WHAT YOU WILL NEED . . . (2013)
By Constantine Dragases of Mistra
It’s good to be back! The last time I was with my compatriots we were at the old professor’s house in the south of France. As they say, you can’t keep a good man down.
A crisis is brewing. No free Southern man (or any other man) is obliged to stand idle in the face of oppression; rather, he has a moral obligation to join the resistance. To defend your freedoms you will need to understand and acquire some things. They are as follows:
First, you must understand that there are powerful, greedy, and ruthless people who consider your life and your civilization worthless. They will kill you if necessary; otherwise, they will simply use you up slowly. One day you’ll have to decide how to handle them, and you’ll have only two choices: 1) obey or 2) fight. If you indeed pick the latter option, thus deciding to die (or win) on your feet rather than on your knees, you will need some (or all) of the following:
–A military-style battle rifle. I would suggest a 7.62 mm (.308 caliber) or a 5.56 mm (.223 caliber). I recommend 400 rounds of military grade ball (FMJ) ammo for two days in the field in 20- or 30-round magazines. I presume you are experienced enough to choose your own weapon. If not, I suggest an FN-FAL or a M1A for 7.62 mm and an AR-15 for 5.56 mm. I suggest ten magazines and a corresponding number of ammo pouches.
–A military-style pistol. I think the .45 caliber is best (though many love the 9mm). Whatever you choose, be sure to have plenty of ball and hollow point ammo. I suggest you carry at least three magazines in the field. Personally, I prefer Glocks and Rugers. Also, consider the old classic 1911.
–Special firearms. If you can afford a .50 caliber sniper rifle, get one (perhaps a Barrett made in Tennessee). They probably won’t remain “legal” for long. Yes, they (and the ammo they use) are big, heavy, and expensive; however, they have an effective range of well over a mile. And talk about hitting power . . . Otherwise, a good high-caliber deer rifle and scope will work wonders. And don’t underestimate the usefulness of a 12-gauge military-style pump shotgun (that will shoot 3-inch magnum slugs) or a plain, old .22 rifle and thousands of rounds of lightweight magnum LR ammo. By the way, the largest army in North America is the “army” of good-old-boy deer hunters. Think about that . . .
–Firearms Cleaning Gear. Don’t neglect this. At minimum you will need the following: a cleaning rod for both rifle and pistol; a swab holder; a bore brush; a sectional cleaning rod; a combination tool (gas plug wrench, sight adjustment tool, etc); oil and grease (and containers for each); and a basic set of gun screwdrivers and Punch set. You can get all this and more from your local gun shop/gunsmith or from www.bigboyguntoys.com. For the gun screwdrivers and Punch set, I recommend those from Wheeler Engineering for about $15 each.
–A Field Knife. I suggest a USMC-issue K-Bar, Gerber, Randall, or Cold Steel with at least a 7-inch blade. Don’t forget a small sharpening stone.
–Packs. Get either an ALICE (All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) Pack in Medium or Large size or a newer MOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load Carrying Equipment) Pack in a variety of sizes. Choose your camo design based on where you live (woodlands, desert, etc.) and are most likely to operate in the field. Also, it would make sense for you and your compatriots to have the same camo design in all equipment and clothing for identification purposes. For more information on packs, see www.olive-drab.com or your local army surplus store.
–Utility Belts and Suspenders. Have at lease two utility belts and H-style (rather than Y-style) suspenders. These can be found rather cheaply at any good Army-Navy surplus store.
–Head Coverings. For warm/hot/cool weather you can’t beat the old ‘Nam era “Boonie” hat. I also recommend the standard USMC or Special Forces Patrol Cap. For cold weather, consider a Wool Watch Cap. The Russians also make some nice fur hats for winter that blend in nicely with natural surroundings. I have one of these and it redefines the word “warm.”
–Clothing. BDUs of your choice (two different sets). A heavy rubber poncho with a liner (no nylon ponchos, please). If it’s cold, you’ll appreciate having thermals—two tops and two bottoms. A standard issue M-65 field jacket with liner is also a must-have.
–Water and Cooking. I recommend you have two one-quart canteens with covers and cups. You will also need a means of water purification. Nothing beats the SteriPen, which also comes with a solar charger (all for less than $150). You should also consider a Canteen Cup Stove and some Trioxane bars (blue flamers) for cooking/heating purposes (see www.olive-drab.com). Be careful with Trioxane, its fumes are toxic—never use in an enclosed space. You might consider a good general all-purpose cleaner for washing.
–Food. Buy some good ole’ MREs (a 3-7 day minimum supply per person). It beats the hell out of Spam. Also consider dried foods such as fruits and jerky as well as nuts. An older favorite used by the Scots is bannocks (oatcakes that will last for quite a long time). Otherwise, be prepared to live off the land, as it were. You’ll need a good military-issue mess kit containing the following: knife, fork, spoon, waterproof matches, and a flint starting stone and a good flint.
–Footware. This is extremely important. Invest in at least two good pairs of boots—I suggest Danners or Bates. You will also need several pairs of first-rate socks—Redheads or Mossy Oaks are my choice. Also, get yourself some Gold Bond foot powder.
–First aid supplies. Get a basic military-issue first aid kit and then add the following: Medium and large butterfly wound closures; physicians’ sutures, size #2, 3, and 4 with thread; 1-2 bottles of Butadiene Solution; triple antibiotic ointment; eye solution w/ cup; iodine tablets; insect repellent; aspirin; moleskin patches; a tourniquet and 2 packs of Blood Clot; and any prescription meds you need. A small amount of sugar can be useful in temporarily staunching open bleeding wounds.
–Miscellaneous. A GI-type titanium compass; a small, high-lumen, Lithium battery Streamlight (or other brand of tactical) flashlight with several extra batteries; a GI-issues shovel w/cover; GI-issue dust goggles; 200’-500’ of para cord; black and gray duct tape, topographic maps of your AO (Area of Operations), and at least one GI-issue duffel bag. Get yourself a good but lightweight sleeping bag and groundcover.
Make sure you devote some serious time to PT (physical training), self-defense training (both with and without firearms) and a good, healthy diet–I use the Paleo and Keto Diet. If you are out-of-shape and unhealthy, you cannot be an effective warrior. Also, consider quitting smoking if you have that habit. Most importantly of all, read your Bible and be a servant of Christ Jesus. It is in His name that we will kill the Old Serpent.
Don’t neglect your studies. There is much to learn from studying such conflicts as the African bush wars of the 1960s and 1970s; both the old and newer IRA campaigns; the wars in the former Yugoslavia; and other irregular theaters of war. The first books I recommend are Dr. Joseph P. Martino’s Resistance to Tyranny; Tom Barry’s Guerrilla Days in Ireland; Ryle Dwyer’s The Squad: The Intelligence Operations of Michael Collins; and The U.S. Army/Marine Corps Counterinsurgency Field Manuals FM 3-24.
One last note of common sense: learn to be a scavenger. Know where useful things are in your AO. Spend some time learning and practicing woodcraft (this is not the same as woodworking, though that too is a good thing to learn) or what I prefer to call bushcraft. Have you ever thought about drinking the stomach contents of a deer for sustenance? Or of eating a rotting baboon (wait . . . you don\’t have baboons in Dixie . . . do you?). But you get the idea!
This is merely a staring place; there is much more to consider and many more qualified than I to instruct you.
And if you have to ask why you need these things, you’ll probably be worse than useless in the coming crisis.
Στο Χριστό έχουμε κατακτήσει!
Until next time, mo chara!
