SWOT Analysis Per Total Survivalist Blog.

It's nice to see a quantifiable chart that really simplifies a rather complex subject. The SWOT chart that Ryan over at http://www.totalsurvivalist.com/2018/05/evaluating-and-managing-risk-2-swot-and.html has offered up us very easy to use for simple tasks and complex lifestyles.

I'm going to go ahead and insert my 50k foot view of my personal risk assessment into it. I'm not going to do it in the practical chart version due to my normally long winded answers.

Strengths:
1. Well placed, sought after career that is recession proof in the near term.
2. Stable 17year relationship with a sugar momma.
3. One lightly trained fighting age son in the house.
4. Well stocked and diversified physical holdings.
5. Well balanced and diversified skill set for backup income.
6. Tribe that can be relied upon.
7. Legitimately needed by my tribe.
8. Zero debt.

Weaknesses:
1. WAY too close to a population center
2. Indefensible garden home on a freaking golf course.
3. Dealing with a foot and an arm injury.
4. Cardio training is non existent.
5. Carrying way too much weight.
6. Sugar momma has zero interest in defensive training.
7. Youngest son can't keep his mouth shut.

Opportunities:
-Booming Economy plays into strengths 1,2,5,8. Weaknesses 3,4,5 will hamper my ability to capitalize on more income. I'm just too beat up at the end of the day to deal with more work. Motrin is my friend.
-Low priced Precious Metals gives me buying power with 1,2 and 8. Weakness 7 and maybe 2 are at issue with large physical holdings.
- Low priced training benefit/cost ratio. Strengths 1,2,3,4,8 play into this, Weaknesses 3,4,5 make things very difficult.

Threats:
-Economic downturn is mitigated with 1,2,4,5,6,8 and only weakness 3 hurts me here.
-Loss of income has same weakness/strength issues
-Health issue Same as the two above
-Pandemic has Strengths 4,5,6,7,8 for helpers and weakness 1 as a detractor
-Social unrest really depends on how intense it becomes. I work near the town, but geographically separated by a large river and many sprawling industrial campus sites. Only middle class homes between my house and work. Wife works from home with limited travel. There will be inpact, just not sure how severe. DOD will ensure site safety, but getting there could get dicey if we start seeing roving road blocks and highway sit ins. Weakness 1,3,4,5 come into play if I'm forced to walk home, strength 5 is my helper. I'm well trained in navigation and E&E concepts. My get home kit would be considered as strength 4. I've also switched to a grey man vehicle. The big diesel sits now most of the time and I have a very capable small 4x4 utility vehicle for daily travel. It's about as grey as you can get. No chrome, gray in color, tinted windows, quiet V6, matte black wheels....

A little more on my injuries. I was hiking with the scouts on an urban hike in February and my foot fell through some ice and bruised the bottom of my heel. It's never healed right and hurts pretty much all the time. Need to get it looked at because favoring it has caused other issues with the foot. As far as the arm, well, I broke it. We rehabbed our in ground pool and I had to re-bond and rewire the entire thing. I was pulling wire for the automatic cover when one of the wire spools jammed and pulled the ladder over onto me. It was going to hit my kneecap so I blocked it with my ulna. It got a pretty good fracture, but no real movement of the bone structure. I decided to finish the job and see how it felt. The wife was away the next 2 days and I didn't feel like dealing with a cast so I just took it easy. The fracture was small enough that it solidified the next day and I had no bone movement so I just went about my business with a rather large, odd looking knot on my right arm about 5 inches from the wrist. It's almost healed. The main issue I have with that arm is carpal tunnel. I have a lot of very technical large and ultra small work to do on aerospace parts machining equipment. My productivity is hampered at times. Luckily I'm in a supervisory role and only perform on hot projects and troubleshooting. That will change when or if this project completes in 2020. My left arm was already fixed a few years ago. It needed far more work done so I did it first.

Always Strive To Learn.

I'm a student of human nature. Not in the clinical sense, but of those in stressful situations. Being an instructor for several hobbies that can be life threatening, I will share with you a few observations that I've found to be very telling.

Gods walk among us. There are a few people out there that are uniquely built to handle any emotional situation without any long term or short term issues. I've seen the meekest young lady become a warrior when things go bad. You would have never guessed it, but she handled her life threatening situation like a champ. She had been cornered by three bad guys in a parking lot. She was a waitress at a local pub that is almost always busy. She keeps a small 2 inch pocket knife in her apron to open boxes of straws and napkins with. She fought off three drunk thugs with that knife and walked 200 yards to a drug store to call the police when the thugs decided they were outclassed and left. She was covered in the blood of those thugs.

Availability of Weapons In The US Saving Lives?

I've been thinking about this for a while now and have finally come to a consensus on my feelings and the facts. The US gun culture is creating a climate that makes it easier to purchase civilian weapons than it is for terrorists to import true weapons of war like were used in Paris, France. It's nearly impossible to buy a gun in France, so the terrorists purchased and smuggled in full auto AK47's. If you're already smuggling weapons, you might as well include some mines, grenades and incendiary devices, right?

http://time.com/how-europes-terrorists-get-their-guns/

http://time.com/3687334/arms-smuggling-europe-balkans/

Let's face it, a Glock is far less dangerous than an RPG or many other weapons out there. If they are going to have to import their weapons, I'm sure those will be far more potent than what is currently available to radicalized US citizens.

The gun culture of the US continues to save lives, even without arming the good guys. With that being said, carry your darn gun! All the time, and be ready to use it when you must. Where I live those pesky No Guns signs carry no legal weight, so I ignore them, just like the criminals do.

Wifey's 3 Day pack.

I'm in the process of building a 3 day pack for the wife to take in her vehicle. There are so many threads out there on how to build one for a man or kids, we don't hear much about the contents of a woman's BOB. Women are hardy and able to deal with much more than we think, but they also can wilt pretty quickly without some semblance of civilized products or regular items.

Let's look at it from the perspective of a problem solver. How far (Realistically) will she have to travel? How far can she walk in a day? Will she have companions? Can she travel safely? Is she trained or mentally ready for a sudden tedious walk? What will make it easier for her?

Then we get into the essentials for her trip, including the math for how long her trip will be. It's all math at that point. Let's use my wife as an example. She's a remote employee for a 3 letter mega corporation and travels to local clients only rarely. Usually she's too far away to rescue, or she's here at home. Recently she's been in Dearborn, MI consulting for another mega corporation that sports 4 letters. If she's that far away, I can't help her because she's out of reach. Not only that, the pack won't be coming on the plane with her so it's moot. If she's at a local client's place, she can make it home within 3 days at most. About 35 to 40 miles max. She can do 15 miles a day without issue as long as she's not running for her life or injured.

What will she need to make it 3 days on her feet in this weather? The lighter the pack, the faster the trip, plain and simple.
Pack- decent 3 day pack or daypack.
Shelter- Something to keep the rain off you while you rest or sleep.
Water- A way to get clean drinking water.
Food- Anything light, low salt and high calorie.
Light- Lightweight light source
Protection- Something to fend off Dogs or two legged animals.
Comms- Some way to contact home as far away as possible
Route- Find your way home without getting lost
Clothing- Weather appropriate gear
Personal items- Stuff you want and might need to have around.

Pack- It's usually best to figure this out last, because you want a pack big enough to fit everything you need. I have a few extra 3 day assault packs and some duffel bags, but for Christmas a few years ago I got her a really nice Kelty Backpack, a Redtail 30. It's really close to the size she needs, but it's a bright color. I'll decide once I'm ready to get the pack together. I have a feeling a black NC Star 3 day pack is in her future.

Shelter- The simpler the better. A tarp, casualty blanket or best of all, a Poncho would be perfect. It allows for protection without occluding your surroundings too much.

Water- I'm going to put a nalgene bottle and 2-20 oz water bottles in the pack in case my boys are with her. She will also get a bottle of purification tabs.

Food- Clif bars, some hard candy, some jerky sticks and trail mix.

Light- A small headlamp, extra batteries and maybe an extra flashlight. Preference given to a headlamp with a red beam for discreet travel at night.

Protection- This is where it gets screwy. She likes guns but isn't interested in carrying a gun so doesn't want to go get her carry license. That means in order to stay legal she needs a long gun. The obvious choice would be a KelTec Sub 2000 in 9mm. Breaks down to pack size, will take 33 round glock mags, and is easy to manipulate. 100 rounds JHP in 3 mags, 19 in an extended mag to keep in it. A decent sling will help too.

Comms- Cell Phone as primary and then a 2 way GMRS radios with extra batteries in case I can go look for her. All call signs and codes in a small notebook in the pack. Radio is set to proper channel and privacy code before hand. We have tested them and they are good to 4 miles if at least one person is elevated. If the phone lines are a mess, texts should still work as long as the towers are still operating. Another option is a backup disposable cell phone in case of a domestic threat.

Route- Pre planned routes from each side of the larger, meaner city close by, as well as from each direction of travel from home. A map and compass will be in the pack, with a rain cover or ziplock bag. Routes Marked in highlighter close to home but not all the way. Maybe to the edge of where she knows the streets well.

Clothing- Army Surplus silk thermals, a few pairs of warm non cotton socks, a warm hat, rain suit if no poncho, a loose fitting warmup or track suit. My wife is well endowed, no reason to entice the animals. She always wears a warm jacket and I'll throw and gloves and a scarf inside the hat. Another hugely important item is shoes. Find a pair that she doesn't wear because they look too shabby and put those in the pack. She won't miss them and they will be well broken in. Think Grey Man Camo. Have her dress as average as possible and remove all jewelry.

Personal Items- TP, Wet Wipes, Tampons (There's a 1 in 5 chance she will need them), Nail clippers, a small knife, Zip ties, Gorilla tape wrapped around a shopping card, Paracord in case she needs to repair clothing or breaks a shoestring, a small microfiber towel. Anything that's small and light that will help her. Maybe a lighter and some Votive candles in case she needs a fire for an emergency, like if she fell in some water and was too cold to continue on without drying off. First aid kit with plenty of Ibuprofen. Some cash in medium and small bills would help as well. Keep them in different places in case the pack gets grabbed.

Things to make sure she leaves out of the pack:

Earbuds- They will ruin her ability to observe her surroundings.
High salt food- It can cause a person to dehydrate and get cramps
Alcohol- No reason to make a person sleep deeper than need be or have dulled senses.
Loud toys for the kids- obvious attention getters.
Brightly colored clothes- Think grey.
Purse- Have her throw everything in the pack, dirtbags know purses mean money.

 Should she ever need to use it, the earlier she heads out, the safer she will be. If she's in denial and shelters in place, it's going to get more difficult. We live near a major city and many of the companies she visits aren't in the best part of town. Her most often visited client is in the middle of a large industrial/urban complex of factories, scrap yards and has a major interstate and a large river between her and the house. The Interstate only has 3 places to pass under it that she could reliably use without adding a day to her trip. There are 2 river crossings under the interstate, but they aren't passable.

Without a plan, the proper mindset, and the tools to succeed, any venture you attempt can be more difficult than it needs to be. I love my wife dearly and would want her to make it home if there's an emergency. I know many of us always think of ourselves and how we would make it home, but what about the rest of the family? It's only fair to make sure they can have the same or even a better chance than you do.

Gear Review: LA Police Gear 3day pack

About two years ago I bought an inexpensive 3day sized pack from LA police gear for 29.99 plus shipping. http://www.lapolicegear.com/diplomat-3-day-backpack1.html I expected it to be a thin, cheapo bag for stuffing extra gear in. What I received was a very durable material backpack with good stitching and thick padded straps. I looked the unit over very well and decided to utilize it as a primary unit, retiring the light weight pack I've grown out of.

I decided to do some research on the pack before I invested the energy to personalize it. I found widely varying reviews and opinions on the pack so I was adamant about deciding for myself. Upon the first evaluation, I was still undecided due to the cut and bulk of the pack. At first the zippers were very hard to operate and caught on the lining very easily. Once broken in, the bag sculpted to my back and the zippers became far more user friendly. The first addition I made the the pack was a 102oz water beast bladder system from Camelbak. It fit perfectly and even came in OD like the pack I chose. As I've added equipment and accessory pouches all over it to make an extended sustainment pack. This brought it's capabilities from 3 days to a month or so fairly quickly. The molle system made adding the pouches very easy. The pack itself full loaded weighs in at 36 pounds before water is added to the bladder.

The interior of the pack has a pvc coating making the pack water resistant. The external compression straps make it easy to attach a bed roll, rope or backpacking tent. I've also added a tomahawk to the exterior compression strap. Instead of buying a ready made system that you have to deal with how it's made, this system allows for easy customization. The drink tube can be routed left or right due to the pack having 2 gusseted outlet tabs with hook and loop closures. I haven't tried rucking the unit for extended days, but it works great and is fairly comfortable for a weekend pack trip. I usually use it for car camping trips and extended range trips where it would take 3 or more days to walk home.

Overall, the pack gets 2 thumbs up. One for being fairly inexpensive and one for being robust for it's price. I'm not saying this unit is equal to anything made by Blackhawk, Eagle, Maxpedition or other name brands. The packs strength is it's price. It doesn't have the best zippers or hook and loop. It doesn't have a name brand's warranty or backing. I've kept this pack loaded for almost 2 years now and I've car camped, hiked, rendezvous, and bugged out with this pack on numerous occasions. There isn't a single rip, tear, hole, zipper issue or even a worn strap. Solid performance at a budget price. The only reason I'm changing is so I can have a modular sleep system in my pack during winter and to have a better suspension system.


Let's take a look at mine:

I've added a Condor extra large bottom pouch that was made to be a stand alone satchel. A few Blackhawk pouches of different types, a Condor Tool carrier pouch and smaller flashlight/admin pouch on the front. Each pouch has it's purpose. Food, first aid, hygiene, Pens and paper, tools and such. The outside Molle webbing has held up tremendously well. Not a single stitch has come loose, nor has a zipper had to be reset. It's holding together my menagerie of pouches like a champ!

The modular nature of the pack allows me to customize the setup depending on what I'm planning. I can attach my shotgun scabbard to the side and now I have a pack hunting rig! Another couple additions I made are a SOG tactical tomahawk in a custom made kydex sheath and Blackhawk TaTang knife in a custom sheath.

The pack has been complete for about 6 months now, so I guess it's time to replace it with something designed to do what I'm forcing this pack to do and return this pack to a 3 day pack and pass it on to my son.
Here's what the pack holds right now, minus food. I keep a small food bag prepped and ready for a hasty exit. I can lash it to my pack in a second so the food isn't in there right now.

Gear list:
8x12 tarp, heavy duty tent stakes, Skeeter Beeter Hammock, Precut tarp lines, Sleeping bag, Rope, Cook pots and stove kit, rain gear, dopp kit, mess kit, Stainless mug, tea/coffee/juice kit, playing cards, Med kit, sam splint and shears,Katadyn hiker pro filter, Poncho and garbage bags, shemaugh, hat, gloves, wet wipes, zip ties and gorilla tape, head net, microfiber towel, paracord, notebook with info and codes, Night ize figure 9's, writing utensils, mirror, tools, inner tube ranger bands, P51, Blackhawk TaTang knife, SOG tomahawk, 12v solar charger, AA/AAA charger, CR123 charger, assorted batteries, chem lites, headlamp, backup battery charger for technology, bladder, map case and compass, GPS, water hose, yoyo fishing kit.

I used to add a pad and 2 man tent under the compression straps when it was cold out, but they are in the trailer and it's freezing cold outside. Not gonna go get them right now. I did notice a few things have come up missing over time. My spare socks are missing, as are the clothes pins I keep in there. Huh, must have needed them elsewhere.

I'll make sure to post a review of my recreational pack, and Osprey Aether 70, when I get a chance. The new Bugout pack, a Marine ILBE and assault pack, will also be coming up for review.

Gear Review: HK Epidemic Auto Knife

With the recent law change that allows the fine citizens of Indiana to carry auto knives again, I decided to go ahead and upgrade my knife. The options were endless for side opening and out the front models. The Benchmade Infidel was a top choice, but I don't care for a double edged blade. The side autos I saw seemed too easily opened unless it had a safety that defeated the idea of an auto opening blade. If I want an auto, I want a fast, one hand opening unit that will last. After looking at many options, I chose the HK Epidemic auto knife for daily carry duty.

This quality knife has several features I really liked, and some I wasn't aware of until I received it. The action is fast and strong. If you hit something while opening it, all you have to do is flick your wrist to get it all the way out. The button action is sturdy, so there is very little chance of inadvertently opening the knife in your pocket. The pocket clip is extremely solid, it can be difficult to get it in your pocket if you have reinforced pocket tops. Getting it out of your pocket is always smooth. The side actuating button is another feature I liked over the Infidel, it leaves the hand in a more natural position after you've opened the knife. It also makes incidental operation less likely because you can't lean against something and hit the button against your leg, where it might be uncomfortable even if it doesn't actuate.

The blade itself is D2 tool steel. It's a very strong steel that holds an edge very well. Corrosion resistance isn't as good as I would like, but it's more than fine for most people. I didn't have to sharpen the knife for over a month when I started using it. That's 2x longer than most knives I've used. I should have come to expect this from a knife made by Benchmade, they make great stuff! Oh, I guess I forgot to mention that! Yes, this knife is entirely made by Benchmade and sells for less than half the MSRP of the Infidel.

The only drawbacks I've found on this knife is the large case. It's not as slim as I like but not so bad as to be bothersome while wearing pants or athletic shorts. The case is a little boxy and has some sharp edges on the inlay machining, but nothing that bothers me while using the knife. The anodizing has begun to wear off, but that's to be expected on a tool I use as much as I do a knife.

Overall, this knife is a sure winner in the auto market. It's durable with good quality steel and a stout clip that should last for years. This one's a keeper!

Firearms Selection

So many "experts" get hung up on having every gun under the sun to defend themselves. They feel they must have brand X or Y with these certain features and in this color with exactly the caliber they say. What a bunch of hooey. There are a few things you do NEED to have.

1. A functioning firearm
2. Cleaning kit for said firearm
3. Ammunition for the same firearm.
4. The skill to use it.

For a long time I've helped out from time to time at a gun shop that prides itself on making a customer for life out of the people who tread through the door. Over the last 17 years of hanging out there and buying hundreds of guns from the guys there, I've found many words of wisdom. The first of those being, beware the man with one gun, he more than likely knows how to use it.

Don't get hung up on which brand is the best or what sight system is optimal for certain conditions. The gun you have in your hand is the one that can get you out of trouble. The 16 in the safe are useless when you can't get to them.

Characteristics of a good firearm.

1. Functional 100% of the time
2. Sights you can see
3. Easy to use
4. Easy to reload
5. Proper weight and length for you to use in most environments
6. A caliber that is readily available
7. Accurate enough for your needs

If the gun won't work unless you jiggle the hammer a little, it's useless. If you can't aim it, why bother. If it's a single shot bolt action, you might have trouble with multiple targets. The L82A1 Barrett is a bad machine, but can you carry it in the woods or along your property line? There are a bunch of really cool rifles out there in exotic calibers, but will that be any use to you if you can't feed it or afford to feed it.? Accurate enough means just that, as long as you can hit a dirtbag sized target at the ranges you will more than likely engage at, you're good to go.

Being a certified gun nut, I have more than I need. I have multiple calibers and multiple platforms for engagement from point blank out to 1500 meters. I'm not saying everyone needs that, but I sure like mine. All but a couple of my guns are common calibers. 22lr, 12ga, 380acp, 9mm, 38spl/357mag, 40SW, 45acp, 223 and 308. I do have a couple odd balls. A 10mm and 300Win Mag. Why? Because I can. Common calibers ensure you can more than likely scrounge ammo in any situation. The 2 uncommon calibers I have are the ones I CAN get ammo for these days. Scary, right? 10mm ammo is going for $50 a box now and 300 WM is about the same, but it's available if I was out. I can't say the same for common calibers.

What would I consider a good "Stash" of firearms?

22LR rifle
12ga shotgun
A carbine in a common caliber. 223/5.56, 7.62x39, 308, 30-06
A pistol that can be carried concealed in a caliber above 380acp and below 41 magnum.
A pocket pistol in 22mag, 32, 380 or 9mm.
A bolt action scoped center fire rifle in a common hunting caliber.

A collection like this would have an arm available to fit the needs of most people in a serious need to defend themselves or feed themselves. I will say this though, a man with a 10/22 rifle and home field advantage could put a hurting on some well trained operators.

There is no replacement for trigger time. The more you shoot the better you will become. Training will speed up your abilities as well. I really can't stress that enough. A good instructor can shorten your learning curve by years. They can short cut you past all the mistakes people make in the beginning and allow you to focus on proper techniques and build confidence in your abilities. If you think about it, it's the cheapest way to become a better shooter. You can shoot 10k rounds a year and get very good, or take a few classes at 500 a pop and be thousands of dollars ahead monetarily and months ahead as well.

Any machine that isn't used will fall into disrepair. Practice!

A large stock of ammo is secondary to being able to utilize the firearm. If you have stashed up thousands of rounds of ammo, but haven't trained because you wanted to hoard it, you're behind. Have a decent stash, but concentrate on keeping your skills sharp. That ammo will only do the next guy good if you lose your first gun fight because you're rusty.

In closing, I'll offer a last bit of sage advice. If you find yourself in a fair gunfight, your tactics suck. If I'm forced to defend my life, I'd prefer to take the shot at 600 yards with a high powered rifle. The less danger you put yourself in the better your chances of defeating the opposition.