How to assemble survival teams?

Obviously forming some kind of organization will prove to be critical to your survival in many situations. Your properly prepared "bugout bag" and supplies won't do you much good when a group of other people overpowers you and take all your stuff.

But it's a touchy subject. How would/have you gone about forming such a group of people from your immediate area? How do you convey the idea of essentially "Do you want to form an alliance, in case the world ends?" to your relatives, friends, neighbours, and co-workers without coming off sounding.. well... insane? What kind of places are you most likely to find like-minded people?

I've been daydreaming of summer vacation destinations whilst up to my eyes in exams over the last few weeks and am giving real thought to the idea of an 'Outward bound' survival/activity type break, and it strikes me as the ideal kind of place to make friends and allies with like-minded folks too



[edit on 27-5-2007 by citizen smith]

You breech the topic with those you would like to include by being honest and blunt; more than likely those whom you would pick have known you for years and already know of your interest in survival so such a topic shouldn't really spook them or make them think you are any crazier.

If you haven't known the people for several years then I would highly suggest against even talking to them about such things as you haven't really gotten to know them yet no matter how fast you became friends, etc. All of the people in my group I have known for several years, some of them over a decade and all have shown through their actions and words to be proper friends of the quality that is rare to come by these days - these are the kinds of people you want to surround yourself with and build your crew out of. If you don't feel comfortable enough with a person to put your back up against theirs and take on the entire world then they are not fit for a group plain and simple because that is essentially what you are doing when you form a survival group.

As for how to build that sense of team and cohesiveness where you know someones thoughts almost before they do it comes from time spent together doing things. As citizen smith suggested outward bound activities are great, spend weekends out in nature with as little as you can comfortably survive with then reevaluate and figure out what improvements can be made, what things were needed or could be excluded from future trips. Hunt together, go to the range together, play paintball/airsoft, hike, boat, whatever will put you out in the world and relying on your teammates. Think of it as military training minus the drill sergeant screaming at you; the more you sweat and persevere in training with your team the less likely you become to bleed when the crap hits the fan for real. The idea here is to focus on activities that create cohesion within the group, while training in all the arts necessary to survive.

If you don't have anybody in mind, and want to just explore the idea, you might try a summer with relatives in the country. If you have some folks that have a farm, volunteer for a summer of free work in return for room and board. Most farmers will jump at the chance for some free labor.

Not only will you get into shape, because we're talking hard work on most farms, but you'll meet a lot of self reliant people too. And there's nothing better than some backbreaking fence building or haying to learn a lot about them, and to become accepted by them too.

If they show any interest, you can always bring up the subject of survival, but even if they're not into it, they're still the type of people who make good survivors. And in a situation-X, it could give you a place to head for where you were known, and not just some passing stranger.

I mention this because you might be a young city person, and the experience of a farm would be a cheap way to learn some things, and get some contacts at the same time. Best of all, you'll only be out some sweat.

This is something that I constantly thinking about, not that the world is going to end but the “what if” scenario. For the most part in the back of all our minds we know its coming soon. As fare groups go it would make sense to include your family if you leave near them or at least try to be with them when you start to see signs.

I don’t know anybody in my immediate area but I’m sure if I told a few of my friends they would consider the option of survival tactics. To be honest I think most people are not all that concerned about the matter so its kind of hard to bring up. A few of the smart ones are prepared for disasters and have emergency kits for a couple days.

A good idea would be a fall out shelter, what was that movie with that frashier guy. So start digging lol.
Stocking up on food a water is always a good idea period.

As for protecting your commodities and supplies I’d say hide it, don’t tell anyone you don’t trust. I’d say arm yourselves but not with rocket launchers and grenades but with smart and rational thinking.

Make me proud and I’ll see you on the sunny side.

EAGLE

Originally posted by pweagle

A good idea would be a fall out shelter, what was that movie with that frashier guy. So start digging lol.

EAGLE

Im pretty sure it was Blast From The Past but I havent seen it in years. Somehow I dont think it offers very good information except for an awesome shelter. lol

I've lived in my community for 8yrs now. I don't really know any of my neighbors (our house is set waaaaay back from the rest of the neighborhood so we don't see people in the nieghborhood at all). Clearly, if the SHTF it's going to be these people I'll need to work with. I'm not remotely comfortable broaching this subject with anyone. What I have done is stockpile some common stuff that would be required. I have 10 handheld radios that work over a series or frequencies that would allow patrols to be coordinated. I've made sure I have maps and aerial photos of the immediate area to allow for security planning. I also have 'extra' firearms, intrusion detection equipment and similar gear to allow us to secure the 'neighborhood'. I've also identified the specific part of the 'neighborhood' that would be most easily secured and have created a database of everyone in that zone. In the event of Sit-X my plan would be to canvas that area, determine what specialized skills each household has, what special needs (if any) and start planning from there. It would be great if we could start a 'neighborhood survivalist club' now but people would most certainly think I'm insane.

i BELIEVE this is an important and fitting goal and none too soon.

IF AND WHEN the discussion becomes productively and practically serious regarding the four corners area of the Southwest . . . please ping me, u2u me . . . something to let me know.

It may be that the most we can do for like minded folks is give an early heads up. BTW, in that regard, FREEREPUBLIC.COM often has news 20 minutes to several HOURS before the MSM folks get around to it--even on some major stories.

I suspect there would need to be some vetting in terms of philosophical homogeneity . . . not just survivalist orientation. Pentecostals and satanists in the same bomb shelter would not work out well.

Thanks for this thread. Bookmarking it.

Apparently this isn’t much of a topic just yet.

I’m still thinking about this I’m about a state away from the 4 corners. But Plan on moving north words by years end. Things may change but my idea will fallow me, I have yet to own land and constantly get on my dad to give me an acre or 2 so I can start something but no luck there. I’ll be researching possible fronts somewhere in less populated areas with fertile soils. Which is a good idea for anyone who needs a place to escape to. Or hell if any one has land and need it tended I’m a hard worker and very handy, lol.

Well hopeful this wont turn into a laughing matter as so many things do.

Originally posted by pweagle
Apparently this isn’t much of a topic just yet.

I’m still thinking about this I’m about a state away from the 4 corners. But Plan on moving north words by years end. Things may change but my idea will fallow me, I have yet to own land and constantly get on my dad to give me an acre or 2 so I can start something but no luck there. I’ll be researching possible fronts somewhere in less populated areas with fertile soils. Which is a good idea for anyone who needs a place to escape to. Or hell if any one has land and need it tended I’m a hard worker and very handy, lol.

LaPlata valley and mountains area in SW Colo has some viable spots.

I'd encourage you to avoid losing sight of your goal.

There are a number of websites dedicated to such things. There's likely even some communities a-building who would welcome like-minded folks on a trial basis.

Sweat equity is an honorable resource to invest. Just bet the rest of the folks well enough it's unlikely you'll get stung or left holding an empty bag.

And . . . a caution . . . sooner or later, there will be more or less--probably 100% literally--NO place to hide on the planet unless it's supernaturally hidden by God Almighty. Walking closely with Him according to His directions and priorities will the the only hope.

In terms of land I would suggest checking out Ebay in the Real Estate section; there are some insane deals on land out west in the more unpopulated states, or at least ones that have large swaths of undeveloped land. Just make sure to read up on all the rules and regulations of purchasing land, last thing you want is to buy up a piece of property and find some valuable mineral on it that you can't mine because you don't have mineral rights or some other such nonsense.

Also don't hesitate to look northwards to Canada for some dirt cheap crown abutment land, plus with most of the population living so close to the southern border its unlikely you will live next to a huge metropolitan city.

Originally posted by Helig
In terms of land I would suggest checking out Ebay in the Real Estate section; there are some insane deals on land out west in the more unpopulated states, or at least ones that have large swaths of undeveloped land. Just make sure to read up on all the rules and regulations of purchasing land, last thing you want is to buy up a piece of property and find some valuable mineral on it that you can't mine because you don't have mineral rights or some other such nonsense.

Also don't hesitate to look northwards to Canada for some dirt cheap crown abutment land, plus with most of the population living so close to the southern border its unlikely you will live next to a huge metropolitan city.

Nah - sorry guys, but we Canadians have all that land sewn up. Maybe try Alaska huh? Even Washington state perhaps....there's plenty of remote areas there. Somehow I don't think the canadian authorities are going to let a bunch of heavily armed US citizens just waltz over the border...

@ jimbo999

I can see what you are saying about the land being sewn up for the most part, at least as far as Ebay auctions are concerned; and I can accept that most Canadians probably don't care much for Americans, thats fine also. However the whole heavily armed bit I take issue with on grounds that you obviously haven't taken an extra minute or two to analyze the reasons behind desiring uninhabited canadian land (and you can't tell me its not; so much of your population is on the borders of the country) and realize that in such a remote place heavy arms would become unnecessary, the most firepower that would be needed would be a large bore hunting rifle and perhaps a shotgun for small game and fowl hunting. Even if the land is already owned its not like people up north are turned off to the concept of making some money by selling off a chunk of land to people who would probably pay the whole amount up front in cold hard cash?

Say you were in the middle of a thousand acres of land just living life, the need for a semi-automatic clip fed assault weapon would be non-existent. And from what I've read of Canada the country is in fact okay with hunting type weapons such as the ones I indicated would be the only weapons needed to survive. The chances of having some random city-dwellers stumble upon your homestead would be so remote as to not even justify more than a passing thought in terms of consideration. Military encounters would be equally as unlikely given a small enough camp and a considerable travel from any major population center, so again no need to be "heavily armed" beyond a few choice pieces for whatever game would supply the protein-portion of ones diet.

Then lets consider for a moment that one is going to be taking things they need to survive, and twenty guns does you little good when you only have two hands and a grumbling stomach in the middle of the wilderness. People bugging out to such locations would likely be traveling very light to make for faster and easier movement, so having this massive weapons cache that you allude to would slow you down significantly, especially if you have large quantities of ammo for all of the weapons. More useful things that someone would bring along would include hatchets, rope, saws, cooking gear, simple farming equipment, seeds, and other such supplies to enable one to survive and not just hold some wham-bang shootout that would rival Waco.

Sorry for the rant but I had to get it off my chest, perhaps just a touch of thought next time before tossing out the glaring and highly inaccurate generalizations?

The idea that Canadian land is entirely bought is ridiculous. Even here in Ontario, there are massive amounts of untouched forest up North. Most of it is owned by the government, but you could disappear into the wilderness and build yourself a log cabin 100 miles from nowhere, and nobody would ever even find you. Not recommending it, but still.

The land that is for sale comes pretty cheap. I forget the pricing I heard, but it was at least 1/5th of the price you would pay for farmland around here. You also get either a Northern Resident monthly bonus or tax break from the government just for living up North.

The only thing is I don't know how fertile the land up North is. At least on the Canadian Shield around Algonquin it would be pretty rocky I'd imagine. No idea what the Yukon is like for that either, or how long the farming season is. I've been considering the Yukon or possibly Northwest Territories as well..... although I would want to know what the job market is like before I went up there.

I saw a commercial advertising "Northern Canada" the other day actually. Not really any info on housing, it's more a tourism thing, but check it out:

www.lookupnorth.ca

[edit on 8/5/2007 by Yarcofin]

It really depends where north is to you. Northern Ontario is pretty rocky. Northern Quebec is still mostly pine and spruce forest, so that screws up the soil PH. And I wouldn't recommend walking from Kentucky.

DE

Most of my friends share the same mindset that I do, and we freely discuss the "what if " scenarios. Coincidentally, each of us has a certain skill set (electronics, mechanical, combat, medical, etc) that would come in handy in a survival situation.

We have 2 pre-arranged meeting areas around our area (Las Vegas) that we would meet up at if something bad went down. Finding people isn't the problem, finding people you can trust is.

I am new to ATS, but this seems like a good place to at least make initial contacts with people in your area who at least share the same opinions and readiness mindset that you do.

I've gotten a bit of a group togeather, and we are having our meeting to discuss this topic later this month. Everyone is very enthusiastic about the subject, and also everyone has done major research in different scenarios, and minor in the others, so we have an "expert" for various sit x's.

Also everyone has various skillsets that entertwine so every member is important and would have a job to do when sit x happens. We're spending one Saturday a month working on marksmanship/navigation/outdoorsmanship in the morning and then in the evening having a pot luck dinner and going over various situations, working on BoBs, and doing any training that could be done indoors. Also we are planning a hiking/camping trip every other month with a theme to build teamwork and hone our skills in the outdoors.

We are having our first meeting on the 25th so we'll see how everything goes.

I just talked to my friends about "what-ifs" and paid attention to thier responses and either brough up the issue of forming a group for sit x or if they didn't seemed interested I didn't bring up the subject anymore around them. Also If you and a likeminded individual start talking about it, and there are others around, they may openly come up to you and want to know more about survival tactics, and you can build a report that way. There are many ways to broach the subject, you just have to pick your discusee's.

Picking a bug out team Yarcofin ? good man.

First of all, i'd look at the area I was travelling to. I would ask myself what terrain i will meet, and pick skill sets accordingly. If your going to the mountains, then a jungle and swamp survival experts no use, but a mountain rescue leader is kingly... Then, work on the basis of double redundency within your group. One Dr / Medic / nurse dies, well you have two or maybe more.... One tracker dies... you have another, and teach each other your skills.

Cross train your folks to an acceptable level, and soon you will have a cohesive and well oiled group.

Then, hand out one of these to every member, and tell them that at 2 litres of water a day, they have a years worth of drinking water filtering capacity in their hands.

img166.imageshack.us...

I just brought a load to take back to the boonies with me, as they are selling like hot cakes to the trekkers, and we split the cash raised with our hosts. Big smiles all round really. The reason why I mention these filters is that water is a scarce and preciouse resource when out in the country, and being able to drink direct from your source with no boiling required / other treatment required is a great morale booster.