I’ve heard this statement many times: I’m going somewhere where I’ll need a gun.

My first thought when I hear this is that if you’re going somewhere where you think you’re going to need a gun, don’t go there! As Mr. Myagi taught us “The best defense is no be there.” That wisdom not only means don’t get hit, but also don’t put yourself into dangerous situations in the first place. I can’t imagine anything worse than having to take a life in self defense or the defense of others. Don’t put yourself in places where you think there’s a significant chance that might have to happen.

What about when you’re going somewhere where you think you’re going to be perfectly safe and don’t need a gun? That’s when you should be carrying. You probably keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen even though you doubt you’re going to have a fire today. If you don’t carry everywhere, you can be assured that if the worst ever happens there’s a good chance you’ll be unarmed.

I’ve seen dozens of people that have had defensive gun uses. Thankfully, I’ve never had to pull the trigger, but I’ve had a few cases where showing the gun deescalated the situation rather quickly. In every case, people report being completely surprised that it happened. It happened in places where they didn’t think they’d need a gun. Carry your gun.

If you absolutely have to go to certain places where you think the danger is elevated, then of course carry a gun. That’s when you need to be super vigilant about situational awareness. If you can, bring a friend with a gun. Better yet, 10 friends with rifles, body armor, IFVs, air support, and communications. But that might just be overkill.