Merry Christmas everyone! It's a blessed time to remember the greatest gift of all. God's only Son Jesus Christ, who came as a baby, lived as a man, tempted and tried but was faithful unto death. The greatest hero of the centuries, who came as a sacrificial lamb but is now a conquering lion, seated on the throne at the right hand of the Father on high. Who defeated Sin, Death, Satan and Hell. My victorious king and captain of the armies of Heaven. Though he came as a babe, he is the greatest warrior of all time and living and reigning in victory even now.

Character Over Capability: What Actually Separates Elite Operators From Everyone Else The 4 Non-Negotiable Traits After training high-risk personnel as a USAF SERE Specialist and developing other military instructors, I've witnessed what truly separates those who excel from those who merely survive. These same traits determine who you can trust when lives are on the line. In the world of protection—whether military or civilian—natural talent means nothing without character. I've watched gifted athletes wash out while "average" guys became legends. The difference? Four core traits that can be cultivated by anyone willing to do the work. These aren't just military virtues. They're the foundation for anyone serious about standing in the gap for others. 1. HUMILITY: The Force Multiplier Without humility, you're not a protector—you're a liability. I witnessed this firsthand with a Technical Sergeant who went through our pipeline. Despite his rank and experience, he approached training as a complete beginner. No ego. No assumptions. Just pure willingness to learn. When bureaucracy forced him to return as a trainee after already becoming an instructor, he didn't complain. He put his head down, colored inside the lines, and became an inspiration to actual beginners going through the same training. The result? He rocketed through leadership positions faster than anyone I'd seen. The Contrast: Another trainee—Airman Basic, lowest possible rank—had life experience but zero humility. His superpower was alienating every superior while trying to get them written up. Despite somehow passing selection, he didn't last long in the military. Key Takeaway: Pride blinds you to your shortcomings. Humility reveals the path to mastery. 2. INTEGRITY: The Binary Trait Unlike courage or humility that exist in degrees, integrity is binary. You have it or you don't. Integrity means taking the hard right over the easy wrong. It's being truthful with yourself and others, especially when it costs you something. In training, there are countless opportunities to cut corners, to paint yourself in a better light, to take credit you didn't earn.

The Go Bags articles series has an integrated quiz, interactive tool, several videos and articles and gear lists now available for easy access in the Classroom

Check it out in the Classroom! Combat Profiling manual integrates military methods (Cooper's Color Code, Boyd's OODA Loop, Emerson's Four-Pillar Awareness, USMC Combat Profiling) for threat detection. Covers baseline establishment, behavioral analysis, body language, proxemics, environmental assessment. Includes practical drills and scenario training for airports, restaurants, hotels. Core principle: "strategic invisibility"—maintaining heightened awareness while blending in to prevent threats through early detection.