I believe my alert conditions, as I stated, reflect the Col's scale okay. My application was in a much broader sense, in that I apply the threat conditions to more routine aspects than simply combat engagement as is his application. However, the intensity of the response is consistent with his.

For instance, out hunting, I can engage the target at range and move from an orange level to a red level with an advance warning, if I have the chance. If the point of contact with the target is abrupt, it takes a considerable effort NOT to shoot the target prior to positive identification. My instinct at that point is to sight and pull, much as I would be if I were to encounter an enemy under anticipated combat conditions but from an unknown source. Even under red conditions, I always thought the Col was adamant about target identification, so even though I am combat ready at any given point in the red zone, I must still exercise due diligence before committing to the attack; the point of no return as it were.

At least that's how I always considered the Col's scale to apply. It didn't make sense for a definition of the red zone to be as fleeting as just releasing the sear once you had sight picture acquired. That just seemed too transitory to be of practical use. It also doesn't quite seem to fit the mindset approach that the Col preferred, rather than to describe a given course of action.

So from a real world application in a general sense, I believe I tend towards the "ready for action, everyone around is a potential threat" when out in the open public, and relax to yellow under more controlled environments, but never ever in an unaware and unprepared mode, not even while sleeping. I'd have to be under the influence of sedatives or psychotropics to be in a condition white. My wife has learned that there are acceptable ways to rouse me from slumber, and those which she and others would not be advised to undertake. I have drawn down on someone coming through my front door while I was napping in my recliner before. Fortunately, they never repeated that method of entry. Most people who know me know better.

It is a bit inappropriate perhaps to try and apply the combat mindset color code of Col. Cooper's from a general purpose daily venue where the incidence of combat risk is relatively insignificant. However, lacking any other generally accepted "risk" level upon which to relate, this is at least marginally understandable.