Body Language: A Precursor To Violence

Great tandem piece to EDC’s previous post.

Staying Safe

Behavioral cues and situational awareness are two important concepts that I feel are really overlooked in the martial arts community. It’s not that the concepts aren’t mentioned, but more that the concepts are skimmed over and not given their due diligence. Typically, I hear things like “pay attention to your surroundings” and “look around” or “look for suspicious people.” These are great to say, but what exactly are we supposed to be looking for? What are we supposed to be paying attention to? What does a suspicious person look like? Maybe to some, a black teen wearing a hoodie or possibly a tatted up white male with a shaved head could be considered suspicious. The answers to these questions are all situational and can’t be answered without more information about the actions of the individual and the environment they are in.

Think about it like this, when you are driving…

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Self-Defense – What went wrong?

Every Day Carry Solutions

Warning – This video shows a violent attack where a toddler/baby gets dropped on its head during the ensuing violence. While it’s very tough to watch, the video should be used to analyze tactical mistakes made and apply better situational awareness and assertive response when mom and pop are out and about. (On a side note, I cannot make out all of the audio so some critical information is missing – for the purpose of THIS analysis it matters not to me the cause of the altercation, the race or the cultural difference between the parties involved.)

What tactical self-defense mistakes were made? Here’s a hint, the mistakes made happened before the camera turned on. If you’re new to the idea of concept of self-defense beyond just physical techniques, you may consider the following:

Distance: Distance was not maintained from the attacker(s). Whether space was able to…

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Power Grid Hack Attacks – More Serious Than Ever…..Got Training, Preps, Resolve??

Tempus if fugiting…rather quickly.  You might want to stop procrastinating and book some training with us.  H/T to Wirecutter, here, for having this post.  As Kenny said, ‘when the lights go out, the party’s over’….

U.S. Power Grid Being Hit With ‘Increasing’ Hacking Attacks, Government Warns

Potential to ‘take down’ U.S. power grids, water systems and other critical infrastructure

BY: Adam Kredo
June 24, 2015 5:00 am

Major attacks on the U.S. power grid system are “increasing,” with hackers stepping up efforts to penetrate critical systems and to implant malicious software that could compromise the power grid and result in a nationwide crisis, according to a government report.

While experts have long signaled that the U.S. power grid and related systems are vulnerable to physical attacks by terrorists and other individuals, the U.S. government is now warning that sensitive computer systems that maintain the grid are increasingly being attacked, according to a Congressional Research Service (CRS) report that was not made public until the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) disclosed it this month.

The report warns that hackers potentially affiliated with terrorist groups or rogue nations have the ability to insert harmful malware into the internal systems governing the U.S. grid, which increasingly are being hooked into the Internet.

These types of computer viruses are able to comb internal systems for private information in a clandestine manner; they can also be used to wrest control of certain computers away from their owners.

“In recent years, new threats have materialized as new vulnerabilities have come to light, and a number of major concerns have emerged about the resilience and security of the nation’s electric power system,” the report says. “In particular, the cyber security of the electricity grid has been a focus of recent efforts to protect the integrity of the electric power system.”

The threat is compounded by the revelation that many power companies are only living up to the “minimum standards” set for cyber security by the U.S. government.

“Although malware intrusions may not have resulted in a significant disruption of grid operations so far, they still have been possible even with mandatory standards in place,” the report states.

Cyber attacks on the U.S. grid and power companies are becoming more prevalent.

“Incidents of reported cyber intrusions and attacks aimed at undermining the U.S. grid appear to be increasing,” according to the report. “While parts of the electric power subsector have mandatory and enforceable cyber and physical security standards, some have argued that minimum, consensus-based standards are not enough to secure the system.”

The report continues: “Further, the electric grid is not isolated from attacks on other critical infrastructure sectors on which it depends (i.e., the natural gas subsector, water, and transportation), and mandatory and enforceable cyber security standards apply to only a few of the critical infrastructure sectors,” the report states.

Experts and government authorities remain concerned about attacks on “critical infrastructure.”

“The increasing frequency of cyber intrusions on industrial control systems of critical infrastructure is a trend of concern to the electric utility industry,” the report warns “The National Security Agency reported that it has seen intrusions into [industrial control] systems by entities with the apparent technical capability ‘to take down control systems that operate U.S. power grids, water systems and other critical infrastructure.’”

The report documents a number of recent attacks on U.S. power grid computer systems.

In October 2014, for instance, the Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT) revealed that “several industrial control systems has been infected” by a virus capable of gathering information about how the grid system functions.

“Hackers are reported to have used the BlackEnergy Trojan horse to deliver plug-in modules used for several purposes, including keylogging, audio recording, and grabbing screenshots,” according to the report. “Researchers looking at the BlackEnergy malware are reported to have identified a plug-in that can destroy hard disks, and believe that the attackers will activate the module once they are discovered in order to hide their presence.”

Another virus named HAVEX has been used to open so-called “back doors” into computer systems.

“The cyberattack leaves the company’s system in what appears to be a normal operating condition, but the attacker now has a backdoor to access and possibly control the company’s” control systems.

These threats, the report warns, are only growing more sophisticated as the industry struggles to combat such attacks.

“The threats facing the grid are evolving, and with each new intrusion or cyber attack, priorities to protect the system can shift,” the report explains. “But that does not mean previous attacks can be considered past issues.”

While nation-states may use such attacks to gather data, experts believe they are less likely to launch an attack due to the prospect of likely retaliation by the United States.

However, terrorists have no such concern, the report says.

“A terrorist or similar organization would likely be undeterred by such a consequence [of potential retaliation], and may use the worm for its own purposes,” according to the report. “Given the potential for damage to the nation’s economy from a major cyberattack on the grid, some might suggest a greater focus on recovery is needed and should become as much a part of a cybersecurity strategy as are efforts to secure the system.”

WeaponsMan: On Safety And Appendix Carry

Ummmm…yeah.

Boots – Get ‘General Purpose’ in Design, and Buy the Best You Can Afford

When it comes to personal defense, sustainment, load bearing, clothing, and even footwear, regular readers will see a consistent pattern at DTG:  The term ‘General Purpose’ is applied across the board.  We define it loosely as whatever is being considered should be able to do many/most things very well, some things acceptably, and only a few things not so well.  Using this definition in your considerations will take you much farther and actually lighten any load you might have to carry when/if civility fails.  Think about it for a moment:  You have a favorite set of ‘hiking’ boots for land navigation; a favorite pair for range work, still others for SUT training, and still others for ruck walks and so on.  You’ve only got so much room in your ruck, right?  And a reality is that should things go south and you are with your NPT, you’re not going to have time to ‘get used to’ the boots you have set aside for ‘SHTF’ scenarios.

Boots (and socks), taken for SHTF should be the same ones you’ve been training in for the last however many months or years.  We like the Vermont ‘Darn Tough’ brand; they’re comfortable, provide great cushioning and wicking, and are generally bomb proof.

Speaking of training, consider (if you can swing it) two to three pair of boots to alternate for all tasks, not specialized events.  All should be broken in properly, and it shouldn’t matter which pair you wear for your training event save for allowing a pair to dry out, air out, or get one of the other pairs some miles on them.  Currently, I have 3 pr of 3 season boots I change out every single time I train, and 1 pair of 600 gram boots for cold weather.  4 pair for the year keeps me in dry, broken in, but in good shape boots, no matter what we’re training on.

The exception might be in that you have similar boots with varying levels of insulation for winter and summer seasons.  If you’re a Danner fan, you might have an uninsulated or 200 gram insulated pair of boots (depending on your geographic location) for late Spring, Summer and early Autumn, and a pair of 600 gram insulated pair for late Autumn, Winter, and early Spring as your primary, ‘go to’ footwear for all activities.  Substitute the brand for your favorite and the equation stays the same.

What we do not recommend at all is the practice of having a pair of boots for each primary activity one might find themselves undertaking.  Examples:

• SUT boots
• Land Nav boots
• Range boots
• Ruck Walk boots

Your boots should be able to take you through all the above examples.  In our own boot selection, after going through a few brands in the last 10 years, we’ve found that the Danner brand (because they meet our criteria, take a beating, and last a looooong time, providing us a superb return on the monetary investment for the boots (we never buy at MSRP or even close).  Here’s our criteria for good boots:

 

• 8 inch shaft height minimum – The taller shaft provides great support and helps us in our trouser blousing (which we highly recommend for those who are in areas with bugs and don’t want them to feed on anything they might find while crawling up a trouser leg…..just sayin’  Of course, those who like the currently popular style of pant legs dragging on the ground probably don’t mind those bites and stings.  Tougher than us, that’s for sure! )
• Goretex lining – As long as possible, we keep our feet dry and change socks.  Aside:  Get the best socks you can find, too.  Consider ‘Vermont Darn Tough’ brand.  Bombproof and comfortable, too!
• Stout ankle support – Lets us walk over varying and difficult terrain and get up to walk the next day without crutches.  Sorry, we don’t do ‘jungle boots’….and the idea behind being able to move a long ways on foot today should be followed with doing it tomorrow if necessary as well.

• Speed lace capability – For those rare times in training that we get to air our doggies, speed lacing gets us back in the saddle much more quickly.
• Smooth or Rough Out Leather Uppers – It does help when waterproofing the exterior.
• Non-Metallic Safety Toe – This one’s optional, but I have 2 pair with this, and I have great peace of mind should something heavy fall on my feet….

As to our choice of Danner, we know that others like different brands for different reasons.  And that’s fine.  We’re not touting Danner over all others; it’s just our personal choice.  If we find a brand that exceeds Danner for the outlay of cash, we’ll be switching the next time we are in the market.  YMMV.

Bottom line:  Find a brand of boot that you can wear at any and all training you do.  Get a couple more pair when you settle.  Then rotate them through your regimen.  You’ll find that when/if you ever have to pull NPT operations, there won’t be any need to ‘get used it’….you’ll already be there.

WeaponsMan: Training Series Chapter #1

Understanding the Strategic Goal of the Enemy…

From here.

More Deadly Than War: The Communist Revolution in America

Posted on June 23, 2015 by chris

Published on Nov 19, 2012 by LibertyInOurTime

This address by G. Edward Griffin, given in 1969, is as current as today’s headlines. Mr. Griffin shows that the Leninist strategy for conquest involves two kinds of revolution. One is violent. The other is non-violent. While most people think only of violent revolution, the non-violent phase is where most of the action has been in the United States.

Leninists call it the “Proletarian Revolution” and involves the gradual transition to Marxism (which is merely one form of collectivism) by use of the ballot box. Control is achieved through economic pressures rather than guns and executions.

Learn how today’s Leninists utilize mass-membership organizations (i.e. Occupy Wall Street), politicians, and parliamentary process to brings about totalitarianism with little opposition from those who are being subjugated.

Study: Obese Americans Now Outnumber the ‘Merely Overweight’…..

From here.

“A tally by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis estimated that 67.6 million Americans over the age of 25 were obese as of 2012, and an additional 65.2 million were overweight. Their count was based on data collected between 2007 and 2012 as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an ongoing study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The NHANES data included information on height and weight, which are used to calculate a person’s body mass index. A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal. Someone with a BMI in the 25-to-29.9 range is considered overweight, and a BMI over 30 qualifies a person as obese.”

Push. Away. From. The. Table.

Get. Your. Ever. Widening.  Ass. Out. And. Do. Some. P. T.

 

And remember….

Stay Focused or, “Keep on Keepin’ On”….

In the last year, we’ve noticed a common thread in more than a few training requests along the lines of, “I need you to train us to A, B, C, 1, 2, 3…oh yeah…and X, Y, and Z….[comprising about 3 months worth of solid instruction], and the time frame should be no more than a Friday evening and most of Saturday….we’ve got lives, ya know.”

Besides the unrealistic expectations of what one may actually absorb over a day and a half or even 2 or 3 days, this pattern demonstrates a level of anxiety that is apparently gaining momentum as people are realizing ‘something’ (nobody knows or can articulate exactly what) is coming down the pike pretty quickly and all the time procrastinating on getting training is starting to catch up like a dog wanting to bite someone in the ass.  And, as such, many folks seem to believe that compression of training will equate to compensation for procrastination.

That dog will not, no matter how many doggie treats you give it, hunt.

It also demonstrates that the skill of focusing on what can be done in the time available with the resources available is not where it should be in order to make any real progress toward the goal of being able to protect our ‘precious cargo’ when civility fails.

If the above describes you, gentle reader, or your NPT members, take a step back, breathe, and then start to do an internal, objective assessment.  From that, you can prioritize what’s most important (meaning, what do you lack the most) and take it from the top.  Most important is trained on, learned, acquired, first, before anything else.  Here’s a list that a NPT might make (completely made up) to demonstrate what you might list as priorities:

1.  Personal Defense Carbines & 7 mags & 1,000 rds ammo (minimum).

2.  Ham license and hand held, base station, or mobile 2 way radio.

3.  TC3 (Combat Casualty Care) training.

4.  Land navigation training.

5.  6 months expenses cash on hand.

6.  2 years food stored.

7.  Water purification equipment.

8.  “Get Home/GOOD” bags/equipment set up.

9.  Family Emergency Rendezvous Plan

10.  Family/Group/NPT ‘Fall Back’ Location, Multiple pre-planned routes to get there, pre-positioned supplies from all parties.

11.  Personal clothing/equipment (High quality boots, socks, & rucks, LBE, Wiggy’s bags, etc)

12.  Disaster mitigation tools (chain saw with bar chain oil, fuel, new or freshly sharpened chain, hand tools, generator & fuel, pry bar, rope, etc)

13.  NPT small unit tactics skill training.

14.  Basic and advanced marksmanship training for rifle and pistol.

15.  Physical combatives training.

16.  Purchase, “A Failure of Civility,” and subscribe to DTG’s On-Line Classroom.

17.  Purchase a subscription to Forward Observer magazine and save for some of the classes offered.

18.  Attend DTG’s “Essential Skills” series of training/discuss with NPT options of going to them or having them come to us.

Again, these examples are from a fictional NPT; more specifically, just ‘off the top of my head’ that our fictional NPT may or may not have accomplished yet, but might need to before feeling ‘adequately prepared’ to mitigate, “A Failure of Civility.”  Of course, there are many more things  to do and acquire, but you get the idea.  And depending on where you are, find good trainers and attend their classes.  PA and WV has JC Dodge from Mason Dixon Tactical.   Various parts of the country have John Mosby.  NC/SC/GA/TN have a great resource in the folks who put out, “The Appalachian Messenger.”  There are many more good resources available; our concern is that you get quality training and progress down the road toward skill mastery.  Be picky.  It might mean the difference between getting quality instruction or being simply walked through a skill set with little regard for skill mastery.  And that includes your evaluation of DTG.  If you don’t think we can supply what you need, by all means, go somewhere else that you believe does.  But get good training.

Now that we’ve got the priority list, we start from number 1 and keep working as time and resources allow.  Time equates to exactly that:  Time available that’s not occupied with putting food on the table, paying bills, or otherwise acquiring what is necessary.  This means that the 2 hours spent in front of the boob tube each night have to be used for something else.  This means spending the $500 or more going to a sporting event every other week needs to be redirected on what is essential to protect your precious cargo.  This also means you have to set aside time to study and increase your fitness level.  Yeah, it sucks.  Yeah, it’s a pain.  Yeah, it’s also necessary if you’re going to do what you’ve set out to do for your ‘precious cargo’.

 

It might also mean having a serious discussion with the spouse/significant other on what needs doing and why.  Not easy, to be sure, especially if the ‘other half’ doesn’t see what you see.  But that goes with the territory of being the protector.  Remember, you need to do what will make your wife/SO happy 25 years from now…not necessarily tomorrow or next week.  That might possibly equate to some arctic nights.  But again, you drew the short straw, so accept that and get busy.

While working on the priority list, don’t hyperventilate over things out there designed to get you in a panic.  There’s always an imminent disaster being trumpeted.  The design behind it all, in our very humble opinion, is to paralyze us with fear so that we are more susceptible to give up our birth right:  God given freedom and rights.  This is where the ability to let things roll off your back and stay focused comes in.

Don’t fall prey to the desire to worry yourself into anemia (to quote Auntie Em from, ‘The Wizard of Oz”).  Watch what is happening; don’t listen to what is being said, and take appropriate action.  Get done what you can while you can with what you have.

Stay focused.  You’ll get there.

 

 

 

On the South Carolina Murders…

DTG extends our heartfelt condolences to all those affected by the murder of their loved ones.

The sad fact of the matter is that a church congregation in the midst of a service is a ‘soft target,’ easily attacked.  Without an effective security plan and an armed & trained team, the chances of avoiding such a terrible scenario are significantly diminished.  It doesn’t matter what color the people are who go to a particular church; these kinds of murders are driven by ideology and probability of success.

Any metropolitan Detroit area church that would like to explore the idea of mitigating a threat toward their congregation and explore improving their security assessments, planning, or training is invited to send us a note at dtg@unseen.is , subject line:  Church Security.   There will be no charge for a subsequent initial discussion.