Defensive Training GroupIt’s been about 6 years since I wrote this under my since retired ‘nom de guerre’, and a very good friend of mine at Western Rifle Shooter’s Association asked me if I’d mind updating it. This is a good base plan for folks you might know just waking up to the fact that things are spinning faster in the vortex than ever before, and this might be the best chance for them to get themselves in gear. Feel free to add or take away as your situation and local area conditions may require.
You may be thinking, “WORST case?? What could POSSIBLY get any worse than this?? There’s nothing I can do. Things being the way they are, it’s basically over…all we can do is wait for the hammer to fall.” Well, for one thing, that’s just not true! Many folks just like you don’t agree with or believe that perspective in the slightest! There’s a lot you can do! And, if this plan helps get you thinking of what you can do instead of what you can’t do, we all might just benefit from youraction! In fact, if enough folks begin to think about what they can do, we just might avert the “worst case” and many more of us may live through these ‘interesting times’! So, while you’re reading this, keep that thought in mind, ok?
This plan is divided into two parts: The items required and the timetable to do it in. Remember,prudent people see danger coming and prepare while the foolish do nothing (or just sit at their keyboard and endlessly bitch about how terrible things are) and suffer for it. To put us all on an equal footing for the case presented, let’s get ready to plan by using the following scenario as a back drop:
To be sure, ten weeks, especially today, when national and world tensions increasing by the hour, can seem to be a very, very long time in terms of ‘getting prepared/trained/fit/mentally ready’ to protect and defend your family, neighborhood, community and country from marauding apocalypse zombies coming from whatever direction or source you care to focus on. For now, though, let’s say an economic disaster combined with a significant natural disaster in the bread basket of the country occurs mid-May, or approximately 10 weeks from now. For the sake of the exercise, you wake up one morning, like today, galvanized to get yourself prepared along with your family and anyone else you know who can ‘see the forest for the trees.’ Compounding the issue is the very unpopular (fictional at this point) case being weighed by the SCOTUS that confiscation by local governments of military pattern rifles is constitutional and the ruling is expected to be released mid to late May. Confidence is not high that SCOTUS will rule to defend citizen rights codified in the Second Amendment. Congress and the administration have said they will do nothing to nullify the ruling, no matter which way it goes. Congress and the administration begin making statements regarding the “unrecoverable status” of the American economy and the existence of “too much freedom” and the responsibility and importance of adopting “world-approved” laws and customs as soon as feasible, such as the unratified UN Treaty on Small Arms. The President also uses his pen and his phone to begin laying the foundation to issue a Presidential Directive (PDD) put into force by an Executive Order that orders the surrender of all semi-automatic weapons and ammunition to prepare for the unilateral integration of the United States of America into the North American Region of the United Nations, to be referred to in the future as the “North American Union”, which is expected to occur sometime late summer. He further orders that all members of Congress take a loyalty oath to him personally, or be unseated in the respective chamber and banned from Washington, D.C.. Most media organizations are nationalized; the ones that refuse are shut down. All television, telephone, cell phone, cable providers are nationalized to prepare for integration into the NAU. All internet hubs are shut down with only those persons “cleared and licensed” to have access authorized to use it. All local, county, and State police forces are federalized and ordered to train for house to house sweeps for weapons, anti-government leaning periodicals, books and magazines, and to arrest anyone, no matter their age, who questions their authority. Various FLEA, SLEA, and local county and city PD’s begin making ‘public service announcements’ stating that anyone refusing to cooperate is to be given one warning, and then risk being shot to ensure ‘officer safety.’ To augment the relatively small number of formerly civilian police, the President plans to request the aid of a UN “Peacekeeping Force” that will be comprised of units from the People’s Republic of China, Mexico, Iran, Russia, France, and Zimbabwe. UN member nations have publicly stated that troops and equipment will begin to arrive within 24 hours of the request by the President. The nation is set to be placed under “Martial Law” and maintaining freedom will quickly become a choice to either engage in a life and death struggle with tyranny or submit and become a slave. What you choose to do personally will have a definite impact on your children’s, your children’s children, and your children’s children’s children future in these United States!
So, how do you get ready for something like that? Not possible you say? Think for a moment: The Law of Unintended Consequences usually provides extreme results beyond those anticipated or planned in any situation it becomes involved with. So, that being said, let’s examine this, even if only from an academic perspective.
First, is the scenario plausible? Many seem to think so, but what’s relevant is what you think. Examine current affairs in Eastern Europe. Consider the publicized plans of various agencies to quell ‘civil unrest.’ Think about the publicized military exercises that name military veterans and religious groups as ‘domestic terrorists.’ And then, before you go any further, make a determination: Is this a bunch of paranoid “tin foil hat” crap or maybe, just maybe, is there something to this and you, gentle reader, need to do something positive to take care of your family and friends. If you had the time (which you don’t, believe me), you could do your own investigation from objective sources, file Freedom of Information Act Requests (FOIA) and find that it is, in fact, not only plausible, but the stage is being set every day for just such an eventuality.
If you decide the scenario isn’t plausible, just toss this out. Delete. File 13. Trash. Round file. I hope you enjoy your life and are prosperous. However, if you decide the scenario is plausible, you have much to think about, much to do, and much to gain in the way of putting yourself, your family and your friends in a better position of an increased chance of living through it.
Think about it. I’ll wait. You’re still here?
Ok, let’s get started.
Before anything else you have to understand that you have very limited time in the way of making purchases, so you need to read this, comprehend it, and take decisive action! No putting this off until after the “spring break” (you and your family’s gratification should be realized by getting what you need to survive what’s coming!). Everything mentioned herein will get more expensive by the day, then, as time grows shorter, by the hour. The old rule of, “you snooze, you lose” will take on major significance to you personally in this case, because what you lose might just be your life, or at the minimum, what’s left of your tattered freedom!
What’s the first thing you do? Start a PT program. See the paragraph on packs below. Fitness is the foundation upon which your preparedness plans, tools, and actions should be built. There are many out there; find the one that’s right for you. Make sure if you haven’t exercised hard in a long time that you get medical clearance; dropping dead from a heart attack doesn’t do your preparedness planning any good, nor does it help your family. Once you’ve gotten into your exercise program and have made some progress getting over the ‘sore muscle syndrome’, start including walks with your ruck (pack) on for varying distances, light weight at first, and add to it as time goes on.
So, what’s the first thing you buy? You can argue all you want, but the simple answer is to take stock of what you have on hand FIRST, because that will be your determining factor. A weapon is essential, but if you have a rifle (even a .22) but you don’t have something that will either provide or help you get things you must have to live you don’t necessarily need a weapon first. Like what? How about a water purifier of some sort? How about non-perishable food items?
How about hygiene items? The list can go on, but the point is not to presume that a bigger, better weapon is the first thing. It may very well be the first thing you want, but you must make yourself think in terms of needs based upon what is instead of what may be or is not. For the point of discussion, though, we’ll assume you don’t have a weapon and start there, because if you don’t, you need a weapon more than anything else.
So, what do you get? A pistol? Shotgun? Rifle? There are as many opinions on the subject, but most are influenced by the likes and dislikes of the expert. Most times, getting a general purpose weapon (something that can do a great many things well, some things good, and only a few things poorly) is the best choice. Especially if you don’t have unlimited funds. So, simply put: Get a Rifle: All things being equal and you have reasonable vision and average muscle control and dexterity, if you can only have one weapon, make it a rifle. A rifle has more power, more ability to stop and put down any target at ranges in excess of a pistol/revolver or shotgun’s maximum effective range. A quick example of “knock down” power: A 300 Winchester Magnum with a 200 grain bullet that hits its target at 1,000 yards (to illustrate how far this is, you would have to take 36 inch steps every second for 16 and a half minutes to walk 1,000 yards) with more energy than a .44 Magnum does as “point blank” range. Get the picture? Something or someone hit with a rifle goes down and usually does not get back up. Period. But on the chance they do, a follow up shot will settle the issue. Only after all other basic necessities are acquired should you consider getting a pistol, especially if you’re on a limited budget. So then, what rifle? Simplicity is the key here, especially as you may have only shot a rifle a few times in your life or others who will use the rifle fall into that category. So, you need a rifle that’s easy to learn to operate, doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, is fairly accurate, and won’t take all the money you have available to purchase. Here’s an example that fits those requirements:
The K98 or M48 Mauser (later model) is rugged, can take down anything in North America, ammunition is cheap, and it’s maintenance requirements are extremely simple! Cost: Depending on if you get a Yugoslavian M48 or go for the WWII German, you can pay as little as $250 for “Service Grade” for the rifle and about $500 for a case of surplus ammunition. So, for about $750 or $800 or so, you have the weapon category taken care of. Remember, the K98 is a good general purpose rifle, but it is purely for defense. It’s a bolt action, and as such, aimed fire combined with it’s large projectile and ability to punch through light barriers is its advantage. These relics have another really good advantage to them in that if all else fails, they are superb clubs and will put down whomever they are hit with. If you have a bit more disposable income, or you don’t need extensive training or are ex-military and want a more prolific weapon that you may have had some familiarization with, you may want to consider the ubiquitous AR-15 carbine family or its descendants. Try to get one chambered in 5.56mm rather than .223 caliber. The differences are minute, but the 5.56mm chamber can take the differences in pressure from the .223 more easily than the .223 chamber can take the 5.56mm pressure differences. It’s a peace of mind thing.
These will cost you anywhere from $800 to $1500, depending on the source, and the price for a case of 55gr Full Metal Jacket (FMJ) will run $350 and up per 1000 rounds. Forget about 62gr Steel Core M855. Due to proposed actions by the BATFE, remaining stocks are priced anywhere from .68 to .95 per round, and the price is only going to go up. If you really have to have it, look around and expect to pay $600 and up per case of 1,000. Then you have to add in an absolutely minimum five 30 round magazines, so that will be another $50 to $75 at the bare minimum, again, depending on your source. So, at the low end, you’re talking about $1,350; at the high end, $1,975 or so. About twice as expensive as the Mauser set up, but it’s your call. Remember this: The more complex the weapon, the more intricate the cleaning and maintenance requirements are and the increased amount of training required to effectively employ it. This estimate doesn’t include necessary maintenance and cleaning solvents, either. A good lube is your friend; we recommend something called, “Frog Lube,”, but standard CLP can be your friend when operating an AR.
A quick disclaimer: All costs have been taken from February 2015 advertisements, and likely price increases will occur depending on local, national and international situations.
To be sure, there are many other fine weapons you could go with, but the two examples cited above give you an idea of the spectrum you can operate in when you are getting your “kit” together. If you know someone who is experienced and knows military pattern rifles well, ask them what they think, but stay focused on ‘general purpose’ in your evaluation. The various blogs in the ‘liberty/preparedness/patriot’ community are a treasure trove of information, but again, stay focused on ‘general purpose’. The 1,000 round examples with each rifle are considered to be a minimum of what one would need to stay viable in a scenario such as described above for an extended period. Something else you need to know: You are your own supply chain. You cannot count on having someone to provide extra, so everything you have needs to be able to fill more than one function. Additionally, when/if things go South, and you are lucky enough to join with others who are like minded, showing up with a good, general purpose rifle and a case of ammunition will go a long way in their determination whether or not to let you stay.
Ammunition: Just like with the weapon category, there are many, many types of ammunition you could elect to purchase. The examples above were military surplus “full metal jacket” or FMJ examples. FMJ is a good, all around general purpose bullet for self-defense purposes. It doesn’t expand like hunting rounds do, but it rarely fails to chamber and can reliably kill any animal or adversary you need it to take down (especially if you pay attention to shot placement, which means learning to become accurate as possible). If you’re just starting out becoming prepared, don’t waste your time and money trying to get several types of ammunition for different purposes; get the FMJ and use the money you have left to get other items you’ll need. As previously mentioned, the standard “rule of thumb” is that for each rifle you depend on, 1,000 rounds should be held in reserve to ensure you have a reasonable supply if ever needed. That means you should buy at least 1,500 rounds, so you can get proficient with your choice as soon as possible. 500 rounds will get you started, so long as you are properly trained. And remember, without ammunition, a rifle is basically an interesting paper weight.
Food: All food considered for this sort of emergency planning mustbe non-perishable and easily transportable. Not necessarily very light (though that helps a LOT), but transportable, meaning compactable, easily packed, able to be put in other containers, water/moisture proof, etc. Power bars, granola, tuna kits (especially the foil packet), peanut butter, honey, dried soups, etc. Light is good. Heavy, not so much, but heavy food is better than no food. You might be in a position that you have to transport on foot the things you need in order to stay out of the net cast by the nefarious elements in the scenario at the beginning of this paper. For example, if you have the choice between canned soups that are ‘ready to eat’ and ‘condensed’ soups you add water for preparation, the condensed soups should get the nod, because you get relatively the same volume of soup for about a third of the weight. Taking that a step further, if you have dried soup mixes that are vacuum sealed and water tight, you should choose those because they’re about 5 to 10% of the weight of the condensed variety, and you can pack quite a bit more, which extends your ability to live without going to the store (which might not be an option, either). Get the picture?
You could also choose the ubiquitous “MRE” of military fame or the freeze dried foods mountain climbers use. You could choose to take your entire stock of canned foods in your vehicle (just make sure you use these first incase you have to abandon your vehicle and you don’t have a pack horse handy!). What is essential is that you have a average of 1700 to 2000 calories a day per person in your party for a minimum of 14 days especially if you have children with you. You’ll find you actually need more than 2,000 calories per day if you’re in survival mode (moving a lot, outdoors a lot, and under extreme stress while moving and living outdoors), but averaging 2K calories (not empty calories, either, like candy) will keep everyone able to do whatever needs to be done. If you were using full MRE packs, which would mean each person would have to be able to carry 14 MRE’s. That’s a case plus 2, which is a lot, and heavy. Don’t despair, however. Creativity counts here. Through experimentation, I’ve found that 4 MRE tubes of peanut butter and one MRE pack of “trail mix” (peanuts, raisins, and ‘chocolate discs’ (military jargon for M&M’s) equals 1350 calories. Add in a 400 calorie “energy bar” and a protein bar with 20 grams of protein, you have the 2000 calories for one day. This little recipe also has almost the perfect mix of fat, protein, and carbohydrates required for optimum nutrition for a limited time. To be sure, you’re not getting natural nutrients that green leaf and other vegetables supply, but that can be overcome with a bottle of ‘Juice Plus’ veggie supplements for each person. Weighs about 3 ounces and provides all the vegetable nutrients you need for a month by taking two a day. You know what you and yours can and can’t eat (due to allergies). So you have to make the decision. The bottom line is that you need food for a couple of weeks (this is just travel food) and for at least 6 months (absolute bare minimum) in your pantry at home (or at a pre-selected location that you might be travelling to) against the possibilities of interruption of the supply chain. Remember, our scenario here is national martial law reinforced by UN ‘peacekeepers’ which will profoundly impact the supply chain that operates mostly with over-the-road trucks, and a shut down of the interstate system would be just about required for this scenario to work.
When it comes to food in your pantry, or ‘larder’ as I call it, a quick word of caution: Do NOT tell everyone you know what you’re doing!! Especially if they’re not ‘like-minded’! Keep your preparations to yourself, even from your extended family unless they’re doing the same thing you are. If emergency conditions do occur, the unprepared will remember and either show up at your door demanding what you have or they’ll turn you in to the “authorities” to gain favor or food. To continue, make sure you have things like cooking oil, flour, dried beans, yeast, and sea salt in addition to the various canned and comfort goods. One way to increase the size of your larder so it’s not noticed by anyone, including store employees wondering why you have 5 shopping carts full of canned goods, would be to added 4 to 6 items of whatever to your ‘normal’ list each shopping trip. Or, start shopping at the various ‘clubs’ such as Sam’s, Costco, and others that routinely see people buying large amounts of foodstuffs. As you go through and categorize your items at home, cycle through them, using the oldest first and replacing those with ‘new’ items with much later expiration dates.
Lastly, water has to be added to the food category, as many meals, especially those with dried ingredients, require the addition of water for pre-cooking preparation or rehydration (in the case of some beans, soup mixes, or other dehydrated offerings).
In “normal” circumstances, people use several gallons a day for hydration, hygiene, and cooking purposes. In a scenario such as the one we are planning for, this is one of those things that mustchange immediately! Chances are that water could/would be cut-off as a measure of control or as a result of utility workers not being allowed or able to reach their workplaces. The bottom line is that to depend upon a municipal water system in our scenario is just asking for trouble! To mitigate that possibility, two water sources must be developed.
The first, for the home, is stored water. Storing water isn’t difficult or very expensive at all. All you need to do is go to your local discount house and get one 6 gallon water container for camping (you know, the one’s with the spigots?) per person. They’re about $12 each. The cost for the ubiquitous American family of four would be under $50. Once at home, take ¼ cup of unscented chlorine bleach and ¾ cup of water, mix it, and rinse out each container. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so, then rinse again with clean water and let it dry. Now fill it to the brim and add 8 drops of the same unscented bleach per gallon (48 drops from an eyedropper for a 6 gallon container) and fill it up with water to the brim! Try not to leave any air bubbles. Put the lid on it snugly, and keep it in the basement out of the way. Just as it is, this water can be used for two years with no ill effects for anyone who drinks it. If in doubt, you can always add 8 more drops of bleach per gallon after the first year, year and a half or so has gone by and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before you consume it. A smart move is to rotate the water out once a year (if things don’t go South before then!). Take the old water and use it for whatever you want. I personally water my wife’s flowers and the vegetable garden. You can also get something called, ‘Stabilized Oxygen’ and add it to suspect water, about 10 drops per 8 ounces, wait 5 minutes, and drink it with no ill effects. The oxygen that’s in it attacks and kills all bad things swimming in it. I’ve used it on pond, stream and lake water, and have had no ill effects. It costs about $20 a bottle on Amazon. The brand I use is from ‘Dexterity Health’. I also put 120 drops in my camelback when I fill it and it keeps well. I recently used the camelback for a weekend with water that had been in it for a year, and it tasted great and again, no issues.
In reserve, if things get really bad, you always have your hot water heater to drain as well as your pipes once the water supply is cut off. The key is to drain from the lowest point in your house as soon as you know you’ve lost water pressure (usually your basement). Then, turn on the cold water and fill up your containers until the water runs out. Don’t turn on the hot water! Not yet, anyway. Wait until you know for sure the supply of cold water is not coming back anytime soon. In the mean time, get a section of hose with the female end; 8 feet is more than enough. Attach it to the bottom of your hot water heater. You now have a way to drain your hot water heater into a container as you need it. Most homes have 30 to 50 gallon (or even larger) water heaters, which are a superb reserve that will extend your range of comfort, nutrition (cooking water), hydration, and hygiene for quite awhile, relatively speaking. Apartment and condo dwellers, unless they have individual water heaters, only have the option of getting to the lowest spigot in the facility and getting extra water that way.
What about if you move out? You need something to ensure any water you forage is safe to drink. First, forget the hype about filters that have filter openings larger than 0.1 microns. Larger micron openings are not guaranteed to purify your water at all. So you need something a bit better. This option is the best option currently available today, but it is relatively expensive – almost as expensive as your rifle. But look at it this way: This system guarantees at least ONE MILLION gallons of purified water from any source. The risk of cooking, drinking, and washing with contaminated water is virtually nullified!
The basic model costs $52/ If you have an extra $125, get the Sawyer Point ZEROTWO™ Bucket Purifier Assembly Kit
This small, lightweight filter kit can provide up to 170 gallons of clean water per day. Assembly Kit Includes: Hole Cutter, a Sawyer Point ZeroTWO™ 0.02 Micron Absolute Inline Water Purifier, adapter, hose, Filter Cleaner, Filter Hanger, and detailed instruction book. All you have to provide is a 5 or 6 gallon bucket and assemble it. Talk about mobile! Here’s the link: http://www.greatlakesurvival.com/water-purification-products.html
Caution: Don’t fall prey to the idea that “doing it on the cheap” will be just as good as spending everything you can afford to spend. Cheap is as cheap does! You get what you pay for! You skimp, you lose! This would be the time, if you didn’t have the cash, to use your credit card or savings. This is THE rainy day you’ve been saving for! Get the very best you can afford! Get the picture?
Medications: Everyone needs to know that they should always have on hand at least a three month supply of required medications for any emergency! To do otherwise is risking certain death, especially in the scenario we’re operating under. Whatever it takes to get your med supply up to par, do. If you have refills, get them as quickly as possible and keep the spares in a “go kit” that you cycle through, just like your larder. Aside from those meds, put a large bottle of aspirin, a large bottle of multi-vitamins, a super-sized box/package of mild laxative, a super-sized package of Amodium AD, 3 large tubes of Neosporin Plus (this has pain reliever), a couple small bottles of Oil of Cloves (dental pain reliever), 100 yards (do the math) of unwaxed dental floss, 1 pound of sea salt & 1 pound of baking soda (best tooth paste when mixed 1 to 1 and can be used to augment food supplies), a large box of assorted band aids, and 2 large bottles of hydrogen peroxide. Why peroxide? It is a superb disinfectant and can be used to treat most foot related problems (athlete’s foot, etc), periodontal disease (rinsing daily for five minutes – don’t swallow, though!), disinfecting small & large cuts or abrasions, etc. Spend $167 on this item:
FAMILY SIZE M17 FULLY STOCKED TRAUMA MEDIC BAG
The Large M17 Medic Bag is a great bag with a very nice set of contents. The G.I. style issue bag itself can be carried by the carrying handle or the back pack straps. The bag folds out three ways for easy access to all the contents.
The FA110 measures 16”x10”x13.5” and weights 12.25 lbs.
Color for this bag is Olive Drab
Contains 320 items, including:
5 Skin and Eye Wash,1 Skin Probe, 1 Hand Sanitizer, 1 Scalpel handle #3, 1 Hand Soap, 2 Scalpel Blades, 1 Calamine Lotion, 6oz., 1 Pen Light, 1 Burn Spray, 2 Suture Sets, 1 SAM / Universal Splint, 1 EFA – First Aid Book, 4 Multitrauma dressing, 6 Safety Pins, 2 BleedStop Bandages , 2 Pill Bottles, 4 Bandage Gauzes, 2”x5yds., 6 Pairs , Latex Examination Gloves, 2 Elastic Bandages, 6” , 14 Pain Relievers, 12 Elastic Bandages, 2” , 1 Tourniquet, 4 Sterile Pads, 4”x4”, 2 Irrigation Syringes, 10 Sterile Pads, 2”x2” , 4 First Aid Cream Packages, 10 Abdominal Pads, 5”x9” , 4 Triple Antibiotic Packages, 2 Eye Pads, 2 Burn Aid Packages, 2 Triangular Bandage, 5 Tape, Rolls, Adhesive, 1”, 100 Bandage Strips, 1”x3”, 15 Alcohol Wipes, 5 Butterfly Strips, 15 Iodine Wipes, 10 Bandage Strips, 2”x3”, 15 Antiseptic BZK Wipes, 10 Knuckle Bandages, 15 Clean Wipes, 3 Instant Ice Packs, 6 After Bite Wipes, 1 Stethoscope, 2 Ammonia Inhalants, 1 Lip Treatment, 1 CPR Mask, 1 EMT Shears, 7.25”, 2 Airways, 2 Stainless Steel Hemostats, 2 Tongue Depressors, 1 Pair of Tweezers, 1 Box of 100 Cotton Tips, 1 Petroleum Jelly
Here’s your link: http://www.greatlakesurvival.com/medical-rescue-kits.html
Lastly, as it will save you some emergency treatment, if you’re still of child bearing age and you will have intimate relations with someone who could get pregnant or make you pregnant, get a good supply of condoms or a cervical cup. You don’t want a pregnant woman trying to deliver a baby in a bad situation!
Transportation: If you stay in place any longer than 24 hours once a national “state of emergency” has been declared, you’re most likely going to be stuck there unless you have an alternate mode of transportation other than your car, truck, SUV or mini-van. But let’s say you decide if this scenario happens, you’re jumping in whatever you have and hitting the open road. Great! First, though, don’t count on too many gas stations being open, or if they are, expect very, very high prices. A good “rule of thumb” is to quadruple the prices you see today and expect to pay that amount, in cash, per gallon! With prices hovering within range of $2.25 a gallon today,figure $10 a gallon or more and for a 20 gallon tank, you need to have $200 plus in cash on you to fill your tank once! If the gas station takes plastic, all the better! The bottom line is that you need to expect that gas will be very expensive and not on every street corner. It will most likely be ‘rationed’ as well, as the unprepared howl about ‘hoarding.’ You can mitigate your fuel needs by doing a couple things: First, never, and I mean never, allow your tank to get below half full! This gives you a 200 mile buffer (most vehicles get 400 miles on an average tank of gas) so that if you couldn’t refuel at all, you can at least get to a more survivable area. Keeping your tank half full also decreases the amount of cash you need just for fuel by 50% from $200 to $100 or more. The rest of your cash can be used for barter or purchasing necessities you find along the way (like more ammo or food). Second, consider the purchase of at least three 5 gallon gas cans (make sure the nozzle fits an unleaded gas coupling in modern vehicles), fill them up, and treat them with ‘Sta-bil’ gas stabilizer (the blue stuff). This will make sure the gas stays “fresh” for quite some time. Then, if nothing bad happens, cycle the gas through your lawn mower or other small engine that always seem to be out!
Some folks have opted for the All-American ATV or “Four Wheeler” that can take one to two passengers and all your gear. A major advantage to these little transports is that they do not need roads. They can also ford many streams and rivers of 3 feet or less in depth. The problem with these machines, while fun as well as useful in certain applications, is that they are terrible on gas mileage, and you can hear them coming for a long, long way unless the owners have spent the money necessary on buying certain after-market mufflers that reduce their signature to almost that of a car. Additionally, you have to have cash for refueling and plan to carry one five gallon fuel can on the machine as well to give you twice the range.
Lastly, map out a route that doesn’t take major roads out of your area. Secondary and surface streets are the way to go. After you map it, drive it. Find out what areas are good, what are bad, and make route adjustments so you’ll have the most trouble free route out of your location to your “hidey hole”.
So, what happens if you can’t get out in your vehicle or you run out of gas? That ever present old stand-by, ‘shanks mare’, comes into play. You’ll have to walk and pack your goods. This eventuality means that you’ll need to be fit enough to walk for some miles with about 50 or more pounds on your back! (A good pack to start with is the large ALICE frame pack, that can be found on eBay. Don’t get the Chinese knock off! The frame is famous for breaking. A good example will cost about $50 or so. Be picky. Sure, there are other more modern packs available. Whatever you decide on for your pack, make sure it’s in an earthtone color and fits. Our staff here uses the newer USMC FILBE, but it’s somewhat expensive, as other more ‘tacticool’ packs. Function is key here. I used a large ALICE for 18 years and didn’t have any major problems.) Impossible you say?? Nope. Not at all. Start your fitness upgrade today. After you read this, go out and walk around the block. Do one sit up. Do one push up. There. Not so hard. Tomorrow do the same thing and the day after, walk a little further and do two sit ups and two push ups. Repeat until you’re doing a couple sets of sit ups and push ups with 25 repetitions and walking 3 miles fast! This goal can easily be accomplished in 10 weeks! Most likely, if you’re “average”, you can do it in 5 weeks, and then have the bonus of getting in even better shape by Inauguration day! Walking in the cold, by the way, is good for you! Remember, PT is God’s gift to those who wish to extend their lives.
If you have to go on foot, you need to make sure you have very good boots or shoes (do not skimp on your footwear!), maps, and a compass (and know how to use it). There are “how to” sites all over the internet on this subject – a five minute search will bring up a nice variety. There are also schools for those who like having someone show them personally. Here’s one: https://defensivetraininggroup.wordpress.com/2015/02/17/essential-skills-land-navigation-1-2-2425-april-2015/
I do not recommend a GPS because it can be used to fix your position by an aggressor and the satellites all GPS units use will, in our little scenario, have an error margin of up to 100 meters programmed into them for civilians to make them useless. You’ll also need batteries (lots of them and the weight adds up and the supply is finite!). You see, an aggressive government like the fictional one in our scenario will not want you to have the same accuracy in navigating as it does. The best compass in my experience is the USGI compass, now made by Cammenga. It’s about $80 on average, but it’s worth every penny! You can get yours here: http://www.greatlakesurvival.com/navigation-products.html
If you can only afford one, fine. Just take care of it. If you have a chance to get two, do it! There’s an only rule you need to try to follow: “Two is one and one is none”. Sure, redundancy is repetitive (pun intended), but it’s better to have a spare and not need it than need a spare really bad and not have it. Having a couple people trained on the compass makes sense, too, because the two can check each other when making determinations.
You can also get a base plate compass with a Declination adjustment built right in that will help you a lot! The one we use is a Suunto MC2. Ebay and Amazon has them for about $50 or so.
An example of something else you can do is to use a map similar to the one below as a guide. It’s not a road map. It’s the Rand McNally rail road map of Michigan. All those tracks are still out there. Some have been made into “rails to trails” venues, but the track beds are still there and can be used for our purposes. You can parallel these routes while staying off main roads and out of sight and still get to where you’re going. Your object in the next ten weeks is to choose a primary and an alternate route and go for a ride or two to get a mental picture of the area you might have to traverse on foot. While you’re at it, choose some spots you could ‘hole up’ for a night or two that wouldn’t be readily noticed or attractive to others. Make sure they’re concealed and far enough away from the major commercial route (tracks or highways) so that your noise can’t be heard your movement won’t be picked up by casual observance. Mark them down on your map with just a ‘tick’ mark or two. These spots could be your temporary shelter in storms or when you needed to stay still and rest.
Shelter & Field Gear: You’re going to need some things here. And not a tent, either. Tents are not so hot because they blind you to what’s outside, they keep condensation inside them, and they’re not super-fast to take down. From experience in all seasons, to include deep cold winter, I recommend a simple tarp/poncho shelter. There are many types out there from the surplus USMC ‘field tarp’, which is great for one or two people without their packs, or the ‘Noah’s Tarp’ that has all sorts of loops sewn in that can take 3 people with their packs and keep them out of the rain and wind. Again, you get what you pay for, so don’t fall prey to shrewd salesmanship. ‘General Purpose’ is key, and that’s another reason I recommend the tarp system. You’ll need some 550 cord and you’ll have to learn a few knots, like the bowline and the trucker’s hitch, but it’ll be well worth it.
Now that you’ve got something to keep the wind off of you, to stay warm, you need insulation. And, in that light, the best insulation you can get is to make sure you get a “30 below” sleeping bag for each person that will keep you warm in the winter and in summer, you can lay on top of it. You can spend as much as you want on a sleeping bag or sleeping bag system. Just remember “Caveat Emptor” – Buyer Beware! You get what you pay for! A good, well-priced bag is from Wiggy’s. It’s their “Superlight” bag and costs as little as $130 when on sale. You may also want to get a FTRSS overbag for an additional $130 and have a -40 below bag system. Add a poncho liner and poncho for hot summer days or cool fall evenings. This will cost about $45 for a set. So, for about $300 per person, you’ve got all 4 seasons covered, and can stay warm in the coldest places. Wiggy’s bags, by the way, are used exclusively by my instructor staff when participating or teaching survival classes. We’ve learned from experience how good they are. Wiggy’s can be found here: www.wiggys.com You can also get your Wiggy’s bag fromhttp://www.greatlakesurvival.com while you’re getting your water purification equipment.
Well, let’s pause and see how much we’ve committed financially here:
At the most, getting all high-end gear, you’ve committed about $4,000 and at the least, about $2,000 on the low end for a weapon, ammo, water purification and storage, fuel costs, food, shelter, and a very small amount of field gear.
Between $200 and $400 a week for 10 weeks to spend on making sure you survive and thrive. People spend more than that on junk food, cable and beer these days. Learning to take care of yourself and your loved ones is not expensive or difficult – all it takes is discipline. Only you can provide that.
Speaking of “surviving and thriving”, there’s one written source you need to have to read for the 10 week period. It’s called, “Six Ways in and Twelve Ways Out” It’s a compilation of US Ranger knowledge on how to make it in all sorts of scenarios. You can get it for $15 fromhttp://www.usrsog.org/manu.htm post paid. Best book you can get on the subject!
Buy it. Read it. Apply it. You’ll be glad you did. Other field gear you’re going to need is a good knife. A plain old USMC KaBar with a 7 inch blade is about the best you can get for the money. Sure, you can get a good Cold Steel knife or something else that you spend lots of money on, but the problem is if they’re more expensive than the KaBar and don’t have that many advantages over the KaBar for the price, why spend the money, especially with only 10 weeks to prepare? Remember to stick to the basics! KaBar knives can be had all over the internet from between $40 to $50. It will not let you down. Remember this about a large bladed knife: It can do everything a smaller knife can do reasonably well, but a smaller knife can’t do a lot of the things a larger blade can do. Like when you need to hack branches when building shelters, or need to butcher a deer, prepare a meal, etc. The other edged weapon/tool you’re going to want and need is a tomahawk. It’s a great tool to make your life more bearable and a formidable weapon (provided you have taken the time to learn to use it, which can only be done effectively by being taught), both physically and psychologically. You’ll want your hawk to have a hardened hammer and blade which is superb for making cooking tools, stakes, etc. The one I recommend is the Cold Steel “Pipe Hawk” which you can get for less that $50 if you look. It’s light, strong, and takes an edge very well. If you decide you want to add one to your gear, it’s one of those ‘got everything else, so I can get this now’ and if you do, get yours here: http://www.greatlakesurvival.com/survival-tomahawks.html
Other very important field gear and equipment are: Toilet paper (2 rolls per person minimum, 3 for females), a “spork” (spoon/fork hybrid) made out of aluminum (against breakage), a “utility pot” (can be a canteen cup), 4 tooth brushes per person with the handle cut in half (weight/space reduction), parachute cord (at least 200 feet), a fire starting device (BIC type lighter as well as sparking device and the knowledge on how to use it) .
You will also want to consider a FRS/GMRS type walkie-talkie, spare batteries, flash lights (small LED are best), spare batteries and some spare batteries. Get the point? You’re going to need some batteries.
For carrying this gear on your person, you’ll probably want a Load Bearing Vest or harness. You can pick these up cheap on the internet. We prefer the “H” harness and a ‘battle belt’, but each person has their own preferences. Some like vests; others more exotic set ups. Below is similar to what we prefer.
As for clothing, make sure it’s not bright and at least doesn’t clash with your surroundings. If you’re going to be moving through or staying in urban areas, you don’t want the latest camouflage pattern; if you’re moving through or staying in a rural area, you definitely want some surplus GI camouflage uniforms (with all insignia removed) or better yet, Coyote Brown pants and jackets. You can find old woodland BDU uniforms very cheaply at garage sales, on the internet, and so forth.
Make sure you have weather appropriate clothing as well: Cold weather boots, socks, underwear, etc. Frostbite can kill you.
These are most of the items you’d most likely need to survive a scenario from an equipment perspective. But what about the “people” angle? Contrary to what some think, no man is an island and you can’t do it all by yourself.
You need support – a team member, someone to watch your back. Oh sure, some folks have large families and can delegate those tasks, but many, many others, just have themselves or a spouse/significant other. And, usually, that spouse/significant other is not trained nor has the discipline to handle the more arduous, but very mundane tasks required.
So, what do you do then? You get yourself a “buddy”. You can do that in the 10 week time period handily. Start checking out your friends. See which ones seem to be alarmed with what’s going on as you are. Then, find a time to speak with them alone and “test the waters”. If they agree and want to do something, give them a copy of this and get to work.
While getting your equipment and supplies together, draft and develop your plan. Will you:
u Stay put? Doing so in a large urban area most likely means you will be searched, possibly relocated, and should you resist, be in danger from the occupying force.
u Run for the “hills”? Ok, that’s plausible, but you need to really pay attention to where you might go, because in most states with large population centers, a significant amount of those ‘city people’ may be doing the same thing! By necessity, your rule will be “no contact whatever” with others that you see along your way because you will have no way of knowing who, if anyone, is with them or has them under observation.
u Pack up and move to Grandma’s? Also feasible, provided Grandma has a place that will support the group you’re moving. Think of hygiene requirements, sustenance, and life support (can you or your little group do something to earn silver?)
u Give yourself up? Many will be tempted and eventually succumb, but those who do will be even more miserable than those who stay the course. Remember Thomas Paine, “…these are the times that try men’s souls….but he that stands it deserves the love of both men and women….”
Once you have your buddy and you begin to build trust between you and learn each other’s (both individually and group) likes, dislikes, habits and so forth, you can still find another “buddy team” to partner with. That gives you a group from 8 to 24 or so, depending on family size. The logistical requirements are more complex, but if each handles his own family/team, it’s not so overwhelming. At the same time, you and your buddy(s) need to start studying. If the internet is still up, go to http://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/ and get a copy of his book, “The Reluctant Partisan”. Go to Amazon.com and get a copy of Dr. Joseph P. Martino’s book, “Resistance to Tyranny”. Go to www.defensivetraininggroup.net and read everything on training, basic skills, and so forth. Go to http://www.maxvelocitytactical.com/ and read the blog and consider buying his book, “Contact.” That ought to keep you busy for the entire 10 weeks, and then, later, if you have the money and things haven’t imploded, get yourself to a good school for face to face training. All of the blogs or sites listed above either offer training or can direct you to a reputable one, depending on your needs.
The next issue is leadership. Teams just won’t work as a committee. All your members will have input, sure, but someone has to make the hard decisions. This may be the most complex issue you need to solve: who will you or your little band trust to make those hard decisions, and will the group follow that person? It’s not about popularity, either. It’s about ability and reason. The best case scenario for you would be to have someone in your group who’s an experienced leader either in business or prior military (not just being in, but being in and being a leader!) which will provide you a foundation of discipline for your chosen leader. The leader has to be secure enough to listen to others, humble enough to know others may have a great idea, selfless enough to put the group before his own needs (everyone always gets fed and watered before the leader), and tough enough to make the decisions that won’t be popular sometimes. Admittedly, a tall order, but it has to be done. Your leadership discussions may cause one or two to fall out of the group. That’s going to happen. If it does, let them leave with their self-respect. Don’t hurt their pride or “throw them out”. That’d be the worst thing you could do! Remember, we’re talking about a whole new paradigm here: Martial Law. If someone leaves and goes away with their pride intact and holds no hard feelings, they won’t be so likely to turn you in to the “new” authorities. They just might, however, if they have a chip on their shoulder or want to “pay you back” for some slight, real or imagined. Be conscious of this group dynamic! Now a word on being a good follower: As your leader builds trust and earns your respect, you are obligated to be a good follower. Don’t get involved in any back-biting, sabotaging, or otherwise dysfunctional group behavior. This is for real, and bullshit adolescent games will only get you killed. Do as you said you would do; do as you’re asked, and always, to the very best of your ability.
Networking follows: If the net is still up, find others close by or in the area you are moving to (if you can) that feel as you do, at least on the face of it. Start a dialog and listen carefully! Be nice! Help them do things. Be a good neighbor. Don’t get involved in chest thumping or penis measuring contests. They should exhibit about the same anxiousness you have in networking. If they’re too open and promise the moon for nothing in return or if they’re so closed they accuse you of being in the “enemy” camp, you don’t want anything to do with them. Look elsewhere. Common sense and values are key here.
Finally, develop your “line in the sand”. This is that one thing that will cause you to executeyour plan. An example would be the actual deployment of foreign or UN troops anywhere in the United States. That action is an obvious declaration that the compact of the Unanimous Declaration and the Constitution of the United States has been discarded; once discarded, the Rule of Law is completely dead and buried.
So, as I said earlier, this is a “quick and dirty” discussion on how to plan and what to do in the 10 weeks between now and the middle of May. How it comes out, we’ll all know soon enough, I guess.
Timeline wise, here’s an outline that may help:
Week 1: Inventory, evaluate and prioritize equipment needs; evaluate available funds; begin fitness program.
Week 2: Incorporate weapon familiarity training into schedule; gather fiscal resources and begin purchases.
Week 3: Dry fire; look for “buddy”; evaluate friends on like-minded concerns; begin to educate your family/spouse/significant other.
Week 4: Help “buddy” start preparations; continue equipment gathering. Begin training immediate family members.
Week 5: Determine “GOOD” location (if any), map route, and do initial route familiarization trip. Modify route as actual conditions warrant.
Week 6: Determine “line in the sand”; if you can, zero your rifle and get range time. If not, continue practice with dry fire.
Week 7: Look for like-minded people in GOOD location and at home. Network.
Week 8: Pack newly gathered equipment into GOOD kits and locate near transport.
Week 9: Continue preparations; family/network education & planning.
Week 10: Dress rehearsal; clean weapons, check equipment, food, etc. Continue to increase fitness level, refine preparations, seek more training.
Lastly, remember, you’re adapting a new way of life here. Not some sort of paranoiac, delusional “everyone’s out to get me” mindset, but one of careful evaluation of what is and what can occur, and a solemn determination to keep freedom alive. Because this is just the beginning-once all the people in the country doing this get their “sea legs”, the long journey undertaken to reclaim our freedoms and reign in a government removed from the Constitution has just begun.
Analytical Survival on youtube(Paraclete turned me on to) makes a good point about preparedness.
Its not about ‘are you prepared for…’ but “to what extend CAN you” prepare for…?