Reality of Combat

This is a good article I found over at the "SHTF School" blog, and wanted to share it with you guys. It is relevant, and has good information from someone who has lived through much of what we will have to soon enough.

The reality of combat March 26, 2013

SHTF School

When SHTF nobody told me how hard is gonna be and what things I will have to do to survive, there was no training or simulations, through most of the stuff I was going for the first time in my life, and I was hoping it is only temporary situation, it is not going to last for whole year. Few events opened my eyes, and somehow make me survivor right at the beginning, and I can say I have luck to understand in very early stage how hard it is, and what it takes. During one of the first bigger events of killing in the streets, I was out together with my friend who also was medical professional. Fire from machine guns was on people who were standing in front of the main city bread factory, and people started to scream and run over each other.

My first impulse was to run to nearest cover but my friend got down to help some lady, so I stayed one meter next to him. I was confused about my decision and not sure to stay with him or run. Bullets from machine gun hit him over his legs, and I saw how his knee cap exploded, it looked like some bad movie special effect. He just looked at his legs, then at me, in silence. Even that was just seconds moments like this feel very long. I took him by the hands and drag him some 20 or 30 meters to safety.

Only there I saw that he was missing his leg under the knee. It stayed with dead lady on the street. And only then he started to scream. I used belt to stop bleeding, ambulance still worked in that period. He went to hospital and then evacuated from the city. He survived but never came back. Lessons learned? In moments of chaos always listen to your instincts and do not hesitate. Especially if you are involved in situation when someone is shooting at you with high caliber machine gun. Just accept that people will die, and you have to survive.

To help others is great thing, to survive is even better, also I realized that human being is so fragile and easy to destroy. Later I learned some things about weapons and how to use them, so I realize that more firepower does not necessary mean more dangerous and better chance to kill. Owning a weapon is just absolutely necessary in preparing for a survival scenario, even more in urban survival. You just need to go and get as close as you can to the real stuff while you are doing the preparing and training for the SHTF, so it makes sense to go out and check your preps, to check your gear and yourself. For example pair of boots that you bought and store for bad days will not be used for walking only, it will be use for running, squatting, jumping, in mud, junk, blood, guts maybe or just running trough a shallow river.

Everything that you have prepared and stored for SHTF will be pushed to the limits. One thing is to go out into woods nearby and do recording of your weapon testing on some beer bottles with your friends, and after that concluding that particular gun or rifle is best for SHTF, and that you are dangerous dude because your accuracy rules. Some people gonna put that clip on you tube and go home convinced that they are ready and prepared.

In reality you do not know if you are prepared. A lot of survival stores that sell things sell idea of buy this and you are safe. No you are not. Also you learn more about real urban survival scenario in my survival course and this helps you to mentally be better prepared but real deal when SHTF always comes as surprise. When time comes again it gonna hit everyone like a hammer. Good news is that when you know you will get hit like that you can recover fast and use your skills, knowledge and preps to make best out of situation.

Using weapon in real life, in real survival situation is something absolutely different from shooting bear bottles, and if you could do some real training that is realistic that would be maybe going to camping with trash bag as a tent, being on camping for 10 days with 10 small cans of food, and 10 liters of water, walking every day for 10 km. And then on 11th day run few kilometers and then shoot and see how accurate you are when your body is wasting away. And still the most important thing is missing. While you are shooting at the beer bottles they do not shoot back at you in order to kill you. During some of the first battles in city I was moving trough the building behind a guy, we both had rifles. He was sweeping the rooms and shooting, it was the closest urban combat as it can be. In the moment when he run out of ammo he used his rifle as something between spear and bat.

Now someone could say why he did not just switch to pistol? He did not have one, also he did not have time to look for ammo. But there I learned how it is useful to have folded stock of rifle when shooting and moving in very confined spaces. Also I learned that rifle with pretty sharp parts at the barrel can be very handy. He stabbed guy to the cheek, ripping his face down and finishing him on ground. One of the biggest misconception at the people who do not have fighting experience is what they need to practice. It is all about pressure.

You need to learn:

1. What your weapon can take In terms of kicking, throwing, how often and when will it malfunction, and what the most common malfunctions are, and how to fix it, of course how to fix it in middle of fight. If you find yourself in the middle of fighting, and your weapon „jams“ do not be as we called “zblesavljen” or in English is probably looking like idiot. I have seen that: guy is shooting and in the middle of fighting his weapon jammed, and he surprisingly look at the weapon in a „what the heck?“ state. And of course in two seconds he ends up dead. You absolutely need to know how to manage small weapon jams without looking at the weapon, you need to look at the target while you are „repairing“ weapon (clearing the bullet, switching to other magazine etc.) Other option would be to MOVE immediately when your weapon jams, move to cover in same second, or to dropping it on ground, or on your back, and switching to your other weapon. But you need to learn to do all of above without thinking. You need to train that this becomes automatic. Small things like how quickly you can put your rifle on your back and a switch to pistol can be difference between life and death, if you somehow „trip“ yourself while you are trying to put rifle on your back in order to take pistol you can end up dead.

2. What you can take Remember this: while you are shooting at the bad guys, those bad guys will be SHOOTING AT YOU TOO. So shooting at the beer bottles in the woods with your buddies will not really do all the training you need. I am doing it often, but it just not covering everything. Fighting and surviving combat means constant moving and outsmarting the guys on the other side, you gonna need to run, squat, throw yourself in the ditch, lay down in all kinds of crap and shoot at the same time, and probably fix your rifle from jams, or switch to another weapon. Do some basic weapon training and learn about line of sight and how to get out off it. Very great percentage of shooting is done without aiming, just spraying bullets. It makes sense to do some airsoft or paintball in the woods to check how constant moving change whole game, and what kind of moving makes sense in order to survive gunfight. For example how often you shoot from your weapon with both hands, dominant and not dominant? In urban fighting you will need switch weapon around very often (moving through the apartments, rooms, around the corners etc.). When you are shooting behind corner, and you are having rifle in your right hand and corner is on your left side it make sense to transfer weapon to left hand. otherwise it is dangerous to stick your left part of body out in order to shoot form right hand. For all you who have some military experience this all is basic stuff, but I have seen many guys who were killed in stupid ways. Real gunfight is dynamic thing. Adrenaline is weird thing too, so people can do tremendous things while adrenaline is pumping, but also with lack of training and common sense guy can do tremendously stupid things. I have seen man who was pointing to something and he stood up from the cover, and got shot.

3. How to train yourself Training is the key. You can not do anything else today except to train very hard. You can not experience real stuff today of course, but you can take it as close to real stuff as you can. Go out with your friends and think about all possible scenarios. But think about worst case scenarios. SHTF is not gonna wait for nice and sunny weather, you gonna be maybe hungry, dirty. Maybe have to give up your shelter and food storage on second day of SHTF. Or you gonna be forced to use other weapon that you are not used to. Maybe you gonna be forced to hide for hours hidden under a pile of rubble and then you are gonna be forced to jump out and „kill“ ten beer bottles. Sounds like fun? This is why resilience and mental strength is so important. Maybe you are gonna be cold and thirsty and in the middle of the battle. One thing is sure – very rarely it goes the way that you planned. So just be ready for many options and do not panic when things go other way. Want to get some funny sounding advice? Get good at suffering while still being able to work towards a goal.

4. What weapon, caliber, stopping power etc? It is very hard question (that I get asked a lot). But think about fact that everything today is about mainstream and commercial. And somehow it is more about what other people say is good and not necessarily about what you need and what is good for YOU. You and your hand kill, weapon is only tool. I have seen fight when man with knife is killing the guy with rifle. He had mastered fighting with knife and had will to kill. Other guy had a rifle only, and he ends up dead. I also seen more than once people shot with rifle bullets still fighting, running for good amount of time. Some of them were not even aware that they are wounded before someone else pointed that out to them. What I am trying to say, do not expect miracles if you own weapon that is at the moment most popular, having great stopping power, cool reviews. It is about practicing , weapon mastering and correct bullets placement. I said bullets for a reason, I have seen many things, but I did not see someone survive multiple shots in correct place at the body. Have weapon that is best for your case, and achieve perfection in using it. Do not expect that people will fly back if you shoot them with one bullet from some widely popular weapon and caliber (not talking about shotguns).

So I am not gonna tell you what is the best weapon because what works for me maybe does not work for you or others. Having a weapon that is too rare, too good or too bad does not make too much sense for me. Do not find yourself in situation when you lose your weapon and pick someone else and then find out that you do not have clue about it, because your weapon was special and rare. Just have what everyone else around you has, because of gun parts, ammo and you look like everyone else. Your weapon is only tool to survive, be ready to lose it if you need to lose it, and pick some other from ground in the middle of fight. I knew a guy who did some scary stuff with rusty shortened M48. He was old and poor looking dude, he played that part good, until he would take out this old gun from under his coat and rob and kill people. Simple strategy but it worked for him. So look around and think what works for you.


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Gear for the American Patriot: The Tactical Patriot Store
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Ghillie suits

Ghillie suits are a must have for the patriot that intends to stand up when needed. If you are part of a Militia, a patriot group, OK CPT, OK QRF, III%er, or any other form of resistance, then you will need to have one of these. A Ghillie offers much better concealment than regular clothing in most environments. This is a good article I found over on the Survival Blog that I thought would be very good to share with you guys.

Ghillie Up, by Molon Labe

From a young age, I’ve been fascinated with hunters and snipers alike who stalk the wilds with a bushy cloak that conceals their location, like a ghost who conforms to his terrain and disappears in plain view. And so since an early teen I’ve researched, constructed and eventually refined the art of personal camouflage by way of the ghillie suit. The truth is that nothing can make you truly invisible and that even the best camouflage can be compromised with movement. However, through constant research and development both for myself, friends and eventually building ghillie making into a side business, I’ve learned many helpful facts that can help you in deciding if you want to add a ghillie suit or similar variant to your Bugout Bag (BOB).

First, we must ask, “Why ghillie up at all?” What are the benefits and downsides, and how can they respectively be maximized and minimized? Back in the 19th Century, the Scottish hunting guides and game wardens found it helped them to stalk closer to their prey when they wore burlap bags around their head and shoulders, which disrupted their distinctly “human” shape. From that point forward, increasingly greater forms of concealment were adopted by many long range marksman and snipers, and their three dimensional outfits became known as “ghillie” suits in honor of these guides and wardens who were known as Gillies. The great thing about three dimensional (3D) camouflage is that it disrupts a person’s outline and can confuse the prey’s depth perception as well, lending to the misconception that some of the wearer’s body is further or closer than it actually is. But more than this, the fringes of the outfit will, or at least should, if constructed properly, sway with the breeze. These things all contribute to make the 3D outfit much more effective than any two dimensional piece of camouflage. As much as [Woodland pattern or Multicam pattern] battledress uniforms (BDUs) may blend in with the surrounding environment, they still has noticeable edges that stand out much more plainly than the edges of the ghillie suit, which from a distance seem to fade gradually from its fringes to the background.

What camouflage must do in order to be effective is to look like anything but a human, rifle or any other equipment that you bring into the wilderness. At best it will look exactly like the surrounding foliage, but at least it should look like something other than human or man-made.

One of the greatest benefits of the ghillie is that it will disrupt your silhouette, which is extremely important, both in broad daylight and especially at night. Ask yourself, how do you distinguish an animal at night from the rest of the landscape? Unless you flash a light on them and see two reflecting eyes, it’s most commonly by distinguishing a solid shape that does not resemble nature against the background. That, and of course, movement. And although a ghillie suit cannot hide your location when moving quickly–especially transverse to your target’s field of vision–it will save you from noticeably not swaying with the breeze when everything around you is. It also can play with your target’s depth perception and can, especially with shadows, make you to appear dispersed and in that sense, human and animal eyes will skip right over you without noticing anything, as you will simply blend into the landscape. All these things will greatly aid in keeping your presence hidden. But what are some downsides?

Traditionally, ghillies were never worn except when absolutely necessary because they can be very hot and extremely restrictive if not constructed properly. They can be heavy, because the classic material used is burlap or jute, which not only will add several pounds to your clothing but will soak up any moisture like a sponge and make you feel like lead when it rains. And if you are planning on discharging a weapon around it at all, you will want to treat it with flame retardant when using burlap or jute. Yes, this makes it even heavier. Yes, this may have to be redone after it comes in contact with moisture. But let’s not forget that a bundle of clothing that adds significant depth from the sole of your foot to the top of your head is hard to keep in a packable bundle that will squeeze into your bag with all your other “necessary” gear. Because the simple fact is that if you are traveling any distance through a forest at any speed except for a slow stalk, you won’t be wearing a traditional ghillie.

Still, if it greatly aids in your concealment, are there ways to mitigate or bypass some of these downsides? Absolutely. Rule number one is that if you are going to be using this for anything more than purely recreational use and don’t want to be itching and being roasted alive in a heavy, restrictive outfit, then don’t use burlap or jute at all. I say this because I’ve been told by a current U.S. Army sniper instructor that Army snipers haven’t used conventional full ghillie suits in over 30 years, because when the material sheds away (and it will) it will leave a trail behind that bespeaks only one thing: “Sniper”. This has led to the discovery and death of a few snipers downrange. Even if the enemy doesn’t see a sniper team, they’ll call in mortars, artillery, a tracking team with dogs or anything available to them to obliterate or search out any area that may have a sniper.

So the question is, if 3D camouflage is so good, but discovery by its trail of shed fibers so dangerous, then what is the solution? In 2007, the US Army developed a synthetic thread that has completely replaced burlap and jute. This new thread is fire retardant, waterproof, water repellent, rot proof, mildew resistant, non-allergenic, and is considerably stronger and lighter than burlap or jute. The other great thing about this synthetic thread is that you won’t need nearly as much of it to get the job done and does not trap nearly as much heat, which is a real bonus when you’re down prone in the summer sun for hours on end.

Regardless of what material you decide to use for your ghillie, it will need to be securely fastened to a wearable outfit. This is most often done by tying it to a form of netting that has been either glued or sewn onto the desired outfit. This is effective, but in my opinion is not efficient. In my area we have four distinct seasons with at least three distinct colors schemes, and if I matched any one of them I would stand out in the other two. Remember this is three dimensional camouflage; it either matches the surrounding colors or it doesn’t. There’s no two dimensional magic you can create to deceive the eye like Multicam or similar patterns. This means that I either have to have three different suits in my closet or I can create a method to attach the right color scheme to a single outfit, and with this one outfit, I can have all the bells and whistles to make it the most comfortable, rugged, cool, and functional as I can. This is the approach that I’ve taken.

Now, how to do this? What I’ve done for my personal ghillie suit is to use Shoe Goo to attach earth tone 550 military grade parachute cord (“paracord”) onto the back side of the jacket, pants, and the top of my boonie hat. This was done in a crisscross grid-like pattern with about four inches between intersections. Onto this I’ve tied more than a dozen ½-inch quick-release plastic buckles–the same type which you find on many survival bracelets. And then using fish net with the synthetic thread tied evenly to it, I’ve cut out the outline of my ghillie jacket, pants and hat. To this I’ve tied on corresponding buckles which clip into those tied onto the parachute cord grid pattern. Now I have an easy method to apply the “ghillie cover” to my ghillie base. When not wearing the ghillie cover I can stow it in my pack and merely wear the ghillie base.

BTW, the base of my ghillie suit is a set of Multicam pattern fatigues so that I can easily blend into most places during every season except winter. However, when the ghillie suit is large enough to allow warmer clothes under it–as mine is–you can also attach a synthetic thread covering with pure white thread. This, although less than perfect, is very effective when you consider that the Multicam base bleeds through in areas and creates a “break up” result. A very helpful feature especially when you consider that solid white does not blend into any snow land environment except the North Pole.

The Ghillie Poncho
But the other approach is to not have a full ghillie suit at all and instead use a simple ghillie poncho. A ghillie poncho is usually constructed using durable but ultra-light fishing net and can be thrown over your existing clothes, tactical gear, etc. This is very useful, if you are going to be traveling through two different environments such as a forest where dark green and brown are key and a very green or very tan field, you may want to pack both options, and with the advent of ghillie ponchos which weigh only 2 to 3 pounds and can squeeze into a compact space, this is now a viable option.

Now, there are two major kinds of ghillie suits, and the same principle applies to ponchos; the soldier’s ghillie and the sniper’s ghillie. The difference between these is simply that the soldier’s ghillie has full 360 degree coverage front and back, top and bottom. Whereas the sniper’s ghillie suit keeps the chest and front of the legs (and often arms) slicked out to better facilitate crawling low to the ground. Both are effective but one tends towards the sniper’s uses better than the other. Bow hunters have no need to be low crawling and will prefer to have the soldier’s ghillie.

Now when it comes to getting your own, there are a few different options. With some supplies and a little creative thinking, thread and needle, you can create your own and make it with as many added features as you care to have. Among these are creating vents in the back of the jacket, pants or hat for better ventilation, putting more rugged material such as 1,000 Denier Cordura fabric on the elbow and knee sections, “slicking out” the front of jacket and pants for low crawling, adding a hydration pack, adding pockets, add paracord thumb and boot loops which can keep the ghillie from snaking up on your arms and legs when low crawling or reverse-low crawling, putting in rain proof sections, or any other enhancement you can dream up that could aid you for your particular area and mission.

But if you opt out of do-it-yourself (DIY), or buying from a ghillie store you’ll find a four-piece ghillie (that is: jacket, pants, head cover and rifle wrap) off the shelf that comes from China, at nearly every sporting goods store. And if your purpose is bow hunting or paintball, you’ll be hard pressed to find a less expensive solution. But if your life may be on the line, you won’t want something quite so flimsy and easy to track. Trust me, I have one and the thread will tear out all too easily when you brush by a limb or bush. These, although made with the new synthetic thread, are sewn on in bunches and not hand tied. In my opinion, this is worse should you brush up against anything in the wild, as it will come right out with a tug and will not biodegrade.

Now what should one look for in a ghillie suit? Number one it that it has to conceal you. It should be of the right color [to match your local foliage] and be constructed to fit your purposes. Secondly, it should be rugged. These suits, depending on the type of material chosen, often have the uncanny ability to reach out and grab every twig and edge of a bush within five feet. (This in itself will aid to the natural look and help to conceal you.) It should also be functional to your purposes. Ghillie suits are most often used only when hiding in a static location or while slow stalking. This however means that for most of the distance that you may need to trek through the woods, you won’t want to be wearing one. In keeping with this principle, I always look for something adequate for the job that will easily be carried, which means: compact and light. This will be situational dependent, but often times you may not have the need or space to carry a full-blown ghillie suit, which is one reason ghillie ponchos have become more popular.

Finally, how should we look at ghillies? If you are someone who puts their life on the line for those you love and go down range, I believe you should look at ghillies as another piece of kit. Again, it is something situational dependent, but mandatory to have ready to take, should you be able to take advantage of it. Whether you are a sniper, solider, or just a prepper it is advantageous and often times critical to be concealed. Ghillies are perhaps one of the best tools to deceive the human eye into believing that it sees nothing more than an uninteresting clump of nature.

Whether you construct one yourself, pick one up from a shop or shell out the cash to get a custom design from an online store, realize each design has advantages and some disadvantages. However, I must say, if you decide to take the next step in the art of camouflage, then you should train with it as you do the rest of your kit. If you simply buy one and put it aside to use on The Day but never use it when you train, then it will be an unnecessary frustration when you finally do, and you won’t be able to maximize the benefits as you should.

https://survivalblog.com/ghillie-up-by-molon-labe/

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Equip yourself for the troubled times ahead: The Tactical Patriot Store
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A couple of good reads from Max Velocity

Here are some articles from one of my favorite blogs, by Max Velocity. I am currently reading and almost done with Patriot Dawn, and have Contact and Rapid Fire to read next. So far I am impressed with the book, it is a good read, with tons of great info in it. From reading his stuff so far, I can say that there is not an article he has written that I did not agree with at least 95% of the time. So with that said, check out these articles.

There will be no theme music

Countering aerial thermal surveillance

Thermal Poncho

The concept of the thermal poncho, or blanket is of vital importance to us, and should be a part of each of our kits. We will not have any success in our fight if we are suseptable to thermal surveillance. We have to ensure every means of increasing our survivability. Without items like this in our loadout, we will not be of much use to our nation in it's time of need.

What to wear in a post event world

So the SHTF, you are part of the resistance, or you just want to survive. Should you wear camo, or civilian clothes? Well, this depends on how and what has happened, it depends on whether you are still integrated into society, or you are part of a group that heads for the hills and is part of an active resistance movement.

I feel that it is a personal choice, and one that you would be changing due to mission parameters, and the local atmosphere. If resistance groups are being hunted and fought by a professional force, then you have the option of using camo to increase your survivability in an active combat environment. But if you still desire to be part of society, then you would need to tailor your kit to take that into account.

One way you could go is to wear civilian work clothes in muted natural colors, then wear your kit over them. This way you could fight the fight, but then if need be ditch your gear and just walk down the street and fit in. Another option for this scenario is to wear what I call "Redneck Camo" which is any of the commercially available patterns that hunters wear. This type of clothing is effective in the woods, but also acceptable by society in many areas. If you were walking down the street in this type of camo, not many people would even give you a second glance.

So the options as I see it are: military camos, redneck camos, or muted civilian clothes. The way to go about this that I see as the most effective is to wear browns and greens in civilian style clothes (not tactical clothes) then wear a gillie suit or shroud and your kit when you are in the crap, or in an active combat situation. This approach gives you the ability to be effective in the fight, but then to ditch your kit and gillie, then just walk down the street for your exfiltration (exfil).

Another aspect of this debate is that if you and your group have a uniform standard and maybe a unit patch you will build esprit de corps, or pride in your unit, this is all good and fine pre-event, but when you are engaged as a fighting force living is the best morale builder. Another way to look at it is the ability to recognize your guys so you do not have any friendly fire incidents, well come on, if you are in a situation and you do not know the location of all of your buddies, then you should have had more training. We are not talking about large groups of soldiers with guys spread out all over the place. One of the good things about having a small unit is that you will be set up in a coordinated well planned ambush type of fight. If you are not, then you need to get the hell out of there as fast as you can.

I am not going to get into what is the best camo pattern, this battle is like the timely debate of AR vs AK, there is no right answer, just your personal preference. What I will say is that it is a good idea to not be wearing the same pattern that the forces you are fighting is wearing. I say this because of what I mentioned above about the ability to differentiate your guys from the enemy.

What you wear also depends on what you can afford and what you already have. If you can afford it, get the best stuff you can, but do not take money from your ammo, weapon, or survival gear budget. I feel that this should be the last priority, put your money into good gear, mags, ammo, good quality firearms, food, water, medical supplies and such. You can fight in whatever if you have to, but you could have the fanciest camo uniform and crappy gear and you will fail when your gear does, or when you do not have an item you need because you spent your money on the latest camo instead of where you should have spent it.

Remember you are a guerrilla style fighter, you hit hard, hit fast, and get the hell out of there. You are like a shadow in the mist, you confuse, instill terror, and break the enemy force down over time. You do not engage in full scale battles, you prefer small, planned, short duration fights that you pick the parameters of.

With that said, think about what is really important to you, set up your clothing, kit and weapons for realistic scenarios, be smart, think about the way that things will do down. Maybe you should have one of each of these types of clothing and then determine which ones you will employ based on the type of mission you will be conducting.

Remember to stay strong, keep up the fight, and never give up!

Body Armor / Plate Carriers

By: Max Velocity

I am a fan of body armor. In any kind of 'kinetic' situation when receiving incoming small arms fire, it will significantly reduce the chances of sustaining a penetrating wound to the torso. Such wounds are often not survivable. 

In basic terms, you have the 'soft armor' portion and the 'plates" that insert front and rear. If you have a plate carrier, you only use the plates. This gives you less protection than if you include the soft armor, but the soft armor does not protect against high velocity (rifle) rounds.

So it is a balance, between levels of protection, weight, bulk, and heat retention. The levels of protection are:

Soft Armor:

Type IIA (9 mm; .40 S&W)
Type II (9 mm; .357 Magnum)
Type IIIA (.357 SIG; .44 Magnum)

Plates:
Type III (Rifles)
Type IV (Armor Piercing Rifle)

The calibers listed are the rounds that this level will protect up to, inclusive of lesser calibers.

Personally, I have a set that I had for working in the Middle East. It was a 'low profile' set that still had front and rear plates. The soft armor portion is level IIIA and the plates are level III. You don't actually need level IV plates, unless you feel the need to protect against armor piercing rounds. Military armor has level IV plates. 

This set of body armor simply came in a soft cover, no pouches attached. It meant that I could wear it under a shirt, or more operationally I used to wear my gear over the top of it, depending on the low or high profile nature of the mission.

What I have now, on the civilian side, is a battle belt, an assortment of 'low profile' 'man bags' that can carry magazines, and I have taken the soft armor and plates out of the cover and put them into a plate carrier that I bought online. It mirrors the military gear I used to wear. So it is no longer low profile, unless I replace the armor in the original soft cover. I have a full tactical vest set up. If I wanted to go low profile, I can replace the armor in the soft cover, wear it under a shirt, and carry a 'man bag' with spare magazines in. With the tactical vest, you can get ones that take soft armor (level IIIA stops powerful handgun/shrapnel) and/or plates. So you can get a plate carrier, or a full set with soft armor. A simple plate carrier will be lighter and cooler, but offers less protection. The soft armor gives you greater protection, just not against high velocity rounds.

So what? Decide what sort of rig you are looking to set up. Research the NIJ levels that you want. You can buy the stuff in a civilian style soft cover and put it into a tactical vest if you want. You definitely want the plates, and you need to decide if you also want the soft armor too.

Body armor can be heavy, hot and sweaty. If you have a 'MOLLE' style tactical cover you can set up a full tactical vest by attaching ammo pouches and the like to the body armor cover. This makes it heavier, but it allows you to carry your gear. If you are contemplating being involved in any kind of tactical kinetic situations, you need to get over the whole hot, heavy and sweaty thing. Suck it up and drive on. Do more PT/drink more water. You will benefit from the protection and you need to carry your ammo and IFAK anyway, plus ancillary gear.

If you are working in the heat, and you want to compromise, use a plate carrier. This gives you the same high velocity rifle round protection but without the greater soft armor torso coverage that will protect against handgun rounds and shrapnel.

Don't go the other way and simply wear the soft armor, like cops do under their shirts. This provides protection against handgun rounds and some can be anti-stab vests also. But there is no protection from high velocity rifle rounds. You can still wear a set with plates under a shirt if you need to be a little more low profile, for instance if driving through a hostile environment trying to remain low key.

And there we have my two cents on body armor....

Velocity, Max. "Body Armor / Plate Carriers ." Max Velocity Tactical.

Blogger, 28 Nov 2012. Web. 4 Jun 2013. <http://maxvelocitytactical.

blogspot.com/2012/11/body-armor-plate-carriers.html>.

The Tactical Patriot online store

Hey readers, I just wanted to put a shout out for our new online store. There is tons of stuff here that will get you to where you want to be with your preparations.

The Tactical Patriot

Check it out, I know you will find something you can't live without. :)

EQUIPPING THE GUERRILLA FIGHTER, PART TWO (The Fighting Load)

(In the previous installment of this article, we discussed the implementation of a 1^st line “survival load” for the guerrilla fighter. The overwhelming theme was, and should be, to minimize the amount of weight and equipment that the guerrilla carries to the minimum necessary. In this installment, I will delve deeper on a couple of the items of the survival load that are also de facto parts of the survival load. Further, we will discuss tactical equipment load-out elements of the 2^nd line fighting load-out. –J.M.)

 

(The selection of tactical equipment in preparation for future social unpleasantness must be predicated on some major philosophical constraints. Among these is the recognition that the world and nation we have known is rapidly imploding around us. If this recognition exists, there are some critical issues that must be addressed.

 

The first of these is the degree of seriousness in one’s preparations. If it is simply a hobby, because you enjoy shooting guns, that’s okay. There is certainly nothing wrong with that in a free society. You don’t need to invest any more time or money than you fell like spending. You will get away with airsoft-quality gear and base-level, budget firearms and tools. However, if you genuinely believe that “bad times, they are a-comin’” then you have to look at your preparations in a far more serious light. In this brighter, more intensely focused light, then quality becomes a far more important issue. How much is your life actually worth? How about the life of your children and spouse? What about a successful restoration of the Constitution and the Republic?)

Keeping in mind the previously mentioned importance of maintaining the lightest load possible for the guerrilla fighter to operate in the woodsman-scout model, the foundation of the 2^nd line fighting load-out is the load-bearing equipment (LBE). While it for a guerrilla fighter to toss a spare rifle magazine in his pocket, a bag of lunch and a blanket in a knapsack, and traipse off to war, experiences and battle damage assessments (BDA) conducted in Afghanistan have demonstrated that this is far from an ideal way to go about the business (on numerous occasions, following airstrikes on Taliban/AQ positions, SF ODAs have conducted BDA, and found dead enemy fighters with this very load-out). Such a poorly equipped soldier, regardless of the depth of his religious motivation, is a lousy match for a properly-equipped opponent with good training. While the guerrilla may spend a great deal of time in nothing more than his basic 1^st line “survival load” while in secure areas or performing covert operations in denied areas, whenever possible, when conducting combat operations, the guerrilla should be wearing adequate LBE to complete his mission.

 

With the wide-variety of LBE available on the market currently, how does the concerned citizen or potential future guerrilla fighter determine the type of LBE set-up that might be ideal? Should he copy the equipment used by an infantryman of the 82^nd Airborne Division or the 1^st Marine Division? Perhaps a set-up like that used by a member of the Ranger Regiment or the SEAL teams would be more suitable? Considering the difference in missions, logistics support, and organization of all of these organizations, the argument should be obvious that none of these is an appropriate model for the guerrilla fighter.

The guerrilla fighter must base his load-out on the likely circumstances of his future operations. While it is obvious to most that future guerrilla forces will not possess the logistical support services enjoyed by conventional military forces, it is also important to realize that even many historical guerrilla models will not fit. The potential future American guerrilla cannot expect external support from friendly nation-states, such as enjoyed by the Viet Cong from the North Vietnamese and Chinese, the Iraqi insurgency from Syria and Iran, or that the Afghani resistance forces enjoy from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan via the services of the Pakistani ISI. Even during World War Two, the French Resistance, from whom this blog borrows its title, enjoyed a high level of material, moral, and technical support from the Allied Forces High Command. Instead, the American guerrilla will necessarily be forced to literally, “live off the land,” turning to his friends and neighbors, as well as battlefield recovery, for logistic support.

 

While the utilization of auxiliary support will facilitate the occasional use of vehicles for transportation of both personnel and supplies, the ability of the regime to utilize airborne and space-borne surveillance and reconnaissance assets for vehicle-tracking/pursuit, means that vehicular transport for the guerrilla combat force will, in many cases be extremely limited. The resulting necessary reversion to “primitive” light-infantry foot-mobile travel will act as a limiting factor in the fighting and sustainment load-outs of guerrilla fighters.

For several decades, the standard-issue load-bearing equipment of the United States military’s ground forces was the LC-1 and LC-2 “ALICE” system. Comprised of a wide, thick pistol belt with various equipment pouches and canteens hung off it, this system used a pair of suspenders to help hold the loaded belt around the soldier’s mid-section. The ALICE system was sufficient, if not ideal. Drawbacks included the fact that the ammunition pouches were cumbersome and slow to reload from, the canteens tended to result in occasionally disabling (and always annoying) chafing, and the general reality that the system was neither well-balanced on the soldier’s body, nor ergonomic.

In the middle 1990s, the Army’s Natick Laboratories, in cooperation with elements of the United States Special Operations Command and the U.S. Marine Corps (with the exception of some units in USASOC, the USMC amazingly adopted the MOLLE system before the Army did), began development of a new, modular, lightweight load-bearing system, referred to as MOLLE gear. This new system, and the advances that have been developed since, offered several distinct perceived advantages to the modern war-fighter. With MOLLE gear, equipment-carrying layout can be tailored to the needs of the individual war-fighter, rather than a doctrinal SOP, equipment can be spread more evenly over the fighter’s torso, reducing fatigue, and since it is held closer to the body’s center-of-gravity, the MOLLE gear offers considerably less of a hindrance to combat athleticism.

 

The current ready, inexpensive availability of the older ALICE gear on the military surplus market makes it an obvious, popular choice for many potential future guerrillas, as well as auxiliary support personnel to stockpile for future support of resistance activities. There is nothing wrong with this, but the reality is, for all intents and purposes, some variation of the MOLLE system is an effective leveraging of the currently available technology for the guerrilla to take advantage of.

The foundation of a MOLLE-based 2^nd line fighting load-out comes in one of three basic forms: the plate carrier, the chest harness, and the new, “War Belt” configuration, based loosely on the older ALICE system.

Plate carriers, designed to carry ballistic protection against small-arms direct-fire threats, as well as load-bearing (with a notable exception that will be discussed below), offer one huge advantage over the other two options: they can save the guerrilla’s life by stopping enemy bullets! The use of body armor in current conflicts has saved an untold number of American lives from small-arms fire, as well as shrapnel threats from IEDs and indirect-fire weapons.

For the guerrilla fighter however, there are several mitigating drawbacks to plate carriers that must be considered. First among these is the fact that the weight of body armor may be detrimental to mobility for the foot-mobile guerrilla. While no one who has ever been on a two-way firing range will argue the inherent value of body armor, there are some within the military who have questioned whether some of the lives “saved” by body armor were not in fact, “saved” because they needed to be saved since they couldn’t move fast enough to exit the path of incoming fire.

 

Certainly, the use of a ballistic-protection “outer tactical vest” such as the Interceptor vest, with groin protection, side plates, deltoid protection, and throat guards are best left to vehicle-mounted war-fighters. The weight of these systems and the resulting decrease in mobility is what led to the development of what are now termed “plate carriers,” designed to hold a single plate in front of the vital areas of the torso, and another in the back. Currently, there are plate carrier systems available that, combined with ceramic, multi-hit protection, NIJ Level Three rifle plates, weigh less than 15 pounds (I don’t know about you, but I can run pretty damned fast, even with an extra 15 pounds on if I’m scared enough! –J.M.). The applications of a plate carrier in fighter survivability should certainly be considered when developing the 2^nd line fighting load-out.

Chest harnesses, unlike plate carriers, are simply lightweight panels of nylon with MOLLE/PALS-compatible webbing straps, covering the front of the torso. While the chest harness suffers the obvious drawback of not offering any ballistic protection whatsoever, they do offer increased mobility due to reduced weight. The guerrilla can move much faster and possibly more quietly, with a loaded chest harness on than with the same load attached to, or over a plate carrier. In hot weather, the reduced weight and increased ventilation of the chest harness may be life-saving, due to the reduced risk of heat-related injury or death.

 

One major complaint about the chest harness MOLLE system in the recent past has been constant lower back strain as a result of the load being unbalanced towards the front of the torso. While this is correctly remedied by the addition of a small assault pack or filled hydration bladder on the back, a new model of MOLLE load-bearing gear was developed instead. The “war belt” or “battle belt” system involves the use of a MOLLE-compatible belt system, often (but not necessarily) supported by a set of suspenders with padded shoulder straps. This system has found a great deal of favor in the civilian tactical shooting world, and apparently among some contractors and special operations personnel.

One combination of these systems that has the potential to offer great benefits to the guerrilla fighter in the future is the use of a low-profile plate carrier, with no MOLLE webbing, that can be worn under a baggy sweatshirt or coat, for ballistic protection from rifle threats, with a chest harness that can be quickly donned if necessary, or the addition of a war belt system (while I currently train with a “normal” external plate carrier, and attached pouches for gear, I am seriously contemplating this idea, due to the theoretical ability to utilize the plate carrier, even during covert operations in denied-area, regime-controlled territory, that require no readily visible paramilitary signature. –J.M.).

The final decision of whether a plate carrier, chest harness, war belt, or combination system (or older ALICE system) is most suitable for a particular potential future guerrilla must be based on the needs and preferences of the individual, including physical fitness levels, preferences, perceived future missions, and of course, current budgetary limitations.

Regardless of the final choice of systems, if the guerrilla fighter selects a MOLLE-based system, the next important choice is the selection of a manufacturer. With the current demand for MOLLE-compatible LBE, for the war efforts, law enforcement militarization, and the civilian enthusiast, there are a vast number of companies producing MOLLE gear in one form or another. Unfortunately, this high level of demand also means the cost of quality MOLLE gear is still relatively high, especially when compared to older surplus ALICE gear. While it is possible to procure less expensive imported gear, it is imperative to remember that most of the imported equipment manufactured in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is intended solely for use by the recreational airsoft culture.

 

(While it looks, at first glance, comparable to hard-use gear, relying on equipment intended for a kid’s game in a life-or-death situation is stupid. If the guerrilla chooses the cheapest airsoft gear he can find, and dies because of an equipment failure, I will personally make it a point to laugh at his funeral. Yes, I am an asshole like that! –J.M.)

(Domestic manufacturers of quality tactical MOLLE gear that I have personal experience with include—but are not necessarily limited to:

 

·         Blackhawk Industries. Ironically, although much of their manufacturing now takes places in the PRC, the chest harness I have from them has had the ever-loving dog shit kicked out of it, and is still going strong.

·         Eagle Industries.

·         High-Speed Gear, Incorporated.

·         Special Operations Technologies.

·         Special Operations Equipment.

·         5.11 Gear. Although 5.11 is the least expensive of these manufacturers, I LOVE their gear.

 

 My 1^st line pistol mag pouches are 5.11, as are some of my PC-mounted rifle mag pouches, and my assault pack. Not a single complaint from me.

 

·         TAG/Shellback Tactical. –J.M.)

 

The guerrilla light-infantryman must consider the historical triumvirate of infantry duties: shoot, move, communicate. The necessity for mobility for the woodsman-scout paradigm of the light infantry leads to the oft-quipped line, “Travel light freeze at night.” While used as a self-mocking joke amongst infantrymen in the military, the humor is found in the truth. It is essential that the guerrilla ensure that every piece of gear on his fighting load is focused on the two tasks of shooting (fighting) and communicating.

 

The key phrase of “shooting” is actually intended to cover all of the actual tasks involved in fighting and killing the enemy. Primary among the logistical demands of this is, of course, ammunition for the primary personal small-arm, ideally a rifle. Opinions on how much ammunition the individual war-fighter should carry on his fighting load differs, based on who you ask and what their specific mission experience has been. Some tactical trainers insist that, for the armed citizen, no more than three or four rifle magazines will ever conceivably be needed. Former special operations sergeant-major Kyle Lamb (USA, retired) is an advocate of this approach, even for military special operations. As he explains in his excellent book “Green Eyes, Black Rifles,” three magazines of 30 rounds each, equals 90 rounds. Assuming it takes three rounds per bad guy to nail him to the ground, that still allows for 30 dead guys accounted for by each shooter before he runs out of ammunition. If a person is in THAT serious of a fight, then either he’ll have plenty of buddies around to borrow magazines from, or there will be plenty of rifles and magazines lying around to pick up. There’s quite a lot to be said for that argument, including the fact that such a minimalist load will do a great deal to ensure maximum mobility for the guerrilla light-infantryman.

On the other hand, unlike a military special operations soldier, the guerrilla does not have the option of counting on a regular re-supply of ammunition, nor the ability to readily call for a heli-borne quick-reaction force if help is needed. It is entirely possible, and far from uncommon, for every soldier in an unconventional warfare, small-unit element, such as an ODA, or a LRS team, to run through more than three magazines performing just one “Australian Peel” break-contact maneuver. Additionally, in the event of a contact, it is plausible that, while performing an exfiltration from the immediate battle area, a guerrilla unit could be forced into a further contact with pursuit forces, before having the opportunity to re-supply from a pre-positioned re-supply cache. It should be considered that the U.S. Army doctrinal “basic load” of ammunition, 210 rounds, could serve as a MINIMUM basic load for a guerrilla unit (As a young Ranger, I was blessed to have a squad leader who encouraged us to carry nine magazines on our old ALICE LBE, and one in the rifle. When I was an NCO, as an 18B, my personal rule was to carry 12 full magazines: one in my rifle, one in a “butt-cuff” pouch, and ten on my LBE. My current standard is 10 magazines: one in the rifle, one in a speed-reload pouch on my belt, and eight on my plate carrier or chest harness. All of my magazines are 30-round capacity, and all of my magazines are loaded to full-capacity. I’ve never suffered a malfunction due to the rumored propensity of 30-round M16 magazines to not function reliably with more than 28 in the box. –J.M.). While this certainly adds more weight to the load-out, the reduction in weight from other items that are unnecessary, attenuates this drawback. Considering the probabilities of being out-numbered and pursued by regime forces, it’s unlikely the guerrilla fighter will ever be carrying “too much ammunition.”

 

While a sidearm is considered part of the 1^st line survival load, it should be noted that there are various options for carrying it, once the LBE is added. The obvious method for carry of the sidearm solely as part of the 1^st line load is a concealed carry holster (Appendix, Inside-the-Waistband Glock 19 for me, since I know you were dying to ask, if I haven’t previously mentioned it. –J.M.). Once the guerrilla is carrying a fighting load, on LBE however, the facility of concealed carry holsters is greatly reduced. In these cases, any number of holsters might work, dependent on the preferences of the individual. It should be noted however, that it is important to remember that the sidearm is, ultimately a next-to-last-ditch weapon, followed only by the fighting knife and unarmed combatives. As such, it should remain attached to the individual, not the fighting load LBE (I have favored a drop-leg holster for as long as I’ve been able to carry a sidearm in the field. While some supposed internet “experts” deride these as suitable only for the airsoft crowd and “keyboard commandos,” this is ignorance speaking. Remember that this design was introduced to the world of gunfighting by none other than the British SAS. From the sands of North Africa in World War Two, to the Princess Gate hostage rescue, to the mountains of Afghanistan today, David Stirling’s boys stand second to no one as a fighting unit. The drop-leg holster is not intended to be worn hanging down to your knee like some Hollywood-mythic gunslinger, a la Angelina Jolie in “Tomb Raider.” It should be worn low enough to clear your body armor or LBE, but otherwise, as high as possible on the thigh. In such a position, it is more than adequately comfortable for long-term wear, and is still accessible when needed, as it will be when needed, in a hurry! –J.M.).

 

In addition to rifle ammunition and a sidearm (which is, ultimately, not to be considered any sort of mandatory item for the light-infantryman of any genre. While I would not forego my pistol to save a couple of pounds, there is legitimately, no reason for every war-fighter to “need” a sidearm…unless he feels he needs it), the 2^nd line fighting load-out should include spare ammunition for the sidearm (I keep two spare magazines on my trouser belt as well.—J.M.) and a combat/utility knife.

The combat knife, like the 1^st line survival load-out pocket knife, may very well see its primary usage for general field-craft and utility applications. On the other hand, it is far more likely than the 1^st line knife, to be used in an anti-personnel role, so it should feature more characteristics of a “combat” knife. One perennially popular example among special operators (in my experience –J.M.) is the classic Marine Corps stand-by, the Kabar. Developed during World War Two and in constant service with the Corps since, the Kabar has a well-earned reputation as a general utility knife, as well as an effective fighting weapon (On the other hand, my personal choice is a Cold Steel push-dagger, despite the lack of utility for general field-craft chores. I carry plenty of utility knives. Since I have boxed for over 20 years, the delivery system of the push-dagger makes total sense to me, requires no difference in my combatives training program to use efficiently, and, well…I just like a push-dagger! –J.M.).

 

In addition to the actual weapons-specific fighting gear above, the last critical element of “fighting” gear on the fighting load-out of the guerrilla fighter should be an individual first-aid kit/”blow-out kit.” A serious injury or wound can be the single most mobility-reducing issue to impact the combat effectiveness of a guerrilla fighter. With the development of the military’s Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC or TC3) protocols, first adopted by USSOCOM in 2000, there exists a single, doctrinal methodology for providing battlefield aid to casualties that makes complete sense and takes into account the necessities of actual combat (If you are unfamiliar with these protocols, I suggest you spend some serious time studying and mastering them. They do, and will, save lives in combat! –J.M.). Predicated on actually receiving training in how to perform this protocol of care and wound management (preferably before getting into a firefight), an individual blow-out kit should be based around them. The equipment required is minimal, weighs very little, but will prevent death from most small-arms fire wounds if treated properly and rapidly. The TC3 protocols require trained medical personnel to execute above the basic, level one “Care Under Fire” guidelines, but in essence, should be considered an integral part of planning for medical care for the guerrilla force.

Beyond the fighting portion of the “shoot (fight), move, communicate” aspects of the 2^nd line fighting load-out, the issue of communications within the guerrilla force should be considered. While there are ways to leverage the technology of two-way radios into the communications package of the guerrilla force/resistance effort, the communications security (COMSEC) protocols demanded are beyond the scope of this article. The use of two-way radios, especially FRS/GMRS radios (unlike many “survival” and “preparedness” writers, I recognize the weak transmission strengths of these line-of-sight radios as a strength, since it actually reduces the chance of successful signals intercept at any extended range. Further, in alpine environments, using ridge-top LP/OPs, the line-of-sight transmissions of these radios is more than sufficient for use in guerrilla base security networks. Additionally, their limited range is not an impediment for intra-unit communications needs. –J.M.) however, should never be allowed to overshadow the effectiveness and usefulness of written and/or oral communications, delivered via courier to the guerrilla force. There is a reason that guerrilla wars are referred to as “long wars.” Time ultimately, favors the guerrilla, if he maintains his security.

 

Ultimately, this is the fundamental load for the guerrilla 2^nd line fighting load. While there are numerous other equipment items that could be useful for the guerrilla fighter to add, from STANO to breaching tools, these should be assessed on a mission-essential basis, and only added to the load, when needed or warranted. The above load, when combined with a 3^rd line sustainment load, already exceeds the loads traditionally carried by historical guerrilla forces. The difference however, must be weighed.

Historically, guerrilla forces have not hesitated to “tax” the local civilian populace to support their efforts, as well as having been at a dramatic disadvantage due to the lack of available technological assets available. The potential future American guerrilla however, has no moral ground (in my opinion –J.M.) to tax the civilian populace, and should make every effort to leverage whatever technology he has available, as long as it does not in itself, become a burden by detracting from his field-craft skills and the application of true light-infantry tactics, techniques, and procedures.

 

Nous Defions!

John Mosby

Somewhere in the mountains.

Personal Camouflage and Concealment

    Camouflage is anything you use to keep yourself, your equipment and position from looking like what they are. Personal camouflage has certain simple rules that will defeat the most obvious sensor on the battlefield; the human eye. 


Shape. 

Your helmet, load bearing web equipment, rifle and other gear have a clear, often square shape, and there are no squares in nature. Break up straight lines with strips of burlap, camo cloth or netting in shades of brown and green. Elastic bands can be sewn to your uniform or equipment straps to facilitate adding camo strips or vegetation. Camo materials should not be attached to your rifle in areas where they may slip and interfere with your firm grip or the mechanical operation of the weapon. It is better to cover the weapon with paint or camouflage tape. 
 
Shine. 

Most modern military equipment uses plastic or subdued painted metal fasteners and buckles. If the paint has worn off or you are using commercial equipment with shiny buckles, these need to be covered with paint or tape. 

Other shiny surfaces that can reflect light include binoculars, compasses, watch crystals, plastic map covers and eyeglasses. Little can be done about eyeglasses other than using headgear with a low brim or mosquito netting, but other shiny equipment should be stowed away when not needed and used with caution. Shine also includes skin, even at night when it will reflect moonlight and flares. 

Silhouette. 

Similar in many respects to shape, silhouette includes the outline of the human form and the equipment it is carrying. The shape of the head and shoulders of a man are unmistakable and a bare helmet attracts attention. The use of local vegetation as garnishing helps break up your silhouette. Thick handfuls of grass tucked into your shoulder straps are especially useful in breaking up the distinctive "head and shoulders" shape of the human figure and vegetation added to a helmet breaks the smooth curve of the top and the line of the brim. 
Take care not to overdo adding local vegetation. You shouldn't need a machete to hack a path through your camouflage to get at your ammo pouch or other necessary equipment. Also, a large bush or tree is sure to attract attention when it starts to move. 

Silhouette also includes field craft. However well camouflaged you may be, it is little help if you "sky line" yourself by walking along the top of a hill or ridge line, or if you stand against a background of one solid color. 

Smell. 

Even the most urbanized man will develop a good sense of smell after a few days in the open. He will be able to detect engine smells, cooking, body odors and washing. Some smells are hard to minimize. Soaps should be scent-free and activities such as cooking should be confined to daylight hours when other smells are stronger and the air warmer. Rubbish from cooking should be carried away from your operational area and buried only as a second choice. Buried objects are often dug up by animals and can give a good indication of the strength and composition of your patrol or unit as well as its morale. The discipline of refuse removal is important. 

Sound. 

You can make a lot of noise while out on patrol. Your boots can squeak. Your cleaning kit or magazines can rattle in your ammo pouches. Heavy pack frames can creak. 

Fittings on your weapon can rattle. Radios can have background noise. Coughing and talking can carry for long distances, especially at night. You must become familiar with a silent routine in which hand signals replace the spoken word and conversations are conducted in a whisper. 

Proper stowage of your gear, taping of slings and other noisy equipment and a final shakedown before a patrol moves out will reduce noise. If digging a position, place sentries far enough out that they will spot an enemy before he hears the sound of digging. 

Color. 

Though most modern combat uniforms are in a disruptive pattern camouflage, there may be times when this is less helpful. The trouble with camo clothing is that in the wrong environment, like cities, it stands out and says "Hey, look at me!" If fighting in built-up areas, a pattern of greys, browns and dull reds would be more useful than the typical woodland BDU pattern. 

Natural vegetation used to garnish helmets and equipment will fade and change color. Leaves will dry and curl up exposing pale under surfaces. You may have put dark green ferns and leaves into your helmet band while in the woods and then find yourself moving through an area of pale open grassland. Check and change your camouflage regularly. 

The most obvious color that needs camouflaging is that of human skin, and for that you need G.I. camo stick or, preferably, a commercial camo cream. G.I. camo sticks are issued in loam and light green for use in areas with green vegetation. A sand and light green stick is used in areas lacking green vegetation. A loam and white stick is for use in snow covered terrain. If camo sticks or creme are not available use burnt cork, bark or charcoal for the dark color and mud for the light color. 

Dark colors are used to reduce the highlights formed by the nose, cheek bones, chin, ears and forehead. Lighter colors are used in areas of shadow under the eyes, nose and chin. When applying camo to your face it is useful to work with a buddy and help each other. G.I. camo sticks are rough on the skin and difficult to apply. A few drops of baby oil, skin lotion or insect repellent rubbed on the skin first will make it much easier to apply. Skin camo needs to be periodically touched-up as you move and sweat. A simple pattern for the face is to apply a light color first to the entire face and then add dark diagonal stripes. The diagonals cut though and break up the horizontal and vertical lines of the eyes nose and mouth. 

Good camouflage is almost as important as good marksmanship. A well camouflaged man who is a poor shot will probably survive longer than the poorly concealed expert sniper.

The Tactical Patriot Online Store

Hey guys and gals, since I have been doing this blog, and my Facebook stuff, I have found that there is a need for good sources of gear and equipment for my fellow patriots. So in response to this need, we have decided to open up an Amazon online store for all of your tactical needs.

We will carry everything from: Chest rigs to Uniforms, Boots to Hats, MOLLE gear to Knives, and every thing we can find to list. This should become your go to source for all things tactical.

Patriots, Oathkeepers, III%ers, Militia, Paintball, Airsoft, Survivalists, and many more will find this store to have what they need. We will constantly be adding new products, so check back often, and please support this patriot owned business.

Thank you for your support.


The Tactical Patriot Store

Leveling your gear; 3rd line gear (light)

1st Line Gear is SURVIVAL GEAR.
 2nd Line Gear is FIGHTING GEAR.
So...3rd Line Gear is LIVING GEAR.

This thread will address a 'light' load for 3rd Line Gear. With this load-out, you can live and fight for 3-5 days without resupply. This load will work great in any medium size backpack.

So here we go:

4 10' lengths of OD bungee cord (multiple uses)
20' of 550 cord
2 Liter Water carrier
Water Bladder
Water Purifier
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad

OPTIONAL:

Bivy Shelter
2 pair of socks OD
1 set of cammies (top and bottom)
1 OD Tee Shirt
5 MRE's - Stripped
4 packets of Top Ramen
Gore Tex Rain Suit Top and Bottom
1 Packet of unscented Baby Wipes
Small tooth brush NO TOOTH PASTE!
AA Batteries
24 pack Extra Ammo in bandoleers

TOTAL WEIGHT OF 1st, 2nd and 3rd LINE (Light) GEAR IS:

WITH M4 w/ 12 + 1 mags and 1 140 rd bandoleer (530 rds)- 86 pounds

Leveling your gear; 2nd line gear

Remember 1st Line Gear is you 'Survival Gear', right?

Well, 2nd Line Gear is your 'FIGHTING GEAR'.

So, here is a list of 2nd Line Gear:

 Load Bearing Vest, Chest rig, plate carrier, or similar
Fighting Rifle
Magazines
GPS
Emergency Flares
Bug Repellent
Carabiner
Camo face/body paint (for face, neck and hands/arms)
Communication device
AA Batteries
Weapon Cleaning Gear Rod/Pull Through Bore Brush Chamber Brush Patches CLP
Day/Night Flare
Water Bladder
Water Purification Tabs
550 Cord - 20 feet

OPTIONAL -

Binos
Hearing Protection
Red Lense Flashlight

And in the Butt Pack:

Poncho Liner
Poncho
Stripped MRE's (approx 3)
First Aid Kit Gauze Bandages Mil-Compress, 2 Suture Kits, Motrin, Burn Cream, Q-tips, 2 packets of Sodium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Snake Bite Kit
Canteen
Canteen Cup Canteen Cup
Stove
Canteen Carrier w/ Water Tabs 4 Trioxane Tabs

With the above mentioned load - one is able to live and fight for a 1-2 day period without resupply.

REMEMBER TO DUMMY CORD ANY ITEMS TO YOUR LBV/PLATE CARRIER?CHEST RIG!