We all talk a good game on social media. We all talk about how prepared we are every minute of every day – but how accurate is that? Those “EDC Pocket Dump” photos are all so carefully laid out and posed. They remind me of the field gear displays we’d have to lay out onContinue reading “Is EDC truly EVERY DAY?”
Author Archives: JD
Making Smart Decisions
Over the weekend, a “street takeover” turned violent and an older couple in Queens were beaten by the crowd and had their car set on fire. There are a number of lessons we can learn about preparedness in this chain of unfortunate, yet predictable, events. The way of fools seems right to them, but the wiseContinue reading “Making Smart Decisions”
Winterize Your Gear
Yep, it’s that time again. As the weather cools off and the days get shorter, it’s time to update our basic loadout. Also, as we are seeing increased attacks on power substations and increased partisan rhetoric, we might as well up our game while we’re at it. First, cold weather gear. The key to coldContinue reading “Winterize Your Gear”
Hunting is Training
Hunting is a great way to practice your Fieldcraft skills. You are attempting to outwit a living, thinking organism that doesn’t want to be killed, just like in an actual combative situation. It’s also a huge part of your heritage, regardless of your ethnic or national origin – all humans have hunted for food atContinue reading “Hunting is Training”
Recap: 9 Days of Training
I’m finally home from our big annual East Coast Training Week. This one was longer than normal, because NC Scout and I started with a weekend at Mountain Readiness. While there, I taught a Land Navigation Basics course and Scout taught Driving Under Night Vision, using his truck that has IR headlights. Mountain Readiness isContinue reading “Recap: 9 Days of Training”
A Map and A Compass
In our overly modern world, some of the lost arts are at risk of fading away. Navigating by map and compass is one of them. Everyone carries their nearly-manadatory spy device with them and it very conveniently has several map and navigation apps on it. Do you know why? So that they can sell advertisersContinue reading “A Map and A Compass”
72 Hours
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ve heard me mention that you are never more than 72 hours from a complete collapse of society. That can be locally, regionally, nationally, or worldwide. A storm can happen, a grid collapse, or, as appears more and more likely, a civil war can happen. It’sContinue reading “72 Hours”
Situational Awareness
…then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they wouldContinue reading “Situational Awareness”
The Gray Man vs The Invisible Man
Let’s be honest. Most guys who say they “live a gray man lifestyle” look just like the guy in the photo. Heck, that’s honestly how I dress daily, but I’m not trying to be a Gray Man. They’re wearing a ball cap (to hide my hair color,bro), wrap around operator shades by Wiley X orContinue reading “The Gray Man vs The Invisible Man”
Why Digital Radios?
Before I get started, let’s set some ground rules. This is NOT a ham radio discussion. I will be saying things that ham radio “experts” will disagree with. If you are a ham radio purist, I highly recommend not reading. If you do, and I know you will, I give you this piece of TacticalContinue reading “Why Digital Radios?”
Unrealistic Expectations
Let’s discuss some of the unrealistic expectations that folks have in their training and preparations, shall we? First, let’s talk about the costs of training. Negotiating a lower price seems to be something folks are trying more and more and let me tell you why that is a non-starter and completely unfair to the trainers.Continue reading “Unrealistic Expectations”
Immediate Action Gear
Gather up your belongings to leave the land, you who live under siege. Jeremiah 10:17 Like Fred Sanford, everyone is always talking about “THE BIG ONE”. Ask people what they are preparing for and you’ll get interesting answers. Pandemic, Russian or Chinese invasion, the Super-Quake, a polar shift, EMP strike, or an alien invasion. The truth is,Continue reading “Immediate Action Gear”
Organizing
The other day, my friend Mike Shelby pointed out that people into preparedness aren’t organizing – they are preparing individually, but not organizing into larger community groups. He’s right. However, many folks criticized him for this. That’s because they don’t want to put in the work. Organizing is hard, buying and stockpiling stuff isn’t. TheContinue reading “Organizing”
The Price of Admission
The other day, Tucker Carlson asked us to envision an America full of men like Braxton McCoy. Know, I know Braxton personally. We spent a weekend together camping (yes, along with Sibley) in Viriginia. After that weekend, he asked me to run a Bible study for the men in his Bunkhouse group. We’ve communicated everContinue reading “The Price of Admission”
At What Price?
I struggled all day on the 4th of July to decide on my message this year. Here it is the 5th, and I still am not sure. Make no mistake, I believe the United States of America to be a God-Inspired nation, and the best chunk of dirt on the planet. However, over the decadesContinue reading “At What Price?”
Status Check Time
It’s time for a real-life status check. We just saw mass protests around the country that got fairly violent. The US has bombed Iran and just prior to the bombing, the Ayatollah sent a note to President Trump warning that if we attacked, he would activate terrorist sleeper cells within the US. This morning, aContinue reading “Status Check Time”
Shield Field Days
I will be hosting Shield Field Days, in partnership with Shield Arms, at Camp Ponderosa for the second year. The event will be held at Camp Ponderosa, a veteran’s charity, July 25-27th in Bigfork, MT. The camp is located at 31904 Forest Camp Loop in Bigfork. Last year, we had speakers and classes all weekendContinue reading “Shield Field Days”
Overcoming Apathy
Saturday, I was on the road home and stopped into Denver to visit an old friend from High School. I also decided to peek into the No Kings protest to see what it was all about. My biggest learning is that despite highly vocal people on both sides (left and right), the vast majority ofContinue reading “Overcoming Apathy”
This Moment
This is important, so we’re going to open with the Tactical Wisdom first: If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. James 4:17 In the hours after Soliman fired up his homemade flamethrower and started setting people on fire, I commented on X aboutContinue reading “This Moment”
Why We Need Community
We just wrapped up 10 days of training here at Veteran’s Camp Ponderosa. We had 3 instructors covering 5 courses, and about 60 people came through the various courses. Some stayed the entire time and some came and went. For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. RomansContinue reading “Why We Need Community”
Let’s Get Back to Training
I have finally updated the training page with the summer classes. Head over to the Training Courses tab and check it out. Now, let’s address something. A lot of folks have taken their foot off the gas in regards to training because their side won or whatever, but the risks have not gone away. WeContinue reading “Let’s Get Back to Training”
When the Lights Go Out
When the lights went out over all of Spain and Portugal, it exposed exactly how fragile our system is. We live 100% dependent on the free flow of electrons. A guy in Spain wrote a thread on how it immediately caused runs on food and fuel. I’d thought we’d go over some issues we sawContinue reading “When the Lights Go Out”
What Radio Do I Need?
I post a lot of radios. I mean, a LOT. That’s because I own a lot of radios. I own everything from high-end Yaesu’s and Motorola’s to the most basic Baofengs. Earlier, someone asked me about why so many different radios, so I thought we’d run through this again. Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keepContinue reading “What Radio Do I Need?”
Our Duty
Ok, kids, strap in, this is going to get tough. We have had another mass shooting, and once again, I’m appalled at the behavior of humans. Most notably, the young person, sipping on their latte, recording a young woman as she lay on the ground bleeding. The casual indifference is horrible. You might be temptedContinue reading “Our Duty”
New Training Classes
Over the winter, I saw a number of stories about lost snowshoers, skiers, and snowmobilers, many of whom didn’t have any survival skills. Well, you all know that Tactical Wisdom is all about helping you survive. We’re going to be offering some new courses in that realm. “You will drink from the stream, and IContinue reading “New Training Classes”
Getting Serious About Training
Recently, I had a good sized group for Fieldcraft in NC, and NC Scout had a very large group for Scout and Recce. Those have been exception this year, because everyone seems to think that everything has magically gotten better. That’s just not true, as lawlessness is on the rise, and protest season is uponContinue reading “Getting Serious About Training”
Am I Not Sending You?
Americans are a funny people. This great land was founded by men of action…men who knew that if meaningful change was to happen, they had to put in the work themselves. Our nation expanded by the same kind of stock, hacking a life out of this wild continent with no expectation of help or assistanceContinue reading “Am I Not Sending You?”
Camp Ponderosa
I’d like to talk about our partners at Veteran’s Camp Ponderosa and what this place can be for all of you. When my friend Stan first suggested that NC Scout and I look at the site for classes, I didn’t know what I was getting into. I truly believe God led me here to makeContinue reading “Camp Ponderosa”
What Is Fieldcraft?
I had someone ask me recently what is fieldcraft and why do I need it? It was an interesting enough question that I thought I’d answer it here. Accoridng to the Canadian Army “Fieldcraft” Mannual: Fieldcraft is made up of the individual skills and techniques used by soldiers in the field, which include movement, useContinue reading “What Is Fieldcraft?”
Course AARs
Recently, I held a Fieldcraft class at the Brushbeater Training Center in North Carolina, followed immediately by NC Scout’s Scout & Recce Courses. We planned it this way, because NC Scout and I felt that the skills learned in my Fieldcraft class would directly benefit people taking the Scout course, which then builds into theContinue reading “Course AARs”
Acta, Non Verba
When it comes to preparedness, the phrase “acta non verba” is pretty relevant. Lots of folks talk a good game online, but when the rubber hits the road, they’re not as prepared as they claim. Me, included, sometimes. Against that backdrop, we’re going to start with a little Tactical Wisdom, talk about it, and thenContinue reading “Acta, Non Verba”
Active Response Kit
We live in chaotic and tense times. They aren’t getting any better. We are seeing an increase in terror attacks, active shooters, and mass casualty events. It’s one thing to prepare for things at home, but what about when you are caught at the scene of a major event? Common sense would tell most ofContinue reading “Active Response Kit”
Making Choices
Every morning, I ask God to put me where He needs me. While He may very well do that, He has given us free will and it’s up to us whether to heed His call or not. Let me tell you a story and why, as people involved in preparedness, we should ALWAYS stop. IContinue reading “Making Choices”
Taking Responsibility
We see it every time….a disaster or calamity occurs and people then demand to know why the state or federal government or whoever isn’t helping the people. After the damage, they are looking for someone to restore power, establish communications, and provide security from looters. What if I told you every one of those thingsContinue reading “Taking Responsibility”
Winter Weather Prep
As this arctic air mass descends upon the whole of North America next week, I thought it would be a good time to put out a reminder of the gear to keep with you in the winter. I know, it’s so easy in our comfortable lives to say, “Well, I’m going to leave my houseContinue reading “Winter Weather Prep”
Readiness Right Now
We went and saw Homestead last weekend and that got me to thinking. How ready am I right now? Carried a bit further, if I had lived in North Carolina or Tennessee when the storm hit, how would I be faring right now, several months in, with the just what I had on hand? InContinue reading “Readiness Right Now”
Prepping with the Boy Scouts
This weekend, the local Boy Scout Troop is camping here at Camp Ponderosa and it got me thinking about their motto, Be Prepared. Out here in Rural America, the Boy Scouts are as they once were, an organization that takes boys out to learn outdoor skills and serve their community. They’ll be learning some winterContinue reading “Prepping with the Boy Scouts”
Comfort
As Americans, or members of Western Society as whole, we’ve gotten way too used to comfort. We like to come home, sit on the couch and watch TV, eat copious amounts of over-processed but readily available food, and be comfortable. We live in climate-controlled homes, drive in our climate-controlled cars to our climate-controlled offices/workplaces, thenContinue reading “Comfort”
Combative Skills
“What’s the one gun every prepper needs?” “What’s better, rifle or shotgun”? “Bro, Glock or Sig?” These questions and more dominate the self-defense discussions I have. Everyone seems to think that preparedness for security issues begins and ends with guns. Let me explain why that’s not the case. What if you were in a courthouseContinue reading “Combative Skills”
Winter Is Coming
It’s November. It’s that time. Winter is coming, so it’s time to swap out and update our gear load out. Let’s start with the car kit and supplies. It’s winter, so if you live where snow is possible, it’s time to make sure you have a shovel of some type in your car as wellContinue reading “Winter Is Coming”
Getting Ready for Protest Season
This weekend, anti-Trump protests have sprung up all over the country. I felt like it was time to throw out a few reminders. The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. Proverbs 27:12 First, it’s absolutely foolish to underestimate the resolve or training of these protestors. As MikeContinue reading “Getting Ready for Protest Season”
Knife Reviews
Let me just say that the best thing about this crazy ride I’ve been on is that a lot of people ask me to field test their knives. I, being a huge knife guy, am perfectly willing to accept knives for testing. Hey, knife manufacturers, did you catch that? Today, I’m going to go overContinue reading “Knife Reviews”
License Free Radio Options
As we sit poised for another major storm, I thought it might be helpful to dispel some myths about radios and cover some LICENSE FREE options. Sad hams – please note, this article is ONLY about LICENSE FREE, so please don’t feel the need to drop a hundred comments on why everyone needs an AmateurContinue reading “License Free Radio Options”
Where are My People?
Despite having written on this topic dozens of times, the number one question I still get is, “yeah, but where can I find like minded people?”. While I’m going to answer the question (yet again), we need a little tough love first. Ready? Here goes…let’s start with some Tactical Wisdom: You should mind your ownContinue reading “Where are My People?”
Realistic Radio Ranges
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. Proverbs 9:9 Instructing the wise is the entire premise behind Tactical Wisdom, so let’s get right to it. The number one question NC Scout and I (along with our friend Randy at NotARubicon) get is, “yeah, butContinue reading “Realistic Radio Ranges”
The “No Comms” Plan
The power went out, so you initiated your plan. This involved turning on your radio, and you haven’t heard anything at all. That’s OK, though, because yuor group’s standing comms plan doesn’t call for a comms network check until the second evening. The time rolls around for you local network and you try to checkContinue reading “The “No Comms” Plan”
AAR – Community Security Course
A couple of weeks ago, we held a Community Security Operations course at Camp Ponderosa in Bigfork, Montana. It’s the second course I’ve taught there, and NC Scout ran a pair of classes there also. It’s a gorgeous site in some true wilderness (the Bob Marshall Wilderness), perfect for training and relaxing. Expect more classesContinue reading “AAR – Community Security Course”
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Get Home Bag vs Backpacking
Recently, at a class I gave on building a Get Home Bag, a discussion came up about backpacking gear and packing versus preparedness. I thought this would be a good time to explain why the skill sets are complimentary, they are not the same thing. Gather up your belongings to leave the land, you whoContinue reading “Get Home Bag vs Backpacking”
Independence
It’s Independence Day evening, and I’m sitting here drinking a Yeungling and watching the dazzling lights of the fire truck on the next block over (is it really a fireworks show if the FD doesn’t show up) while reflecting on independence. It’s a really a big idea that goes nicely with preparedness. It’s even inContinue reading “Independence”
Tactical Wisdom 