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25 Comments

  1. As a long time reader of survivalblog, I have enjoyed many articles and stories passed on by JWR and many other contributors, I feel that this is one of the best additions to the blog I have ever read. While I am now 57 y.o. and plan to bug-in, in the event of SHTF, this article is an eye opener about the true hardships of roughing it in the outdoors.

    It sounds as if most of the excercise occurred during relatively good weather, add in any extreme weather event and imagine the hardships faced. The fantasy of bugging out into the wilderness harbored by the lone wolf types just took a serious hit for those that read this account. Bugging out without a known destination with shelter and supplies already in place is no plan at all.

    1. Thank you very much for reading all the way through.

      With the exception of some low temperatures, we had very good weather. It snowed the following week. Which would have added an additional layer of discomfort and difficulties.

  2. Great series! I waited until the end to comment. As hard as that was it was worth it the best advice came at the end. Try and fail and try again. Grit and determination will see you through even when your gear fails you. My family and I thank you for serving and enduring such rigorous training. It matters to us and you are appreciated. God Bless!

  3. I really enjoyed your write up , it helped immensely
    during the personal trial I have gone thru this week,after taking care of my mother for the last few years,
    My Mother passed away in hospital on June 6th (very important day in my family history , (an uncle served in the 101 AB and was at Normandy) I was there to the end held her hand . Like JWR says keep you family close and be grateful to God for the time you have with them. All life is a survival test we tend to forget how fragile our lives are. brings to the heart “by the grace of God Go I”. Today I am a different world than last week with many trials to come.

    Perseverance , Spirit and Heart.

    Nightbreaker

    1. I’m sorry to hear of your mother’s passing. My condolences. I’m glad to hear my article helped you during your difficult time.

      Perseverance to the end!

  4. Excellent article series! Lots of great advice, with the exception of not eating bugs. Crickets, grasshoppers, earthworms, grubs and ants are a gold mine of protein. 12 ounces of bugs can yield your daily required amount of ~50 grams protein. Yes, that is a lot of bugs, but thankfully ants are close together in one place for you. One log full of carpenter ants can keep you well fed for several days. That is how 200+ pound omnivorous bears do it all year in between catching fish, small prey, carrion, nuts, berries and other plants. It’s survival, not pick & choose time.

    1. Thank you for reading through.

      You bring up a good point, but remember bears do not need fire, wood fuel, clean water, tools, or shelter like us weaker hairless creatures. Their palate, time, and energy maintenance is much different than our own.

      But an interesting article would be something in regards to eating bugs. Doing some quick research, a pound of ants requires 1.5 million ants. While Bears are swallowing lumps of wood and miscellaneous creatures and organisms all at once, most of us would be more selective in our intake.

      Here’s a neat article though, apparently the UN wants us to eat more bugs.

      http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130514-edible-insects-entomophagy-science-food-bugs-beetles/

      I suppose we all have limits to the length’s we will go to survive. (For example most would refrain from cannibalism/murder/generally things that go against Christian morals.) It was an easy choice for me knowing when my flight was. I knew the course ended at some point. I just didn’t know what would happen in the meantime.

      As my wife put it, “Only if they are chocolate covered!”

  5. Thanks for the great article! Doing a self assessment, I think I should add 25 pounds of beans, 25 pounds of white rice, and a bottle of hot sauce to my stash of mylar-bagged items for another $40.

    My younger brother gave gave me a new Marine Corps Fighting Knife 35 years ago. It’s the big brother to the smaller, better known K-Bar. it works for everything from chopping to carving and has never broken or rusted. Highly reccomended. I carried it in combat too.

    1. You know, I’ve had a KBar for a long time now. Far from before I enlisted. I replaced the leather sheath with a Kydex molded one. But it’s seen very little use. That would have been a great one to have taken.

      If you buy in bulk you should be able to get those items for well under $40. Even at Walmart a 20lb bag of rice is only $8.

      Always improve when funds allow!

  6. A couple of 24-48 hour fasts in the weeks leading up to the school would have helped acclimate you to reduced calorie intake and blood sugar drops. Have to agree with eating anything in sight(worms,bugs,etc),was a “diet” in boot and later laughed at others when chow hall deliveries were late and rations were cut(there was a fight over the last slice of bread) E5VT

    1. I suppose that would have helped – but I like to eat. 🙂

      A more realistic course would have dropped us in the middle of no where with only what we had on our persons.

      Because, like life, you can’t choose the time, place, or method of your misery – you just have to survive it.

  7. Great article! Great course! Can’t believe the Corps cancelled it? Anyways, after you pass that, they should make you go out and do it again with the idea that the ENEMY IS LOOKING FOR YOU. No fires, no noise, no footprints, moving only at night, etc… It seems like what you did should have been a primer for a next phase. It doesn’t seem likely that a soldier would find himself weaponless, alone or with a few others, and in unknown territory and not think that the bad guys are looking for you along with the good guys.

    1. I suppose the next level would be SERES school. That’s a course that is highly selective and most often limited to Recon, Scout/Snipers, and so on.

      Thank you for reading!

  8. Whew, I broke a sweat a couple times reading your account, E.T. I’m going on short 300-500 cals/day this week as a prep exercise.

    Curious, why did the Marine Corps cancel training at the camp?

    1. Budget cuts. The course had been previously canceled and this was the first time they had tried to bring it back in some years.

      From what we were told by Course Instructors, this course was on the cutting block from the beginning. The Marine Corps would rather invest in courses that are more beneficial to units then the individual.

      This course could be useful to a unit, but only if it found itself in some dire straights without resupply. Or, the USMC could spend the money on Combat Lifesaver courses. Courses that would more likely be useful.

      Thanks for your comment and good luck in your misery!

      1. And that means, as John Farnam says, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN! Each Marine, Soldier, or Sailor should invest in their own survival skills. To heck with the government. Learn it yourself!

        Sure government is interested in the ‘unit’ and not the individual. They think ‘for the good of the whole’ and not ‘All for one, and one for all’. Just remember… you are on your own!

  9. E.T.
    Thank you for the series of articles. You have convinced this 67year old disabled vet he is not going to run and survive without a resupply capability. Convinced now hunkering down is my and my wife’s chance. Still defianant and will be always. Thank you for your service and luck always.

    1. After reading several of JWR’s books as well as numerous articles here, I would agree bugging in is the best option. If you don’t have anywhere else to go, you are a refugee with very little control over your life and at the mercy of everyone else.

  10. Awesome read. Recently ‘lucked out’ when finding a AR-7 at a yard sale for $125.00. Fixing the jamming problem was easy, but it would have worked fine as a single shot. As one of your recommendations, it makes me feel even luckier to have that rifle. These shoot CCI Mini Mag HV ammo, 36 or 40 grain, either variety, best. 2 MOA is possible with the peep sights. A scope can be mounted as well. I would be also lucky to hit anything with a pistol at 50 yards. At 3.5 pounds, the AR-7 would be a practical last resort defensive choice for the very weak or injured. 15 round magazines are available. Thanks for the article. Very useful stuff.

  11. If this course was cancelled by the USMC, what does that say about our modern USMC? In a TEOTWAWKI scenario most of us will be trying to do exactly what the USMC tried to teach. This will contribute to the 90% death rate that is expected. We can’t take care of ourselves without the modern food supply chain. With everybody hunting for food, small game will disappear quickly, big game even faster. That is why happening an ample food supply (2,000 calories per day) is mandatory to get you past the first year.

  12. It was a dang good writeup! Makes one think. Kind of like Les Stroud (SurvivorMan) and how hard it was for him to make it seven days.

    Yes, a good fishing pole or firearm gives one 10 times the ability. Don’t need fancy pole are fancy gun. Even a cane pole with cork and hook is plenty. Same with the gun. And old Sears and Roebuck single shot .22 and a box of ammo will keep you fed!

    For hikes in the Crockett National Forrest down here I have a simple Eddie Bauer vest with pockets. Plenty to put things in and add a walking stick and one is good to go. But I do suggest down here bring some mosquito repellent. There are lots of ’em here!

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