Letter Re: Advice on Obtaining an FFL

Dear James,  
Thank you for all that you have done for millions of us who were once asleep and unprepared!   I had a question for you regarding obtaining a Federal Firearms License (FFL).  I am in the process of starting some home businesses as a backstop to my “office job.”  I have considered getting a FFL and Class 3 license to generate income from gun and ammo sales out of my home.  Is this advisable or does this make me too “high profile?”  I remember the movie Red Dawn!   Thanks and I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! – Mark in Florida

JWR Replies: I have some strong reservations about getting an FFL. The biggest advantage is of course that it gives you access to modern firearms at wholesale prices. But unfortunately there are several drawbacks. First and foremost, it raises your profile, both locally and with the BATFE. Secondarily, it also makes your business premises subject to government search under some circumstances. (The last time I checked, the ATF agents were more constrained in making searches if you operate a gun business out of your home.) You will also need to keep meticulous records and the records will become government property when you eventually go out of business.

My advice is to not get an FFL but instead to specialize in selling pre-1899 guns. Buying and selling these doesn’t require a license. Nor does selling ammunition (in most jurisdictions).

Four Letters Re: Paper or Plastic? — That is the Question

Sir,                

The question of how much toilet paper one must store is an important issue indeed.  One thing I feel that is often overlooked, and that some readers can personally attest to is that the method of “doing your duty” can play a role in how much paper is required.  I currently live in mainland China , and have for some time now.  The venerable “squatty potty” is much cleaner for the user and therefore easier on the supply of precious paper.  We have three children and as a whole, China does not supply paper in its restrooms, so I know how much paper we have with us and how much we need daily.  Squatting, like all skills, takes some practice.  Cement blocks on either side of our western “seat” may help also.  This, unfortunately, is worth consideration.             

I must also add that increasing dietary fiber is also important to reducing paper usage.  At least that has been my experience, not that anyone wanted to know.  – Jonboy in Hangzhou

 

The notion of needing endless cases of toilet paper in a SHTF scenario is a bit far fetched when considering the alternatives to TP that is practiced around the world.

In Asia, toilet paper is only needed sparingly as the use of a bidet sprayer is common.

I am not talking about the French separate toilet looking thing, but rather the simple sprayer that is tied into a T fitting at the water pipe that supplies water to your toilet.

The sprayers come in many colors and styles, some plastic, some fancy chrome. All however do the same thing, they spray water.

To use one, you simply lean forward and hold the sprayer behind you. Direct the spray towards your dirty parts. The force of the water will clean you 100% better than paper any day. After finished use a bit of TP to dry off. If you do it right, you will not spray water on anything but your rear. Water should not splash on your back or the floor or shoes etc.

For added cleanliness and to fight off sweat rashes in hot climates; after you clean yourself with water, apply some liquid soap to your hand and use with water to complete the job.

To clear up common misconceptions about this method, you do not touch feces with your fingers (unless you are doing it wrong with the sprayer in the first place or using the water bottle/dipper bucket method which is something else entirely)

For female use, the principle works as well. Most women in Asia wash themselves with soap and water in this manner every time they use the toilet.

Many Americans are squeamish about this method, however every American I know who has been in Asia for a decent period of time; has been converted to this method. Ask yourself this: Would I clean my dishes with wads of dry tissue paper and expect them to be clean? Of course not. So why should a part of your body that gets far dirtier be cleaned this way? You can also ask yourself, why do you wash yourself in the shower but not on the toilet?

Good hygiene is important in our day to day lives. Good hygiene in a SHTF scenario will save your life. – B.M.

 

Jim,
The letter about the challenge of storing enough toilet paper overlooked an important point: The diameter of a roll of toilet paper (and thus the volume of space it takes up) is not the most important consideration when stocking up–what matters most is how many sheets (and thus the total surface area) are available per roll. Some time ago I realized that rolls of the bulk packages of Member’s Mark toilet paper from Sam’s Club seemed to be depleted rather quickly at my house, and upon further examination, I realized that although the paper was rather thick, there were only 200 individual sheets per roll. So I made a point during my next trip to Sam’s Club to see what other brands of toilet paper were on sale. And what I found really surprised me.

At that time, a 36-roll multipack of Member’s Mark toilet paper was $14.98, or 41.6 cents per roll, while a 40-roll case of POM toilet paper was 18.88 for 40 rolls, or 47.2 cents per roll. However, the POM had 450 sheets per roll–more than twice as many as the Member’s Mark toilet paper–but the POM was not as thick (although in my opinion still very comfortable) so I got more than twice as much toilet paper surface area for approximately the same volume of storage space. If your readers find that their toilet paper supply diminishes more rapidly than they expect, they should probably see how many sheets they are getting per roll. I essentially doubled how long each roll of toilet paper lasts at my house simply by looking at how many sheets I’m actually getting and then switching brands accordingly.

On another note, I’ve seen comments on a couple different preparedness forums suggesting that to save on paper usage, people should use something akin to a bidet. But what these well-intentioned people don’t stop to think about is that in a grid-down situation, water will be a vital and possibly hard-to-come-by resource. I’ll take toilet paper any day over chronic thirst because I used my last potable water for something other than drinking.

Merry CHRISTmas and happy new year to you and Avalanche Lily, Jim. God bless, – Chad

Mr Rawles,
Thanks again for publishing SurvivalBlog. Rarely a day goes by that I do not learn something from the posts here. In response to D.D.L.’s “Paper or Plastic” letter, I admire D.D.L.’s out-of-the-box thinking with regards to hygiene, but I wonder what will be done with the wash water (hopefully not being dumped in a river or stream!)

While recently traveling in rural India & Nepal, I was forced to come to grips with the fact that people there simply have *no* toilet paper, and learned to do as the locals do. Here’s their solution:

An “Eastern Toilet”, as they call it, or “squat toilet”, consists of a hole in the ground (if indoors, often a porcelain fixture), a bucket, and a plastic mug with a handle, called a “dipper”. The bucket is kept full of water, either by carrying your own in, or by way of a faucet. When you’re done with your business, you hold the dipper in your right hand, fill it from the bucket, reach behind you, and simultaneously with your left hand reach between your legs. Pouring water from the dipper over your left hand, you splash a little upwards (like a bidet), and, continuing to pour the water out, use your left hand to clean the dirty area. The dipper and your right hand should never come in contact with anything dirty. Refill the dipper as needed until everything is clean, and use the same water to flush the toilet (if it’s an indoor toilet).

It must be pointed out that good hand washing practices with soap are to avoid spreading disease when using this method. Some stockpiled hand sanitizer might not be a bad idea, either. Incidentally, this method is also the reason why it is considered a grave insult to touch anyone or eat with your left hand in the Muslim & Hindu world.

The downside to this method is that it does not work well with a western toilet; a squat toilet is much cleaner, but much harder on the knees for people not used to them. – Adam W.

 

JWR:
After reading the article, Paper or Plastic? — That is the Question, by D.D.L., I was re-inspired to bring up this issue that I have been meaning to write about for a long time.

My wife is from the Philippines and very few people there use toilet paper. Most actually think of it as being unsanitary. Instead they prefer to use the “Tabo”, which is essentially just a small bucket that you fill up with water.

The Vu. has this description: “Called the tabo in the Philippines but known by other names in South Asia, this system is basically a jug of water, filled in a bucket or barrel or from the tap. The user raises up slightly from the toilet seat and pours water towards the small of the back where the space between the butt cheeks is. The water naturally flows down and over the skin and washes the area.  In practice, although rarely talked about, the user usually puts soap on his or her fingers and washes the butt, just like everyone does in the shower and then rinses with the tabo. Of course this means touching the unclean substance in question (poo) but the hand is using soap and water so with practice it ends up clean when all is over. In the Philippines, bathrooms are wet, meaning there is usually a floor drain and a faucet on the wall, which is used to fill the vessel. The tabo is difficult for lifelong wipers to accept, but it does remove all traces of waste and associated bacteria, so should not be criticized. Anyone with a sink within arm’s reach of the toilet, and a plastic jug or jar, can try the tabo right now, with nothing to install. In rural areas, the tabo is also used for outdoor, full body bathing.”

As I told my wife, we should stock up on toilet paper, but only for bartering purposes. We’ll wait a good 2-4 weeks before starting to barter the toilet paper because by then most people will have ran out and will become very desperate. I would suggest that all Survivalblog readers obtain a tabo and practice using it. For my wife and I, it only takes one tabo full of water but we are well experienced. Beginners should first practice with a 5 gallon pail of water so they will be able to refill their tabo.

Since I grew up on toilet paper it was quite a shock for me to experience the tabo when I was in the Philippines. After learning the tabo method, I had to agree that the affected area is much cleaner after using a tabo. I would recommend that beginners try to hold the tabo in one hand while splashing water towards their rear end while somewhat slowly letting the water drain from the tabo (no need to touch the area during this first rinsing). After doing this with the first tabo (note that by now you haven’t touched any poo), I would add a little bit of soap in the hand that did the splashing and then use a second filling of the tabo to then wash the area. You may need to use more water to rinse, but this should usually be enough to clean the area. If not then you will need to work on your technique.

The other interesting thing in the Philippines is that they use small, bowl only, one-piece toilets and I frankly like them better as well because they require less water to flush. For urine you just fill up one tabo [with water] and flush it down the toilet. For poo, you may need to use a gallon or so to get it all down. See this article for a picture.

Here is another article about Tabo technique.

So I should ask, why rely on storing years of toilet paper when you should be storing or learning how to make soap? – KJP

Economics and Investing:

Jeff Gundlach: The US Economy Is A Complete Horror [Slides] (A hat tip to Yishai for the link.)

Fresh Humiliation for Eurozone as China says it will bailout debt-ridden nations. (Thanks to Jonathan C. for the link.)

Robert Kiyosaki’s commentrary: The Eye of the Recession’s Storm

Items from The Economatrix:

Bloomberg Counters Gold’s Run With Absurd, Baseless Hit Piece  

Treasuries’ Worst Drop In 2010 Driven By Central Bank Sales  

Top Economists Debate The Crisis:  “Clinging to the Euro Will Only Prolong The Agony” 

Inflation Watch:

News from England: Cost of the Weekly Shop Set to Rocket Next Year

Reader F.B. notes: “I purchase bulk whole grain for animal feed in Kuna, Idaho. I bought Bulk dried corn in January, April & August at $12 per hundred weight, but on Dec 22 it was $13 per hundred. And I bought soft white wheat. It was formerly priced at $11 per hundred. The price at my most recent purchase in December was $1 per hundred.”

Bolivia hikes gasoline prices 73 pct; protests hit.

Big Freeze Thieves Target Heating Oil As Prices Soar And Families Wait For New Supply  

China’s Wen seeks to assure public about inflation

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader L.M.W. mentioned a great money-saving online swap site for children’s clothes and toys.

   o o o

Coded American Civil War message in bottle deciphered. (A tip of the kepi to Richard S. for the link.)

   o o o

Also from Richard S. comes a Daily Bell link: Fitzroy McLean on Freedom, International Investing and How to Improve ‘the Space Between One’s Ears.

   o o o

Den from North Carolina flagged this news item: Converting Plastic Back to Oil. But here again, the EROEI numbers tell a tale of gross inefficiency.

   o o o

More 2012 lunacy: Tin Foil House: Russian Man Builds 2012 Doomsday Capsule

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” – 1 John 5:11-13 (KJV)

Note from JWR:

Today we present another entry for Round 32 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) 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, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, B.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and C.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 32 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Paper or Plastic? — That is the Question, by D.D.L.

A couple of years ago I was watching a commercial on television that showed two young men as they stood in a check-out line at a grocery store with a 6 pack of beer, a bag of chips and a package of Toilet Paper…when the young men found that they had only enough money for two of the three items, they chose the 6 pack and the chips. When asked by checker “Paper or plastic?” the decision was unanimous, “Paper!” 

This stark reality of such a simple decision led me on a journey that would involve many years and begin my search for the answer to the question of how much is enough toilet paper (TP) and where do I store it.  I never really understood just how important TP was and the impact that it could have on our daily lives until that commercial was played out. Oh sure, like many deer hunters and fishermen or any outdoor type we all have had our moment where our lack of preparedness has caused us great concern and given us an opportunity to experience the humility of mother nature without TP and all that it encompasses.   

The necessity of Toilet paper and the amount of storage room necessary for a one to two years supply and the quest to keep it dry even in our homes is sometimes a task that has caused me great concern and some sleepless nights to say the least.  With a family of seven (some may be coming home if the SHTF) and no way to transport two years of their own TP supply plus their family and their gear, I had to find a way to simplify this dilemma.   The one thing that I have learned in the past 28 years is that the simplest ideas most always end up being the best…with that being said, I find myself writing about one of the simplest ideas that my wife has produced for our family, and has ended my search for the perfect ending to the mystery.   

Just a short piece of history first.  About five years ago when we were on a two-week camp out, when a sudden and unforeseen four days of rain descended upon our group of 18 families, who were camped in a narrow canyon with restroom facilities about ½ mile from our camp…even though we have our own toilet facilities (I have, along with a few other families who could afford such… purchased used but in good condition portable restrooms and placed them on 2 wheel trailers…one of which is a handicapped restroom with room enough for a solar heated, black bag water shower and a bathroom cabinet), we decided to use the restroom facilities provided even though we knew we would have to plan our walks for the sake of nature very carefully.  We found that in this situation of being away from these very useful luxuries (our portable outhouses) that the trek of ½ mile in wet and cold conditions early in the morning or late at night, with a roll of TP tucked under our jackets, was sometimes a daring adventure.  I lost count of the times a roll of TP was dropped onto the wet ground or in a puddle of water making it completely useless and of the nature walks that ended half way to the desired destination.  Or of the rolls of TP that were found early in the morning, standing silently alone atop the picnic table, dripping wet, after someone forgot that TP and rain don’t mix      

The use of toilet paper in very damp conditions led many of our group to wonder out loud about ways to solve this problem.  The storage of large amounts of TP seemed to be a major concern for all of our group, but keeping it dry usually came up…the room needed to store such was vast to say the least when you consider a year or two supply of this basic luxury.   I know that many folks on other blogs or survival sites are stacking phone books to use, or they are storing boxes and boxes of TP and well… to be quite honest, the phone book or a color catalog is not quite the best choice of clean wipe tissue if you have ever tried it…and as my wife discovered, the cost of baby wipes was out of the question and our tries of making our own baby wipes (with environmentally safe soap) discouraged us simply because we knew that eventually we would run out of paper towels.     We needed a solution to a problem that everyone will face someday…paper, plastic, a leaf, or well lets just say any port in the storm…whatever it came to we still had a choice, find a solution or suffer someday.  

They say that every problem is nothing more than a solution in waiting… Being born in the 1950s I remembered what many of you may not…It was called the diaper pal and was as common as toothpaste for families with babies…a closed plastic container would hold about 10-15 dirty diapers and if kept clean (which my mother and other moms demanded) would wait patiently until Saturday morning when the pal was drained into the toilet and the cotton diapers were placed in the washing machine, there to be cleaned with bleach and Tide and hung on the clothes line to be sun dried, and returned to diaper basket where once again the cycle would continue…the solution to my problem was as simple as looking to the past for an answer to the future…why not use cotton diaper material, cut into 4 x 9 in. sections, and then sown around the edges of the material with a zig-zag stitch to prevent the edges from unraveling.  My wife and some of her friends chose a Saturday afternoon, had the men load their sowing machines into the truck and cart them over to a local church where an assembly line soon formed…men setting up sewing machines, women cutting material and other women started sewing the edges, where upon we men would then package in bundles of 50 each a finished product that every man and women took special care not to lose.  The cost of this Saturday was, well lets just say that we all enjoyed the day, we have a product now that we are comfortable with and have no fear of it being destroyed by rain or muddy puddles, left outside in the morning dew or blown of a table top.  We can store 5,000 reusable sheets in a medium cardboard box. 

My cost in time and in material was around 20 cents per sheet if we figured $10 per man-hour to complete the task.  Then again this was 5 years ago, but the benefits have out weighted our investment 10 to 1.  The material was purchased at a local box store but as many of our women found out their mothers had a lot of diaper material stored in boxes in their basements and were grateful to have it put to good use.  We have found that it took a few times to get use to not depositing the wipes into the toilet facility but with practice and a few reminders the system works and in a WTSHTF scenario this idea just may save many of us the distress of using a dollar bill (which does not work at all as toilet paper) as a final solution to an everyday problem.   The results of our efforts became a very useful item that we now carry in all our backpacks,  (stored in freezer bags (but we don’t care if they get wet, they are still usable), in our bug out packs also in freezer bags, and stacked neatly in our portable toilet’s cabinets in plastic containers right next to our regular TP that we still use while we can.    I have been able to find diaper pails at yard sales and in some stores, and I have found some that would have really made my mom sit up and take notice; they have two-way entries and are very insect proof.  We have found that this cotton TP also serves as a wound dressing when two are sown together with a famine napkin in between, as a washcloth, a sweat rag, as a famine pad (also when sown together with a sponge material in between) in an emergency situation, and other ways that we are finding each and every trip into the wilderness and around our home.   As a student of outdoor survival and family preparedness for 28 years, I have found that each and every bit of information received, is another thread of the tapestry that will assist us in the days of uncertainty that lie ahead, and that will greatly add to our chances of survival in the world in which we will soon find ourselves. 

Letter Re: Iowa Becomes a Shall-Issue CCW State

Mr. Rawles,  

One of the drawbacks of Iowa as a possible retreat location has been restrictive gun laws. It will be somewhat better as of January 1, 2011 when the state becomes a  “Shall Issue” instead of a discretionary “May Issue” state for carrying concealed weapons (CCW) permits.  

I think that the rural areas of Iowa offer good possibilities for retreats. The farm land is some of the best in the world. Water and rainfall are less of a problem than they are in some of the more western plains states. The people in most of the state still have “old-time” values of hard work and helping one another out.   Because of the expense of farm acreage (on average, about $5.000 an acre), one option for those on a budget might be to live in one of the small towns. Also, one can sometimes find an older farm house with 5 or 10 acres for a reasonable price, where a larger neighboring operator has bought the farm to add to his holdings and does not want the house.

It may take a while to find the right property, because most people who have land aren’t selling.   From the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Journal, December 16: Iowa farmland value up nearly 16 percent.    Best Regards, – Andrew H.

JWR Adds: I must suffix the foregoing with one proviso: Some of the increase in land prices in Corn Belt states has been due to ethanol subsidies, which will be phased out in the lean years to come. So farmland prices in the Corn Belt may be headed for a correction.

More Legal Troubles for Mayor Bloomberg’s Gun Grabbers

I’d hate to be accused of Schadenfreude during the holidays, but I feel I must mention five recent news articles that tie in with my previous mentions of Mayor Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns civilian disarmament pressure group:

The number of mayors in Bloomberg’s group that are facing felony and lesser charges is simply astounding. Come to think of it, I have roughly the same number of friends as Bloomberg has members on the roster in his little hoplophobe club. But I couldn’t imagine having a dozen of my friends facing felony charges. Oh well, I guess that’s because I don’t move in the same lofty circles as Mayor Bloomberg.

Trouble just seems to follow these gun-grabbing mayors. There are the felonies, and more felonies, and more felonies, and more felonies.

And then there’s the scandals, more scandals, more scandals, and more scandals, and even an ongoing scandal that Bloomberg himself inherited when he took office.

With friends like these, at least Mayor Bloomberg has plenty of crime experts that he can consult for his “crime fighting” group.

Economics and Investing:

Mo sent this: Alabama Town’s Failed Pension Is a Warning

Sue C. sent this item from Yahoo Finance: 16 U.S. cities that could face bankruptcy in 2011

M.M. suggested this news item: New Interest in Turning Gas to Diesel. (But you have to wonder about the EROEI efficiency!)

Items from The Economatrix:

Unemployed Get Another Jobless Benefit–Yoga  

Americans Made Less in 2009; Minimum Wage Set to Rise in 2011  

In Tough Economy, Santas Are Also Suffering  

In Tough Economic Times, Bodyguard Business Is Booming 

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into Heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the LORD hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger” – Luke 2:15-16 (KJV)

Notes from JWR:

We wish a joyous Christmas to all SurvivalBlog readers. May the love of Christ be with you and yours!

—

Today we present another entry for Round 32 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round will include:

First Prize: A.) 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, and B.) Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees, in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources. (A $392 value.) C.) A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $275 value), D.) A 250 round case of 12 Gauge Hornady TAP FPD 2-3/4″ OO buckshot ammo, courtesy of Sunflower Ammo (a $240 value), and E.) An M17 medical kit from JRH Enterprises (a $179.95 value).

Second Prize: A.) A “grab bag” of preparedness gear and books from Jim’s Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR) with a retail value of at least $400, B.) A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials, and C.) two cases of Meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Third Prize: A.) A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21. (This filter system is a $275 value.) , and B.) Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy. This is a $185 retail value.

Round 32 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that articles that relate practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Do They Walk The Walk?, by Michael M.

I’ve been an Emergency Prepper/Survivalist for many years. I’ve participated and am a member in a number of various forums on preparedness. I go back to the old BBS days. I work with my community Emergency Management in the city I work for and county I live in. I am active on various online communities today. I’ve a close knit group of friends that are like minded and we have formed a close bond. This has taken much time, energy, discussion, introspection and prayer. This was necessary for me to learn and earn the trust and faith needed to form the friendships that a close knit group needs in order to be an effective group or team.

 Many in the preparedness community are well acquainted with the concepts of a Mag Group or the Team concept. In case you are not familiar with these term let’s do a short re-cap of these concepts.  First is a Mutual Assistance Group (MAG) or as it is sometimes referred to a Mutual Aid Group.  To put it in the simplest terms it is a group of like-minded individuals who have agreed to come together in a time of need for mutual benefit.  The range and scope of a mutual aid group can be as simple as an agreement between like-minded folks are as complex and diverse as a signed agreement of what is expected in the amount of support or services that each individual is responsible for.

There is a good article listed in the SurvivalBlog archives that goes into better details.

As an example I’ll share with you a mutual aid agreement with myself in one of my friends who lives a few hundred miles away.  We agreed should it become untenable to stay in our home retreat and it was necessary to leave for safer ground that we each were welcome at the others area of operations (AO).  We made a formal written agreement of what was expected of us to be welcomed at each other’s retreat.  This did require some pre-positioning of food and supplies with the remainder being carried with us when we arrive.  This is a simple formal Mutual Aid Agreement between trusted like-minded people.

Next we should touch on the Formal Team concept.  There have been many articles written on this subject alone.  Including but not limited to building a team, training a team, the psychology of living together as a team.  In short a formal team is a group of like-minded individuals who have come together for the purpose of mutual survival.  It’s generally in a team’s best interest to have a collection of individuals whose skills offset and complement each other and provide the necessary professions to be a viable and vibrant group.  Generally a formal agreement is made by all individuals concerning a basic ticket list (supplies, goods, firearms, fuel, etc.) that is expected to be carried by each individual should the team have to fort up.  Teams generally have a set bug out plan and location destination prearranged.  These are just a few of the factors that go into the formal team concept.

Both the MAG and the Formal Team have their own sets of pros and cons it is not this writer’s intention to try and sway anyone in either direction.

 
But beware, all things are not always as it seems when it comes to the Preparedness Community!

Through the years I’ve engaged many folks who seemed to be of a like mind. Some turned out to be too militant, others to passive or totally misguided. But the ones I wish to talk about are the Prepping Deceivers!

They are the ones who can truly Talk the Talk but unfortunately are not walking the walk. In my experience I truly don’t believe they mean harm in and of themselves. They know all the key words: Preparedness items, Survival gear, Guns and Ammo, Medicines, Food storage, Alternative energy, Security issues, the list is endless. They may be very educated or be prior military or a medical specialist just about any walk of life. They are extremely personable and usually willing to lend a hand at a moment’s notice. They may train or be trainers within a group. Most of these types of people seem to truly live the life of deeds not words.

I’ve found that an alarming number of them just are not Walking the Walk in their own personal lives, just Talking the Talk. You can already see the harm that can be found in such folks. Your OPSEC discipline is broken and the possibility of any material help for themselves will never be forth coming and may even become a burden or possible a hazard for you or others.

Before you enter into a MAG or Team arrangement with another be sure of not only their good intentions, but their good preparedness as well. This involves a mutual inspection of each other’s preps and supplies. Of course I’m assuming you already decided you could live with the individuals in a close high stress situation on a daily basis and their skills will be helpful to mutual survival. – Mike M.