OPSEC...how good do you think you have maintained it?

One of the big rules of prepping is OPSEC, however if your on here or a member of any other site that is like this or any type of survival/homesteading site..people are going to know you are atleast interested or inquiring about such things.
That alone is going to have a bullseye on your back. If your a member of COSCO/SAMS or any other club like those for bulk buying, your also known, and if you have any weapons your already known, add them up and see who is a member of several of those groups/sites and your OPSEC is blown with all the internet non security that has been in place for years now, so other than trying to be low profile in your town or city and having your garage doors closed when you supply your "pantry" so nosey neighbors do not see that you just bought a truck load of food to store...the powers that be, can just look at your bank account or credit card to see where and how much you spent on any given day at any given time and what you bought, and also to be a member of the big stores with bulk, well they all have computers and mailing lists and names for the members, so yeah people know who you are and what you buy and have...
What is your back ground? prior military? cop? do you hunt/fish? they already know all of this..how many weapons have you bought and what caliber? yeah they know all this already too.
The only way to avoid all of that is to go off grid, and use cash for everything. All that I mentioned is on a larger level with people that do not know you, and as far as OPSEC for you in your immediate area, yeah you could have it, but it might be short lived...meaning once the power is off and you fire up the genny or are having the smell of good cooked food coming from your home, people will come looking for what they want and you have or if after a week/month of the power being off, people are dirty/weak/hungry, yet you will be clean, well maintained and still going strong. Also if you have power and others do not, like for your lights in the house, that will also be a dead give away.
You can do things to better the quality of life for you in a SHTF, but beware...anyone that is in need and not ready for it, will be looking for anyone that has anything that they don't.
I could add a lot more things here but you all get the point I hope....
This is just my .02 cents for whatever its worth.

reply to post by saltdog


I understand where you're coming from but I think you need to give people a solution.

OPSEC = Operational Security = Not talking/Showing off important mission essential information.

Using cash for everything simply isn't practical and for some things isn't very wise to do. Maybe purchasing ammo with cash is a great idea. I doubt purchasing food with cash will make a difference.

Honestly if the people would stand together and say no matter what happens I've got your back -- then it doesn't matter what anyone throws at us... but I know people will always be out for themselves. So long as we are all about ourselves and "MY" food store, "MY" ammo.. well we will loose. There is no doubt about that. Only in a "United" States can we survive the future.

Instead of prepping for ourselves how about we start prepping to take care of each other? I think that's better medicine than OPSEC.

I think about these things.

The ole lady's mother is our bug out plan. She lives in the middle of nowhere.

If we cannot make it there immediately, We will hunker down.

When the power goes out around here there are a few houses with loud generators piercing the silence. All I can think about is them being the first one's hit.

I have a crappy solar setup with my marine battery. Noiseless. As far as the lights, i plan on boarding up the windows so no light can escape. This will also help to stall or detour intruders from entering.

While I do not have much food stored, I figure I have enough to last a month or two with rationing. Still working on that one. We are going to can our garden vegtables this year.

I hope we never see it, but if we do I am better off than some.

Cash purchases are on the DHS list for potential terrorists...as is prepping et al.....
Our ONLY OPSEC is to be doing this en mass.....
If everybody is doing it best they can manage it becomes a government nightmare instead of an enforcement tool.....

You are violating it as you are posting here.

cavtrooper7
You are violating it as you are posting here.

If I gave a crap ABOUT opsec...I WOULD HAVE DUMMIED UP WHEN I WAS A HIPPY WAY BACK WHEN.....IVE NEVER HIDDEN MY CONTEMPT FOR THE PTB........
Now the NSA has shown OPSEC to be a moot exercise that's simply a waste of time and effort these days.....unless your an Iranian or Wahabist....
Be proud,be loud.... just be aware....

reply to post by lobograndemalo


prepping for everyone is a nice thought but isn't that part of our problem? ..people wanting something for nothing, and if they are not aware of things now the way they are, those people are either living in a bubble or just to lazy, either way...they will do what they do to make it or not, as I will do what I have to do.

reply to post by cavtrooper7


Yes, I am...I have been a member here for a few years and I mainly post in this forum...
They also know my military background, job history and anything I bought with a card.

The number thing I cant stand about survival stuff is if something goes down...soemthing bad....we are going to have to be mobile. If you hunker down and are well off..people are going to get to you. Id rather be light and move to a warm location that has good resources. No matter how open you are with your plans if you are mobile its gonna mean you have to adapt and there is no planning for that. That way you have opsec whether you want it or not cause you dont even know what you are doing!

Another issue I have is with "plans" unless you are experienced with absolute chaos,you WILL not do so well ,O.C. people will no doubt just die in place.

If you are wondering about the size of your file at illuminati hq, at least you can take comfort in the concept of relative risk.

As long as there are people more "over the top" that you, they won't be coming for you first. Heck, if this were an actual emergency, they might not even bother with you at all. I mean, if there are parts of the sticks that Uncle can't actively patrol, then having some strict constitutionalists do so is probably the most valuable alternative. For a spell.

The REAL operational security issue is going to be what your Postal Delivery worker thinks of your hobby, or the contractor who helped you put in that extra room. Or your ex brother-in-law. Or the neighbor who thinks you must be growing your own private Colorado in the greenhouse you put in.

The IRS just wants your money. But all those neighbors will want aboard your personal Ark when the waters begin to rise.

we buy stuff a little at a time, a few extra cans every time we go shopping, no body notices if you just buy a few more cans or packs of dried stuff, our normal shopping is a fraction of what most people around here buy then they throw half of it away when it goes overdated, then once a month we do a "big" shop....well. big for us but not for most people.

I think another good way to fit in prior to when it all goes pear shaped is what other peoples perception of you before it all went wrong,
I cycle to and from work also cut about on foot alot so people in my local area know i am reasonably fit and active,
Also im known for my previous military service and my slightly odd behaviors regarding sleep patterns (shift worker)

I usually cut about in survivalist/preper type clothing, IE German para boots, Gortex jackets, fleece liners, Berghaus 30l backpack and the like,
They know im a great diy man so have chainsaw, axes, and even a hand sycth for the weeds, coupled with the fact they know i own a cross bow.
Sounds odd i know but whose house would you pick in all seriousness mine or Joe civil servant down the street ?

Alright you get a bit off stick for being the token oddball ...... But !!!!.

a reply to: stirling

Isn't that moot though, since they won't know who you are anyway by using cash?

Just curious if I'm missing something..

Pretty much, if the powers that be, really wanted to identify all preppers, they certainly could do so via internet boards. However, the only saving grace is that they really don't have the resources or need to "round us all up", etc.

As for prep style purchases, cash, cash, cash.

As for weapons, buy from private seller, no paperwork or red tape. (on ammo, cash, cash, cash)

Luckily, being on a ranch, most of my prep purchases wouldn't exactly be red flags anyhow.

As for OPSEC...we're anonymous here (except from the government, most likely, given Snowden's revelations).

Even if not though, chances are most of you folks are hundreds if not thousands of miles away from me. (and if you do make it here, I'm more likely to ask you to help out and earn your keep!).

Now, I don't go telling anyone other than good friends who are actually invited to come stay with us and help out, come SHTF....about prepping in general. And I don't outline defensive strategy, etc. (simply no need to at this point)...

Truth is there is no privacy anymore. From all the metadata collected about you on a transaction by transaction basis, the .gov has access to whatever they need to know about you. Now if you're talking about your neighbors and/or general populace, then PERSEC and OPSEC should be always be part of your prep.

I think one needs to differentiate between the OPSEC v. dataminers, as compared to OPSEC v. your neighbors and potential looters.

The dataminers know all about you; but in an emergency they will be up to their underpants in alligators. They won't have time for the likes of you. They'll be too busy with Mexican cartels, mafia, and prison gangs on the the loose to worry about Joe six-pack and Suzi house-coat.

Your neighbors, or more specifically your neighbors' delinquent teenaged children are a much more dangerous threat. The overwhelming majority of property crimes are committed by the 15-24 year old age bracket. If THEY see you with cool gear, you may be in trouble. Even just some cool solar cells on the roof, or a slick jeep in the driveway, and you're going to have to settle the score eventually.