Monthly Archives: January 2016

The FBI Is ‘Slightly Perturbed?’

No, the lady said they were “Super Pissed Off.”  I know that whoever wins the White House that there won’t be a hill of beans difference.  The rot is too entrenched, and we’re going to have to fight a civil war to restore Constitutional rule of law to this land.  In the meantime, let’s all enjoy the tragicomedy that this election is.

 

Small Unit Tactics

You never know when you might need to put together a hasty fire team.  The deputies on our department trained to do this in active shooter situations.  The first 4 officers on scene form a tactical fire team and go to kill the shooter.  This is for active shooters where negotiation is not an option.  We form up and go kill the bad buy.  If the training is uniform between area departments, you assemble and then run toward the sound of gunfire, no matter what mixture of cops, deputies, or feds are first to the scene.  No waiting for an hour or more for SWAT while the shooters murder more people like in Columbine.  So, sheepdog, read and learn:  You may need it one day.

MORE GREAT STUFF FROM  www.infidelbodyarmor.com

React to Contact! Battle Drills

The idea behind a “battle drill” is that it is a standardized way to react to a common battlefield event. Battle drills ensure that everyone is on the same page of music, so to speak, and allows for a rapid reaction to an event with the minimum of orders needing to be issued. The following battle drills cover the most common combat events encountered, and are the foundations on which additional tactics are built. These actions are divided up into roles.  Obviously, it makes sense to act in groups that can support each other and increase chances of success and survival.  If your group is small (10 or less) then you’ll likely only operate up to the fire team level- HOWEVER your fireteam leader must also assume the responsibilities of the squad leader.  Also, you should know the responsibilities of the people one level below and above you in case they are killed and you must take over.

Fireteam Member

  • Make a hasty contact report (ie “Contact left!”) while you move to take up as good of a position as possible (prioritize cover, only go for concealment if no cover is available) and scan for signs of the enemy as you return fire in the direction of the enemy. This process is known as ALERT – COVER – SCAN – ENGAGE, and one must remember that each step is happening more or less simultaneously with the others.
  • Listen for orders from the fireteam leader or squad leader. If your element leader is killed, and you are next in command, take command and evaluate the situation as a fireteam leader would (see next section).
  • Continue scanning for, engaging, and communicating the location of known, suspected, and likely enemy positions. Ten seconds into the firefight, you will likely have a much better feel for what is happening and where the enemy is. Ensure that you continue to communicate this information to your team and squad members. Scan all around – just because the enemy is firing from one particular area does not mean that they aren’t already flanking or positioned in other, dramatically different locations as well. Do not fall prey to tunnel vision!
  • Don’t be afraid to show disciplined initiative. Fireteam members are at the cutting edge of the battle. If you see an opportunity or a danger, take the initiative to do or say something about it. This includes seeing or hearing evidence of enemy armor coming. If out in the open, for instance, a fireteam member may announce this to his team and thus get them moving towards better cover instead of staying in place and being caught in an even worse position.
  • If wounded, announce it and make your way to the squad medic if the wound is dire (after following the standard drill of returning fire and simultaneously getting to cover and applying self aid). If it’s a light wound, continue fighting until things calm down.

Fireteam Leader

  • Ensure that your fireteam has positioned itself appropriately, and if not, order them to a covered or concealed position. If necessary due to bad positioning, deploy smoke and pull your team back to better cover or concealment.
  • Determine the location of the enemy as precisely as possible and report it to the squad leader.
  • Begin engaging the enemy yourself.  Stay tactically alert and avoid getting tunnel vision.
  • Direct the fire of your team as needed. This includes massing fire on specific targets or covering a very specific sector.
  • Be prepared to maneuver in accordance with your squad leader’s orders. Scan the area and consider how and where you might move to gain a tactical advantage over the enemy.

Squad Leader

  • Achieve fire superiority. If the enemy opens an ambush with an automatic rifle and rifle fire, pour more fire on his position than he is putting on you. The sheer volume of return fire you direct at the enemy may be the deciding factor of the firefight from a psychological standpoint.
  • Ensure that the fireteams are reacting appropriately. If necessary, order them around to achieve a more effective posture or maximize fires in one direction. If one team is particularly exposed, direct the other teams to increase fire while the exposed team moves to a better position.
  • Assess the situation. Can your squad fight from where you are now? If not, direct your fireteams to new positions, moving via bounding overwatch so that you maintain fire on the enemy at all times. If you can fight from your current position, do so and act as a base-of-fire element for the platoon. If you cannot fight from your position and cannot move to a more favorable one, execute a “Break Contact” drill (as described below).
  • Coordinate with neighboring squads if possible. If a nearby squad is in position to exploit the enemy’s vulnerability, pass your thoughts to them and see if they can do anything about it.
  • Listen for orders from the commander (if any).
  • Maintain situational awareness. Stay alert for possible flanking attacks.
  • Ensure that the Squad Medic is taking care of casualties as they occur.

Breaking Contact/Withdrawing

Breaking contact is the means by which an element disengages from a confrontation with an enemy force in an orderly fashion. Fire & maneuver tactics are used to ensure that a steady volume of fire is put on the enemy location(s) during the withdrawal. This helps to keep the enemy’s head down and prevents them from keeping friendly forces decisively engaged.

Breaking contact is basically an assault done in reverse.

Break Contact via Bounding Overwatch

The primary method of breaking contact is via bounding overwatch.

To execute a “Break Contact via Bounding Overwatch” drill, the following steps are taken:

  • The element leader announces his intent to break contact via bounding overwatch. He designates one or more elements as the “base of fire”. This element can be as small as a fireteam or may consist of multiple fireteams or squads when employed at the platoon level.
  • The base of fire element takes the best hasty position possible and begins laying fire on the enemy. Oftentimes the base of fire element will be chosen based on already having a good position, making additional movement unnecessary.
  • While the base of fire element lays down sustained accurate fire on the enemy, other elements move via rushes to the rear. These elements pick spots of cover or concealment from which they can support the base of fire element when it pulls back. Smoke is deployed to conceal movement when available.
  • On the element leader’s command, or at their discretion, the base of fire displaces to the rear towards the supporting elements. These supporting elements begin sustained accurate firing on the enemy until the base of fire element has moved past them and established a new position.
  • This process is repeated as necessary until friendly forces have successfully disengaged from enemy contact.

Next week I’ll cover Reaction to Ambush.
Interested in getting personal instruction for these types of drills?  Contact me and we’ll set something up.

A good scout is prepared… and stays frosty.

deputy-sheriff-

Zika And Others

Courtesy of Vermont’s Barry Army*Navy @

https://shop.vtarmynavy.com/military-equipment-c169.aspx

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Protecting yourself from insect born disease

While I’ll bet you will not find a single mosquito buzzing around today here in the Northeast, they will be back and if you trek to some place warm in the next few months your odds of coming in contact with them increase greatly.

What’s out there Malaria, Dengue Fever and now Zika Virus.

We do have mosquito borne encephalitis and tick borne lyme disease, etc. Warm winters/Wet Springs and a reduction in some species of bats, birds and amphibians have created no shortage of flying and crawling insects in this part of the country and I’m sure elsewhere as well.
So I suppose the first thing we can do is to never go outside. But that is not practical.
If you are going to be in wooded or tall grass areas for periods of time one passive way to cut exposure is to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants. Many people will treat the cuffs of their shirts and pants with a deet based repellent so that the insects will not crawl up their sleeves. Going one step further some people wash there clothing in Permethrin which is a poison and when the insects get on it they die. Permethrin is supposed to be safe when dry for humans but then again off shore oil drilling and bpa bottles were supposed to be safe too.
Insect repellents come in all flavors I would suggest using whatever works for you. Personally I use either a high DEET repellent or Bullfrog which is a blend of insect repellent and sun screen. I like the fact that I only have to carry one bottle. It stinks to be using bug repellent in the winter but what can you do. I also try to not use insect repellent on my face or forehead where the sweat is going to run down into my mouth.
Insect Jackets, Pants and Headnets are another way to keep bugs at bay. I would recommend them for people who are not exerting at high level of exertion. Another important point is that insect garments should be worn loose enough so that the insects can not light on the netting and bight through.

When sleeping in the outdoors or places with no window screens you want to either place insect netting over the window opening or hang a net over you that will keep the bugs again from lighting and biting through. One of the biggest problems is figuring out what types of bugs are in the area and how do you hang the net in the space you have.
Noseeum bugs will go through window screens and standard mosquito netting. Although the WHO (World Health Organizations) standard is ~ 120 holes per square inch some smaller mosquitoes and black flies will go through it as well. So find out what is native to the area.
Insect nets can be self standing, hang from one point or four points. My personal favorite is a single point net or bed net canopy which is easier to use in many situations than other nets.
There are also insect nets that are treated with permethrin to kill bugs on contact. In any case I would carry 50′ feet of cord so that you can tie into the walls of any domicle.
Sure, it’s a pitch for their store, but you can always look and not buy.  Some good basic info here.

Note From A Friend

Got an email from a fellow Christian prepper I attend church with.  He is (as am I) very concerned that the messages from the pulpit are not preparing the brothers and sisters we love with information they need.  Here’s his latest take on our current situation:

“This is a clarion call to Christians to wake up and pay attention. We are in the last days and we are spiritually bankrupt. We need to repent and seek God with all of our hearts. The deception is real. If a Republican is elected, we’re still in the throes of judgment. It will not be peace and prosperity coming to us. Do not be mistaken. Do not sigh a collective sigh of relief and go back to your pleasant daily routines. The days are truly evil. The next president, whether he will be Republican or Democrat, will continue us down the same path. Trump isn’t our savior, neither is Cruz nor Rubio, and certainly not Hillary or Bernie. Man can no longer get us out of this mess and will only make it worse. You, who call yourselves a Christian, me included, repent, wake up, and go back to your first love! Pray, study the word, do good, and prepare yourself to defend true righteousness and to meet your God. Stand in the gap. Get out of feel good churches. Persecution is coming, and you’re wasting your time if you’re not being told to repent and get right with God!!! We are under judgment, and it’s only going to get worse. Put your hope and trust in the God of Israel and His one and only Son, Jesus The Christ from Nazareth!”

Put on the whole armor of God and prepare your hearts and minds.

crusadeknight

Something Bigger?

Tin foil hat stuff?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  But I have noticed the increasing fiber optic and power grid attacks that are being kept out of the nightly news.  Can’t be spooking the sheep, now, can we?

http://allnewspipeline.com/Fiber_Optic_Cables_Cut_Super_Bowl_50.php

Really wanna piss off a bunch of ‘Muricans?  Cut the Superbowl transmission.

fiber optics

Great technology, but it must be perfect to work.  One of these fibers is the thickness of a human hair, and a piece of dirt on the end of it ruins the signal.  Dirt so small you can’t see it.  And an ‘air gap’ between the fiber cable and the receiving equipment kills the signal too.  The mating must literally be perfect.  One of these fibers can carry at the minimum 200,000 phone calls at one time.  Oops, that was the transmission rate from over 10 years ago.  No telling what it is now.  Terra-bit speed for sure.  And the latest technology puts 40 different wavelengths on one fiber.  Makes my brain hurt.

Reading The Signs

The 5 First Symptoms of SHTF to Know When Your Survival Mode Has to Kick In

Selco wrote about this on his blog, http://shtfschool.com/ .  Not some Youtuber looking to make a buck, he wrote of his real experiences surviving the Balkan war in the early 90’s

are-you-ready-to-be-a-prepper