I love getting out and meeting more people in our community. I enjoy spending time learning and training with others. It’s important that we all get out and do this to build a community wherever you plan on weathering a WROL situation. It’s vital whether you plan to bug out or bug in.
We’ve talked about building a mutual aid group, and there are great instructions on that in the Baseline Training Manual (TW-01). What I want to talk about today, though, is building community where you live, where you work, and where you plan to ride out whatever bad situation comes up.
Tactical Wisdom from the Ultimate Tactical Handbook tells us this. Jesus never sent out less than two people together. There is also this favorite:
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Even if you don’t plan on bugging in, you need to conduct a serious assessment of your own neighborhood. You need to know who might be an ally and who might be your opposition. Talk a walk and notice which cars have firearms or outdoor-related stickers on them, these people are likely assets. Same goes for stickers related to medical skills. One big indicator in my neighborhood is American flags. These are likely people who think my way. Two-Way radio antennas on cars or houses is another good sign of a potential ally.
I tour the neighborhood after bad weather or power outages. The folks who get right to cleaning up with their own tools or who are running a generator are most likely your people. The ones running to the store immediately are not the ones you want. I look at how folks are dressed as well. I frequently saw my next-door neighbor wearing a pair of boots that I also own and some 5.11 pants, and shortly thereafter found out he is also into preparedness. It’s easy once you start looking. When you find them strike up a conversation. It as easy as “Looks like you were ready. Nice generator.”
We’re all used to doing this at home, but have you considered doing it at work, if you work a distance from home? Knowing who else at work is a little more prepared can help you and them. If your routes go in the same direction, you can work your way out of the immediate area together. Look for the person who brings in that extra bag (Get Home Bag) that they don’t really use all day, and that they keep close. Talk to the guy who always seems to have a multitool or other useful item whenever an issue arises. The lady who always has Band-Aids. These are possible allies. Avoid the people who mock the tornado/fire drill or the active shooter training.
Bugging out is where it gets tough and where you need to invest time right now. Let me use another Ultimate Tactical Handbook example, Judas Maccabeus. When the Greek government started looking for him, he left with a team, not alone:
But Judas Maccabeus, with about nine others, got away to the wilderness, and kept himself and his companions alive in the mountains as wild animals do; they continued to live on what grew wild, so that they might not share in the defilement.
2 Maccabees 5:27
On a side note: There are great studies of Maccabees in my Locals community at tacticalwisdom.locals.com for supporters. You can become a monthly supporter there.
If you are planning on bugging out to your property in a rural area, understand that rural areas are different. You can’t just show up there one day, especially after an event, and expect to be welcomed. In fact, expect the OPPOSITE. Rural areas are tightly knit and suspicious of strangers, which is why we all want to flee there.
You need to invest time now, becoming a known quantity in the area. In the area I would go to first, I’ve been known my entire life. I still go up there about once a month and get seen among the community and spend time with the people, so that I’m not an outsider trying to impose my will. Everyone up there knows I am a Marine veteran who has spent his career in protection and investigations, so when things go bad, I’ll naturally be seen as a trusted source to manage security in the area. You, and anyone you intend to bring, need to get established with the locals. Maybe you’re a doctor or nurse – they need to know that. Maybe you’re a skilled tradesman, or good at growing things. Whatever it is, make sure that your ability to be a net resource, rather than a drain, to the local community is known and you’ll be welcome.
Rural communities require you to spend that time. Now, I’m not saying reveal all your plans and preps to them, just make sure they know who you are and what you bring to the community. Once you’ve done that, you’ll find them more open & helpful than urban communities, because rural folks live the prepping life anyway. Power outages and storm damage leave people stranded all the time. Heavy snowfall doesn’t always lead to snowplowing in rural communities. They are more resilient and prepared by nature, making them good allies.
Find out what the Sheriff thinks about your rights and emergency response. Where does he stand on the Second Amendment? How did the county government react during the last emergency (we’re looking at you and your curfew, Moore County, NC)? What was their position during the COVID nonsense? These are all important things to gather now, before things get any worse.
The question always comes up about now: But, JD, what about the potential for meeting Feds??? My answer is this: What if you do? What if you go to a prepper training event and some Fed tries to talk to you? Here’s the deal: SO, WHAT? There is nothing unlawful about wanting to learn how to be more self-sufficient. There is nothing unlawful about planning for bad times. There isn’t even anything unlawful about attending tactical/military-type training. Just do your thing, and don’t let ANYONE steer you into agreeing with ridiculous plots (like kidnapping Governors or storming Capitol buildings). Just do what you are there to do. Let them waste their time. Our goal is self-sufficiency and survival.
My challenge to you is this: Make a plan to attend one of two training events or conferences about preparedness this year. Yes, they exist. I’ve been asked to speak at one in Minnesota, and another was just held in Tennessee. I’m leaving this weekend for my second training event of the year. Get out there, meet new people, and defy the fear they want you to live in.
Get out and get prepared.
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Tactical Wisdom 
Great
Great article on building community and finding allies in preparedness efforts. It’s important to invest time in building relationships and becoming a known quantity in your neighborhood or rural community. Attending training events or conferences is a great way to meet new people and expand your network.
Eamon
Live Free Offgrid
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Thanks!
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Hi Mr. Dolio.Great article.I thought you might find this interesting. Sadly, my state is such a nest of woke left ideologues. Vt. bill takes aim at Slate Ridge, militia training camps
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A new bill before Vermont lawmakers takes aim at paramilitary training camps, making it illegal to operate facil… |
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Pam
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Well said JD. You know, I’ve been to anti lockdown protests. Guys, the plain clothes FBI and PA State Police who try to incite bs are cartoonish (i.e., a stranger comes up to you and says “SoMEoNe NeEDS to Go iN ThErE anD Do SoMEtHInG”. You can smell them from a mile away. They count on you being as stupid as they think you are. If you aren’t, then they are easy.
If you organize online, you’ll get infiltrated. 100%. Do it with people you know face to face, you have a bond with. If you’ve had to deal with some crap together, even better. You know how they handle stress.
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Absolutely. Thank you
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We had a Fed attend an OK meeting and attended a training session. It was in a rural part of the Mojave Desert on a ridge over looking an abandoned chicken farm. The scenario was after the SHTF a gang of Mexican cartel members moved it and was using it as the base of operations for murder, rape, kidnapping of women, and robbery. Our assignment was to recon their activities to determine their strengths and weaknesses. Anyway, at the end of the training I saw the Fed taking pictures. I don’t think he knew I saw him. He and I were the last two to leave and I walked over to him and told him “I hope everyone understood that this training was just for when there is no more rule of law.” He nodded in agreement and he never came to another meeting. I hope he went back and told his supervisors we were not any kind of a threat.
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NIcely done. I always begin every class with a warning about what we will not be discussing. That usually sends them away.
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Spot on as usual…
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Thanks.
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Reblogged this on Alpha Charlie Concepts and commented:
A must read from my good friend Joe Dolio.
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Another great write up.
It has me looking at where I sit currently. Where I’m in good shape with neighbors and where
there are weaknesses. Knowing your neighbors is vital in my opinion. I don’t mean you have to hang out with them and be best friends but you must know who is going to be a problem. I believe that to most important. Dirt bags or ones with dirtbag kids can be a real danger in a WROL situation or even on the daily basis.
JT
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You say there is nothing illegal about talking to a glowie/Fed about preparedness and how to be more self sufficient, and yet….now we have ‘seditious conspiracy’. Getting weird out there. Correction…..weirdER. Cheers, y’all.
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Yours is one of the few sites I review anymore,,,,,
Agree well thought out observation. It is rare that mountain folk allow or invite outsiders in. When we do, there’s serious accountability for submitting, basically you are responsible for bringing anybody onboard. Your nominee’s a flake a snitch, you will be held accountable, up to and likely including banishment.
. In this day and age, if you’re in any loosely organized crew, you can bet you have three CI’s inside talking out.
Think it’s clear that our Govts scared shitless of We The People. As they should be. With the treason learned of, seemingly daily anymore, with the absolute open destruction of our infrastructure, our external security, with the intention of using our resources to support literally invading military aged men,”army’s” our oil reserves to China!, our big guns and bullets to those in Europe.
The one salvation I “ think” I see is, I’m not worried about internal security, no sir. Their is literally a rifleman behind every blade of glass here. We know the turf, we know the ins, the outs. A long shot here, a knife thru the base of a skull there, then like a ghost disappear. It works, the lessons learned by us via Vietnam, The Middle East, now the Russia gig with their drones, amazing tools are they not.
A poor man’s air wing! Sorry my mind wanders.
Sir, your point of making friends now is spot on, I wish them luck, we’ve allowed two in, both turned out to be fucking flakes, good men but flakes. Even our crew continues to network with other ranch’s farther and farther out. To spend weekends out in the wilderness on side by sides documenting water and food sources. Flying drones even farther into turf even the locals only slightly know.
Transients are watched like hawks from afar. When The China Bug hit, we were amazed at the amounts of people bailing out of the cities and long term camping. There were issues, but the locals made their point, you are not us, get the fuck out, while you can. They did.
We are fortunate we are southern/ eastern OREGON Northern Nevada far northern Calif, a quick look at a Sat night photo, will give one a clear pic of just how far away these places are. We chose this place better than 35 years ago for this very reason.
I say often that if you’re south of the Mississippi River you’re fucked. Almost one continuous stream of night light. I truly wish you the best of luck, skilled men, hard men with families and a history of being pro American willing to work hard hating working cattle, doing security work will find crews willing to take em in.
Lately the talk has literally been. Families only. I think you will understand the wisdom in allowing only families.
And I want to close with this. If you are a group a crew, and you have not met the other members family, been to their homes, broke bread with them. Attended their children’s sporting events,Learned their history. I mean their community history, community contribution you’re making a major mistake.
History has proven to us all that agents snitch’s Ci’s do not contribute much to a community, certainly don’t expose their families and children to the group.
You have a responsibility to safe guard your crew, your first mission is to protect your family, your brothers families. You have a responsibility to seek out infiltrators, and kick em to the curb. You then have a responsibility to share their identity to the rest of the patriot circle. Nature will handle the rest.
Understand Agencies don’t care about endangering snitch’s families, but snitch’s and Under Covers DO have a concern. The job, or the family. Seems a simple choice. Our crew have known each other for at least thirty years, our kids grew up together, we attend the same church’s, hell our kids have married into each others families. Ranchers farmers, with history back to the beginnings of the communities.
We think it’s a safe bet we have each others backs.
Dirk
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Well said
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