In November of 2004, two Marines kicked in a door on the streets of Fallujah and were quickly wounded. Additional Marines rushed into the house and within minutes, this one house would become known as the “House of Hell.” In less than an hour, 10 Marines were critically wounded in this one house and one was killed in action. Through acts of inexplicable gallantry, the Marines defeated the enemy in the house and won the day. However, the insurgents were initially successful against this fierce fighting force because they had a plan. Your family too needs to have a plan. 

Does your family know where to go when an intruder makes the breach? Do you know where the natural choke points are in your house that will funnel the enemy in one direction. You see, the natural advantage you have is that you have been inside of your house, whereas most intruders have not. You know the natural landscape if you would just take the time to consider it. When the Marines kicked in a door in Fallujah, they had no idea what would be to their left, right and in front of them. Use this natural advantage and draw up a plan that you share with your family. If you don’t have a plan, then you are not serious about home defense. 

 Where the insurgents failed in Iraq was that most did not have an exit plan. They were determined to fight until the end and the United States Marine Corps was more than happy to gift them enough violence to end their malice for good. As a family, you do not have to make such a final stand. If your enemy is so determined, have a plan to safely exit the house in order to live to fight another day. This is not Iraq and a tactical withdrawal is acceptable. If you were unable to reach your firearm for any reason, this is a good time to consider stashing a gun on your exit route so that you might cover your return. Not to mention, if you should fall in the fight, your family needs to understand how to get out safely. 

This rudimentary checklist should be enough for you to start crafting your plan for your family’s survival should the day come. Make the breach difficult and buy your family time to prepare. Have a plan and ensure that everyone knows it. Have a gun quickly accessible at all times utilizing a gun magnet or other concealed opportunity. Finally, have a plan to get out of dodge if need be. In general, you won’t have to make a tactical withdrawal because the average bad guy is not looking for a fight. They are looking for easy prey. Give them a fight and you’ll likely find yourself still king of your own castle at the end of the day.