Prepping or Survival Training, Bugging Out or Sheltering In Place and Your Defensive Training Skill Sets
Do these go together and just how much, or perhaps even how do they go together? On the surface they seem to be “Hand in Hand”. After all, if you prep, you have to have the capability to shelter in place or bug out, maybe even both (more likely); – sheltering in place if caught unable to immediately (or before) leave when it happens, while waiting for the opportunity and timing to bug out. Whether or not what you do in the above situation, you have to have the means and capabilities to protect you and yours, and the materials you think you are going to need in a post-event scenario.
There is a thin veneer of civilization amongst us. The rule of law is the only thing, besides might, keeping us safe in our homes and persons. Looking at how easy this breaks down in the most civilized cities among us, even without the basic human needs stressors of no power, food or water, leaves little doubt that when faced with no rule of law (however long) and the need to feed ourselves and our children, we will do what we have to survive – to include taking what YOU have. In the above sentence, I put “to feed ourselves….” before feeding our children. Around the world, even here in the US, we are selling our children, destroying our children and non-producing individual’s to take care of our perceived needs, whether that’s a drug or alcohol habit, or simply the means to survive.
In the Tactical world the need is for strength, speed, violence of action, and the ability to travel light while carrying everything you need to survive. In the Tactical world you need to be able to carry ammunition, (500 rounds is quite heavy and will probably be the majority of your pack weight), as well as personal items, gear, and mission equipment. In the Survival world, the adage is “2 is 1, and 1 is none”. This is purely a survival scenario where we can use the space and weight allowance to do this. When you mix in the defensive needs however of survival post collapse, then we cannot afford this luxury of having 2 of everything. We only advocate having a backup in the most basic of equipment or “Kit”, ie; backup fire starter, knife and cordage.
In a true survival scenario such as a plane crash where rescue is hopefully days away and injuries are not too mobility impairing, then having a backup fire starter may just save your life. In a “Zombie Apocalypse” though, we need more ammunition.
You need to put thought into your individual needs and situation. Get some training to see if what you think you need and if the skills you have – works! Does all of your tribe, kith or kin have these skills and the equipment or is it just you and you’re ‘gonna carry the load”. Obviously what I’m going to say next is “What happens when you’re the one down or impaired”.
So yes, these topics do go together, and yes they are stand alone depending on your needs. They do even blend over into each other, but remember the adage “Jack of all Trades, Master of None”. You have to tailor your needs for a changing world. Taking off into the wilds, or in a post grid collapse, there is no resupply and no rescue.
What you have, Cache or Carry, is what you have. Skills, Equipment, Food – consider carefully and get the training!