Conversation of the Day

To set the stage. A couple people at work were arguing about something
dumb.

Another fellow-John Lennon said "all you need is love".

Me-"He got shot. If the guy had a piece and a bullet proof vest maybe he
would still be alive."

It was kind of harsh but true. Be hard to kill.

Book Review: The Bear Went Over The Mountain by Lester W Grau

This book
is based around a series of interviews conducted by the Soviet Staff
College after the war was over. Once the Cold War ended and we got to
sharing our country gained access to this stuff. Basically this book is
a series of vignettes based upon interviews with Russian Officers (by
their rank structure and where the interviews took place it was to my
memory only O's). These are categorized into chapters by category:
raids, ambushes, defense, etc. Onto the usual format.

The Good: These interviews were probably not originally meant for
distribution outside their organization so they are brutally honest.
Also they are primarily written by Company level officers on the ground.
Leaders talking about what they did. I found some vignettes particularly
interesting. Here is a big hint.

The themes of not conducting reconnaissance and failure to control the
high ground being harshly punished were repeated to the point of boring
monotony. Repetitive use of the same routes and overly relaxed security
not surprisingly tend to cause problems. Soviets tended to telegraph
their movements and operations losing all surprise. As a tactical leader
I got a lot from this book.

The Bad: The maps were poorly written and badly copied. Almost to the
point where they were not useful. Some vignettes were quite repetitive
and boring. In general the book is very dry and redundant. Also I really
don't care the MAJ Shmetlap Ruskie was awarded the order of the Silver
Commie or whatever.

The Ugly: This is just an extension of the bad. I read it cover to cover
but would probably have been better off if I skipped the lame vignettes
as typically I knew halfway through that they were uninteresting and
unenlightening.

Final Assessment: If you are interested in the Soviet War in
Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Guerilla Operations, COIN/ Stability/ Counter
Guerilla operations I suggest reading this book. If you are a leader who
may get involved in these sort of operations I strongly suggest you read
this book. It is available here and there on hard copy though the price
is kinda cheap. You can get it a lot cheaper online which I would
personally suggest. You will likely enjoy reading it but don't need to
drop $30 for an out of print book.

Personally I borrowed a co workers. I also saw another blog (can't
remember who) that had a link to download the PDF from the Tribal
Analysis Center. I could not find this book there but did find The Other
Side of the Mountain on PDF. Interesting note, PDF's work on Kindles
with the only issue being you can't zoom the text. The rest is however
another post all together.

A Simple Life

Awhile ago I found myself with a co worker watching a guy herd some goats. We were both stressing various things and I asked him "You ever thing we've got the wrong idea"? To which he replied something to the effect of how he wished he was herding goats right then. A very simple life like that would certainly have some benefits. It is simple and predictable as well as giving you plenty of time at home with the family which is something I've thought a lot about lately. Stressful jobs and doing big things may be missing the point. On the other hand I don't think I would want to trade medical and dental plans with this fellow. Also while it is nice to have his kids around, playing and helping him they aren't in school and their prospects to do better than him are slim. However my own little walled mud brick compound, an AK, a garden, some fields and a goat herd doesn't sound too bad right now.

Unscrewing a Collection

Like a lot of people I have a sorta mish mash gun collection. If I was getting into preparedness and didn't have any firearms I would purchase a couple Glock 19's, a couple AK's or AR's, a shotgun, a scoped rifle and a pair of .22's with their assorted ancillary gear. If I had more money down the road and Walker was getting older I would get another rifle and pistol, then maybe if we picked up hunting as a hobby a shotgun or bolt gun. If I intentionally decided to move into revolvers I would get a stainless 4" .357 mag and a stainless .38 snubby. Very simple. However I came from more of a collecting standpoint and still have some of those traits as I am human. Also I can admit that men with guns are like boys with other toys. For me things have been over the past couple years unscrewing themselves. I sold off a couple of oddballs in favor of more common calibers. I am probably down to the point where things aren't going to get sold, even though maybe they should be. Selling a .45 and a Garand would go a long way toward fixing things. I could pick up a Glock and an AK easy with money left over. Probably won't. Instead I will continue to stay focused on logical purchases from now on. Selling is sounding better and better though.

The Next 30 Years Thinking Small

It has become abundantly clear to me that I will have to work harder, smarter and make better choices than my parents did to achieve comparable results. Since I have made decent choices and seem to be continuing to do so I'm not that worried about me. Presumably Wifey and I will do pretty OK. However when it comes to Walker I have some concerns. I grew up in a superpower and more likely than not he will grow up in one power among many, certainly a large and rich country but not as large and rich as it used to be. I am sure the risks for only acquiring mediocre skills and making mediocre choices will be far higher for him. I think that like most things the answer is small and local. I can make sure he gets a good education and has access to college or a trade. We can, through positive modeling push him in these directions. We can make sure that he values education and knows how to handle money. We can also teach him some useful life skills. I guess beyond that it will be up to him. However since his biggest dilemma right now is the fact that he wants to feed himself and is unable to do so effectively (drops stuff and smashes it all over the place) we've got awhile to worry about his path as an adult. However we have started funding his college so it isn't that far away. Like a lot of big goals the key to that seems to be planning. We have done the math and it is certainly doable for us assuming an average income. However if we did like so many parents and started thinking about it at 17 we would be hosed. Prior planning prevents piss poor performance.

Complacency

Complacency is a hell of a thing. I can see myself falling into it here. Not in terms of security or other stuff based around me being in Afghanistan but in preparedness. Part of it is time. I have very little of it. However I should be doing something to improve my proverbial (preparedness) fighting position. My original new years goals, though prepared with this place in mind, have not proven viable. I am going to start thinking more about what I can do here. My biggest current energy in this direction is fitness. However that alone isn't quite good enough. I think I could do better. I will probably start doing "What did you do to prepare this month" to keep myself accountable.

Complacency is definitely dangerous. In the particular area of preparedness it is very easy to fall into the trap of learning and thinking about preparedness but not doing it. I have pretty much fallen into this trap. One good thing is that, at least by my definition, preparedness has a lot of areas. In particular taking a break from working on storing food to fitness and finances or cooking with staple foods or something.

Functional Fitness

What is functional fitness? First to me it has an emphasis on completing
some sort of task or increasing a capability over aesthetics. That task
should be something you do and wish to do better, increasing general
health and wellness or acquiring a capability you desire. For example
you enjoy cross country skiing and want to be able to ski further,
faster and be less tired or you want to do better when you go rock
climbing with your friends. Maybe you realized that you aren't 18
anymore and to stay healthy and fit you need to keep in shape. Lastly
maybe you want to do something like be able to run (maybe a marathon or
maybe a couple miles in kit) that you have not been able to do for a
long time.

I have a couple of phrases I live by when it comes to fitness:
1) There is no such thing as too strong, only too slow.
2) I don't want to be the biggest guy, or the strongest guy or the
fastest guy but I want to be big, strong and fast.
3) Muscles make the best pads.

Right or wrong (we can discuss but I don't feel like debating) I have
some core beliefs when it comes to exercise:
1) I believe in balance. No point in being able to life like Hercules if
you get tired walking from your car to the gym. Ditto for being able to
run a marathon but not help a friend move their couch. You've got to be
able to run, do body control (pushups, pull-ups, etc) stuff AND lift.
2) When it comes to lifting I am a firm believer in big compound lifts.
Power cleans, dead lift, bench press, jerks, squats, military press,
etc. These lifts build real functional strength. I don't care much about
aesthetics so working my inner lower bicep with 12 sets of special curls
has no appeal. I work out almost exclusively with barbells using
dumbbells only to change up the same exercises I could do with a barbell
(dumbbell press or press versus barbell). I do see a role for dumbbells
in specialty exercises needed to help with a personal weak point or past
injury.
3) People make a lot of excuses. Most of us, myself included are never
going to be competitive Collegiate athletes. We just don't have the
genetics. However that does not mean you can't be in darn good shape.
Almost everyone is capable (with reasonable progression and scaling) of
running and lifting weights. If you say "I have a bad knee so I walk
instead..." I would submit to you that if you are under 50 (ish) and or
are not at an honestly healthy weight the answer lies in having some
discipline and getting to a healthy weight. It is amazing how your knees
and back feel better after losing 20 (let alone 50) pounds of bad
weight.
4) You should practice with tasks that are harder than you see yourself
actually doing. Life has a way of making things harder when you need to
do them and your nerves pumping makes it harder to do things you
otherwise could do.
5) If you work out like you should and don't sabotage yourself at the
dinner table looks will come. Show me a guy who can do Diane (225lbs
deadlifts and pull-ups: sets of 21,15,9) to standard without a time
limit and I will show you a guy who probably looks like he is in shape.
Show me a guy who can do it in 5 minutes and I will show you a guy who
probably looks like the beast he is.

Using this type of program I can say I am getting close to the best
shape of my life. I am definitely not as strong as I have been nor can I
run as fast/ far. However I able to do a lot of things reasonably well
which is far more useful than either extreme. I am excited about where
this fitness is going.

I am not saying that my way is the only way. I think exercise is a lot
like everyday carry. There is what is ideal (for carry a full sized
handgun with a couple reloads) and for exercise an aggressive program
that blends running, weights and varied cardio/ circuit type stuff and
then there is what you will actually do. I can chart out a plan to make
you (or myself) a total beast but it does no good if you won't follow
it. Pick the most aggressive program you can live with. Remember that
while your brain is your primary weapon your body is how that weapon
acts.

Random Thoughts on Dogma, Politics and War

Like all of you I have heard the phrase "people deserve the government they accept". Though I have deployed before for reasons that are not clear to me (probably age and maturity) I got to thinking about that phrase here. It is incredibly simplistic and fails to consider geography (a La Guns Germs and Steel) and its political and social implications. Simply put for reasons beyond anybodies control some places are just screwed. It is very simplistic and egotistical to think we as individuals have some direct role in our government being better than it is in some other places.

A lot of views people in the circles we are in talk about mesh closely with traditional Afghan tribal (really Pashtun) social codes. Here you can see the sum of this supposedly ideal individual behavior and how well it actually plays out. Not that it is the only factor but it is a big one.

Well I am going to get a bite to eat and then some sleep. Be happy you don't live in a country that actually sucks. If you are American be really happy.

Eggs and Baskets

I got a harsh (if not personal) reminder recently about the importance
of not putting all your eggs into one basket. I am talking specifically
about preps but it could be finances too. Have a plan for if you are
unable to go home or to your "retreat". So what is a guy to do.

First keeping a GHB/ 72 hour bag/ whatever you want to call it in your
vehicle. A good change of clothes, some solid footwear, a water bottle,
a box of ammo for your pistol, sleeping stuff, etc. This stuff would
also make a night sleeping over stuck at your cousins due to a storm or
whatever a lot more pleasant. Also if you can't go home for whatever
reason at least you have some stuff. This shouldn't need to be massive
though if you winter in Minnesota it might be.

Mine right now doesn't have much in it. A change of clothes, a stocking
cap, socks, a light rain jacket, a few extra rifle mags and a woobie.
When it gets cold again I will add a pair of long underwear, heavy
gloves and some kind of coat. It is based around my needs and I may need
to crash somewhere or leave on short notice but am not likely going to
be making a fire with flint or a shelter out of sticks.

Another idea is keeping some stuff in another location. Where the
location should be is an interesting question. I would say close enough
that you can reasonably get to it but not so close to likely be affected
by the same disasters/ events. If evil biker zombies, or toxic aids rain
or whatever are all of a sudden an issue at your house odds are they
will be at your neighbor's place too and the next block over. However
your friend who lives a few miles away may not be affected. Your cousin
who lives 30 miles away will almost certainly not be affected. On the
other hand a change of clothes in Maine does no good if you are in
Alabama. Most of us have a friend, cousin, whatever with whom we could
store a footlocker or a rucksack. A person with some land will probably
not even mind one of those small storage things or a small trailer. If
they are LMI then offer to do the same for them. Of course you should
only do this with folks you trust and even then probably want to limit
your risk. A couple of decent guns in a footlocker at a trustworthy,
financially stable functional person's house is a pretty fair risk.

Caches are a part of this too though I would look to them after some
more realistic measures have been taken. The odds that for whatever
reason you won't be able to go back home for a few days due to a
chemical spill/ whatever are far higher than darker scenarios. In this
case you don't need cases of ammo buried in the woods (though that's not
bad to have) but some clothes at your buddies would be nice.

I would look to use this sort of technique with things I could
reasonably need in the future and don't need to have my hands on right
now. Can't wear a sweater that is in Bob's basement or defend yourself
with a gun in your Dad's gun safe. However most of us tend to hold onto
slightly worn, potentially dated but useful things. A sweater with a
tear and a stain will keep you warm and is more useful at Bob's then as
the 5th sweater in your house. That pistol sitting gathering dust and
being cleaned periodically in your safe could be stored elsewhere. More
likely that you will need a gun at Dad's when the power goes out and
things get weird (inevitably the "one day" you aren't carrying) than
that you will need to simultaneously arm 3 people (or even more) with
pistols at your primary residence. Bet there is a scatter gun or rifle
that could make the trip with it.

Don't lose everything in one fell swoop. Do all you can to fight Murphy
back, if just as a delaying action.

Conspiracy Busters Military Patrols

Like a lot of folks I read the Drudge Report. When I saw a link to "Military Patrols in Columbus, GA" http://www2.wrbl.com/news/2011/apr/22/military-patrols-start-friday-night-ar-1752061/ I had to check it out. I am sure some conspiracy hounds are sure this is the start of a military occupation of some kind. However that just does not mesh with reality. I can speak from a bit of experience as I have lived in Columbus, GA and also done Courtesy Patrol albeit in a different location. The way CP (as it is so affectionately called) actually works is as follows. Senior NCO's and sometimes junior Officers walk around busy bar/ club areas and try to keep soldiers from doing stupid stuff and getting into trouble. Typically it consists of getting soldiers who have had too much (even by a Charlie Sheen definition, like puking, falling over and passing out) to drink home and breaking up dangerous situations. With the totalitarian nature of the military and our laws orders to "get in the van" are in fact lawful. Nobody gets into any trouble for that sort of stuff, just a safe ride back to the Barracks or on post housing. Breaking up fights is pretty common and keeping bouncers from stomping some dumb poorly behaved soldier is not unheard of. Really it is just us looking out for our own. Other than making a phone call (which anybody can do) these folks have no authority and will not bother civilians and yes we can tell the difference. Hint, the group of skinny bald 21-23 year old guys wearing t shirts and dog tags are in the military. If anything CP is a stabilizing influence that can remind soldiers that they will be held accountable for ridiculously stupid actions (breaking stuff and hurting people, etc).

Homework Assignmentof the Week

Stop worrying and preparing and just relax. Pay more attention to your family. Read a book. Go have a couple drinks at your favorite watering hole. Socialize. Go for a walk.

Random Thoughts

American's have some interesting traits. We lack the cultural memory of old world cultures. This is good in a lot of ways because we aren't still killing each other over some battle hundreds of years ago like in the Balkans or numerous other places. Not that we don't have our own issues but not having that one really helps. This also affects our housing choices. Since the Civil War (excluding a few short localized periods on the frontier) our lives have been quite free of war like violence. Our crime rates are pretty high but the cold hard truth is that if you look at the stats that violence is confined to a very specific group that is very low income and predominantly made of up groups some call minorities. Other than the evening news most of America has nothing to do with it. Mortality rates seem to have a way of shaping how people value life. I fellow I know was talking to an Afghan the other day. The guy said he had 10 kids, 2 of whom died. Just kinda a normal thing. I think the way people value life has some sort of relationship to the frequency of death. For instance I probably know 2 or 3 families who lost a child. It is a serious and long term thing for them. However for this Afghan fellow it was just another thing. Before saying they are harsh I would wager that in even mid-late 19th century America (really before WWI) when our mortality rates were much higher folks dwelled on it less.

I am not saying that I am willing to trade our inherent optimism and freedom from massive cultural (race is a slightly separate issue and discussion) hatreds and entanglements for anything. However we could be more aware of our situations and look to live in a home that offers some protection from forced entry and small arms fire.

Can You Do It In Kit

The other day I was doing IOTV pullups. In case you are wondering they are hard. I also run in kit and do all sorts of other stuff in it. I should note that this sort of physical training is pretty hard and should be worked up to gradually, especially if you are not in great shape. Walk before you run. However this is a good thing to do for a few reasons. First it is a pretty good test of if you have the effective fitness to move and control your body in kit. Next it is a great counterpoint to the internet forum fan boys who think you need dozens of pouches and all kinds of tacticool junk hanging everywhere. Also this is a great way to work out all the little kinks and get everything to work together. You will find that a pouch might get in the way or the hose to your camelback won't stay put or the like. A poorly fitted vest will quickly be noticed. Some simple walking and jogging, or more if you are up to it, and a few trips to the range will help iron all that stuff out.