Letter Re: Progressive Presses

HJL,

Regarding your answer on progressive presses; not to start a Red vs. Green vs. Blue war (this is a reference to the colors of different brands of reloading presses), but there are some other considerations to take into account. Here’s a link to a paper that compares three popular progressive presses.

I was considering purchasing the Hornady LNL AP but decided to go with another option. I upgraded from a single stage press to the Lee Precision Classic Turret Press. It’s a compromise between a single stage and a true progressive press. You have to pull the handle four times to make a completed round of ammunition, compared to a single pull on a progressive. In reality, it’s theoretical rate of production is about half that of a progressive press. However, its simpler design translates into higher reliability.

HJL responds: While purchase price is significant on something like this, there were other concerns that I weighed as well. I have used Dillon presses for 30 years and have watched their warranty polices change the market. I do have some brand loyalty there. While other manufacturers are now offering much of the same warranty that Dillon does, it wasn’t always that way. With that said, I am well aware of many of the presses short comings that are listed in the article that you reference. I have owned all of the Dillon lineup except the Square Deal B. I eventually sold the RL1050 because it was too expensive and too difficult for caliber changes. I would consider that one a specialty press that can be set up for large runs of one caliber. I sold my original RL550 but purchased another after I sold the 1050 because caliber changes on it are a piece of cake– easier than any other progressive I have used. I use my XL650 for largish runs of a caliber, but most of my load development is done on the RL550 because it can be used in the same fashion as a single stage or a turret press.

All of the deficiencies mentioned in the article comparing presses have been addressed by third parties, and some of them are pretty ingenious:

While many of the press enhancements require a considerable outlay of cash, many can be done with a little elbow grease like polishing the powder funnel. Also, while many of these improvements are specific to Dillon, some are also available for other presses as well. A simple Internet search on press enhancements yields a plethora of data. In the end, a progressive press is one of the most expensive investments that a person reloading their own ammo will make. Like the author of your letter suggests, you get what you pay for.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Video: Clear and Simple – What you already knew – 3 min. – W.W.

o o o

Shock Video: Man High on PCP Tasered Twice, Hit With a Baton and Pepper Sprayed – D.S.
This is what you may be faced with WTSHTF. Are you prepared to deal with it?

o o o

Wranglerstar: Who Builds The Best Splitting Axe? You’ll Be Surprised – He doesn’t actually get to the contest in this part one, but it has an excellent video part about sharpening your chain’s saw blade when it needs it.

o o o

U.S. railroads warn of system disruptions over safety deadline – G.P.

o o o

DEA Report Shows Infiltration of Mexican Drug Cartels in Major US Cities – G.P.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Freedom is essentially a condition of inequality, not equality. It recognizes as a fact of nature the structural differences inherent in man – in temperament, character, and capacity – and it respects those differences. We are not alike and no law can make us so.” – Frank Chodorov

Notes for Wednesday – September 09, 2015

On September 9, 1492, Columbus’ fleet set sail west. The rest, you know as history, or is that revisionist history.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul pmags 30rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  9. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  4. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 Lifestraws (a $200 value).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 60 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

The Thorough Planning and Orders Process- Part 1, By J.E.D.

After reading articles on this site and many other similar sites over the last few years, it has surprised me that no one has written about the planning process itself. I have read quite a few well written articles that have contained very good information about planning for tasks such as defending your home, bugging out, and other activities. In this article I would like to address the overall planning process that can be used for everyday life. During this piece, I will be throwing a lot of acronyms at you. My goal is to make this as easy to understand as possible. In the end, once the concept is understood it will surprise you how applicable this process is to everyday life.

This planning process comes from the U.S. military, specifically the US Marine Corps. The only reason I specifically state that is because that is my background. I understand that other services use this same method but each differs slightly. Depending on the service you were in or the time frame you served, there will be variations in the format and acronyms used. It’s not just combat units that use this; support units and businesses do, as well. There is nothing wrong with modifying the outline from what is presented here either. The whole point is to make life easier, to plan efficiently, and to not forget crucial items. So, please have fun with it and change it to your own specific needs. Just remember, if you change things, make sure everyone is on the same page.

When we talk about the planning process, we are looking at two distinct things. First is the acronym BAMCIS (pronounced BAM-SIS), which stands Begin the planning, Arrange for reconnaissance, Make reconnaissance, Complete the plan, Issue the order, and Supervise. The second is the operation order. We use the acronym OSMEAC to remember how to construct the operation order. Orientation, Situation, Mission, Execution, Administration and Logistics, and Command and Signal. BAMCIS is a decision-making cycle where the operation order is the information gathered from BAMCIS. Let’s look at it all put together in an outline form.

  • Begin the planning.
  • Arrange for reconnaissance.
  • Make reconnaissance.
  • Complete the plan.
  • Issue orders.
    • Orientation
    • Situation
    • Mission
    • Execution
    • Administration and Logistics
    • Command and Signal
  • Supervise.

Now there is much more that goes into the planning and orders process, but I like to start “zoomed out” and get that wide-angled look before jumping in. Using BAMCIS properly allows us to organize our thoughts, notes, current information, and unknowns into a workable, easy-to-read and easy-to-disseminate order for team members or others. You know how you want something done, because you’re the one who thought of the plan, but in reality when there are many moving parts, not everyone will be on the same page. To mitigate that and reduce the possibility of confusion, we use the BAMCIS process to come up with a written order, which tells everyone exactly what they should be doing and what should be accomplished as the end result. That written order is the Operations Order, which goes by a few other names as well. Some call it a 5 Paragraph Order, Combat Order, or OSMEAC. So that we are speaking the same language, that written order will be referred to as the Operations Order. Then, and most importantly, we supervise the whole process to make sure it is being done properly.

As stated above BAMCIS is part of the decision-making process. We use the OODA loop process thousands of times per day, and you probably don’t even know it. OODA stands for Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. The loop part of it means it’s just a constant process or on a loop that never ends. As an example: You are shopping at the grocery store when you observe an unsavory looking character walking in the door. You then orient yourself and your brain power to that person. All that brainpower is working to decide what to do next and how to proceed. Then you act on that decision. So we are just taking this normal everyday human function and assembling it in a way we can write it down and express it to others i.e. BAMCIS. So let’s start breaking down BAMCIS.

1. Begin the planning: This is where it all starts. So you have a problem or issue you are trying to solve, and now your brain needs to start working. During this stage you come up with a preliminary plan that will most likely change. You need to start thinking about the terrain you will be operating in, the weather and time of year, and also the friendly and enemy situation. You are going to identify one or more actions that could be taken and the costs involved, as well as resources needed and inclusion of the right people. Before we get started with our planning, we need to design a timeline to follow, but our timeline should be written in reverse. By planning our timeline in reverse we are able to maximize our use of time allotted, and ensure our subordinates have plenty of time to plan and prepare as well.

Now let’s look at a few more acronyms that will help the planning process. Look at these as questions that need an answer. The answer will help you decide on a plan and make the orders writing process much easier.

  • Mission
  • Enemy
    • SALUTE (Size, Activity, Location, Unit, Time, Equipment)
    • DRAW-D (Defend, Reinforce, Attack, Withdraw, Delay)
    • EMPCOA (Enemy’s Most Probable Course of Action)
  • Terrain and Weather
    • KOCOA-W (Key terrain, Observation & Fields of Fire, Cover & Concealment, Obstacles, Avenues of Approach, Weather)
  • Troops and Support Available
  • Time

The acronyms SALUTE, DRAW-D, EMLCOA, and KOCOA-W are going to be used to answer information for METT-T. METT-T is a valuable tool in this whole process.

  • Mission: Here we need a good understanding of the actual mission. We need to identify what is required to accomplish the mission successfully, safely, and efficiently. Other things to think about and understand are our limitations. Do we have any restrictions, rules of engagement, or something specific limiting us?
  • Enemy: The whole purpose in this subparagraph is to understand the enemy’s most probable course of action. What is the enemy most likely going to do? If left to their own devices, what will they do? If I interfere in some way, what will be their reaction? Luckily, we have ways of figuring this stuff out, and this is how we do it.
    • SALUTE: Is going to tell us about their composition, disposition, and strength. We are going to fill in the blanks about what we know of them so far. We’ll consider their size. Are they a team (2 to 4 men), a squad (10 to 14), or a platoon (30 to 40)? What’s their activity. What are they doing? Are they hanging out drinking warm beer, digging fighting holes, cleaning guns, or standing guard? What’s their location? They’re at grid 1234 5678, intersection of SR 42 and Hwy 60, 10 miles North of Fake Town on Jagged Mountain, and they’re a unit with the 22nd Infantry Platoon, 307th Fake Name Battalion, or something that identifies that specific group of people. If it’s unknown, describe them. What type of clothing are they wearing? As far as time, when was the last time they were seen at a particular location? When was the last time they were seen period? Try and put a time line together of their movements, as enemy pattern information is valuable. What kind of equipment do they have? Do they have trucks, armor, small arms, rockets, and/or dogs? Don’t just consider equipment of war but also think about life essential items like water tanks, shelter, food processing. Does it look like they can operate the equipment properly?

      What is their overall appearance? Are they well kept, professional looking, and confidant, or are they disheveled, ragged, tired, and malnourished? SALUTE can tell you a lot about your enemy, but it is just the basic information you need. The more facts you have, the better decisions you can make.

    • DRAW-D: Is going to help us make a decision on their capabilities and limitations. We need to know what the enemy can and cannot do to us. Are they going to defend the little gas station until the last man? Will they reinforce the checkpoint if we attack? Are they going to attack our position? If we probe their lines will they withdraw troops? Do they have the capabilities to delay our movements?

      It is important to understand the capabilities and limitations of the enemy. How do you acquire the knowledge needed? Reconnaissance, scouts, spies, prisoner’s, insider information, the list is endless, but we need good, accurate information. SALUTE is going to help you with some information for DRAW-D. Consider the same information under bad weather or at night. Do they have the capability to attack at night during heavy rain and wind?

    • Out of all the information gathered or thought about, you can come to a conclusion or two about the enemy’s most probable course of action. With that assumption, we are going to use that bit of information in the rest of our planning process. Once our reconnaissance is complete, our information might change completely or we might just have to tweak things a little.
  • Terrain and Weather: We should know the terrain and weather patterns in the area of operations like the back of our hands, or we should at least have a good understanding of them. If you are operating on your own turf it’s better. If not, you need to familiarize yourself very quickly. Here’s another acronym to help us remember key points.
    • KOCOA-W stands for Key Terrain, Observation and Fields of Fire, Cover and Concealment, Obstacles, Avenues of Approach, and Weather. We are going to break this one down a little further and discuss each one.
      • Key Terrain: Any location or area of land, water, or air that you believe is strategically or tactically important, your adversary probably does too, and that is key terrain. It could be that spring-fed pond with crystal clear clean water or the only pass through the mountain still left intact. Either way we need to seize, retain, or control that area. Remember, an area does not need to be occupied to be controlled. Example: If the only access to my mountain top retreat is a steep five mile gravel road, I don’t have to stand in the middle of the road to control it. I can position myself in a location where I can observe the road and engage if necessary.
      • Observation and Fields of Fire: Terrain is going to dictate what you can see and what your weapon system can hit. You need to figure out what can be seen from where and what can be hit from where. Example: I am on the roof of my house on my mountain top retreat; through my rifle scope I can see all five miles of that gravel road. My weapon’s capability can hit out to a mile, but my capability is only 800 yards. In order to keep eyes on the entire road, I need to trim trees a few times a year but make it look as natural as possible.
      • Cover and Concealment: First, we need to understand the difference between cover and concealment. Cover is something that will stop a projectile from striking you. Imagine hiding behind a thick, steel reinforced, concrete wall. Concealment is something that will prevent you from being seen but will not stop a projectile fired in your direction. From a cover and concealment aspect as it applies to a defensive position, it is best to have both cover and concealment to increase survivability and effectiveness. When digging fighting positions or planning for them, they must be reinforced with earth, sandbags, concrete, or any other material that is available. They must also be camouflaged in such a way as to make it difficult to be observed from both land and air.
      • Obstacles: You have seen them in the war movies, when landing on the beaches. You’ve seen those multi-point things called Czech Hedgehogs and then all the concertina wire running about. All of those things are obstacles. They are designed to delay, restrict, divert, or canalize movement. That little arm that comes down at the toll booth is designed to restrict entry, while the orange cones that road crews use are designed to divert traffic. Obstacles can be man-made or natural. You can build a fence around your property to canalize people to the gate. While a thick patch of palmettos is going to delay those approaching your wisely chosen camp site, a well thought out obstacle plan incorporates more than one type of obstacle. Example: I have a heavy-duty, reinforced, high fence around my property that is difficult to climb and diverts my enemy to an easier access point. That access point is a reinforced front gate with a steel pole behind it. That set up would not allow a vehicle to smash through, but someone can still climb over it. I have delayed, restricted, diverted, and canalized their movement to one area, which I can cover from a safe distance and location.
      • Avenues of Approach: This is any route to or from a chosen area, like your camp site in the woods. Avenues of approach allow for advance or withdraw and can be as small as a deer trail or as large as an Interstate Highway. Don’t discount waterways as avenues of approach. We consider waterways to be any body of water that can be navigated with watercraft of any type, or simply walked or swam across. Humans, much like lightning, follow the path of least resistance. Knowing this, we must be cautious of avenues of approach and pay particular attention to the guarding of them.
      • Weather: There are five military aspects of weather that we will be looking at: temperature and humidity, precipitation, wind, clouds, and visibility. Weather is an extremely important factor to think about when in the planning process. It affects people, equipment, weapon systems, electronics, vehicles, and terrain. If your defenses are set up incorrectly and you rely on electronics and technology alone, Mother Nature is sure to give you a spanking. If you have never felt 120°F heat with 95% humidity or get out of your sleeping bag in the morning covered in ice and snow, you need to try it out. See firsthand what effects it has on your body. Extreme temperatures in either direction drain the body of energy; just trying to stay cool or warm is a job in itself. For precision shooters, weather extremes can change you’re DOPE, and extreme cold will drain your electronics batteries faster than normal. Extreme heat can overheat slow-moving or idling vehicles. Rain or melting snow can turn foot paths to mushy mud, which is strenuous to walk in. If navigating flooded river systems, it’s difficult to find good spots to spend the night. High winds become difficult to shoot in and can cause damage to your home, structures, and possibly make roads impassable by vehicles. Thick fog can be hazardous to convoys or foot patrols due to decreased visibility. However, all of the same applies to your enemy as well, so take advantage.
      • Troops and Support Available: This is another really important item to consider. Yes, we are talking numbers here. How many people do we have for this mission, and do we have any non-organic support (outside help). We also need to consider and think really hard on this next question. What is the mental and physical shape of our team? What type of training do they possess, and what is the condition of their equipment?
      • Time: We are going to take into account all previous items we discussed here to come up with a timeline. Proper use of time for planning is crucial. We need to use time properly for planning and plan for the use of time. Consider critical times like movement to or from an objective, departure times, and reconnaissance, give yourself plenty of leeway to adjust your timeline left or right. As we all know we can plan the perfect plan, but once in the execution phase Mr. Murphy likes to grace us with his presence.

Letter Re: The 20% Solution, by Redoubting Thomas

Hi Hugh,

Regarding Redoubting Thomas’ article, in Missouri, we have more Amish than any state west of the Mississippi, not to mention a whole lot of Mennonites. It is true that they are good neighbors, and they do rely on “English” neighbors for a great deal, but I can’t imagine them ever wanting manual labor from an “English”. On the contrary, growing up in large families of 5 to 12 children without modern conveniences means that they can outwork most non-Amish with one hand tied behind their back. They do, however, provide excellent labor for someone establishing a new homestead and for a fair price. Around here, they work all kinds of construction jobs, including concrete, framing, sawmilling (by horsepower), and even putting up windmills to pump water. They have worked on fences and barns for my family and even gave us money back without being asked simply because they finished a job too quickly, and so believed they had overbid.

If you decide to live near the Amish, they highly value “English” that have the ability to bale hay after they cut and rake it. They also rely on outside help for nearly all communications and long-distance or emergency travel. Around here, they hire full-time drivers. Finally, in a SHTF scenario, they would rely on non-Amish for security. Most are extremely non-violent, though lately some will privately express the willingness to defend their families if necessary. While they do own hunting rifles, they would certainly make good partners with non-Amish with security skills and the willingness to use them. – J.M.

Notes for Tuesday – September 08, 2015

On September 8, 1565, the first permanent settlement in what would become the United States of America was formed (in St Augustine, Florida).

Also, in 1943, on this day, Italy surrendered to the Allies in World War II.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 60 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $10,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses. (Excluding those restricted for military or government teams.) Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools, and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul pmags 30rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt. (An equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  9. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate– a $325 retail value,
  4. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  9. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  10. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 Lifestraws (a $200 value).

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  3. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 60 ends on September 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Killer Survivalism, by Faith Believing

Do you read the news and start to worry? Do you lie awake at night gripped with fears of the future? Do you bolt awake at midnight and stave off the panic by making lists of preps to buy?

Have you talked to your doctor about this?

Don’t get me wrong; I think survivalism is a good thing. However, I think that there is an under-addressed subject that survivalists would do well to contemplate: the emotional stress brought on by worry about the future can be as deadly as the things you’re worrying about. It can work the other way, too: anxiety and panic could be early warning signs of a serious health problem.

I know this might be a controversial article. I am not writing this to stir up trouble but to add another item to your list of lists: good mental health. I didn’t put it on my list, and it cost me dearly.

Let me give you a brief history of myself. I got into survivalism when the large bank I worked for succumbed to the 2008 crisis. I spent hours and hours reading articles about the shaky framework of our economy. Soon I was terrified about the future. I remember waking my husband up at 12 AM one morning and panic-buying a very large order of dried food. At other times I would dream about home invaders and wake up shouting. We tried everything from riflery to canning, grain grinding, gardening, and raising chickens, and it seems like we bought every survival gadget there was to be had.

uI remember a conversation I had with my brother about my paranoid mindset. “I feel like I’m waaaay up at the top of the crazy tree, holding onto the skinny branches and creaking back and forth in the wind.” I thought it was funny at the time.

But I got worn out. I began to believe that prepping was bad for my mind and my budget. I began to assiduously avoid the news and went in the other direction whenever survivalism was mentioned. That doesn’t mean that I stopped prepping, exactly, but I relaxed about it, and I worked hard to ignore the worst aspects of the future. As I told my brother, “I climbed a few branches down the crazy tree.”

Unfortunately, I was still working at a stressful job as a paralegal. There were also many other things that were contributing to my stress level. Last October, my stress came to a peak when my boss, who had become a dear friend as well, passed away unexpectedly. I lost my job as a result. My husband wasn’t employed at the time (he was building our homestead), so we had no income. Luckily we had been prepping, so we had some savings to see us through until my husband could start working, and the worst that happened was that we wore out our larder and paid a few bills late.

But then I got sick, very sick. In fact, I am still sick.

I have hyperthyroidism. The symptoms are not pleasant, and they prevent me from doing any kind of hard work. Doing the dishes, tidying up, cooking meals, and sweeping the floor are just about the limit of what I accomplish on a good day. I am so weak that I take the motorized cart when I go grocery shopping, even though I am not yet 40 years old. (Don’t feel sorry for me; as I will explain, I have a very happy life. I am just giving you context.)

When I found out that I had this disease, I immediately began to research it to see how I could “fight” it. I soon discovered that symptoms of hyperthyroidism can manifest slowly over the course of several years, and it can affect your mental health.

Early symptoms of thyroiditis can include:

  • Anxiety
  • Panic
  • Depression
  • Racing thoughts
  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Waking up in the middle of the night
  • Feelings of doom about the future

Sound familiar?

Hyperthyroidism is often brought on by stress, and for me it had been building up for years and years. I don’t know whether my incipient thyroid problems made me a survivalist by nudging me to focus on a doom-filled future, or whether the stress of survivalism (and life in general) gave me thyroid problems. I suspect it was something of a vicious cycle.

I also wouldn’t change a single thing about what I’ve done with my life. I have learned so much from both survivalism and thyroiditis that I would not undo either of them. Over the past few years, I have deliberately made changes which improved my outlook on life dramatically. More recently, I have consulted a good herbalist and started taking medicinal supplements to help improve my health and my moods. I’ve also addressed my diet and started eating nutrient-dense meals to correct my auto-immune functions. (You can get details about this in the book “The Paleo Approach.” I have no ties to the author and am not getting paid to endorse the book.)

Right now I am cheerful most of the time. I have a home, enough to eat, and a loving husband. I don’t have good health right now, but I’m slowly getting better, and as the old-timers say, “at least I’m on the right side of the grass.” As a matter of fact, I had these blessings all along, but now I strive to appreciate them more. Despite my limitations, I feel happy and ready to face the future.

I would like to share a few suggestions with you so that you can increase your happiness, too. Some of them may seem trite or sentimental, but they were important lessons for me. Here they are, in no particular order.

Tips for Surviving Happily

  • Don’t read the news every day. If you live in a dangerous place and need immediate notification in case of catastrophe, find a friend who likes to read the news, and get him to call you if something happens. Or, you can subscribe to one of your local emergency alert services. I try to read the news just a few times a week, and I limit myself to SurvivalBlog, solari.com, and a few other serious, high-quality sites. No tabloids and as little ranting and fear-porn is read as possible.
  • Pay attention to what comes into your life. What are you reading or watching on TV? For example, I don’t watch Rated “R” movies anymore, because I don’t need to add a bunch of fictional death and fear to the end of my day. I focus on things that improve my life, including positive movies, instructive or spiritual books, and friends who make me happy.
  • Choose your profession wisely. Work-life balance is real, and it’s important. Consider starting a small business so that you are in control of your career. I helped my husband start a business; I do the marketing and paperwork, and he does the actual work. We’re both much happier knowing we’re in control of the source of our income.
  • If you want to spend money on survivalism, buy the things that would help you through a bout of unemployment.
  • You can’t prepare for everything. Put yourself in God’s hands. Remember how He sent ravens to feed the prophet Elijah. Although God does not promise that we will not suffer, He does promise that He will always be with us when we need Him.
  • If someone is resisting your urges to prep, it may be because they already have enough stress in their life. “Life as it is” is hard enough, and not everyone has the mental resources to focus on the negative. Or as Jesus said, “Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” Let it go and trust in God to care for this person.
  • Your spouse is your greatest treasure whether he or she is onboard or not. When I got sick and wondered if I could ever work again, my husband said, “Don’t worry. I will take care of you.” No prep could replace his love. I’m not saying our marriage is perfect and we never fuss or fight. I am saying I’m glad we stuck together through thick and thin, because we are best friends.
  • Speaking of which, make lots of friends! They don’t all have to be preppers. Just have friends. They will be a valuable support when you are sick or otherwise down, and they will give you perspective on your life. Humans are social creatures. Don’t barricade yourself from the world.
  • Go to church, if you can. If you can’t, then set aside some time on Sunday to listen to a radio sermon. If you prefer to sleep in on the Sabbath morning (which I don’t recommend but totally understand!) then consider going to church in the evening. As for atheists… well, I started going to church because I believe a connection to God is a key element to happiness. But please don’t take offense; perhaps you could try group meditation.
  • During times of stress in your life, detach yourself from politics. I really don’t think we have much control over national politics at this time in our history. Once you get over this fact, it can actually free you to make a difference at the local level. You can make a lot more difference by volunteering at a shelter or prison ministry than you will ever make by voting.
  • Minimize your time on Facebook and such. I use it, because it helps me make new friends (see above), but I limit my time there because it can lead to envy and unhappiness. (Nobody puts their bad days on Facebook.) I also make sure to “unfollow” any friends who spout too much political drivel, and I don’t “follow” political pages.
  • Remember that survivalist authors make money by talking about the worst outcome; and as they might argue, it is their job to talk about the worst outcome. But you also need to think about the best possible outcome, and you need to count your blessings. I can’t afford luxuries, but I dearly love a lot of people. Due to my health I can’t eat (or afford) a stockpile of typical “survivalist” food, but there’s a nice patch of knotweed a few blocks from here… and so on. If the worse happens and I die, well, it’s no worse than what Jesus had to bear, and at least I’ll go to Heaven.
  • At first when I was setting priorities, I tried to decide what needed to be done first “before everything collapses”!!! That might be appropriate in the beginning, but now I have new priorities. Can I afford it? Do I have the time and energy to try it? Most of all, I consider what will make me happier and more resilient.

Action Items for Great Happiness

My favorite kind of news article is the kind I can use right away, so here are a few specific positive things you can do right now to be healthy, happy, and resilient.

  • Light exercise. (Did you know you can do yoga while sitting down? Hey, don’t judge. It’s a good start.)
  • Walking in the woods. (It gives you familiarity with local terrain and plants, exercise, sunshine, and time with family.)
  • Learning to cook healthy food. (Keeps grocery budget low. Good food tastes better. Can be done as a family. Makes your body and mind healthy.)
  • Hosting a neighborhood barbecue. (Look, you’re already making friends and improving neighborhood security and community resilience.)
  • Making a small low-maintenance garden in flower pots. (Gardening leads to economic resilience; getting dirty is literally good for your health; and it is spiritually uplifting. Just start small, so that it’s less stressful.)
  • Learning about herbal medicine. (In my opinion, herbal medicine is spiritually uplifting compared to sterile conventional medicine, and it improves your health and gives you a new skill. I have treated many of my symptoms successfully with herbs, but that’s for another article.)
  • Going to the farmer’s market and meeting some local farmers. (You’re making more friends! If you can’t grow your own food, know the people who grow it for you.)
  • Starting or joining a home school co-op. (Friends!)
  • Forgiving people. Praying for people. (Spiritually uplifting. Also relaxing and, therefore, good for you.)
  • Starting a small business based on your hobby. (Economic resilience. Fun. Possibly even a few more friends.)
  • Calling your mom or other family members who may live far away, and drawing them more closely into your life. (Friends. Economic resilience. Spiritually uplifting. A haven if you must relocate.)

I think you see a pattern here. You don’t have to be freaked out and unhappy in order to survive in this world. In fact, those feelings of doom may actually be the harbingers of poor health. If you’re constantly clenched in the grip of fear, please turn off the computer, go for a walk, and consider making an appointment with your local physician or herbalist.

I firmly believe that the long-term survivors of our national crisis will not be the ones who (as my husband likes to joke) “are in a foxhole with a machine gun killing their neighbors over the last can of tuna fish.” The long-term survivors will be people in resilient communities where people look after one another. The survivors will be people who love their neighbors and trust in God. Where have we heard that before…?

Letter Re: Good Use of Your Dog’s Waste

SurvivalBlog,

We live on 1.3 acres in a semi-rural area of Colorado. We have one dog, and used to pick up after her and put it in the trash for collection.

When we stopped mowing our large deer-fenced front yard that has a number of small- to medium-sized evergreen and shade trees, it occurred to me to stop throwing this high nitrogen fertilizer away and stop buying fertilizer. I collect the stuff from the small, fenced and mowed back yard in a bucket with the usual scooper and distribute it in the drip line of the trees. The result has been great– dark green, glistening, growing trees. Of course, our dog is well cared for, does not roam, and does not have parasites. The grass is so tall that the grandchildren don’t wander out there but stick to the back yard. There is absolutely no odor.

A side benefit of going natural is that I have seen a lot of frogs and snakes, birds, et cetera out there, and there’s less yard work and less gasoline used.

I also collect deer waste from the unfenced “back forty” with the same scooper and till it in to my large garden with similar good results. – Colorado Living at our Retreat.

JWR Responds: That has some merit, but please see the SurvivalBlog archives for the MANY warnings about using the fecal waste from any meat-eating animals or humans on gardens. (Put “Humanure” in the search box.) Generally it is safe with fruit and nut trees but NOT so with garden vegetables! But even then there is the risk of infection because of unknowingly tracking in the waste to your house, followed by any cuts to feet or toes. Regards, JWR

HJL Adds: I would add two things to JWR’s response. The manure from predatory animals has a distinctive odor that is rather unpleasant. While you can get used to the smell if you are around it long enough, those that visit you will notice it immediately. You also have to be careful that this odor is not clinging to you. We often find humor in the situation when someone has stepped in a dog pile and then steps into a small enclosed space, such as an elevator with others. You will see everyone start to check their shoes to see if it is them and when they identify you as the culprit, you are basically ostracized. The social situation is even worse when the odor is just clinging to you because it is what your house and property smell like.

While that is more of a social thing, the second is far more serious. Have you ever noticed that it is the third world countries or heavily populated countries that have the most serious and obnoxious diseases? Much of this is due to their habit of using their world as their toilet. While herbivores provide us with manure that has amazing properties in the cycle of life, omnivores and carnivores have manure that just causes issues anywhere that it is used as fertilizer. Yes, the plants may benefit from it, but it has some very serious drawbacks that should make a person think twice about using it in that manner.

News From The American Redoubt:

A good article on the American Redoubt is on the Charles Carroll Society website. – S.G.

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And the American Redoubt is again featured in the Missoula Independent article. – C.Z.

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Idaho History: Forest fires and smoke have been with us for generations

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Inciweb is reporting greater containment of fires in the northwest, because of recent rains.
Also see these maps.

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Eastern Oregon: Firefighters get a welcome respite