[Tanzer]

I'm a junoir to this forum, but not to shooting. I've held a LTC for some time now. They're speaking of this on other threads (Body Alarm Response), so I thought I'd tell a short story of my own:
I'll caveat by mentioning that there's a surprise ending.
I was awakened just after 2:00AM one night by an unmistakable sound. The storm door to our den makes a loud thump when it's locked and someone tries to open it. While I was pressing the finger combo on the safe to grab my 9mm I heard it again. My wife awoke and I instructed her to hold my secondary .32 and round the kids into the living room, but to stay away from the front door. I used the fridge for cover to peek across the common kitchen/den area.
That's when I "saw" him through the large window beside the door, so well that I could have picked him out of a line-up. (I won't bother with a description other than to say he was a tall, hefty man wearing a blue and white windbreaker). He was pulling on the door, and the loud thump happened again. I can't vouch for loss of fine motor skills, but I can say my heart rate took a big jump. I've been through some training (thank heaven), and realized the dangers of tunnel vision, loss of hearing, etc. It took a lot to communicate with my wife without making her and the kids more nervous, but I managed.
I took a new position for a better angle should he come busting through, and now for the caveat: It had become very windy that night and my wife had bought and hung one of those *#! large flags (blue and white) - that give seasonal messages beside the den door. The thumping was caused by wind gust vacuum, and the *#! flag would move across the door at the same time.
My point is this: B.A.R. is real - I "saw" him - shoulder, arm, facial profile. Although my training level is moderate, I'm darn lucky I had it. Had I panicked I may have done something REALLY STUPID. No, not shoot someone outside, but there were plenty of stupid choices none the less. Had he been real, I know from training that he would have been at a disadvantage, since I had cover and darkness on my side (yes, I would have verbalized, and used an offset flashlight). One biggie that my wife and I both forgot - nobody called 911.
Training seems invaluable to me, and I'm scheduled for more. Psychologists can say what they want, but I know the feeling. BTW- I'm leaving the door as is - that thumping was a good warning.
Regards