Category: Contest

Lessons on Prepping From an Afghanistan Deployment, by A.K. – Part 2

We are continuing this article, from a Marine Sergeant, about lessons learned while living in a remote region of Afghanistan, Marjeh district, which seem similar to a possible TEOTWAWKI environment. Food After two months of eating nothing but MREs, I began to get sick of them and started losing weight. Many of my fellow Marines experienced the same thing. We started to barter batteries for food that the ANA ate. They had a cook and bought bread every morning from the Bazaar. They had chickens for eggs and meat, and occasionally they had a goat. Eventually we bought 12 chickens …


Lessons on Prepping From an Afghanistan Deployment, by A.K. – Part 1

My experiences as a Sergeant in a Marine Infantry battalion have ultimately changed my philosophy towards prepping. Living in a remote region of Afghanistan, Marjeh district, was very much like living in a TEOTWAWKI scenario. There were no roads, other than small cart paths, used by civilian and Taliban alike. There was no running water and no electricity. Locals pumped water from wells, if lucky, or drank from the canals. Electricity was a luxury and power came from a generator. Many of the locals were so poor they had never owned a single piece of any currency; barter was a …


Prepper Digital Security, by A.B.

In this day and age of digital information, our communications and data are open to a world of invasive agencies. Some of these agencies may be your nosy neighbor out to see what you are up to or an activist group gathering unguarded data to send to agencies of various domestic and foreign governments. Many of us in the prepper community have taken some measures of security to safeguard our data. Some people avoid the digital world altogether to dodge this issue, though not all of us are willing to go to that level of abandonment of technology. There are …


The Importance of Bushcraft and Survival During TEOTWAWKI, by M.R.

You’ve all seen it. Hollywood makes films of a plane crash or shipwreck that cause only one or a few survivors to end up on a deserted island. He or she– the main character– frantically panics at first, maybe even screaming. Then a few months go by, the camera cuts back to him or her, and now this person is an advanced survivalist with a wide variety of skills and gear. They seamlessly kill and eat animals and make impractical but cool looking shelters. Then, he, for the sake of drama, is faced with some dire problem and has to …


How to Study Your Bible Without Electronic Tools, by A.A.

For the purposes of this essay, I am going to assume that you have done two things in your life. First is simply this; you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior. If you do not know what that means, I would recommend you stop reading now and find a solid pastor who can explain it to you, because none of this will really make any sense to you. Second is that you have gained, at the very least, a rudimentary understanding of the Bible. That being said, it is very likely that today day you are using the …


The Road to Ultimate Self-Reliance, by M.R.

When I was only 5, my father reached down and rubbed my head and said, “I wish times were always joyful and peaceful like this, but they won’t be. In fact, in your lifetime, you are gonna see some horrible things. You’ll probably see financial hard times and maybe even have to see all of your freedoms, well-earned freedoms, stripped from you, and you will have two choices: fight and risk everything in order to restore those freedoms, or conform and lose that famous American Dream.” Of course, it went in one ear and out the other, to a little …


A New Kind of Bucket List, by C.W.- Part 2

Now that I have explained the advantages and disadvantages of using a bucket system for storing preparations, allow me to share a few other ideas that may also be of interest, should you decide to attack your household with buckets. I believe that families who have homes that are kept clean and organized will be much better prepared for whatever comes at them. We all know friends or relatives who have lots of stuff (a.k.a. chaos), yet they have little idea of how to find an item when they want it or need it. So, off they go to the …


A New Kind of Bucket List, by C.W.- Part 1

I rarely let a day go by without checking in to see what I can gather from reading the latest at survivalblog.com. Through reading this blog, I have gained valuable information and been motivated to do much in preparation for the inevitable difficulties ahead. In addition, I have felt encouraged to grow emotionally and spiritually. I truly am inspired and strengthened by the written contributions and the expertise of the editors. Thank you so very much! Since you are now reading this website, you most likely fall into one of the following categories: a new visitor who just happened onto …


Why and How to Navigate the Homeschooling Waters, by Funtripmom

Do you find that the very thought of homeschooling sends shivers down your spine? Does your head start to spin? Are your children so rambunctious that you can’t picture them sitting quietly to read and learn at home without driving you crazy? If so, you are not alone. Many parents feel inadequate, overwhelmed, or just plain too tired to even contemplate the notion of homeschooling. However, these are the same parents that notice the drastic, negative change of our public education in this country, and they feel stuck. Is that you? Well, take a breath, and let me guide you …


Rapid Prototyping and TEOTWAWKI, by PMN

If there is a breakdown in the normal manufacturing system because of TEOTWAWKI, the usual supply of parts may be unavailable to replace the broken pieces of our machines. However, 3d printing might provide a solution by allowing us to make whatever we need as we need it, but we’d need to exercise caution. There are problems of strength, accuracy, and technical ability involved in this process, and it isn’t “Beam me up Scottie” quite yet. Some of you guys/girls may have heard of rapid prototyping, which is also called 3d printing. If you haven’t, it is roughly equivalent to …


Surviving with Type 2 Diabetes, by B.H.

There have been numerous discussions in the survivalist and SHTF communities about diabetes, and while Type 1 has been discussed at length, Type 2, which is much more prevalent and equally life-threatening, usually gets little more than a mention and possibly a conclusionary statement that it can be handled/managed with diet and exercise. But what exactly does that mean? There’s no discussion on what such a diet-based treatment would entail in a SHTF situation. It’s not a simple disease to handle. Type 2 diabetes, if untreated or improperly treated, can lead to loss of life and/or limb, just as in …


What Haven’t I Thought Of For Nuclear Survival?, by D.K.

It’s easy to prepare for a specific disaster and then forget about it. Whether it’s an economic collapse, power grid failure, or nuclear attack, gathering supplies just isn’t enough. There are a spiderweb of choices to be made after each event, and this article will focus on options you may not have thought of yet, if a nuclear strike were to happen. Aside from knowing the foundations to nuclear survival, there are other important topics, such as owning protective suits, location decisions, and community goals. As with most survival situations, nuclear survival is a system of Q/A– questions and action. …


The Case For Being A Prepper, by Quilliam Franklin

My goal in writing this article is to explain my thoughts and reasoning behind my choice to become a Prepper. I believe that being more prepared is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family. However, sometimes Preppers can be seen as strange, eccentric, or even crazy. My hope is that as you read my thoughts in this essay you will get ideas that can help you have good heartfelt conversations with your loved ones. Ultimately, I hope you will realize what I did; preparing for the uncertainties in this world is anything but crazy. …


Prepper Armor, by J.J.

As a former military and police tactical officer, I want to write a bit about armor, why consider using it, what are the types, and best choices for various budgets. Why Armor? Many Preppers do not believe that armor is a needed part of their preparations. However, after spending a combined 30 years in the military and in police work, I can assure you that when things break down people will act badly. People will take your stuff, rape your family, and kill you and your family. Weapons and armor will be vital. Armor is expensive. However, if you or …


Your Bags Are Packed, But Are You Ready To Go? by M.T.

The world isn’t safe and never has been. Read the headlines– financial collapse, terrorism, unemployment, rising crime, drugs, water shortages, distrust of government, all of which should give us pause to reflect on our future if we are realists. If these are not enough, the new clips from Ferguson, Missouri may give us pause to reflect. These are just some of the main reasons the prepper community exists and flourishes. Fear of the future, which is unknown, is a common human emotion. We all desire to be safe and secure, but can we ever really be? Will civilization, as we …