Just by looking at Hands and Eyes

Recently, I got an opportunity to watch an episode of the TV program "One Man Army" on Discovery Channel. Four participants from four different divisions of security forces were participating in the competition. There were three different rounds; first two were elimination rounds. In final round, only two participants competed for $10,000 prize and the title. It was one of its kind of TV program that I was watching first time in my life.

There were four men representing their divisions, including US Delta Force, US Green Beret, US Navy Seals and US Army Rangers. Some of them were retired personals. Rigorous and very special training made them the kind of specialists that any nation could rely on for safety and security. The participant who won the competition was from one of the most elite security troops on the earth.

Special Forces are the game-changers in modern warfare.

He shared a very crucial yet simplest clue they look for any offensive move in the super-critical operational conditions. For the special force operatives, every moment and movement is crucial for their survival. A tiniest movement can differentiate between intention of attack or retreat. Just by looking at hands and eyes, they have to determine whether the person is an attacker or an innocent, just within fractions of a second.

If a person is carrying or holding a weapon is planning to attack, its eyes and (both) hands give away hostile intentions. The person's entire (upper) body starts facing the target. The person's eyes measure the distance between the weapon and the target. Also, they monitor movements, position and size of the target. The person's fingers are kept on the trigger for shooting rounds. Even if the person isn't aiming, fidgeting with weapon is enough.

Eyes and Hands always work together, during offense and defense.

Without indiscriminate firing or sharpshooting from a safe distance, special force operatives are responsible in pacifying hostiles, saving civilians or rescuing hostages through armed combats with minimum or no causalities. They have to keep their senses sharp to collect a wide variety of nonverbal clues from all of potential attackers and hostile entities in their proximity, which can be both stationary and moving.

Only technological sophistication doesn't ensure the victories in battles and wars. Success of every special operation entirely depends upon accurately gathered intelligence, extremely high vigilance, extreme coordination and timely actions only. Especially, close distance armed combats pushes any individual on the edge of survivability that needs sharp senses, snap judgements and quick actions.

 

Strong movement coordination and silent communication takes place among special force operatives through symbolic hand gestures, eye signals and facial emblems inside the operational area. More they could remain covert, lesser opportunities attackers get to harm them. Element of surprise is the secret of success during the special operations and guerilla warfare.

Minimum causalities and maximum surrenders

Just by looking at hands and eyes of any individual, determining hostile intentions, aggression and preparedness of the same is quite easy. That's the very reason why hostile individuals and groups are asked to surrender themselves by dropping their weapons and hold their open palms behind their heads or high up. It is practiced globally during armed conflicts.

If a person isn't carrying any weapon, tool or arm, the person's entire body unconsciously prepares itself to attack, hit and harm the other person. Both legs placed apart, raised shoulders, flexed arms, clenched feasts, tightened jaws, glaring eyes, flared nostrils, protruded chin and furrowed eyebrows give away the hostile intentions.

Related Articles:

1) Observation is the key 2) Basic responses in stressful situations 3) Language of Eyes 4) Entire body can’t lie