Folks, this paper was sent to me by Dr. Enigma, by way of the drop box at NITMIL, Inc. (NITMIL is an acronym for "Necessity Is The Mother of Invention Laboratories"). NITMIL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Alabama Bootleg Industries, Inc., which deals in books, industrial solvents of a potable nature and importing without reference to inconvenient borders. The fact that this holding company has the same initials as the Alabama Bureau of Investigation is strictly coincidental, as far as you know. It is only slightly dated, and you certainly wouldn't be amiss if you started to implement these suggestions yesterday.
Mike
III
Black Jack’s 10 Week Plan to Prepare for the Worst Case Scenario.
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You may think, “WORST case?? Why plan? There’s nothing I can do.” Well, for one thing, that’s just not true! Many folks just like you don’t agree with that mind set. There’s a lot you can do! And, if this plan helps get you thinking of what you can do instead of what you can’t do, we all might just benefit from your action! In fact, if enough folks begin to think about what they can do, we just might avert the “worst case”! So, while you’re reading this, keep that thought in mind, ok?
This plan is divided into two parts: The items required and the timetable to do it in. Remember, prudent people see danger coming and prepare while the foolish do nothing and suffer for it. To put us all on an equal footing for the case presented, let’s get ready to plan by using the following scenario as a back drop:
As we all know, there are 10 Weeks between Presidential Election & Inauguration. Let’s just say a “progressive” candidate (both major party candidates fit this political definition) is elected and the results are vetted without Supreme Court challenge. Surprisingly, between election and inauguration, the President-Elect begins making statements of regarding the “unrecoverable status” of the American economy and the existence of “too much freedom” and the responsibility and importance of adopting “world-approved” laws and customs. Of course, there’s the usual blather by several members of Congress, but the general consensus is, “our hands are tied – the People have spoken”. Then nothing in the press until Inauguration Day +3, when the new President issues a Presidential Directive (PDD) put into force by an Executive Order that orders the surrender of all semi-automatic weapons and ammunition to prepare for the unilateral integration of the United States of America into the North American Region of the United Nations, to be referred to in the future as the “North American Union”. The new President has his first press conference and declares a national “State of Emergency” and invokes powers abdicated earlier by Congress with various acts signed into law by previous presidents of both parties. He disbands both houses of Congress and nullifying the checks and balances of the judicial branch. All media organizations are nationalized; all television, telephone, cell phone, cable providers are nationalized. All internet hubs are shut down with only those persons “cleared and licensed” to have access authorized to use it. All local, county, and State police forces are federalized and ordered to perform house to house sweeps for weapons, anti-government leaning periodicals, books and magazines, and to arrest anyone, no matter their age, who questions their authority. Anyone refusing to cooperate is to be given one warning, and then they are to be shot. To augment the relatively small number of formerly civilian police, the President has requested and been granted the aid of a UN “Peacekeeping Force” comprised of units from the People’s Republic of China, Mexico, Iran, Russia, France, and Zimbabwe. Troops and equipment will begin to arrive within 24 hours of the news conference. The nation is under “Martial Law” and has freedom is now in a life and death struggle with tyranny. What you choose to do personally will have a definite impact on your children’s, your children’s children, and your children’s children’s children future in these United States!
So, how do you get ready for something like that? Not possible you say? Think for a moment: The Law of Unintended Consequences usually provides extreme results beyond those anticipated or planned in any situation it becomes involved with. So, that being said, let’s examine this, even if only from an academic perspective.
First, is the scenario plausible? Many seem to think so, but what’s relevant is what you think. So, before you go any further, you need to make a determination: Is this a bunch of paranoid “tin foil hat” crap or maybe, just maybe, is there something to this and you, gentle reader, need to do something positive to take care of your family and friends. If you had the time (which you don’t, believe me), you could do your own investigation from objective sources, file Freedom of Information Act Requests (FOIA) and find that it is, in fact, not only plausible, but the stage is being set for just such an eventuality.
If you decide the scenario isn’t plausible, just toss this out. Delete. File 13. Trash. Round file. I hope you enjoy your life and are prosperous. However, if you decide the scenario is plausible, you have much to think about, much to do, and much to gain in the way of putting yourself, your family and your friends in a better position.
Think about it. I’ll wait. You’re still here?
Ok, let’s get started.
Before anything else you have to understand that you have very limited time in the way of making purchases, so you need to read this, comprehend it, and take decisive action! No putting this off until after the “holidays” (you and your family’s Christmas presents should be what you need to survive what’s coming!). Everything mentioned herein will get more expensive by the day, then, as time grows shorter, by the hour. The old rule of, “you snooze, you lose” will take on major significance to you personally in this case, because what you lose might just be your life, or at the minimum, what’s left of your tattered freedom!
So, what’s the first thing you buy? You can argue all you want, but the simple answer is to take stock of what you have on hand right now, because that will be your determining factor. If you have a rifle (even a .22) but you don’t have something that will either provide or help you get things you must have to live, you don’t necessarily need a weapon first. Like what? How about a water purifier of some sort? How about non-perishable food items?
How about hygiene items? The list can go on, but the point is not to presume that a bigger, better weapon is the first thing. It may very well be the first thing you want, but you must make yourself think in terms of needs based upon what is instead of what may be or is not. For the point of discussion, though, we’ll assume you don’t have a rifle and start there.
Rifle: All things being equal and you have reasonable vision and average muscle control and dexterity, if you can only have one weapon, make it a rifle. A rifle has more power, more ability to stop and put down any target at ranges in excess of a pistol/revolver or shotgun’s maximum effective range. A quick example of “knock down” power: A 300 Winchester Magnum with a 200 grain bullet that hits its target at 1,000 yards (to illustrate how far this is, you would have to take 36 inch steps every second for 16 and a half minutes to walk 1,000 yards) with more energy than a .44 Magnum does as “point blank” range. Get the picture? Something or someone hit with a rifle goes down and usually does not get back up. Period. So, what rifle? Simplicity is the key here, especially as you may have only shot a rifle a few times in your life or others who will use the rifle fall into that category. So, you need a rifle that’s easy to learn to operate, doesn’t require a lot of maintenance, is fairly accurate, and won’t take all the money you have available to purchase. Here’s an example that fits those requirements:
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This is the German K98 Mauser, chambered in 8mm.
The K98 or M48 Mauser (later model) is rugged, can take down anything in North America, ammunition is cheap, and it’s maintenance requirements are extremely simple! Cost: Around $300 for “Service Grade” for the rifle and about $250 for a 900 round case of Yugoslavian ammunition. So, for about $550 or so, you have the weapon category taken care of. The really nice thing about older rifles like this is that if all else fails, they are superb clubs and will put down whomever they are hit with. If you have a bit more disposable income, or you are a hunter and don’t need extensive training or are ex-military and want a more prolific weapon that you may have had some familiarization with (although not at powerful – military veterans still complain of hitting an enemy 3 to 4 times before they go down just to get back up again), you may want to consider the ubiquitous AR-15 carbine family or its descendants.
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Bushmaster M4 Clone - .223 Caliber w/ 16 inch barrel
These will cost you anywhere from $750 to $1200, depending on the source, and ammunition will run from $250 to $350 per 1000 rounds.
Then you have to add in at least five 30 round magazines, so that will be another $50 at the bare minimum, again, depending on your source. So, at the low end, you’re talking about $1,050; at the high end, $1,600 or so. It’s your call. Remember this: The more complex the weapon, the more intricate its cleaning and maintenance requirements are and the more training required to effectively operate it.
A quick disclaimer: All costs have been taken from July 2008 advertisements, well before the upcoming National election and likely price increases if the more liberal of the candidates are elected, Supreme Court decisions not withstanding.
To be sure, there are many other fine weapons you could go with, but the two examples cited above give you an idea of the spectrum you can operate in when you are getting your “kit” together. The 1,000 round examples with each rifle are considered to be a minimum of what one would need to stay viable in a scenario such as described above for an extended period. Something else you need to know: You are your own supply chain. You cannot count on having someone to provide extra, so everything you have needs to be able to fill more than one function.
Ammunition: Just like with the weapon category, there are many, many types of ammunition you could elect to purchase. The examples above were military surplus “full metal jacket” or FMJ examples. FMJ is a good, all around general purpose bullet. It doesn’t expand like hunting rounds, but it rarely fails to chamber and can reliably kill any animal or adversary you need it to take down. If you’re not an experienced shooter, don’t waste your time and money trying to get several types of ammunition for different purposes; get the FMJ and use the money you have left to get other items you’ll need. As previously mentioned, the standard “rule of thumb” is that for each rifle you depend on, 1,000 rounds should be held in reserve to ensure you have a reasonable supply if ever needed. Remember, without ammunition, a rifle is basically an interesting paper weight.
Food: All food consider for this sort of emergency planning must be non-perishable and easily transportable. Not necessarily very light (though that helps), but transportable, meaning compactable, easily packed, able to be put in other containers, water/moisture proof, etc. Power bars, granola, tuna kits (especially the foil packet), peanut butter, honey, dried soups, etc. Light is good. Heavy is not so good. You might be in a position that you have to transport on foot the things you need in order to stay out of the net cast by the nefarious elements in the scenario at the beginning of this paper. For example, if you have the choice between canned soups that are ‘ready to eat’ and ‘condensed’ soups you add water for preparation, the condensed soups should get the nod, because you get relatively the same volume of soup for about a third of the weight. Taking that a step further, if you have dried soup mixes that are vacuum sealed and water tight, you should choose those because they’re about 5 to 10% of the weight of the condensed variety, and you can pack quite a bit more. Get the picture?
You could also choose the ubiquitous “MRE” of military fame or the freeze dried foods mountain climbers use. You could choose to take your entire stock of canned foods in your vehicle (just make sure you use these first incase you have to abandon your vehicle and you don’t have a pack horse handy!). What is essential is that you have a minimum of 1300 calories a day per person in your party for a minimum of 14 days. If you were using full MRE packs, which would mean each person would have to be able to carry 14 MRE’s. That’s quite a bit. Don’t despair, however. Creativity counts here. Through experimentation, I’ve found that 4 MRE tubes of peanut butter and one MRE pack of “trail mix” (peanuts, raisins, and ‘chocolate discs’ (military jargon for M&M’s) equals 1350 calories. Add in a 400 calorie “energy bar” and you have just under 2000 calories for one day. This little recipe also has almost the perfect mix of fat, protein, and carbohydrates required for optimum nutrition. The bottom line here is that you know what you and yours can and can’t eat (due to allergies). So you have to make the decision. The bottom line is that you need food for a couple of weeks (this is just travel food) and for at least 6 months (absolute bare minimum) in your pantry at home against the possibilities of interruption of the supply chain. Remember, our scenario here is national martial law reinforced by UN ‘peacekeepers’. The supply chain is mostly driven by over-the-road trucks, and a shut down of the interstate system would be just about required for this scenario to work.
When it comes to food in your pantry, or ‘larder’ as I call it, make sure you have things like cooking oil, flour, dried beans, yeast, and sea salt in addition to the various canned and comfort goods. One way to increase the size of your larder so it’s not noticed by anyone, including store employees wondering why you have 5 shopping carts full of canned goods, would be to added 4 to 6 cans of whatever each shopping trip. And, as you go through your items at home, cycle through them, using the oldest first and replacing those with ‘new’ items with much later expiration dates.
Lastly, water has to be added to the food category, as many meals, especially those with dried ingredients, require the addition of water for pre-cooking preparation or rehydration (in the case of some beans, soup mixes, or other dehydrated offerings).
In “normal” circumstances, people use several gallons a day for hydration, hygiene, and cooking purposes. In a scenario such as the one we are planning for, this is one of those things that must change immediately! Chances are that water could/would be cut-off as a measure of control or as a result of utility workers not being allowed or able to reach their workplaces. The bottom line is that to depend upon a municipal water system in our scenario is just asking for trouble! To mitigate that possibility, two water sources must be developed. The first, for in the home, is stored water. Storing water isn’t difficult or very expensive at all. All you need to do is go to your local discount house and get two 6 gallon water containers for camping (you know, the one’s with the spigots?) per person. They’re about $7 each. The cost for the ubiquitous American family of four would be under $30. Once at home, take ¼ cup of unscented chlorine bleach and ¾ cup of water, mix it, and rinse out each container. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so, then rinse again with clean water and let it dry. Now fill it to the brim and add 8 drops of the same unscented bleach per gallon (48 drops from an eyedropper for a 6 gallon container) and fill it up with water to the brim! Try not to leave any air bubbles. Put the lid on it snugly, and keep it in the basement out of the way. Just as it is, this water can be used for a year or more with no ill effects for anyone who drinks it. If in doubt, you can always add 8 more drops of bleach per gallon after the year, year and a half or so has gone by and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before you consume it. As long as no algae or moss grows around it, you’re golden. A smart move is to rotate the water out once a year (if things don’t go South before then!). Take the old water and use it for whatever you want. I personally water my wife’s flowers and the vegetable garden.
In reserve, if things get really bad, you always have your hot water heater to drain as well as your pipes. Once you lose water pressure, get some containers down to the lowest spigot you have in your home (usually your basement). Then, turn on the cold water and fill up your containers until the water runs out. Don’t turn on the hot water! Not yet, anyway. Wait until you know for sure the supply of cold water is not coming back anytime soon. In the mean time, get a section of hose with the female end; 8 feet is more than enough. Attach it to the bottom of your hot water heater. You now have a way to drain your hot water heater into a container as you need it. Most homes have 30 to 50 gallon water heaters, which are a superb reserve that will extend your range of comfort, nutrition (cooking water), hydration, and hygiene for quite awhile, relatively speaking. Apartment and condo dwellers, unless they have individual water heaters, only have the option of getting to the lowest spigot in the facility and getting extra water that way.
What about if you move out? You need something to ensure any water you forage is safe to drink. First, forget the hype about camping “water filters”. Filters are ok, but they are not guaranteed to purify your water at all. So you need something a bit better. This option is the best option currently available today, but it is relatively expensive – almost as expensive as your rifle. But look at it this way: This system guarantees at least 1000 gallons of purified water from any source. The risk of cooking, drinking, and washing with contaminated water is virtually nullified!
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The “Life Saver Bottle”
This water purification system with a spare filter, will provide up to 2105 gallons of safe drinking water from any source! That’s right – any source. It was developed for the military and is not yet widely sold or known.
The basic model costs $249 and one replacement filter costs $149, so we’re talking $400. If you have an extra hundred bucks, get the 6000 model for $299 with a replacement filter for $199. It will give you over 3,150 gallons of water for $500 – about 16 cents a gallon in today’s dollar value. Not too shabby! Here’s the link: http://www.htistore.com/lifesaverbottle4000yellow.aspx .
One of the superb benefits of this system is that you don’t need to carry water on your person if you move away from your home. Sure, you might want a quart or two on you for convenience, but all you need to have is this system and when you find water, fill it up and start drinking. If weight became an issue, and you had one of these, you’d not have a problem any longer.
On the low end, and for emergencies, you can get something for about $25 called, “The Survival Straw”. I’ve used it in relatively clear pond and stream/lake water with no ill effects whatsoever. It’s good for about 5,000 gallons, but does not guarantee what the Life Saver Bottle does. Buy one for each member of your family if you can as a back up, or, if you can’t afford anything else, it’s better than most of the filters on the market.
Caution: Don’t fall prey to the idea that “doing it on the cheap” will be just as good as spending everything you can afford to spend. Cheap is as cheap does! You get what you pay for! You skimp, you lose! This would be the time, if you didn’t have the cash, to use your credit card or savings. This is THE rainy day you’ve been saving for! Get the very best you can afford! Get the picture?
Medications: Everyone needs to know that they should always have on hand at least a three month supply of required medications for any emergency! To do otherwise is risking certain death, especially in the scenario we’re operating under. Whatever it takes to get your med supply up to par, do. If you have refills, get them as quickly as possible and keep the spares in a “go kit” that you cycle through, just like your larder. Aside from those meds, put a large bottle of aspirin or Tylenol (one or the other), a large bottle of multi-vitamins, a super-sized box/package of mild laxative, a super-sized package of Amodium AD, 3 large tubes of Neosporin Plus (this has pain reliever), a small bottle of Oil of Cloves (dental pain reliever), 100 yards (do the math) of unwaxed dental floss, 1 pound of sea salt & 1 pound of baking soda (best tooth paste when mixed 1 to 1 and can be used to augment food supplies), a large box of assorted band aids, and 2 large bottles of hydrogen peroxide. Why peroxide? It is a superb disinfectant and can be used to treat most foot related problems (athlete’s foot, etc), periodontal disease (rinsing daily for five minutes – don’t swallow, though!), disinfecting small & large cuts or abrasions, etc. You can also include some larger gauze pads, and for serious wounds, have about six super absorbency kotex type pads (the old fashioned kind) and six super-absorbency tampons. The pads are for lacerations; the tampons are for punctures. The idea being that if you need to staunch a large flow of blood, these will help. They’re cheap, too. Now, you also need to spend a bit more money and get some ‘quick clot’ sponges (about ¼ ounce size will do nicely). You can get packages of 5 for about $40. Save these for those really bad cuts/punctures. Remember, we’re talking life and death here. Lastly, as it will save you some emergency, if you’re still of child bearing age and you will have intimate relations with someone who could get pregnant or make you pregnant, a good supply of condoms or a cervical cup. You don’t want a pregnant woman trying to deliver a baby in a bad situation!
Transportation: If you stay in place any longer than 24 hours once a national “state of emergency” has been declared, you’re most likely going to be stuck there unless you have an alternate mode of transportation other than your car, truck, SUV or mini-van. But let’s say you decide if this scenario happens, you’re jumping in whatever you have and hitting the open road. Great! First, though, don’t count on too many gas stations being open, or if they are, expect very, very high prices. A good “rule of thumb” is to quadruple the prices you see today and expect to pay that amount, in cash, per gallon! With prices hovering within range of $4 a gallon today, figure $16 a gallon and for a 20 gallon tank, you need to have $320 on you to fill your tank once! If the gas station takes plastic, all the better! The bottom line is that you need to expect that gas will be very expensive and not on every street corner. You can mitigate your fuel needs by doing a couple things: First, never, and I mean never, allow your tank to get below half full! This gives you a 200 mile buffer (most vehicles get 400 miles on an average tank of gas) so that if you couldn’t refuel at all, you can at least get to a more survivable area. Keeping your tank half full also decreases the amount of cash you need just for fuel by 50% from $320 to $160. The rest of your cash can be used for barter or purchasing necessities you find along the way (like more ammo or food). Second, consider the purchase of at least three 5 gallon gas cans (make sure the nozzle fits an unleaded gas coupling in modern vehicles), fill them up, and treat them with ‘Sta-bil’ gas stabilizer. This will make sure the gas stays “fresh” for quite some time. Then, if nothing bad happens, cycle the gas through your lawn mower or other small engine that always seem to be out!
Some folks have opted for the All-American ATV or “Four Wheeler” that can take one to two passengers and all your gear. A major advantage to these little transports is that they do not need roads. They can also ford many of Michigan’s streams and rivers of 3 feet or less in depth). The problem with these machines, while fun as well as useful in certain applications, is that they are terrible on gas mileage, and you can hear them coming for a long, long way unless the owners have spent the money necessary on buying certain after-market mufflers that reduce their signature to almost that of a car. Additionally, you have to have cash for refueling and plan to carry one five gallon fuel can on the machine as well to give you twice the range.
Lastly, map out a route that doesn’t take major roads out of your area. Secondary and surface streets are the way to go. After you map it, drive it. Find out what areas are good, what are bad, and make route adjustments so you’ll have the most trouble free route out of your location to your “hidey hole”.
So, what happens if you can’t get out in your vehicle or you run out of gas? That ever present old stand-by, ‘shanks mare’, comes into play. You’ll have to walk and pack your goods. This eventuality means that you’ll need to be fit enough to walk for some miles with about 40 pounds on your back! Impossible you say?? Nope. Not at all. Start your fitness upgrade today. After you read this, go out and walk around the block. Do one sit up. Do one push up. There. Not so hard. Tomorrow do the same thing and the day after, walk a little further and do two sit ups and two push ups. Repeat until you’re doing a couple sets of sit ups and push ups with 25 repetitions and walking 3 miles fast! This goal can easily be accomplished in 10 weeks! Most likely, if you’re “average”, you can do it in 5 weeks, and then have the bonus of getting in even better shape by Inauguration day! Walking in the cold, by the way, is good for you!
If you have to go on foot, you need to make sure you have very good boots or shoes (do not skimp on your footwear!), maps, and a compass (and know how to use it). There are “how to” sites all over the internet on this subject – a five minute search will bring up a nice variety. I do not recommend a GPS because it can be used to fix your position by an aggressor and the satellites all GPS units use will, in our little scenario, have an error margin of up to 100 yards programmed into them. You’ll also need batteries (lots of them and the weight adds up and the supply is finite!). You see, an aggressive government like the fictional one in our scenario will not want you to have the same accuracy in navigating as it does. The best compass in my experience is the USGI compass, now made by Cammenga. It’s about $80 on average, but it’s worth every penny!
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USGI Compass Basic Nomenclature
If you can only afford one, fine. Just take care of it. If you have a chance to get two, do it! There’s an only rule you need to try to follow: “Two is one and one is none”. Sure, redundancy is repetitive (pun intended), but it’s better to have a spare and not need it than need a spare really bad and not have it.
Something else you can do is to use the map below as a guide. It’s not a road map. It’s the Rand McNally rail road map of Michigan. All those tracks are still out there. Some have been made into “rails to trails” venues, but the track beds are still there and can be used for our purposes. You can parallel these routes while staying off main roads and out of sight and still get to where you’re going. Your object in the next ten weeks is to choose a primary and an alternate route and go for a ride or two to get a mental picture of the area you might have to traverse on foot. While you’re at it, choose some spots you could ‘hole up’ for a night or two that wouldn’t be readily noticed or attractive to others. Make sure they’re concealed and far enough away from the major commercial route (tracks or highways) so that your noise can’t be heard your movement won’t be picked up by casual observance. Mark them down on your map with just a ‘tick’ mark or two. These spots could be your temporary shelter in storms or when you needed to stay still and rest.
Shelter & Field Gear: You’re going to need some things here. A tent or two (the USMC Combat tent) is about the best for the money and will hold up to 3 people (very cramped) and their gear. They cost anywhere from $100 to $200, depending on the source, but when it’s cold or raining and you need to warm up, they are well worth the money. Additionally, they have a fly that does not let any light out, so at night, you could use a small flashlight to take care of anything you needed. (Sure, you can get a USGI surplus “pup tent” for about $20, but it’s a lot heavier, needs insulation, and will make you wish you spent the extra money when you had the chance.)
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USMC Combat Tent
It has two openings, a small vestibule for gear storage, and will take winds up to 55 mph. Not too shabby for a small tent. It’s rated as a “3 season” tent, but I’ve used mine in the dead of winter in temperatures of 25 below, and it’s worked just fine! The fly also has a tan side as well as the OD side. Something for you to think about: Sometimes, in winter, the tan side helps hide your tent better than the OD green side. The tan blends with all the browns of winter. Whatever shelter you get, remember its purpose: Keep the wind and rain from causing you to get hypothermia. Tents don’t keep you warm, insulation does. And, in that light, the best insulation you can get is to make sure you get a “30 below” sleeping bag for each person that will keep you warm in the winter and in summer, you can lay on top of it. You can spend as much as you want on a sleeping bag or sleeping bag system. Just remember “Caveat Emptor” – Buyer Beware! You get what you pay for! A good, well-priced bag is from Cabela’s. It’s their “3D” bag and costs as little as $90. You may also want to get a USGI poncho liner and poncho for hot summer days or cool fall evenings. This will cost about $45 for a set.
Well, let’s pause and see how much we’ve committed financially here:
At the most, getting all high-end gear, you’ve committed about $3,300 and at the least, about $1,400 on the low end for a weapon, ammo, water purification and storage, fuel costs, food, shelter, and a very small amount of field gear.
Between $140 and $330 a week for 10 weeks to spend on making sure you survive and thrive. People spend more than that on junk food, cable and beer these days. Learning to take care of yourself and your loved ones is not expensive or difficult – all it takes is discipline. Only you can provide that.
Speaking of “surviving and thriving”, there’s one written source you need to have to read for the 10 week period. It’s called, “Six Ways in and Twelve Ways Out” It’s a compilation of US Ranger knowledge on how to make it in all sorts of scenarios. You can get it for $13.50 from www.ravenswoodenterprises.com post paid. Best book you can get on the subject!
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Buy it. Read it. Apply it. You’ll be glad you did. Other field gear you’re going to need is a good knife. A plain old USMC KaBar with a 7 inch blade is about the best you can get for the money. Sure, you can get a good Cold Steel knife or something else that you spend lots of money on, but the problem is if they’re more expensive than the KaBar and don’t have that many advantages over the KaBar for the price, why spend the money, especially with only 10 weeks to prepare? Remember to stick to the basics! KaBar knives can be had all over the internet from between $40 to $50. It will not let you down. Remember this about a large bladed knife: It can do everything a smaller knife can do reasonably well, but a smaller knife can’t do a lot of the things a larger blade can do. Like when you need to hack branches when building shelters, or need to butcher a deer, prepare a meal, etc. The other edged weapon/tool you’re going to want and need is a tomahawk. It’s a great tool to make your life more bearable and a formidable weapon, both physically and psychologically. You’ll want your hawk to have a hardened hammer and blade which is superb for making cooking tools, stakes, etc. The one I recommend is the Cold Steel “Trail Hawk” which you can get for less that $30 if you look. It’s light, strong, and takes an edge very well.
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Cold Steel Trail Hawk
Other very important field gear and equipment are: Toilet paper (2 rolls per person minimum), a “spork” (spoon/fork hybrid) made out of aluminum (against breakage), a “utility pot” (can be a canteen cup), 4 tooth brushes per person with the handle cut in half (weight/space reduction), parachute cord (at least 200 feet), a fire starting device (BIC type lighter as well as sparking device and the knowledge on how to use it) .
You will also want to consider a FRS/GMRS type walkie-talkie, spare batteries, flash lights (small LED are best), spare batteries and some spare batteries. Get the point? You’re going to need some batteries.
For carrying this gear on your person, you’ll probably want a Load Bearing Vest or harness. You can pick these up cheap at GI Surplus in Wayne, Michigan, or on the internet. If you buy it at GI Surplus, the kind folks there will help you set it up and fit it to you. Just ask them.
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USGI Surplus Load Bearing Vest
As for clothing, make sure it’s not bright and at least doesn’t clash with your surroundings. If you’re going to be moving through or staying in urban areas, you don’t want the latest camouflage pattern; if you’re moving through or staying in a rural area, you definitely want some surplus GI camouflage uniforms (with all insignia removed). You can find these very cheaply at garage sales, on the internet, and so forth.
Make sure you have weather appropriate clothing as well: Cold weather boots, socks, underwear, etc. Frostbite can kill you.
These are most of the items you’d most likely need to survive a scenario from an equipment perspective. But what about the “people” angle? Contrary to what some think, no man is an island and you can’t do it all by yourself.
You need support – a team member, someone to watch your back. Oh sure, some folks have large families and can delegate those tasks, but many, many others, just have themselves or a spouse/significant other. And, usually, that spouse/significant other is not trained nor has the discipline to handle the more arduous, but very mundane tasks required.
So, what do you do then? You get yourself a “buddy”. You can do that in the 10 week time period handily. Start checking out your friends. See which ones seem to be alarmed with what’s going on as you are. Then, find a time to speak with them alone and “test the waters”. If they agree and want to do something, give them a copy of this and get to work.
While getting your equipment and supplies together, draft and develop your plan. Will you:
Stay put? Doing so in a large urban area most likely means you will be searched, possibly relocated, and should you resist, be in danger from the occupying force.
Run for the “hills”? Ok, that’s plausible, but you need to really pay attention to where you might go, because here in Michigan, a couple million other people may be doing the same thing! By necessity, your rule will be “no contact whatever” with others that you see along your way because you will have no way of knowing who, if anyone, is with them or has them under observation.
Pack up and move to Grandma’s? Also feasible, provided Grandma has a place that will support the group you’re moving. Think of hygiene requirements, sustenance, and life support (can you or your little group do something to earn silver?)
Give yourself up? Many will be tempted and eventually succumb, but those who do will be even more miserable than those who stay the course. Remember Thomas Paine, “…these are the times that try men’s souls….but he that stands it deserves the love of both men and women….”
Once you have your buddy and you begin to build trust between you and learn each other’s (both individually and group) likes, dislikes, habits and so forth, you can still find another “buddy team” to partner with. That gives you a group from 8 to 24 or so, depending on family size. The logistical requirements are more complex, but if each handles his own family/team, it’s not so overwhelming.
The next issue is leadership. It just won’t work as a committee. All your members will have input, sure, but someone has to make the hard decisions. This may be the most complex issue you need to solve: who will you or your little band trust to make those hard decisions, and will the group follow that person? It’s not about popularity, either. It’s about ability and reason. The best case scenario for you would be to have someone in your group who’s an experienced leader either in business or prior military (not just being in, but being in and being a leader!) That provides you a foundation of discipline for your chosen leader. The leader has to be secure enough to listen to others, humble enough to know others may have a better answer, selfless enough to put the group before his own desires, and tough enough to make the decisions that won’t be popular sometimes. Admittedly, a tall order, but it has to be done. Your leadership discussions may cause one or two to fall out of the group. That’s going to happen. If it does, let them leave with their self-respect. Don’t hurt their pride or “throw them out”. That’d be the worst thing you could do! Remember, we’re talking about a whole new paradigm here: Martial Law. If someone leaves and goes away with their pride intact and holds no hard feelings, they won’t be so likely to turn you in to the “new” authorities. They just might, however, if they have a chip on their shoulder or want to “pay you back” for some slight, real or imagined. Be conscious of this group dynamic!
Networking follows: If the net is still up, find others close by or in the area you are moving to (if you can) that feel as you do, at least on the face of it. Start a dialog and listen carefully! They should exhibit about the same anxiousness you have in networking. If they’re too open and promise the moon for nothing in return or if they’re so closed they accuse you of being in the “enemy” camp, you don’t want anything to do with them. Look elsewhere. Common sense and values are key here.
Finally, develop your “line in the sand”. This is that one thing that will cause you to execute your plan. An example would be the actual deployment of foreign or UN troops anywhere in the United States. That action is an obvious declaration that the compact of the Unanimous Declaration and the Constitution of the United States has been discarded.
So, as I said earlier, this is a “quick and dirty” discussion on how to plan and what to do in the 10 weeks between the election and inauguration of the new President. How it comes out, we’ll all know soon enough, I guess.
Timeline wise, here’s an outline that may help:
Week 1: Inventory, evaluate and prioritize equipment needs; evaluate available funds; begin fitness program.
Week 2: Incorporate weapon familiarity training into schedule; gather fiscal resources and begin purchases.
Week 3: Look for “buddy”; evaluate friends on like-minded concerns; begin to educate your family/spouse/significant other.
Week 4: Help “buddy” start preparations; continue equipment gathering.
Week 5: Determine “GOOD” location (if any), map route, and do initial route familiarization trip. Modify route as actual conditions warrant.
Week 6: Determine “line in the sand”; if you can, zero your rifle. If not, practice with dry fire.
Week 7: Look for like-minded people in GOOD location and at home. Network.
Week 8: Pack newly gathered equipment into GOOD kits and locate near transport.
Week 9: Continue preparations; family/network education & planning.
Week 10: Dress rehearsal; clean weapons, check equipment, food, etc. Hope the new President complies with his Oath of Office.
Lastly, remember, you’re adapting a new way of life here. Not some sort of paranoiac, delusional “everyone’s out to get me” mindset, but one of careful evaluation of what is and what can occur, and a solemn determination to keep freedom alive. Because this is just the beginning-once all the people in the country doing this get their “sea legs”, the long journey undertaken to reclaim our freedoms and reign in a government removed from the Constitution has just begun.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Shoot, Move and Communicate by Yenta of Sipsey Street
Folks,
This came in a few days ago after I asked for suggestions on commo. It is from Yenta, who lives farther east on Sipsey Street.
I have heard criticisms of ham that it requires licensing, it's too expensive, etc. My thought is that for those who can do it, it's a darn good way to train in commo procedures and more importantly to learn the basics of the trade.
Feel free to post any questions or suggestions and Yenta will answer them. Right? Of course,right!
Mike III
Shoot, Move, and COMMUNICATE!
We hear a lot about shooting here. We have our personal transportation needs under control. Let’s consider how we are going to talk to one another.
You have to determine your Area of Operations and span of control. Is it one city block? Is it five acres in the country? Do you need to talk from Orange, TX to Orange County, CA? How do we do this after TSHTF and landline telephones or the internet are down and out for the duration. Did I mention cell phones? Don’t bet your life on it.
Let’s look at three viable options. They all have a place in tactical/practical communications.
OPTION 1
For neighborhood patrolling, you could use FRS handheld radios. You know the kind you get from WalMart for $69 a pair? 14 channels and a range of up to 1 mile under good conditions. Better than trying to shout 300 yards while hiding.
OPTION 2
How about within your community? You could use a CB. $50 plus $20 for an antenna. This combo will work base or mobile from a 12 volt battery. Acceptable under many circumstances, but not very secure.
Looks like we’ve pretty well limited ourselves to about as far as you could walk in one day and that leaves a lot to be desired.
OPTION 3
After Hurricane Katrina, the communications infrastructure on the Gulf Coast was wiped out. Not crippled but GONE. Amateur radio (ham radio) came to the immediate rescue with operators bringing their equipment to the affected region. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) came up with a great marketing slogan to promote amateur radio. The ARRL is the ham radio equivalent to GOA and NRA put together. Interestingly, Hiram Percy Maxim, the founder of ARRL, is the same Maxim Silencer/MG inventor. The saying is “Amateur Radio-when all else fails.” This slogan came about in the post-Katrina times after being proven under fire.
Amateur Radio, or Ham Radio as it is commonly known, is a structured and licensed radio service that provides for the Public Interest, Convenience or Necessity of emergency communications. Within the last 15 years, licensing became easier and more convenient. Morse Code is no longer a requirement for a ham license.
There are approximately 600,000 licensed amateur operators in the US today. They range from elementary school students to astronauts. They include just about every occupation imaginable. The license is the common thread among ham operators.
Why get a ham license? It is illegal to transmit on the assigned frequencies without one! Down the road, it may become illegal to even possess a transmitter without a license. One of the observations in James Wesley, Rawles book Patriots, Surviving the Coming Collapse, was a regret by the group that they had not considered amateur radio as a method for communicating with the outside world. While easy to obtain now, that would probably change in the unsettled future. Kind of like waiting until November 5, 2008 to go shopping for that new AR or AK.
The information on licensing is available at www.arrl.org . Sample tests are available online at www.qrz.com . The tests are compiled from the official question pools and replicate actual tests. When you take a test from a Volunteer Examiner, you will see some of the same questions that you saw on the practice exams. The question pools are public knowledge and available for learning purposes. No, the test will not be open book!
EQUIPMENT
How much does it cost? An adequate amateur radio station can be set up for $500-1000 or less. A lot depends on frugal shopping and a modest building ability. You can make an antenna for $15 or pay $150 for the same thing in a nice plastic bag with a Xeroxed manual.
You can spend much more if you want to, but it isn’t necessary. Generally, the cost of equipment goes up proportionally with the desired range of communication. There are amateur operators who have $200,000+ invested in their stations. Most though, are in the $500-1000 range mentioned above. You may have heard about deed restrictions and Home Owner Association restrictions. An effective hidden antenna can be installed in almost any situation.
CAPABILITIES
There are some basic considerations for communication. How far do you want to talk?
Immediate---1/4 mile to 5 miles.
Local---5 miles to 50 miles
Regional---50-500 miles
National---Coast to Coast---2000 miles
International---talk to other hams in more than 300 countries---15,000 miles
I present this brief overview in response to some recent mentions of amateur radio on the various blogs.
We all hope that the preparedness efforts discussed on the internet are for a hypothetical future situation. The nice and practical aspect of amateur radio is the ability to use it 24/7 regardless of the weather and one’s physical condition. If nothing else, you just opened up a great new hobby where you can meet people literally from all walks of life.
73, Yenta
This came in a few days ago after I asked for suggestions on commo. It is from Yenta, who lives farther east on Sipsey Street.
I have heard criticisms of ham that it requires licensing, it's too expensive, etc. My thought is that for those who can do it, it's a darn good way to train in commo procedures and more importantly to learn the basics of the trade.
Feel free to post any questions or suggestions and Yenta will answer them. Right? Of course,right!
Mike III
Shoot, Move, and COMMUNICATE!
We hear a lot about shooting here. We have our personal transportation needs under control. Let’s consider how we are going to talk to one another.
You have to determine your Area of Operations and span of control. Is it one city block? Is it five acres in the country? Do you need to talk from Orange, TX to Orange County, CA? How do we do this after TSHTF and landline telephones or the internet are down and out for the duration. Did I mention cell phones? Don’t bet your life on it.
Let’s look at three viable options. They all have a place in tactical/practical communications.
OPTION 1
For neighborhood patrolling, you could use FRS handheld radios. You know the kind you get from WalMart for $69 a pair? 14 channels and a range of up to 1 mile under good conditions. Better than trying to shout 300 yards while hiding.
OPTION 2
How about within your community? You could use a CB. $50 plus $20 for an antenna. This combo will work base or mobile from a 12 volt battery. Acceptable under many circumstances, but not very secure.
Looks like we’ve pretty well limited ourselves to about as far as you could walk in one day and that leaves a lot to be desired.
OPTION 3
After Hurricane Katrina, the communications infrastructure on the Gulf Coast was wiped out. Not crippled but GONE. Amateur radio (ham radio) came to the immediate rescue with operators bringing their equipment to the affected region. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) came up with a great marketing slogan to promote amateur radio. The ARRL is the ham radio equivalent to GOA and NRA put together. Interestingly, Hiram Percy Maxim, the founder of ARRL, is the same Maxim Silencer/MG inventor. The saying is “Amateur Radio-when all else fails.” This slogan came about in the post-Katrina times after being proven under fire.
Amateur Radio, or Ham Radio as it is commonly known, is a structured and licensed radio service that provides for the Public Interest, Convenience or Necessity of emergency communications. Within the last 15 years, licensing became easier and more convenient. Morse Code is no longer a requirement for a ham license.
There are approximately 600,000 licensed amateur operators in the US today. They range from elementary school students to astronauts. They include just about every occupation imaginable. The license is the common thread among ham operators.
Why get a ham license? It is illegal to transmit on the assigned frequencies without one! Down the road, it may become illegal to even possess a transmitter without a license. One of the observations in James Wesley, Rawles book Patriots, Surviving the Coming Collapse, was a regret by the group that they had not considered amateur radio as a method for communicating with the outside world. While easy to obtain now, that would probably change in the unsettled future. Kind of like waiting until November 5, 2008 to go shopping for that new AR or AK.
The information on licensing is available at www.arrl.org . Sample tests are available online at www.qrz.com . The tests are compiled from the official question pools and replicate actual tests. When you take a test from a Volunteer Examiner, you will see some of the same questions that you saw on the practice exams. The question pools are public knowledge and available for learning purposes. No, the test will not be open book!
EQUIPMENT
How much does it cost? An adequate amateur radio station can be set up for $500-1000 or less. A lot depends on frugal shopping and a modest building ability. You can make an antenna for $15 or pay $150 for the same thing in a nice plastic bag with a Xeroxed manual.
You can spend much more if you want to, but it isn’t necessary. Generally, the cost of equipment goes up proportionally with the desired range of communication. There are amateur operators who have $200,000+ invested in their stations. Most though, are in the $500-1000 range mentioned above. You may have heard about deed restrictions and Home Owner Association restrictions. An effective hidden antenna can be installed in almost any situation.
CAPABILITIES
There are some basic considerations for communication. How far do you want to talk?
Immediate---1/4 mile to 5 miles.
Local---5 miles to 50 miles
Regional---50-500 miles
National---Coast to Coast---2000 miles
International---talk to other hams in more than 300 countries---15,000 miles
I present this brief overview in response to some recent mentions of amateur radio on the various blogs.
We all hope that the preparedness efforts discussed on the internet are for a hypothetical future situation. The nice and practical aspect of amateur radio is the ability to use it 24/7 regardless of the weather and one’s physical condition. If nothing else, you just opened up a great new hobby where you can meet people literally from all walks of life.
73, Yenta
"The Strategic Corporal: Leadership in the Three Block War"
Folks,
The constitutional militia units who organized themselves in the mid-Nineties did so usually along the only paradigm they knew, attrition warfare. This is one reason they became rank-heavy and somewhat silly. I present the article below as a description of the maneuver warfare paradigm, the only one that makes sense for the armed citizenry in the 21st Century. There will be more discussion in the future at SSI, but this and some of the earlier pieces such as this that I have posted or circulated by email are a good start.
Mike
III
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmc/strategic_corporal.htm
"The Strategic Corporal: Leadership in the Three Block War"
Marines Magazine, January 1999
by Gen. Charles C. Krulak
Operation Absolute Agility
0611: The African sun had just risen above the hills surrounding the sprawling city and sent its already dazzling rays streaming into the dusty alleyway. Corporal Hernandez felt the sun on his face and knew that today would, again, be sweltering. He was a squad leader in 2d Platoon, Lima Company and had, along with his men, spent a sleepless night on the perimeter. For the past week his platoon had provided security to the International Relief Organization (IRO) workers who manned one of three food distribution points in the American Sector of Tugala -- the war-torn capital of Orange -- a Central African nation wracked by civil unrest and famine.
The situation in Orange had transfixed the world for nearly two years. Bloody tribal fighting had led first to the utter collapse of the government and economy, and ultimately, to widespread famine. International efforts to quell the violence and support the teetering government had failed, and the country had plunged into chaos. The United States had finally been compelled to intervene. A forward deployed Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) was ordered to assist the efforts of the ineffective Regional Multi-National Force (RMNF) and the host of international humanitarian assistance organizations that struggled to alleviate the suffering. The MEU's arrival had stabilized the situation and allowed the precious relief supplies to finally reach the people who needed them most.
The Food Distribution Point (FDP) manned by 2d Platoon serviced over 5,000 people daily. The Marines had, at first, been shocked at the extent of the suffering, by the constant stream of malnourished men and women, and by the distended bellies and drawn faces of the children. The flow of food and medical supplies had, however, had a dramatic impact. The grim daily death tolls had slowly begun to decrease and the city had begun to recover some sense of normalcy. Within a month the lives of the Marines had assumed a sort of dull routine. Corporal Hernandez removed his helmet and rested his head against the mud wall of the house in which his squad was billeted and waited for his MRE to finish heating; satisfied that he and his fellow Marines were making a difference.
0633: The dust and rumble of a half dozen 5-Tons pulling into the market square caught the attention of Corporal Hernandez. Escorted by Marines, the convoy brought with it the food and medical supplies that meant life or death to the inhabitants of this devastated neighborhood. With it also came word of life beyond the confines of this small corner of Orange and useful intelligence concerning the disposition of the opposing factions that wrestled for its control. Today, the convoy commander had disturbing news for the platoon commander, Second Lieutenant Franklin. Members of the OWETA faction, led by the renegade warlord Nedeed, had been observed congregating near the river that divided the capital in half and marked the boundary separating the turf of OWETA from that of its principal rival. Nedeed had long criticized the presence of the RMNF and had frequently targeted its personnel for attack. While he had strenuously denounced the presence of U.S. forces, he had, so far, refrained from targeting American personnel. As starvation became less a concern, however, tensions had begun to rise and there was growing fear that open hostilities would breakout again and that attack of RMNF and MEU personnel was increasingly likely.
Lieutenant Franklin passed the report to his company commander and then gathered his squad leaders together to review the developing situation. 1st Squad was ordered to move about four hundred meters north and man a roadblock at Checkpoint (CP) Charlie. Corporal Hernandez returned to his position, reluctantly disposed of his uneaten MRE, and prepared his Marines to move out. The movement to the road intersection at CP Charlie was uneventful and took less than ten minutes. The squad had manned the post before and was familiar with the routine. Pre-staged barricades were quickly moved into place to secure the street to vehicular traffic and a triple strand of concertina was strung in order to control pedestrian movement. Corporal Sley and his fire team moved a hundred meters north and established an Observation Post (OP) on the roof of a two-story building that afforded excellent fields of view. By 0700, the squad was in position. At that hour, the city was still quiet, and except for the intel report concerning OWETA activity, there was no evidence that this day would be any different from the previous. The Marines of 1st Squad settled in for another long hot day of tedious duty.
0903: By nine o'clock, the normal large crowd, mostly women and children with baskets in hand, had gathered to await passage through the checkpoint. The Marines orders were clear: they were to deny access to anyone carrying a weapon and to be alert for any indications of potential trouble. Their Rules of Engagement (ROE) were unambiguous: anyone observed with an automatic weapon was considered hostile, as was anyone who intentionally threatened Marine personnel. The MEU Commander had made this policy clear in meetings with each of the warlords in the early days of the deployment. His directness had paid dividends and to date, no MEU personnel had been wounded by small arms fire. The factions had kept a low profile in the American sector and had not interfered with those convoys accompanied by Marines. Such was not the case, however, in adjacent sectors, where RMNF personnel had frequently been the target of ambush and sniper fire. The Marines had stayed on their toes.
0915: Corporal Sley reported from his position on the rooftop that the crowd was especially large and included an unusually high proportion of young adult males. He sensed an ominous change in the atmosphere. Less than a mile away, he could see the vehicles of Nedeed's gang gathered at the far side of the bridge spanning the river that separated the OWETA and Mubasa factions. He passed his suspicions on to his squad leader, "Something big is about to happen." The day promised to be a break from the routine.
0921: Corporal Hernandez promptly relayed Sley's report and concerns to his platoon commander and learned from Lieutenant Franklin that Nedeed's chief rival -- Mubasa -- was moving west toward CP Charlie. Mubasa's intentions seemed clear; his route would bring him directly to CP Charlie and an ultimate collision with Nedeed. 1st Squad's position astride the two MSR's placed them squarely between the rival clans. Lieutenant Franklin directed Hernandez to extend the road block to cover the road entering the intersection from the West and indicated that he and Sergeant Baker's 2d Squad were en route to reinforce. Corporal Hernandez could feel the tension grow. The crowd had become more agitated, aware that Mubasa's men were near and concerned that the vital food distribution might be disrupted. The young men had begun to chant anti-U.S. slogans and to throw rocks at the startled Marines. Corporal Hernandez felt the situation slipping out of control and decided to close the road completely. With great difficulty, the barriers were shifted and the concertina was drawn back across the narrow access point. The crowd erupted in protest and pressed forward.
0931: Overhead, the whirring blades of a low flying IRO UH-1 were heard, but failed to distract the crowd. Their curses and chants, however, were drowned out for an instant by the sound and shock wave of an explosion. The helo had apparently been hit by ground fire, possibly an RPG, and had burst into flames and corkscrewed to the ground several blocks east of the OP. Corporal Sley had observed the crash from his vantage atop the building and saw, to his relief, that at least two survivors had struggled from the flaming wreckage. His relief, however, was short-lived. In the distance, he could see Nedeed's men rushing across the bridge. Sley urgently requested permission to immediately move to the assistance of the downed helo crew.
0935: While Corporal Hernandez considered the feasibility of a rescue attempt, the situation took another serious turn; three vehicles loaded with Mubasa's men and followed closely by a INN film crew arrived on the scene. Brandishing automatic weapons and RPG's, they forced their vehicles through the crowd until the bumper of the lead truck rested against the barricade. With their arrival, the already agitated crowd abandoned all restraint. The occasional rock had now become a constant pelting of well-aimed missiles. One had hit Lance Corporal Johnson in the face. The resulting wound, although not serious, bled profusely and added to the rising alarm. Somehow the sight of the bright red blood streaming down the face of the young Marine fed the crowd's excitement and heightened the panic growing within the squad. What had started out as another routine day of humanitarian assistance was rapidly becoming something else entirely. A Molotov Cocktail crashed into the position injuring no one, but contributed further to the confusion. The Marines of 1st Squad looked from man to man and then stared questioningly at Corporal Hernandez. He reassuringly returned the gaze of each man, knowing better than any of them that the fate of the squad, of the wounded IRO personnel, and perhaps, of the entire multi-national mission, hung in the balance. In the span of less than three hours he had watched a humanitarian assistance mission turn terribly wrong and move ever closer to outright disaster. Corporal Hernandez was face to face with the grave challenges of the three block war and his actions, in the next few minutes, would determine the outcome of the mission and have potentially strategic implications.
The Three Block War
The fictional mission described above -- Operation Absolute Agility -- is similar to many that have been conducted around the world in recent years and represents the likely battlefield of the 21st Century. It also represents, in graphic detail, the enormous responsibilities and pressures which will be placed on our young Marine leaders. The rapid diffusion of technology, the growth of a multitude of transnational factors, and the consequences of increasing globalization and economic interdependence, have coalesced to create national security challenges remarkable for their complexity. By 2020, eighty-five percent of the world's inhabitants will be crowded into coastal cities -- cities generally lacking the infrastructure required to support their burgeoning populations. Under these conditions, long simmering ethnic, nationalist, and economic tensions will explode and increase the potential of crises requiring U.S. intervention. Compounding the challenges posed by this growing global instability will be the emergence of an increasingly complex and lethal battlefield. The widespread availability of sophisticated weapons and equipment will "level the playing field" and negate our traditional technological superiority. The lines separating the levels of war, and distinguishing combatant from "non-combatant," will blur, and adversaries, confounded by our "conventional" superiority, will resort to asymmetrical means to redress the imbalance. Further complicating the situation will be the ubiquitous media whose presence will mean that all future conflicts will be acted out before an international audience.
Modern crisis responses are exceedingly complex endeavors. In Bosnia, Haiti, and Somalia the unique challenges of military operations other-than-war (MOOTW) were combined with the disparate challenges of mid-intensity conflict. The Corps has described such amorphous conflicts as -- the three block war -- contingencies in which Marines may be confronted by the entire spectrum of tactical challenges in the span of a few hours and within the space of three contiguous city blocks. The tragic experience of U.S. forces in Somalia during Operation Restore Hope illustrates well the volatile nature of these contemporary operations. Author Mark Bowden's superb account of "The Battle of Mogadishu," Blackhawk Down, is a riveting, cautionary tale and grim reminder of the unpredictability of so-called operations other-than-war. It is essential reading for all Marines.
The inescapable lesson of Somalia and of other recent operations, whether humanitarian assistance, peace-keeping, or traditional warfighting, is that their outcome may hinge on decisions made by small unit leaders, and by actions taken at the lowest level. The Corps is, by design, a relatively young force. Success or failure will rest, increasingly, with the rifleman and with his ability to make the right decision at the right time at the point of contact. As with Corporal Hernandez at CP Charlie, today's Marines will often operate far "from the flagpole" without the direct supervision of senior leadership. And, like Corporal Hernandez, they will be asked to deal with a bewildering array of challenges and threats. In order to succeed under such demanding conditions they will require unwavering maturity, judgment, and strength of character. Most importantly, these missions will require them to confidently make well-reasoned and independent decisions under extreme stress -- decisions that will likely be subject to the harsh scrutiny of both the media and the court of public opinion. In many cases, the individual Marine will be the most conspicuous symbol of American foreign policy and will potentially influence not only the immediate tactical situation, but the operational and strategic levels as well. His actions, therefore, will directly impact the outcome of the larger operation; and he will become, as the title of this article suggests -- the Strategic Corporal.
The Strategic Corporal
Regrettably, the end of the Cold War heralded not the hoped for era of peace, but rather, a troubling age characterized by global disorder, pervasive crisis, and the constant threat of chaos. Since 1990, the Marine Corps has responded to crises at a rate equal to three times that of the Cold War -- on average, once every five weeks. On any given day, up to 29,000 Marines are forward deployed around the world. In far-flung places like Kenya, Indonesia, and Albania, they have stood face-to-face with the perplexing and hostile challenges of the chaotic post Cold War world for which the "rules" have not yet been written. The three block war is not simply a fanciful metaphor for future conflicts -- it is a reality. Like Corporal Hernandez, today's Marines have already encountered its great challenges and they have been asked to exercise an exceptional degree of maturity, restraint, and judgment.
Marines, of course, have always shone most brightly when the stakes were highest. The NCO's that led the bloody assaults on the German machine-gun positions at Belleau Wood intuitively understood the importance of their role. The Marines of 2d Battalion, 28th Marines, who scaled the fireswept heights of Mount Suribachi needed no one to emphasize the necessity of initiative. The Marines of the Chosin Reservoir, of Hue City, and of countless other battles through the years did not wait to be reminded of their individual responsibilities. They behaved as Marines always have, and as we expect today's Marines and those of the future to behave -- with courage, with aggressiveness, and with resolve. The future battlefields on which Marines fight will be increasingly hostile, lethal, and chaotic. Our success will hinge, as it always has, on the leadership of our junior Marines. We must ensure that they are prepared to lead.
How do we prepare Marines for the complex, high-stakes, asymmetrical battlefield of the three block war? How do we develop junior leaders prepared to deal decisively with the sort of real world challenges confronting Corporal Hernandez? The first step of the process is unchanged. Bold, capable, and intelligent men and women of character are drawn to the Corps, and are recast in the crucible of recruit training, where time honored methods instill deep within them the Corps' enduring ethos. Honor, courage, and commitment become more than mere words. Those precious virtues, in fact, become the defining aspect of each Marine. This emphasis on character remains the bedrock upon which everything else is built. The active sustainment of character in every Marine is a fundamental institutional competency -- and for good reason. As often as not, the really tough issues confronting Marines will be moral quandaries, and they must have the wherewithal to handle them appropriately. While a visceral appreciation for our core values is essential, it alone will not ensure an individual's success in battle or in the myriad potential contingencies short of combat. Much, much more is required to fully prepare a Marine for the rigor of tomorrow's battlefield.
An institutional commitment to lifelong professional development is the second step on the road to building the Strategic Corporal. The realignment of the Recruit Training and Marine Combat Training programs of instruction reveal our reinvigorated focus on individual training. Those programs remain the most important steps in the methodical process of developing capable Marines. Our Formal Schools, unit training and education programs, and individual efforts at professional education build on the solid foundation laid at recruit training and sustain the growth of technical and tactical proficiency and mental and physical toughness. The common thread uniting all training activities is an emphasis on the growth of integrity, courage, initiative, decisiveness, mental agility, and personal accountabilty. These qualities and attributes are fundamental and must be aggressively cultivated within all Marines from the first day of their enlistment to the last.
Leadership, of course, remains the hard currency of the Corps, and its development and sustainment is the third and final step in the creation of the Strategic Corporal. For two hundred and twenty-three years, on battlefields strewn across the globe, Marines have set the highest standard of combat leadership. We are inspired by their example and confident that today's Marines and those of tomorrow will rise to the same great heights. The clear lesson of our past is that success in combat, and in the barracks for that matter, rests with our most junior leaders. Over the years, however, a perception has grown that the authority of our NCO's has been eroded. Some believe that we have slowly stripped from them the latitude, the discretion, and the authority necessary to do their job. That perception must be stamped out. The remaining vestiges of the "zero defects mentality" must be exchanged for an environment in which all Marines are afforded the "freedom to fail" and with it, the opportunity to succeed. Micro-management must become a thing of the past and supervision -- that double-edged sword -- must be complemented by proactive mentoring. Most importantly, we must aggressively empower our NCO's, hold them strictly accountable for their actions, and allow the leadership potential within each of them to flourish. This philosophy, reflected in a recent Navy Times interview as "Power Down," is central to our efforts to sustain the transformation that begins with the first meeting with a Marine recruiter. Every opportunity must be seized to contribute to the growth of character and leadership within every Marine. We must remember that simple fact, and also remember that leaders are judged, ultimately, by the quality of the leadership reflected in their subordinates. We must also remember that the Strategic Corporal will be, above all else ... a leader of Marines.
Conclusion
And what of Corporal Hernandez? While his predicament is certainly challenging, it is not implausible. What did he do? First, he quickly reviewed what he knew. He was certain that Lieutenant Franklin and 2d Squad would arrive within a matter of minutes. He knew that the crash site was located within the adjacent RMNF unit's sector and that it manned checkpoints astride Nedeed's route to the downed helo. He knew that any exchange of gunfire with Mubasa's gunmen would likely lead to civilian casualties and jeopardize the success of the humanitarian mission. Second, he considered what he did not know. He was uncertain of either Nedeed's or Mubasa's intentions, or of the feasibility of a rescue attempt. Based on these considerations and myriad other tangible and intangible factors, he completed a rapid assessment of the situation -- and acted. Corporal Sley was directed to maintain his position atop the building and continue to monitor Nedeed's progress and the status of the casualties. Hernandez then switched frequencies and contacted the Marine liaison with the adjacent RMNF unit and learned that they had already dispatched medical personnel to the helo crash site, but were unaware of Nedeed's movement and would now because of Hernandez's warning reinforce the appropriate checkpoints. By the time that transmission was completed, Lieutenant Franklin had arrived with the additional squad. With them came a neighborhood leader who had previously acted as an interpreter and mediator. Mubasa's men, apparently uncomfortable with the shift in odds, began to slowly withdraw. The mediator, a recognizable and respected figure in the community, was handed a bullhorn and addressed the crowd. Within minutes the situation was diffused: Mubasa's men had departed, the crowd was calmed, and RMNF personnel had reached the crash site. For a few tense minutes though, the fate of both 1st Squad and the overall mission had hung in the balance and on the actions of a young Marine leader. As would be expected, our Strategic Corporal -- firmly grounded in our ethos, thoroughly schooled and trained, outfitted with the finest equipment obtainable, infinitely agile, and above all else, a leader in the tradition of the Marines of old ... made the right decision.
The constitutional militia units who organized themselves in the mid-Nineties did so usually along the only paradigm they knew, attrition warfare. This is one reason they became rank-heavy and somewhat silly. I present the article below as a description of the maneuver warfare paradigm, the only one that makes sense for the armed citizenry in the 21st Century. There will be more discussion in the future at SSI, but this and some of the earlier pieces such as this that I have posted or circulated by email are a good start.
Mike
III
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usmc/strategic_corporal.htm
"The Strategic Corporal: Leadership in the Three Block War"
Marines Magazine, January 1999
by Gen. Charles C. Krulak
Operation Absolute Agility
0611: The African sun had just risen above the hills surrounding the sprawling city and sent its already dazzling rays streaming into the dusty alleyway. Corporal Hernandez felt the sun on his face and knew that today would, again, be sweltering. He was a squad leader in 2d Platoon, Lima Company and had, along with his men, spent a sleepless night on the perimeter. For the past week his platoon had provided security to the International Relief Organization (IRO) workers who manned one of three food distribution points in the American Sector of Tugala -- the war-torn capital of Orange -- a Central African nation wracked by civil unrest and famine.
The situation in Orange had transfixed the world for nearly two years. Bloody tribal fighting had led first to the utter collapse of the government and economy, and ultimately, to widespread famine. International efforts to quell the violence and support the teetering government had failed, and the country had plunged into chaos. The United States had finally been compelled to intervene. A forward deployed Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) was ordered to assist the efforts of the ineffective Regional Multi-National Force (RMNF) and the host of international humanitarian assistance organizations that struggled to alleviate the suffering. The MEU's arrival had stabilized the situation and allowed the precious relief supplies to finally reach the people who needed them most.
The Food Distribution Point (FDP) manned by 2d Platoon serviced over 5,000 people daily. The Marines had, at first, been shocked at the extent of the suffering, by the constant stream of malnourished men and women, and by the distended bellies and drawn faces of the children. The flow of food and medical supplies had, however, had a dramatic impact. The grim daily death tolls had slowly begun to decrease and the city had begun to recover some sense of normalcy. Within a month the lives of the Marines had assumed a sort of dull routine. Corporal Hernandez removed his helmet and rested his head against the mud wall of the house in which his squad was billeted and waited for his MRE to finish heating; satisfied that he and his fellow Marines were making a difference.
0633: The dust and rumble of a half dozen 5-Tons pulling into the market square caught the attention of Corporal Hernandez. Escorted by Marines, the convoy brought with it the food and medical supplies that meant life or death to the inhabitants of this devastated neighborhood. With it also came word of life beyond the confines of this small corner of Orange and useful intelligence concerning the disposition of the opposing factions that wrestled for its control. Today, the convoy commander had disturbing news for the platoon commander, Second Lieutenant Franklin. Members of the OWETA faction, led by the renegade warlord Nedeed, had been observed congregating near the river that divided the capital in half and marked the boundary separating the turf of OWETA from that of its principal rival. Nedeed had long criticized the presence of the RMNF and had frequently targeted its personnel for attack. While he had strenuously denounced the presence of U.S. forces, he had, so far, refrained from targeting American personnel. As starvation became less a concern, however, tensions had begun to rise and there was growing fear that open hostilities would breakout again and that attack of RMNF and MEU personnel was increasingly likely.
Lieutenant Franklin passed the report to his company commander and then gathered his squad leaders together to review the developing situation. 1st Squad was ordered to move about four hundred meters north and man a roadblock at Checkpoint (CP) Charlie. Corporal Hernandez returned to his position, reluctantly disposed of his uneaten MRE, and prepared his Marines to move out. The movement to the road intersection at CP Charlie was uneventful and took less than ten minutes. The squad had manned the post before and was familiar with the routine. Pre-staged barricades were quickly moved into place to secure the street to vehicular traffic and a triple strand of concertina was strung in order to control pedestrian movement. Corporal Sley and his fire team moved a hundred meters north and established an Observation Post (OP) on the roof of a two-story building that afforded excellent fields of view. By 0700, the squad was in position. At that hour, the city was still quiet, and except for the intel report concerning OWETA activity, there was no evidence that this day would be any different from the previous. The Marines of 1st Squad settled in for another long hot day of tedious duty.
0903: By nine o'clock, the normal large crowd, mostly women and children with baskets in hand, had gathered to await passage through the checkpoint. The Marines orders were clear: they were to deny access to anyone carrying a weapon and to be alert for any indications of potential trouble. Their Rules of Engagement (ROE) were unambiguous: anyone observed with an automatic weapon was considered hostile, as was anyone who intentionally threatened Marine personnel. The MEU Commander had made this policy clear in meetings with each of the warlords in the early days of the deployment. His directness had paid dividends and to date, no MEU personnel had been wounded by small arms fire. The factions had kept a low profile in the American sector and had not interfered with those convoys accompanied by Marines. Such was not the case, however, in adjacent sectors, where RMNF personnel had frequently been the target of ambush and sniper fire. The Marines had stayed on their toes.
0915: Corporal Sley reported from his position on the rooftop that the crowd was especially large and included an unusually high proportion of young adult males. He sensed an ominous change in the atmosphere. Less than a mile away, he could see the vehicles of Nedeed's gang gathered at the far side of the bridge spanning the river that separated the OWETA and Mubasa factions. He passed his suspicions on to his squad leader, "Something big is about to happen." The day promised to be a break from the routine.
0921: Corporal Hernandez promptly relayed Sley's report and concerns to his platoon commander and learned from Lieutenant Franklin that Nedeed's chief rival -- Mubasa -- was moving west toward CP Charlie. Mubasa's intentions seemed clear; his route would bring him directly to CP Charlie and an ultimate collision with Nedeed. 1st Squad's position astride the two MSR's placed them squarely between the rival clans. Lieutenant Franklin directed Hernandez to extend the road block to cover the road entering the intersection from the West and indicated that he and Sergeant Baker's 2d Squad were en route to reinforce. Corporal Hernandez could feel the tension grow. The crowd had become more agitated, aware that Mubasa's men were near and concerned that the vital food distribution might be disrupted. The young men had begun to chant anti-U.S. slogans and to throw rocks at the startled Marines. Corporal Hernandez felt the situation slipping out of control and decided to close the road completely. With great difficulty, the barriers were shifted and the concertina was drawn back across the narrow access point. The crowd erupted in protest and pressed forward.
0931: Overhead, the whirring blades of a low flying IRO UH-1 were heard, but failed to distract the crowd. Their curses and chants, however, were drowned out for an instant by the sound and shock wave of an explosion. The helo had apparently been hit by ground fire, possibly an RPG, and had burst into flames and corkscrewed to the ground several blocks east of the OP. Corporal Sley had observed the crash from his vantage atop the building and saw, to his relief, that at least two survivors had struggled from the flaming wreckage. His relief, however, was short-lived. In the distance, he could see Nedeed's men rushing across the bridge. Sley urgently requested permission to immediately move to the assistance of the downed helo crew.
0935: While Corporal Hernandez considered the feasibility of a rescue attempt, the situation took another serious turn; three vehicles loaded with Mubasa's men and followed closely by a INN film crew arrived on the scene. Brandishing automatic weapons and RPG's, they forced their vehicles through the crowd until the bumper of the lead truck rested against the barricade. With their arrival, the already agitated crowd abandoned all restraint. The occasional rock had now become a constant pelting of well-aimed missiles. One had hit Lance Corporal Johnson in the face. The resulting wound, although not serious, bled profusely and added to the rising alarm. Somehow the sight of the bright red blood streaming down the face of the young Marine fed the crowd's excitement and heightened the panic growing within the squad. What had started out as another routine day of humanitarian assistance was rapidly becoming something else entirely. A Molotov Cocktail crashed into the position injuring no one, but contributed further to the confusion. The Marines of 1st Squad looked from man to man and then stared questioningly at Corporal Hernandez. He reassuringly returned the gaze of each man, knowing better than any of them that the fate of the squad, of the wounded IRO personnel, and perhaps, of the entire multi-national mission, hung in the balance. In the span of less than three hours he had watched a humanitarian assistance mission turn terribly wrong and move ever closer to outright disaster. Corporal Hernandez was face to face with the grave challenges of the three block war and his actions, in the next few minutes, would determine the outcome of the mission and have potentially strategic implications.
The Three Block War
The fictional mission described above -- Operation Absolute Agility -- is similar to many that have been conducted around the world in recent years and represents the likely battlefield of the 21st Century. It also represents, in graphic detail, the enormous responsibilities and pressures which will be placed on our young Marine leaders. The rapid diffusion of technology, the growth of a multitude of transnational factors, and the consequences of increasing globalization and economic interdependence, have coalesced to create national security challenges remarkable for their complexity. By 2020, eighty-five percent of the world's inhabitants will be crowded into coastal cities -- cities generally lacking the infrastructure required to support their burgeoning populations. Under these conditions, long simmering ethnic, nationalist, and economic tensions will explode and increase the potential of crises requiring U.S. intervention. Compounding the challenges posed by this growing global instability will be the emergence of an increasingly complex and lethal battlefield. The widespread availability of sophisticated weapons and equipment will "level the playing field" and negate our traditional technological superiority. The lines separating the levels of war, and distinguishing combatant from "non-combatant," will blur, and adversaries, confounded by our "conventional" superiority, will resort to asymmetrical means to redress the imbalance. Further complicating the situation will be the ubiquitous media whose presence will mean that all future conflicts will be acted out before an international audience.
Modern crisis responses are exceedingly complex endeavors. In Bosnia, Haiti, and Somalia the unique challenges of military operations other-than-war (MOOTW) were combined with the disparate challenges of mid-intensity conflict. The Corps has described such amorphous conflicts as -- the three block war -- contingencies in which Marines may be confronted by the entire spectrum of tactical challenges in the span of a few hours and within the space of three contiguous city blocks. The tragic experience of U.S. forces in Somalia during Operation Restore Hope illustrates well the volatile nature of these contemporary operations. Author Mark Bowden's superb account of "The Battle of Mogadishu," Blackhawk Down, is a riveting, cautionary tale and grim reminder of the unpredictability of so-called operations other-than-war. It is essential reading for all Marines.
The inescapable lesson of Somalia and of other recent operations, whether humanitarian assistance, peace-keeping, or traditional warfighting, is that their outcome may hinge on decisions made by small unit leaders, and by actions taken at the lowest level. The Corps is, by design, a relatively young force. Success or failure will rest, increasingly, with the rifleman and with his ability to make the right decision at the right time at the point of contact. As with Corporal Hernandez at CP Charlie, today's Marines will often operate far "from the flagpole" without the direct supervision of senior leadership. And, like Corporal Hernandez, they will be asked to deal with a bewildering array of challenges and threats. In order to succeed under such demanding conditions they will require unwavering maturity, judgment, and strength of character. Most importantly, these missions will require them to confidently make well-reasoned and independent decisions under extreme stress -- decisions that will likely be subject to the harsh scrutiny of both the media and the court of public opinion. In many cases, the individual Marine will be the most conspicuous symbol of American foreign policy and will potentially influence not only the immediate tactical situation, but the operational and strategic levels as well. His actions, therefore, will directly impact the outcome of the larger operation; and he will become, as the title of this article suggests -- the Strategic Corporal.
The Strategic Corporal
Regrettably, the end of the Cold War heralded not the hoped for era of peace, but rather, a troubling age characterized by global disorder, pervasive crisis, and the constant threat of chaos. Since 1990, the Marine Corps has responded to crises at a rate equal to three times that of the Cold War -- on average, once every five weeks. On any given day, up to 29,000 Marines are forward deployed around the world. In far-flung places like Kenya, Indonesia, and Albania, they have stood face-to-face with the perplexing and hostile challenges of the chaotic post Cold War world for which the "rules" have not yet been written. The three block war is not simply a fanciful metaphor for future conflicts -- it is a reality. Like Corporal Hernandez, today's Marines have already encountered its great challenges and they have been asked to exercise an exceptional degree of maturity, restraint, and judgment.
Marines, of course, have always shone most brightly when the stakes were highest. The NCO's that led the bloody assaults on the German machine-gun positions at Belleau Wood intuitively understood the importance of their role. The Marines of 2d Battalion, 28th Marines, who scaled the fireswept heights of Mount Suribachi needed no one to emphasize the necessity of initiative. The Marines of the Chosin Reservoir, of Hue City, and of countless other battles through the years did not wait to be reminded of their individual responsibilities. They behaved as Marines always have, and as we expect today's Marines and those of the future to behave -- with courage, with aggressiveness, and with resolve. The future battlefields on which Marines fight will be increasingly hostile, lethal, and chaotic. Our success will hinge, as it always has, on the leadership of our junior Marines. We must ensure that they are prepared to lead.
How do we prepare Marines for the complex, high-stakes, asymmetrical battlefield of the three block war? How do we develop junior leaders prepared to deal decisively with the sort of real world challenges confronting Corporal Hernandez? The first step of the process is unchanged. Bold, capable, and intelligent men and women of character are drawn to the Corps, and are recast in the crucible of recruit training, where time honored methods instill deep within them the Corps' enduring ethos. Honor, courage, and commitment become more than mere words. Those precious virtues, in fact, become the defining aspect of each Marine. This emphasis on character remains the bedrock upon which everything else is built. The active sustainment of character in every Marine is a fundamental institutional competency -- and for good reason. As often as not, the really tough issues confronting Marines will be moral quandaries, and they must have the wherewithal to handle them appropriately. While a visceral appreciation for our core values is essential, it alone will not ensure an individual's success in battle or in the myriad potential contingencies short of combat. Much, much more is required to fully prepare a Marine for the rigor of tomorrow's battlefield.
An institutional commitment to lifelong professional development is the second step on the road to building the Strategic Corporal. The realignment of the Recruit Training and Marine Combat Training programs of instruction reveal our reinvigorated focus on individual training. Those programs remain the most important steps in the methodical process of developing capable Marines. Our Formal Schools, unit training and education programs, and individual efforts at professional education build on the solid foundation laid at recruit training and sustain the growth of technical and tactical proficiency and mental and physical toughness. The common thread uniting all training activities is an emphasis on the growth of integrity, courage, initiative, decisiveness, mental agility, and personal accountabilty. These qualities and attributes are fundamental and must be aggressively cultivated within all Marines from the first day of their enlistment to the last.
Leadership, of course, remains the hard currency of the Corps, and its development and sustainment is the third and final step in the creation of the Strategic Corporal. For two hundred and twenty-three years, on battlefields strewn across the globe, Marines have set the highest standard of combat leadership. We are inspired by their example and confident that today's Marines and those of tomorrow will rise to the same great heights. The clear lesson of our past is that success in combat, and in the barracks for that matter, rests with our most junior leaders. Over the years, however, a perception has grown that the authority of our NCO's has been eroded. Some believe that we have slowly stripped from them the latitude, the discretion, and the authority necessary to do their job. That perception must be stamped out. The remaining vestiges of the "zero defects mentality" must be exchanged for an environment in which all Marines are afforded the "freedom to fail" and with it, the opportunity to succeed. Micro-management must become a thing of the past and supervision -- that double-edged sword -- must be complemented by proactive mentoring. Most importantly, we must aggressively empower our NCO's, hold them strictly accountable for their actions, and allow the leadership potential within each of them to flourish. This philosophy, reflected in a recent Navy Times interview as "Power Down," is central to our efforts to sustain the transformation that begins with the first meeting with a Marine recruiter. Every opportunity must be seized to contribute to the growth of character and leadership within every Marine. We must remember that simple fact, and also remember that leaders are judged, ultimately, by the quality of the leadership reflected in their subordinates. We must also remember that the Strategic Corporal will be, above all else ... a leader of Marines.
Conclusion
And what of Corporal Hernandez? While his predicament is certainly challenging, it is not implausible. What did he do? First, he quickly reviewed what he knew. He was certain that Lieutenant Franklin and 2d Squad would arrive within a matter of minutes. He knew that the crash site was located within the adjacent RMNF unit's sector and that it manned checkpoints astride Nedeed's route to the downed helo. He knew that any exchange of gunfire with Mubasa's gunmen would likely lead to civilian casualties and jeopardize the success of the humanitarian mission. Second, he considered what he did not know. He was uncertain of either Nedeed's or Mubasa's intentions, or of the feasibility of a rescue attempt. Based on these considerations and myriad other tangible and intangible factors, he completed a rapid assessment of the situation -- and acted. Corporal Sley was directed to maintain his position atop the building and continue to monitor Nedeed's progress and the status of the casualties. Hernandez then switched frequencies and contacted the Marine liaison with the adjacent RMNF unit and learned that they had already dispatched medical personnel to the helo crash site, but were unaware of Nedeed's movement and would now because of Hernandez's warning reinforce the appropriate checkpoints. By the time that transmission was completed, Lieutenant Franklin had arrived with the additional squad. With them came a neighborhood leader who had previously acted as an interpreter and mediator. Mubasa's men, apparently uncomfortable with the shift in odds, began to slowly withdraw. The mediator, a recognizable and respected figure in the community, was handed a bullhorn and addressed the crowd. Within minutes the situation was diffused: Mubasa's men had departed, the crowd was calmed, and RMNF personnel had reached the crash site. For a few tense minutes though, the fate of both 1st Squad and the overall mission had hung in the balance and on the actions of a young Marine leader. As would be expected, our Strategic Corporal -- firmly grounded in our ethos, thoroughly schooled and trained, outfitted with the finest equipment obtainable, infinitely agile, and above all else, a leader in the tradition of the Marines of old ... made the right decision.
Pike
Yankee Doodle came to terms,
Reading Martin Buber.
Stuck a Fuehrer in our back,
And called it Shicklegruber!
-- "Yankee Doodle Came To Terms" by the "All Fecal People's Chorus" from The Firesign Theatre Presents How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You're Not Anywhere At All ? - The Firesign Theatre, July 1969.
"Lily-livered men"
Funny how when I get criticised by the "prags" this little ditty comes into my head. The latest prag pulse comes from the appropriately self-named Linoge (see post below). You may find it here.
Linoge's opinion of me is unimportant. The prags call us Three Percenters names because of what we represent -- we are Americans who have finally, after a "long train of abuses and usurpations," laid down a marker. Beyond this marker, we will not go. Prags, on the other hand, keep their markers firmly in their coin purses, and their purses firmly in their pockets, lest their ability to back up -- or to turn and run -- be compromised.
Mary Collins Powell (Michael Collins' sister) quotes a ballad of the time, 'which, no doubt, left a lasting impression on Michael's young mind':
Great faith I have in moral force
Great trust in thought and pen
I know the value of discourse
To sway the minds of men
But why should words my frenzy wet
Unless we are to strike
Our despot lords who fear no threat
But reverence the pike.
Oh, do be wise, leave moral force
The strength of thought and pen
And all value the discourse
To lily-livered men
But if you covet not to die
Of hunger in a dyke
If life we prize is liberty
A Pike -- A Pike -- A Pike.
In its own unsophisticated way that ballad . . . summed up the . . . arguments and policy he advocated throughout his short, turbulent life. The condition of Ireland could only be improved by the use of force." -- Michael Collins, Tim Pat Coogin, p. 13
The ballad, about the Irish Rising of 1798, illustrates the sad fact of Irish history -- the great success that the British had for centuries in denying Irishmen modern weapons. When the Fenians finally rose against their oppressors, they used pikes because they had been denied muskets by both the British and their poverty. Yet, so great was their desire for freedom that they determined to risk their lives carrying ancient weapons and using obsolete tactics, rather than submit. This is captured in another far more well-known Irish freedom song, The Rising of the Moon, penned originally by the Fenian poet, John Keegan Casey and sung with slight changes by Irish volunteers of every generation since.
"Put your pike upon your shoulder by the risin' o' the moon"
O then, tell me Sean O'Farrell, tell me why you hurry so?
Why your eyes are all aglisten, and your cheeks are all aglow?
"I bear orders from the captain:- get you ready quick and soon
For the pikes must be together at the rising of the moon"
By the rising of the moon, by the rising of the moon,
For the pikes must be together at the rising of the moon
"O then tell me Sean O'Farrell where the gath'rin is to be?"
"In the old spot by the river, right well known to you and me.
One more word for signal token:- whistle up a marchin' tune,
Put your pike upon your shoulder, by the rising of the moon."
By the rising of the moon, by the rising of the moon
With your pike upon your shoulder, by the rising of the moon.
Out from many a mud wall cabin eyes were watching through the night,
Many a manly heart was beatin, for the coming morning light.
Murmurs ran along the valleys to the banshee's lonely croon
And a thousand pikes were flashing at the rising of the moon.
At the rising of the moon, at the rising of the moon.
And a thousand pikes were flashing at the rising of the moon.
At the rising of the moon, at the rising of the moon,
And a thousand pikes were flashing at the rising of the moon,
All along that singing river a dark mass of men were seen,
And among their shining weapons was their own beloved dream:
That to every poe and tinker who would strike a marchin' tune,
Let an army vie for freedom by the rising of the moon.
By the rising of the moon, by the rising of the moon
Let an army vie for freedom by the rising of the moon.
Well they fought for poor old Ireland, and full bitter was their fate,
Oh what glorious pride and sorrow, fills the name of ninety-eight!
Yet, thank God, e'en still are beating hearts in manhood burning noon,
Who would follow in their footsteps, at the risin' of the moon.
At the rising of the moon, At the rising of the moon,
We will follow in their footsteps, at the risin' of the moon.
This is not a song that speaks to a prag's heart. It's sentiments are alien to his experience. For it is a song about putting down markers and living with the consequences of your beliefs. It is a song about daring, and losing. Yet it ends with the promise of a future generation's success. What the prags fail to see is that we are all Irishmen. We are all European Jews. We are all Cambodian peasants. We are all kulaks. We are all "enemies of the people." We are all potential victims whose lives, liberties and property are merely menu items on some tyrant's plate.
They are attempting to whistle past the graveyard of history without being noticed by the demons (the Legion, the Linoge) within. Good luck with that.
"Our despot lords who fear no threat, but reverence the pike."
The question they refuse to answer, the question that they fear, is "What will you do when the regime moves the line of the law behind where you now stand?" Back up? Or resist.
They may call us whatever names they like, they may seek to create straw men out of context to knock over in arguments in which they risk nothing, but they run in panic, screaming and waving their arms from answering the central question. What will you do when politics fails? As Billy Beck has observed:
You should begin to understand all this less as abstract metaphor, and take it all at face value. You are living in a gang war, now, thinly mediated only by political institutions which are less and less able every day to manage it.
All we Three Percenters have been trying to do is to warn the collectivists, the Fudds and the Prags of the unintended consequences of their own actions and/or inactions. We do this in an attempt to prevent conflict, not start one. It is the rattling of "Don't tread on me." It is, though they refuse to admit it, quintessentially AMERICAN. They are the "lily-livered men" who continue to try to use "the strength of thought and pen" on "despot lords who fear no threat, but reverence the pike."
Well, good luck with that. But whatever the prags do, we will still be here. Unyielding. Uncompromising. Not backing up. Making ourselves ready for whatever comes. We are the Three Percent. We will resist further encroachments on our liberties and our property. We will fight with pikes if necessary, but we WILL fight. And anyone who ignores that fact does so at their own peril.
Reading Martin Buber.
Stuck a Fuehrer in our back,
And called it Shicklegruber!
-- "Yankee Doodle Came To Terms" by the "All Fecal People's Chorus" from The Firesign Theatre Presents How Can You Be In Two Places At Once When You're Not Anywhere At All ? - The Firesign Theatre, July 1969.
"Lily-livered men"
Funny how when I get criticised by the "prags" this little ditty comes into my head. The latest prag pulse comes from the appropriately self-named Linoge (see post below). You may find it here.
Linoge's opinion of me is unimportant. The prags call us Three Percenters names because of what we represent -- we are Americans who have finally, after a "long train of abuses and usurpations," laid down a marker. Beyond this marker, we will not go. Prags, on the other hand, keep their markers firmly in their coin purses, and their purses firmly in their pockets, lest their ability to back up -- or to turn and run -- be compromised.
Mary Collins Powell (Michael Collins' sister) quotes a ballad of the time, 'which, no doubt, left a lasting impression on Michael's young mind':
Great faith I have in moral force
Great trust in thought and pen
I know the value of discourse
To sway the minds of men
But why should words my frenzy wet
Unless we are to strike
Our despot lords who fear no threat
But reverence the pike.
Oh, do be wise, leave moral force
The strength of thought and pen
And all value the discourse
To lily-livered men
But if you covet not to die
Of hunger in a dyke
If life we prize is liberty
A Pike -- A Pike -- A Pike.
In its own unsophisticated way that ballad . . . summed up the . . . arguments and policy he advocated throughout his short, turbulent life. The condition of Ireland could only be improved by the use of force." -- Michael Collins, Tim Pat Coogin, p. 13
The ballad, about the Irish Rising of 1798, illustrates the sad fact of Irish history -- the great success that the British had for centuries in denying Irishmen modern weapons. When the Fenians finally rose against their oppressors, they used pikes because they had been denied muskets by both the British and their poverty. Yet, so great was their desire for freedom that they determined to risk their lives carrying ancient weapons and using obsolete tactics, rather than submit. This is captured in another far more well-known Irish freedom song, The Rising of the Moon, penned originally by the Fenian poet, John Keegan Casey and sung with slight changes by Irish volunteers of every generation since.
"Put your pike upon your shoulder by the risin' o' the moon"
O then, tell me Sean O'Farrell, tell me why you hurry so?
Why your eyes are all aglisten, and your cheeks are all aglow?
"I bear orders from the captain:- get you ready quick and soon
For the pikes must be together at the rising of the moon"
By the rising of the moon, by the rising of the moon,
For the pikes must be together at the rising of the moon
"O then tell me Sean O'Farrell where the gath'rin is to be?"
"In the old spot by the river, right well known to you and me.
One more word for signal token:- whistle up a marchin' tune,
Put your pike upon your shoulder, by the rising of the moon."
By the rising of the moon, by the rising of the moon
With your pike upon your shoulder, by the rising of the moon.
Out from many a mud wall cabin eyes were watching through the night,
Many a manly heart was beatin, for the coming morning light.
Murmurs ran along the valleys to the banshee's lonely croon
And a thousand pikes were flashing at the rising of the moon.
At the rising of the moon, at the rising of the moon.
And a thousand pikes were flashing at the rising of the moon.
At the rising of the moon, at the rising of the moon,
And a thousand pikes were flashing at the rising of the moon,
All along that singing river a dark mass of men were seen,
And among their shining weapons was their own beloved dream:
That to every poe and tinker who would strike a marchin' tune,
Let an army vie for freedom by the rising of the moon.
By the rising of the moon, by the rising of the moon
Let an army vie for freedom by the rising of the moon.
Well they fought for poor old Ireland, and full bitter was their fate,
Oh what glorious pride and sorrow, fills the name of ninety-eight!
Yet, thank God, e'en still are beating hearts in manhood burning noon,
Who would follow in their footsteps, at the risin' of the moon.
At the rising of the moon, At the rising of the moon,
We will follow in their footsteps, at the risin' of the moon.
This is not a song that speaks to a prag's heart. It's sentiments are alien to his experience. For it is a song about putting down markers and living with the consequences of your beliefs. It is a song about daring, and losing. Yet it ends with the promise of a future generation's success. What the prags fail to see is that we are all Irishmen. We are all European Jews. We are all Cambodian peasants. We are all kulaks. We are all "enemies of the people." We are all potential victims whose lives, liberties and property are merely menu items on some tyrant's plate.
They are attempting to whistle past the graveyard of history without being noticed by the demons (the Legion, the Linoge) within. Good luck with that.
"Our despot lords who fear no threat, but reverence the pike."
The question they refuse to answer, the question that they fear, is "What will you do when the regime moves the line of the law behind where you now stand?" Back up? Or resist.
They may call us whatever names they like, they may seek to create straw men out of context to knock over in arguments in which they risk nothing, but they run in panic, screaming and waving their arms from answering the central question. What will you do when politics fails? As Billy Beck has observed:
You should begin to understand all this less as abstract metaphor, and take it all at face value. You are living in a gang war, now, thinly mediated only by political institutions which are less and less able every day to manage it.
All we Three Percenters have been trying to do is to warn the collectivists, the Fudds and the Prags of the unintended consequences of their own actions and/or inactions. We do this in an attempt to prevent conflict, not start one. It is the rattling of "Don't tread on me." It is, though they refuse to admit it, quintessentially AMERICAN. They are the "lily-livered men" who continue to try to use "the strength of thought and pen" on "despot lords who fear no threat, but reverence the pike."
Well, good luck with that. But whatever the prags do, we will still be here. Unyielding. Uncompromising. Not backing up. Making ourselves ready for whatever comes. We are the Three Percent. We will resist further encroachments on our liberties and our property. We will fight with pikes if necessary, but we WILL fight. And anyone who ignores that fact does so at their own peril.
What's in a name? Plenty.
What's in a name?
My latest exchange with MostlyGenius has provoked his electronic confrere, one self-named "Linoge", into this peroration here. Entitled "fools in sheepdogs' clothing," Linoge begins:
"Three Percenters" are self-righteous, anarchist, egotistical, self-centered, solipsistic, incorrigible asses, and are appropriately full of shit.
Well, OK, then. Another country heard from. I will answer the substance of his complaint in another essay. But I was fascinated by his moniker. I'll make a wild guess and say that this ain't the name his daddy gave him. Ergo, he chose it. So what is a "linoge"? I thought first it might be French. But the French-English dictionary search function returned "Le mot linoge n'a pas été trouvé." Roughly translated, "Your stupeed request is silly you know, you ignorant American."
There is a fellow calling himself "Linoge" elsewhere on MySpace, found here, who is a Satanist. He's a different guy from our Linoge, but he apparently takes his name from the same place, a Stephen King novel called Storm of the Century. From the Wikipedia description of the opening of the book:
A very powerful blizzard hits the fictional small town of Little Tall Island (also the setting of King's novel Dolores Claiborne) off the coast of Maine. While trying to deal with the storm, the citizens of the town are visited by Andre Linoge (Colm Feore), a menacing stranger who apparently knows all of the townsfolks' darkest secrets (among which are abortion, adultery, growing marijuana, and gay-bashing). After having killed one of the town's residents (Martha Clarendon), Linoge is jailed. Even though he is kept in jail by the town's trusted constable, Mike Anderson (Timothy Daly), Linoge is somehow able to force people to commit suicide or kill others from within his cell. Linoge constantly repeats "Give me what I want and I'll go away" through his victims as well as to his victims.
Linoge, of course, is an anagram of legion, as in the Gerasene demon found in Mark 5:9
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
and Luke 8:30:
And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
You may remember that Jesus ends up casting the demons out of the man and, granting their request that they not be sent back to Hell, allowed them to dwell in a herd of pigs. The pigs then drowned themselves in the Sea of Galilee.
OK, so maybe it's a good name for a Danish Satanist with a url of http://www.myspace.com/linoge666. But why would our fulminating critic choose such a name? He claims in an on-line profile that he is "a moderate, small-l-libertarian, Christian, with a warped outlook on life and a strong sense of self-reliance, self-defense, and probably self-importance."
Uh, huh. A Christian who selects an on-line name whose principal meaning, as near as can be determined, is an evil character from a Stephen King novel and a bunch of swine-dwelling demons who kill themselves.
His tiny footprint on the 'Net tells us that he is a fan of science fiction television shows such as Firefly (see http://whedonesque.com/user/7010), Battlestar Gallactica and Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles. He speculates on the important question of why the reclusive Firefly character "Mr. Universe" (who isolates himself from all human contact, marries a cybernetic "lovebot" in a Jewish wedding ceremony, and yet remains fascinated by his fellow humans, keeping track of their every move by means of his own private futuristic NSA) fails to have pornography on his many media monitors. That's easy, answers Legion, uh, I mean, Linoge, "he just wanted to be faithful!" He then expresses admiration for the onanistic Mr. Universe's control room: "Either way, as command lairs go, it is definitely up there."
OK, let's recap. We've got a self-described Christian who takes the name of demons literary and literal, but who admires a fictional character who embodies the emotionally stunted masturbatory teenager's fantasy of knowing and smugly denouncing everything, but is at the end proven to be merely a sad, pathetic character who dies alone never having known true love or real life. But that's OK, because the "command lair . . . is definitely up there."
You know, most folks pick a name that reflects who they are, or what they value. Take Pete at WRSA. He's "A Concerned American." The one I love is "A Keyboard and a .45." What a great moniker. Then there's "Oregon lawhobbit." It tells you who he is -- a lawyer --, what he appreciates -- Tolkien -- , and where he lives. I almost always post under my own name. However, on the militia blogs I usually use my radio call sign, Dutchman 6. You can make your own survey, but most folks follow this pattern.
But apply that to Linoge, and what's in a name?
Demons as appreciated by an emotionally immature onanist. Sheesh.
My latest exchange with MostlyGenius has provoked his electronic confrere, one self-named "Linoge", into this peroration here. Entitled "fools in sheepdogs' clothing," Linoge begins:
"Three Percenters" are self-righteous, anarchist, egotistical, self-centered, solipsistic, incorrigible asses, and are appropriately full of shit.
Well, OK, then. Another country heard from. I will answer the substance of his complaint in another essay. But I was fascinated by his moniker. I'll make a wild guess and say that this ain't the name his daddy gave him. Ergo, he chose it. So what is a "linoge"? I thought first it might be French. But the French-English dictionary search function returned "Le mot linoge n'a pas été trouvé." Roughly translated, "Your stupeed request is silly you know, you ignorant American."
There is a fellow calling himself "Linoge" elsewhere on MySpace, found here, who is a Satanist. He's a different guy from our Linoge, but he apparently takes his name from the same place, a Stephen King novel called Storm of the Century. From the Wikipedia description of the opening of the book:
A very powerful blizzard hits the fictional small town of Little Tall Island (also the setting of King's novel Dolores Claiborne) off the coast of Maine. While trying to deal with the storm, the citizens of the town are visited by Andre Linoge (Colm Feore), a menacing stranger who apparently knows all of the townsfolks' darkest secrets (among which are abortion, adultery, growing marijuana, and gay-bashing). After having killed one of the town's residents (Martha Clarendon), Linoge is jailed. Even though he is kept in jail by the town's trusted constable, Mike Anderson (Timothy Daly), Linoge is somehow able to force people to commit suicide or kill others from within his cell. Linoge constantly repeats "Give me what I want and I'll go away" through his victims as well as to his victims.
Linoge, of course, is an anagram of legion, as in the Gerasene demon found in Mark 5:9
And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
and Luke 8:30:
And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him.
You may remember that Jesus ends up casting the demons out of the man and, granting their request that they not be sent back to Hell, allowed them to dwell in a herd of pigs. The pigs then drowned themselves in the Sea of Galilee.
OK, so maybe it's a good name for a Danish Satanist with a url of http://www.myspace.com/linoge666. But why would our fulminating critic choose such a name? He claims in an on-line profile that he is "a moderate, small-l-libertarian, Christian, with a warped outlook on life and a strong sense of self-reliance, self-defense, and probably self-importance."
Uh, huh. A Christian who selects an on-line name whose principal meaning, as near as can be determined, is an evil character from a Stephen King novel and a bunch of swine-dwelling demons who kill themselves.
His tiny footprint on the 'Net tells us that he is a fan of science fiction television shows such as Firefly (see http://whedonesque.com/user/7010), Battlestar Gallactica and Terminator: the Sarah Connor Chronicles. He speculates on the important question of why the reclusive Firefly character "Mr. Universe" (who isolates himself from all human contact, marries a cybernetic "lovebot" in a Jewish wedding ceremony, and yet remains fascinated by his fellow humans, keeping track of their every move by means of his own private futuristic NSA) fails to have pornography on his many media monitors. That's easy, answers Legion, uh, I mean, Linoge, "he just wanted to be faithful!" He then expresses admiration for the onanistic Mr. Universe's control room: "Either way, as command lairs go, it is definitely up there."
OK, let's recap. We've got a self-described Christian who takes the name of demons literary and literal, but who admires a fictional character who embodies the emotionally stunted masturbatory teenager's fantasy of knowing and smugly denouncing everything, but is at the end proven to be merely a sad, pathetic character who dies alone never having known true love or real life. But that's OK, because the "command lair . . . is definitely up there."
You know, most folks pick a name that reflects who they are, or what they value. Take Pete at WRSA. He's "A Concerned American." The one I love is "A Keyboard and a .45." What a great moniker. Then there's "Oregon lawhobbit." It tells you who he is -- a lawyer --, what he appreciates -- Tolkien -- , and where he lives. I almost always post under my own name. However, on the militia blogs I usually use my radio call sign, Dutchman 6. You can make your own survey, but most folks follow this pattern.
But apply that to Linoge, and what's in a name?
Demons as appreciated by an emotionally immature onanist. Sheesh.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Without a Clue, the NYT Does Victory Dance on Gun Control
Folks, the New York Times has once again leaped onto the dance floor with the Brady Bunch to do the old Tyranny Tango. You may find their victory dance here.
Of course I had a response. (Don't I always? Don't I just?) Read the link, then come back here and read the response.
Mike
III
Without a Clue, the NYT Does Victory Dance on Gun Control
To the editor, NYT:
The New York Times has joined the Brady Campaign’s premature victory dance over the sweeping of the GOP from the electoral field. You believe now that the NRA’s appointed candidates are gone, American firearms owners are at your mercy for more of what you call “reasonable regulation.” You couldn’t be more wrong.
You think that the GOP protected us. The way we look at it, the GOP protected you. By removing any chance over the next two years of defending ourselves politically from further raids upon our traditional liberty and property, you force us to consider other means. You have us surrounded, you poor fools.
There are two flashpoints in your “common sense” proposals. One, the willfully misnamed lie you refer to as the “gun show loophole.” This is the proposed federal seizure of control over all private firearms sales. Not even King George the Third was so grasping and the Founders fired on his Regulars for far less.
The second is the “Assault Weapons Ban,” which the Brady Bunch promises will be reenacted, only this time “with teeth.” We can conclude that one or more classes of heretofore legal semi-automatic rifles will now be forfeit. Why do you think there is currently a run on semi-automatic rifles, pistols and ammunition? Do you suppose these people are spending their hard-earned money now, only to turn them over to the “well-intentioned” Obama administration?
With Obama’s undeniable record on guns, his claim that he will “uphold the Second Amendment” is as credible as a serial rapist opining on the glories of chastity.
Try to understand. You may pass all the gun control legislation you like. We will not obey it. For seventy years you have pushed us back from the free exercise of our God-given, inalienable rights, bleating “public safety” as your excuse to the ovine flock. Are we more safe? All you have done with “gun free zones” is create criminal free-fire zones. You seek to make the entire country a disarmed Mumbai, helpless to resist criminals, terrorists or predatory government. And now you want us to trust that your intentions are not tyrannical once again?
As they say down here in Alabama, “Ain’t happenin’.” The time may be fast approaching when you will wish ardently for the protection of the hapless GOP and the wobbly NRA. Dance on that happy thought.
Mike Vanderboegh
PO Box 926
Pinson, AL 35126
Of course I had a response. (Don't I always? Don't I just?) Read the link, then come back here and read the response.
Mike
III
Without a Clue, the NYT Does Victory Dance on Gun Control
To the editor, NYT:
The New York Times has joined the Brady Campaign’s premature victory dance over the sweeping of the GOP from the electoral field. You believe now that the NRA’s appointed candidates are gone, American firearms owners are at your mercy for more of what you call “reasonable regulation.” You couldn’t be more wrong.
You think that the GOP protected us. The way we look at it, the GOP protected you. By removing any chance over the next two years of defending ourselves politically from further raids upon our traditional liberty and property, you force us to consider other means. You have us surrounded, you poor fools.
There are two flashpoints in your “common sense” proposals. One, the willfully misnamed lie you refer to as the “gun show loophole.” This is the proposed federal seizure of control over all private firearms sales. Not even King George the Third was so grasping and the Founders fired on his Regulars for far less.
The second is the “Assault Weapons Ban,” which the Brady Bunch promises will be reenacted, only this time “with teeth.” We can conclude that one or more classes of heretofore legal semi-automatic rifles will now be forfeit. Why do you think there is currently a run on semi-automatic rifles, pistols and ammunition? Do you suppose these people are spending their hard-earned money now, only to turn them over to the “well-intentioned” Obama administration?
With Obama’s undeniable record on guns, his claim that he will “uphold the Second Amendment” is as credible as a serial rapist opining on the glories of chastity.
Try to understand. You may pass all the gun control legislation you like. We will not obey it. For seventy years you have pushed us back from the free exercise of our God-given, inalienable rights, bleating “public safety” as your excuse to the ovine flock. Are we more safe? All you have done with “gun free zones” is create criminal free-fire zones. You seek to make the entire country a disarmed Mumbai, helpless to resist criminals, terrorists or predatory government. And now you want us to trust that your intentions are not tyrannical once again?
As they say down here in Alabama, “Ain’t happenin’.” The time may be fast approaching when you will wish ardently for the protection of the hapless GOP and the wobbly NRA. Dance on that happy thought.
Mike Vanderboegh
PO Box 926
Pinson, AL 35126
Changing the Way We Think – It’s a Matter of Survival
Folks,
Someone threw this over my electronic transom. My thanks to Dr. Enigma.
Mike
III
Changing the Way We Think – It’s a Matter of Survival
by Dr. Enigma
Attrition Warfare is so ingrained into the American psyche (through experience in the military, media indoctrination (war films, shows, etc), and even children’s games (playing ‘war’, cowboys & Indians, cops & robbers, etc)), that if those who consider themselves to be “militia” ever hope to survive, let alone win against an aggressor, they must change the way they think and gain a mindset embracing Maneuver Warfare.
Many folks have asked, “What exactly is Attrition Warfare?”
It has been described as the time honored tradition of drawing a line in the dirt and daring an opponent to cross it so that the commander involved (at whatever level) can kill large numbers of the enemy by employing massive firepower while attacking with overwhelming ground forces.
This doesn’t sound too bad if you happen to the one of the lucky few either in command of the assaulting forces or better still, a troop who’s “in the rear with the gear”. But to the troop out in front, the one who’s depended upon to keep the wolves at bay, this type of warfare plainly stacks the odds against him coming home, let alone winning his small war (the area all around him out to about 50 meters) which helps to win the larger battle.
Some of the practices of an AW mindset are “suppression fire”, which has become the norm in any situation, even in training for “militia” groups. While suppression fire can be used very well by an astute leader and his team, in most cases, it’s degenerated into “spray and pray” which uses up an ungodly amount of ammunition while returning less and less in terms of enemy casualties per round fired (think: The “law of diminishing returns”). But, to a modern military force, even this can be explained away because of the veritable cornucopia of re-supply in men, ammunition and ordnance.
Another favorite, which has caused more real-world casualties than can likely be counted, is the practice of assaulting through what a leader believes is a “close ambush” (50 meters or closer) but many times is a prepared enemy position where most, if not all, areas are covered by fire of one sort or another.
Yet another is the penchant for more and more “protective” equipment and gadgetry (all battery dependent of course) to make even the least skilled warrior more lethal. All one has to do to see the wisdom of this mindset is to watch young Americans try to move quickly and quietly with the extra 90 plus pounds of equipment he doesn’t need!
Examples abound, and some will argue AW over Maneuver Warfare all day long, but the long and short of it is that we must re-educate ourselves to learn battle tactics that minimize casualties, are not equipment dependent, do not require massive re-supply after one engagement, and training that teaches our warriors to be self-sufficient while in the field.
The foundation for MW must also be supported by a cornerstone of ideals held by the individual. What exactly are you training to fight for? Ask any ‘militia’ group today and you’re bound to get different answers. There is no apparent unity of purpose other than sometimes disjointed epithets regarding ‘taking the country back’ or ‘returning the Constitution to it’s rightful place’, both of which make great sound bytes, but do not establish the necessary unity of purpose.
This must be accomplished! Note I did not say unity of command, i.e., a national command structure or organization or even an infrastructure. Unity of purpose, across the board, will be achieved from knowing the ideals for which we will stand and not retreat.
To achieve this level of unity, group leaders must help their members learn and understand not only the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, but what led up to the drafting of those documents and what the signers agreed to when they executed the documents! Just this task, in and of itself, will require quite a bit of “re-education” as unvarnished non-revisionist history is getting harder and harder to find these days.
Here are a few examples of the ideals that, if universally held by all “militia” groups and members, might help achieve unity of purpose:
Establishing a tradition of integrity – In other words, doing what’s constitutionally right even when there’s no gain, even a loss to the actor. Sacrifice can be a good thing when done to preserve Constitutional practices.
Preserving Human Life – In terms of tactics and field operations, executing only those methods which save the most life (both friendly and enemy) and still meet the goal of winning the day.
Safeguarding Liberty – Jealously, as Patrick Henry’s quote indicates. Apathy, sloth, avarice, and insidious Globalism have to be dealt with by each person so that they get off their behinds and do something. Just a quick objective look at the economy and how it got to its present state will provide many examples of the above. If that’s not enough, or is too sensitive of a subject, look at the state of our Nation from its political perspective. Politicians/representatives are not elected for how well they will follow and preserve the Constitution. They are elected based upon how much “pork” they can deliver to those not willing to provide for themselves (often described as “the less fortunate” instead of what they really are: lazy – and as if a free market is about luck, but I digress).
Fighting Honorably – Total war is never an option in an era where, when once acquired, weapons of mass destruction obliterate an entire people or region. War waged from a constitutionally and morally proper perspective is the only way to “win the hearts and minds” of the local people to support a militia.
Putting the welfare of the “Country, State, and Others” before ourselves – Especially from a value system perspective. This is imperative as the opposite, also know as “me, me and me first” opens the door to the person espousing such a morally bankrupt belief to be bought and sold like a commodity.
So, let’s say we have unity of purpose. Now the training side can be addressed. (Training will also be conducted with much better results when the group has the same unity of purpose, by the way!) MW training references abound, but the better ones have been authored by H. John Poole and actually serve as field manuals to the astute trainer/leader so that each group can start to employ, “the Way of the Tiger”.
Generally speaking, training should always follow “The Rule of the Threes” which states that each area trained in has at least three supporting areas that support and provide mastery of a particular area. Example: Marksmanship: Accuracy = Weapon, Ammunition & Shooter. Weapon = Barrel, trigger & platform (stock). Ammunition = Projectile, Accelerant & Casing. Shooter = Trigger Depression, Sight Alignment & Sight Picture. Once all the subcategories are mastered to the point of proficiency in knowing their strengths, weaknesses and how to make them work for the trainee (another set of three!), a much higher caliber of marksmanship ability is possessed.)
“The Way of the Tiger” can only be learned by field operations focusing on leadership, marksmanship, edged weapons employment, and primitive adaptation skills. These four areas provide the individual minuteman the ability to think, effectively prosecute an operation, inspire others, gain a superior return in enemy casualties per round fired, provides the ability to fight without verifying locations and numbers for an opponent, and to live off the land as the case may require.
Those groups or individuals who cannot make the transition to this essential way of training and fighting (should the day ever come), will, sadly, neither win nor live.
Remember who really wins a battle or war: The troop on the ground supported by his team leader (the NCO).
Enlightened command structures who really want to win to a very large degree delegate authority to achieve decentralized control and encourage initiative of each individual under his command.
Here are a few comparisons between the AW and MW mindset to get your creative juices flowing:
Attrition Warfare
Killing the enemy is the goal
Depends on firepower
Requires Centralized Control
Focus is on self
Attacks concentrations
Takes and holds ground (usually hill tops)
Methodical
Requires “group lock step”
Attacks during daylight
Never retreats
Everyone does what they're told only
Unit asks permission to act
Controls troops through orders
Trains only to authorized standards
Trains the same all the time
Complicated and much signaling
Maneuver Warfare
Bypassing and/or demoralizing the enemy is the goal
Depends on surprise
Provides Decentralized Control
Focus is on enemy
Moves through gaps
Takes “centers of gravity”, i.e., strategic objectives
Moves with High Tempo
Allows Recon to “pull” operations
Mostly attacks at night
Retreats to defend
Initiative encouraged
Unit informs command of what’s done
Controls troops through training
After “basic training” trains to be efficient on their own
Trains to the threat
Not much signaling required
Maneuver Warfare Trained Group Potential
Find or disrupt a much larger force before it can attack
Handle a much larger opponent during “chance contact”
Get itself out of an ambush fairly intact
Ambush, with significantly lower risk, an opponent of any size.
Force a gap in enemy lines during daylight or night operations on its own.
Employ the “OODA” loop faster than the opponent and defeat him.
And this is just the beginning. The possibilities are almost endless; the advantages to Maneuver Warfare are the same. So, you may want to think about the advantages of changing the way you think and train, especially in these troubled times.
See you in the field.
Someone threw this over my electronic transom. My thanks to Dr. Enigma.
Mike
III
Changing the Way We Think – It’s a Matter of Survival
by Dr. Enigma
Attrition Warfare is so ingrained into the American psyche (through experience in the military, media indoctrination (war films, shows, etc), and even children’s games (playing ‘war’, cowboys & Indians, cops & robbers, etc)), that if those who consider themselves to be “militia” ever hope to survive, let alone win against an aggressor, they must change the way they think and gain a mindset embracing Maneuver Warfare.
Many folks have asked, “What exactly is Attrition Warfare?”
It has been described as the time honored tradition of drawing a line in the dirt and daring an opponent to cross it so that the commander involved (at whatever level) can kill large numbers of the enemy by employing massive firepower while attacking with overwhelming ground forces.
This doesn’t sound too bad if you happen to the one of the lucky few either in command of the assaulting forces or better still, a troop who’s “in the rear with the gear”. But to the troop out in front, the one who’s depended upon to keep the wolves at bay, this type of warfare plainly stacks the odds against him coming home, let alone winning his small war (the area all around him out to about 50 meters) which helps to win the larger battle.
Some of the practices of an AW mindset are “suppression fire”, which has become the norm in any situation, even in training for “militia” groups. While suppression fire can be used very well by an astute leader and his team, in most cases, it’s degenerated into “spray and pray” which uses up an ungodly amount of ammunition while returning less and less in terms of enemy casualties per round fired (think: The “law of diminishing returns”). But, to a modern military force, even this can be explained away because of the veritable cornucopia of re-supply in men, ammunition and ordnance.
Another favorite, which has caused more real-world casualties than can likely be counted, is the practice of assaulting through what a leader believes is a “close ambush” (50 meters or closer) but many times is a prepared enemy position where most, if not all, areas are covered by fire of one sort or another.
Yet another is the penchant for more and more “protective” equipment and gadgetry (all battery dependent of course) to make even the least skilled warrior more lethal. All one has to do to see the wisdom of this mindset is to watch young Americans try to move quickly and quietly with the extra 90 plus pounds of equipment he doesn’t need!
Examples abound, and some will argue AW over Maneuver Warfare all day long, but the long and short of it is that we must re-educate ourselves to learn battle tactics that minimize casualties, are not equipment dependent, do not require massive re-supply after one engagement, and training that teaches our warriors to be self-sufficient while in the field.
The foundation for MW must also be supported by a cornerstone of ideals held by the individual. What exactly are you training to fight for? Ask any ‘militia’ group today and you’re bound to get different answers. There is no apparent unity of purpose other than sometimes disjointed epithets regarding ‘taking the country back’ or ‘returning the Constitution to it’s rightful place’, both of which make great sound bytes, but do not establish the necessary unity of purpose.
This must be accomplished! Note I did not say unity of command, i.e., a national command structure or organization or even an infrastructure. Unity of purpose, across the board, will be achieved from knowing the ideals for which we will stand and not retreat.
To achieve this level of unity, group leaders must help their members learn and understand not only the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, but what led up to the drafting of those documents and what the signers agreed to when they executed the documents! Just this task, in and of itself, will require quite a bit of “re-education” as unvarnished non-revisionist history is getting harder and harder to find these days.
Here are a few examples of the ideals that, if universally held by all “militia” groups and members, might help achieve unity of purpose:
Establishing a tradition of integrity – In other words, doing what’s constitutionally right even when there’s no gain, even a loss to the actor. Sacrifice can be a good thing when done to preserve Constitutional practices.
Preserving Human Life – In terms of tactics and field operations, executing only those methods which save the most life (both friendly and enemy) and still meet the goal of winning the day.
Safeguarding Liberty – Jealously, as Patrick Henry’s quote indicates. Apathy, sloth, avarice, and insidious Globalism have to be dealt with by each person so that they get off their behinds and do something. Just a quick objective look at the economy and how it got to its present state will provide many examples of the above. If that’s not enough, or is too sensitive of a subject, look at the state of our Nation from its political perspective. Politicians/representatives are not elected for how well they will follow and preserve the Constitution. They are elected based upon how much “pork” they can deliver to those not willing to provide for themselves (often described as “the less fortunate” instead of what they really are: lazy – and as if a free market is about luck, but I digress).
Fighting Honorably – Total war is never an option in an era where, when once acquired, weapons of mass destruction obliterate an entire people or region. War waged from a constitutionally and morally proper perspective is the only way to “win the hearts and minds” of the local people to support a militia.
Putting the welfare of the “Country, State, and Others” before ourselves – Especially from a value system perspective. This is imperative as the opposite, also know as “me, me and me first” opens the door to the person espousing such a morally bankrupt belief to be bought and sold like a commodity.
So, let’s say we have unity of purpose. Now the training side can be addressed. (Training will also be conducted with much better results when the group has the same unity of purpose, by the way!) MW training references abound, but the better ones have been authored by H. John Poole and actually serve as field manuals to the astute trainer/leader so that each group can start to employ, “the Way of the Tiger”.
Generally speaking, training should always follow “The Rule of the Threes” which states that each area trained in has at least three supporting areas that support and provide mastery of a particular area. Example: Marksmanship: Accuracy = Weapon, Ammunition & Shooter. Weapon = Barrel, trigger & platform (stock). Ammunition = Projectile, Accelerant & Casing. Shooter = Trigger Depression, Sight Alignment & Sight Picture. Once all the subcategories are mastered to the point of proficiency in knowing their strengths, weaknesses and how to make them work for the trainee (another set of three!), a much higher caliber of marksmanship ability is possessed.)
“The Way of the Tiger” can only be learned by field operations focusing on leadership, marksmanship, edged weapons employment, and primitive adaptation skills. These four areas provide the individual minuteman the ability to think, effectively prosecute an operation, inspire others, gain a superior return in enemy casualties per round fired, provides the ability to fight without verifying locations and numbers for an opponent, and to live off the land as the case may require.
Those groups or individuals who cannot make the transition to this essential way of training and fighting (should the day ever come), will, sadly, neither win nor live.
Remember who really wins a battle or war: The troop on the ground supported by his team leader (the NCO).
Enlightened command structures who really want to win to a very large degree delegate authority to achieve decentralized control and encourage initiative of each individual under his command.
Here are a few comparisons between the AW and MW mindset to get your creative juices flowing:
Attrition Warfare
Killing the enemy is the goal
Depends on firepower
Requires Centralized Control
Focus is on self
Attacks concentrations
Takes and holds ground (usually hill tops)
Methodical
Requires “group lock step”
Attacks during daylight
Never retreats
Everyone does what they're told only
Unit asks permission to act
Controls troops through orders
Trains only to authorized standards
Trains the same all the time
Complicated and much signaling
Maneuver Warfare
Bypassing and/or demoralizing the enemy is the goal
Depends on surprise
Provides Decentralized Control
Focus is on enemy
Moves through gaps
Takes “centers of gravity”, i.e., strategic objectives
Moves with High Tempo
Allows Recon to “pull” operations
Mostly attacks at night
Retreats to defend
Initiative encouraged
Unit informs command of what’s done
Controls troops through training
After “basic training” trains to be efficient on their own
Trains to the threat
Not much signaling required
Maneuver Warfare Trained Group Potential
Find or disrupt a much larger force before it can attack
Handle a much larger opponent during “chance contact”
Get itself out of an ambush fairly intact
Ambush, with significantly lower risk, an opponent of any size.
Force a gap in enemy lines during daylight or night operations on its own.
Employ the “OODA” loop faster than the opponent and defeat him.
And this is just the beginning. The possibilities are almost endless; the advantages to Maneuver Warfare are the same. So, you may want to think about the advantages of changing the way you think and train, especially in these troubled times.
See you in the field.
A Brief Tutorial on the 550 Hilt Wrap
A Brief Tutorial on the 550 Hilt Wrap
by a guy who's been there, done that and cleaned his knife afterward on the other guy's teeshirt.
On the 550 hilt wrap, the way it has to be done is:
A: Get an Ek 'bowie' or copy (best way, as it's one piece of steel with a removable hilt).
B: Grind the existing grip off (as in the case of Cold Steel rubber grips-the worst handles ever, by the way)
C: Grind down the stacked leather of the Ka-Bar type knife or the micarta of the Randall type (not lots of people like to do that to a Randall.....)
D: Or have finger grooves ground into the micarta such as those Randall can provide on the Model 14 or the Model 12-9 with a 14 Grind on the blade.
by a guy who's been there, done that and cleaned his knife afterward on the other guy's teeshirt.
On the 550 hilt wrap, the way it has to be done is:
A: Get an Ek 'bowie' or copy (best way, as it's one piece of steel with a removable hilt).
B: Grind the existing grip off (as in the case of Cold Steel rubber grips-the worst handles ever, by the way)
C: Grind down the stacked leather of the Ka-Bar type knife or the micarta of the Randall type (not lots of people like to do that to a Randall.....)
D: Or have finger grooves ground into the micarta such as those Randall can provide on the Model 14 or the Model 12-9 with a 14 Grind on the blade.
German soldiers deemed 'too fat to fight'
"War is the domain of physical exertion and suffering." - Karl von Clausewitz
Folks,
I received this today from an active member of the armed citizenry, with this comment:
I couldn't help it...when I saw it all I could think of was the "militia". The "militia's" problems are not necessarily beer and sausage over fruits and vegatables, rather, standing around in 'gucci-flage' exhorting the attributes of the AK vs. Stoner system rather than putting one's ass down in the mud to crawl around, not submitting to adversity in training (banker's hours war training) such as programmed sleep and food deprivation to cause movement out of the pyschological comfort zone, etc.
Folks, this man is right. Start doing what you need to do today to prepare yourself for tomorrow.
Mike
III
December 3, 2008
German soldiers deemed 'too fat to fight'
Thomas Coghlan in Kabul
First they were accused of not wanting to fight. Then they were blamed for failing in their main mission to train the Afghan police.
Now Germany’s battered military reputation has received a further humiliating blow. According to official reports the 3,500 troops in northern Afghanistan drink too much and are too fat to fight.
A German parliamentary report has revealed that in 2007 German forces in Afghanistan consumed about 1.7 million pints of beer and 90,000 bottles of wine. During the first six months of this year 896,000 pints of beer were shipped to German forces in Afghanistan. British and US bases in the country enforce a strict ban on alcohol.
The physical condition of the soldiers was already in question after a German armed forces report found that 40 per cent of its soldiers aged 18-29 were overweight, compared to 35 per cent of the civilian population of the same age.
The report, published in March, concluded that the Bundeswehr lived on beer and sausages while shunning fruit and vegetables. It said that an overdeveloped bureaucracy was also contributing to a “passive lifestyle” on the part of the soldiers.
Reinhold Robbe, the parliamentary commissioner for the German armed forces, concluded: “Plainly put, the soldiers are too fat, exercise too little and take little care of their diet.”
“Yes, it is true, the German soldiers in Kunduz are allowed to drink two cans of beer per day,” Lieutenant-Colonel Rainer Zaude, a spokesman for the forces, confirmed.
Even more damning is the allegation from a senior officer that Germany is failing in its main mission to train the Afghan police. General Hans-Christoph Ammon, the commander of the special commando unit, the KSK, described the efforts as “a miserable failure”.
The Government is also reported to have banned any reference to Krieg (war), in press statements on Afghanistan. Caveats imposed by the German Government limit the forces to operations in the relatively passive north.
Twenty-eight German soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001, including two in a suicide bomb attack in Kunduz province last month.
Folks,
I received this today from an active member of the armed citizenry, with this comment:
I couldn't help it...when I saw it all I could think of was the "militia". The "militia's" problems are not necessarily beer and sausage over fruits and vegatables, rather, standing around in 'gucci-flage' exhorting the attributes of the AK vs. Stoner system rather than putting one's ass down in the mud to crawl around, not submitting to adversity in training (banker's hours war training) such as programmed sleep and food deprivation to cause movement out of the pyschological comfort zone, etc.
Folks, this man is right. Start doing what you need to do today to prepare yourself for tomorrow.
Mike
III
December 3, 2008
German soldiers deemed 'too fat to fight'
Thomas Coghlan in Kabul
First they were accused of not wanting to fight. Then they were blamed for failing in their main mission to train the Afghan police.
Now Germany’s battered military reputation has received a further humiliating blow. According to official reports the 3,500 troops in northern Afghanistan drink too much and are too fat to fight.
A German parliamentary report has revealed that in 2007 German forces in Afghanistan consumed about 1.7 million pints of beer and 90,000 bottles of wine. During the first six months of this year 896,000 pints of beer were shipped to German forces in Afghanistan. British and US bases in the country enforce a strict ban on alcohol.
The physical condition of the soldiers was already in question after a German armed forces report found that 40 per cent of its soldiers aged 18-29 were overweight, compared to 35 per cent of the civilian population of the same age.
The report, published in March, concluded that the Bundeswehr lived on beer and sausages while shunning fruit and vegetables. It said that an overdeveloped bureaucracy was also contributing to a “passive lifestyle” on the part of the soldiers.
Reinhold Robbe, the parliamentary commissioner for the German armed forces, concluded: “Plainly put, the soldiers are too fat, exercise too little and take little care of their diet.”
“Yes, it is true, the German soldiers in Kunduz are allowed to drink two cans of beer per day,” Lieutenant-Colonel Rainer Zaude, a spokesman for the forces, confirmed.
Even more damning is the allegation from a senior officer that Germany is failing in its main mission to train the Afghan police. General Hans-Christoph Ammon, the commander of the special commando unit, the KSK, described the efforts as “a miserable failure”.
The Government is also reported to have banned any reference to Krieg (war), in press statements on Afghanistan. Caveats imposed by the German Government limit the forces to operations in the relatively passive north.
Twenty-eight German soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since 2001, including two in a suicide bomb attack in Kunduz province last month.
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