The sheer number of skills that are required for surviving a SHTF situation or TEOTWAWKI event are colossal, and few people will have achieved all the skills necessary.
This is one of the reasons why people form groups to help their chances of survival. Having the right people around with a range of skills and experiences will undoubtedly help.
Apart from the pooling together of skills, there is also mileage in the old adage, ‘safety in numbers’. A group is much more capable of protecting itself from attack than one or two people alone.
The increased number of a group will also make it possible for some to stay awake at night to keep a lookout for danger. Survival is a time-consuming activity, but teams working together can achieve many things in a shorter amount of time.
SHTF events can be natural, manmade, short term, long term, involve societal collapse, or be apocalyptic. Different types of catastrophes and the strategies chosen to overcome them will determine which skills are the most important at that time.
Related: Disaster Preparedness – Ahead of the Curve in a World of Dependence
Generally speaking, if the strategy is to bug in, then preppers will be the go-to people. When people need to bug out, then survivalists and ex-military will most likely have the skills needed.
Preppers
Preppers have a whole range of knowledge, skills and experience that they have been honing for a long time.
They will have stockpiled food, water and other supplies ready for a SHTF situation. Homesteaders will know how to grow their own fruit and vegetables as well as raising livestock.
This self-sufficient lifestyle includes water purification, use of herbal medicines, cooking from scratch, making and mending things for themselves, and food preservation skills.
Homesteaders can live without the gardening center’s chemicals as they have organic ways of fertilizing crops and keeping pests under control.
They may even have their own off-grid power generating equipment or have the ability to live without electricity.
⇒ 70+ Projects To Survive A World Without Electricity
Preppers have an incredible range of skills and would be valuable members of a group.
Survivalists, Campers And Hikers
These people know how to survive off the land in the wild using a few key tools. They have the skills to make fire, form shelters, get food and water, administer first aid and navigate a course.
The ability to make a fire, preferably using a variety of methods, is one of the most important skills needed for survival.
Fires serve to cook food, purify water, keep you warm, give light and can be a deterrent to predators.
Knowledge of what to eat in the wild is another key aspect of survival. Survivalists have plant knowledge that enables them to identify what can and cannot be eaten.
They also know how to hunt or snare an animal, fish successfully, and then how to clean and cook their catches.
Ex-Military Personnel
Ex-military personnel and survivalists share the skills of navigation and use of firearms. They are the experts in map reading and navigating unknown or dangerous terrain and will be able to get the group to safety.
They will also help defending the group from attack with their tactical training.
However, ex-military personnel also excel in leadership, problem solving, teamwork and determination. Their training gives them valuable skills that can help tremendously in a SHTF event.
They are effective leaders and problem solvers who are able to quickly assess situations and come up with solutions. Being trained to respond to chemical, biological and nuclear attacks can bring some serious insights to these types of situations.
Related: How To Build Your Nuclear War Survival Kit
Ex-military personnel are extremely disciplined and have loyalty, duty and determination in their blood. They see missions through no matter what, and in this case that means survival of the group.
They understand probably more than anyone else the value of teamwork as that is how they have been trained. Knowing how to lead, motivate and coordinate the inputs of people with different skills will likely lead to success.
People Who Survived Other Catastrophes
Another type of person who would be good to have around when the SHTF is anyone who has survived other disasters.
They have first hand experience and will have learned valuable lessons from it that could help in similar situations.
Survivors may know the problems to be expected and may have already made some preparations to counteract them. Through their experiences, they may have learnt the best way to survive the disaster and can pass on this knowledge.
Medical Personnel
Medical personnel, people with knowledge of first aid or herbal remedies will be crucial to the survival of the group as hospitals may no longer be functioning or impossible to reach.
⇒ An Ingenious Way To Stockpile Prescription Medications At Home
People may suffer traumas as a direct result of the disaster or may get sick or injured in the time that follows. Having some trained medical professionals will help, especially if they have stockpiled some medical supplies, medications and have health monitoring equipment.
People With Knowledge Of Herbal Remedies
If medications are not available, herbalists or people with knowledge about herbal remedies will be invaluable.
A whole host of ailments can be treated using herbs, flowers, roots and barks. It will be useful to have someone who can correctly identify them and administer their use properly.
Simple as it seems, infections can quickly take over even in a small wound, which if not treated can lead to death if the infection gets into the bloodstream.
Trade Skills
People with trade skills such as welders, builders, electricians, plumbers and carpenters may be useful to make or fix items and improvise when necessary.
They possess the tools of the trade to enable them to carry out repairs, build or fortify a house. Blacksmiths are also able to make metal objects like knives etc. out of scrap metal.
All of these people can be valuable assets in a group that is determined to survive a SHTF event. Each type of person brings different skills with them and can teach others in the group.
Having the right people in your group will increase your chances of survival, and working as a team will also help to keep morale high.
Just be careful who you keep around when SHTF. Things are getting bad, BUT they have not hit the fan yet. So how are the people that are around you and your family going to act when Shit really doses hit the fan. Will they be the person or persons that they are now, or will things change when it hits hard.
Good skilled people can go bad in an instant.
Remember not everyone can handle POWER. Just look at where we are today with the dumb asses in power now.
Skills are good (as long as you are not a power tripper over other people). A good skilled person teaches skills, and a power tripper destroys people that have no skills.
Be careful when the time comes, because that will be the time you will find out who is and who is not.
For me this will be the biggest challenge that I will face in this time of pearl.
May GOD have mercy on us.
stay sharp
well said
About 1/2 the ex military do not know navigation or many other things. They are specialists in their fields and not too diversified.
An exception might be ex Sailors who are cross trained into other fields (in case of problems someone can do the basic things). ALL know firefighting.
Most ex military only were trained in boot camp with firearms.
Power trippers won’t live very long. No one wants a dictator (aka warlord) or bully. They can’t stay awake the whole time.
I suggest that people do a consensus on survival activities.
Look back to the first winter the Pilgrims went through to get an idea.
Always have an exit plan just in case you joined a group and experienced ANOTHER SHTF with them.
Oh and NEVER let anyone disarm you. Fight to the death to keep your arms.
Once you lose your arms, you either are a slave (like we all are today in many ways) or dead at their hands.
I smiled when you made the remark about the Pilgrims first winter. I happen to be a direst descent of William White,he unfortunately died at Plymouth over that winter.
His wife and two sons survived, and that is why I am here today.
Besides being a 16 year U.S. Army veteran, and former LEO. I have spent the past 20 years in Public History and Museum education.
I can say this much, to survive the coming “Whatever”. I would urge everyone to study history, and learn what life was like in the times before our “Modern Age”.
You’re right. Just because someone was in the military, doesn’t mean that they would be good for SHTF. My son spent six years in the military, but his expertise primarily involved sitting behind a computer. On the other hand, I was a corpsman (military medical), trained in first aid and trained to go out with the Marines. I am thirty years older, have a homestead where I raise some of my food, and know how to preserve it. If you had to choose between us, which of us would you prefer?
@Dan: I, too, am a descendant of William White. We’re a tough, stubborn bunch, lol.
Just how many ship skills are there to really to rely on in a SHTF scenario? Sick Bay? Cook? Steer a ship, drop an anchor? ? What makes a sailor job or cross training as a sailor fit to survive a SHTF? All know firefighting? This is SHTF, that means water might not be available. electricity might not be available. Fuel might not be available.
As to fires I know how to back burn which is not in sailor training on ships.
I have absolute respect for sailors – my Dad was one in WWII. I saw what they do aboard a ship.
I was in the Marine Corps and had a 30 cruise aboard the USS Francis Marion to the med for a NATO exercise.
Probably 98% of the jobs of the navy does not make one qualified for SHTF situation. As my father use to say about the navy, If you have a ship under you , you have a dry bunk, food and clean clothes.
I see from your post you have a power trip personality, because most of it is BS.
E.G. most military only learn how to shoot guns in boot camp. Sorry boot camp is to instill discipline and yes there is a period of rifle range but two weeks out of 12 weeks is not all you do.
There is a little thing after boot camp called ITR (Infantry Training regiment.) That is where using clay mores, hand grenades, shooting machine guns, sleeping in tents, navigation and many other of the necessary survival skills are taught. Inducing the gas chamber and crawling under barbed wire while live ammo is shooting over your head! Then once out of there there is MOS training. Then I had jungle survival school I went to after that to get prepped to go to Vietnam. While in VN I learned how to cool a can of pop or beer with lighter fluid. And there were many more thing I learned in VN while out on patrols of up to 12 days without seeing the base camp for that time period.
Mike, I think it depends on the kind of boat. I worked for part of a sailing season on a windjammer. Once you are on the water away from port, you are on your own. If you forgot to pack something, you make do until you can dock/ drop anchor someplace to get what you needed and forgot to pack. Stuff breaks that needs repair. Again, if you’re on the water you have to use what you have for the situation at hand. I think that is a very handy skill to have anytime, but is especially useful in a crisis situation or when you need to work with just you or you and a small crew.
I think in a shtf scenario, all of us will be surprised by those who step up whom we least expect, and those who’ll crumple, much to our amazement.
The USS Marion was quite a boat
Well as an ex military 91x. I can say most military have no clue how to shoot much less use the rifles system.
Glad they leftout police and i4s agents
Female prepper
Thank you. I hear all the time. You must have ex-military in your group. I fill that you said it best. Most do not know how to shoot the rifle system or even survive or want to learn how to survive.
They were just regular people before they went into the military. Most knowing nothing at all about anything that would have helped them in their life. Some come out of there knowing a great deal of knowledge and are very skilled in multiple things. But that is a very small amount.
stay sharp
Absolutely agree. Many veterans were not in a compatible with a SHTF MOS. Combat Arms, Maintenance/Mechanic, Medical, EOD/Ordnance, Some instructors, Commo/ Commo Repair would be high on the list. Other MOS’s, probably not so much pending on other worldly skills, but, they can learn. The personal desire to learn/improve should be in advance of a SHTF moment. You don’t want laggards in any group. (Former 11B2P)
Well, my ex was military and couldn’t even put up a shelf up in the garage. When he got himself a fishing pole, he didn’t know how to tie a line on the reel let alone catch a fish. He always said that as a military family, he goes to work, and I have to do everything at home. Not too sure what he learned on the job, but I certainly did my part at home, so when he walked out, it was no big deal.
NEVER allow an ex cop, lawyer, politician, judge, prosecutor, IRS agent, similar to join your group.
ALL of them are what is causing the problems we have today.
One does not need to help the ENEMY.
Oh and all of those could very well be SPIES to report things back to THEIR group.
crazysquirrel, you ostracize others because of your personal biases of their current profession without a clue about their beliefs and values, so what does that say about your ignorant judgement based upon false premises instead of the truth, person to person. You are no better than those you criticize; your judgement is faulty and therefore you should not be trusted with real-world decision making in a SHTF situation.
Yea I don’t think you should judge so broadly. In a SHTF scenario you need people who can think, who can organize, and who can do things. If you don’t have all three you will eventually fail. Some people can do all three, but often we are better at one or two well and are weaker with the other(s). Being trained in finance and law might not be directly applicable in a SHTF scenario, but my job isn’t really about telling people what to do. I get paid to hear out problems out, provide advice and organize things.
What you want are hunters. A group of Amish would be good too. If you have Amish around get to know them. We have Amish friends/neighbors. They know how to live without electricity and the ones near us use wood for cooking and heating plus they have an ice house they fill by cutting ice from the pond and fill it. Using sawdust to pack around the ice.
I agree Old Gramma. It is also a trading point if the SHTF. You may be able to do what they will not to protect what they have. In return you can learn from them what to do and how to do it. As for the former comments on the Military. Most are ok with a weapon if they stuck with the training. As for them all knowing how to survive a lot of them were not trained to stay alive for extended periods of time. I am a Marine and grew up a Navy Brat so surviving with just the necessities was kind of a thing i grew up with. We did not have the money to be pampered. LOL.
Marine brat who comes from a long line of farmers. My dad to this day says the best Marines didn’t learn how to shoot in the Corps, but those who learned before on the farm hunting.
Currently the military is just woke tik tok fools who hear pronouns in their emails. Training is a power point on diversity. It’s not a wonder why we lose every war
Ex-military can fallow orders if you have good leadership
One should never have ORDERS to begin with. All should be a cooperative. Orders just establish a power base and convert you back into a slave.
If all men are created equal then no man can give another orders.
Military is well trained into teamwork.
Because ALL men ( women and children)
are NOT created equal,
(and only have the possibility of being viewed as equal before a just system of laws that take their origin from, and answer to, the Holy God)
it is necessary
for appropriate responsibility to be taken on behalf for those who are indeed weaker, slower, less intelligent, less talented,
That those of lesser ability, too, may be protected and adequately provided for
by those who were loaned far greater gifts for this short sojourn on earth.
You are living in la la land if you thing humans are capable of living with no hierarchy of power.
If you have no command structure you are done for!
crazysquirrel, good luck to you and everyone else affiliate with your commune. Those who know better will do what we can to survive and protect what we care about.
Communes always collapse due to disorder. You need people who lead, who advise the leaders and followers. The weak link is always the leaders not leading well or not listening or having good advisers.
There is a hierarchy in all of nature, with all human’s and all animal’s.
Even the tallest tree will shade out the smallest untill it dies. Yet, some small tree could live to outgrow the tallest.
Hierarchy is inherent in Wolves, cat’s big and small, all human’s and in all thing’s.
I’m not saying there aren’t people who’re leader’s, who prefer not to be and or will not follower’s either. They prefer to walk side by side or be alone.
That’s my preference, to work side by side or be alone. Will I take orders? Probably not very well, I’m bad at it.
I prefer suggestions that sound better than my own. Then, if I’m “asked” to do something I will. And, that’s how I treat everyone back.
Most people have a tendency to perceive a person who’s persona is like that, as a leader. They could be, but they alone, don’t want the responsibility.
The bottom line is, I understand what you’re saying, it comes down to a give and take.
There must be a willingness to surender one’s own power from time to time, to allow for another to take the helm, so long as that other person has shown the ability and the willingness to give it back. A mutual cooperation.
Oh, in so far as Military is trained into teamwork. Yeah, um no, lol
The Military is one extreme hierarchy and plenty of leaders, with lot’s of orders.
Maybe all privates think of themselves as a team, but then you have squad leader’s and all of them looking to the “perceived” leader. I know because I was Army and in basic I was asked to be squad leader. I refused to be squad leader, HA, then I was “ordered”. Suffice to say, it didn’t last. Another was selected after only a few days, lol
Like I said, I don’t take orders too well and I surely don’t like to give them.
I graduated, then from there was medical, orders, orders and more Dr. orders, lol
As long as that leader leads by example, is not power hungry and can earn the resect of those around him/her!
I agree. Leadership is a subtle art, that is rarely well understood!
That’s the key, and right now we need new leadership! Nobody wants to sign up or let their kids sign up under this guy!
“LEADERSHIP is the ability to get others to do what you want, WILLINGLY”
Plain and simple.
Follow orders, auto correct can make a person look stupid sometimes
Military and former military do know weapons very well. I spent 14 years in the army first as a medic and then communications I was an E-6 when I was injured. It is a requirement to pass shooting and after taking apart and cleaning your weapons. Land navigation is also a training requirement so I would have to agree to get with military of former military.
“Do military know how to use weapons well?” Just like all other people, that depends on each person’s attitude and experience. A Navy IT specialist may know how all the electronics components for weapons systems work but may not be very experienced with rifle, shotgun, and handgun use compared with a Navy Seal or Gunners Mate, that do have extensive knowledge and experience with long guns, shotguns, and handguns. The same would apply to all branches of the military, as well as Law Enforcement personnel.
This would apply to other skills such as navigation and survival as well.
Do not assume anything, verify to make sure. Anyone like the “Charlie Foxtrot” X-spurt (aka: Raven, Bless his Heart) can look up and repost all kinds on information from the internet, but when it comes down to real-world verification, then you have to “Show Me” to verify you can live up to any claims.
Interesting comments about shooting skills and law enforcement. My father and I used to shoot with our local 125 -member police dept. Guess who had the best scores???? My father, who shot a 295 average, and me, who shot a 291 average. The cops shot 287. A few shot 298s and a couple of 300s, but most were just shooting to pass the test of 275.
Even military does not have enough skills to do it all.
How many military can make shoes? Plant crops?
Make clothing? Aid in childbirth?
Military has excellent skills for what they were trained for. But their training is limited and more specialized.
Gunners are great for weapons and security.
But what other beneficial things can they bring to the table?
How many know how to fell a tree?
It takes many skill sets for a survivable mini society.
crazysquirrel, you stated “How many military can make shoes? Plant crops?
Make clothing? Aid in childbirth?”
I am retired military and can plant crops and aid in childbirth, and a lot, lot more, some from military experience, and a lot more from civilian activities.
Please don’t judge others by a narrow-minded view with limited information. Expand your awareness, be realistic about what you perceive, then make honest assessments.
Trust, but Verify. Wise words to live by.
Military shooting has gotten better but it really doesn’t help the soldiers much. The basics of riflemenship is often not taught much after a basic boot camp. I learned far more attending appleseed then basic training or boot
Maybe if that was their speciality, and especially Marines (every man a rifleman) and the Army. Navy and Air Force… not so much. Many of them haven’t touched a weapon since boot camp. And they only need basic competency, not expert skills.
Lol what are you talking about. The army literally Qualls once a year on 9 hole board set from 50 to 300 meters in 4 shooting positions.
You’re lack if intelligence is showing
It’s an improvement over the previous rifle qualifications and superior to the marines.
A skill often overlooked is being able to open locks without damage, for vehicles, buildings, and shackle type locks. The reason for no damage is you may want to avoid notice and also be able to relock to secure whatever you wanted open. Search for Lock pick set and “slim jim lockout tool” when shopping, can be found for low cost, and relatively easy to learn how to use.
???
good way to get shot – sneaky looters go first to the wall >>> just because someone doesn’t have a candle lit and is sitting in the dark protecting their store or home – doesn’t mean they can’t see your crooked azz coming thru the door?
You intend to shoot to save your life from getting shot looting someplace? >>> makes you a fucking murdering raider and no kind of prepper
Illini, are you referring to my lock picking post? If so, you are a not being realistic, and I did not say to go “raiding and looting”, and I agree that would be a stupid way to get your dumbass killed very fast.
Now think about it, how would being able to open a lock without damaging it be useful? Let’s say you have livestock, they get sick, and the local outlet has veterinary supplies but has been locked up tight for several months, would you rather unlock the door and cabinets, “salvage” what you need, then relock behind you as you leave?
Or maybe there have been major fires rampaging everywhere and you got burned out, would you want to be able to open an abandoned vehicle or building to use as shelter? Would you want to relock it to help keep it secure?
Think long term, with multiple SHTF situations being encountered from coast to coast, from natural disasters, epidemics, and widespread violence, what would you be willing to do to provide for and protect those you care about? Would you open a lock to get them some shelter or look for critical supplies? You might not, but I sure would, and I would prefer to do it covertly with skill rather than just smashing and bashing, attracting unwanted attention, and causing needless damage.
Dz the best lockpicking use for me was high school lockers when I lost my keys (a repeat occurrence!).
Sometimes you just want to lock something back up and not have the key 🙂
Two words: Eagle Scouts.
BillT, Eagle Scouts, excellent start, keep learning more and varied skills as much as you can manage. All will be useful if SHTF.
Replying to your earlier comment about breaking into other people’s locks in time of emergency: It is truly selfish and unwise to break into another’s property with the idea that he’s not going to use it again, because you didn’t prepare for the situation. Sounds like another ill prepared wanna-be; another parasite leaching off of others. I’m sure you will try to justify it somehow in your warped mine. I don’t understand why you always rag on Raven, you are two of a kind.
How about who NOT to have in your group? Personally, I would not want the lazy, the histrionic, the drama queens (and kings), anyone addicted to any substance.
These sorts of people are going to potentially cause major and unnecessary problems and hardships. I would rather have a quick thinking, hard working and totally unskilled person who is willing to learn – than a lazy drama queen/king with a couple of skills.
LONG list of folks you do not want in your group.
LONG LIST.
It’s worth taking the time to mentally work through this. Think of the personality traits that aren’t helpful. Then what that looks like behaviourally … so when it walks up you are already sorted and know whether you want this person in or out.
One word, Marines! Every Marine is a rifle man. They are taught basic first aid, navigation, leadership, cleaning weapons, etc.etc. Not everybody is perfect. Not every Marine is exceptional. People who grew up on farmsLike I did. Knows a lot more skills than city kids. I was reading some WWII stories and farm kids were prized for their skills. Of course at that time there were many more farm kids. I won’t go into the long list of skill they would bring. Lastly, people with a good attitude and ability to get along with others is huge too. I could go on and on.
Lol marines are nothing more then army poors. Everyone is a rifleman … well the army is the same thing. Your 500 meter target you love to brag about is the size of a jeep. I would hope you can place rounds on a jeep size target
Lady Dragon, I have relatives both Marine and Army, and your perspective is lacking in real-world factual information. Marines take the objective; the Army occupies the objective. That is real-world fact, and if you want to dispute that, then by all means, prove me wrong.
Yawn spare me the bravado bullshit
Hey dz have you ever heard of the Army Rangers or the 82nd Airbourne divisions. What an ignoramus you must be.
Cordoba, yes, I do know. Rangers and Airbourne are not standard Army riflemen, have you ever heard of SOCOM? Occasionally Rangers come train at our facilities, so does MARSOC, even some foreign Special Forces, and I do know a little about their skills, which are not typical.
The 500 meter target is 18 inches wide and 24 inches tall
Forming a group is an excellent idea. However when most neighbors think they will be “raptured out” before any long term survival situation occurs, not likely to happen. Or they believe that it could not happen to our great country. Seems to me like most folks will pretty much be on their own. As several posts say something like stay sharp and THINK. Don’t put “all of your eggs in one basket.” Have a “storefront” and the rest only where you can find. Make a map and share with someone you can trust. Put in hidden place. I think we’ll pretty much be on our own.
Ethele, agree with everything except the map – keep the map in your head, and share vital information with only a very select few you can absolutely trust with your life, and the lives of those you care about.
The rapture isn’t in revelations it’s just a misunderstanding from broken church doctrine. Christians will be in for a rude awakening when the tribulations start
and what difference will it make how you label or define it?
If the One World Order gains enough control, and they are getting closer every day, then it will be a very real world-wide survival situation, so ask yourself, what will you support? What will you be willing to do, and sacrifice, to achieve your goals?
My goal is to survive, and counter by any means at my disposal, the efforts of the One World Order to obtain Tyranical Dictatorial Dominion over the Earth.
Break the map up! Put part here, part there. Share parts with different people.
My only 2 cents would be to use who you can use while they are useful, BUT, do not think it’s ok to trust someone outside of your immediate family , if you can in fact trust your family that is.
WMD, true words of wisdom for sure. “Trust but Verify”, wise words from our Great President Reagan we should all take to heart and live by.
I have been hearing about this period in time from pastors and teachers since I was a kid. It gets really bad as the Globalists take over and essentially a single entity runs things internationally following the wars and other things that transpire. Apparenlty, you will need an identifier of some sort on your hand or forehead to purchase or sell your services to make money. The teachers always said to watch what is happening to Israel in order to understand where we are on the timeline. When Russia, Iran and Turkey attack Israel, you are starting to enter that period in history they always called “the Last Days”. I plan to be gone by that time. The great “snatch-away”. There are people who have studied this issue all their lives and it is interesting watching that timeline starting to develop……………… ……………..
You won’t be ruptured so be prepared to stick around
The man made myth of rapture wasn’t a thrill the 1900s
FUNNY, they did not believe that the FLOOD was real, UNTIL…
A Great Wedding is taking place and if you are not ready then you will be left out and the door will be closed. Wake up, get your oil lamps and extra oil, for the time is near.
when the time comes for you to leave this earth, however you intend to leave it. You and every living thing that is, will know that the time of our LORD GOD, has called his children Home. It will be a time that most will get to see when the righteous of the Faith in Jesus Christ will be lifted into the air and transformed into a New Body and will start a seven-year feast in Heaven. AND the DOOR was SHUT.
Down here where there are millions of people going thru the most HORFFIC time the Earth has ever seen. Seven years of tribulations. You will FILL the wrath of satan thru the coming of the anti-Christ “AND” you will fill the wrath of GOD ALMIGHTY the creator of YOU and everything, that is GOOD… A time of GREAT suffering will fall Apon the earth and I pray that you as a person will NOT be DECIVED by SCOFFERS. They are part of the GREAT falling away that has already started here. They believe not the TRUTH…
PS: First we will get to see the calling of the DEAD coming out of the ground First…
Then the rest will come.
one more PS: The time will come when you and you alone will have to make a choice and I PRAY that it is the right one. THIS is no joke. you will see it, just as GOD has Promised.
Laughing and Cheering will turn in to Screams and Crying.
God, please have mercy. Funny that I ask for that, John 3:16 THIS IS HIS MERCY…
stay sharp
Jerry, for those that believe in the Rapture, good for you, hope it works out. For others like me, I am preparing to “Inherit the Earth”, the problem will be what kind of shape the Earth will be in when that “inheritance” come about. I expect the survivors will have a lot of “rebuilding” to do, and the hardest part may be getting people to agree how to rebuild it.
You left out gunsmiths.
Also, I wouldn’t be too quick to veto police, especially county sheriff deputies.
I know many of ours here in western NC. Most are decent, conservative and
knowledgeable about hunting, field dressing game and “who’s who” in the county.
While I adamantly agree that the “vetting” process must be stringent, we can’t let
ourselves become as prejudiced as those we wish to reject, eject or de-select. .
Joe, exactly what I keep trying to point out to a lot of people with ignorant biased opinions. Determining who to trust or reject because of their employment status is really stupid but sadly is very prevalent. Ask yourself this, would you trust someone who judges others by their personal prejudices instead of actual factual information? I would not, and firmly believe those who display foolish ignorance and biases are not to be trusted.
This is in regards to crazy squirrel’s 3rd entry. Absolutely someone should be in charge of the overall group! Look at sports, someone is the Captain of the football, hockey, and other teams. Under the coach of course. Military, if no officers or nco’s are around the senior person takes over. In groups like Fire Teams or Squads of 4or 5 people, there is a Fire Team leader or Squad leader. Politics, nationally we have a President and Vice-President in charge. If there are loses amoungst those. There is a an order of who gets sworn in as president. We have leaders all around us!! Some are voted in democratically some move up with rank. In some religions the Father/Husband is the leader. Small business with no employees, just the owner. No need for a leader. Larger business have managers, supervisors etc. Whereas
I have been very disappointed in many cases of managers and supervisors over the years. But they hold onto their jobs by following the orders/policies of the owner or stock holders. I sincerely believe a cooperative/ nobody in charge or no leader team is doomed to failure real soon. You are free to do what you want. Just saying.
It’s interesting to read all the comments. I like the diversity of opinions. So much difference regarding military, rifles, weapons. The CAF teach, or at least did teach, every person entering the forces how to shoot, run, climb, move stuff as a team, field first aid, etc but one thing I haven’t noticed much commenting on when discussing military personnel is the amount of cleaning they learn. Cleaning wounds, guns, floors, clothes, folding techniques, attention to detail, control of emotional response. Military training in Canada is (was) very diverse and every one was taught mapping/traversing.
One big thing lacking was foraging and plant identification since mres were always present.
I think the people listed here are a great boon. Geologists, black smith’s, material technicians are super useful along with knowledge of oil expressing and chemical engineering but remember that the guy living in a low income environment may surprise you with hidden skills, knowledge, personality, loyalty, friendship, and positive morale.
Just my little opinion
Doors, excellent point, sanitation will be crucial in a SHTF situation, along with a lot of other seemingly “common knowledge” that surprisingly a lot of people have no real knowledge or experience with, like pest control, septic and trash disposal, basic logistics and supply management, and a lot more.
I check 5 of the boxes. Anyone got a survival MAG group in the Dayton Ohio area that’s taking applications?
Ohio seems like a dangerous place to be
Matt, there is a poster named Michael that seems very knowledgeable and experienced with MAG. Michael is probably the best source for MAG information on this blog.
Not much on opinions. All the WTSHTF editorials, some make sense and others are just comments. But to Jerry Hallam’s post, children he’s correct. Should that be humanity’s end there will be only 42 more months of this reality left. Not to offend anyone, but our creator the Lord Jesus Christ shall return and make a clean sweep!! And ALL the dictators ( Gates, Soros, Zuckerburg, Obama, Biden’s, Clinton, Putin) and all the unknown billionaires who now have plans to decimate the human race and PLAY GOD will come to a rude awakening!! We may have to eat insects like Gates wants or take all kinds of vaccines like Soros desires but it will end quickly for a few of us. Accepting anykind of marking on my body WILL NEVER BE DONE no matter if I am starving. Have gone thru that kind of situation in my past. Not fun but the means to an end. God bless you all and may we never have that happen!!
I too am a Veteran who isn’t just the typical 80% of the military but my specialty was a 19D (Cav Scout) expert in land navigation along with identifying other weapons and military equipment and being versed at what is common. I’m also trained as an expert in small unit tactics and concealment. We often worked hand in hand with your SF units. Once I got out, I trained as a RN (ADN program) with an emphasis in emergency medicine and am a certified EMT. I put myself through school working various construction jobs and later moved onto learning how to work on RVs where I really found my passion and now own my own RV repair shop. You must know solar power, 12v and 110v. Plumbing, roofing, framing along with appliance repair all come together and give you a new challenge daily. I’ve also survived a terrible incident while I tried a brief stent in law enforcement finding that it was not suitable for myself and frankly, not worth it. While I may be well versed, I’ve learned one thing. Don’t let everyone know what you have or have been doing. You might become a target. You won’t know who to really trust and if there are more people that you trust than you have fingers, you’ve already messed up. Better carefully reevaluate your circle. Us scouts stayed alive until we were discovered. Then overwhelming numbers usually meant our demise. This wouldn’t be much different. Just look at what people do to each other on Black Friday every year.
Wow! Lots of opinions-some got thumbs up, and some thumbs down from me. I’m getting to the end of life, but have two very satisfying sons with good sense. One is a Marine commissioned officer,and a construction superintendent on large projects in the Midwest. Good judgement and leadership. The other is a monster-lets just say he’s bigger than me and I occupy my fair share of the universe. He has become a great judge of people and their personalities, as well as an armor almost as good as many gunsmiths I know. Both know how to shoot well! Good guys to know!
This post really focuses on the pre SHTF skill sets people had, but doesn’t really explore the idea that a lot of people have hobbies that cover these skills that can take them far deeper than the basic over view entry level qualification a work place might have done.
And it doesn’t sink into the personalities at all. If you are an arrogant power hungry idiot who is going to disrupt group harmony I don’t care if you are a combined plumber, electrician , carpenter and top notch marksman. We don’t need someone destructive.
The main things I need from a team member.
Someone I can trust with my family is #1
Ability to work together
Ability to learn and adapt
Skills can be trained; trustworthy friends take a long time to establish.
I am glad I saved the email from this group and bought a few items.
I am first generation after they left the farm, so I didn’t get any of that farm education
I have schooling thru college a lot of hours never graduated. I have had many jobs usually
based on me knowing how to do things to get it done without others but sometimes with others.
I like dropping by here and reading peoples comments. I know that when your in a war you don’t even know who you know will be around, in fact you may be very very far from home and essentially alone and with strangers. Every action will be calculated and taking a chance. You can prepare and lucky if you have people you know who know how to co operated and mutually survive. You develop a sense in those situations to agree on who would be able to lead and do the next thing so on and so on until onlly you are left standing with the job that needs next to be donw. Hopefully its something you know.
Anyways will drop by here now and then to see who still is around.
I just wonder how many people have contributed their say so far?
Good luck to all and good health!!
Everyone in your “group” should have a little knowledge of everything mentioned above, otherwise what use would any of them be in a survival situation?
I honestly disagree. A lot of people jump at the basic standard of “Oh get soldiers!”. First off, why would they want to work with you when they can just kill you and take your stuff and your land. Two, I don’t trust anyone who’s trained instinct is military style solutions. I want people who can defend themselves and have practical skills, like medical care or wood working. Soldiers can be useful but only to an extent.
My most likely choice for community is a friend who can fix almost anything, has lots of home repair knowledge, plenty of tools and know how to use them. He also, like me, knows how to fish, hint and garden. Problem is the wife doesn’t do anything. She doesn’t help much and in a SHTF scenario, would be mostly dead weight. Not sure what to do here. My wife says NO.
*hunt
Missouri, if I were in your situation I would listen to the wife, she’s probably right.
if you dont already have a group before SHTF do NOT trust strangers, better to be alone than with people you do not know or do not trust.