Prayer Breakfast
0700 at BJ’s Restaurant
Hamilton, Montana
O Father, whose word is authority and power and whose way is
love, grant unto us today clear minds, understanding hearts, and willing
spirits so that we may wisely appropriate your word of truth. In Jesus Christ’s
name we pray. Amen.
1. Opening - Round the Table
Individual Prayers
2. Breakfast is served
3. Morning Psalm: 9
4. Breakfast Reading: John 15:1-11
5. Breakfast Discussion Topics:
News around the valley
Walk for
Jesus Christ
7:00
am, 4 April, 2015
Lolo
to Angler’s Roost Bridge
Hand
out posters
Community Aid
through Christian
1)
First venue:
a)
Bitterroot Valley Church of the Nazarene
2)
Churches of Correspondence
5. 52 Weeks to Preparedness by Tess
Pennington
Week 52 of
52: Long-Term Security and Defense
Long
Term Security and Defense of your Retreat Location by Max Velocity
In this article for the final week of ‘52 Weeks for
Preparedness’ I will discuss long term security and defense of your retreat
location. We cannot predict now exactly what conditions will look like after a
collapse and as such I urge you not to make too many assumptions based on your
particular idea of what such a post-SHTF situation will look like. The purpose
will be to give you the general principles and techniques of defending a
location, which you can tailor and apply as necessary and appropriate. It is
best to adopt a mindset of flexibility and gather mental and physical knowledge
and ‘tools’ in order to be able to develop your response and put some of these
measures in place as you find them necessary and appropriate. For the article I
will assume a broad post-SHTF situation of societal collapse with a general
absence of law and order.
What is the threat? As a prepper hunkered down at your home,
with food stores, the most likely threat will be from looters and marauders.
These could take many forms from a simple beggar, through starving neighbors,
mobs, tricks and deceptions, to a tactically organized group with weapons and
equipment. The worst case is some sort of organized paramilitary style force
with heavy equipment bent on forced redistribution. Therefore, remain flexible
and have an emergency rally point and extraction route should you be
overmatched. Know when you have no alternative but to bug out. You can make
this decision if you have the information before the threat arrives and conduct
the bug out in good order. Alternatively, you may be forced to make the
decision as the attack progresses and have to ‘break contact’ and withdraw
under enemy fire; this is one of the most difficult tactical maneuvers. Work on
your leadership, decision making and decision points so that your response
under the pressure of both time and enemy is optimal. Tied in with this is the
need for clear rules of engagement and for the use of force appropriate to the
threat.
This short article is mainly concerned with defense of a
single location and as such will not go into techniques such as mobile and area
defense, which could be useful for a larger community. Remember, the best form
of defense is to avoid the fight. But that may not be possible and you have to
always plan and prepare for that fight. You can better avoid the fight by
adopting a lower profile at your location, attempting to conceal your supplies
and capabilities. The opposite of this is to have a high profile and try to use
threat of force as a deterrent. But remember that a good rifleman could sit out
at long range and simply shoot your defenders in their sentry positions. In my
opinion, the best approach for a small survivor group is to adopt a lower
profile while maintaining the capability to defeat threats as they are
encountered. The following are some principles of defense that you should
consider and apply to your location and plan:
All Round Defense, in order to anticipate a threat from any
direction. Depth, in order to prevent penetration of your defended position. Mutually
Supporting Sectors of Fire, in order to increase the strength and flexibility
of a defense. Concealment and Deception, in order to deny the adversary the
advantages of understanding. Maintenance of a Reserve. Offensive Action (where
appropriate), in order to seize or regain the initiative.
Administration, to include:
Appropriate numbers of trained personnel.
Appropriate weapons, ammunition and equipment.
A watch system for
early warning.
Most modern family homes do not lend themselves to defense.
The structure is vulnerable to high velocity rounds which will pass through
multiple frame, wood and plasterboard walls, and also simple mechanical
breaches are possible with tools and even vehicles used as rams. They are also
very vulnerable to fire. If you try and defend your house from the windows,
then you will not be protected by the walls framing those windows and the room
can be filled full of high velocity rounds by an attacking group. There is a
real danger of being suppressed by superior firepower. If you stay back from
the windows as you should, then you limit your fields of fire and unless there
are enough of you defending then the enemy will be able to take advantage of
blind spots to close with and then breach the house. You need a basement or
other ballistic protected safe room for your noncombatant personnel (kids etc.)
to shelter in; otherwise they will not be protected from the violence and from
the high velocity rounds ripping through the walls.
One of the key things for a prepper defense of a location is
to have an appropriate number of trained personnel with appropriate firearms,
ammunition and equipment. You will also have to take measures to harden the
building to slow down attempts to breach. You need to consider whether or not
you want your property to look derelict; this could be good or bad in the circumstances.
It would be worthwhile to consider boarding up or shuttering at least the
ground floor windows and think about putting up door bars or even board up some
of the doors. This will also help with light discipline. External boards can
make the place look derelict, but looking derelict could also encourage
approach by potential squatters. You could put up the boards internally, or
something similar, in order to maintain a low profile and slow any breaches.
There a lots of pros and cons each way. When boarding up doors, ensure that you
have at least two independent exits that can be used both for routine tasks but
also for egress if you have to escape. Boarding up your windows and doors does
not make them ballistically hardened. You could have sandbags ready to go, and
you will need to consider a big pile of dirt to fill them from. Consider the
benefits of simple mass of soil in protecting you from high velocity rounds,
and for the construction of fighting positions. Sandbags need to be at least
two deep to protect against high velocity rounds. If you try stacking enough of
these on a modern upper floor, or even a ground level floor with a basement
beneath, then the weight of a constructed fighting position may cause a
collapse. You could stack sandbags externally around designated window fighting
positions on the ground floor, but you will need a lot of them. Other
alternatives would include filling a chest of drawers with soil to create
firing positions, or maybe even material such as steel plate that will weigh
less but will provide ballistic protection.
From the principles of defense it is clear that we need to
establish a plan which provides early warning, all round defense and mutually
supporting sectors of fire. We also need to create depth, which is best
utilized outside the building rather than with fall back positions inside the
house. We can create depth using external fighting positions to keep attackers
away from the house, which will also aid mutual support. A key thing that will
really help defense of a house is to have a second or more positions outside of
the main building that can provide fire support, thus these positions support
each other by keeping enemy away from the house and each other. This
position(s) could also be another house or cooperating neighbor if it works out
that way. This creates a ‘cross-fire’ so you must enforce fire discipline and
allocate sectors of fire to ensure you do not cause ‘friendly fire’.
A very important concept is that of ‘stand-off’. This can be
created with a combination of fighting positions in depth and cleared fields of
fire with obstacles. If you have an obstacle, such as wire, it must be covered
by fire to be effective. Utilize stand-off distances to keep enemy away from
the property, combined with obstacles to slow vehicle and dismounted approach.
Examples like wire are good for dismounted personnel and also vehicles if it is
correctly laid concertina wire. Obstacles such as steel cabling, concrete
bollards or planter boxes and felled trees will work well against vehicles.
This will also have the effect of reducing the risk of attackers getting close
to set the place on fire, which they are likely to try if they can’t get in to
get your stuff. If we expand this concept we can see how a mutually supporting
neighborhood with checkpoints/roadblocks and observation/fighting positions
will provide a great advantage. Stand-off is also important in terms of
engaging the enemy with accurate effective fire at the longest range that is
physically and legally possible. If you are competent and have the equipment
for long range effective suppressive fire, this can have the effect of keeping
the enemy at arm’s length and reducing the accuracy and hence effectiveness of
their fire, which will prevent them successfully suppressing you and
subsequently maneuvering onto your position to breach or burn the property. In
addition, consider the presence, placement and potential hard protection of any
flammable sources on your property and close to your buildings, such as propane
tanks and fuel supplies. Ensure they cannot be repeatedly fired upon by the
enemy to cause a fire or explosion. The ability to generate accurate effective
long range defensive fire depends on skill, equipment, positioning of fighting
positions, your policy for the use of force and also the way the terrain
affects weapons killing areas and ranges. To engage at long range you have to
reasonably fear that the enemy presents a threat of lethal force against your
defended location. However, if you are in a closer urban or wooded environment
you may find some of your fields of fire are limited and you will have to plan
and position accordingly.
Administration is a key factor. While you are maintaining
your defense you need to look after the welfare of the team, equipment and the
site itself. Administration is what preppers usually concentrate on. This is
your “beans, bullets and band-aids”. This is an area where those that are
non-combatants can really pull their weight and make a difference. You must
maintain a watch system which will be tied in to ‘stand to’ positions and maybe
some form of ‘Quick Reaction Force’ or reserve, depending on the resources and
numbers available to you. Your watch system can be augmented by other early
warning sensors such as dogs and mechanical or electronic systems. Day to day
you will need to keep the machine running and this will be the biggest
challenge as time goes on. Complacency Kills! Depending on the extent of your
preparations, stores and the resources within your property, this will have a
knock-on effect to your ability to remain covert and the requirement to send
out foraging patrols. People will also start to get cabin fever, particularly
kids, and you will need to consider how to entertain them. Consider that while
mundane tasks are being completed, there is always someone on watch. People
that are not on watch need to have weapons and ammunition carrying equipment
close or on their person while doing other things. Consider carrying long
rifles slung as well as handguns everywhere you go on the property, with at
least a light bit of web gear with some additional magazines in pouches. Rifles
should never be out of your arms reach if there is any kind of threat of
attack. You should put rifle racks or hooks/nails on walls in key rooms, out of
reach of kids, so that rifles can be grabbed quickly if the alarm is sounded.
Regarding your noncombatants or protected personnel; what
you do with them depends on who they are. The younger kids will need to be
protected in the safest location you have. Others will be useful to do tasks
such as re-load magazines, distribute water and act as firefighting crews. Note
that you need to have fire-extinguishers and buckets of water and /or sand
available at hand during a defense to put out any fires. The more tasks you
give people during a crisis, the more the activity will take their minds off
the stress of the situation and the team will be strengthened. Ammunition replenishment,
water distribution, casualty collection point, first aid, watching the rear and
looking after the younger kids are all examples of tasks that can be allocated
to make people a useful part of the team when personnel resources are tight.
Firearms and equipment has been covered under the home
defense article. For this kind of defensive situation you will be well served
by the ability to detect, observe and accurately engage enemy at the longest
range possible by day and night. This is easily said, but would take throwing
money at it to get all the equipment you need to best do it. In terms of
firearms, I would recommend tactical type high capacity magazine rifles for the
main work, backed up by handguns and pump action 12 gauge shotguns. The shotguns
are good for close work and if the enemy gets in to the building, last ditch
stuff. Long range hunting type rifles are good for observation (scope) and
longer distance engagement. You would be best served with good optics for your
weapons and also observation devices such as binoculars. Think about night
vision and even thermal imaging if you can afford it. You will also have to
consider that even if you can afford a night vision device, it will only work
for whoever has it so how will the rest engage? What type and configuration of
these night vision devices, on weapons as sights or not? Without night sights
you can fire at muzzle flash or use whatever illumination is available, white
light or whatever. A good option is to have parachute illumination flares.
Loose barking dogs on your property are perhaps the best low budget early
warning system; however consider that they may give away your position if you
are trying to be totally covert. Decide on your priorities and strategy and tie
that in with what money you have to spend on equipment. You can get expensive
systems such as ground sensors, lights and alarms, but these cost money and you
have to consider their use in a long-term grid down situation. I would prefer
to spend money on optics and night observation devices which will last without
grid power (but will require batteries) and can also be taken with you if you
have to move locations. Here are some basic suggestions for equipment to
augment such a defense:
Appropriate tactical firearms & ammunition
Web gear and magazines
Ear and eye protection
Body armor and helmets, NIJ level IIIa or Level IV
Barbed wire, coiled (concertina) and for low wire
entanglements
Sandbags or other ballistic protection options
Night vision devices
Binoculars plus optical rifle sights
Black out curtain and pre-cut plywood for windows
Parachute illumination flares
Trip-flares
Trauma medical kit incl. CAT tourniquets
Range cards
Two way radios and/or field telephones
Multiple fire-extinguishers and/or buckets of water
If you have put a group together for such a defense, they
need to be trained on not only tactical shooting and basic small unit tactics
and movement, but also briefed and rehearsed on the defensive plan including
fighting positions and sectors of fire. Consider that depending on your
circumstances and the terrain, you may be benefited by running periodic
clearance patrols around the property to mitigate against surprise attack, and
to do this your team need to be able to patrol and move tactically, as well as
respond to any enemy contact. You will preferably have a medic with a trauma
bag. You do not want to ever run out of ammunition, so make sure you have as
much as you can reasonably purchase. Like tactics, ammunition quantities are a
subjective argument with many solutions. I recommend a personal load of six to
eight thirty round magazines on the person, with at least as many full
magazines for resupply. And once you have used that, you need another resupply!
In a real life contact you will likely use less ammunition than you may during
training and you must concentrate on effective accurate fire rather than simple
quantity. Train your team to engage positively identified enemy, or suppress
known enemy positions. A rapid rate of fire is 30 rounds per minute; a deliberate
rate is 10 rounds per minute.
Practice and rehearse the command and fire control
procedures at your location, including the communication of enemy locations and
actions. Use range cards to tie in sectors for mutual support and to prevent
‘friendly fire’. Run ‘stand to’ drills like a fire drill by day and by night
and be able to call out which direction the enemy threat comes from. Be aware
of diversions and demonstrations intended to distract you from the main
direction of attack. Always cover all sectors, even with just one observer
looking to the flanks and rear in a manpower crisis. Keep unnecessary noise and
shouting down, allowing orders and target indications to be passed around the
position. Every team member is a sensor and a ‘link man’ to pass on
information.
Having said all that, you are not going to open fire on just
anyone coming to your location. Any actions that you take should be justifiable
as self-defense. Do be mindful of tricks and the potential for snipers.
However, don’t give up on morality and charity and don’t illegally open fire on
anyone that comes near your defended location. You need to agree on rules of
engagement for your sentries and you should apply escalation of force protocols
to meet a threat with the proportionate and appropriate force necessary to stop
that threat. Have the ability to warn anyone approaching, whether you have
permanent warning signs or something like a bullhorn that you use as part of
your escalation procedures through warning to non-lethal then lethal force as
you begin to identify them as posing a threat. Remember that escalation of
force is a continuum and you can bypass the early stages and go directly to
lethal force if taken by surprise and faced with a lethal threat that must be
stopped.
Preps to Buy:
• Appropriate tactical firearms & ammunition
• Web gear and magazines
• Ear and eye protection
• Body armor and helmets, NIJ level IIIa or Level IV
• Barbed wire, coiled (concertina) and for low wire
entanglements
• Sandbags or other ballistic protection options
• Night vision devices
• Binoculars plus optical rifle sights
• Black out curtain and pre-cut plywood for windows
• Parachute illumination flares
• Trip-flares
• Trauma medical kit incl. CAT tourniquets
• Range cards
• Two way radios and/or field telephones
Action Items:
Create a defensive plan including fighting positions and
sectors of fire and ensure that all group members know the plan and rehearse
the plan regularly.
Agree on rules of engagement.
Train each group member on tactical shooting and basic small
unit tactics and movement.
Practice and rehearse the command and fire control
procedures at your location, including the communication of enemy locations and
actions.
6. Closing - Round the Table
Individual Prayers
Upcoming Events:
2 Feb 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
7 Feb 2015 –
1000 – 72 Hour Kit Clinic
9 Feb 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
16 Feb 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
23 Feb 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
2 Mar 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
9 Mar 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
16 Mar 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
23 Mar 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
30 Mar 2015 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
4 Apr 2015 –
0645 – March for Jesus Christ
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the Fellowship of Christian Veterans:
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