmas, and temperatures in the Inland Northwest had been in the 20s and
30s. Growing up in the Midwest, I don't consider this cold. I don't like it
much, but it's not what I would define as cold. I was looking forward to
Arizona winter temperatures of 50s and 60s during the day. Now, being from
the Midwest, I would have been in a t-shirt and jeans. However, because I
was purposely trying to avoid sticking out, I chose to wear a light jacket to
blend in with Arizona residents. Had I chosen to be more comfortable than
inconspicuous, I would have appeared out of place among the locals.

Certain seasons make quick-change disguises more difficult as winter

coats and boots tend to be bulky. Discarding larger coats is much more
expensive, even if you use coats purchased from the local Goodwill.
Swapping jackets and coats is not as easy as it's portrayed in the movies.
Finding a willing accomplice who is the same build and believes the potential
trade to be a better deal may be hard to come by when time is of the essence.

Here's another example of someone who is weather-condition

noticeable. There is a man in our neighborhood who serves as an after school
crossing guard. This guy sticks out like a cockroach on a sandwich.
Regardless of the outside temperature, he wears Bermuda style shorts and
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flip-flops. His overall appearance is always the same. Shorts, flip-flops, no
socks, reflective safety vest, wrap-around sunglasses, and a Chicago Bears
ball cap. The temperature could be as low as single digits, and yet he appears
every school day at 3:00PM dressed the same way. Other distinguishing
features are his long hair and Van Dyke styled facial hair (the popular
moustache and connecting chin-only beard). He also has a bandage wrapped
around his left calf he wears without fail, either to cover a skin condition or
to hide an obscene tattoo. He could also be on some sort of medical
disability. Regardless, his attire says a lot about him and makes him
identifiable, as he doesn't seem to be affected by the weather.

Most of the stimuli mentioned so far are active and changeable based
on the ability to make choices regarding apparel. However, the need to
discuss passive stimuli (stimulus that we cannot reasonably control or sustain
manipulation for long periods) is necessary. I use the three S words to
describe the main passive stimuli. They are Sex, Skin, and Seniority. These
words begin our exploration of the following chapters on society and
stereotypes. They are difficult to change and effectively manipulate to
convince others of the contrary. Sex is obvious, and because there are only
two scientifically accepted sexes (male and female) and only a few species of
life being asexual or hermaphroditic through genetic mutation, there is no
need to include societal opinion.

Skin, in this context, goes deeper than any intellectually shallow racial
bigotry and merely acknowledges the fact that one cannot change the general
color of their skin. Sunbathing and sunless tanning lotions aside, most people
cannot or will not permanently alter the color of their skin. Tattoos are an
exception to the rule, but result in creating a new form of stimulus based on
society, stereotypes, and stigma.

Seniority refers to the inevitability of the aging process. Our physical

bodies are on a course of progressive decline. Genetics, lifestyle, and disease
all attribute to the speed in which that declination occurs. No one is immune
to it effects. Despite all our attempts as humans to slow or stop the aging
process, the result is the eventual cessation of life. Seniority can also have a
secondary meaning relating to experience. However, in that context,
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seniority is active, as it is acquirable and tends to expands knowledge base.

Gender Identification Reduction - Despite my earlier allusion to the

difficulty of permanently changing sexuality, there are times where the
behavior is warranted for a brief time. It has been well established that
women, in general, are often perceived as potential targets and physically less
threatening than men are. There are exceptions, of course, but women are
typically viewed as the weaker of the two sexes. It becomes imperative in
some situations or circumstances for women to visually obscure their
feminine form and silhouette as a way to prevent drawing unwanted attention
or advances. Loose fitting outerwear helps, as well as the use of sports bras.
The reality of sexual assaults is a stark reminder for the justification of toning
down and un-gendering some of the most notable female features. This, in no
way, insinuates a women's' attire somehow invites, provokes or justifies an
attack. The typical, deflecting justification of "She was asking for it by the
way she was dressed" is nothing more than an invalid, cowardly excuse used
to shift blame, instead of accepting the responsibility and consequences for a
heinous and barbaric act.

Long hair should be put up and hidden underneath hoods or hats

whenever possible. Hair of almost any length can be grabbed and used to
control the movements and direction of the rest of the body. However, the
longer the hair, the easier it is to grab. Excessive make-up, especially exotic
eye shadows and bright lipstick should be avoided. Women should also
consider keeping fingernails trimmed shorter and refrain from painting the
nails in any color.

Women's shoes often add varying heights to the heels. While the added
height may accentuate certain features and create the illusion of being taller,
there is a point where a higher heel becomes counter-productive for running
or evading a pursuer. High heels, especially stiletto heels, "click" loudly
across hard surfaces, which can make evasion much more difficult. Flip-
flops fall into the same category of worthless footwear when trying to put
distance between yourself and someone intent on assaulting or abducting
you. You are much more apt to have a blowout in both of these types of
footwear and needlessly increasing the risk of foot injury. Shoes and boots
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with a proper insole and support are the best.

Incorporating more masculine movement and mannerisms go a long

way to lessen the likelihood of being targeted or recognized as a woman. In
more Westernized societies, the ability to dress in male or gender-neutral
clothing is widely accepted, and isn't considered cross-dressing, even in more
conservative regions. Conversely, there may be certain denominational
pockets sprinkled across the United States where this may draw more
scrutiny. Generally, I don't advocate women or girls denying themselves
their choice of personal attire, but when personal safety is concerned, I
always advise and err on the side of safety over fashion. Furthermore, this
shouldn't be misconstrued as a decency narrative, although a correlation
between modesty and practicality clearly exists.

"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all
the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."
- Abraham Lincoln

Regardless of every proactive, precautionary step taken to avoid

creating stimuli in others, you'll be unable to deceive everyone within your
environment.

Citations:
1 Reeve, Kevin, Guest Blog for http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/mindset/gray-man-strategies-101-
peeling-away-the-thin-veneer-of-society/
2http://mastermindmatrix.com/knowledge-base/reticular-activating-system/
3http://www.innovateus.net/health/what-function-reticular-activating-system
4 Full Spectrum Survival, Gray Man - Gender Camouflage When The SHTF - Camouflaging Feminine
Features In A Collapse, YouTube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfd0xT0CGi8

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 Chapter 3:
Self-Control
The Gray Man must maintain self-control physically, mentally, and
emotionally.

Patience is the key to self-control. Even the most even-tempered

people can have their self-control ebb and flow when in stressful situations.
This also means we must actively avoid conflict and hostile situations.
Experienced special operations units know all too well avoiding societal
powder kegs and civil unrest only serves to increase mission success.

Without going into any deep theological revelation on the subject, there
are plenty of scriptural references to self-control in the Bible. Regardless of
your own holdings to the Christian faith, learning more about self-control
will always help you, in spite of the situations you may find yourself. One of
the best ways I can describe self-control is an intentional, self-induced
behavior modification with the purpose to conform to the social norms or
promote the betterment of one self.

Adapting and maintaining effective Gray Man tactics requires

diligence. It sometimes requires you to join the "herd mentality." You may
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find yourself standing in long lines, walking in the same direction as others,
or slowly treading behind self-absorbed or blissfully ignorant people. They
will be oblivious to your desire to get somewhere as fast and as efficiently as
possible. People will be "in the way" more often than they will be "in the
know."

Humans, by their very nature, often choose to take the path of least
resistance. You will have to purposely resist this temptation at times. We
also try to accomplish tasks in the most efficient manner or means available
to us. However, we must re-focus our self-control in certain aspects of our
lives to integrate the Gray Man concept effectively. This can mean any of the
following areas like controlling your movements, reducing social engagement
with others, avoiding social media sites, and trying to break habits that
produce a "tell" regarding your identity or nature.

Some of the hardest behaviors to reverse are those that come to us

through conditioning or deliberate training. Tactical training is important and
needed, but our trained response might produce unwanted attention. After
you have trained so long and hard to have a sheepdog mentality, it's equally
hard, if not mentally repulsive, to return to the passivity of the sheep.

The sheepdog mentality is having the deliberate mindset to be a

protector rather than the protected, the potential victor rather than a
predetermined victim. The practitioner of the Gray Man, at times, must lose
the hero persona. They can neither be the ever-present champion of justice
nor the vigilante. They cannot involve themselves in certain situations that
will ultimately draw the attention off someone else and bring attention to
them. A balance must be maintained between self-control and self-respect, as
well. A person with little or no self-respect often cannot manage the finer
aspects of self-control. A person with no self-control is often physically and
mentally impulsive and emotionally immature.

Observing people and surroundings with the popular neck on a swivel

attitude/posture gives the appearance of an experienced police officer, a
veteran/active duty military, or a field operative/contractor. It's critical to
survey the environment as clandestinely as possible. Watch for the reactions
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of others for threats you may not be able to see in your vantage point or line
of sight. Take advantage of mirrors, window glass, and other reflective
surfaces to avoid noticeable head movement. If you present yourself as being
dialed up, some people will take notice.

It is imperative to take the necessary steps to incorporate self-control.

Not only will it help in the implementation of the Gray Man, but the overall
quality of life will also improve. I am not a self-help guru or motivational
speaker by any stretch of the imagination. You must decide what level of
self-control you are at and if isn't where you think or want it to be, you must
change it.

I practice this often because it is an area I personally struggle with the

most. Driving through city traffic, I'll get stuck behind some self-absorbed
daydreamer, or deliberately belligerent jerk driving in the passing lane. To
infuriate me further, they'll religiously adhere to five miles-an-hour under the
speed limit. I usually have my kids with me so I've had to learn to point out
the rude example of the other driver's behavior, rather than go into a
blistering tirade of verbal abuse that does absolutely nothing to prevent or
alleviate the issue. I turn it into a driving lesson and an opportunity to teach
my kids about paying attention to their surroundings.

Sometimes I even volunteer myself to an impromptu practice session

by choosing a long line at the register checkout or bank teller line. For some
reason, I cannot bring myself to utilize the drive-thru offered by fast food
chains. I've concluded it's not because of the wait time, but because Joe
Pesci's character in Lethal Weapon 2 has, forever tainted my view of drive-
thru food purchases. In short, he said they screw you in the drive thru
because they know you'll be long gone before you realize they've omitted
something, given you something you didn't want, or didn't prepare it
properly. The likelihood of you turning around to drive back and complain is
minimal, so the staff may not seem to care about how they treat drive-thru
patrons. It's a quirk and the fact this has happened to me a couple of times,
gives credence to my personal bias.

That aside, use whatever means possible and available to you to

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increase your levels of patience and self-control. Read self-help books,
meditate, pray, use breathing exercises, or seek counseling. Having self-
control helps you avoid certain situations and enables you to respond
positively in the situations you can't avoid. Unfortunately, self-control is not
easy. If it were, everyone would have it or everyone would do it. The overall
behavioral model throughout the world proves we have a long way to go as a
species. Nevertheless, attaining and maintaining self-control is necessary in
order for the Gray Man to work.

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 Chapter 4:
Symbols
The Gray Man must be attentive to signs and symbols, which serve as
warnings or reveal affiliations with certain groups.

Symbols often fall into the broader category of stimuli in urban

environments. In urban areas, there are plenty of symbols all around.
Written language expresses phonetics through alphabetic symbols. Tattoos
and graffiti often consist of various symbols and/or symbolism. To
complicate matters further, symbolism can mean different things depending
on the culture.

Look at the flags on the following page. What emotions do they

provoke? Do they invoke a sense of national pride? Do they bring to mind
current foreign policy issues? Do they provoke feelings of mistrust or even
hatred? Do you affiliate or identify with any of the flags? Do you claim
allegiance to any of the following flags? This small exercise shows how
symbols act as a stimulus to our emotions.

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Do you agree or disagree with the order of the flags? Do you think certain flags don't belong? Do you
consider any of the flags to represent allies or adversaries? This demonstrates the subjectivity of
symbols as stimuli. All flag photos courtesy of www.pixabay.com

Our emotions steer our behavioral responses. Our responses produce

positive results or negative consequences, while at the same time, triggering
the emotional stimuli in others. The stimuli certain symbols create are so
powerful I have to insert a disclaimer stating my categorical disapproval and
condemnation of certain symbols. Some symbols are universally hated, but
the vast majority of symbols are subjective in meaning to the individual(s)
viewing them.

You and I may have affiliation with certain symbols, while others we
can view with disconnected ambivalence. Other symbols we might identify
because we may share an ideology or a mutually agreed upon meaning.

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Graffiti is common within poorer urban districts, containing large amounts of symbolism, affiliations,
and often marks territorial boundaries of inner-city gangs. Photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

There are so many symbols present in any given society it would be

impossible to list and describe them all. To complicate things further, one
symbol's meaning in one country could mean something completely different,
even opposite, as its meaning in another. Even a letter or a group of letters
(usually referred to as an acronym when the letters have a designated word
association) can create confusion amongst two different groups of people.
For example, ten years ago if you used the acronym BLM, people most likely
think you're referring to the Bureau of Land Management. However, after
the Ferguson, Missouri riots of 2014, BLM is more commonly known as
Black Lives Matter, a group advocating for African-Americans. The groups'
legitimacy has been questioned due to a propensity for violence. Likewise,
the Bureau of Land Management hasn't been winning popularity contests
with cattle ranchers and farmers in the Western states. Regardless of the
individual words within the acronym, neither organization has had stellar
public opinion rating lately.

Acronyms, infamously used within the Armed Forces, can mean

something different altogether in the civilian world. Others may not reach
their intended audience because of a confusing, secondary meaning of the
acronym. For example, I remember seeing a commercial for a technical trade
school called Universal Technical Institute. Their website is a simple
acronym, www.uti.edu. When I first saw the website, despite the commercial
purposely describing the tech school, I immediately recognized 'UTI' is as a
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common medical acronym for a urinary tract infection. I'm not a doctor, but
my wife is a Registered Nurse and has a PhD in Nursing Philosophy, so is it
odd I may recognize the letters to mean something different? Probably not,
but www.uti.edu could easily be mistaken for a website focusing on
educating people about the benefits of urinary tract health, diagnosis, and
treatment options.

Symbols are not restricted to conventional drawings, flags, seals, or

logos. Simple letters and words can be symbolic. Take the letter 'A' for
example. It begins the English alphabet and many other linguistic alphabets,
and often means the beginning. However, a letter 'A' with the lines extended
through an encompassing circle changes the intended meaning and now
represents anarchy, rather than the first letter of the alphabet. Other symbols
can have several different meanings, as well. Look at the following
examples:

The symbol representing anarchy, the absence of formalized government. Image courtesy of
www.pixabay.com

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 Is this symbol a pound sign, a number sign, a hash-tag, or all three? Sometimes symbols and
symbolism are highly dependent upon context.

Here are some symbols having distinct and even universal meanings.
How many do you recognize? How many do you not recognize?

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 What do these signs and symbols mean to you? Are any considered universal in their meaning?
Images courtesy of www.pixabay.com

Another reason why gray seems to be the chosen color of conformity is

the strikingly universal meanings of the colors black and white. In regards to
commonly held symbolism, white often represents purity, innocence, and
virtues of goodness. Black, on the other hand, commonly portrays darkness,
evil, and death. These colors sometime can vary, based on cultural beliefs.
Gray, however, in its various shades, gives no clear intentions as to its
disposition. It allows for too much speculation, too much conjecture, too
much confusion, or too much individual interpretation within the strict
boundaries of black and white.

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 Chapter 5:
Suspicion
The Gray Man must avoid raising the suspicion of others.

Suspicion is not something most people usually want to discuss. It

usually puts us in an awkward position of having to admit a lack of trust or
viewing someone in an unflattering light. However, suspicion is not
inherently negative. It acts as an early warning system to our conscience,
admonishing us to either stop a particular activity or proceed with caution.

It's important to know what suspicion is, as well as what it is not. It is

not some hyper-spiritualized clairvoyance, nor is it fable-laden superstition.
Depending on your religious upbringings and currently held beliefs, it may
have a spiritual component for you. However, it isn't always the case.
Regardless of beliefs, most people understand and accept it to mean one's
intuition or "gut feeling". If your gut instinct or reactions tell you that
something isn't right, you are under no obligation to immediately brush it
aside. Countless victims who have survived ordeals have often reflected on
the experience and recounted an instance where they felt something was out
of place or dangerous. My wife and I find it almost impossible to surprise
our children with a special visit to a restaurant. They often have a suspicion
several blocks away, despite our attempts at coded language, misdirection,
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and ambiguous responses.

"Our brains have not evolved to see things as they actually are. They
have evolved to see things as they have been most useful to us in the
past."
- Dr. Beau Lotto, neuroscientist, author, and speaker

In much the same way, other people may be sizing us up, determining
if we are sending out danger signals through mannerisms and body language.
In these cases, we are trying to minimize or ease any possible feelings of
alarm in others. This is deductive discernment articulated with logic and
facts. Detractors of suspicion often want their question of, "Why?" to be
immediately answered. Justification isn't immediately needed when
something doesn't feel right, when time is of the essence. Many, who
question another's actions in certain circumstances, often do so to expose bias
or prejudice.

A good example of suspicion happened to me a couple of years ago. I

was selling the first edition copies of my first book, Hidden Success: A
Comprehensive Guide to Ghillie Suit Construction on eBay. I had a customer
place an order. While reviewing the order details, something about this
person didn't sit well with me. I contacted him and asked if he could produce
some law enforcement or military documentation to fulfill his order. If he
could not, I would immediately give him a full refund, no questions asked.
He promptly refused, became agitated, and demanded my real reason for the
hesitation in selling the book to him. He proceeded to point out nothing was
specified within the listing requiring credentials. He had me on a
technicality; therefore, I honored the listing and sold him the book. Little did
he know, I don't appreciate intimidation or implied legal action too kindly. I
also don't like having to dismiss my gut feelings.

It was clear to me that he was looking to entrap and accuse me of some

form of religious discrimination. After he got upset and made a veiled
passive-aggressive threat, I decided to check out his prior purchases. My
reservations were then elevated, rather than alleviated. He had purchased
several military manuals, which was both legal and of no concern to me.
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However, he had also purchased alcohol-free cologne. I suspected some
extremist behavior. As I had heard about terrorists performing ritual
cleansing/bathing ceremonies prior to attacks, I contacted the nearest FBI
field office.

I explained to the special agent my gut feelings about this individual. I

gave my statement and speculated about the cologne, feigning a little naivety
regarding their use. I made sure to stay away from making any profiling
comments. The agent assured me I had done the right thing by bringing the
incident to the attention of the FBI. The Chicago field office connected me
with a field office in New Jersey, nearest to where the person of interest was
residing. I provided the same statement as before. A few days later, the New
Jersey office phoned to verify my statement once more.

Two weeks had passed and I received yet another call from the New
Jersey office. They stated they had collected enough information to conduct
a formal investigative interview with the individual. Again, the field agent
informed me they were working with the Department of Homeland Security
regarding the matter. That was the last time I had heard from the FBI
regarding the incident. I reflect on the event periodically and wonder if I may
have helped prevent a terror attack.

"Teach yourself to listen to your intuition the first time."

- Tim Larkin

There is no way to eliminate all suspicion from everything you do.

Some people will view you as suspicious based on no plausible evidence
other than your appearance. This is exactly why stereotypes are important to
know when to exploit them and when to avoid them. Stereotypes will be
discussed in a later chapter.

CAB (clothing, accessories, behaviors) Stimuli:

The following is a partial list of clothing, accessories, and behaviors having

the capacity to attract attention and/or arouse suspicion from others within an
urban environment.
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Military camouflage (Multi-cam, A-TACS, Kryptek, etc.)
Military surplus items
Paracord bracelets
Hooded sweatshirts
Hands in the pockets
Tactical backpacks and messenger bags
Visible clip of a folding pocketknife
Gold jewelry
Loitering
Staring
Pointing with fingers
Cupping the ears
Portable radio use
Small groups of young men
Open carry firearms
Tattoos
Bright colored clothing
Operator-style ball caps
Morale Patches
T-Shirts displaying tactical companies, products, or philosophies
American Flags
Gadsden Flags (Don't tread On Me)
Rapid Glances
Hand checking (palming) a concealed weapon
Repeated looks at a watch or clock
Hand gestures
Inappropriate clothing based on weather conditions
Inappropriate clothing based on region/society/culture
Obscenity
Profanity
Yelling
Running while others are walking
Pushing through crowds/going against established flow of traffic
Eye contact
Smiling
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Frowning
Molon Labe slogans
Latin Phrases (Semper Fidelis and Si vis pacem, para bellum)

NOTE: These are not hard and fast and are subject to other supporting
and/or corroborating evidence. There are also cultural, societal, and
behavioral considerations to consider. Any action or combination thereof, is
not indicative of threatening behavior, but it will cause other people to notice.

Suspicion is important when paired with the concepts of pretexting. In

the intelligence world, pretexting is a tactic deeply rooted in social
engineering. It is the act of intentionally lying for the express purpose of
gaining access to restricted or privileged information. Morality and social
constructs aside, lying takes place in our daily routines. As humans, we tend
to justify and rationalize our use of lies on a graduated scale. On the low end
of the scale and deemed least damaging to our own integrity and the psyche
of the recipient are white lies. These are the lies we use to validate peoples'
emotions and soothe egos. Then we move on to the lies we create for self-
preservation. We use these types of lies to resolve misunderstandings and to
avoid conflict. The most egregious lies are those used to intentionally hurt or
negatively affect someone else's plans, progress, or reputation.

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 Chapter 6:
Society
The Gray Man must acknowledge and adapt to the local society and
incorporate accepted societal norms.

Adapting to a different culture and society takes time to adjust and

acclimate, let alone flawlessly assimilate. Within the framework of society,
there are several factors one must consider to both move freely and
unnoticed. Americans tend to be noticed everywhere in foreign countries
because we typically stick out and flaunt an "It's my right" or "I have rights"
attitude, especially in the realm of personal expression. We are often
regarded as loud, opinionated, and proud, and those are just some of the nicer
characterizations. Some countries view us as decadent, dirty, and extremely
hypocritical. These traits are in direct contradiction to effective Gray Man
practices.

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 Within this photo, there is a mixture of genders, races, nationalities, ethnicities, political affiliations,
maybe even religions and sexual orientations, but they are all part of society. Photo courtesy of
www.pixabay.com

The way we talk, what we say, and how we say it, tells a lot about
where we fit into some of the recognized social hierarchy. The various
dialects and accents in the United States further identify us as uniquely
American.

In order to gauge any given society accurately, one must establish a

baseline or standard of general behavior and conduct oneself accordingly. To
wander into a city without having done any type of research or recon is
foolish. While the Internet cannot provide real-time intelligence on a
particular region or specific town, it can provide some reliable information,
which is certainly better than no intelligence reporting whatsoever.

Try the Local Flavor - Adapting to the Gray Man concept from a dietary
standpoint can be difficult for certain people, especially those who have food
allergies or those who have doctor recommended dietary restrictions. This
includes the self-imposed abstinence of particular food groups by Paleo-
dieters, the no fat/low-carbohydrate diet, organic, gluten-free, and
vegan/vegetarian lifestyles. There's probably more to list, but for the sake of
brevity, I theorize these types of food restrictions are going to make it more
difficult to blend into the local scene. As with all such lists, there are
exceptions. It's now trendy to be gluten-free, regardless of whether or not
you have true gluten sensitivity.
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Ordering a burger in America will probably never bring any scrutiny towards you. That may not be the
case if you're visiting a foreign country.
Photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

In America, we have such a large variety of food choices that when

Americans travel overseas, they can be in for a rude awakening, especially in
developing countries. Many countries do not have the large variety within
certain food types. Experiencing new food flavors will not readily identify
you as a tourist or someone new to the region. This usually happens when
others in the group, encourage you by saying, "Try this." Another example is
asking, "What's good here?" or "What do you recommend?" These
comments, along with any detectable accent, alert locals of your less than
local origin.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the popularity of many fast food
restaurants makes it easy to blend into a crowd. Certain fast food chains have
franchises all across the country, sometimes with several within a ten-mile
radius. While your digestive system may scrutinize and punish you for your
food choice, the average citizen standing next to you probably won't give a
second glance.

Water - Staying hydrated is important, but water consumption in foreign

countries is suspect. Local inhabitants may have developed antibodies or a
built up resistance to regional pathogens that can wreak havoc on your
digestive tract and immune system. Purchasing and drinking bottled water,
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while the safest from an anti-bacterial/pathogen standpoint, does have a
tendency to label you as one of the "not from around here" types.

Transportation - Getting around in many countries isn't hard. However,

modern surveillance technology is incredibly advanced. Traveling unnoticed,
let alone un-photographed, is difficult. Depending on the country or certain
cities within a country, inner-city travel can prove to be problematic.

Unlike rural concealment, the faster you can move from point A to
point B, the better. Even if photographed or videotaped, there is only a small
window of time to obtain clear, definitive pictures before a target can be
blocked by moving vehicles, other obstructions, or the movement limitations
of the surveillance equipment. In an urban environment, there is an unspoken
expectation to be in motion; purposefully hurried and dynamic. The urban
lifestyle and pace dictates this. There are exceptions, such as sitting down to
eat, standing in lines, etc. However, the urban hustle and bustle is expected
to be...well, bustling.

Transportation can be divided into three categories: private, semi-

private, and public. Each category has its own unique advantages and
disadvantages. Private transportation offers convenience and travel
flexibility at the expense of anonymity. Unless you are willing to operate
outside of local, state, and federal law, owning and using a privately
registered vehicle puts a name and a face associated with the vehicle. Every
state issues its own variant of a driver's license.

One way to ensure your personal vehicle makes the transition to gray
status is to eliminate any extra identifying markers on your vehicle. Items
like bumper stickers and vinyl window graphics make it easier for people to
tail your vehicle or to create a profile. For example, the stick figure family
window sticker can show information regarding marital status, family
dynamics, number of children, and interests. It also gives a complete report
of house occupants, including pets. All of which was provided from a
seemingly harmless vinyl graphic. In addition, membership stickers to the
National Rifle Association let people know you're a gun owner/advocate,
which can make your home a potential target for a burglary when you're not
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home.

Also included in the private sector are the rental cars. Rental cars offer
the privacy most people want for their commuting purposes. In most cases,
you have different styles and colors to choose. Most rental agencies adhere
to a palette of predictable color choices: black, white, or silver/grey. Some
may offer more choices, but you'll find the aforementioned colors among the
most common on the roadways.

As a side note, of the nearly 49,000 annual car-jackings between 1992

and 1996, a majority of these crimes were committed against rental car
drivers.1 People couldn't understand how the criminals were able to identify
the drivers as out-of-town tourists until they realized rental car companies
were using small, but distinct stickers on the bumpers signifying the car was
the property of a rental agency. All an opportunistic criminal had to do was
identify a rental car and wait patiently for his potential victim to show up.
Furthermore, rental car companies charge additional fees for smoking inside
their rentals and sometimes display large no smoking decals within the car's
interior.

What assertions and assumptions can you make about the owner of this vehicle? Photo courtesy of
www.pixabay.com

Most auto dealers supply license plate frames featuring the auto
dealers' information or an additional semi-permanent sticker located on the
rear of vehicle. It's a subtle advertising and marketing strategy using the

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power of suggestion. The sticker is placed on the left hand side and aligned
perfectly within the driver's line of sight.

Every time you stop at a traffic signal, the sticker transmits its
message. The tactic of repetition relies on you seeing the dealerships name as
the purchase source, with the hopes of making it more likely for you to buy a
vehicle from that dealership. Every stop behind a vehicle with that dealership
logo reinforces the message. Dealerships are required to remove them if
asked, especially if they don't want to compensate you for the use your
vehicle as their own mini-billboard.

About the only exception within the private transportation realm is the
bicycle. Bicycle transportation is obviously slower than an automobile, but
faster than walking. It allows access through narrow urban areas, and usually
requires no special licensing for ownership. They are more susceptible to
theft, but a bicycle is a practical option.

Taxis are expensive, but can often get you places faster, as the driver's are experienced urban drivers.
Photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

Semi-private transportation includes apportioned vehicles and livery

transports such as taxis, chartered buses, and limousines. Limousines drip
with elitism and hint of weddings or proms. They also add the element of
dramatic elegance and typically receive long stares from passers-by. Because
of this, limousines are far from what should be considered as ideal
transportation while trying to maintain Gray Man status.
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 Taxis are a quintessential hallmark of bustling city life. In most cases,
no one pays any attention to the passenger in a cab. Observers tend to focus
on the driver, trying to determine his ethnicity, or whether or not he has his
duty light on to signal his availability. Despite a good portion of taxi drivers
are often stereotyped as poor or rude drivers, they navigate the swarms of
traffic well. They are knowledgeable regarding how to get from point A to
point B.

That's not to say they are always honest and won't try to defraud the
unsuspecting passenger by extending their route to milk the meter a little
more. When I was in the Navy, every duty station I was ever deployed to;
warned us about certain taxi services or had a recommended shuttle service.
This was to ensure that newly arriving service members weren't taken
advantage of by unscrupulous vendors.

Urban public transportation consists of trains, subway lines, and buses.

There is little scrutiny of the patrons by carriers or other passengers. With
that lack of scrutiny, however, comes the inability to board or disembark at
leisure or at an exact location. All stops are predetermined and without some
sort of weather related issue, alternate or additional stops are not going to
happen.

Citations:
1http://law.jrank.org/pages/5021/Carjacking.html

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 Chapter 7:
Stereotypes
The Gray Man must acknowledge and exploit stereotypes in certain
segments of society to blend in or avoid confrontations/conflicts.

Before the public at large succumbed to the disease of political

correctness, there existed pockets of society that openly embraced and
discussed stereotypes. Biases and prejudices are common among every
people group across the planet. However, not every individual will provoke
or participate in subtle or overt discrimination practices within his or her own
people group. To be clear, not all discrimination is illegal or frowned upon
by a society. Nor is all discrimination and bias inherently malicious or
destructive. Until recently, the segregation of the sexes in public restrooms
was a socially accepted, albeit, discriminatory safeguard to protect women
and children.

Furthermore, employers can discriminate against potential employees

through voluntary drug tests and credit checks. Any refusal is construed as
an indication of insubordination. Employers will never hire a person who
proves to be insubordinate during the initial hiring process. While employers
cannot discriminate, by law, based on the color of your skin, they can
certainly discriminate based upon the complexion of your skin. For example,
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if you have poor complexion, with acne or other skin blemishes, a modeling
agency doesn't have to (and probably won't) hire you. Employers can
certainly discriminate based on the color of your hair if you walk into an
interview with an unnatural shade of peacock blue adorning your cranial
follicles. Non-conformity to the established and accepted rules of society is
perhaps the leading causation of bias and discrimination.

The weakest link concept. Illustration by author.

Our relationships, both private and in society, are still based on the
decision-making theories and principles such as benefit/risk or whether we
think peoples' behavior is good/bad. There are vast amounts of subjectively
assessed components we use to judge or assign value to our relationships.
These relationships are likened to links in a chain. In order for us to develop,
nurture, and maintain relationships, there is an implicit need that they benefit
us in some way.

Our own strengths and weaknesses must be arranged in such a way to

compliment the strengths and weaknesses of others in order to hold the
relationship together. We bond ourselves together by the similar strengths
and the commonalities within the relationships we form. These could be
concepts such as love, morality, legality, beliefs, ideology, etc. Opposing
concepts are weaknesses that cannot sustain relationships. They produce
stress on the load-bearing contact points of our chain. The unwanted friction
affects the structural integrity of the relationship. This is why people
voluntarily segregate themselves. It has nothing to do with hate or bigotry. It
is a matter of maintaining the civility. If two people can't get along, they stay
away from each other. Forcing people of differing behavior, beliefs, and
backgrounds into repeated close proximity to each other is like chain-
smoking in a fireworks factory. Eventually, the inevitable, impending
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explosion will obliterate the structure.

"In every chain of reasoning, the evidence of the last conclusion can be
no greater than that of the weakest link of the chain, whatever may be
the strength of the rest."
- Thomas Reid, Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man, 1786

People choose their relationships. Societies that demand unmitigated

equality and diversity force people together. They are commanded to find
common ground and try to coexist peacefully. As anti-utopian as it sounds,
some people and people groups have no commonality or mutual strengths to
forge alliances or maintain relationships. Therefore, they choose not to
connect or associate. Arrogant political pressure and populist policies
stubbornly try to convince every people group, ethnicity, lifestyle, and
background to come to the play table. They suggest everyone mix their
individually colored can of Play-Doh together. They work and knead the
substance tirelessly into a boring, gray blob of pluralistic uniformity. All the
while, each group secretly resents the loss of their individuality, culture, and
heritage for the sake of assimilation into a better society.

The orchestrators smile and brag about the newly discovered

"diversity." However, there is nothing remotely diverse about the color gray.
Furthermore, it lacks creativity, imagination, and innovation. Since this new
Play-Doh color is the same as concrete, leaders hail it to be something
foundational, which society can be built upon and insist that construction
efforts ensue. Little do they know, their new concrete will never set and has
a more menacing similarity to C-4 explosive, which is designed to demolish
and destroy.

The sad fact is no one can prevent people from disliking (or liking)
other people. There is also no denying that some stereotypes and
generalizations are often rooted in observed behavior of limited portions of a
specific people group. It doesn't arbitrarily prove the validity of the
stereotype; neither does it soundly disprove it. I won't advocate or defend
any person or groups' subjective rationalization for their dislike of another.
Nor will I deny the existence of such beliefs and actions. In most cases
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where a person is motivated or compelled to hate someone else, there is often
a link to past, personal experience.

It would be ludicrous to expect a woman recently traumatized by a

sexual assault not to show an overt dislike, fear, or animosity towards males
in general or individuals sharing similar characteristics or features of her
attacker. Is her bias justified? You bet! However, not everyone whom she
prejudges is a rapist. Any offense taken by others isn't going to protect her.
Her decision to stay clear of those matching the attributes and behavior of the
previous perpetrator provides a far more realistic sense of security and
protection for her.

No one is free from or guiltless of either the receiving or giving end of

discrimination. Humans subconsciously use stereotypes, bias, and
discrimination as a form of preemptive conflict resolution. A common
generalization we place upon others is the idea of unwillingness to accept a
contradictory viewpoint. If we know people of a different faith, political
affiliation, or social status has the potential to be at odds with our own
perceptions and beliefs, there is nothing stating we have to seek active
friendships or alliances with those people. We give them their space, avoid
contact with them, and expect the same in return. Do our preconceptions
become a precursor to violence toward someone different from us?
Unfortunately yes, but this isn't the case most often. Most people are law-
abiding individuals and don't like to stir up trouble. Our behavior towards
co-workers and society in general should mirror the old adage, "If you can't
say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

Studying stereotypes can aid in creating a non-descript character that

can melt into any urban environment, ethnic pocket, or traditional city
neighborhood. Some cultures tend to present themselves as more submissive,
respectful, and non-aggressive than other cultures and ethnic groups. Use it
to your advantage when possible. The best we can hope for is an attitude and
adoption of mutual respect. We can show that respect by paying close
attention to how we communicate, as well as being culturally aware.

Gestures and Mannerisms - As with symbols, gestures, and mannerisms

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can take on an entirely different meaning from country to country. A simple
finger gesture may not only incite conflict, but fines or consequences can be
levied against you.

Learning the gestures and mannerisms used by others in different

countries or regions can seem like a daunting task. Gestures are used to
communicate when there isn't enough time to relay information; the
surrounding environment makes it difficult to hear; or the participating
parties do not want any outside interference or additional participants.

Foreign Language/Dialects - The ability to speak a foreign language is a

definite plus to help you blend in other countries or even certain ethnic
pockets located in cities. Many large cities have tight-knit communities of
immigrants who don't trust outsiders or simply wish to maintain their
connections to their heritage and cultural practices. In order to move through
some of these areas, it may be necessary to learn a few key phrases.
Remember, politeness is universal. Learning the following phrases in
multiple languages will help you when traveling through these urban pockets,
as well as other countries.

Key Phrases to Learn

Please
Thank you
You're welcome
Excuse me
I'm sorry
Good morning
Good afternoon
Good evening
Good night
Yes/No
Can I help you?
Are you OK?
May I have...?
Where is...?
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 In an effort to be polite, it's helpful to remember and follow the
poignant advice of the late Patrick Swayze character, Jack Dalton, from the
movie Roadhouse..."Be nice...until it's time to not be nice."

Vocal Impressions - As a young adult and even today, I find it easy to mimic
peoples' speech and love watching impressionists expertly copy the voices of
celebrities and other notable people. It's important to understand voice
impressions or accent/dialect mimicking is not intended for sustained
conversation. While it is intended to create misdirection, it can bring
unwanted attention. It also has a higher chance of offending someone who
may see it as mocking and disrespectful. You also may inadvertently choose
a recognizable accent; and now have someone attempting to engage you in
conversation because of the assumed linguistic commonality. Oftentimes, the
best approach is to avoid the accents and resolve your responses to affirming
nods or grunts, rather than running the risk of needlessly escalating a
situation.

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's
mouth and remove all doubt."
- Abraham Lincoln

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 Chapter 8:
Situational Sense
The Gray Man must embrace the necessity for situational sense and
awareness to make practical/tactical defensive decisions and execute
evasive techniques.

Situational Sense is simply another name for situational awareness. It

is commonly defined as paying attention to what is going on around you.
One of the most accurate definitions I've come across comes from one of my
good friends, Aurelio Delarosa. He is a US Army Veteran, police officer,
multi-discipline martial arts instructor, and owner of Comani, a modern
combatives training center in Northern Illinois. Delarosa defines situational
awareness as, "The ability to scan the environment and sense danger,
challenges and opportunities, while maintaining the ability to conduct normal
activities. In other words, to pay attention to your surroundings while not
appearing to be paying attention. (It is) a frame of mind in which you are
aware of your surroundings and also aware of whom or what could be of help
to you if a problem were to arise." 1

Establishing an Urban Baseline

Just as it is in nature, you have to establish what stimuli are considered

the norm in your present environment. For example, the audio baseline
changes rapidly when you exit the polyphony of vehicle traffic, sirens, etc.
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and step into the reduced decibel level of a quiet cafe. All of the other
aforementioned concepts are a culmination of the information needed to
establish a baseline. As a result, you have actively engaged your awareness
to your surroundings. My friend, Eddie Starnater, who has also written books
and produced videos on natural camouflage techniques, offers a simple
mantra regarding baseline. "Understanding baseline is awareness. Blending
with baseline is camouflage. Manipulating baseline is invisibility." While
invisibility is not feasible truly in an urban environment, we can create a
sense of opacity. Not a true disappearance, but a blurring of our features
when we put into practice the totality of information gathered to create the
baseline.

Part of situational sense is the ability to keep your eyes moving and being aware of the things and
circumstances around you. Photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

American Pistol Institute/Gunsite founder, the late Lieutenant Colonel

Jeff Cooper, had plenty to say about situational sense. In fact, his teachings
on the combat mindset are just as applicable today as when he first
introduced them. The ability to assess and manage crisis situations is
correlated to the amount of information you can receive, detect, or process
before the crisis starts. The element of surprise is the single greatest strategy
employed by military units all the way down to street thugs. It works
extremely well and provides a strong tactical advantage. Your eyes are your
greatest asset regarding the management of your own personal safety and
crisis detection.

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"Use your eyes. Do not enter unfamiliar areas that you cannot observe
first. Make it a practice to swing wide around corners, use window glass
for rearward visibility, and get something solid behind you when you
pause."
- Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Cooper,
Founder of API/Gunsite and Author

Cooper’s States of Readiness/Combat Mindset

Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Cooper was one of my first indirect teachers

regarding situational sense. As my father was a police officer, he routinely
stressed the importance of being mindful of our surroundings to my brother
and me. He attended Gunsite in the late 70s and owned many of Cooper's
training videos. My favorite was the Combat Mindset video and its teachings
are still in effect today as I try to pass those lessons onto my children.
Cooper's Color Code of readiness (as he referred to it in a Gunsite training
video) was simple in theory and explanation. I immediately was able to
implement it when I was attending school. I've included his Color Code,
elaborating on them slightly.

Condition White: This refers to having a state of willful/unconscious

distraction to events occurring in your immediate proximity. The effects of
sleep deprivation, alcohol consumption, or drug use (regardless of type) all
impair your ability to focus or identify threats; making you unready/unlikely
to detect or defend against ambushes.

Condition Yellow: This is the proverbial neck on a swivel condition. You

are coherent, relaxed, and calmly observing your proximity for potential
threats. You are aware of who and what is around you on all sides. Threat
development is low/improbable and unspecific, although you are mentally
engaged and ready should a situation arise. Cooper once stated in the
aforementioned video, "You can comfortably live in Condition Yellow for
the rest of your life." This should be your primary condition.

Condition Orange: Threat detection has occurred and you are actively
assessing specific individuals who are now displaying threatening behavior or
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mannerisms. You are positioning yourself, watching the hands of the
hostiles, identifying potential weapons, and formulating a fight or flight
response based upon the scenario. You are prepared both mentally and
physically for an altercation.

Condition Red: Adrenaline dump has occurred and you are actively
engaged in fight/combat situation. You are decisively and actively opposing
an adversary through a prescribed or practical use of force continuum in
order to stop the threat or escape and evade.2

In between Condition Orange and Red is the war room strategy center
in the brain where cognitive behaviors and decisions are solidified prior to
conversion to kinetic action. Terms like VDA (Vision, Decision, Action),
RPD (Recognized, Planned Decision-Making), and Dr. Joan Vickers' Quiet
Eye theory, all tie into the crucial processes of threat identification, focus, and
execution.3 While Dr. Vickers initial research and theory development
focused on visual focus in the sport of golf, several shooters have put the
theory into practice at the firing range with significant improvement to their
shooting skills.

Regardless of how much training, combat experience, or mastery in any

of the martial art disciplines one possesses, as soon as multiple opponents
show up, your survivability chances drop. Two or three unarmed opponents
may be possible for some skilled fighters to defeat, but any more than that,
and the odds are definitely not in your favor. If armed attackers are added
into the mix, you'd better have some back up or pray for divine intervention.

Common Pre-Force Indicators:

• Taking a fighting stance

• Flailing of the arms
• Hesitation in answering
• Repeating of the question
• Absence of vocalization
• Fake yawn
• Flanking
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• Pacing
• Felony stretch
• Scanning (for either escape or witnesses)
• Rapid blinking
• 1000 yard stare
• Lying eyes
• Long drag on a cigarette
• Physical signs of stress
• Refusing to submit to arrest
• Tightening of jaw or clenching of teeth
• Weight shifting
• Backing up
• Mouth breathing
• Fist clenching
• Shoulders roll forward
• Chin drops; knees bend
• Protective instincts1

Technology Dependence

Having the majority of your attention monopolized by phones or other handheld electronic devices
means you're not able to recognize, avoid, or properly respond to potential threats. Photo courtesy of
www.pixabay.com

Our dependence upon technology has a definite, negative effect on the

amount of stimuli we detect and the degree of situational sense we utilize.
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People everywhere, in almost every developed country have their faces
buried in some portable electronic device. The situation is only made worse
with the addition of ear buds. Ear buds effectively deafen their user to all
other outside audio stimuli. While there is no doubt today's smart-phones
offer a tremendous amount of information and assistance at hand, it does
come at the steep price of losing our ability to be aware of our surroundings.

Adrenaline Dump

There has been reasonable attention and discussion given to the brain's
deployment of adrenaline in to the body during periods of high stress. Most
notably, researchers have found fine motor skills show a marked reduction.
This often translates to the inability to perform complex fight techniques. I
am not an expert in endocrinology, however, the effects caused by the rapid
release of adrenaline into the body are well documented and worthy of further
exploration. Knowing exactly how your body reacts under pressure and
during the adrenaline dump, gives a baseline of your performance in high
stress situations. Trying to overcome the adrenaline dump during a crisis
event without any baseline knowledge of your body's response and
capabilities puts you at greater risk. Because of the awareness given to the
study and effects of adrenaline dump, more and more training facilities
(military, civilian, and law enforcement) are adopting deliberate stress
induction as part of their training curriculums.

Decision Making - There are four different making processes mentioned

within this text. They are PDSA, GOFER, DECIDE, and OODA. These
decision-making methods are extremely important when used in conjunction
with the interpreted and filtered stimuli we receive from our environment or
circumstance.

PDSA - During the late 1940s and 1950s, Dr. W. Edwards Deming
developed the PDSA cycle and still considered the quality control strategy
used by businesses worldwide. The straightforward simplicity of Plan, Do,
Study, Act helps explain its appeal.

GOFER - In the 1980s, psychologist Leon Mann developed the GOFER

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model, based on the earlier research of another psychologist, Irving Janis.

Goals: Survey values and objectives

Options: Consider a wide range of alternative actions
Facts: Search for information
Effects: Weigh the positive and negative consequences of the options
Review: Plan how to implement the options4

DECIDE - In 2008, Kristina Guo published another decision-making

methodology.

Define the problem

Establish or Enumerate all the criteria (constraints)
Consider and Collect all the alternatives
Identify the best alternative
Develop and implement a plan of action
Evaluate and monitor the solution and examine feedback when necessary4

The OODA Loop - The OODA loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act) has
been an important development in how we understand cognitive human
response and behavior during a crisis situation. This decision- making
methodology is still popular. Since its development came from Colonel John
Boyd (1927-1997), it's often popular within military and veterans circles, as
well as many critical elements within law enforcement agencies.

"The key is to obscure your intentions and make them unpredictable to

your opponent while you simultaneously clarify his intentions."
- Harry Hillaker, discussing
Boyd's OODA Loop in Tribute to John R. Boyd5

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 Colonel Boyd's decision cycle, commonly referred as the OODA Loop.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OODA_loop

It is my opinion, and possibly the opinion of others, that it is much

more prudent in some circumstances to Orient first, followed by Observe. If
you don't orient yourself to the surrounding culture while including your past
experiences, how do you know what to observe? The possibility to receive or
interpret information incorrectly can slow the appropriate decision and delay
or stop the correct action.

For example, when I was stationed in Italy, I had to adjust my personal

space to the culturally accepted norm of metropolitan Naples. The people
there would cram into lines, cafes, and trains like sardines. In America,
because we have larger expanses of land to stretch out, when someone enters
our personal space, we may feel uncomfortable or even threatened. If I
recoiled every time someone violated my comfort zone in Italy, I would have
looked like I was having a seizure. Had I not been oriented/informed of the
particular social construct, I may have not responded accordingly, if had I
started out from the Observe position. It is for this reason many employers
have mandatory orientation for new employees. It provides the necessary
components to base conduct and behavior, as well as detailing expectations
and policies for conflict resolution.

I believe it important to study and do the necessary due diligence of

scouting and recon prior to insertion into unknown territory. The more you
can orient and learn about where you're going prior to getting there, the less
uncertainty you'll potentially face. Travelers do this frequently by learning
about the culture, the language, the people, and the customs of the places they
intend to visit.

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Increasing Situational Sense

Practicing the ability to pay closer attention to your surroundings isn't

as daunting as it may seem. If you have children, they willingly participate
and begin learning its importance without having to explain its use or why.
Situational sense can be taught easily as a game, with the children being none
the wiser. In addition, games like Connect Four, teaches children about
strategy, and trains them to look in several different directions before making
a move. Further, with the yellow and red tokens, one can easily implement
Cooper's Conditions of Readiness back on pages 69 and 70. Other strategy
games, like Battleship, introduce the concepts of grid locations and
quadrants. They also help familiarize players with directional skills.

My children love the iconic style and shape of the Volkswagen Beetle.
Their affinity is the result of watching the Disney films The Love Bug, Herbie
Rides Again, and Herbie Goes Bananas. In our own variation of the Slug Bug
road game where the first person to visually spot a Volkswagen Beetle
promptly punches his or her opponent, my children holler out, "Herbie!"
preceded by the car color. If you are or have been a parent, you can probably
understand my reasoning behind the modification. Any parent who willfully
grants permission or an excuse for siblings to hit each other knows one of the
participants is going to abuse it. Instead, we collect points, this way I don't
have to worry about hurt feelings or hurt arms. I still have to referee and rule
on disagreements, but the teaching fundamentals about situational sense are
there. The added math component doesn't hurt, either.

Younger children under the age of five can even join in with games like
I Spy. As soon as the child is old enough to speak and can recognize shapes
and colors, they can start using the power of observation. As they get older,
reasoning and deduction skills can be added. An even simpler game for
department and grocery stores is Who's Wearing Blue. Each child attempts to
identify anyone wearing the color blue. You can make it color specific,
choosing certain shades of blue or you can make it garment specific, like
pants, shirts, or jackets. Either way, you begin teaching your children the
principles of situational sense without exposing them to the graphic reality of
why. They also learn about how to observe people without the observed
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being at all concerned or even aware. All this is added to make the point of
situational sense being a teachable skill and isn't dependent upon strict
military or tactical conditions to be effective.

Citations:
1Delarosa, Aurelio, Comani Facebook post, January 11th, 2017,
https://www.facebook.com/teamcomani/?fref=ts
2https://americanpatriotrealitycheck.wordpress.com/
survival-pages/combat-mindset-the-cooper-color-code/
3Vickers, Joan A., Perception, Cognition, and Decision Training - The Quiet Eye in Action, Human
Kinetics, June 10, 2007
4https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision-making
5Hillaker, Harry, Tribute to John R. Boyd, January 28, 2015,
http://www.codeonemagazine.com/article.html?item_id=156

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 Chapter 9:
Surveillance
The Gray Man must be aware of surveillance points, a camera's range of
motion, and its potential field of view.

I realize the above chapter subtitle is easier said than done.

Surveillance cameras and information command centers serve as the
collection and analytical points in urban environments. They often create
strong responses from people. Some gladly welcome the strong presence of
security they provide. Others have mixed feelings of reluctance and
apprehension towards broad, unwarranted monitoring and surveillance.
Regardless of how Orwellian the world has become with surveillance
technology, and despite its many detractors and opponents, closed circuit
television systems (CCTV) are going to remain permanently mounted
throughout the urban infrastructure. Knowing the operational specifications
of the myriad of camera choices is impossible, so the best defense is to avoid
them all together, or limit your exposure by positioning yourself as to not
face cameras directly.

With the developmental advances of digital and nanotechnology,

CCTV equipment and the images they display have gotten smaller and much
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clearer, respectively. The days of easily identifiable, bulky camera housings
mounted on poles and rooftops are being replaced by more compact, less
intrusive designs. In the beginning, proponents of CCTV emphasized the
comfort knowing and showing the public they took the safety and security of
people seriously. However, as time went on, the justification for stealthier
designs and placement locations was needed because of two groups of
people: 1. The citizen mad or concerned about privacy/government intrusion,
and 2. The criminal/terrorist. It would seem both groups are inter-
changeable; depending upon which of the two political parties currently
resides within the White House and presides over Congress.

Cameras protected from tampering or disablement will have visible counter-measures to ensure the
intended functionality. Photo courtesy by www.pixabay.com

While there are arguments suggesting security cameras and

surveillance devices reduce criminal activity, it may be more plausible to
admit their use is to document the commission of a crime or to protect
property. However, criminals have known for far too long if they render a
camera incapable of performing its designed task, the likelihood of being
caught is somewhat reduced. There is a deterrent element to be considered,
but visible cameras must be placed out of reach where access is controlled
and tampering is difficult or too time consuming.

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 Surveillance cameras can be found in numerous locations throughout large cities and metropolitan
areas. Photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

When I was in the Navy, I was stationed at a now defunct

communications site in Okinawa, Japan. Part of my job was to provide
preventative and corrective maintenance on the physical security/CCTV
system. After my honorable discharge, I worked for a Midwest regional
alarm company. From this experience, I can honestly say cameras do provide
a level of deterrence. However, their ability to collect and record activity
greatly depends on the quality of the camera, the quality of the installation,
and the owner's vigilance in keeping the system properly maintained.
Outdoor camera housing feature a rugged design, but they are neither
immune to electronic malfunction/failure nor extreme weather conditions.

Poor weather is an opportune time to move in high surveillance areas.

Blowing snow or rain can collect on camera housings, obstructing the view
and distorting the image. Most outdoor housings have a heating circuit and
an internal fan to help regulate the temperature. Cameras, just like any other
type of electronic device, have an optimal operating temperature. The
housing tries to maintain the optimal temperature range, but in extreme cold
or heat, they sometimes fail.

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 While surveillance may never be this overt and brazen, you should always be aware of individuals
"tailing" you or running active surveillance. Photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

Another important consideration is the camera's ability to pan left and

right or up and down. A majority of security cameras and their housings are
designed strictly for a positional location. The wide-angle camera lenses
allow for a static placement with the largest field of view. Perpendicular
movement to the camera lens is never seen. This means any movement from
180 to 360 degrees (behind the camera) is unseen. There are obviously
cameras with 360-degree capability, so it is important to understand and
identify the types of surveillance cameras you may encounter. Placement
will often indicate this. Suspended/pole mounts typically cover 360° and
wall mounts usually provide 180° coverage.

When possible, plan your routes to travel with your back towards
cameras and surveillance equipment. Try to keep the sun at your back as
well. This is harder to accomplish in some scenarios and locations, but if it
can be done, it does lessen the opportunity for someone to get a good look at
you if they are battling the sun in their eyes.

Most people today carry a smart-phone or other portable electronic

device. They are as indispensible as they are unavoidable. There are times
when they are a tremendous asset, but when applying Gray Man principles,
they can cause a host of surveillance issues. Most, if not all current phone
models have an internal battery operating independently of the power button.
This allows certain features like the GPS locator and the camera and
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microphone portions to be accessed remotely. Turning the device off and
removing the battery is the best way to avoid most of the embedded
surveillance features. It isn't one hundred percent foolproof, but it can help in
some situations.

However, if a law enforcement agency considers you a person of

interest or even a suspect, they are going to track you. Typically, this is done
with a device known as an International Mobile Subscriber Identity, or IMSI
catcher. Older phones without SIM cards have either an Electronic Serial
Number (ESN) or a Mobile Equipment Identifier (MEID) for detection and
tracking purposes. The IMSI catcher is a cell-site simulator, often referred to
as a fake cell tower, that broadcasts a powerful signal, which cell phones
automatically try to connect to in order to operate.1

The problem with IMSI catchers is they act like a huge fish net,
catching every cell phone within range, in order to catch the big fish.
Fortunately, they most often require the issuance of a warrant to use the
device. In addition, agencies are required to erase or clear any data collected
from other devices not listed specifically within the issued warrant. These
IMSI catchers are often referred to by the brand name of one manufacturer,
StingRay.1

Just about every government agency with an acronym all the way to
our military uses these vehicle-mounted devices to track suspects or people
with known terrorist ties. There is currently no affordable way to defeat an
IMSI catcher, unless you can drop $3,500 on a Cryptophone that can detect
IMSI catchers. The phone doesn't prevent or block the surveillance, but it
will detect such a device in use from about half a mile away. As mentioned
before, the best defense is to shut the cell phone off or put it in airplane
mode.1

The best solution I can suggest is to purchase an unlocked cell phone.

This means the phone is not exclusively connected to a particular network or
carrier. One can choose to have interchangeable SIM cards, allowing you to
switch carriers and use foreign networks when traveling abroad. I have
several friends who travel internationally for extended periods and this allows
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them to use multiple networks on a single device.

Citations:
1http://www.tomsguide.com/us/cellphone-tracker-stingray,news-21718.html

Chapter 10:
Status Quo
The Gray Man must look to maintain the status quo of safety and
anonymity.

Status Quo, in reference to urban concealment, means to maintain a

current state or property. This can be a particular position or posture to
maintain your personal safety. It can mean acting in the same manner as
others around you. In fact, the whole premise of status quo can be
summarized in this single mantra. If you are safe or undetected, then the
desire is to stay that way.

Another way to look at Status Quo is the term baseline. Baseline is

used often in discussions regarding camouflage and concealment. It's the
lowest common denominator and a starting point by which all activities are
measured against and observed. Whichever phrase you choose, either status
quo or baseline, they fundamentally mean the same thing in regards to
personal camouflage.

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 I first discussed this concept in Appear to Vanish as it related to urban
concealment. The buildings within a city environment don't change like the
trees and the grass of a rural setting. Buildings don't change color unless
someone applies a paintbrush to them. The ebb and flow of the endless
stream of cars, trucks, and buses creates a predictable pattern. This is a type
of kinetic constant that exists until an event such as a power failure or an
accident obstructs the normal flow of traffic.

Health - We often don't look at our health as being a variant within our status
quo. However, if we are healthy, we should do whatever is necessary to
maintain that level of health and possibly improve upon it. Transversely, if
we are not healthy, we should do whatever is necessary to get that way.

Once your physical health becomes compromised in any way, your

situational awareness is going to suffer. Generally, maintaining your health
reduces or prevents many chronic conditions and promotes a better quality of
life. Benefits such as increased strength and stamina, weight management,
improved cardiovascular health are all important. The ramifications of not
maintaining your health can have dire or deadly consequences, not just in
survival situations, but also in everyday life and routine activities.
Even minor, short-term ailments such as the common cold or flu can
reduce one's ability to assess situations effectively. The mental fog created
by some medications can impair even the most cognizant and experienced
personnel. The hard truth of the matter is when we are at our most
vulnerable, is when we need to be the most vigilant. Being at the receiving
end of flu-like symptoms and the only thing you can or want to focus upon is
sitting or laying down, is not got to boost your situational sense.
Many people are resistant to the introduction of change to their
everyday routine. In reality, it is more of an indictment of their desire to
change, rather than their actual ability to change. However, in the defense of
someone showing signs of reluctance, they could be assessing the risk-benefit
ratio. Sometimes the need to change does arise. In those instances, adopting
a temporary disguise may be able to help maintain safety.
Disguises - There is a time and a place to implement disguise tactics. In
doing so, you must be prepared to adopt disguises, which are subtle in
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appearance, not gaudy or difficult to don/doff. The longer it takes to don or
doff a disguise, the less effective it is. Finding a more private place to make
the change, such as a restroom, is problematic in this sense, as the limited
stalls may be occupied, periodically crowded, and there is usually one point
of entry/egress.

One notorious method of disguise routinely employed by terrorists is

the donning of traditional Islamic female dress. Hijabs and burkas can
obscure several key head and facial features. Hijabs traditionally cover the
hair, ears, and neck. Burkas typically screen the lower portion of the nose,
mouth, and chin. These garments only allow a small window for the eyes
and eyebrows to be seen. If there is at least one identifiable non-aggressive
male present in the group posing as a relative, several terrorists dressed in
"drag" can move throughout a surveillance corridor, sometimes with little
resistance. The long, loose-fitting black tunics and dresses allow contraband
to pass through casual visual inspections unhindered and undetected.

Terrorists and radicals take advantage of our adherence to the Geneva

Conventions and our wartime benevolence shown towards non-combatives.
Terrorists further exploit our position by using non-combatives as human
shields, hiding like cowards behind them. When we strike known
enemy/hostile positions, the video cameras come out to highlight the attacks,
condemn the high civilian collateral damage, and use the propaganda to spark
further outrage and issue yet another fatwa against the enemies of Islam.

This person's face wrapped in a shemagh as a makeshift burka makes discerning the sex of this
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 individual difficult. The addition of the Kufi and the exposed hair shows the individual to be an
adolescent male. Photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

The above photo brings us to the subject of cross-dressing. Even with

my personal convictions against the practice, I cannot see a justifiable reason
to engage in this activity. It has, however, been attempted by those trying to
flee from police or cross borders, but its actual success rate is predictably
poor.

Another common disguise is the "old man." Most of the attributes of

this disguise technique involve the correct execution of mannerisms and
behaviors. As we age, we tend to hunch over and our gait becomes shorter,
and some adopt a slow shuffle instead of the once confident strides of their
youth. However, this disguise can make oneself vulnerable as a potential
target. The goal is not to surprise a thug with a concerted attack, but rather to
avoid attracting attention as a potential victim in the first place.

Access can be gained into areas with relaxed security and challenging
protocols by individuals wearing a safety vest and a hard hat. Add a fake
identification badge, a clipboard, and an electronic meter and you can enter a
wide variety of locations, including private property. This is one of the
various ways the criminals perform recon of a prospective target. As utility
personnel and meter readers routinely work in both commercial and
residential areas, they go unchallenged by people simply because they look
like they belong. As this relates to pretexting, any fake persona or disguise
you try to employ must be ready to accommodate and satisfy any inquiry
from an individual who has doubts about the authenticity of whom you're
portraying yourself to be. It's similar to developing a cover story, as it
provides the context others will use to verify your legitimacy in the area.

Men also have the advantage of possessing one of the easiest

appearance-altering assets: facial hair. Facial hair can often be grown,
groomed, and manicured in such a way to hide scars, skin blemishes, weak,
or double chins. In recent decades, mainly because of the relaxed shaving
regulations for members of our elite SPECOP forces, the full-grown, bushy
beard has become extremely popular. It's important to understand why this
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was allowed among elite operators in the first place. It has nothing to do with
macho/alpha dog attitude and everything to do with blending into an
environment.

A hard hat and a safety vest can provide access to job sites having soft security protocols. Photo
courtesy of www.pixabay.com

Our most recent combat theaters are countries where Islam is the
predominant belief system. The men in these countries typical wear thick,
bushy beards in compliance with their religious texts. Our elite war-fighters
often inserted into these communities, with the assistance from locals, in
order to accomplish mission objectives against Taliban and ISIS fighters.
The beards, along with other traditional clothing, allowed the operators more
freedom to more about without being recognized instantly as American
fighters. This again, creates the basis for pretexting, which is necessary for
the accomplishment of certain operations.

Back home in America, the full-grown beard isn't necessarily well

regarded. It was often adorning the faces of hard-working, blue-collar men
with occupations where personal grooming standards are not mandated as
strictly as those in corporate jobs. Its popularity has increased over the last
decade, but it still carries a distinct stigma. While several of our recent
combat veterans and former SPECOP troops continue to sport the unshaven
look, so have many non-combat, urban hipsters who are the 2.0 version of
hippies. Worse yet, are the wannabes, who adopt the look without the
credibility or experience of the SPECOP ranks, and then profess membership
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within those elite ranks.

One thing to consider within the realms of practical disguises is the use
of simple make-up. You don't have to have the skill of a Hollywood make-up
artist to be effective. While it's safe to assume women have a much easier
time applying make-up, it would benefit men to know how to apply some of
the basics, like foundation, and using a lining pencil to create the appearance
of a scar or pronounced wrinkles.

One of my more mischievous adventures while in high school involved

the intention to use make-up. Some friends and I had some trouble with a kid
who liked to threaten us with his supposed gang affiliation. He had no clue I
knew the local police chief and had a basic, although somewhat naive,
knowledge of police procedure and tactics. We lived and went to school in a
rural farming community about five miles west of Rockford, which had
moderate gang activity. We came up with a plan to teach the kid a lesson.
As we were all of legal driving age, we needed two vehicles. The small, rural
town had both north/south and east/west access in and out of town.

The troublemaker claimed to be a member or acquaintance to

individuals who were in either the Vice Lords or the Gangster Disciples. We
decided to scare him a little bit by dressing up like members of the rival gang,
launch some firecrackers in his yard, and spray paint some gang symbols on
his lawn.

The town had a village police chief and a second, part-time night shift
patrol. The plan was to park each vehicle in the next two adjacent alleys
closest to the target house. The first car in the first alley was to be the nicest
looking car of the two. The trunk was left ajar with the driver waiting inside.
Each person was to wear stocking caps and outerwear in colors of the rival
gang and wear brown face paint to look like young African-Americans. We
were to carry wet-wipes to wipe our faces off as we ran back to the first car in
the alley. The used wet-wipes and all of the clothing with the gang colors
would then be thrown into the trunk. Shutting the trunk lid was the signal for
the driver to take off in the closest direction out of town. Meanwhile, the
team ran to the next alley, piled into the car, and drove out of town in a
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different direction.

The logic behind the plan was simple. Once the firecrackers went off,
the kid or his parents would look out the window. If they happened to see us,
they would have reported our description incorrectly to the police. Anyone
else would corroborate the victim's story with testimony of their own. Even
if the response time was perfect from the town patrol, there was no way he
could stop both cars, as they traveled in opposite directions. Help from any
neighboring jurisdiction was more than ten minutes of drive time after the
dispatch call.

We played off the intentional misdirection and the assumption a police

officer would have more probable cause to stop a car full of teens than a car
with a single occupant, when the initial report would mention three or more
black teens. All of the incriminating evidence would be in the car with the
single white driver. In the end, and probably for the best, it never developed
beyond the planning stage. The fact we had the mental faculty to develop
such a plan certainly impressed the hell out of us. We'll never know if we
would have been successful.

While there are some books available concerning more elaborate

disguise techniques, most are not needed to effectively morph into the Gray
Man. There is no need to sand off fingerprints, use shoe lifts, extensive
Hollywood-style make-up, or ultra high-tech gadgets like voice changers.

Jewelry - Jewelry is an item that not only can make identification easier, it
can also draw the attention of a thief and make one susceptible to a robbery.
Piercings and other types of body jewelry, make identifying people easier,
despite the popularity and more tolerant acceptance of piercings in American
society. Here again, in certain parts of the country or certain cities, the
acceptance level can vary drastically. Likewise, some European countries
may have a more lax view on piercings, while other countries see it as overtly
subversive to their culture, as it promotes a level of self-expression frowned
upon by certain government regimes.

From a pure street survival standpoint, piercings offer key strike points
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and target areas for attackers to exploit. One of the reasons I never pierced
my ear as a teenager living at home, was the threat of it being uncomfortably
removed by my father. It was this fear that taught me to look at earrings as a
possible target in a fight. I was a small, scrawny teen and I needed to exploit
every potential advantage I could. My father always said this about fighting.
"Bite, kick, scratch, gouge out eyes...and if that doesn't work; fight dirty."

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 Chapter 11:
Supplies
The Gray Man identifies the necessary supplies to carry out operations
or move about in a manner prescribed by
the environment.

Reversible Clothing - Reversible clothing is one of my personal favorites,

merely because it can often call into question the reliability of any witnesses.
If one witness identifies you wearing a solid black stocking cap, and yet
another empathically states he witnessed someone wearing a grey-
horizontally striped beanie, you have effectively created a contradiction
between two potential witnesses. Furthermore, if pursuers get a confirmed
description of a black hat and you're wearing the stripes, you may be
overlooked. The biggest factor here is not to be noticed when making the
switch. Realistically, the greatest asset to reversible clothing is two garment
choices in the price and space of one.

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 Reversible outerwear, like this hooded sweatshirt, makes quick appearance changes possible. Image
source: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91BHN1ciPqL._UX522_.jpg

Reversible sweatshirts are an excellent choice. Most of the common

ones I have found offer a solid color on one side and a flannel/plaid print on
the reverse side. The stark contrast makes this garment a particularly
appealing option for quick changes.

Subtle clothing changes such as reversible hats can make positive identification difficult. Photo by
author.

Shoes - From an anti-tracking standpoint, the most important article of

clothing used by trackers is the shoes. Trackers track footfalls and
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footprints. They are rarely fooled; no matter how effective a disguise or your
ability to change mannerisms. The hardest clothing items to swap out
quickly are shoes and pants. To add to this difficulty, the feasibility and/or
practicality of carrying an additional pair of shoes, makes it unlikely that
most people would swap out their footwear.

Deep immersion into a different country may require purchasing

footwear you're not accustomed to wearing, such as sandals or shoes with
pointed toes. It may also be necessary to wear brand names easily recognized
and accepted in those countries. A prime example is athletic shoes. In
America, the Nike brand reigns supreme as far as popularity, but in most
European countries, brands such as Adidas, and, more notably, Puma, are
much more prevalent. I have often found a person wearing Puma shoes here
in America most often has distinct, Eastern European features, mannerisms,
and accents. This is a prime example discussed back in the chapter on
stereotypes and recognizing how to exploit them as to enhance your
concealment efforts.

One method to reduce identification is the use of rubber over-shoes.

Most over-shoes do a good job of covering the laces, and the upper/sole joint,
making shoe identification somewhat difficult. As most people would use
over-shoes to protect expensive patent leather shoes, covering a pair of
sneakers would add to the deception. Witnesses may only see the over-shoes
and be unable to provide actual shoe color, style, or brand information.

Another advantage is over-shoes can make tracking difficult, if you can

find a place to remove them unnoticed. This is not 100% foolproof, as
trackers rely on many factors other than tread patterns for track
identification. Based upon what I've learned about tracking, a person has a
better chance of successfully flossing a bobcat with a spaghetti noodle than
deceiving a well-trained, professional tracker.

Pants - Pants are a prime focal point for identification simply because they
are difficult to change quickly. About the only quick option one has is to
wear the break-away style athletic warm-up pants worn by basketball players
and track athletes or hiking pants featuring zip away legs. Unfortunately,
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these types of athletic pants are not designed for rugged use. The hiking
pants are more durable, but take longer to manipulate.

Zippered hiking pants convert quickly to shorts and can work in environments where the weather and
culture is suitable for such attire. Photo by author.

While the break-away pants offer themselves as a rapid change option,

other pants or shorts must be worn underneath. This can be too warm during
certain seasons like late spring, summer, and early fall.

One effective trick is mimicking the trend of distressed jeans with

chalk. Certain areas of blue jeans tend to wear out faster than others. Jean
manufacturers distress the thigh, hamstring, and seat areas of the pants with
abrasives and chemicals to give the jeans a worn appearance. However, in
doing so, it does create permanent damage to the pants. The chalk can be
rubbed onto the desired areas and easily rinsed out the next time the pants are
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laundered. It can also be patted and/or brushed off as needed.

Shirts - Wearing a non-descript shirt is key to effective Gray Man tactics.

We are accustomed to seeing people on television viewed from the head and
shoulder area most of their on-camera time. The overall shape and the
distinguishing features of the head and shoulders stick into our memory. This
is why we focus on this specific area when trying to identify other humans,
regardless of where we encounter them. Shirts, regardless of the style, all rest
across the shoulders, have a noticeable symmetry, and have specific design or
construction features.

Some clothing is geared towards the principles of the Gray Man, like the long sleeve Tradecraft Shirt
from Triple Aught Design. It has built-in pockets for SERE kits, handcuff keys, or other useful items
requiring covert placement. Photo courtesy of Jack Richland/Black Scout Survival. Used with
permission.

Loose Fitting Apparel - Improperly fitting clothing may provide a more

plausible way to blend in; however, should the need for escape arise.
Oversized or tight fitting clothing, for that matter, will cause problems. Case
in point, common attire among today's young males is to wear the waistband
of their pants lower to or below their hips. This does a couple of things.
First, it offers witnesses another article of clothing to help identify them.
Second, it preoccupies one or both hands to keep the pants from dropping to a
point where the pants become a tripping hazard during any attempt to flee.

For any young male reading this book and thinking this is in any way
fashionable; let me remind you of this glaring reality. This "fashion"
phenomenon is deeply rooted in the American prison system. Some believe

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this stems from the once enforced policy of not issuing belts to inmates to
prevent the belts being used to commit suicide or strangle other inmates.
Others believe that pants sagged because prisons issued the same size to
every inmate, regardless of physical build of the inmate.1 In the prison
system there are always inmates looking to make money, barter contraband,
or offer services, so some inmates made themselves sexually available to
other inmates for profit. This doesn't seem far-fetched, regardless of how off-
putting it may be to people on the outside.

There have been reports from both former inmates and corrections
officers confirming the link to homosexuality within the prison system.
Wearing their pants past their butts, at one time, was a covert code
communicating that availability. The fact remains inmates don't lose their
sexual desires simply because there are no women to satisfy the need.
Inmates desiring sexual relations are willing to satisfy those needs by any
means necessary. This creates a phenomenon referred to throughout the
Department of Corrections as "situational homosexuality." In other extreme
cases, the volunteering is circumvented altogether and prison rape is a cruel
reality.2 Why today's rap and hip-hop culture have adopted this fashion both
troubles and puzzles me. Here again, you have two societal groups who
believe two polar opposite fashions promote or display the same homosexual
message. One group believes tight fitting pants is the culprit and the other
thinks loose fitting pants are to blame.3 Either way, I would highly advise
people to avoid both fashion choices.

Backpacks, Satchels, and Stuff Sacks - Today's military styled backpacks

often feature MOLLE webbing, which is great for adding modular pouches to
an already highly functional bag. However, the convenient MOLLE webbing
comes at the price of overtly displaying its tactical functionality and military
origins.

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 Packs like this Level III Assault Pack are lightweight and are capable of carrying a lot of useful gear,
but they are conspicuous in urban areas. The military camouflage pattern and the addition of morale
patches make it much more identifiable through recognizable symbols and affiliations. Photo by
author.

A satchel is a bag with a flap closure and carried over one shoulder
with a strap. In our ever increasingly violent world, we find it necessary to
carry more gear than what we can practically carry in trouser pockets. The
satchel is, if I dare say, the modern-day equivalent of a man-purse. This may
not sit well with some readers, but I assure you it not intended as an insult or
an indictment of the decline in masculinity in today's society. Today's
prepared individual (male or female) must carry the items he/she feels
practical and necessary to deal with any contingency or encountered conflict.
A satchel is an adequate compromise for the clichéd fanny pack and a bulky
backpack. It is functional enough to carry EDC (Every Day Carry) gear
along with some practical "just in case" supplies. Here again, there are
satchels available having a distinctively tactical look.

Stuff sacks make a nice, convenient way to carry small essentials without
lugging around a large conspicuous backpack. The best carry-all bag is the

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drawstring backpack/bag. When empty, it can be worn under coats or jackets
without profiling its shape. Its limited capacity ensures the wearer only packs
what he/she needs. They are relatively inexpensive and popular. As an
added bonus, some are reversible. The biggest drawback, unless you have
access to a sewing machine to make your own, is almost all of these
drawstring packs have logos of some kind, usually sportswear brands.
Having a logo on one side is often unavoidable. However, some also feature
a logo on the reverse side, making identifying a bag much easier. If it can be
avoided, choose a bag with at least one plain colored side.

Backpacks should be non-descript, low profile, and functional. Photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

Sunglasses - Another essential piece of indispensible gear is a pair of

sunglasses. In addition to their designed purpose of reducing the brightness
and glare of the sun, they aid in the implementation of simple disguises used
to impair facial recognition to varying degrees. Sunglasses can hide eye
color, conceal eye movement, and impair some facets of facial recognition
technology.

EDC (Every Day Carry) Kit - Before going into any detail about EDC kits,
it's important to remember each person may have individually specific items
in their EDC, which are irrelevant or unnecessary for someone else to carry.
This portion is not designed to be a rehashing of information already
presented by others on the EDC subject. Internet searches on websites like
Pinterest and Instagram can provide a clear overview of the myriad of items

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one could/should carry every day. Some items are viewed as universal and
some are viewed as personal preference carry. Carry location isn't as
important as having the items available on your person when needed. For
example, a small liquid compass may get lost within a pouch or even fall out
unnoticed. I wear mine on a watchband or occasionally on a paracord
bracelet. An executive may not need to carry a pen in his EDC kit, because
he already has a pen in his shirt pocket.

Selected items from the author's EDC. Photo by author.

It's also important to recognize the word "kit" is a bit of a misnomer.

The contents of an EDC may not be contained in a single bag, compartment,
or pocket. They are more likely distributed to several pockets or small
pouches. This is done for a couple of reasons. First, it spreads out and
balances the weight of the items across the body. Second, it makes items
more practically accessible and deployable. Third, it reduces bulges or
"printing" of certain items.

Folding knife - A good majority of people, especially men, tend to carry a

folding pocketknife of some variation on their person. It's a good idea to
carry a secondary one inside your EDC kit.

Flashlight - A small LED, push-button flashlight is all that is necessary. It

really depends on how bulky you want your fully loaded EDC kit to be. A
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larger hand-held light with a crenulated bezel makes an efficient, improvised
impact weapon.

First-aid/Trauma Kit - Carrying a small first-aid/trauma kit is important,

especially if you carry a concealed firearm. You should be adequately
trained or knowledgeable to treat minor to moderate injuries. Major wound
care demands training that is more intensive training or requires certification,
but having the means to render aid until first responders arrive is crucial.
Prescription Medications - If you take doctor prescribed medications, it's a
good idea to have a few spares located within a waterproof vial. Label it with
the drug name(s) and dosage, if necessary.

Pen and small notebook - As a writer, I find having a pen and paper
available to be invaluable for jotting down ideas and notes. Having these
items available to you can make documenting important observations, contact
names, phone numbers, and addresses.

Whistle - A small whistle is a loud, distinct way to either request assistance,

ward off an attacker, or notify others of danger. Some whistles are even
integrated into plastic buckles on the ever-popular paracord bracelets.

Cell Phone - Despite the earlier discussion regarding the drawbacks to the
dependency on technology, a cell phone or smart phone is still useful. It can
provide you with an emergency device for calling police or navigating your
way through an unfamiliar city.

Multi-tool - A compact, folding tool with multiple functions are necessary

for small, quick repairs. While not all included tools are as effective or
functional as often advertised, a multi-tool works in a pinch without having to
carry a hefty toolbox.

Wristwatch - A watch obviously informs the wearer of the time and is less
conspicuous and inherently distracting to look at compared to a cell phone.
The watch should be rugged and non-reflective (as much as possible).
Expensive, high-end watches should be avoided, just like jewelry mentioned
back in Chapter 10; as they make nice targets for thieves.
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Compass - A liquid filled dial compass can give the user a quick bearing
either when the sun is not visible in the sky because of overcast conditions or
structures blocking it.

Disposable Lighter - A cigarette lighter is useful regardless of whether or

not you smoke. This probably is a Cold War espionage holdover due to the
fact that many people smoked during the 1950s and 60s and was a relevant
ice-breaker question.

A photo of some of the components in the author's basic SERE kit. Photo by author.

SERE Kit - I carry a small pocket sized SERE kit contained within a small
plastic case, originally designed to hold a Compact Flash storage device.
Some of the items contained within are two cyalume mini chem-sticks (one
red, one green), a ceramic razor blade, a polymer handcuff key, two metal
paper clips (for improvised lock picks), a 1-inch IR (infrared) patch, and a
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key fob LED light. The case is held shut with two Ranger Bands cut from a
bicycle tire tube. The overall size of the kit is 1.75" x 2" x .375" and fits
comfortably and relatively unnoticeable in my front pants pocket. When I
pack it correctly, the contents don't rattle.

Concealed Carry Firearm - Personal preference will dictate where you

carry most of your personal defense weapons. Carry placement is a debate
almost as heated and ongoing as the 9mm vs. .45 arguments. My opinion
reflects how I want to integrate the Gray Man concept: Nothing showing,
nothing sticking out. Some readers will agree with my stance, some won't.
My carry position is not the only option or the correct option, but it is the best
option for me. Simply put, your carry position has to work for you; meaning
you are able to present the weapon when needed, both swiftly and safely.
Presentation drills and dry-fire exercises are absolutely necessary and should
be practiced often.

It should be understood, but for the sake of legal clarity, let me reiterate
the importance of carrying ANY weapon in accordance with federal, state,
and local laws. Before traveling, research the carry laws in other states and
when traveling internationally, choose weapons that are legal to carry. In
extreme cases of civil crisis, laws and the enforcement of those laws might be
irrelevant. Follow your convictions and plan accordingly to accept
contingencies and consequences based upon your carry decisions.

Personally, I like the appendix carry method. It lessens the tendency to

favor or shift your weight to one leg or another. Appendix carry prints less
through clothing than hip or small of the back carry positions.4 Most people
often have a social aversion to deliberate, prolonged staring towards the
genital region. The same principle applies during pat-downs and searches.
Keep in mind law enforcement officers have little problem with this and are
trained to check anyone incident to an arrest. However, the average street
thug may not be as thorough.

The appendix carry does have some disadvantages. It can be

uncomfortable (depending on the size of the weapon) to sit and/or drive a
vehicle. Holsters and other retention methods often play a part in the comfort
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aspect of certain positional carry options. The most common dislike for this
carry position stems from a fear of one having a negligent firearm discharge
so close to the groin area. The truth of the matter is if someone is ultimately
afraid of a negligent discharge, it is more of a firearms training and finger
discipline problem rather than a carry position problem. Healthy respect for a
firearm and its capabilities is different from fear.

In addition, you should also carry at least one spare magazine or reload
for each concealed carry firearm you have in your possession. Some people
choose to carry more. A workable compromise must be reached between
personal comfort and a person's determination of an appropriate ammunition
reserve.

Optional Carry Gear - The addition of extra gear can be a nice insurance
policy. Extra gear is not necessary, but neither is it forbidden. It becomes an
issue of personal preference. The main purpose is to have items that you may
potentially need without having to carry large packs or have bulging pockets
resembling the over-stuffed cheeks of a chipmunk. Too many objects in one
pocket can make it harder to rapidly or effectively deploy items when they
are needed.

Promotional insert cards from credit lenders are great for stuffing in a dump wallet. Some look
legitimate and contain no personal information. Photo by author.

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Dump Wallet - Sometimes the best thing in a confrontation is to cut your
losses and run. A dump wallet can help accomplish this. A dump wallet is a
secondary wallet containing fake credit cards, some generic photos of people
not related or known to you, and maybe some low denomination paper
currency.5 The opportunistic thug doesn't want a conflict escalation any more
than his potential victim. This isn't always the case, but criminals know the
more physical harm they inflict upon their victim, the more likely the police
will intensify their search for the culprit. Unfortunately, there are no hard
and fast rules regarding the handling of violent situations when presented to
individuals. Tossing the dump wallet to the ground may offer enough of a
distraction to unholster your weapon and stop the threat.

Traveling with Firearms

Traveling with firearms is becoming increasingly difficult to do with

any secrecy. Airports and airlines have far more restrictions regarding the
transportation of firearms. There are inventive ways to disguise your long
rifles while still being compliant with Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) guidelines.

This is not to say that the popular Pelican cases are somehow deficient
in their ability to protect gear. However, one must resist the temptation to
adorn your cases with anything firearm related. As much as I prefer the
alternative colors offered like tan and olive green, these colors easily identify
the case as having some tactical overtone. The result is a loss of their ability
for discreet protection. It's also important to consider the State Supreme
Courts in some states, more specifically New Jersey, have ruled that the
appearance or presence of a firearm logo on a case was grounds to establish
probable cause to initiate a vehicle search.

I recommend two hardshell case styles for discreet weapon protection.

Both are made by SKB and have different primary equipment protection
applications. First, I recommend the use of the hardshell golf club case. Its
distinctive shape let's everyone assume you're headed out to hit the fairways
or the driving range, rather than the shooting range. Golf is a game attracting
players of every skill level. Here again, you could choose to slap a couple of
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golf-themed stickers on the case to add to the rouse. Knowing some golf
terms, rules of play, etc. add believability to this pretext.

An SKB Golf Case is long enough to contain several long rifles, pistols, and accessories. Fellow
travelers will assume you're getting away for golfing vacation, putting them more at ease and less likely
to draw attention to yourself. Photo courtesy of Alexei Jay. Used with permission.

Second is the large, rectangular musical keyboard case is designed to

protect the heavy, expensive keyboards used by touring musicians. The cases
are usually adorned with white, spray-painted band names, bumper stickers
of favorite bands/artists, or products endorsed or used by the musician.

While this style is large enough to protect and transport weapons

safely, without some accompanying musically related pretexting, you may
find yourself having to answer several themed questions. Unless you are a
musician, a line of questioning can make your clandestine attempts fruitless,
if it's discovered you don't have any musical ability or knowledge.
Generalizations aside, the hard look of most warriors isn't going to convince
most people of an ability to play keyboard. There stands a better probability
of the modern warrior fitting the description of a heavy metal guitar player.
This aids in the pretext.

During the 1920s and 30s organized crime members were known to
hide weapons, most notably the Thompson M1 carbine, in musical instrument
cases of guitar and viola sizes. The problem with music cases is most people
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assume there is a musical instrument of reasonable value inside. Musical
instruments, especially guitars, are stolen often and sold for quick profit at
pawnshops.

When it comes to supplies, I tend to follow a popular prepper and

survivalist mantra, which is often associated with and used by concealed
carry permit holders and preppers. It's a variation attributed to Franz Kafka
and summarizes the sentiment quite clearly.

“Better to have, and not need, than to need, and not have.”
- Franz Kafka

Citations:
1 h ttps://adifferentstateofblack.wordpress.com/ 2013/04/10/the-sagging-pants-myth-needs-to-stop/
2Escoffier, Jeffrey. "Gay-For-Pay: Straight Men And The Making Of Gay Pornography." Qualitative
Sociology 26.4 (2003): 531-555. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.
3
Penney, J. (2012). “We don’t wear tight clothes”: gay panic and queer style in contemporary hip hop.
Popular Music and Society, 35, 321-332.
4http://www.downrange.tv/blog/concealed-carry-tips-7-deadly-sins-and-donts/38685/
5http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/diy/deceive-a-mugger-with-a-diy-decoy-wallet/

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 Conclusion
The Gray Man takes time, training, and deliberate action to properly
and fully integrate into either a survival/SERE situation or a recurring
lifestyle habit. As I mentioned in my last book, you must study. From there,
you must train and practice. You should always actively recon and scout
your current location, routes of travel, and potential destinations.

Gray Man: Camouflage for Crowds, Cities, and Civil Crisis has provided a
basic overview and a better understanding of the essential elements
influencing the success of its implementation. In the meantime, be safe, be
vigilant, and if I don't see you around...you're probably doing it right.

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 The S's of urban Gray Man concealment. Graphic by author.

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 References and Additional Resources:
- ACM IV Security Services, Secrets of Surveillance: A Professional's Guide
to Tailing Subjects by Vehicle, Foot, Airplane, and Public Transportation,
Paladin Press, September 1, 1993

- Ahearn, Frank & Horan, Eileen, How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital
Footprint, Leave Fake Trails, and Vanish Without a Trace, Lyons Press,
2010

- Alwood, Kelly, Behavioral Programming: The Manipulation of Social

Interaction, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, May 25, 2015

- Black Scout Survival, How to Become the "Gray Man" - Urban Survival,
YouTube video, 2013

- Black Scout Survival, Escape and Evasion: Covert Concealment/ Grayman

Tradecraft, YouTube video, 2015

- "Becoming the Gray Man" - www.truprepper.com/ article/ becoming-gray-

man-skill-constant-camouflage/, May 14, 2016

- Cooper, Jeff, Mental Conditioning, Gunsite/American Pistol Institute video

- Dermody, Matthew, Appear to Vanish: Stealth Concepts for Effective

Camouflage and Concealment, Paladin Press, 2017

- Emerson, Clint with Walters, Lynn, Escape the Wolf: Preemptive Personal
Security Handbook e-book, Escape the Wolf, September 9, 2012

- Jenkins, Peter, Surveillance Tradecraft: The Professional's Guide to Covert

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Surveillance Training, Intel Publications, March 30, 2010

- Kolkman, Russ, "How to 'Blend In' in an urban survival scenario", YouTube

video, May 28, 2013

- Lotto, Beau, "Optical Illusions Show Us How We See,"

https://www.ted.com/talks/beau_lotto_optical_illusions_show_how_we_see

- Luna, J.J., How to Be Invisible: Protect Your Home, Your Children, Your
Assets, and Your Life, Thomas Dune Books, 3rd Edition, 2012

- Mack, Jefferson, Invisible Resistance to Tyranny, Paladin Press, 2002

- MacInaugh, Edmund A., Disguise Techniques: Fool All of the People

Some of the Time, Paladin Press, 1984

- Ritch, Van, Do You See What I'm Saying? - Secrets of Body Language
Made Simple, Paladin Press DVD

- Robideau, Rob, Incognito Toolkit: Tools, Apps, and Creative Methods for
Remaining Anonymous, Private, and Secure While Communicating,
Publishing, Buying, and Researching Online, Personal Armament, 2014

- Sample, John, Methods of Disguise, Loompanics Unlimited, 2nd edition,

1993
- Starnater, Eddie, Principles of Natural Camouflage: The Science of
Invisibility, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, November 6,
2015
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision-making

- Vickers, Joan A., Perception, Cognition, and Decision Training - The Quiet
Eye in Action, Human Kinetics, June 10, 2007

- Waldron, Lee, http://www.realworldsurvivor.com/2015/ 09 /24/becoming-

the-gray-man-10-ways-blend-in-and-survive/ #gray-man-7
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- http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/mindset/gray-man-strategies-101-
peeling-away-the-thin-veneer-of-society/

- http://www.innovateus.net/health/what-function-reticular-activating-system

- http://www.meaningfulhq.com/reticular-activating-system-function.html

- http://mastermindmatrix.com/knowledge-base/reticular-activating-system/

- http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/diy/deceive-a-mugger-with-a-diy-
decoy-wallet/

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 SERE Training Providers:
On Point Tactical - www.onpointtactical.com
Sigma 3 Survival School - www.survivalschool.us
Ed Calderon - www.edsmanifesto.com

Other Online Resources:

Imminent Threat Solutions (ITS Tactical) - www.itstactical.com
Black Scout Survival - www.blackscoutsurvival.com
www.readyman.com
www.graywolfsurvival.com

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 About the Author:
Matthew Dermody is a writer of two previously published books as
well as guest blogs and articles on the subject of camouflage and
concealment. He maintains a website focusing on the educational and
instructional aspects of the art of camouflage. He currently lives in the Inland
Northwest region of the United States with his wife and twin daughters.

You may visit his website: www.hiddensuccesstactical.com

and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Facebook: Hidden Success Tactical

Instagram: Hidden Success Tactical
Twitter: @AppearToVanish

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