Saturday, April 14, 2018

You're Doing It Wrong

 















Also, the white t-shirt is going to be a camouflage fail (but a swell aiming point).

There's one shining plus: They've got 10 more friends banded together than the average Lone Ranger. So at least they've got a squad, and a bare shot at pulling things off.









For those butthurt by the obvious reality, the following is recommended:

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

They are attired for a photo, not an infantry engagement.

Aesop said...

And precisely as noted, they are still older, overweight, and under-equipped.

There are photos of Civil War enlistees who were better armed in a pair that that group is one shy of a dozen.

Gainsaying won't alter that lack.

Anonymous said...

"And precisely as noted, they are still older, overweight, and under-equipped."
True dat, but still better than old, fat, and unarmed/asleep.
_revjen45

Sherm said...

Knocking someone because of their age is a bit of a cheap shot. You can always get in better shape, acquire better weapons, and train better. There's no backing up on age. I can be an in-shape 63 year old or an out-of-shape 63 year old. The 63 only changes when it becomes 64. Samuel Whittemore was a badassed 78 when he went out to shoot some Redcoats. Thankfully, there were lots of men much younger so it wasn't left to him. He, however, could only work with what he had.

Aesop said...

@revjen
Look again.
Three of them are old, fat, and unarmed.

And not knocking them for being old.
I'm knocking them for ALL being old.
(And fat. And under-equipped.)

I could give two shits if you have a 70 year old in your tribe.
When you have ALL 70 year olds in your tribe, the correct term is not "team", it's "enemy re-supply point".

Nobody stays 20 forever, but the cure for that is not to go get some more senior citizens. Maybe you're familiar with military recruitment guidelines going back 230 years, if not 6000 years?

If getting all pissy because I called a spade a spade is all you've got, you've come to the wrong place.

Anonymous said...

Sorry for the upcoming essay... this is something I posted on Gab. Some of us are old and disabled, and we're not going to be able to do the fighting. Period. We can do other things if hings go sideways. Aesop said it first - tribe. Then choose it carefully. I have never heard of a military that doesn't eat, and doesn't need medical attention. Essay (with a lot I learned from my dad, and a lot actually taught by Aesop here):

"Being able to see the storm clouds out on the horizon though, it helps. There's time to prepare. Now I'm not in the physical shape I was once - I'm in a wheelchair part time because of my ears (vertigo), but I'm also on the treadmill every day. Other people - they have time to get into TOP physical shape before then.

Not all of us are cut out to be fighters (like me - though I can still shoot pretty damn well). Learn first-aid, take some EMT courses, all of that. If it never happens, you still have life-saving skills that are handy. Because I'm off-grid and out as far away from "civilization" as I could be without being in the deepest parts of Alaska - that helped also. Start looking into buying even postage stamp parcels of land as far away as possible, and even a used RV, if you're in a city. Plot your escape routes (this is also handy in case of pandemics). Learn gardening in this time, and self-sufficiency as much as possible. (Bonus - the more you learn, the more you can laugh at "The Walking Dead" ;) ).

I'm also learning even more herbal medicine, which can be adjunctive in case things get bad. It is NOT a replacement for actual medicine. but it can help if you run out of things. An example - I'm growing elderberries right now in a place they're not native. Why? Elderberry is proven in clinical studies to fight flu symptoms. (https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20031222/elderberry-fights-flu-symptoms) That's why. Plan to have an herbal medicinal garden with proven, efficacious herbs and how to prepare them.

I've learned to make my own yeast, pectin, have diversified my garden into more crops, invested in a wood cooking stove and oven, and everything else needed in case of pandemic, EMP, civil war, etc. Any black swan event. If this civil war everyone is talking about happens, that's going to cause people to need the same preps. Also, move to an area with like-minded people and get to know your neighbors. Don't talk about what you have or anything at first, just get to know them over time. You'll know who you can trust, and who's going to come for you when things get bad.

Dogs. Have them. Large ones. In some quantity. Best home defense system and first alert system you can have. Livestock guardian dogs will also guard you - dual purpose. Learn to barter. Learn to be useful no matter your condition. Learn some actual trade skills done by hand. (Reloading?). All of this will be handy just in case. And if NOTHING ever happens, you're still saving tons of money and able to give the system a couple of middle fingers."

loren said...

Aesop,
There are different methods to killing that don't involve 20 year old swinging dicks.
I'm long past the point of going all commando and engaging in running battles but I do figure I'd be handy to have along.
Going against some old elk hunter 500 yds. away on a hill with his trust 7 mag. is a losing proposition if all you have is some shitty little AR- at least for awhile. I don't have to be there at the end of the fight, just a little attrition at the start.

Jim Scrummy said...

Can't do anything about getting old, but you can do something about getting fat. Put the fork down and get your rear-end in gear. I had a wake up call two years ago, all of my pants were tight and I couldn't IWB carry anymore. Why...my diet sucked. I cut the carbs by 50%, and started eating better foods. Then I upped my workout-physical training regimen from 30-40 minutes to 50-75 minutes (sometimes I go for long runs in the 90-120 minute range). The results are losing 23 lbs (and keeping it off), being in better overall physical shape than most dad's around my age (my kids have noticed that dad doesn't have a gut like other dad's do), and just feeling better all-around. Yes, some days it sucks doing the PT workout, but if it doesn't suck it's not worth it to me. I need the suck to stay motivated, because at the end of a sucky training session, I feel like I accomplished something. Tomorrow is another day of embracing the suck...and that's a good thing!

Dan said...

Yea....far from perfect, far from 'top shelf'. But still a more effective group
than the majority of the snowflakes on the left. And for all we know this is just a friendly hog hunting trip or a fun day at the range and NOT some militia type of get together.

Anonymous said...

This all might be, all comments accepted if everyone wants the populace to have/be of a military mindset some drastic changes need to occur look at Israel. I was with a group of like minded people in my neck of the woods Florida Mid summer 57yrs. old very interesting to find out ones limitations,I will help not hinder ops thats what I learned by providing logistics and intel, hopefully in a timely matter. I am in the fall back position or backup if need be it is a younger persons perview all that said something needs to happen not only locally but regionally. I'll say this now was also part of state militia more organized uniform and weapon wise but still the mindset was not their it takes a lot of training I don't believe people on the whole are willing to do whats needed to be done maybe when the chips are down? Do not let the options of making a differance come down to zero a very hard learning curve in my book.

Anonymous said...

Aesop, I'm not being pissy. As much as the people in the photo can be legitimately criticized they are still ahead of the snowflakes and the comatose. Dan puts it pretty well above.
At age 70 and having survived a fatal heart attack (No, that's not an oxymoron. I was clinically dead for 10 minutes.) I have no delusions about being Recon Marine material. However, my degree is in Professional Gunsmithing so I have a useful skillset.

Anonymous said...

Anything is possible, but isn't the whole point of "grey man" to NOT look like a target?

Is it possible your mindset is still shaped by your time with "Uncle" and his massive logistical train? WE WILL BE THE INSURGENTS. Wearing camo will instantly identify you as either red state or target (both being equal in many areas.)

We will be the ones who have to blend in, look like every one else, and sneak around doing whatever we can. Openly carrying ANY firearm is gonna get you tagged. Your best bet is gonna be an old wood stocked bolt gun or an ancient revolver if you have any acknowledged firearms at all.

Tactical gear? LBE? Camo? Nice way to self identify for OPFOR, in my opinion.

Anyone see much camo or matching gear on anyone in the sandbox before the big players started sending gear?

I can already walk thru a crowd and spot the guys by some combination of clip knife in strong side front pocket, wristwatch, 550cord accessories, cover garment, sturdy shoes, flashlight, haircut, and 'head on a swivel.' Should they have matching gear and uniforms too?

We don't have the geographical isolation to have stand up militia units, outside of local .gov control (ie. covered as sheriff's deputies or neighborhood watch)

If you don't live in an area with a Tractor Supply store within 45 minutes drive, where kids don't get pink camo Justin boots and realtree for christmas, you are better off getting rid of your camo, and training in jeans and hiking boots.

Train how you'll fight is the mantra right?


n

Aesop said...

I'm sorry if reality left a mark, guys.

There's nothing that's going to fix way too fat except table pushups.
And if anyone's little band of apocalyptic bucaneers can all order from the senior discount menu at Denny's, SHTF realities are going to be even harsher, and it won't grade on an age curve.

There's 11 people in that picture.
Three of them are completely unarmed, and less than half even have a rifle.
Less than half have the LBE to run a rifle for more than one mag.
Than means they don't have ten other things that go on that LBE either.
Like water.
And if your idea of dressing for success is half cammies, and half white t-shirt, you've totally fucked the pooch, to the point that it'll walk funny for life, at whatever age you happen to be.

I'm not saying everyone needs to be a 28 y.o. Tier One JSOC ninja, or you might as well kill yourselves. That would be asinine.

But when meds for diabetes and hypertension are a higher priority for your group that tourniquets, and you'll likely be going through more Depends in a year than wool socks,
YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.

If these guys have mad skillz at farming, small engine repair, and artificing an entire hardware store from scratch out of a coal powered forge, that's great.
And they should also have put the guns away completely, ditched the camo entirely, and all be wearing bib overalls and shit-kicker barn boots.

As it is, they look exactly like the half-assed, half-thought out bunch they probably are.

BUT, and it's still notable, even with a group made of too many seniors and barely teens, and only one lone rolly-polly doughboy who looks to be between 18-45, they've still got 11 people all trying to do more or less the same thing.

And that's not nothing.

But butthurt will not be a medal event in any eventuality that includes general sportiness.

If you want sugar-coated realities, you've come to the wrong shop, or mistaken me for Mary Poppins.

Baldrick said...

I dunno, some of these grandmas can be downright VICIOUS with their canes ;)

"Little bastard Commie!" *thwack thwack thwack thwack!!!*



Anonymous said...

Fitness > firepower. Also publishing internet photos of you and your weekend camo klatch brandishing firearms in this day and age seems... foolhardy.

Baldrick said...

Is this actually some form of militia-type group, or is it a family hunting trip? Well, whatever, Aesop decided to use it as an object lesson, and a good one. GET IN SHAPE. (And not round ;) )

Anonymous said...

and they are saying look at that in shape, tactical Taylor load out were'n, hard ass, who is surrounded by 20 million assholes, 800 miles of desert, 15 million more assholes to the north, and regional government that hates him.....you can correct a diet/tshirt/loadouts, you gonna correct 20 million?..take on the things that can be control over that which can not.

Aesop said...

That's only true if you figure out you're doing it wrong.

Pat H. said...

While I agree that if those in the photo were just posing prior to a serious "adventure" you'd be correct, Aesop.

While on a range, their clothes aren't relevant except to each other.

As. Chairman Mao stated, "revolutionaries need to swim among the people as fish swim in the sea". That is, the best camo is no camo at all. Blue jeans, a T-shirt(but not white, that will get you killed as a white tail deer flash), and a camo jacket works well.

A full military camo suit, a "war suit" as we in the military called them, is a non-starter in the resistance.