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Almost ashamed to post it as most people think it is fake, BUT. Retired: US ARMY Special Forces Engineer and Officer, State Police Bomb Squad and SWAT Team Commander, Subject Matter Expert for Weapons of Mass Destruction, Intelligence Operations, Security, Thermal Imagery and Night Vision, Firearms Instructor, Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Made Explosives, EMT, Pilot-Fixed Wing Single engine, SCUBA Instructor, and grew up on a farm so can grow most things and fix the equipment.
I believe everything you listed and want to thank you for your service.
 
here's my thinking, when the zombie apocalypse comes, there's going to be lots of growth opportunity in the zombie army. A really simple path is rather than resist, buy in. Go zombie early, and try to survive. Think about the opportunities for field promotion! All those zombies mindlessly marching into machineguns and minefields. All you have to do is not do that, and you'll be head zombie in no time.
 
building all sorts of things, improvising(mcgyvering), fixing just about anything mechanical, building primitive fires, purifying water, hunting, fishing, trapping.

i wish i was better at identifying plants. i can definitely identify poison oak LOL.
 
Think about the opportunities for field promotion! All those zombies mindlessly marching into machineguns and minefields. All you have to do is not do that, and you'll be head zombie in no time.
But doesn't a zombie have to be hit in the head some sort of blunt force to kill it? I'm no expert on The Walking Dead; can zombies take intelligent decisions to avoid those blazing machine guns? I never watched even half an episode of that show...
 
I have good skills, and tools. I have learned to build wind mills and convert an alternator to a generator, I can distill fuel[ and other stuff]. My dads family were meat cutters so I'm pretty good with a butcher knife. I can weld and have portable welders. I can fix most appliances, have a good background in electrical systems. I can hunt and fish.
My problem is I'm on so many life preserving drugs, I would not last long in a SHTF situation. I do have 5 sons that can all shoot, and can fix most anything that is broken.
 
Supposed to be a good range out off of Ajo way, wanna check it out and see what its got!
There are two ranges out that way. One is a competition shot gun (only) nice when not busy. They get real restrictive when busy. Understandably but sure takes the fun away fast.
The other is a typical rifle pistol range. Never been to it. I believe it is the Tucson Rifle range.
There is another operated by Pima County over near the fairgrounds.
My favorite is up in Catalina the Pima Pistol Club, 20 bucks for non members.
 
I have built shelters and a personal cabin (simple but efficient), can build and maintain a fire, shoot rifle, pistol and shotgun, ride a horse, butcher game including deer, grow food and garden and cook.. have raised cattle, goats and pigs.. have made some knives and done some forging and other metal work...
My problem is the medications I take, my heart might not last long without, and mild diabetic condition would probably explode... ah well.
 
I am a diabetic as well. I look at when the shtf as a mandatory diet and a huge amount of exercise. Something I am doing but not to the extreme this will demand. I would think that most even the heavy planners will lose 20-30 pounds the first month.
I am building my home now on 5 acres the structure is far enough away from it can not be seen. 'Course there is the lane that leads back. The electric company has created a issue so I have built most of the place with a generator and cordless tools. I have gotten several smaller solar panels and am learning about living without a infinite source of power. Seriously changes your perspective about how your daily life works.
I located and stored 30 days of MRE's a while back. They probably will be over the stated life, but I figure calories are calories. I have a several reloaders, powder, projectiles and primers. I do not plan on going quietly into the night.
The thing I want to do is create a plan with one buddy and his family. Together I figure we have a much better shot at survival. Problem is he is 30 miles away and we have not worked out the travel. My place is a lot more remote than his tract house.
The last thing I have come to realize is that if this happens I am going to have to be mobile constantly. Staying in one place is sure to destroy the local game and environment.
 
No one knows the future, and if history teaches us anything, it's that the future is never just like the past, especially where anything military is concerned. For example, it seems clear to me that drones are going to revolutionize infantry warfare, as they get smaller and more 'intelligent'. But no one can say for sure.

As for a SHTF situation, however it might come about, although Hollywood has conditioned us to the Lone Hero mode of thinking, the reality is, those who survive will be a part of large, organized groups, whether 'official', or not. I know this doesn't appeal to a certain personality type, but it's the cold grey reality.

Which means we need to be as organized as we can be, to take advantage of the ability to bring superior force to bear, to concentrate numbers when needed, and above all, to take advantage of the division of labor, the invention that took us out of the caves and to the moon. Get a hundred ordinary, normal Americans together and you're very likely to have some veterans, some auto mechanics, welders, carpenters, electricians, builders, medical personnel, electronics technicians, etc. These are the skills that make society work, and can keep it working locally in the event of a general breakdown. Of course lawyers and college professors and website designers can be vital members of such a group, working under direction as unskilled labor.

Right now, every 'prepper' or 'survivalist' ought to be looking to be part of an organization -- even if only a loose network. At the very minimum, a few dollars invested in a hand-held radio, with maybe some simple codes to denote location and threat type, and an agreement to have small teams of people to monitor the periphery of a given area with overlapping perimeters of responsibility, would be a huge advantage to a local group of survivalists even if they are geographically separated from each other.

A group of a few dozen people who are serious -- ie who can come up with a couple of hundred dollars each -- ought to be able to properly equip an ambulance, and, if necessary, get two or three of their members trained in the next-stage of medical techniques (beyond simple first aid). Similar commitment could allow the collective purchase and outfitting of a used vehicle with a winch, and purchase a range of tools (chainsaws, pry bars, pumps, a generator) -- a Combat Engineering vehicle, in other words. If the social/political order temporarily breaks down, it could be useful to build -- or dismantle -- barricades, create temporary strongpoints, clear streets, etc. But this isn't something that one person, no matter how well prepared, can do.

Such groups could also be useful in the present, during man-made or natural disasters -- fires, hurricanes, floods. They would thus benefit from good 'PR', and would gain public support and approval. At the moment, survivalists and preppers (and the militia movement) have a slight -- or more than slight -- atmosphere of eccentricity, or -- especially in the case of the militia movement -- downright sinisterness, all played up by the Mainstream Media which wants us all to believe that The Gubbmint Will Take Care of You.

None of this runs contrary to making your own individual preparation as well. In fact, all members of a 'Emergency Survival Team' need to know that their own families are secure in every way if they themselves have to be deployed away from home for a while.
 
I am a diabetic as well. I look at when the shtf as a mandatory diet and a huge amount of exercise. Something I am doing but not to the extreme this will demand. I would think that most even the heavy planners will lose 20-30 pounds the first month.
I am building my home now on 5 acres the structure is far enough away from it can not be seen. 'Course there is the lane that leads back. The electric company has created a issue so I have built most of the place with a generator and cordless tools. I have gotten several smaller solar panels and am learning about living without a infinite source of power. Seriously changes your perspective about how your daily life works.
I located and stored 30 days of MRE's a while back. They probably will be over the stated life, but I figure calories are calories. I have a several reloaders, powder, projectiles and primers. I do not plan on going quietly into the night.
The thing I want to do is create a plan with one buddy and his family. Together I figure we have a much better shot at survival. Problem is he is 30 miles away and we have not worked out the travel. My place is a lot more remote than his tract house.
The last thing I have come to realize is that if this happens I am going to have to be mobile constantly. Staying in one place is sure to destroy the local game and environment.
As far as your MRE's shelf life is concerned, if they are anything like the old C-rats they will last awhile. Only problem might be that the plastic is permeable to air, unlike the canned, sealed c-rats. I have eaten C's that were put up 20+ years before and they were still "good" as in safely edible. Google search shows the MRE's will last 60 months if kept cool, as in refrigerated or in a cool basement....
 
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I have then in decent ice chests, sans the ice in a bedroom closet on an interior wall. Best I can do with the volume. The 60 months is what I remember as well. So I have now eaten up about half that time. When I get with my coming move I will see what I need to do. Might be time for new ones.
 
As important as your skills and supplies are having a network of folks that you can trust and pool your resources. I've found this multiplier of solid folks you surround yourself with will be equally as critical.
 
As important as your skills and supplies are having a network of folks that you can trust and pool your resources. I've found this multiplier of solid folks you surround yourself with will be equally as critical.
Aye, to trust- and perchance get screwed... And there's the rub! My experience with people is that when things get tight few indeed can be trusted to do other than grab off what they can get away with... sad.
 
Aye, to trust- and perchance get screwed... And there's the rub! My experience with people is that when things get tight few indeed can be trusted to do other than grab off what they can get away with... sad.

unfortunately you are correct. These days there are very few that I would trust. I have also came to the conclusion that when I get to AZ later this year I need to start stocking up on more ammo and reloading supplies.
 
Great subject!

I am a carpenter by trade so I could easily help people out building things and repairing stuff that needs to be fixed. My fear is that most of us that are prepared already have some of those skills and will be able to do these things on there own. The people who will need the help won't be the kind of people that I will want to interact with in this type of situation.
While this might be true for many, the catch-22 is that the biggest tribe will take from the smaller tribes. A 'Lone Eagle' will not last long, no matter how many skills he/she possesses. Stonewall Jackson put, 'Get there firstest with the mostest'. I doubt that has changed. Even a well established firebase is not immune from being overrun.
 
You are probably correct Hook686. But large groups will definitely destroy the environment where they are located and will be hard to move to new diggs.
Decades ago I lost one of my Samoyeds in the White Mountains on a camping trip. Foxy could have been a blond, she got dingy and just started loping along and could cover a crap load of distance very quickly. We went to the rangers office in Alpine for assistance. Great group of people, they took me to a place where the RainBow group had gotten a permit for camping, something like 300 folks. The grass was trampled and the place was heading towards Woodstock type of destruction if it rained. After I got my dog back from these people and was heading back to my truck I asked the ranger how long would it take for the land to repair itself. He said 5-10 years. He told me that in two weeks that they were going to have to move them as their permit was going to expire. He did not care if they went somewhere else in the forest just that they did not stay there any longer.

When the SHTF comes I do see the advantage of a group, how ever small and mobile would be a better plan in my mind, think plains indian tribe/band.
They lived for decades on the plains and never really made a dent in the environment.
Unfortunately I am probably wrong and you are probably correct.
 
While this might be true for many, the catch-22 is that the biggest tribe will take from the smaller tribes. A 'Lone Eagle' will not last long, no matter how many skills he/she possesses. Stonewall Jackson put, 'Get there firstest with the mostest'. I doubt that has changed. Even a well established firebase is not immune from being overrun.

True but they will need to find me first. I know that with my five closest allies I can hold down the fort so to speak for a long time. Keep in mind that these five allies are all trained. Others that I know who would be welcome have all been vetted ahead of time and I guarantee you they know who they are and me might fall but we will take more than our numbers before we do.
 

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