Category Archives: security

friends, health, life, seasons, security

The Army runs on Diesel

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immersion heater germany

I stumbled on this pic from my old unit in Germany. When you pulled KP (kitchen patrol) out in the field, it was an all day gig. They’d wake you up at like oh-dark-thirty (~3am) to start getting chow ready for the field site. We often worked to about 2100 since a lot of the field doggies would come in late. We would fill these huge trash barrels with water, usually by dragging two 5 gallon jugs to and from the water buffalo. That got old fast in the snow. You’d need at least one can for washing and another for the rinse. Sometimes, we’d make an extra can for a nice hot tub bath later. We usually worked through chow so we didn’t get to eat until after everyone else did. And leftovers were kinda gross.

The heaters are fueled by a big can of diesel on the side. It would drip fuel in at a slow rate to keep it burning. But you had to be super careful. So I started a drip, I lit some paper and dropped it in. You have to keep you head far from the opening or it could blow in your face. Well, I dropped in the lit paper. I waited a good 20 seconds and nothing seemed to happen. So I peek in to see and BOOM it blew up in my face. It blasted my head up and I just turned and fell face first into the snow. I wasn’t sure what I had just done to myself. I managed to burn all my eyebrows and eyelashes into crispy, burnt-end curls. My buddies got a big laugh at how it looked.

Other fun chores we got in the field was guard duty. I almost forgot my birthday one year. I was standing at the entrance to our site on top of a snowy mountain in Germany with my Mickey Mouse boots on and my parka hood cinched down to about a 2 inch opening. The snow was coming down hard. I was standing there wondering what day it was, so I looked at my watch. It was almost midnight, 16 Jan 1984; my birthday. Oh well. I did get some candlelight that night. A few hours later, I was startled by a bright light. I look over and one of the tents caught on fire. Each tent had a diesel burning stove. Its pretty safe unless it overheats, turns to cherry red, and then something close by or the stove pipe catches fabric on fire. That’s what happened. They were yelling, I was yelling, it was mass chaos. Fortunately, everybody made it out alive. But they lost a lot of their gear.

We also got to pull 60K generator duty. We had to keep it filled with diesel to make sure all the communication rigs were kept running. We also started all the backup 5K generators that were on trailers once a day. I drove for a lieutenant, so among all my other duties, I had to drive him/her around to different field sites and HQ to receive orders and missions. But I also had to set up their tent and attend to their needs. Then we sometimes went on foot patrol to check our perimeter. Sometimes we had a unit of Infantry guarding us. But most times we were on our own. They said if the balloon ever went up, we’d be alive for about 7 minutes since they’d target communication links first. So our outside perimeter was the least of our worries. Such good times.

life, safety, security, self defense

Why carry jumper cables?

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jumper cables

I carry jumper cables in my truck hoping I never have to use them. I try to keep up on auto maintenance, but sometimes stuff just happens. The same is true with my spare tire. I check it hoping I never need it. I carry a fire extinguisher in all my vehicles. I hope to never need it. You could say that about anything in life.

I have family and friends who have a different attitude about safety and worst case scenarios. The worst thing ever is our dependence on cell phones. It is the safety net that leads many to peril. I know people who never learn to change a car tire because they know they can always call someone to help. But cell service isn’t always there. Sometimes, help may not come for a long time. Meanwhile, you are stranded in unknown territory helpless to survive. I mean, if you don’t do it for yourself, do it for the child strapped in the back seat. Do it for the loved ones who care for you? I just heard of someone who’s husband died of a heart attack. I can’t blame the wife, but she dialed 911 and was unable to perform CPR. People don’t learn the simple Heimlich maneuver to reduce a choking hazard. I don’t get it. Why not learn tools of survival? Why would you just allow yourself or a loved one to die without your help?

When you go boating, you take a life preserver. In most cases, its the law to carry one for each passenger. You say to yourself “it will never happen to me”. But what happens when that time comes?

I personally believe in protecting myself with a firearm. The worst feeling ever would be hiding under a desk just hoping he doesn’t find you. And what if you are there with a loved one and you are helpless to do anything to save them? If you don’t do it for yourself, then do it for them. Criminals are stupid cowards. They travel in the path of least resistance. If they know sheep will cower in the corner and not fight back, they will continue to prey on the weak. Don’t be the weak one. Don’t be the bubble-wrapped person who thinks it will never happen to you. Don’t be in that place where you are helpless.

When you reach and you feel the life preserver with your hands, at least you know you have a fighting chance. You can live at peace with this knowledge.

safety, security, self defense

Responsible Ownership

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This could include anything that could cause harm to others. That is, a car, propane tank, knife, internet usage, relationship, hammer, welding torch, …

But in this context, I’m talking about firearm ownership. Whether you believe its a useful tool or not, here are a few things that come to mind. Mind you, the reason I write this was because of something I saw on an Instagram story post:

The video showed someone looking over the sights of a handgun pointed at and following an individual. The caption said “Should I?” I think it was meant in a joking way, but to me, it wasn’t a joke at all. Not only did she point at the person, but she had her finger on the trigger!!!

There were two immediate problems with what I saw. Here are two rules that should be obvious to most people with a little bit of common sense:

  1. Never point a weapon (handgun, nail gun, slingshot, BB gun,…) at something or someone that you might harm. Don’t even do it jokingly. You always assume a weapon is LOADED regardless if you triple checked it to be unloaded. Never EVER point unless you plan to shoot.
  2. Never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire the weapon. That means your finger should be pointed forward along the weapon and not on the trigger until the very moment you plan to fire. This has a major role in preventing accidental discharge.

Along with these rules, here are a few things I’ve been thinking about:

  • I am for the 2nd Amendment. But insuring a proper licensing process that excludes felons, minors, people with a history of domestic abuse, sex offenders, and others is an important step in the process. Every gun owner should have a FOID first (Firearm Owners Identification Card). This includes a screening process and an FBI background check. People who don’t know what their talking about think that anyone can easily get a firearm. This is not true. Then possibly a Concealed Carry permit only for those trained to safely use a firearm.
  • Always make sure a firearm is SECURED. This means securely on your person, locked in a safe and put away out of sight in a vehicle, or in a locked safe at home. Its an owners responsibility to prevent theft and take guns off the street out of the hands of criminals and minors.
  • Don’t be a HERO!! This was said over and over in my classes. Because you have a weapon does not mean you turn into the police or a good Samaritan for every situation. Find safety for yourself and family first, then call 911. Your weapon is only a last resort should all else fail.
  • AVOID – don’t get into violent situations. Don’t go to bars looking for trouble. Don’t carry to a pickup game of basketball where emotions can rise. Don’t carry to a party. Most of these things are against the law anyway. You don’t carry in those places. If a situation arises, AVOID the situation. Don’t get involved. If you are involved in a road rage incident, keep your windows up and drive away. Don’t honk and shout profanities. That only puts you into a fight.
  • DE-ESCALATE – if you are subject to a road rage incident or other situation. Make every attempt to soften the tensions. Tell them they are right and walk away. You know you are safer because you have a weapon. Don’t let your bravado get you into a situation. Walk away!
  • There isn’t a safe WARNING SHOT! I saw on the news where a person was prosecuted for getting involved in a situation they shouldn’t be involved in. They fired a warning shot to stop the altercation. It turns out it was two (black) mental health workers trying to secure an escaped (white) mental patient. There is a lot wrong with that. A warning shot can ricochet; a shot in the air means a bullet can come down anywhere; and it causes undue fear in the population. Not a single concealed carry class would encourage warning shots. Don’t do it! It is illegal and you will get prosecuted.

Having a firearm shouldn’t make you more brave than if you didn’t have one. But it gives you security so that you are not a sheep waiting for slaughter. If someone threatens your child or spouse with deadly force, then you can respond with the same and not feel totally helpless. If you are against overwhelming odds in a bad situation, at least you have the ability to defend your right to live. But you are not a hero, you aren’t looking for fame, and you don’t show off your weapon or tell everybody you are carrying. Those are the people who shouldn’t carry. There was a report of a lady police officer who’s weapon accidentally discharged and killed an 11-year old sleeping in his bed in the next room. She was off-duty at a party with friends, drinking and joking, and for some reason decided to pull out her weapon to play with it and show off. Those are people who shouldn’t have weapons. If you do it right, nobody will ever know you carry. You don’t talk about it. You don’t show off. Its a serious matter that only will ever show up in a life or death situation. And hopefully that never happens.

Nearly all victims of rattlesnake bites are young men. Instead of avoiding a poisonous snake, they feel like they need to be macho and play with it. Most women are smart enough not to do that. So its stupid people who end up paying the price. Don’t play around with dangerous things, firearms included. They aren’t toys.

life, security

The Great Rebellion

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james dean

In my teenage years, I started to question what my parents knew. I was learning new things that I didn’t think they knew. I saw them as old and out of touch. We all do it at some point in our lives. We seek our independence and are tired of being told what to do. Even further, we try to take a different path away from our parents. We play “opposite day” with them to the nth degree.

If you look at society, this happens on a broader scale. Its the pendulum effect. During the Vietnam War in the late 1960’s and early 70’s, a counter-culture arose due to young men being drafted into a battle many didn’t want to fight. And then we saw men come home in flag draped caskets and fought against what was going on. Rock & Roll was taking off and that culture gobbed onto anti-war rhetoric. Eventually, these young rebels became professors and professionals in society. They began to teach our children, and those children teach our children today.

The days of Leave It To Beaver and Father Knows Best are long gone. Instead of embracing what is good and wholesome, we seek to deviate. Instead of embracing the beliefs of our parents, we seek unbelief or even other traditions that are not our own. Some decry our military and go even as far as to fight against our own country. We completely lose perspective. We see our police as the enemy, when they are the first people you want to see in a crisis of your own. It is so hypocritical. We become a lost society when we lose our values and core beliefs. Instead, we grasp helplessly at mysticism or superstition.

The rebel child in me eventually grew up. I went straight into the Army out of high school. I paid my own way through college and eventually graduate school. Me, a minority of minorities, and not exceptionally bright. But I worked hard to make my own way. I stood on my own two feet. I am proud of that. Eventually, I saw my parents as the wisest people I know. I still think that way. Their eyes have seen so much in life. I have been a leader in society and in my church. I have a mortgage to pay for and family to care for. I am concerned for the safety of my home and country. If someone came to my door, I would give them food. But I wouldn’t want them to live with me. I’m not going to let them camp in my front yard. I would rather they find gainful employment and become self-sufficient. We can’t have a society of people who are dependent. We can’t be a society looking for freebies, handouts, and the easiest way out. We should have a lot more pride in ourselves to allow that. We should stand our ground and not play the rebel. That is for the young and weak-minded.

All paths lead back to core beliefs and values. Rebels can’t win.

 

safety, security

Toward a safer home

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So I recently became involved with the Nextdoor App that is specific to my neighborhood. There is a lot more going on than I could have imagined from loose dogs running around to turtle sandbox tops getting wedged who knows where. What is seriously concerning me is the reports of burglaries. I always called my neighborhood Pleasantville because nothing bad every seemed to happen. It is like Mayberry U.S.A.

First off, I never want to blame the victims

There are bad people in this world. If we had peace, we wouldn’t need to take precautions against predators and micreants.

But,…!!

I am exceedingly curious about the circumstances of the thefts. I am not aware of any crowbars taken to doors or smashing in of windows to gain entry. These have been petty crimes of opportunity. People leave their car doors unlocked and its easy to walk along and check if doors are open. And guess what, for some reason they also leave high value items and, most importantly, garage door openers in their unlocked vehicles. I’m thinking that is not a very smart move. Sometimes, I walk my dogs in the wee morning hours and see many garage doors open, likely overnight. Most of our garages have a side door and people sometimes leave those unlocked too. Its my feeling that if you can get into a garage, you’re going to get into the house. Even if you lock your door from garage into the house. There are tools in garages like crowbars and screwdrivers making it easy to get in without anybody seeing.

Regardless, we know there are bad people out there. But some people are quite frankly stupid. I’m sorry you were too naive to trust the human race. You have to watch out these days.

If you play with fire…

Don’t give them the key to your house and expect not to get burned. If most drunk driving accidents happen between Midnight and 3am, then don’t be out then. If you want to end up with knife wounds to your chest, then go to bars in the middle of the night and pick a fight. If you walk down a dark alley all alone, there is a much higher probability of something bad happening. Its like walking in mountain lion country with deer sausage wrapped around your neck.

People need to get smarter about their awareness and safety. Teach your family and kids how to be safe! And get off cell phones at times when you need to be safe.

mindfulness, security, self defense

Stands With A Fist

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stands with a fist
There is a character depicted in the movie “Dances With Wolves” with the name given to her “Stands With A Fist”. She was a Caucasian woman taken in by the Lakota Sioux for a reason I don’t remember. She had been with them for so long that she no longer spoke English. Apparently, she was given this name because she didn’t take any gruff from anyone. She wasn’t a weakling of a person who sought special privilege. She Stands with a Fist. You have to admire a person like that. Someone who isn’t looking for a handout. Someone who makes the most of every situation.
When you are proud, you try to do things yourself. You appreciate help, but you don’t seek it. It is about personal responsibility and value of self-worth. In that time, a Native woman would wander off to a lonely place in the woods to give birth. It was a completely different mindset. Don’t get me wrong. I like all the accouterments of modern life. But you have to admire the mind of someone who does something on their own. Its why I like to fix my own car. YouTube is good for that. There is nothing that we are incapable of doing these days if we have the courage to put our minds to it.
It doesn’t take the government, or some official, or a college degree to tell me if or what or when I can do something. I will do it. And always on my own if I have the tools to do it. We should all learn to Stand With A Fist!