As was mentioned in the part 2 of this article, I believe every family should have a security plan. Now before the idea of this over whelms you, let me continue to explain.
In part 2 of this article we gave ideas for Home, Car, and Family security. We continue here:
Practicing COMSEC and OPSEC=FAMSEC (Communication security, operation security, family security)
Communication security. This is being careful about what you communicate. With social media and what information is available on the internet, COMSEC is more important than ever. (see blog Personal and Family Security, 5/15/2014)
Don’t get too much into any social media that you let down your guard. I even have to watch myself as I write this blog. I don’t use my or my family’s names. I don’t talk about where I live. I’m not specific about where I work. I’m even vague about my military service. I do this because of COMSEC. My wife and I even have a code for texting. I’ve also developed a code to communicate in written or text/email form that would need a key to break. Maybe a sophisticated computer may be able to break it but the average person or invading soldier could not make heads or tails of it.
Operations security. This is being private about what you do and how you do it. No one needs to know we have a generator. I’d rather keep that private even though I wouldn’t mind loaning it to someone in my Ward who really needed it. There are many things you’d probably rather no one, or a limited number of people knew you had or did. For instance. I know someone who takes care of some vending machines. This means they deal with large numbers of cash, mostly coins. This is something they don’t really want others to know. Certainly they would not want to let out the times they service those machines and are dealing with that cash.
This would include your habits. When do you leave the house? Which route do you take? Is it the same every day? Vary these things. Once in a while I will just take a different route to Church. My kids will say, “Here we go again!” Put variety in your comings and goings. Switch vehicles with your spouse or kids once in a while. Be spontaneous not predictable. Be private in your preparedness to a certain point. These things aren’t or don’t necessarily need to be secret, just limited knowledge. I’ve told this story before but it applies here.
I was driving to Wal-mart with my teen aged son one day. We were at a light behind a pick-up. I pointed out to my son what I could learn about that pick-ups owner. From the NRA sticker I knew he was pro-gun. From the Christian fish I knew where his religious leanings were. From his anti-Obama sticker I could guess his politics. From the Viet Nam vet sticker I could guess the man’s age. From the stick figure “family” stickers on his window I learned that he was married, with 3 daughters and 1 son. One of those kids went to a particular high school from another sticker. The truck was probably owned by a man (not necessarily though) but there was a woman driving alone. I told my son “There is waaay too much information on the back of that vehicle!” I have certain political ideas but I don’t broadcast them on my vehicle, as tempted as I have been before. Others knowledge of me should be very vague and unclear. I own several “Gun” t-shirts. I don’t wear them out very often. Maybe I’ll wear them to the range on occasion. I don’t need the world knowing that “bullets make me happy”, even though they do. In the military when traveling on commercial airlines we were told many years ago that we had to be in uniform id traveling for “official” reasons. That changed in the 1980’s. We were told to keep our military ID in our sock or hidden. We were told specifically in a security briefing to not wear a shirt with an American flag or slogan on it. This is OPSEC. By not bringing attention to ourselves as a member of the military, especially travelling out of the U.S., we were safer.
Now when I travel, I try to do the same. I don’t even wear shorts or flip-flops. I want long pants and shoes in case I have to exit the aircraft quickly. (I know, the paranoia is a sickness)
There are times when you need to be open and vocal about what you do and who you are. You pick those times. Don’t let a facebook page or the back of your vehicle dictate when that time is.
COMSEC and OPSEC constitute Family security.
Personal security. This is my favorite. Can you hear me giggle? Actually I just like guns. Personal security consists of many of the principles from the previous areas. One that I must emphasize, and I have before many times, is situational awareness. It’s so easy to be involved with talking with someone, or using your phone, or whatever distraction we can have nowadays, and let that distraction take our attention. Walking into a store, driving, at Church, in a restaurant, any number of public places we go we need to be aware of our surroundings. (see blog Yellow to Orange, 3/8/2014)
I believe in being well rounded in your personal defense. Be familiar with, and trained in, many disciplines and weapons. There are many weapons out there. Pepperspray, stun guns, tactical pens, batons, guns, knives, martial arts. All of these are things you can learn and be proficient in. Seek out the training. Use each weapon to match your situation. Some weapons are less lethal than others. Carry these weapons legally. You must check and know the laws where you live concerning these weapons and their use and carry.
Train with these things often. Seek out good training and trainers. I go to the range quite often and try to stay competent with a gun. I don’t take hand to hand training often enough. I have a friend who teaches this and I need to take advantage. I’ve taught some of these things but need to stay proficient myself. We tend to train if we like what we do. My wife is less enthused about her weapon but knows that practice is important. She doesn’t go to the range as much as I do. Develop a training program and stick to it changing it up occasionally.
How you carry yourself can be a deterrent. If you carry yourself with purpose and head held high that could be enough for a criminal to choose another victim.
Personal security is very important. It’s important to your family that you come home each night. Do not compromise your security with a false sense of security. We are blessed as members of the Church and we should be grateful and act accordingly. This does not mean we rely only on our Heavenly Father. He will take care of us after all we can do. Each family should take their security into their own hands.
I know I talk about material and temporal things here. But last but not least is living with the Spirit to guide you. I’ve been prompted away from an area or building or car because something there was not right. Some people call this you gut feeling. I am here to testify that it is the light of Christ or the Spirit protecting us. Use the Spirit in preparing and putting together your security plan. With God nothing is impossible. Preparing for bad times is something we should all be anxiously engaged in. We should be praying for the best and preparing for the worst.
Semper Paratus
Burn
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