It’s a shame, really. When the Continental Pipeline attack happened, many of us warned people to up their preparedness for a serious cyber-attack. Sure, the people directly affected by the gas shortages took heed, but the average American did not. But, LORD, let Facebook and InstaGram go down for a day and watch chaos ensueContinue reading “Immediate Steps – Cyberattacks”
Author Archives: JD
Recognizing Friends
As the situation here continues to deteriorate, one important thing to consider is how you will recognize members of your group or family during a chaotic event. It’s important in the initial chaos, but later, in a full collapse of society, it will become vital. For example, imagine that you are on post at yourContinue reading “Recognizing Friends”
The Minuteman Concept
The Minuteman is someone we all learned about back in school, but how much do you really know about them and what can we apply to today? Here, we will look at the Minuteman concept and discuss how we can apply those lessons today. The basis for the Minuteman was devised in the Massachusetts BayContinue reading “The Minuteman Concept”
Give me Liberty, or give me Netflix
On March 23rd, 1775, Patrick Henry gave a speech at St John’s Church in Richmond Virginia. He concluded that speech with a phrase that has echoed throughout history as a battle cry and a guiding principle, “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”. He wasn’t just saying empty words, either. He would go on toContinue reading “Give me Liberty, or give me Netflix”
Training Task: Urban Scouting
Whatever your reason is for preparing, a second or third order effect is going to lead to the unavailability of gasoline. If you’re preparing for an EMP, then vehicles are already off the table. I know, everyone likes to say “But I’ve got a 1984 Chevy”. Cool story. How will you get gasoline without electricity?Continue reading “Training Task: Urban Scouting”
Intolerance
We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain, unalienable rights…. I view these words with almost religious faith. I fervently believe in them with every fiber of my soul. The men who wrote them did as well. In fact, they finishedContinue reading “Intolerance”
Pet Preparedness
I can’t imagine my life without my dogs, one of which is Miss Lucy above. In that photo, I think she was waiting not-very-patiently for me to put the laptop down. Also, I have a cat, and he’s the ultimate “Chad Cat” of all Chad-Cats. He stages items along the very edge of the kitchenContinue reading “Pet Preparedness”
Are you ready to live in the field?
We’ve all got a tent, and a sleeping bag, and the supplies we think we need to live in the field, should we need to. Some people plan on living a permanent mobile existence in a WROL situation, which isn’t actually realistic, and some are planning on bugging in. No matter what you envision, areContinue reading “Are you ready to live in the field?”
Finding Your Tribe
Whether it’s Max Rockatansky, former police officer of the Main Force Patrol, or Eli, former K-Mart staffer, the movies always feature a man traveling the wasteland alone, righting wrongs and accomplishing amazing feats all by himself in a world gone mad. That’s called FICTION for a reason. The truth of the matter is that alone,Continue reading “Finding Your Tribe”
72 Hours
My preparedness philosophy revolves around the idea that at any given point in time, you are no more than 72 hours from a complete and total collapse. This may seem extreme, but let me give a historical context. The most recent example is Afghanistan. We spent years training their new military and they fell withinContinue reading “72 Hours”
Jack Lawson’s Review of the book Tactical Wisdom
By Jack Lawson, Author of the Civil Defense Manual Rare does a book catch my attention like Tactical Wisdom. It could have been authored by my alter ego. But the Author, Joe Dolio, has created what I consider a companion and must-read book to my book the Civil Defense Manual. His book “Tactical Wisdom TW-01Continue reading “Jack Lawson’s Review of the book Tactical Wisdom”
The Government View on Prepping
I have long said that the government views people into preparedness (“preppers”) as a threat. Many people point at the FEMA website http://www.ready.gov and say “See, you’re wrong. They want you prepared.” Have you really looked at their guidance? Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot of great information on that site. However, thatContinue reading “The Government View on Prepping”
Legal Preparedness 102
As we drift further down this path, I felt that we could use a couple of tips on some legal items. Not because we think we’re going to win any great legal battles, but because we need to be able to establish an “affirmative defense”. The man in the photo above, first asked the policeContinue reading “Legal Preparedness 102”
The Value of a Good Comms Lead
Last weekend, there was a shooting that took the life of Chicago Police Officer Ella French. In a heart-breaking and ironic twist of fate, Officer French had recently been in the news for saving the life of a 1 year old baby who had been shot in the head. That’s how the struggle between GoodContinue reading “The Value of a Good Comms Lead”
Decisions
If you follow my writings here and on Twitter, you know how I feel about the show, The Last Kingdom. It’s a great historical drama. One of my favorite scenes features Father Beocca screaming at Lord Uthred, regarding a serious dispute with the King. Beocca screams, “MAKE YOUR CHOICE, BOY” at Uthred and storms out.Continue reading “Decisions”
Counter-Surveillance
In these days of government over-reach and open militia groups on both the left and the right, it’s time to discuss a sensitive topic. Counter-Surveillance is a key tool in preparedness. Every time I start talking about stuff like this, people say, “If you aren’t doing anything wrong, why worry?”. Don’t fall into that trap;Continue reading “Counter-Surveillance”
Different Rule of Law
A little while ago, I met with a guy for the first time. Before meeting him, I arrived early and conducted a counter-surveillance sweep, as I often do, to make sure that ANTIFA isn’t setting me up. While I watched the area, I saw another vehicle make the same sweep I did, and I canContinue reading “Different Rule of Law”
Civil Defense Manual – Vol 1
It’s been said that the measure of a man’s intelligence is often how much he agrees with you. I felt that way as I read Volume 1 of Jack Lawson’s Civil Defense Manual. I’ll put link down below. Since he agrees almost completely with me, the man is clearly a GENIUS. You’d think as anContinue reading “Civil Defense Manual – Vol 1”
Can We Use CB?
Remember the 70s? Ok, me neither. But, I do remember that my Dad used to have a CB radio. So did all of my uncles and all of their friends. Back then, everyone had to have a license. CB was so wildly popular that movies were made about it and an entire Pop Culture roseContinue reading “Can We Use CB?”
The Defense Production Act
The Defense Production Act is something that the preparedness community overlooks, and it can come back to bite us in this age of social media surveillance and Big Brother. Passed in 1950, the original intent of the Defense Production Act was to ensure that in the event of another all-out war (most likely at thatContinue reading “The Defense Production Act”
Wake Up Call: South Africa
The current situation in South Africa should be a learning tool for anyone interested in preparedness. The state of KwaZulu Natal is in a true Without-Rule-Of-Law situation. But first, here’s the Tactical Wisdom that applies here: “then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life,Continue reading “Wake Up Call: South Africa”
Field Observations
As part of preparedness, information gathering is vital. If you simply gather supplies, but not information on all of the possible actors in our current potential civil conflict, you are not really prepared. Situational Awareness is a key part of that. So many in preparedness, especially in rural areas, write off groups like BLM, ANTIFA,Continue reading “Field Observations”
But, Are You Ready?
A couple of weeks ago, I posed the question “how ready are you at any given moment”. Since then, things have gotten progressively worse in this country and we’re now seeing armed groups openly preparing for conflict and having armed confrontations with police. They’ve been resolved peacefully so far, but that won’t last. Regardless ofContinue reading “But, Are You Ready?”
The Current Environment
The current environment is dangerous, and getting more so every day. We are seeing more signs of division and potential Balkanization, and, by their actions, it would seem that government at all levels is doing everything they can to make that happen. Before we get too deep into the evidence and what we can doContinue reading “The Current Environment”
Make A Decision
Overnight, a group calling itself the Moorish American Arms was stopped while refueling vehicles on the freeway in Massachusetts. This led to a standoff in which 11 men were arrested. Because it was a black supremacist Muslim group, many applauded the MA State Police. I hold a different position, because until this group breaks theContinue reading “Make A Decision”
Urban Recon Pre Event
There is no doubt that we are in a pre-conflict stage in the US at this point. No one wants a conflict (except apparently the far left extremists and maybe some extreme far-right ones). But, what can we in the center do to prepare ourselves for civil unrest, intentional damage to the power grid, orContinue reading “Urban Recon Pre Event”
The Right Way to Prep
Frequently, I harp on two points. The first is to not prepare for a specific event, but to prepare for the second and third order effects of ANY event. The second point I harp on is to have more than method of escape planned. Friday night, when I went to bed, there was a moderateContinue reading “The Right Way to Prep”
Tactical History – Ziklag
This is an epic battle story and a classic study of tactics that directly applies to us as people interested in preparedness. It highlights some pieces of Tactical Wisdom that are vital to our plans for a WROL situation, and happens to be a pretty cool story. If anyone wants to follow along, the fullContinue reading “Tactical History – Ziklag”
New Gear Reviews
We all like getting new gear. I’m no different, even though I stress having skills over gear, I do like new stuff. This week, I went into the field & tried out a few new items. First, let me point out that I bought this gear myself. The manufacturers don’t even know I’m reviewing it.Continue reading “New Gear Reviews”
Fire Preparedness
We prepare for all sorts of situations, and presently most of us are worried about a potential hack taking down the electrical grid or some type of mass civil disorder, right up to a potential second civil war. You know I frequently talk about second and third order effects, and the potential for a fireContinue reading “Fire Preparedness”
Latex/Nitrile Glove Training
Last night, I had a conversation with a long-time corrections officer and he mentioned training to shoot in Nitrile or Latex gloves, due to the current pandemic and other scenarios. Anyone who has ever tried to accomplish anything in nitrile/latex gloves instantly knows what the issues will be. For context, the source I spoke toContinue reading “Latex/Nitrile Glove Training”
The Three Blade Rule
I frequently talk about the Three Blade Rule, and I thought I would take a few minutes to explain my methodology on this, and explain my own EDC tools that I use to fit this. What does the Ultimate Tactical Handbook say about this? I’m glad you asked: If you don’t have a sword, SellContinue reading “The Three Blade Rule”
My Morning – A Preparedness Tale
Earlier this week, I mentioned that you need to take yourself from Condition Yellow to Condition Orange. I had an incident occur this morning where that condition kept a workplace violence threat from expanding into actual violence. I want to share the story, not for accolades, I get paid to do this, but to pointContinue reading “My Morning – A Preparedness Tale”
Condition Orange
If you read my book or have followed this blog for any appreciable amount of time, you know I talk about Cooper’s Color Codes and remaining in Condition Yellow as much as possible. Today, I’m saying that if you aren’t in Condition Orange when interacting with others outside your household, you aren’t safe. Monday night,Continue reading “Condition Orange”
Communications Protocols
Nearly everyone I talk to in preparedness says that they have communications gear, and a solid plan for their group to communicate in the event of a disaster, whether natural or manmade. That sounds good, but then when I ask to see their radio, they are stumped. “What do you mean?”. I reply “Where isContinue reading “Communications Protocols”
How Ready Are You?
If there is one thing this last year should have taught us all, is that things can change in a matter of moments. Kenosha was the best example. People were having a normal Sunday night with barbecues and family dinners, and within one hour they were living in a war-torn hell-scape. Fires burned everywhere, lawContinue reading “How Ready Are You?”
Misconceptions are Dangerous
The other day, I shared an article of mine that appeared over at http://www.survivalblog.com (great website by James Wesley Rawles, BTW). In that article, I discussed some training exercises that are listed in my Base Line Training Manual, available at the Amazon affiliate link below. The exercises involved conducting safe movement, avoiding others, and settingContinue reading “Misconceptions are Dangerous”
Our Collapse
Everyone has a different opinion of what a collapse will look like, and that spurs a lot of conversations. Hollywood has given us a false sense of what a societal collapse looks like. In the movies, it’s a sudden event where we go from order to chaos in less than a day. What if, inContinue reading “Our Collapse”
Fieldcraft
In their training manual on Fieldcraft, the Canadian Forces define Fieldcraft like this: “Fieldcraft is made up of the individual skills and techniques used by soldiers in the field, which include movement, use of ground and camouflage in conditions of reduced visibility. These skills and techniques enable soldiers to maintain their own security while gainingContinue reading “Fieldcraft”
Radio Testing
I frequently talk about the need to test your gear and your skills, but when is the last time you tested your preparedness radios? I’m not talking to the Amateur Radio guys, they do it everyday. I’m talking to YOU, yes YOU, the guy who has the radios in a box somewhere. So often weContinue reading “Radio Testing”
Is Israel a Preview?
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. Matthew 24:6 As I sit here watching the situation unfold in Israel, I can’t help but wonder if it’s a preview of things to come here. Now, I’mContinue reading “Is Israel a Preview?”
Seasonal Changeover
As we approach Mid-May, the weather is getting warmer. On Monday, I decided to do a seasonal changeover on all of my bags. As I was finishing, I thought it would be a good idea to share with you all my thinking and methodology. By now, you should all have ordered a copy of theContinue reading “Seasonal Changeover”
Self Defense is Over
Everyone said, “Wait until they come to Texas! The cops here won’t play that”. Then they came to Texas, and the cops protected BLM/ANTIFA. “But that was Austin”, they all said. Then they went to Plano, Texas. There, BLM/ANTIFA blocked traffic. One motorist, pictured above, got angry and walked to the front, demanding that theContinue reading “Self Defense is Over”
Team Training Ideas
Whenever existing prepper groups train as a group, one of two things happen. They either spend the entire weekend shooting and doing unrealistic tactics like practicing urban combat, or it just becomes a family camping trip, where a good time is had, but no actual training occurs. As the law & order situation in theContinue reading “Team Training Ideas”
Could It Happen Here?
A common pushback I get is “Yeah, but a without rule of law situation would never happen in the United States.” We’re going to talk about that, address some vulnerabilities, and discuss whether or not we are already in a WROL situation. In October of 2017, the Commission to Assess the Threat of an EMPContinue reading “Could It Happen Here?”
Lessons from “The Road”
I watch a lot of the “Prepper” movies, to see how realistic they are, and to see how the principles I discuss would have helped the heroes in the movie. SPOILER ALERT…if you haven’t seen “The Road”, with Vigo Mortensen, there are a few spoilers in here, but I’ll try to limit them. Before weContinue reading “Lessons from “The Road””
Book Release
All, the first book is now live on Amazon. https://amzn.to/2PkqKyW
Let’s Talk Self Defense
Just when you thought this place couldn’t get any crazier, the last 2 weeks have thrown us for an even bigger loop. Today, we’re going to talk about the declining self-defense situation, the revelation of the lie that this was all about George Floyd, I’ll offer some practical tips, and throw out a few itemsContinue reading “Let’s Talk Self Defense”
Skill: Civil Disturbance Planning
As civil disturbances are increasing and we approach the deliberations phase of the Derek Chauvin trial, I thought it would be a good time to discuss civil disturbance planning. There are things you can do to reduce the impact of civil disturbances on your life. First, let’s come to an agreement that politics plays NOContinue reading “Skill: Civil Disturbance Planning”
Normalcy Bias – Again
I know, I talk about this a lot. You want to know why? Because people still have a normalcy bias. But first, an update. The first book in our Training Manual Series, The Base Line Training Manual is being edited and will be wrapped up in the next few days. If you’d like to helpContinue reading “Normalcy Bias – Again”