Don't be this guy!
image found on Google
There was a good piece with comments at JC Dodge's place,
https://masondixontactical.wordpress.com/2016/04/09/perception-vs-substance-and-rank-amateurs/
It got me thinking of several things. When I am asked by people who know me, about these things, I tell them the following:
1. About uniforms and unit patches, I would remind anyone, who wants to be a militiaman, of the new anti-terrorist Doctrine and the use of the term "Unlawful Enemy Combatant. It wouldn't be wise to use any current military style uniforms/fatigues/utilities or unit patches. Remember, you will not be seen by TPTB as a good guy who means well. I will add one more thing though, the old OG-107 Jungles were the best clothing I have ever worn so far in this lifetime.
SFC Barry addressed this:
I told them, “If (if!) you have any legal standing at all (gravely doubtful), when you are captured (you will be captured) your status under the Law of Land Warfare is spy; you are going to the wall — if you are not shot out of hand upon capture.”
Remember also, anyone who shouldered a weapon during the Bundy Ranch standoff is now being hunted down and prosecuted. A friend who has been in this business a long time told me, "Train all you want, just don't wear camouflage uniforms." I can't say that would hold water in court, but it is good advice.
2. As to organization, I like the idea and the term Neighborhood Preparedness Teams. That is a perfect descriptive term for the purpose at hand, namely, defending one's or a neighbor's property in extremis. Defending your property and life is lawful. Assisting your neighbor in defending his life and property is lawful. In my State, "Militia" training is unlawful. It is defined as, military or paramilitary training with the purpose of overthrowing or subverting the government. How is your intent defined? It isn't. It is a catch all. Training for mutual defense of life and property is as lawful as a neighborhood watch.
The man in charge isn't he who wears stars or oak leaves on his collar. The man in charge is the property owner or the man the property owner designates to BE in charge. If you assemble at another's property the land holder/owner/proprietor is in charge. If he designates Bob to be in charge, and you are asked who has "command", you should answer, "Uh, Bob's in Charge."
3. At to tac-tickle training, can you be a Ranger or a Navy Seal? 99.9% chance the answer is no. I have been a Ranger, a Special Forces Soldier, and a Combat Diver. Could I do that today? The answer is 100% no. Can I train? Yes. Can I apply skills which I learned twenty and thirty years ago? Of course I can. Will my standard be the same as it was then? Fuck NO! Nor do I delude myself that I could perform at that level today. I can, however taper my tactics, training and efforts to my advantage.
Shooting: Starting with handgun training, learn from someone who has shot handguns for a living. I DO NOT mean your neighborhood Cop. 99.9% of cops are NOT shooters and know a very minimum about handgun training and employment. Since you may not be able to find a retired SF guy (there may not be one who lives nearby), go to a localIPSC/USPSA club match and watch. When there is some down time, say, right after the match, approach someone who seems to know his stuff and ask him to show you grip and presentation. He'll probably start with the draw stroke. That's OK. When I teach handgunnery, I start with grip and presentation from a low ready. For the beginner, I skip the draw stroke entirely . It is much more important to the learning curve for the student to know how to handle his gun while it is in his hand that to teach him how to get it int his hand (at least at first). Once you know how to grip and present, do this movement ten thousand times. Then present and dry fire ten thousand times. Remember, "Front sight, Press..." Then, at the range, load one round into your magazine. Chamber that round, weapon on safe. Start from the low ready. With your target no more than three yards away, ( I prefer to start the student at one yard) fire one round just as you have dry fired. Your target should be a pie plate or a standard sheet of printer paper. Front sight, Press. One round center of mass. When you can do that hundreds of times with no variation in shot group. Move to five yards. Do it again. Then do it again at seven yards. Then at ten. Then at twelve. Then at fifteen. Do you see a pattern here? DO NOT attempt to begin your training at twenty-five yards. You will learn nothing. Dry fire!
With rifle training, find an NRA certified instructor. Ask him to train you, and your friends. If you can, go to an Appleseed event. Go look at this
https://www.facebook.com/projectappleseed/. Start at twenty-five yards. Dry fire ten thousand times. You should keep it focused on prone supported and prone unsupported. The other standard firing positions should be included also, but first things first. When you can shoot your AR-15 with an accuracy standard of all shots inside a two inch circle at twenty-five yards, move to fifty. At fifty yards you should be able to keep all your shots inside a six inch circle. You know what works for a target? A six inch Shoot-n-see. It is a sticker you can place on a standard sheet of paper or a pie plate. When you have mastered that, move to a hundred. You MUST be able to keep all our shots on a standard piece of 8.5 x 11 inch printer paper. If you cannot, move back to fifty yards. When you are not on the range or cannot get to the range, dry fire. Dry fire! DRY FIRE. At two hundred yards. you should be able to keep all your shots on an E type silhouette, or a standard IPSC target. If you cannot, go back to a hundred. Dry fire!
Then go to Gunsite, or Thunder Ranch, or Front Sight Academy, or one of many other reputable shooting schools. A friend of mine runs
Texas Pistol Academy. he is a no-nonsense trainer and is a retired Special Forces NCO. Don't have the money? Stop drinking and smoking, give up twinkles, stop ordering pizza delivery, and save some.
As to PT, some PT is better than no PT. A little bit, done often, goes a long way. I say again. If a little is all you can do at first, then do a little, but do something! If a brisk walk is all you can endure, do that regularly until you can do more. Regularly? Yeah, five days a week. Can't do fifty pushups? Do ten. Can't do ten? Do five. Can't manage five? Do one! Then do two, then three. Start with something you CAN do and build on it. Be consistent and persistent. Focus on your short range goal. Remember that your short range goals facilitate your long range goal. Can't road march twelve miles with a fifty-five pound rucksack? Do eight. can't do eight? Do five. Can't do five? Do three. Can't manage three? Do ONE. One mile done daily facilitates three miles later on. Three miles facilitates five miles later on! Just do it! For more an rucksack marching see my posts
here and
here. A brisk walk followed by your daily dozen (pushups, crunches, squats, etc.) will work wonders.
4. So you want to learn patrolling do ya? Want to learn how to raid, recon and ambush? Want to learn CQB? Find someone who has done it for a living. After you have done ALL of the above, take a class or multiple classes with
JC Dodge at Mason Dixon Tactical, or with
Defensive Training Group, or with
Max Velocity Tactical.
Will that make you the same as a Ranger or a Navy Seal? I hear expectant panting... NO! IT WILL NOT! Will it help you to survive in a grid down scenario? Indeed it will. Will you be an "operator"? NO! Nor will you be a "Commando" or a "Jedburgh". Will you be better trained than your neighbor? YES! Will you be better trained than 99% of policemen? YES! Can you achieve a level of proficiency at CQB rivaling that of most SWAT cops? Maybe. It depends on your commitment to learning.As my God Father once told me, you must approach every new learning evolution with a spirit of docility. That means, a fundamental willingness to learn. That means, submission to your training master. It means an open mind and truthful effort. In short, keep your mouth shut, your eyes, ears, and mind open. Speak when you are asked if there are any questions.
Remember, this is how TPTB see you.
You are the Ecumenical Liberation Army, whether you intend to be or not.
