The Persistent Myth of the ‘Shoot-Me-First’ Vest

Recently, a photo was posted on a socialist media site of my recently departed friend, Dave Harrington, Super Dave to most. The image was taken from a video shoot Dave had done many years before and he was wearing the ubiquitous khaki “photographers vest,” The kind that only actual photographers wore until the advent of the International Defensive Pistol Association. We don’t really need to go into the history of IDPA or their “cover garment” requirement, but that’s a thing. 

Like clockwork, an RIA (random internet a**hole) jumped into the comments in an attempt to make himself look smart on Facebook — a fool’s errand — and quipped about how they call those “shoot-me-first vests.” Unlike Doc Holliday, who allowed self-control to get the better of him, I didn’t and queried the RIA, asking him to present evidence of one single, verifiable instance where a bystander was executed by an armed robber due to his fashion choice.

I apparently caught him while he was reclining in his beanbag chair in his mother’s basement. He wiped the Cheeto dust from his fingers and responded almost immediately. However, unable to produce the evidence I requested, the individual spouted that “intel guys” and “spec ops guys” use that term, thus checkmating me….at least in his mind. 

You know, everyone you might encounter in the world potentially serves a purpose. Many of those you encounter stand as bad examples or examples of how not to behave or live your life. In this instance, that keyboard warrior motivated me to address some of the crap that the gun community regurgitates ad nauseam without ever stopping to apply analytical thought.    

‘Shoot-Me-First Vest’

Going back a few decades, there was a time when wearing a khaki vest was a practical fashion item for professional photographers. Then IDPA came along with their requirement to wear a cover garment. Very quickly, vests in numerous colors were being produced and those in the late 90s who had carry permits began to wear them, at least some of them did. I still have a few of them in my closet. 

I also recall receiving such a vest in the mail to review for dead tree gun magazines. When I put it on, my wife commented, “That’s nice, but I am never going out with you in public if you wear that.” 

Though I am unsure where the term originated, long before socialist media I read an article where the author referred to the khaki photo vest as a “shoot-me-first” vest. The implication was that during a violent crime such as an armed robbery, the perpetrator would take the time to surveil the innocent bystanders who might be present and, spotting a person in a khaki vest, summarily kill that person because such a vest is an indicator of an armed citizen. 

I have personally known several experienced armed men, those who had been in genuine gunfights, who did indeed have a habit of wearing some sort of vest while armed. But back then, they didn’t have random asshats on the internet to tell them they were wrong. 

Let’s pause a moment for a reality check, shall we? Thanks to the 1984 world in which we live where every step you take in public is under the watchful eye of surveillance cameras, have you ever watched videos of how armed robberies go down? Have you ever witnessed a felon, or group of felons, stop and take the time to consider how the innocent bystanders are dressed? Are we to believe that, rather than bursting in, waving guns, and screaming for the clerk to hand over the money, the armed robbers will instead shift their focus to the gallery of innocents to see who might be wearing a khaki vest? 

“But what about hostage situations?” some dude in the back just yelled, attempting to trump my argument. My question is this, “Are you carrying a gun for self-defense? Do you have training?” If so, how the devil are you allowing yourself to become a hostage? If you’re willing to allow yourself to be rounded up and taken to a secondary crime scene — a back room, walk in reefer, etc. — what the hell do you think your concealed carry gun is for? Is your EDC only for Instagram posts? 

“But what about rampage killings where a terrorist with a gun or knife is just killing to make a point?” Again, why do you have your gun? Unless you have the bad luck to be the first victim, your gun should be out of the holster, in your hand and the front sight indexed on the killer as you manage recoil and then scan for other threats. 

Also, how many crackheads and inner-city gangbangers participate in IDPA matches or watch them on Youtube? Do you really think that said vermin keep up with concealed carry dress codes? If that’s the case, I guess we need to stop wearing Hawaiian shirts now, too. 

Fanny Packs and Other Methods

Many moons ago, when I lived and worked in Florida, the colored waistpack (fanny pack) with a concealed gun compartment was in vogue. If you entered the Sunshine State and didn’t own one, they gave you a half-off coupon so you could fix yourself. 

The Tactical Intelligentsia naturally started referring to these fanny packs as “shoot-me-first packs” and advised gun carriers not to use them. Folks, if an armed robber in Florida saw everyone with a fanny pack as an armed threat, they would run out of ammo trying to shoot every person in the Cracker Barrel who was wearing one. In Florida, if you wanted to be a gray man and blend in, a fanny pack was a required piece of attire.

During the GWoT, when tactical pants or khaki cargo pants became popular, the same pseudo-logic was applied to them as well. “Don’t wear cargo pants because they mark you as a gun carrier.” One has to wonder if the gang-bangers and crackheads subscribed to Guns & Sandwiches magazine in order to keep up with the latest CCW fashion trends. Yes, we know what we wear to easily and conveniently conceal our gear. Do they? Are we trying to hide from felons or from other gun people?

Then there is the advice to never wear a polo shirt with the stitched logo for “Remington” or “Winchester” or even “IDPA.” “You need to blend, to be the gray man.” Again, who are we hiding from? How many would-be armed robbers know what IDPA stands for? Or NineLine or PHU for that matter?  Should we all start dressing like Steve Jobs and wear the same black turtle neck and faded blue jeans every day? 

I used to have a black polo with the word “Blackhawk” embroidered on it. During my contracting days when I flew a lot, I would wear that polo when I traveled. Though I was never shot first, the polo did serve as an impetus for pleasant conversations with active-duty personnel and veterans. But I didn’t have any RIAs on Facebook at the time to tell me I was wrong. 

There’s a famous photo of armed citizens who were the first persons to respond to the terrorist attack in the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya. Not only was one of the men wearing a khaki photo vest, he also committed the tactical sin of having an IDPA patch on it. 

Parting Shots

If you decide to take your tactical advice from random people on socialist media, that’s your prerogative. Perhaps you might put more of your time and attention into realistic training and situational awareness. At the end of the day, if you find yourself, through no fault of your own, in the middle of a violent felony, there are four possible outcomes of which you need to be concerned. You will be judged by history and your Maker as having been; a living hero, a dead hero, a living coward, or a dead coward. How you were dressed will be of little or no concern.  

 

 

Paul G. Markel is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades.