Spy Crap

I just heard from a guy I haven’t heard from in many years. We were in the military together though he was in a different branch than I. He served as a Green Beret for 6 years and then separated from the Army. He was immediately recruited by the CIA. He worked for what is now called the Directorate of Operations, but is still called less formerly Clandestine Service. Spies. He operated out of Europe and Asia through out his career. He is now retired but our paths crossed many times in training. We went through SERE (survival, evasion, resistance and escape) school together. He had experienced the Army’s SERE training and was now going through some other branches programs. We also went through Jump school together. The last time I actually saw him was in a Combat driving course being run by the Department of State in the 80’s. We touch base every few years in one form or another. I always tease him and ask what new thing he has learned about me. Once in a while he comes up with some scary answers. But he’s been away from the “field” for several years and retired as an analyst. As we were taking this “catch-up” time I reminded him of some things he told me in the past. We talked about these skills and things he’s learned through out the years and I finally said, “You need to teach me some of that spy crap!” He laughed and we talked about spy crap some more. I’ve come up with a list that is potentially criminal, but when used by law abiding people can be useful in a grid-down scenario. Tactical Driving There are several driving schools in the U.S. and throughout Europe. They train military, law enforcement, and executive security or “body guards.” These courses are not real expensive (about $400 to $600). If you have the need and the wherewithal I would suggest researching these schools and signing up. I’ve never used what I learned in the driving course I took in real life experiences, but I have played around in the desert with it. It’s fun and I can see several situations where it would save your life. There is a You tube video going around where someone is behind a car that stops on a bridge and attempts to car jack a vehicle behind it. The quick thinking driver rams into the front car and pushes his or her way through. I like the video, but I may have chose a J-turn to get out of that situation. Maybe. Booby-traps Wikipedia says: “A booby trap is a device or setup that is intended to kill, harm, or surprise a human being or an animal.” There are many ideas and books and manuals on this subject on the internet. It would be advantageous to learn some of these traps. Just remember, there are many legal problems that can arise from using these traps. Like anything else on this site, do not do illegal things. Know what is legal and what is not. Some traps are lethal and were developed during war time. Knowingly killing, hurting, maiming, or harming another person is a crime. Know what you are doing and never use these on people, even by accident. Learning how to build and use trap is another skill you may need in the future. In some states or countries these traps may be illegal to build, or process, leave alone use. Bomb making Making, processing, and using explosives requires special training. DO NOT TRY! This is another skill that is potentially criminal but could be handy in a certain situation. The little bomb making skill that I have was from blowing up my back yard as a kid. I also learned a little from my good friend callsign “Det Cord”, short for Detonation cord, or a cord used to blow up bombs. Det Cord had been blowing things up his whole life so it was natural that he became a UXO specialist in the military and on the bomb squad of a large metropolitan city police department. There is a plethora of information about making these devices on the internet. Some information is false and very dangerous. Even the good info is dangerous. It is always best to learn from someone who has been trained and experienced in explosives. There are several schools to become certified in using and disarming explosives. If you are interested in this as a career, then find a school. I’ve been to IED (improvised explosive devise) identification and recognition course a few times but never in the handling of explosives. If you can find someone willing to teach you the basics this would be a very useful skill in a grid down situation. But ensure whatever training you get is from competent, certified, and experienced people. Do NOT try to wing this yourself! Often it is illegal and always is dangerous. Beware of false and bad info on this! There are many books and manuals for this but like I’ve said here several times, some info is bad so be very, very careful, or leave it alone altogether. CALTROPS This is an area denial weapon make up of several sharp spikes arranged in a way that one is always pointed upward. This is a good device to keep vehicles away from your position. These also may be illegal in certain states or countries. I know for instance these are illegal to possess in the state of Texas. I have a friend who could have gotten into a lot of trouble for having these but through the kindness of law enforcement, was not arrested on the spot. He was allowed to destroy what he made in front of the officer. I’m not sure about other states but I imagine there are others. If it is legal, there are many ideas to make caltrops with minimal cost. Lock picking This is a skill that is not illegal to learn or to have the tools, but like many things could be used with nefarious intent. There are many books, videos, and places to get this equipment. Once you learn a little, you’ll never look at your locked items the same again. I would encourage learning his skill. General nastiness There are many books and manuals out there about how to get back at someone or how to make someone pay for what you feel they have done to you. Some of these skills or ideas are handy, some are a useless waste. Take all of this info with a grain of salt. Disguise I would include camouflage (my favorite color!) in this area. Look at what is out there for this skill and practice. Blending in or not being seen are skills that may save you one day. SERE taught me some great ways of doing this. Look at manuals and books and practice this skill. Disappearing There are manuals and books that teach you how to “get away from it all.” Disappearing, going to ground, fading away, is something that has to be planned and carried out with discipline. Escaped prisoners have been caught because they have returned to family, friends, and areas, where they can be found easily. To disappear is to change your identity and life permanently. This is not easy but many of the things that would make a successful disappearing may be useful for certain situations. Smuggling This can be very illegal. Smuggling people in or out of this country, prison, or other situations is criminal. Smuggling illegal things, guns out of this country, drugs into this country, contraband into prison, or helping someone to break out or prison, are all illegal acts. Do not do them! But learning from these illegal acts may be handy one day during without rule of law (WROL). Knowing how to hide things or people and move them may be a necessary activity in WROL. Again, books and manuals on this are all over the internet. Codes Communication is easier now than it ever has been. It’s also a lot less private than it has ever been. Learning and using codes in an important skill that can make all the difference even in todays world. The internet can help. Improvised weapons Learning to make weapons out of everyday things is a great skill that could save your life one day. Almost anything can be a club or a spear, but it takes some thought to make more sophisticated weapons. Books and manuals can help get the inventive juices flowing. These were just some of the skills that Det Cord and I came up with that would cross over into civilian life during a grid down situation. There are probably more that you can come up with. Loompanics Unlimited was a publisher that had been in business from 1972 until 2006. They dealt in topics ranging from survival to conspiracy theories. Most of what they sold was controversial including titles like “Hit Man. A technical manual for independent contractors.” When Loompanics decided to close their doors they sold off most of their inventory to other sellers and publishers. Some of them went to Paladin Press who published and sold books similar to Loompanics. Paladin was in business from 1970 until 2018. They were sued several times for publishing the above book about becoming a hit man. Each time they settled out of court. The two founders split in 1974 because one wanted to continue with publishing and the other wanted to start a magazine which is “Soldier of Fortune” started in 1975. When the two were together the company name was “Panther Publications” but when they split the name was changed to Paladin Press. The owner died suddenly in 2017 and it was decided that Paladin would stop receiving orders on January 31, 2018. Delta Press is very similar to the above companies but I think they have toned down some of the controversial titles like how to make bombs and murder. They still sell some books that originally were sold by Loompanics and Paladin so there is still a great source for some of subjects we listed above. Lots of these books are PDF downloads on the internet. One of the things I worry about is me getting in trouble with the law. Not because I break the law, but because I’m a gun guy and 2nd amendment supporter. I don’t want the jack booted thugs to confiscate my computer and find some of these controversial books or manuals on my computer. When I download this stuff it goes to a stick, I don’t put it on my computer. I also have ways of getting on the internet and downloading that leave no trace of what I’ve done. I may be wasting my time but preparedness can sometimes breed a little paranoia. If you’d like to be this careful too ask someone you know who really knows computers and the internet how you can be careful too. Knowledge trumps gear every time. Some knowledge is on questionable subjects but like a gun, knowledge can be used for good or for ill. Don't break the law and if you're not sure, find out what is legal and illegal. Get more knowledge. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn