INFORMATION FOR THE PREPARED CITIZEN
For the last several years we have observed semi-catastrophic disasters like hurricane Hugo, a medium-scale earthquake in San Francisco, and the Gulf War. At this point it becomes quite easy to place the blame for suffering caused by these disasters on the people involved (inadequate preparation, failure to evacuate, etc.) or their government (lack of emergency food supplies, poor building/highway construction, or a repressive regime).
As a survival-oriented person, you have already learned that even among the few million "conservative" members of the population, you are in the minority and are most likely considered an outcast or a "strange" individual. You also understand that the "masses" can not be educated into survival. Their socialist mindset expects "someone else" (an authority figure) to take care of their needs. The very idea of possibly having to prepare for a hardship of any kind threatens to destroy their frame of reality and thus everything they believe in.
The government, on the other hand, is in the business of people control; period. It does not care for the individual citizen's welfare and so it can not prepare for it. The government system can only react to a given situation. This takes varying amounts of time. The longer the time, the greater the people suffer. It is no surprise then, to conclude that disaster survival is a person choice and the responsibility belongs to each individual citizen.
In any survival situation, the basic needs of food, water, and shelter must be met as well as personal protection from those attempting to appropriate YOUR food, water, and shelter. We should expect an increase in the number of individuals interested in survival. In addition, after observing the lawlessness that occurred in St. Croix and elsewhere with the military/police HELPING the looters, we should also expect some "soft survivalists (i.e., without guns) to become "hard survivalists" (i.e., owning lots of guns). Please welcome these people into our ranks; they didn't know any better before.
With all this in mind, the following basic lists will give anyone a place to start in obtaining the hardware they will need in the very near future. The equipment should be considered a BASIC load and will continue to be improved as finances permit. Ideally your "bug out bag" is utilized to provide for your needs en route to your retreat site or if relocation is necessary due to pursuit by an invading army or secret police. Your personal equipment demands the best that money can buy. In almost every case, this is Government Issue or contract overrun equipment. Take advantage of the millions of dollars of research and development the government has done and buy things that will literally last decades if properly maintained.
MANDITORY CLOTHING
1 pair boot (combat or "jungle") 1 pair boot laces
3 pairs 00 socks (cushion sole or equivalent) 3 T-shirts (00, black, AIRR, or camouflage)
1 pair shells, gloves (D3A) 1 pair liners, gloves (03A)
1 wool sweater (00, Black, or camouflage) 1 pants belt
1 set long underwear, Thermax (black) 1 field jacket (N65)
1 jacket liner (N65) 1 "Boonie" cap (pattern of above)
1 patrol cap with ear flaps (pattern of above uniform)
1 acrylic sweater if allergic to wool (00, Black, or camouflage)
2 sets fatigue pants/shirt set, ripstop (Camouflage, Woodland, Tigerstripe)
MINIMUM WEAPONS/AMMO
1 AR-15 rifle 1 cleaning kit (rod, patches, oil)
1 cleaning kit case 7 30-round AR-15 magazines
600 rounds .223 ammunition
1 pistol (.45-cal Colt Government, 9mm Beretta 92F, or 9mm Sig Sauer P226)
3 eight or 15-round pistol magazines (for above pistols)
200 rounds of ammunition for pistol
BASIC EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST
3 duffle bags (GI, nylon, Type II, 00) 1 nylon pistol belt (LC-2, 00)
1 LBE "Y" or "H" harness (nylon, 00) 2 nylon, 1-quart canteen cover
2 plastic 1-quart canteens 1 steel 1-quart canteen cup
3 P-38 steel or aluminum can openers 1 knife/fork/spoon eating utensil
1 GI steel or aluminum mess kit 3 waterproof/windproof survival boat matches
2 K-Bar or equivalent knives 2 GI nylon magazine pouches (AR-15, 30-round)
1 tri-fold shovel (GI reconditioned, NOT Chinese import)
1 nylon or neoprene shovel cover 1 butt pack with carrying straps (GI 00)
1 silent sling 1 ¼ inch or M60 GPMG 1 GI Lensmatic compass (tritium)
1 backup compass (Silva or equivalent) 1 GI 80-percent wool blanket
1 GI sleeping bag (00, intermediate) 2 First-aid/compass pouches (empty)
1 angle-head GI flashlight (black or -00) 1 ALICE LC-2 (or LC-1) rucksack frame
1 pair ALICE shoulder straps (quick release for above frame)
1 ALICE LC-2 (or LC-1) rucksack (large or medium) 1 ALICE LC-2 waist belt
1 five-quart bladder canteen 2 nylon GI camouflage poncho
1 00 GI rubber poncho 1 camouflage poncho liner
1 pair rain pants (00 or camouflage) 1 map case (Assault Systems)
1 parachutists complete 1st Aid kit 1 Special Forces ESBIT type Stove (small)
9 Hexamine heating bars (for stove) 1 black steel carbineer (Search and Rescue type)
1 Tubular webbing (1-inch, black, Swiss seat type, 14 feet long)
1 distress signaling mirror (GI 2x3 inches) 3 bottles GI insect repellent
2 camouflage sticks (shades to match environment) 1 arctic lip balm
1 hot climate lip balm with # 35 sunscreen 1 micro-ceramic water filter (First Need)
2 bottles water purification tablets (Potable Aqua or iodine)
2 bars unscented Ivory soap 2 toothbrushes with toothpaste
1 razor 1 00 washcloth
1 00 towel 1 can silicon waterproofing spray
4 GI FIRE rations (current manufacture)
TIPS AND TRICKS
The ammunition requirements are a BARE MINIMUM. Should you be forced to defend yourself, you and your team could "eat up" a case of 1000 rounds in 6 or 7 minutes; so stock up now.
Always purchase surplus, used excellent or very good OR contract production overruns. Do NOT buy overseas imports (except for Korean "jungle" boots which are OK). Don't buy reproductions. You need the tough, mil spec construction and materials.
Your sleeping bag should ALWAYS be synthetic (Holifil) or equivalent. Do NOT use goose down. It gets wet and you freeze and then die.
Water purification tablets should be iodine based. Chlorine based tablets do no kill giardia parasites.
Use unscented soap (like Ivory). It's cheap, keeps for a long time, and is good catfish bait for fishing. In addition, perfumed scents can be detected by animals in the bush (both 4-and 2-footed animals).
Don't be afraid to take advantage of the new fabrics to make life more comfortable. Cortex (waterproof), Thermax (warm) and Kevlar (anti-ballistic) are all very useful. In addition, use of silicone waterproofing spray on cammies, boots, packs, and sleeping bags is recommended. (Scotch guard can also be used to "chemical weapons proof" fabric—Editor).
When packing your kit ALWAYS distribute the weight evenly. Remember that someone besides an adult male (his wife or children) may be forced to get started without the "family pack mule" (i.e., "dear old dad").
The construction of your "bug out bag" is a personal project and should reflect your personal needs. It is not a good idea to buy a cute little prepackaged "survival bag", set it in the closet, and forget it. Remember that 35 to 40 percent of the cost of that product is "profit" to the dealer. Good equipment at good prices can be found in small surplus stores, gun shows, and even better deals can be made by mail order.
If you are a serious equipment buyer, immediately purchase the Live Free Report on "Buying Surplus" for an EXCELLENT background on equipment purchasing.
One final note: This equipment list is an expanded version of a list originally posted on Ken Seger's Survival Bulletin Board (314) 821-2815 (support your survival bulletin board!).
