Letter Re: Kansas Bill

Sir, I am writing in response to the article link about the Kansas bill seeking to legalize police retaliation. I will first state that I do not agree with a second agency not being able to do an investigation– a fair and impartial investigation should always be the case. That said, I served 13 years in the infantry ending as an LRS team leader and currently serving with 15 years at a large, midwest police department. My department will take any complaint. A complaint can and has been taken over the telephone (even anonymously) with nothing more than the allegation of misconduct. With nothing more than, “Hey, he did something wrong,” I am standing tall on the carpet in front of the man. During those 15 years I have had numerous complaints. ALL incidents were recorded on audio and video by my in-car system and even some by the individual’s cell phone. These alleged acts of misconduct range from sexual misconduct, because the female made a verbal bomb threat, to tyrannical behavior with racial slurs over a traffic citation to excessive force when defending myself from someone nearly twice my size who pled guilty to resisting. I should NOT have to say in all these allegations I was found exonerated and the complaints false, but each time I am assumed guilty until I have proven myself innocent. I took an oath to serve and protect my state’s and the United States Constitution. I take those oaths very seriously. Now, there are some bad apples in the bunch, just as there are in any profession, but for the most part, the people I work with are honest. If they stray, we are quick to point it out and fix those that do. We consider ourselves the premier law enforcement agency in the area, and I take great pride in that. I pose one question with all that said. With this now being an entitled society (ask the youngsters I stop and they will tell you that), “Am I not entitled to some protection? Or am suppose to be society’s whipping boy until they need me because they lost their child or locked their child in their car or beat their child until it stopped crying?” Over all, the men and women I work with are good hearted and strive to do the right thing. My agency takes great pride in that. Again, I am not dispelling that there are a few bad apples in the bunch, but after 15 years, I wonder why I have spent my entire adult life in public service. As this bill may not be the perfect solution, I believe it is proposed to offer some protection to the outlandish lies of misconduct.

“For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” Romans 13:4

As the scripture is my (motto), it is for a reason. If you chose to post this, please post the scripture with it.

HJL Replies: While I certainly understand your position and can empathize with having false accusations often thrown at you, the bottom line is that you hold the power in any encounter with the general public. Our whole system is predicated upon the premise of the “strong” protecting the “weak”. In an increasing number of cases across the country, there exists the concept of “The Blue Wall of Silence” meaning that when a law enforcement officer crosses the line and abuses their position of power, the law enforcement agency may or may not hold a valid internal inquiry into what happened, but remain silent with no real explanation given to the public. The bond between officers is admirable, when dealing with life-threatening situations, but it’s repugnant when it hides true wrong doing on the part of the officer. The outrage the general public feels is only fed by such behavior. All it takes is one such incident to destroy the public trust with the local enforcement agency. I cannot excuse bad behavior on the part of the public, but a bill such as this, while good intentioned, allows the party in a position of power to act with no fear of consequences in an already tainted system. I commend you for your high standards in your agency. I only wish that all LE agencies operated with the same standards.

Odds ‘n Sods:

There is an epidemic of death and contagion sweeping across the farms of this country that is barely getting a mention in the mainstream media. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus – K.F.

o o o

A Dozen Uses For Empty Soda Bottles – R.J.

o o o

Non-Christians Given ‘Special Consideration’ In Union Teacher Contract – TPY

o o o

The Law Society has issued guidance on how to use Sharia Law in Wills, Trusts and Estates disputes in England and Wales. The guidance effectively enshrines Sharia into common legal practice for the first time and will make it easier to discriminate against women and non-believers. – H.L.

o o o

Guide to American made products including tools. – M.A.

Notes from HJL:

We are ready to start looking for a new Product Review Editor.

Applicants must have an extensive background of varied experience in working with survival-related products, as well as have writing and editing experience. The ability to provide interesting, personal anecdotal stories relating to use of guns, knives, paracord, water storage, food preservation, and other survival-related items make the reviews interesting and is a much-valued attribute.

Products will be sent to the applicant with the expectation of written reviews. Most products must be returned to the manufacturer or sales person who sent them in for review. This editor position pays up to $100 per review.

SurvivalBlog maintains a high degree of separation between advertising and editorial, and the review editor is expected to maintain that separation. While the person in this position may be tempted to compromise, our editor must maintain the highest ethical standards.

Qualified individuals may submit their resume to us at the email or snail mail address listed on our contact page.

o o o

Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  10. 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,
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand,
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589.
  3. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  4. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P .),
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  8. EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles, is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  9. Autrey’s Armory – specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts, and accessories is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  12. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate.

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,
  5. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208.
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 51 ends on March 31st, 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.

What the Locals Really Think, by Gonzo

A lot of us, in the prepper community, are eager to get out of town, establish ourselves in the redoubt, and hunker down for the coming storm. Too often we put little thought in how the locals will receive us upon our arrival. Everyone knows that being integrated with your new neighborhood is important, but how you go about this integration can be the make or break point of your preps.

As an educational guide, I offer the following conversation that occurred between my cousin and I over chat recently. First, here’s a little background on my cousin. He is a fourth-generation homesteader. He lives in what could almost be called the center of the redoubt. He lives on land our great grandfather homesteaded. Our grandfather cleared the fields that he raises cattle and hay in. He lives in a home built by his father out of lumber cut and created on the site from trees on the property. Every day he is living the homesteader lifestyle.

Being so close to this lifestyle and way of living, he tends to be isolated on the mountain. He also tends not to notice preppers as they blend in with the local people and culture. Seeing people raise goats and chickens is normal and not noteworthy overall, even if they are new to the area. When I have talked to him about whether he has noticed the influx of preppers to the redoubt, his reply was, “Who?” His everyday life is the prepper way, so preppers are not noteworthy.

What does come across as noteworthy then and makes a good lesson in local relations and OPSEC? I will let him tell you in his own words.

4thGen Homesteader: That “the world is coming to an end, and the government is out to get us” guy had a party today.

Gonzo: Which guy is that?

4thGen Homesteader: The one that is the next driveway down from mine.

Gonzo: Is that the guy who built a concrete bunker and put the trailer on top of it?

4thGen Homesteader: Nope. That’s another crazy guy.

Gonzo: Then I don’t think you have mentioned this guy.

4thGen Homesteader: If you go one more driveway south of my driveway, it’s him.

Gonzo: Okay.

4thGen Homesteader: Anyway, he tried to throw a big party to get everyone to meet. What’s funny is I think he scared most people off because his invite went on about when the country collapses we should all get to know each other and blah blah.

4thGen Homesteader: You know I don’t know on that.

Gonzo: That’s funny. How long ago did he call for this meeting?

4thGen Homesteader: He sent out the letters about a month ago.

4thGen Homesteader: I showed because I felt bad for the guy.

4thGen Homesteader: Nice enough people. Little odd though; they’re vegetarian.

Gonzo: Did they just buy the place?

4thGen Homesteader: Just a about a year and a half ago.

Gonzo: Right. When I came out there two years ago, that place was for sale.

Gonzo: So you showed. Did anyone else?

4thGen Homesteader: XXXX and the XXXXs. I think everyone else that showed were already friends with them.

Gonzo: Well, that’s actually not a bad turnout, and yea, that’s the new thing amongst the prepper sites is to hold a sort of get-together.

Gonzo: For mutual assistance, et cetera.

Gonzo: Did the guys from the concrete bunker show?

Gonzo: Those are the ones to watch, I suspect. They are not preppers; they are survivalists and much better at being quiet.

4thGen Homesteader: I believe those folks are The XXXX, and I didn’t see any one with that name.

4thGen Homesteader: I just find it funny because a lot of these folks come here and just do what I’ve done all my life, and then they squawk about it like a chicken that just laid an egg.

4thGen Homesteader: Anyway, it’s not that big of a deal, but I thought you might want to know the latest stirrings in the area.

Gonzo: Well, I find it interesting.

Gonzo: As I have told you before, there is a market to teach what you know, because it is a dying skill. There are very few multi-generational homesteaders left.

4thGen Homesteader: This is true.

4thGen Homesteader: Where I have a hard time is that I have no idea the skills that people want to know about.

Gonzo: Yea. It’s hard to peel out parts of your day as teaching opportunities.

4thGen Homesteader: Sometimes I think something is really cool, and people are like “meh”. Other times I do things that are an everyday thing, and people are all, “Wow, you have a chicken!”.

4thGen Homesteader: In fact that’s a lot of what I did at that party today– answer questions about chickens.

Gonzo: We are talking people here who want to learn things like how to make a camp fire. Not only have they never built an outdoor fire, but no one in their family has in decades.

4thGen Homesteader: Well, I build a fire every day, in the winter.

Gonzo: How to heat your house with wood is another lost art. You don’t use a store-bought stove, a blower, or any electricity at all, just a huge, welded Frankenstein furnace in the bottom of the house, and it filters heat up through the floor boards.

Gonzo: I found it interesting the other day when my dad was telling me about the different type of apples out there and their role in early survival.

4thGen Homesteader: Macintosh. Wolf river. Transparents, and a crab apple tree once in a while.

4thGen Homesteader: Those are the ones I know about.

Gonzo: That’s also why there is so much rhubarb out there.

4thGen Homesteader: It’s stupid easy to grow.

Gonzo: It came up real early in the spring and gave early homesteaders vital Vitamin C, according to dad. It’s a bonus that it grows easy.

4thGen Homesteader: As I understand it, if you wander around the east side of the state, you’ll find yellow rose bushes and right next to it rhubarb.

4thGen Homesteader: People would bring those plants with them and plant them out the front door when they settled there. Now, a 100 years later, the house is rotten away, but the plants are still there.

Gonzo: Dad said he thought there was a starter pack that was handed out to the original homesteaders that contained all these things for their planting zone.

4thGen Homesteader: That might be. I just know the yellow roses and rhubarb were both popular.

Gonzo: Yea, but it’s illogical to think EVERYONE brought the same plants with them.

Gonzo: Dad said it was basically a survival package handed out so people would not starve. With that setup, they had Vitamin C all year long– Rhubarb early and rose hips later.

Gonzo: The apples come in at different times of the year also; that’s why they planted four varieties in their orchards. I suspect there were more plants in that pack, but things like the onions and potatoes are all gone.

Gonzo: So, anyways, you went to the meeting. Learn anything good?

4thGen Homesteader: Nope. It wasn’t organized at all, just people showing up and saying, “Hello.”

Gonzo: Yea, the mistake he made was including the government stuff in the invite. He should have made it about mutual assistance.

4thGen Homesteader: I agree.

Gonzo: He could have called it the “XXXX XXXX mutual assistance meet and greet” to come meet your neighbors and friends and establish bonds to last in case we have trying times in the future.

4thGen Homesteader: Now that would have worked much better. Jumping right to the end of days spiel kind of “weirded” some folks out. It weirded me out, and I was expecting that from him.

Gonzo: Yea. Its really hard to figure out what people will buy into.

4thGen Homesteader: I think his best bet would be to show up at the next pie social. Everyone would have been there.

Gonzo: It’s stupid because one guy might totally believe in space aliens and joke with the guy who believes in ghosts invading and vice versa, but one of the predominate threads that runs through prepper literature is a bit of an ego that they are going to save people. So, they don’t integrate properly, and then they come across like this guy did. That makes things worse, not better.

4thGen Homesteader: Good point, and you’re right. It’s a real “I’m going to save the world, so you should get to know me” kinda vibe.

Gonzo: I try to approach it more from the “something COULD happen so I want to prepare for ‘something’ with an order or probability”. The number one, for me, is a hurricane.

4thGen Homesteader: Around here a hurricane is probably not going to happen.

Gonzo: Yea. So, pitch the idea of a blizzard or forest fire. I would go with forest fire. That gets people talking about a real threat.

4thGen Homesteader: Yes. Forest fires are a pain. Blizzards are just annoying.

Gonzo: Plus, if they are prepped for a forest fire, or a blizzard, they are starting to be prepared for a lot of things with food on hand, water storage possibilities, et cetera.

Gonzo: I have always liked the idea of prepping for the “Zombie Apocalypse” because if you are ready for that, then you are ready for almost anything and the absurd “what if” nature of it gets you thinking about more possibilities you need to prepare for.

4thGen Homesteader: Who knows. Perhaps someday you will be invaded by zombie ninja pirate ghosts.

Gonzo: Could be, but until that happens I am also prepared for a hurricane, or a terrorist attack, that disables the local infrastructure. So what was the main theme? The government seizing your land?

4thGen Homesteader: Just the general “government collapse and comes to get us”.

Gonzo: See, that is the problem. It’s gonna take a LONG time for the government to get around to you guys, if something like that was to happen. If you have laid the infrastructure for another group first, like a self-help group, then it’s easier to convert that group to a government-resistance cell. It is very hard to start from that point. So, if you are going to get people interested, you have to start smaller or with a lowest common denominator threat that everyone can agree on.

4thGen Homesteader: I think you’re right. I would also be nice if the self-appointed leader had more skills.

Gonzo: That’s another good point. Too often the guy calling the meeting assumes that everyone should, of course, listen to him– the guy who moved in a year ago and is stupid enough to be a vegetarian in beef country.

4thGen Homesteader: …and was a vegan until a little bit ago.

Gonzo: Not knowing XXXX XXXX that well, I would think he might be a good choice. XXXX would not be terrible, or yourself.

Gonzo: It has to be someone who knows things. What did this guy do before he moved to the side of a mountain to save you all?

4thGen Homesteader: This guy was telling about how he became that way after going to a lecture on how much resources it takes to make a pound of meat versus a pound of lettuce. He decided to be vegetarian after that.

Gonzo: But that’s not the case at all. For example. you have 40+ head of cattle. They graze your fields. If you were to get rid of that cattle would you suddenly plant those 80 acres into vegetables? Even though you were no longer growing hay?

4thGen Homesteader: No. I would not

Gonzo: Right. So that “energy” put into beef is NOT the same energy put into vegetables, and since that is the case, his argument is flawed.

4thGen Homesteader: Like you said, he’s a vegetarian in beef country. That’s kind of insulting, in a way.

Gonzo: You didn’t say what he did before he moved out there, or how old he is.

4thGen Homesteader: He’s quite old. I don’t know how old but quite. He’s been retired for some time.

4thGen Homesteader: What he did be for that, I don’t know.

4thGen Homesteader: There were snacks.

Gonzo: Were they good snacks?

4thGen Homesteader: No.

4thGen Homesteader: There were corn chips and some homemade salsa, which was okay, and the cheese way okay, but they had some sort of salmon paste and humus– whatever humus is.

Gonzo: It’s ground chickpeas.

4thGen Homesteader: What’s a chickpea?

Gonzo: Dried chickpeas are really good, as a healthy substitute to chips.

4thGen Homesteader: I like chips.

Gonzo: Well, these are just as good and make an interesting change.

4thGen Homesteader: I don’t trust anything that says pea.

Gonzo: Is it because you’re a pea brain, and it’s too much like cannibalism?

For some reason our conversation took a turn for the worse at this point and had nothing more useful to add.

The take away here is the fact that as you move to align your beliefs to your actions, it is silly to try and change the culture you have relocated to, especially when that culture is the whole reason you went there in the first place.

You are far better off integrating into the culture and picking up the local ways and means. Go to the local churches, and find a congregation to join and participate in. Look for local hiking and history clubs to join and meet like-minded people. The ideal is not to call people to you but instead to find the naturally-occurring lines of communication and follow them. In my travels in the redoubt, I have found that it is a land of non-stop social events and get-togethers.

I would stress following local customs, where you can. There is no need to compromise your beliefs, but there is also no need to put them in other people’s faces. Telling people who raise cattle and chickens that you are a vegetarian is probably not going to win you any friends, as you can see. If you speak from a position of authority present your credentials to be checked.

Lastly, and this may be key, don’t skimp on the snacks. People, like my cousin, are suckers for free food. Avoid exotic stuff; sushi is another word for bait in those parts. Establish a reason for people to drop by and visit and talk. You will be amazed by how far a bowl filled with potato chips might take you.

Letter Re: Dual Ring Village

Regarding the comments on the Dual Ring Village.

Thank you for the comments and criticisms.

Objections noted:

  • Monolithic structures susceptible to urban fires.
  • Fire breaks missing.
  • Obsolete fixed fortification.
  • Susceptible to bombardment, siege.

These may be true. However, the outstanding features and functions of a dual ring village are not constrained to that of a defensive fortification against a military force.

Engineering benefits

The curved walls are self supporting, stronger than equivalent flat walls, and thus outperform rectilinear structures of the equivalent volume and surface area. The dividing walls further strengthen the inner and outer curved walls. The enclosed spaces are more energy efficient, having only two or three exposed surfaces, out of six faces. Massive barrier walls can resist side forces that would otherwise crush contemporary construction. In addition, such thick walls would provide protection from gamma radiation.

Consider the following natural disasters that might have been abated or dismissed if the locals were dwelling within five-story, monolithic, dual ring villages, fire resistant, constructed with massive barrier walls, and watertight gateways.

  • Hurricanes, with storm surge, flying debris;
  • Tornadoes, high wind and flying debris;
  • Flooding, ice dams, rainfall, tsunamis;
  • Mudslides;
  • Blizzards, snowstorms, with high drifts;
  • Forest fires;
  • Earthquake, meteor shockwave;
  • Vermin, insects, mold, mildew, pests, pestilence; and
  • Weather extremes (hot or bitter cold).

The solitary gated and fortified DRV may not stop a modern military force, but one does not leave one’s door unlocked and windows open because a determined burglar won’t be stopped by such feeble attempts at home security.

The intrinsic security aspects of a DRV with single gateways into each ring do offer a measure of protection against opportunistic predators, as well as providing enhanced security for children playing in the central park. (The gateway to the inner park could be 180 degrees from the main ring gateway, impeding any attempt at a snatch and run.)

Furthermore, the DRV can be part of a larger community composed of multiple DRVs clustered together. In that situation, a post-SHTF gang of MZBs would not be able to lay siege or attack all the DRVs without suffering significant losses. And the loss of one DRV would not spell doom for the others.

The same point can be said for a flood. A single breach of a levee might doom a traditional community. But a cluster of DRVs would not be at risk, if engulfed in flood waters. (In fact, with a little foresight, a drop down dock may be available to permit boats to tie up.)

The concept of layered defense is not new, and there’s plenty of archaeological evidence that walled compounds within walled cities was commonplace, to reduce the risk from intruders and predators.

In summation, the DRV might not be a Cheyenne mountain of defense, but it can be a wise precaution against natural disasters as well as man made disasters.

Economics and Investing:

Best & Worst States to be a Taxpayer – SDS

o o o

Quantitative Easing has been the fuel for rising inequality and welfare for the modern Gilded Age: President Fisher from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas mentions QE’s gift to the rich.

Items from The Economatrix:

The Federal Reserve Seems Quite Serious About Tapering – So What Comes Next?

Jim Sinclair: Russia Could Cause Gold To Hit $2000 In 2014

Fleckenstein – The Fantasy Is Alive & Well But The End Is Near

Do Not Make Fun Of Those That Have Fallen Out Of The Middle Class – You Could Be Next

Odds ‘n Sods:

From the Police State: Man receives felony after speaking too long at town hall meeting – H.L.

o o o

If you are planning on travelling to Russia, you may want to bring cash: Credit Cards Frozen at Sanctioned Russian Banks – B.R.

o o o

A disease flare up in Africa has an almost 50% fatality rate: 29 dead from viral hemorrhagic fever. – G.P.

o o o

It seems to me we have been here before… Could the U.S. Face a Cruise Missile Threat from the Gulf of Mexico?

o o o

More proof that reading government websites violates your privacy, if you can tolerate reading that far into the article. (You may feel sick to your stomach before you get to the place in the article, which outlines violations of your privacy by visiting government websites, because of the other intrusions into your private life that are outlined.) Big Brother Is Watching You Eat – G.P.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:13-16 (KJV)

Notes from HJL:

Today we present another entry for Round 51 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $11,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three 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. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  5. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  6. A $300 Gift Certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  7. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  8. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  9. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  10. 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,
  11. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  12. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

Second Prize:

  1. A gift certificate worth $1,000, courtesy of Spec Ops Brand,
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training. Together, these have a retail value of $589.
  3. A FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100 foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  4. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P .),
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. A full set of all 26 books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. Two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  8. EP Lowers, makers of 80% complete fiber composite polymer lowers for the AR-15 rifles, is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  9. Autrey’s Armory – specialists in AR-15, M4s, parts, and accessories is donating a $250 gift certificate,
  10. Dri-Harvestfoods.com in Bozeman, Montana is providing a prize bundle with Beans, Buttermilk Powder, Montana Hard Red Wheat, Drink Mixes, and White Rice, valued at $333,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  12. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate.

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,
  5. A MURS Dakota Alert Base Station Kit with a retail value of $240 from JRH Enterprises,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances, and
  7. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208.
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.

Round 51 ends on March 31st, 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 Warfighter and the Auxiliary Opinions

There are many that want to be the cool guy running in the hills with a rifle, taking out targets, conducting raids, and setting up ambushes. Several think that they can sit on a hill top with their rifle and take out any targets in sight. Just about everyone wants to do something tactical.

While learning, knowing, and practicing those skills is great, it is not practical to have everyone in the prepper community running and gunning. Everyone in this community needs to know how to run their rifles, pistols, and shotguns, but it is not necessary for everyone to run into the hills. Everyone needs to have their gear laid out and ready so that they can, if necessary. However, it DOES NOT need to be your first option, nor your second, third, or even fourth. For most, it SHOULD be your last resort.

To talk about gear for this last resort would invite a discussion that would literally fill up several blogs, mostly due to opinions of what’s good/bad and even some real world usage. CPT Rawles goes into detail in Patriots about the gear his characters use– LC-1 and other ALICE gear. While many have this (from surplus and cheap resources), it is not always the ideal system. I personally prefer the ALICE ruck (with a new frame from Tactical Tailor), and everything else in MOLLE/PALS (still surplus and cheap, if you know where to look and have spray paint). If one does a little research, specifically in military circles and on mountainguerilla.wordpress.com, you will find that gear is usually layered in tiers.

Tier 1.0

This is the kit that you always carry with you. Whether it be on duty or off, at the airport, in the car, out in the woods, or someplace else. It is what’s in your pockets and on your belt. For most of us, it is currently a wallet, lighter, keys, pen, paper, medical needs, pistol, magazines, and a knife, not to mention the clothing on our backs. It includes no food or water, but by using our first tier, we can survive (if you must). In this tier you have shelter (clothes on your back) and self defense. Using some of your other equipment, you can always find a way to survive.

Tier 2.0

This is your fighting load, which can be set up in many ways. For instance, I have a battle belt as my 2.1. On my battle belt I keep three M4 magazines, three pistol magazines, two quarts of water, an individual first aid kit (IFAK), my pistol, 550 cord, a stripped MRE, some pogey bait (non military issue rations), a compass, and a way to purify water. Using my battle belt, I can fairly easily stay alive for 24 hours and potentially push it out to 72 hours, if I am careful.

Tier 2.2 is my plate carrier– currently an old IBA I have that’s been painted. The most I ever put on it is a couple of M4 magazines and some first aid equipment (tourniquets mostly). The reason for this is that this is my protection tier. It has one purpose– to help keep me from being ventilated. Some soldiers will attach all their kit to their vest. While this works out great for some, it doesn’t work out for others.

Tier 2.3 is nothing more than my battle belt taken up to a combat-effective level. This usually has everything that my belt has minus the pistol. Tier 2.3 consists of a modified fighting load carrier (FLC) with six more M4 mags, another IFAK, maps, compass, whistle, and food. The FLC is supplemented by a small backpack– a Tactical Tailor Removable Operator Pack. This bag contains enough food for at least three days of operations, a three-liter water bladder, some more ammo, water purification stuff (iodine tablets), fire starting (lighter, tinder, ferro rod), and shelter (poncho and poncho liner).

At this point I am usually about 40 pounds heavier than normal, and that is dependent on what plates I am running and how many spares of things are in my bag. Needless to say, it takes some training to get used to. Thankfully this is about the same weight as my combat load out at work, which means that I do get the kind of PT in that I need for these two tiers.

Tier 3.0

I don’t need to rehash what should go in here, because all this is supposed to be is a Bug Out Bag that has been packed for more than just three days of supplies. Mine is set up so that my little back pack actually attaches to my *rucksack to make it easier to grab and go.

Yes, there is redundancy built into this system, and, yes, there is a reason for it. At any given time, you should be able to dump any portion of your load and keep moving and fighting to your objective or disappear into the brush to fight another day.

The problem for most is the weight. My rucksack weighs about 45 pounds. That adds to create a total of 85 pounds that I have to carry, if I am going to be doing light infantry fighting in the woods, or anywhere for that matter. I am fit enough to move this load and then some for several hours, while moving at a rate of about three miles per hour in somewhat wooded terrain (over the hills, through the dale, and into the trees), so long as noise discipline isn’t an issue. For the record, I am NOT a super soldier; I just do some good PT.

Even with good PT, it still “stinks” to do so. It is not easy, and it is not for everyone, especially if you have little ones to look out for. For me, bugging out, either in a vehicle or on foot, is an absolute last resort. For me to do so, my wife and I would both have to carry what I have listed above, plus a stroller, each filled to the brim for what our boys need, like formula, diapers, and such. This is assuming that everyone has had to get out of dodge.

What is our plan then? (Hint: Look at the title.) Our plan is to be part of the auxiliary. What is “the auxiliary”, you ask? Well, in traditional Army terms, it is everyone that is not combat arms. It’s the cooks, the supply guys, the truck drivers, the ammo handlers, and the intelligence weenies (like myself). It is everyone who supports the warfighter, from the lowliest fueler all the way up to the General in charge of procurement. They are the force behind the fight.

Should we be forced to live in a time where we must get rid of an unwanted presence, then the warfighter will need help. The warfighter will need an auxiliary. The auxiliary needn’t be comprised by those who are unable to hack it in the woods. The auxiliary can be comprised of everyone, who for one reason or another, isn’t doing light fighter stuff in the woods. The warfighter will need to have food brought to them, gear repaired or replaced, and wounds patched up (as well as medical supplies furnished). They will need ammo and intel.

In order to acquire all that, the warfighter will not have many options. It will be up to the auxiliary to support them. How? One could simply be a farmer that “accidentally” loses food to some local “predators”. It could be the seamstress working on patching clothes and uniforms. It could be the Baker Street Irregulars playing around and listening in on conversations. If you want a really good look at how an auxiliary really could function, then look at the big drug operations, prohibition era gangsters, or the mob. Just substitute the bad guys with good guys. Drug peddlers become light fighters, mules become modes of transportation, and suppliers become you.

The nice thing about being part of the auxiliary is that whatever you are good at, you can contribute. Whether you are the local barkeep, who listens to everyone’s issues; the local farmer, who grows his/her own food; or even the man/woman who makes everyone of the opposite gender feel special, there is a place for you. It is the engineers, machinists, and the mechanics. It’s the baker, butcher, and candlestick maker. It’s the postman, the truck drivers, the school teachers, and shop owners. It is everyone who makes the small town and big city run. Being part of the auxiliary isn’t easy, though.

One must be able to keep OPSEC, as well as know when to stop. One must also be willing to put themselves out on a limb. One must be willing to act like the White Rose society from WWII Germany, the French Resistance, or the resistance during our American Revolution. Some must be willing to be CPT Nathan Hale, if necessary, and all must be willing to sacrifice what they have.

In many ways, being part of the auxiliary can be even more dangerous than being in the woods. Retribution from the unwanted presence can/will be swift and harsh. It may just be the person who gets caught, or it could be their family and friends as well. No matter the risk, the bottom line still remains the same. If the warfighter does not have an auxiliary, then that warfighter will more than likely have a really rough time in the woods, and the unwanted force will be even freer to operate than before.

There are many things for the auxiliary to consider, like how do we get compromised individuals “off of the X” and out of danger? Where do they go? How to we protect their/our families? How do we create double agents? All of this must be fleshed out (as much as possible) before the SHTF. Also, the auxiliary must always remember who they support and why.

If there is anything you get out of this article, I would like it to be three major things. First, and foremost, is the act of not just building your group but the act of building others. It is the act of networking and social interaction. Without those things, the warfighter will die. Without these acts, an auxiliary will never get formed. Through networking, you could (intentionally or not) set up a half a dozen different groups with each doing a specific job. The Army breaks it down like this in every Battalion: S-1 personnel, S-2 intelligence, S-3 operations and planning, S-4 supplies, and S6 communication. The funny thing is, it actually does make things run a little smoother for the warfighter. Through your networking you could set up something very similar to a Battalion. Just don’t forget who and why.

The second thing is that one must constantly be learning many skills, not just what interests them. One must learn basic infantry tactics, survival skills, and so much more. Essentially everything that has been beat to death on this forum and others like it. There is one learning point that I don’t see brought up often and that is to learn history. History of occupation, warfare, peacetime, revolutions (successful and failed), resistance movements, and anything else you can get your hands on. I love reading and learning about WWI and WWII. From those two wars you can learn everything from tactics and politics to resistance and auxiliary, and much, much more. NEVER stop learning.

The last thing I would like you to take away, is the simple fact that one is not required to be a super soldier to be effective. You don’t have to be some Special Force/Ranger/Force Recon/SEAL/PJ/TACP to be an effective part of the resistance. All one needs is the ability to act, the willingness to support a cause, loyalty to those whom you work with, and “stick-to-it-ness”. If you want “better” ways to see it, read the Soldiers Creed, and the Creed Of Non-Commissioned Officers. Internalize those values, and live by them. However much I hate that the Army does some of its promo stuff, these are two things that I love and live by.

“THIS WE’LL DEFEND!”

P.S. This article is nothing more than my opinion on this kinda thing. The following guys have made a professional living off of actually doing the exact things that I touched on in this article. I highly recommend you check them out. FAIR WARNING: Both are very plain spoken, and there is some foul language, BUT the knowledge will outweigh the language.

John Mosby’s blog at mountainguerilla.wordpress.com

and Max Velocity’s at http://maxvelocitytactical.com

Both of them offer training opportunities as well as more links to other sites with a massive fountain of knowledge.

Letter Re: Preparing for Family & Friends

HJL,

“Preparing for Family and Friends” by Thor1954 was a thought-provoking article, but I would include basic cooking directions and perhaps a recipe or two concerning the rice and beans. Do you really think that people who are unprepared for emergencies and disasters will know what to do with plain rice and beans that weren’t part of a packaged meal? – D.M.

Hugh Replies: Hunger is a great motivator. While I like my beans well cooked and spiced up, it’s really not necessary. All they need is a pan of water to make something usable, but I’m sure that small packets of spices and directions would always be appreciated. It’s not hard to do either. Just print the information out on a 3×5 card.

Letter Re: 22LR: Truth & Myth

HJL,

Although the author of this piece is a real live outdoor enthusiast, he neglected to mention the 22LR is the favorite rifle of deer poachers. Don’t take my word for it (although I too am an outdoor enthusiast). Here are just three of the hundreds of credible news stories of game warden investigations that confirm this:

http://vtdigger.org/2014/01/08/fish-wildlife-investigation-leads-double-arrest-poaching/

http://naweoa.org/joomla15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=319:4-south-carolina-poaching-cases&catid=4:us-news&Itemid=82

http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2012/01/game-warden-cases-do-you-know-these-deer-poachers-officers-need-your-help/

Sport hunting and survival hunting are different. I can sit on my porch and take a deer from twenty feet away with a 22LR. My neighbor gets more out of season than in and the 22LR, being much quieter, doesn’t hurt any. – A.C.

Economics and Investing:

From E.B.: Normally, I don’t pay much attention to NPR due to their leftest political lean, but this caught my eye. (Yes, that NPR.) – E.B.

o o o

Fed Fraud and Hostage Markets – D.B.

o o o

Items from The Economatrix:

The Run On U.S. Gold Continues…

Richard Russell – Silver Is The Greatest Buy In The World Today

Putin Could Win World War III Without Firing a Shot

Collapse and Systemic Failure at All Levels Coming to U.S.-Dmitry Orlov