OPSEC or Keeping the Car Pool Schedule Secure

I’ve been thinking a lot about OPSEC lately. I know what you’re thinking, “Burn, what in the heck is this military mumbo-jumbo you’re talking about?” And of course you would be right. OPSEC is an acronym for operation security. Now you’re thinking, “What does that have to do with me, living in a small town in Ohio, or a big city in Nevada?” …or where ever you live? “I don’t do any operations!” you might say. And that is where you’re dead wrong. Do you go to work? Do you or your kids go to school? Do you have food storage in your home? Do you have a gun and do you store ammunition? Do you want just anyone knowing the answers to these and many other questions? OPSEC in regular civilian life is basically keeping your mouth shut. And doing the same online. I’m not saying to not have a Facebook page or a Instagram account, I’m just saying don’t put any information, or partial information, online or anywhere for all to see, hear, or know. You don’t have to be paranoid or become a hermit, but you should be careful about who knows what you and your family do. You can still have a car pool, just don’t put the schedule online. You can recommend a business but don’t tell everyone which gym you go to and your schedule for working out. If any of this information is shared, make sure of the integrity of with whom you share. One of the things the military has taught me is that bits and pieces of information about what you and your family do can be compiled with other bits of information to form a bigger picture. For instance, you have some new neighbors. You’ve met them and your kids have played together already. The father drives a Jeep Wrangler and has an NRA sticker on the back window. You’ve also noticed right after Christmas that among the usual Amazon boxes and wrapping paper put out for trash pick up was a long, flat box with “Winchester” on it. You also noticed that your neighbor wears 2nd amendment, and gun manufacturer t-shirts all the time. From these casual observances would you conclude that your neighbor is a hunter or owns guns? With these few things you would probably be right. Whatever you would want to keep private maintaining good OPSEC may be more important than you realize. Especially when it comes to one’s immediate circle of friends (and others) – even those whom you may trust to varying extents. Read that last line a few times. OPSEC became important during the war in Vietnam when military members were too open with what they were involved with. The following is an explanation of the military definition. Identification of Critical information: Critical information is information about friendly intentions, capabilities and activities that allow an adversary to plan effectively to disrupt their operations. Analysis of Threats: A Threat comes from an adversary – any individual or group that may attempt to disrupt or compromise a friendly activity. Analysis of Vulnerabilities: Examining each aspect of the planned operation to identify OPSEC indicators that could reveal critical information and then comparing those indicators with the adversary’s intelligence collection capabilities identified in the previous action. Assessment of Risk: First, planners analyze the vulnerabilities identified in the previous action and identify possible OPSEC measures for each vulnerability. Second, specific OPSEC measures are selected for execution based upon a risk assessment done by the commander and staff. Application of Appropriate OPSEC Measures: The command implements the OPSEC measures selected in the assessment of risk action or, in the case of planned future operations and activities, includes the measures in specific OPSEC plans. Remember the saying from WWII? “Loose lips sink ships.” This is how it can happen even with those you can trust. You mention something to someone in your inner circle. It seemed harmless enough to mention. After all, you trust that person not to blab to the whole world about it, right?. Well here’s the thing… That other person might not have the same level of OPSEC or concern about that particular nugget of information as you do. That info might inadvertently come out during another ‘harmless’ secondary conversation with someone else from THEIR OWN circle of friends. So now that information has been revealed outside your immediate circle. Even if that person who is within the second ring of people is not a blabbermouth, – that person might not realize the OPSEC value of the nugget of information that was casually revealed to them. And then that person might inadvertently (or on purpose?) reveal that information within THEIR OWN own circle (which would now make it three levels away from you). All it takes is one person to potentially take advantage of that information to ‘ruin your day’ so to speak. This seems very vague and broad but this is how information can spread even unintentionally. So how do you function in life with the sword hanging over your head every day? The answer is, “Need to know.” Who needs to know your personal, private life? I’m not saying to be paranoid like me, (tongue in cheek) but rather there are things only you and your family needs to know. Think about you’re about to say, and more importantly, WHO you are saying it to. We live in troubled times. Things seem to be fluid about what society accepts and what others think. To be preparedness minded, or self-sufficiency minded, or even security minded are viewed by many as “extreme”. Politics, your feelings about social issues and even religion are being scrutinized, criticized, and demonized. The security of your family and you personally can change in an instant. Being aware of this and using OPSEC can keep prying eyes, and those “Karens” out of your life and away from you and your family’s business. Be careful out there. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Crazy Ivan Mindset

Thirty-nine years ago this coming May, Lt. Commander Albert Schaufelberger was assassinated in San Salvador in the country of El Salvador on May 25, 1983. Schaufelberger saw his role in El Salvador of preventing a communist takeover of the country for all of the people of El Salvador, not just those of means. He realized, however, that he might be a target of the insurgents, given the success of the weapon interdiction efforts. During his last discussion with journalists covering U.S. advised Salvadoran military operations, Schaufelberger told those present that the insurgents "know who I am, and where I live". His house had apparently already received drive-by gunfire on a recent evening prior to the assassination. Schaufelberger had been dating the manager of a cooperative store, Consuelo Escalante Aguilera for several months and developed a routine of picking her up at the same time and place. On May 25 he arrived and sounded the horn of his armored embassy-provided Ford Maverick, his signal to inform his date that he had arrived. Ms. Aguilera exited her office and observed what she believed to be a white Volkswagen microbus pull up and stop near Schaufelberger's car. Reportedly several individuals were involved with the assassination, with at least one firing through the open window of Schaufelberger's car. Schaufelberger was shot four times in the head. Schaufelberger's car leaped forward, impacting a car directly in front of it. The assassins then jumped into their vehicle and escaped. Unfortunately for him, Schaufelberger had removed the bullet-resistant glass over the driver's-side window after the air conditioner in his vehicle was not working. There was speculation that the A/C had been sabotaged. A group under the umbrella of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN), the Central American Revolutionary Workers' Party (PRTC), is thought to have carried out the act. Complacency kills. RIP Lieutenant Commander Schaufelberger. Hindsight is always 20/20. But had the Commander thought about where he was going and how he did things, he may have lived to make a bigger difference in Central America. Most of us are not being targeted as Lt. Commander Schaufelberger knew he was. But in your own life you should assess your operations security. Your family should do this too. The words “operation security” are just a fancy way of saying being aware of your habits and trends and changing them. Something as simple as changing where you park, or changing the route you take to or from school or work can make a difference. Most criminals are not very bright. But career criminals may have learned their “craft” better over time. If I wanted to rob someone, or kidnap someone, I would watch them for a while. Once you can see that like most human beings your target is a creature of habit, you can devise a trap or ambush that will be more effective than to just hope for an opportunity. This can take in many aspects of our lives. Breaking habitual movement or routines is not hard, but situational awareness must always be maintained. Becoming complacent can kill. Little things make a difference. Had Commander Schaufelberger just made sure that the armored vehicle he drove was well maintained he may have survived. Look at your daily routines. Look at your families routines. Teach them to always be aware, and to make frequent, un-routine changes in how they do things. During the Cold War period, the confrontation between Soviet and US submarines was played out across the Seven Seas. Soviet strategic missile submarines were pursued by US hunter submarines, just as Soviet submarines hunted US ones. As Igor Kurdin, former captain of the К-241, К-84 and К-40 ballistic missile submarines told Russia Beyond, the main task of a nuclear-armed submarine on combat duty was to outrun its pursuers, since a vital strategic strike couldn’t be carried out if there was an enemy submarine on its trail. Winning in this cat-and-mouse game was complicated by the fact that each submarine had a “dead zone” or “baffles” — an area behind the vessel that sonar couldn’t “hear” due to the noise of the mechanisms and propellers. US hunters hid in this zone and followed Soviet strategic submarines unmarked. There was a special tactical maneuver to detect such submarines called “Verify absence of tracking,” Kurdin said. Still, the Americans invented their own name for it — “Crazy Ivan.” It essentially consisted of the submarine executing sharp and frequent course reversals in an underwater position, including 90 and even 180 degree turns, in order to detect objects in the “dead zone” using sonar. Even the cold war Russians knew that complacency kills. By changing their route abruptly, they could be on better guard and more effective in their job. Establish your own Crazy Ivan mindset. Change your course and other things that have become habit. Some may say this is paranoia. Not being complacent is not being paranoid. It is being prepared and careful. Remember that complacency can kill. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Preparing For Conflict: Mindset

Many years ago I found myself in combat. It was my first experience with someone shooting at me and me trying to kill someone. Before then, I was always curious how I would respond in that type of pressure. I did OK but after that first battle I had an adrenaline crash. It happened to me again but by the 3rd firefight I was accustomed to the terror and didn’t have the same crash. I watched some guys completely fold. They were non-functioning until they too were acclimated to the feelings, sounds, and smells of battle. I found that training had a lot to do with how you react. I’d like to share some of what I learned so you can be better prepared for a life threatening situation. First of all is training. You don’t want to have to really think about gripping your gun, drawing, extending, aiming, and pressing the trigger. Most of these things should be like breathing. You should be able to draw and make ready your weapon without really knowing that it’s happening. Understanding fear and how to use it to your advantage, is a skill very few bother to learn. Most people have the normalcy bias, and think nothing will ever happen to them. Admit to yourself you are afraid, then move on. Concentrate your mental energies on the task at hand, not on your fear of death, injury, or loss of ego. Avoid dwelling on the chance of failure. Concentrate on finding a way to win. Take control of yourself. Autogenic breathing is the very best and most efficient way to do this. Focus on getting the job done. Have a Plan B. Always, always, always, expect Plan A to fail. Expect your gun to malfunction. Expect the attacker to stay up after being hit solidly. Expect to be injured. If any of these things occur, have a pre-planned option to continue (Plan B). Turn anger into a motivator. Who does this clown think he is? What makes him think he has the right to (rob/rape/kill/threaten) me? Accept an element of fate in every situation. You can get hurt by accident after doing everything right. Control everything you CAN control (selection of equipment, getting adequate training and practice, being alert, thinking tactically) so there are fewer things you CAN NOT control. Stack the odds in your favor, and fate has a lot less impact. Courage under fire is not a matter of being without fear. It is a matter of being able to control fear and accomplish your mission, which is to stay alive. Only fools are fearless. Training, did I say training? Training! “We don't rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.” ― Archilochus Archilochus was a Greek poet but also a soldier. His combative spirit expressed itself in warfare. He joined the Parian colony on Thasos and battled the indigenous Thracians, expressing himself in his poems as a cynical, hard-bitten soldier fighting for a country he doesn't love ("Thasos, thrice miserable city") on behalf of a people he scorns, yet he values his closest comrades and their stalwart, unglamorous commander. But I think he understood about training. Fear is something that should not be feared (pardon the pun). But should be managed to your advantage. If you’re interested in fear I would recommend the book: “The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence” by Gavin de Becker If you can do these things, you will be better prepared for something that you may never have to deal with. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

"You Can't Handle The Truth!" - Justifying Guns In My Life

I was asked about my beliefs about war, the military, and guns as a Christian, and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was not the first time, and probably won’t be the last. How do I justify causing death, destruction, and killing? I don’t. War sucks. It usually doesn’t do what it set out to accomplish. Yet, I believe there are some things worth fighting for. The problem I have with those that believe in being a pacifist is that one: Christ was not a pacifist, he didn’t ask the money changers nicely if they wouldn’t mind leaving the temple, and two: these people usually have never had their lives or freedom threatened. Now what does this have to do with war? War is complicated. Usually it is not very justified. But I also feel that most citizens cannot make that assessment. Often it’s an emotional response. I do not advocate war but I support the military. These people volunteered to defend you and me. We don’t have to like the politicians and generals that sent them to war or their reasons, but supporting and sustaining the war fighter is imperative. So, how do you defend yourself and your family, or country, and remain a good, and decent human being? I’ve learned to do this through scripture. Alma 44:2, 5 2 Behold, we have not come out to battle against you that we might shed your blood for power; neither do we desire to bring any one to the yoke of bondage. But this is the very cause for which ye have come against us; yea, and ye are angry with us because of our religion. 5 And now, Zerahemnah, I command you, in the name of that all-powerful God, who has strengthened our arms that we have gained power over you, by our faith, by our religion, and by our rites of worship, and by our church, and by the sacred support which we owe to our wives and our children, by that liberty which binds us to our lands and our country; yea, and also by the maintenance of the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness; and by all that is most dear unto us— Alma 46:12, 13, 20 12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole. 13 And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land— 20 Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them. This is how we justify carrying a weapon. This is how I have answered those who say I am not Christian if I am willing to do violence. This is the kind of man I strive to be. As was Moroni. Some would say “But you are not fighting for liberty. You are not at war.” I would beg to differ. Crime and terrorism deprives us of our liberty and our God given rights. When we defend ourselves against crime and terrorism we are defending our liberty. There are also those who threaten our God-given rights. They think they know better than God. Christ taught peace in almost every aspect of his ministry. John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” President Howard W. Hunter said: “Peace can come to an individual only by an unconditional surrender—surrender to him who is the Prince of peace, who has the power to confer peace.” Matthew 5:44 “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Is there any question that the “Prince of Peace” wants us to embrace peace? But peace is not merely the absence of violence. The peace Christ offers is the peace of the atonement and of a way back to the father. So considering the Saviors teaching can we ever consider violence to defend ourselves? I think we can. Alma 43 9 And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires. 13 And the people of Ammon did give unto the Nephites a large portion of their substance to support their armies; 17 And Moroni took all the command, and the government of their wars. And he was only twenty and five years old when he was appointed chief captain over the armies of the Nephites. 18 And it came to pass that he met the Lamanites in the borders of Jershon, and his people were armed with swords, and with cimeters, and all manner of weapons of war. 19 And when the armies of the Lamanites saw that the people of Nephi, or that Moroni, had prepared his people with breastplates and with arm-shields, yea, and also shields to defend their heads, and also they were dressed with thick clothing— They had taken time and resources to make their weapons. The people of Ammon had given a large portion of their substance so Moroni had them make great preparations. Were the Nephites war-like? They were not. They were not “men of blood”. Alma 44 1 And it came to pass that they did stop and withdrew a pace from them. And Moroni said unto Zerahemnah: Behold, Zerahemnah, that we do not desire to be men of blood. Ye know that ye are in our hands, yet we do not desire to slay you. Moroni teaches us a great lesson in defense here. He knows that seeking after someone’s death for revenge or retribution or to get a thrill is not what we should desire. Keep that in mind if you train for defense. Don’t let your training turn you into “men of blood.” To be defensive takes a little guts. It takes some aggressiveness. If someone is squeamish or timid about violence then in my experience that person will probably die. It takes some forcefulness to defend. Often if there is hesitation that is the last thing one might do. I’m not saying you have to be a battle hardened soldier, but you must have a capacity for violence. Believe it or not, you can be meek, mild, and humble and still handle violence. If Moroni can do it, so can we. We as humans on this earth regard death as so horrible. I’m not saying we should not cherish life, we should. But death to our Heavenly father, and in the eternal scheme of things, is just another step. It’s scary to the living because it is the unknown. Caring for each other as brothers and sisters is one of the things we came to this world to learn to do. But to continue to care for each other and our families, and to do the Lord’s work it would be good to remain here to complete our missions. This is why we should defend. If someone comes at you with a knife and you don’t have a knife or the skill to use one, you will not be able to defend yourself. Please don’t depend on someone else. The Police really aren’t there to defend you, although faced with it, they would courageously. But there are not enough police for each of us to have a body guard. The responsibility lies with us. We cannot shirk or pass this duty off to someone else. Many try but when it comes down to it, unless you’re paying someone to be your, or your families, personal security, it’s not going to happen. Should an attack come, bad things will happen to good people. In this country there is little of that going on although it seems to be worsening. Do not mistake preparing to defend with wanting something to happen. Don’t let that happen to you. I have watched those preparing so long for something that they just want it to happen so they can respond. I understand having to be “on” so much in training to where you might want the event to just come. But we must not want it to come. It may come, but don’t hasten the day. Prepare but don’t let the preparation get the best of you. This is why I justify violence. Many cannot stomach violence. I understand. But don’t hate those who are willing to give violence against those coming for you. Just as the fictitious Col Jessup said in the movie “A Few Good Men”, “we live in a world that has walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it?... You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall -- you need me on that wall.” Now this character was a bit too arrogant for my taste but I do understand and agree with the basic sentiment. So don’t be one of those who “…can’t handle the truth!” That’s how I justify guns in my life. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Firearm Safety Is Never A Joke

I was at the range the other day. As I prepared to shoot I carefully brought out the three handguns I was going to shoot. Two autos and one revolver. I’m not much of a revolver person but I feel I need to be more competent with one so I’ve included it in my training for a while now. As I took each weapon out of its case I thought about the tragedy that happened with an actor shooting and killing an assistant director and injuring the director. I know that morning no one thought they would be facing a life or death event that day. I don’t want this to be a political article but in some ways it must be addressed. I’m not anti-Alec Baldwin. I don’t agree with his politics and he seems like a typical arrogant left leaning celebrity. But I really don’t know the guy. What I do know is that he is anti-gun. He’s ranted about it before. But he is so anti that the numerous times he’s had training with firearms he’s blown it off. He broke the gun handling safety rules because of an antagonistic view of guns. Had he been serious he would not have broken every rule. After hearing other actors who have talked about the armorers they have worked with before, it seems the armorer on this movie was less than adequate. I don’t have any clue what it’s like to work on a movie set. I can only imagine. But I am a gun instructor. I know what it’s like to try to teach people who don’t really care about what you’re teaching or are very unfamiliar with what you’re teaching. There have been numerous times I’ve frustrated students because I would ask about the safety rules over and over throughout their training. I had one guy say to me, “We know the rules already!” I saw him several years later and he understood why I kept repeating and have the students repeat the 4 safety rules. These rules are: 1. All guns are always loaded. 2. Never let the muzzle cover (point at) anything you don’t want to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target. 4. Be sure of your target and beyond the target. All of these rules support each other and give us several layers of ensured safety. Using the “safety” on a gun is always a risky thing. When I was an instructor in the military I tested this theory. We were in between classes with our range M-16’s waiting for another class to start. I went through each gun and loaded each with one round. We put each gun on safe and then proceeded to walk down the firing line pulling each trigger. Of the 10 weapons we had, 3 shot the only round it was loaded with. We took those guns out of service and replaced them. Now these guns were well used, but always clean and maintained. Do not trust a mechanical safety. Be like “Hoot” in the movie Blackhawk Down. When an officer questions why he has his weapon off of “safe” he puts his finger up and bends it like he’s pressing a trigger and says, “This, is my safety Sir!” Being safe with a firearm should be something that is taught from a young age. I have several kids who are now all adults. But each of them, the boys and the girls, learned gun safety at the age of 8. Some of them are still into guns as an adult, some are not. But all of them have a knowledge of safety that they will never forget. I still test them to this day. “There’s a gun on the bed. Show me how you handle it and clear it.” Often they roll their eyes at me, but they always comply and show me proper gun handling safety. As prevalent as guns are, I believe gun safety should be taught to all. Many people I have known, including my own Mom, are afraid of guns. Once they learn that a gun is a tool that can be dangerous if not used correctly, like a power tool, they are less afraid and more confident. I know most people won’t become gun people like I have been, and I don’t expect that. But everyone should have a basic knowledge of how to handle, clear (ensure the weapon is not loaded), and secure a gun. As a child it could save your life, as an adult it can save others lives. As I see those opposed to guns constantly break the safety rules I’m convinced that often they are the problem, not those who own guns and handle them a lot. Be safe no matter what your feelings for firearms are. Get safety training and practice this training with a hot glue gun if that’s what you’ve got. I’ve noticed that when I pick up anything that is designed like a gun, I find myself performing the safety rules that were pounded into my brain as a kid, and that I have tried to teach others for many years. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Distance: Friend or Foe?

We all have our preconceived notions of how we=d react in a violent encounter, but the truth is that we=ll never truly know until we=re put in that exact situation. I’ve written, talked about, taught, and drove my family and others crazy with my advocating a color code to describe a person=s state of mind. Not so much in regards to a level of alertness, but purely the mental state. I met and was taught by Col. Jeff Cooper. He was a fine human being as well as a wonderful instructor. In his book “Principles of Personal Defense” he taught what has been come to be known as the Cooper Color Code Condition White B You are unprepared and unready to take lethal action. If you are attacked in White you will probably die unless your adversary is totally inept. Condition Yellow B You bring yourself to the understanding that your life may be in danger and that you may have to do something about it. Condition Orange B You have determined upon a specific adversary and are prepared to take action which may result in his death, but you are not in a lethal mode. Condition Red B You are in a lethal mode and will shoot if circumstances warrant. The body alarm response is what naturally happens to your body during an elevated state of awareness and the adrenaline dump that comes with a stressful, fearful, or dangerous event. This is typically referred to as Afight or flight,@ but more appropriately described as body alarm response. During a body alarm response, the characteristics exhibited are rapid heartbeat and it=s counterpart, rapid breathing; tingling of the extremities, degradation in fine motor skills, tunnel vision and that sinking sensation in your stomach. You should embrace these characteristics as your body=s early warning system and be glad they=re working, not let them control you and succumb to the Afear@ you might think this means. Blood is drawn into your core from your extremities (that tingling sensation and possibly numbness), you may recall the smallest of details during this heightened level of awareness. Blood being drawn away is also what can cause loss of fine motor skills, which aren=t as Afine@ as you might expect. There are ways to control body alarm response though, meaning that through training and preparing yourself, you can mitigate it=s effects. One of the most powerful training tools is embracing it. Breathing is one way. I’ve heard this referred to as “tactical breathing”. I heard this taught in the military and whenever it is taught with this nomenclature I have to smile. Many years ago my first of many slice elements (children) were born. In the 80’s we went to what was called “La Maze” classes. This program still exists but is used a lot less. None of my daughters have had the training from a class, but only from FLAG, my wife. In this class breathing is emphasized. It is in essence, tactical breathing. Breathing through the pain of labor. It does work and I would recommend it. One very late night of work brought me to this service station. I had a tire that kept going low on me. I also kept putting off fixing it. I was actually glad the air was off on the edge of the parking lot away from the building. That way I could see all around me clearly. Unfortunately I did not have enough change to “buy” air. I had to walk into the building to get the required change for the machine. I thought about just forgetting the whole thing but then I looked again at the tire and saw that it was quite low. Even if I just went home where I had my own compressor, I’d have to run on that tire and I wasn’t comfortable with that. As I was approaching the store I saw a man get out of a late model vehicle that I noticed had out of state license plates on it. He was walking briskly toward me even as I angled away from him hoping he would go into the store. As he approached me I thought to myself “watch his hands”. I put up one of my hands and said “Stop!” probably more forcefully than I had intended. At this point stopped with his hands down by his side, while stating ADo you know if there=s a Walmart aroundY@ I cut off his question and said, AJust wait right there and I=ll answer your question.@ My right hand was near my gun. His immediate response was to put both his hands up and say AOk, I was just trying to find the WalmartY I found the HEB, I just can=t find the Walmart.@ By now I think he realized that I didn=t like him invading my personal space and he finally seemed aware of me putting distance between us. I gave him some simple directions to Walmart, but was very short with him, continuing to watch his body position. After he said thanks for the directions, he turned around and walked back to his car. After getting change, I exited the building. Ensuring to keep my head on a swivel all the way back to my vehicle I didn=t see the stranger or his car again. I brushed off the encounter until I was back in my vehicle and on the road. It was then I really took stock of what happened and the indicators that warranted my elevated condition. I truly feel that my actions prevented me from becoming a victim, or at least made me appear to be a hard target. I think this was an innocent event. I think he honestly needed directions. I wanted to share my story with you, because I think it helps to reinforce how important it is to listen to the Spirit and an example of how your conditioning and training can take over, even when you don=t plan for it to. I think that If I hadn=t mentally rehearsed this scenario thousands of times in my head and been exposed to it during my training, the outcome would have been dramatically different. In a perfect world, I=d like to say that I follow the 21 ft. theory. It states that a healthy adult male can cover the distance of 7 yards (about 21 ft.) in 1.5 seconds. Coincidently, that=s also about how many seconds it takes to draw a sidearm and put two rounds center mass on a human-size target at 7 yards. You make that quickly approaching adult male an armed attacker and you can see why it=s called the 21 ft. rule. Realistically, we allow people within this 21 ft. perimeter each and every day; for me this day was no exception. Putting distance between myself and this stranger was also something I’m glad I did. Remember that moving backwards is never a good thing. If you=re moving in reverse, things come from behind. But I also feel that moving back is the natural thing that most people do if they are not comfortable. I’ve also learned by experience that distance is not always what you’re looking for. In a gun fight, you don’t always want distance unless you are trying to break contact with your attacker. In combat, you usually maneuver for closer position. But when we talk defense, distance is always your friend. If I am in a firefight and I want out, I want to put as much distance between me and my attacker. If I have moved from Yellow to Orange, I want distance between the threat and me. The importance of situational awareness then comes directly into play. If you forsee a possible threat, you can begin to widen the distance to it. So to answer the title question, is distance friend or foe, I would say in most cases distance is your friend. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Map Reading and A Threat Map

I listened to a story of one of my Scouts one time. He told of being with his family traveling in a car. They got to a place where they weren’t sure about where they were. In the story the boy says that his father’s phone did not have service so they could not get a map on his phone and his mother’s phones battery was dead. I asked why they didn’t have a car charger? He didn’t know. I asked why they didn’t have a map? He didn’t know. His father is an Air Force pilot! I was dumbfounded. The lack of foresight was quite blatant. They obviously survived the incident. He was telling me the story. But having a clear idea of where you’re going and how you’ll get there is always important. So is knowing what you’re preparing for. Risk analysis can only be performed if you know what the risks are. This is why a threat map might be a good idea. So what are you going to mark on your threat map, and how should you do it? If you are using an electronic map, you can use any built-in tools on your mapping app, if you have them, or convert the map into a file format compatible with a graphics editing tool. Paper maps have more options. If you are marking on the map directly, you can use whatever you want; pens, pencils, markers, highlighters and crayon are all viable. Take care that what you use to write on your map does not bleed so badly that it obscures anything important on the front or back of the map. You might try overlaying the map with clear page protector or acrylic sheet to allow you to write on it with dry erase markers or grease pencils. This has the advantage of allowing you to change and update your markup as your plans and threats evolve without using a new map, but obviously markings of this kind are not indelible, so you’ll need to protect your map a little more from anything that could wear or wash your markup away. Before you go jotting down whatever crosses your mind onto your map, take a minute to gather your thoughts and align them with your goals: what do you intend to accomplish with your threat map? What details are most important to you? Will you be recording a lot of data or only a little on it? How will you indicate the data; color, pattern, symbol, or something else? Your map should be easy to understand at a glance, if only to you. Adopt a system for your markup and if you have a variety of colors, patterns and symbols included consider creating a legend for the map. Below are a few items you might consider marking on your map, and my thoughts on indicating each that can serve as a guideline for creating your own. Don’t be afraid to deviate from my recommendations; I am not using any standardized, official methodology, military regulation markings or anything else. Such things may add value for some, but for the majority of civilian preppers they are unnecessary. Areas in your locale that have a reputation for turning out criminal activity should be marked on your map, as any event that halts police activity or provides cover for criminal enterprise will see crimes increase, often with areas immediately around bad sectors affected the worst and quickest. You should be avoiding these parts of town at any rate if you have any choice in the matter. I like to mark the coarse boundary of these areas in orange on my maps, and lightly shade the interiors or run a few hazard stripes through it. Keep in mind that crime is not delineated by any “border” streets, and will readily spill over into more affluent or safe areas during or after a crisis. A good neighborhood is only good until some scumbag strolls into it. You should have a minimum of two routes into and out of town from your home or workplace marked on your threat map, with attention paid to likely sources of slowdown or any bottlenecking that may occur. Pay attention also to putting as much distance between your route and any rough parts of town as possible. Think carefully about how your route will be affected by a mass of panicking, fleeing people, or which ones might be shutdown or throttled by authorities in a crisis. I highlight my routes in light blue, and fill in any detours as a dashed line that will take me around potential roadblocks or similar obstructions. Narrow roads, bridges, and traffic-prone thoroughfares may become easily blocked or vehicle restricted in an emergency. Additionally roads and paths that are easily to render impassible should be illustrated also if they are a potential route out of town or to home, ones that have such features as very steep shoulders, flood easily or are lined with large trees . Any of those may become showstoppers for all but the most capable vehicles. I mark these items in red along my blue route shading, and usually with a tiny illustration of the hazard for easy ID at a glance. You don’t need to go overboard and do this for the entire map, only the routes that will see you in or out of town. I mark all safe havens where I can expect security, resupply or other aid on my map in green with a small note if the map does not have a symbol for it already. Things like hospitals, police and fire stations, EMS stations and city government installations. I also mark locations of my closest friends and family members where I know I can get a port in a storm, and to make sure I can find an alternate route to them in case they are imperiled. Now, I am aware that some folks consider major government and civic installations to be places to avoid in a disaster for a variety of reasons, from disease or possible targets (or dealers) of violence. This is a personal choice, but I advocate that we prepare for what threats are most likely to occur. Following that reasoning, most situations will see any of the above as centers where you can get aid or rescue, and I plan accordingly. Mark any natural terrain feature or man-made structure that could feature prominently in a crisis as a major source of danger on your map. This could be things like a nuclear or chemical plant that will release who-knows-what onto the wind if it should explode or burn, or a floodplain around a river that becomes notoriously impassible after heavy rains. Near mountains you might mark the paths of likely avalanches, or areas most vulnerable to lahars or pyroclastic flows near a volcano. Know what the biggest threats are in your area and understand how far their effects can reach. I mark these hazards in brown according to the nature of the threat. I will outline a floodplain or landslide zone like I do a high crime area. I will mark man-made installations with a symbol representing them and then an arc of projected effect according to the most common prevailing wind conditions in my locale. This lets me plan my movement or escape according to what areas are most likely to be impacted or rendered impassible. You should obviously change your priorities if you find out your home or office is in any of these affected zones. These are some other things to consider on your map. • locations of ATMs, in case they’re working and you need to make a quick cash withdrawal • locations of vending machines, so you can grab a few extra supplies • roads with steep slopes, because they might be hard to drive through, particularly during winter (unless you have solid 4X4 vehicle) As your plans change and threats evolve or recede, update your map. Also update your map with any observations that might indicate a new threat or point of concern. If you notice a road dealing with much more traffic than before and backing up a regular basis, you can depend on it being far worse in an actual disaster. Change your route, or just mark the sluggish stretch by itself. Places and buildings that are regular sites of protest should be marked as hazard zones, or perhaps removed from your list of safe havens if they were one before. You don’t need anything to do with teeming masses of stressed-out, agitating people in kind times, much less when the stakes are far higher. When updating your map, don’t make too many corrections, mark-outs, strikethroughs and the like before ditching it and recreating it. All those marks and scribbles get confusing quickly. If you used an erasable ink or grease then you are good to go, obviously, but take care that you completely obliterate any prior markup that needs removal. A crisis is no time to second guess that dashed line or errant squiggle. Once your map is updated and set the way you can make use of it, back it up. Make a high-res copy or scan it to a device so you can make use of it no matter how you are travelling. Put a copy in your BOB and vehicle. You might consider laminating a paper map if it is not weather resistant or placing it in a heavy-duty map case. Consult it regularly when trouble is brewing, even if just on the horizon. All that time and research will pay off when you need to decide on a course of action quickly and your map can help you do it. A threat map is not just a prop for the deranged and paranoid survivalist. A threat map, made with care and intelligence, is a valuable asset for risk-mitigation and disaster planning. Tailor yours to support your goals and you’ll greatly enhance your personal readiness. As a side note, learning to use a map goes without saying. A regular road map works fine but a topographical map gives you more information and you can navigate with compass anywhere. But this type of map reading and navigation takes a little training to know what you’re doing. It’s not difficult to learn but it does require some effort and practice. It is a less known skill as we are in this electronic GPS world. The problem is, like my story at the beginning of this article electronics can fail. This is a skill you can teach your kids. I first was exposed to this as a Boy Scout. As you teach your kids you can make it fun for them. It can be a competition or not. Go to a park or other open area and make your own map of the area. Then devise a compass course for your kids to practice on. I think the Boy Scouts and the military are the only ones that teach this anymore. Don’t let it become a lost skill. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Defend The Faith, Defend The Church!

Defend the church "Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them." —Jeffrey R. Holland First and foremost know that everything that I present here is my opinion and my interpretation of scripture and leaders’ words. I don’t want to lessen my resolve and feeling that the way I see it is true with a disclaimer, but I want to be clear these are only my thoughts. I’ve seen this politically correct (PC) statement for some time called “crisis of faith.” I do not subscribe to this point of view. I do not believe in a crisis of faith (COF). I believe that some people may have questions and may not have a very strong testimony, but this COF business to me is a PC way of saying “I’m weak and vulnerable and some yahoo showed me a snippet of information or a quote that has me doubting.” Or worse, “I’ve just learned (through some “helpful” ex-member) of a policy that doesn’t agree with my present narrative of how the Church should handle fill in the blank.” I’m not saying someone can’t have their beliefs challenged because I know that you can. I’m saying that some people are shaken pretty easily. It’s not easy to be an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It takes faith. And faith requires action. And action usually is work. Changing our lives to be more in line with our Heavenly father is sometimes painful. But, of course, it’s always worth it. In these troubled times the current political climate directs many to man-made ideas and wrong roads to follow. I’ve watched it many times. Apostasy starts in small, seemingly innocent, ways. If a person can ground their testimony in Christ, not necessarily in the Church, church policy, or even leaders, then a foundation will be more difficult to shake. I’m not saying a testimony that the Church is true or that we have living prophets, seers, and revelators is not important. It is. But without a foundation in Christ, it’s easy to lose faith in people and organizations. This is why it is important to defend our faith and our Church. Many years ago as I was serving my mission I starting to collect anti-Mormon material. This was pre-internet and information was slow in moving. I didn’t obsess over it, I just happened to have it reach my hands. I had the largest collection of anti-Mormon material in the mission. I bequeathed it all to my last area and hopefully they just disposed of it. I also didn’t study the information very much. It’s not very deep and they quote each other. Nothing has changed except it has moved to the internet. The anti-Mormon movement has become more sophisticated, but the foundation has not changed. In the 70’s and 80’s it was “The Godmakers”. Now it’s “The CES Letter”. In “The Daily Beast” an article by Tarpley Hitt titled The Bizarre Cult of #DezNat: Alt-Right Mormons Targeting Porn and the LGBTQ Community Updated Jan. 28, 2019 12:01PM ET / Published Jan. 24, 2019 5:15AM ET (https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-cult-of-deznat-alt-right-mormons-targeting-porn-and-the-lgbtq-community) In this article Hitt described a hashtag that was started in August 2018 by @JPBellum. “In early January, a post appeared on the Twitter account @MormonQueerconf, a page devoted to anonymous confessions from LGBTQ members of the Mormon Church, about a new hashtag circulating in LDS Twitter: #DezNat. “I am ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED of #deznat,” the post read. “I feel like it’s only one meltdown away from being the one who ends up killing someone like me.”” The article is pretty good about covering #DezNat’s origins, but rather than reporting Hitt decided she doesn’t believe the creator of the hashtag and that it has some ominous meaning or purpose on Twitter. I also found this article to be more about what former members and anti-Mormons think of Dez Nat rather than members that use the hashtag. Just by the title of the article it’s clear of Hitt’s opinion rather than an objective, journalistic view. But this is typical of most media these days. I suppose she would lump me in with alt-right Mormons but frankly, I’m not that concerned about the media, especially internet media. The only reason I mention this is I like the original idea of the hashtag. It was created to identify those willing to defend the Church. It has been used by all kinds including those that believe it stands for Deseret Nationalism and has acquainted it with skinhead-Nazi-anti everything stupidity. I do not believe this hashtag means those things. DezNat is something that I feel is needed. People defending the Church online. Wikipedia says this about DezNat: “#DezNat (shortened from Deseret Nation) is a Twitter hashtag created in 2018 by Twitter user JP Bellum, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church); Bellum stated the hashtag recognizes faithful Church members as "a unique people and should be united spiritually, morally, economically, and politically behind Christ, the prophet, and the church." It also refers to a loosely affiliated group of likeminded Church members who use the hashtag. It is considered by press outlets, such as The Daily Beast and The Daily Utah Chronicle, to be an alt-right, white nationalist hashtag. Many users of the hashtag disagree with these accusations. According to Bellum, "#DezNat is not endorsed by the LDS Church or its leadership. Instead it is the idea that devout members ought to work together to support the church, its doctrines, and each other, on social media and in their communities to further build the Kingdom of God.” Many have been called progmos or progressive mormons. I believe these people exist. I’m sure you have come across them. They seem to know more than the rest of us because they are “woke”. It’s my opinion that they don’t last as members but will fall away or leave the Church in other ways. Then they become exmos (ex-mormons) which of course is a former member of the Church. Some exmos move on with their lives but some can’t help but become antimos (anti-mormons). This is one who speaks out and fights against the Church. They can leave the church but they cannot leave the church alone. I do not believe in violence for violence sake. I do believe in neutralizing the threat. I do not think we need to defend the Church with violence. That may come but that day is not today. I do not agree with those that want to commit violence against those they feel are not welcome into the Church. What kind of crap is that? Defend, yes. And I’ve got to ask. What do these guys really know about violence or killing? Have they ever really been involved in either or are they just macho idiots who think it’s no big deal to harm or kill another human being. These are light thinkers who need to talk to someone who has experienced violence, and have been preparing for it, a large part of their life. So what do I mean by defend? It is just that. Do not allow derogatory remarks without some type of defense. If detractors know that there will be a consequence with every jab, they might think again. At the very least, detractors and anti’s will know they’re not just dealing with meely-mouthed little snowflakes. On August 23, 2021 an Apostle, Elder Jeffery R Holland, gave a devotional at BYU Provo. He spoke about how BYU has changed and how it needs to be. I believe because of some members and non-members, BYU has had this change come about. Because liberal, or extreme left, ideologies have crept into this school, it is no longer what it used to be. BYU doesn’t always uphold the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is in some areas with some professors and students. I believe it should be rooted out, and I believe Elder Holland agrees. This talk was very controversial. Many members (my guess is progmos and other left leaners) had a real problem with it. I believe Elder Holland wants a change at BYU. He defends the gospel tirelessly. Detractors of the gospel already have hit Elder Holland and his “militant” attitudes. John Dehlin, one of my favorite exmos, did one of his shows “Mormon Stories”on this very talk. He called it “Losing control over Mormon LGBTQ support at BYU”. Believe me. If people supported Elder Holland and then heard this talk and no longer support him, I have doubts about the original support. What do people think? That this great apostle is giving new ideas? He signed the Family Proclamation. His views have not changed. Again I commit this challenge to you from Elder Holland in 2014: “Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them.” But in his BYU devotional in August 2021 he spoke of defending as did the builders of the Nauvoo temple “who worked with a trowel in one hand and a musket in the other.” He told of this quote coming from Neal A Maxwell. I could not find this in a talk by Elder Maxwell but he is quoted on a BYU website as saying it. I think it’s in reference to Nehemiah 4:17: “They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.” Brigham Young uses this in Journal of Discourses: “…the great Prophet Joseph, in the stone quarry, quarrying rock with his own hands; and the few then in the Church, following his example of obedience and diligence wherever most needed; with laborers on the walls, holding the sword in one hand to protect themselves from the mob, while they placed the stone and moved the trowel with the other, (Neh. 4:17) the Kirtland Temple—the second House of the Lord, that we have any published record of on the earth, was so far completed as to be dedicated.” JD Vol2 Num 6, Brigham Young, April 6, 1853 I might update that statement to “Holding an AR15 in one hand, while holding a DeWalt impact drill in the other.” Some may read this article and believe that I am condoning violence. No, I am not. I’m sure some of the name-calling will happen too. I have spent a lot of time in the military and working on military bases and posts, but I don’t consider myself militant. But I have seen real violence up close and personal. I don’t care to see it again. Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is, engage first. This is not defense of this church. I’m not sure, and I hope, I’ll never have to defend this church with physical violence. But I will defend it with all the training, experience, knowledge, and faith that I have. Others should too! Be a thundering voice for the gospel! Be nice, but defend! Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

"Run, Hide, Fight" Can Kill You

I just went through this training again. Run, Hide, Fight! I am re-posting this article from December 2019 about the flaws in this training that is used so often. In 2017 in a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas 2 people were killed but the gunman was killed by a parishioner who had volunteered to be on a security team. There is video of the shooting if you can handle that sort of reality. This made me think about the governments "Run, Hide, Fight" (RFH) campaign. The shooting in Texas was over in seconds. The RFH would have done no one any good. Security on the spot made the difference. There were 7 people armed in that church that we can see in the video. These church security teams have some type of training usually. There was 250 people in that church. Two were killed before the gunman was stopped by someone else with a gun. I have worked for the federal government in one capacity or another my entire adult life. The training we receive is RFH. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have also adopted this training. I fear for those who put so much stock in this training. Let me explain why. RFH is a soft response to hard violence. The problem with RFH is that it does not teach about the extreme violence that a mass shooter is. It does not teach the importance of being ready mentally for this type of attack. It does not talk about the normalcy bias that most people experience during a violent encounter. Living in North America most people are relatively safe most of the time and their "normal" does not involve violence. I think that's one of the great benefits of living in the U.S. But it does foster an inadequate mindset of "All is well." This can be dangerous because there is usually a Afreeze@ before the fight or flight response. That is sometimes precious seconds that could be used to run or hide. This is a definition of the freeze from a 2010 article by Dr. David Golstein "The fight-or-flight response, also known as the acute stress response, refers to a physiological reaction that occurs in the presence of something that is terrifying, either mentally or physically. The response is triggered by the release of hormones that prepare your body to either stay and deal with a threat or to run away to safety." Most people are not prepared for this response and so often nothing actually happens which is what we call freeze. That's where the ADeer in the headlights@ look can come from. It's too bad that RHF doesn=t acknowledge something that most people will experience. There are ways to learn to control this reaction and it has to with a mindset. Preparing for this type of event in your mind can make a difference. Thinking of scenarios AIf someone comes in that door and does this, I=ll do this@ can help if ever faced with the real thing. I know you can't imagine every scenario, but just thinking of a few will put you much further ahead than you would be. It also gives your mind somewhere to go during this type of event that may keep you from freezing. It does work and is used to train tactical teams. I used to teach a tactical response class in the military. I would use an air horn at a particularly quiet moment to demonstrate the way something unusual can get your adrenalin pumping. It was interesting to see the reaction from some battle experienced people who were told it was coming! Another problem with RHF is that it fosters a "checklist" attitude. These events are situationally driven. Sometimes you may have to go straight to Fight because the situation warrants it. But the way RHF is taught Fight is a "last resort". That is not reality and so it teaches you can't fight yet because you haven=t exhausted the run and hide options yet. This can get you killed. It should be taught "Run or Hide or Fight" to be of any advantage to a victim. The RHF system also creates a victim right away without even giving anyone a chance at something else. It creates a non-aggressive mindset when there are many scenarios where those being attacked should be in a self-defense mode rather than a "roll-over-you're-dead" mode. For some reason the general public in the U.S. have this idea that only law enforcement can or will defend you. Law enforcement is the best in the world in this country. But unless you carry an officer in your back pocket or bag they are minutes away! There are politicians and snowflakes out there that would have you believe that only the police can use violence to defend you. Most law enforcement will agree that is simply not true, yet it is still perpetuated. "Don't fight with your attacker, give them what they want." A purse or wallet is one thing but a woman's virtue is something else! Don't let this false training deceive you! Since Columbine law enforcement has changed its tactics with mass shooters. They used to establish a secure perimeter and wait for SWAT to take out a killer. No longer do they do this. Many people have died with this tactic. Law enforcement has changed, and you should too. Don't let anyone teach you that running and hiding are the first things you should do in an active shooter situation. Don't misunderstand, running and hiding are very good options. They can save many lives. But situational awareness is the most important skill along with a quick threat assessment. Learn about your options. Get trained so that when fight is the best and first option, you=ll be ready. Try to teach others, politicians and leaders, that gun free zones are where people die. Give us the options to get trained and to defend ourselves. If there is one thing we can learn from the tragedy in another Texas Church, it's that someone armed and even trained basically can save lives and make the difference. Don=t be a victim, get training and practice what you learn. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn PS I do not think RHF training is very good, but it is something. Take out some of the flaws and include situational awareness and this would be better training. You can do this yourself. Take lame training, and turn it into something that makes a difference.

Remember 20 Years Ago, And 9 Years Ago, Never Forget

The other day I was at work a little late. That meant I left work later than usual. I work on a federal installation that is run mostly by the military. That means that every morning and every night the flag is raised and lowered. If you have ever spent much time on any military base you will know that for a few minutes each day, tribute is given to our nation and to its flag. Traffic stops, and the vehicle occupants sit quietly to pay respect. Where ever people are walking, they stop, face toward the main flag pole and salute or stand reverently with their hand over their heart. I experienced this for the millionth time that evening. While I was sitting in my car, I thought that nowhere else that I know of does everything stop to recognize and revere AOld Glory@ and this great country. It made me proud to be an American! How many Americans really understand the meaning of this symbol of our liberties and freedom? How many Americans know how to treat this symbol? We are going to give you a brief lesson on how to treat the flag. Flag Etiquette and standards of respect The Flag Code, which formalizes and unifies the traditional ways in which we give respect to the flag, also contains specific instructions on how the flag is not to be used. They are: The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal. The flag should not be used as a drapery, or for covering speakers, draping a platform, or for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top. The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations. The flag should never have placed on it, or attached to it, any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind. The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything. When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously. The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary. When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. Displaying the Flag Outdoors: When the flag is displayed from a staff projecting from a window, balcony, or a building, the union should be at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half staff. When it is displayed from the same flagpole with another flag - of a state, community, society or Scout unit - the flag of the United States must always be at the top except that the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for Navy personnel when conducted by a Naval chaplain on a ship at sea. When the flag is displayed over a street, it should be hung vertically, with the union to the north or east. If the flag is suspended over a sidewalk, the flag's union should be farthest from the building. When flown with flags of states, communities, or societies on separate flag poles which are of the same height and in a straight line, the flag of the United States is always placed in the position of honor - to its own right...The other flags may be smaller but none may be larger...No other flag ever should be placed above it...The flag of the United States is always the first flag raised and the last to be lowered. When flown with the national banner of other countries, each flag must be displayed from a separate pole of the same height. Each flag should be the same size. They should be raised and lowered simultaneously. The flag of one nation may not be displayed above that of another nation. Raising and Lowering the Flag: The flag should be raised briskly and lowered slowly and ceremoniously. Ordinarily it should be displayed only between sunrise and sunset. It should be illuminated if displayed at night. The flag of the United States of America is saluted as it is hoisted and lowered. The salute is held until the flag is unsnapped from the halyard or through the last note of music, whichever is the longest. Displaying the Flag Indoors: When on display, the flag is accorded the place of honor, always positioned to its own right. Place it to the right of the speaker or staging area or sanctuary. Other flags should be to the left. The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of states, localities, or societies are grouped for display. When one flag is used with the flag of the United States of America and the staffs are crossed, the flag of the United States is placed on its own right with its staff in front of the other flag. When displaying the flag against a wall, vertically or horizontally, the flag's union (stars) should be at the top, to the flag's own right, and to the observer's left. The Salute: To salute, all persons come to attention. Those in uniform give the appropriate formal salute. Citizens not in uniform salute by placing their right hand over the heart and men with head cover should remove it and hold it to left shoulder, hand over the heart. Members of organizations in formation salute upon command of the person in charge. The Pledge of Allegiance and National Anthem: The pledge of allegiance should be rendered by standing at attention, facing the flag, and saluting.When the national anthem is played or sung, citizens should stand at attention and salute at the first note and hold the salute through the last note. The salute is directed to the flag, if displayed, otherwise to the music. The Flag in Mourning: To place the flag at half staff, hoist it to the peak for an instant and lower it to a position half way between the top and bottom of the staff. The flag is to be raised again to the peak for a moment before it is lowered. On Memorial Day the flag is displayed at half staff until noon and at full staff from noon to sunset. The flag is to be flown at half staff in mourning for designated, principal government leaders and upon presidential or gubernatorial order. When used to cover a casket, the flag should be placed with the union at the head and over the left shoulder. It should not be lowered into the grave. These are most of what you need to know. I also think that most people should know how to fold a flag properly but this won=t be covered here. Several years ago my wife taught me a great lesson. She was concerned about a faded, ragged flag being flown over a Wendy's restaurant. After several calls to the management and trying to convey her feelings over an appropriate symbol being flown, she got her desired results. They replaced the flag. Now, this is really not a rant against Wendy's restaurants, they are fine businesses. But this is typical of Americans not thinking, or maybe not caring, about our wonderful flag. We must be vigilant, but we must be diplomatic. Not everyone will harbor the same passion over this great symbol. The best thing is to be firm, but to try to teach patriotism. Remember, we are a melting pot. Not everyone who is a citizen has grown up being taught patriotism. Twenty years ago today I was working on an Air Force base. I, like many of you, watched in horror as war was brought to our glorious Republic. I=ll never forget how fast our aircraft got out of the sky. We were in the highest alert mode I=d ever been in other than an exercise. I also remember the patriotism as most Americans came together and grieved together. It is scandalous to me that even our political leaders felt we needed to go to war to take care of this problem, yet many of them changed their views and some even lied about what they had supported. Even worse to me, a veteran, is the fact that some politicians think that Washington DC had so much to do with the taking out of the mastermind of 9/11. I question anything that does not give credit where it is due. The US military has done many thankless acts in its long history but regardless of what has happened in Washington or in wars, they still give reverence to our symbol. Old glory. The grand old girl. Stars and stripes. I would hope that after only twenty short years we can still remember. Also, do not forget the 4 souls that lost their lives in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. In a scandalous act our government sat back and basically let this attack happen. I do not call this a conspiracy, but many things were covered up. There were 10 investigations of Benghazi. As usual they were a sham. I know personally how this works. There was an investigation of the Iran-Contra affair by the Tower commission, like Benghazi investigations, came up with a solution that was far from truth. Within that particular investigation aid to the Contras was stopped by Congress. That is a lie. I was at a small American Army made landing strip in Panama well after the aid was supposed to be stopped, and it was not. So, as a powerless ex-President who believes investigations ran by Congress or any other government entity would reveal truth, I know that they do not. Because of those impotent investigations the U.S. military was at a base in Panama and lost 4 good men to an attack. We should not have been there, just as help should have been given to the brave souls who did not survive in Benghazi. And our ex-President, who needs to just shut his pie-hole, thinks there was nothing he or his staff did wrong. He has his right to free speech, but should he have used that speech to bash his successor? A better person would have not. And then to bring up a sore spot on his “scandal-less” administration, shows me he is still the classless idiot he was while in office. If you want to know what happened at Benghazi, ask someone who was there. Not someone who supposedly is investigating it. Kris Paronto was there. He says these investigations are wrong, but we should believe those politicians over an honorable veteran. The politicians won. The President and the Secretary of State still have lives and incomes. Clinton even ran for President. Had they been honorable, they would have taken responsibility. Good men died because of their politics. And then the ex-President has the gall to talk about “conspiracy theories” surrounding the debacle. What a horse’s patoot. No wonder Kris Paronto said he wanted to choke the ex-President. I have the same feeling. Remembering 9-11 is important because of the attacks on our country. But also remember 9-11-2012 where we lost more good people to terrorists. Remember regardless of nasty politicians who are only about themselves and their politics. Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

Ammo Scammers

This article is about ammo scammer websites. But know this could be other gun related products. There are many new gun owners out there.

With the shortage of ammo being a real thing many fake ammunition websites have popped up. I was going along a few months ago looking for primers when I found a site that had lots of primers in stock. The flag was that they had a LOT! The prices were also pretty low. There was no limit on anything they were trying to sell. This started me looking around the website. The pictures that were being used seemed awfully “general”. It seemed like pictures from a photo library. Very nondescript. Then I looked for an address. I couldn’t find one. There was only a email address. Then I started to get further into the site. There were other places on this website that promised training information. They acted as if this business was a gun training business that sold ammo and reloading products. It was pretty elaborate until you started clicking some of these side links. These areas were not yet developed. The content was not there. It wasn’t just under construction. So I filled out the personal information area telling them to bite me! These scammers are almost always outside the United States. Most of the content has been stolen. Of course the business names are fake and so are the logos. If you have never heard of this site or business make sure to read the content. Many of these scammers do not use English as their first language. You can tell in their content. Here are some tips for recognizing fake websites. Too good of a deal If it’s too good to be true it probably is. Prices are often very cheap. You know what these products are going for. Look at the prices from websites you know are reputable to get an idea what prices should be. Social media Look to see if they have any social media links. Then follow those links. It takes a lot of time and work to maintain websites and social media accounts. Scammers won’t put in the time and work. Payment Just like the phone scammers payment is often from some crazy third-party or social media platforms. Most will not take credit cards. Contact Often scammers will want to communicate with you on another platform. They will direct message you and want to communicate with a chat app. Addresses Check their business address. It’s pretty easy to check. Many won’t have any address at all. English as their first language Bad grammar and crazy misspelled words and obvious typos are all indicators of a scammer. Security indicators SSL (this stands for computer-speak “Secure sockets layer”) certificates are what enable websites to move from HTTP to HTTPS, which is more secure. An SSL certificate is a data file hosted in a website's server. SSL certificates make encryption possible, and they contain the website's identity. Tap the lock at the beginning of URL address to see if your connection is secure. But be aware that some scammer sites actually have SSL certificates. Forums Look at some forums and see if you can find the business you are considering being discussed. You can also look for reviews of the business on the site or in forums. Forums are known to be brutally honest. Doubt If you have doubts do not buy! Trust In the end use trusted businesses and websites. Be careful out there brothers and sisters! Semper Paratus Check 6 Burn

LDS Gunsite Complete Index 2014 - 2020

I realized I never posted this updated with 2020 index. The year 2020 was a little weird as we all know. But here is the complete Index. Index from 2014 through 2020


LDS Gunsite Blog Index 2014
Jan 2014 (4)
1. Why this website exists 1/27/2014
2. How do I love gunbot.net? Let me count the ways 1/28/2014
3. Protection in the church 1/29/2014
4. Avenging Angel 1/30/2014

Feb 2014 (4)
5. Storing Ammo 2/6/2014
6. The Ruger 10 22 2/6/2014
7. The 200th Hour 2/15/2014
8. Less Than Lethal 2/15/2014

Mar 2014 (8)
9. Threat Cons and Training 3/4/2014
10. Should You Carry? 3/4/2014
11. Yellow to Orange 3/8/2014
12. The OODA Loop Combat Concept 3/20/2014
13. Pick a source, any source Myth of MSM 3/20/2014
14. HiHo HiHo it’s off to the range we go 3/21/2014
15. How comfortable is your loadout? 3/21/2014
16. Shooting from cover 3/26/2014

Apr 2014 (7)
17. Kids and Guns: A good combo? 4/1/2014
18. Cleanliness next to godliness, clean guns 4/1/2014
19. Making someone 4/4/2014
20. Remember Chris 4/4/2014
21. OPR OP Rockwell philosophy 4/9/2014
22. Risk: Crowd Safety 4/27/2014
23. The right and responsibility of Self defense 4/29/2014

May 2014 (16)
24. Flashlight Illumination 5/1/2014
25. Improv weapons 5/6/2014
26. Stop the threat 5/7/2014
27. Mormon Self defense 5/13/2014
28. Benghazi 5/15/2014
29. Personal and family security 5/15/2014
30. Remember Jeff and White Feather 5/16/2014
31. Security in an LDS church 5/19/2014
32. The road to concealed carry 5/19/2014
33. Concealed Carry Myths 5/21/2014
34. More than just a day off 5/25/2014

35. Active shooter response 5/28/2014
36. Avoiding a carjacking 5/28/2014
37. Home security while you are away 5/29/2014
38. Toy guns and training 5/29/2014

Jun 2014 (15)
39. Concealed Carry Responsibility 6/3/2014
40. Concealed Carry: Distance is your friend 6/4/2014
41. What cover is and is not, don’t die 6/6/2014
42. CC Participant, OP Rockwells guns 6/9/2014
43. Cost effective training 6/10/2014
44. Tactical knives for everyday use 6/12/2014
45. Fathers call to action! 6/15/2014
46. Myth of gun studies and surveys 6/16/2014
47. When is a safety, not? 6/20/2014
48. Defense in the home: home invasion 6/23/2014
49. The 10 commandments of CC 6/25/2014
50. Ruger Mark2 review 6/25/2014
51. Joseph’s Pepperbox 6/26/2014
52. Porter’s Loyalty 6/29/2014
53. Tactical Pens for EDC 6/30/2014

Jul 2014 (20)
54. Self-defense and 4th, 24th of Jul 7/3/2014
55. CC Responsibilities 7 points of CC Law 7/3/2014
56. Unarmed and Paranoid 7/7/2014
57. One Handed Fire 7/8/2014
58. Training X marks the spot 7/11/2014
59. Gun care Taking care of magazines 7/15/2014
60. EDC What’s in your wallet? 7/16/2014
61. Family Security Talkin Trash 7/17/2014
62. Tactical Doctrine 7/17/2014
63. Training 200th hour, plan to train 7/22/2014
64. EDC Series Air, Shelter 1 7/23/2014
65. CC Aftermath of shooting 1 7/24/3014
66. Remember Happy 24th 7/24/2014
69. EDC Series Water 2 7/25/2014
70. CC Aftermath of shooting 2 7/25/2014
71. Taking a girl to the range 7/28/2014
72. MSM will mislead you 7/29/2014
73. EDC Series Food 3 7/29/2014
74. Mormon Urban Survival 7/30/2014



Aug 2014 (20)
75. EDC Series: Fire (Part 4 of 5) 8/1/2014
76. Mormons: Low standards of sec 8/4/2014
77. Immigration and Threat 8/7/2014
78. Mormons: Low standard 2 8/11/2014
79. Mormons: Low standard 3 8/11/2014
80. Less than lethal: defensive baton 8/12/2014
81. EDC Series: Security (Part 5 of 5) 8/13/2014
82. Remembering Annie Oakley 8/14/2014
83. Gun terms for the intelligent 8/15/2014
84. Gun Storage 8/15/2014
85. Concealed carry and sacred honor 8/17/2014
86. Concealed Carry: OBC 8/18/2014
87. CC: Choosing a gun 8/18/2014
88. Defending Others: Be Careful 8/20/2014
89. Concealed Carry: Defense In A Vehicle 8/21/2014
90. Preparedness: State Of The World 8/21/2014
91. Magazines: To Keep Loaded or To Not Keep Loaded 8/25/2014
92. Escape and Evade 8/27/2014
93. Training: Shoot like SWAT (Part 1 of 2) 8/28/2014
94. Training: Shoot like SWAT (Part 2 of 2) 8/29/2014

Sep 2014 (21)
95. Concealed Carry: Always, Everywhere 9/2/2014
96. Training: Dry Fire 9/4/2014
97. Nine One One: Situational Awareness 9/4/2014
98. Being Gear Reliant 9/8/2014
99. Happy Birthday Master Jerry Miculek 9/9/2014
100. Family Security (Post 100!) 9/9/2014
101. Family Security Plan Part 1: Home security 9/10/2014
102. 9 11 And Your Family 9/11/2014
103. Family Security Plan Part 2: Property Security 9/11/2014
104. Concealed Carry: Fear and Combat 9/12/2014
105. Family Security Plan Part 3: Family Code 9/12/2014
106. Family Security Plan Part 4: Personal Security 9/15/2014
107. Ammunition Storage: If you have to ask, buy more! 9/17/2014
108. Family Security Plan Part 5: Extreme Security 9/18/2014
109. Ammo Storage: Keep You Powder Dry! 9/19/2014
110. Choosing a Knife 9/22/2014
111. Family Security Plan Part 6: Portable Security 9/24/2014
112. Concealed Carry: Ideas For The Newbie 9/25/2014
113. Family Practice Drills 9/26/2014
114. Preparedness, Security, and Moroni 9/29/2014
115. Riot Security 9/30/2014


Oct 2014 (12)
116. Trigger Check 10/2/2014
117. Happiness is Zero at 50 10/3/2014
118. Evacuation, Bugout, or Get Out of Dodge 10/3/2014
119. Family Communications Code 10/7/2014
120. Vehicle Security: Situtional Awareness 10/8/2014
121. Security: Determining Your Own Threat Matrix 10/8/2014
122. Pocket Survival 10/10/2014
123. Moroni's Training and You 10/14/2014
124. Being Followed in a Car 10/15/2014
125. 5 Weapons Everyone should have 10/17/2014
126. CC Non permissive environments 10/21/2014
127. CC Practice Perfectly 10/23/2014

Nov 2014 (21)
128. Security is never convenient 11/4/2014
129. CC Final word on Caliber 11/6/2014
130. Hard or Soft target, don’t be a victim 11/7/2014
131. A Short Veteran Thanks 11/10/2014
132. Fundamentals of Home Defense 11/13/2014
133. How safe is your family when you are away? 11/18/2014
134. Preparation and others 11/19/2014
135. CC: Be polite, but have a plan to kill everyone you meet 11/19/2014
136. A Reverence for shooting 11/20/2014
137. Ed’s Red bore cleaner 11/20/2014
138. Knife blade steel 11/20/2014
139. Protecting your spouse, working together 11/21/2014
140. Walk softly, carry a big stick 11/21/2014
141. Skills emergency comm 11/24/2014
142. CC and terrorism, indirect threat 11/24/2014
143. CC the perfect gun 11/24/2014
144. Time of thanks time of vigilance 11/26/2014
145. CC Pocket pistols 11/26/2014
146. Be "Sharp", Sharpening Your Knives 11/26/2014
147. Phone numbers you should consider in your phone 11/26/2014
148. Concealed Carry: Does Self Defense Really Happen? 11/30/2014

Dec 2014 (15)
149. Concealed Carry: Carry Gun Care 12/3/2014
150. CC: Trust God to Defend Your Family... After All You Can Do 12/5/2014
151. Concealed Carry and Social Life 12/5/2014
152. Porter Rockwell's Hair 12/5/2014
153. Day of Infamy and Your Security 12/7/2014
154. Gun Safety In The Church, 1868 12/9/2014

155. The Rifle of The Mormon Battalion 12/9/2014
156. Concealed Carry: Carry Ammo 12/10/2014
157. What Is Your Major Malfunction? or Clearing Your Gun 12/10/2014
158. Everyday Carry: A Notebook 12/12/2014
159. Another Call to Action: Revisted 12/12/2014
160. Stopping The Threat And Self Care 12/15/2014
161. Law Enforcement and Armchair Quarterbacking 12/17/2014
162. CIA Moscow Rules 12/18/2014
163. Peace of Mind From A Room: Safe Room 12/18/2014
164. Everyday Carry (EDC) Cleaning 12/19/2014
165. Security and Christmas 12/19/2014

LDS Gunsite Index 2015
Jan 2015 (16)
1. A New Year: Planning like Moroni 1/5/2015
2. The “Editor” Vetting Process 1/8/2015
3. French Terrorism and Your Threat Response 1/12/2015
4. LDS Gunsite Index 2014 1/13/2015
5. French Terrorism Analysis 1/14/2015
6. Concealed Carry: Carrying In The Winter Cold 1/14/2015
7. Concealed Carry: Reasons To Carry 1/16/2014
8. Gear Review: The Versatile Shemagh 1/19/2015
9. Review: Goal Zero Nomad 7 Solar Charger 1/20/2015
10. Father Of Delta Force David Beckwith 1/23/2015
11. Happy Birthday John Browning 1/23/2015
12. Happy Birthday John Boyd: The OODA Loop 1/23/2015
13. LDS Gunsite Turns 1! 1/24/2015
14. Preparedness: A Desperate Appeal 1/26/2015
15. Situational Awareness: The OODA Loop In Action 1/27/2015
16. Home Defense: Shotguns and Very Bad Advice 1/27/2015

Feb 2015 (13)
17. Happy Chris Kyle Day! 2/2/2015
18. Review: Preppers Matrix 2/2/2015
19. An Appeal: Please Join LDS Gunsite 2/2/2015
20. Concealed Carry: Become A Crimefighter With Knowledge 2/9/2015
21. Family Security: What I’d Teach My Kids About Security 2/12/2015
22. Mormon Outlaw: Butch Cassidy’s Gun 2/20/2015
23. Building A Medic Bag 2/20/2015
24. Muscle Memory and Training 2/20/2015
25. Review: You Tube Channel Nutnfancy 2/23/2015
26. Family Security: Data Mining and COMSEC/OPSEC 2/26/2015
27. Who's Watching You?: Paying Attention and Surveillance 2/27/2015

28. Improvised Weapons: Fire Extinguisher 2/27/2015
29. Prepare With Training: Visualization 2/27/2015

Mar (13)
30. Security Smarts 3/2/2015
31. Defensive Gun Myths 3/3/2015
32. Home Defense: The "Fire Extinguisher Gun" 3/3/2015
33. Developing Situational Awareness Part 1 3/4/2015
34. The Most Important Preparedness Item 3/5/2015
35. Developing Situational Awareness Part 2 (200th Post) 3/5/2015
36. Developing Situational Awareness Part 3 3/6/2015
37. Concealed Carry: Train The Basics of Gun Defense 3/11/2015
38. Gun Terms: Don't Be An Idiot 3/12/2015
39. Choosing A Self Defense Pen 3/18/2015
40. Medical: Wound Care Kit 3/18/2015
41. Concealed Carry/Home Defense: Verbal Warnings 3/26/2015
42. Basic of Knives and Knife Points 3/31/2015

Apr (13)
43. Training: Creating A Training Plan 4/3/2015
44. Concealed Carry: Defense As A Couple 4/7/2015
45. Remembering Chris Kyle 4/8/2015
46. Old Glory 4/9/2015
47. Mutual Security or Defending With A Partner 4/10/2015
48. 5 Guns That Helped Shape The History of The Church and West 4/13/2015
49. EDC: Important Part Of Preparation 4/13/2015
50. Should You Hide Guns and Ammo? 4/14/2015
51. OP Rockwell Philosophy 4/16/2015
52. The Eternal Question: How Much Ammo? 4/20/2015
53. Survival Knots 4/20/2015
54. Responsible Self Defense 4/28/2015
55. Riot Security and Safety 4/29/2015

May (11)
56. Helping Someone Choose A Gun 5/1/2015
57. Water Storage – Myth vs. Fact 5/18/2015
58. Remembering John Dean "Jeff" Cooper 5/18/2015
60. Reason For Self Defense 5/18/2015
61. Benefits of Dry Fire 5/19/2015
62. Remembering Bill Jordan and Carlos Hathcock 5/19/2015
63. Bikers, Police Protection, and Your Security 5/20/2015
64. Memorial Day 5/26/2015
65. The Cost of Stupidity: Law Enforcement and Us 5/27/2015
66. How To Achieve Security At Church 5/28/2015

67. Training: Force On Force and Airsoft 5/28/2015

Jun (11)
68. Oaths and Our Word 6/1/2015
69. Concealed Carry: Use of Force Continuum 6/3/2015
70. Less Than Lethal Ideas and Monkey Fists 6/5/2015
71. Security At An ATM 6/5/2015
72. 9mm Ammunition 6/12/2015
73. Remember Our National Symbol 6/15/2015
74. Shotguns and Real Advice 6/17/2015
75. President Obama Politicizes A Shooting 6/22/2015
76. Honor Porter Rockwell's Birthday 6/24/2015
77. Range Bags 6/24/2015
78. Concealed Carry: Making Carry Easier 6/26/2015

Jul (18)
79. Happy 4th 7/4/2015
80. EDC: The Basics 7/7/2015
81. China and Personal Information Security 7/8/2015
82. Trigger Control 7/8/2015
83. Gun Maintenance: Steps Of Cleaning a Gun 7/10/2015
84. Family Security: Why I Carry 7/13/2015
85. Radio Controlled Aircraft for Intel and Security 7/14/2015
86. Concealed Carry: Train Like You Mean It! 7/14/2015
87. Concealed Carry: Changing Your Clothes 7/14/2015
88. Choosing Home Defense Ammunition 7/14/2015
89. Training: Jeff Cooper's Drills 7/15/2015
90. Remember the Mormon Battalion 7/16/2015
91. Travel Security: Flying With A Weapon 7/23/2015
92. Field Medicine: Tourniquets 7/23/2015
93. Concealed Carry and Open Carry: Which? 7/24/2015
94. Happy 24th of July! 7/25/2015
95. Family Security: Preparedness In Home Security 7/27/2015
96. Color Code: Always Stay In Yellow 7/27/2015
97. Politics, Boy Scouts, And The LDS Church 7/29/2015

Aug (17)
98. Gun Safety and Kids 8/4/2015
99. Concealed Carry Mistakes Review 8/4/2105
100. Concealed Carry: Be A Smooth Operator 8/4/2015
101. Training: Trigger Press 8/5/2015
102. Trigger Pull 8/5/2015
103. Vigilance and "Some Sort of War" 8/6/2015
104. Urban Survival: The Basics 8/6/2015

105. Do You Red Team? 8/7/2015
106. Concealed Carry: Part of a Man’s Responsibility 8/17/2015
107. Preparedness Skill: Dead Drop 8/24/2015
108. Concealed Carry Skill: Gunfights 8/24/2015
109. Hoplophobia: How To Talk to Anti Gunners 8/25/2015
110. Shooting Skills: Basics of Marksmanship 8/26/2015
111. Concealed Carry in a Crowd 8/27/2015
112. Concealed Carry Skill: Gunfights Part 2 8/28/2015
113. Trigger Press Basics 8/28/2015
114. Safety Again 8/28/2015

Sep 2015 (13)
115. Skills We Should Improve 9/1/2015
116. Privacy: It's More Than Closing Your Blinds 9/2/2015
117. 9 11 Remembered and OPR Philosophy 9/11/2015
118. Beginning to Hate Mainstream Media: Finding Real News 9/11/2015
119. Water Storage: Chlorination 9/11/2015
120. Concealed Carry: Deadly Shooting Errors 9/11/2015
121. Moving And Shooting: From Choirboy 9/14/2015
122. Skills: Fire Building Is Not As Easy As It Looks 9/15/2015
123. The Best Medicine For Preparedness 9/16/2015
124. Philosophy Of Use For EDC and BOB 9/24/2015
125. Self defense Rules 9/24/2015
126. Target Recognition: Flashlights 9/28/2015
127. Review: Leatherman Wingman Multi tool for EDC 9/28/2015

Oct 2015 (17)
128. Surviving A Hijacking 10/2/2015
129. ISIS Threatens Military Members: Lessen You Footprint 10/6/2015
130. Skills: Situational Awareness Like Jason Bourne 10/8/2015
131. Active Shooter "Training" 10/9/2015
132. Abraham Lincoln and Guns 10/9/2015
133. The Man Behind The Man: Jonathan Browning 10/10/2015
134. The Guns of The United States Border Patrol 10/11/2015
135. You Know You're A Concealed Carry Nut When... 10/14/2015
136. Self Defense: Never Surrender 10/14/2015
137. Gun Retention 10/14/2015
138. First Gun: Gun “Action” Speaks Louder Than Words 10/15/2015
139. No More, No More Mr. Nice Guy 10/16/2015
140. Skills: Clearing Your Home 10/19/2015
141. Practicing Situation Awareness With Drills 10/22/2015
142. Concealed Carry: NPE (Non Permissive Environment) 10/27/2015
143. The Top Gun Survey Says... Baloney! 10/28/2015
144. On Being Violent: Your Violence Threshold 10/30/2015


Nov 2015 (14)
145. Concealed Carry: The Art Of De escalation 11/2/2015
146. Bug Out Bag: Packing Your Bag 11/3/2015
147. Skills: Ammunition Reloading 11/4/2015
148. LDS and Liberal? I say unto you, Nay 11/7/2015
149. Lessons From Fort Hood 11/9/2015
150. Come Clean: Maintaining Your Carry Gun 11/10/2015
151. Veteran's Day: Remember With Reverence 11/12/2015
152. Guns and Preparation 11/13/2015
153. How To Recognize A Bomber 11/13/2015
154. France, Freedom, and Security 11/17/2015
155. Who Protects You? Self Defense and The Family 11/19/2015
156. Family Security Planning 11/22/2015
157. Concealed Carry: Dealing With Terrorism 11/23/2015
158. Being Prepared "Legally" 11/25/2015

Dec 2015 (10)
159. Privacy: Back To Cash 12/2/2015
161. Day Of Infamy 12/7/2015
162. Violence and Doing What Is Right 12/8/2015
163. Guns Criminals Carry 12/9/2015
164. Dry Fire: Cheap, Effective Training 12/9/2015
165. A Voice of Warning 12/11/2015
166. Kids Skills 12/15/2015
167. Building First Aid Kits 12/16/2015
168. The Danites 12/16/2015
169. A Good Time To Reflect 12/25/2015

LDS Gunsite Index 2016
Jan (24)
1. 2016 1/1/2016
2. If I Were Muslim 1/1/2016
3. To Conceal or to Open, That is the Question 1/4/2016
4. LDS Gunsite Index 2015 1/5/2016
5. Evasion Driving 1/8/2016
6. Get Home Bag 1/8/2016
7. Staying Warm: Wool Blankets 1/11/2016
8. Training: Practice, Practice, Practice! But Do It Right 1/13/2015
9. A Rare Entertainment Comment 1/19/2016
10. FBI, 9mm and The Caliber Debate 1/19/2016
11. Delta Force and Charles Beckwith 1/19/2016
12. Do Not Vote For This Scoundrel! 1/20/2016
13. Build A Basic Gun Cleaning Kit 1/21/2016

14. Privacy: Webcams 1/22/2016
15. Carrying At Church 1/22/2016
16. The OODA Loop and You John Boyd's Birthday 1/22/2016
17. Canadian Tragedy and Why Laws Don't Protect Anyone! 1/23/2016
18. Privacy: Encryption and "Lazy" Law Enforcement 1/24/2016
19. Self Defense: Plan A, B, And C 1/25/2016
20. Paracord As A Tool 1/27/2016
21. Terrorism Can Happen Here: Prepare 1/27/2016
22. LDS Gunsite Turns 2! 1/28/2016
23. Call Signs 1/28/2016
24. Active Shooter Plans 1/29/2016

Feb (18)
25. A Round In The Chamber 2/2/2016
26. Cutting Sign: Tracking 2/4/2016
27. Zeroing A Battle Rifle 2/5/2016
28. Wilderness or Grid Down Medical Skills 1: Breaks and Dislocation 2/9/2016
29. Wilderness or Grid Down Medical Skills 2: Bleeding 2/10/2016
30. Wilderness or Grid Down Medical Skills 3: Establishing An Airway 2/10/2016
31. Wilderness or Grid Down Medical Skills 4: Deliver A Baby 2/11/2016
32. Wilderness or Grid Down Medical Skills 5: Know Symptoms 2/11/2016
33. Wilderness or Grid Down Medical Skills 6: Wound Dressing 2/12/2016
34. Wilderness or Grid Down Medical Skills 7: Suturing 2/12/2016
35. SIP (Shelter In Place) Kit at Work or School 2/12/2016
36. Giving Bad Gun Advice! 2/17/2016
37. Is The FBI Stupid? 2/17/2016
38. Cover and Concealment: Stop A Bullet 2/19/2016
39. Gun Free Zones 2/22/2016
40. Law Enforcement and All Lives Matter 2/22/2016
41. Profiling The Right Way 2/26/2016
42. Siphoning Gas/Water 2/29/2016

Mar (23)
43. Conspiracy and Secret Combinations 3/1/2016
44. Review: Alcohol Stoves 3/2/2016
45. Load Out: How Much Ammo Should You Carry? 3/4/2016
46. Distance Is Your Friend: The 21 Foot "Rule" 3/8/2016
47. Honest Shooting: Reality and Training 3/9/2016
48. The Weight Of Concealed Carry 3/10/2016
49. Gas Station Security: Don't Be Vulnerable 3/14/2016
50. Home Defense Bag: A Bump In The Night 3/16/2016
51. Politically Correct. Not That There's Anything Wrong With That... 3/16/2016
52. Preparation Mindset 3/17/2016
53. A Sad Day For Music 3/21/2016

54. A Conservative With A Gun 3/22/2016
55. Terrorism Again 3/22/2016
56. Ways To Fight Terrorism 3/23/2016
57. Non Lethal Option: Pepper Spray 3/23/2016
58. Details To Fighting Terrorism 3/24/2016
59. Are Your Targets On Target? 3/25/2016
60. Algiers Security Protocol 3/27/2016
61. Gun Control Baloney 3/28/2016
62. Shooting With "Older Eyes" 3/28/2016
63. Reloading Makes Sense 3/28/2016
64. Hiding From Thermal Imaging 3/28/2016
65. Security Plans 3/31/2016

Apr (29)
66. Rate Yourself 4/1/2016
67. Cyrus Wheelock and Self defense 4/4/2016
68. Why Mormon Men Should Be Rambo 4/5/2016
69. Suspicious Or Vigilant 4/6/2016
70. Reverence For Our Flag 4/7/2016
71. Survival Knives: Choosing The Best For You 4/7/2016
72. Remembering Chris Kyle 4/8/2016
73. Knife Attack Defense 4/8/2016
74. 4210 Yard Shot! 4/8/2016
75. Apartment and Dorm Security 4/12/2016
76. Oil Lamps For Light 4/12/2016
77. Pre Assault Indicators: Reading An Attack 4/12/2016
78. Modern Day Stripling Warriors 4/14/2016
79. Vote! Secretary Clinton's Problem With The Truth 4/14/2016
80. Stopping A Bullet 4/14/2016
81. Harden Your Target 4/15/2016
82. Shooting Goals Drills Help You Get There 4/15/2016
83. April Drill of the Month 4/18/2019
84. EDC Criteria 4/18/2016
85. Decision Making and Preparedness 4/20/2016
86. Texas, The Alamo, And Independence 4/21/2016
87. Power Out Preparedness 4/22/2016
88. Survival Guns 4/22/2016
89. Concealed Carry: When To Draw 4/26/2016
90. Security At A Rest Stop 4/28/2016
91. Privacy And Communication 4/28/2016
92. Concealed Carry In A Vehicle 4/29/2016
93. May Scenario Of The Month 4/29/2016
94. May Drill Of The Month 4/29/2016


May (13)
95. John Marlin, Gunmaker 5/3/2016
96. Self defense: A Personal Choice 5/6/2016
97. Daniel Wesson, Gun Innovator 5/9/2016
98. New cartridge: first change in decades 5/9/2016
99. Instructor Tips For Beginners 5/19/2016
100. Remembering Bill Jordan: Border Patrolman, Marine combat veteran, Gun professional 5/20/2016
101. Gun Culture 1.0 and 2.0: Which Are You? 5/20/2016
102. BOB Help: Navy SEAL Survival Kit 5/20/2016
103. Survival Kit or Get Home Bag 5/23/2016
104. Reloading During A Fight 5/26/2016
105. News Sights For Old Sight 5/26/2016
106. Truth And Gun Grabbers 5/26/2016
107. Concealed Carry Tips For New Carriers, Reminder For Experienced 5/31/2016

Jun (22)
108. Defense Scenario Of The Month For June 6/1/2016
109. Muscle Memory And Training 6/2/2016
110. Drill of the month 6/2/2016
111. Tactical Driving: A Few Tips 6/6/2016
112. Surrender 6/6/2016
113. Learning From San Bernardino and Terrorist Attacks 6/10/2016
114. The Tueller Drill 6/10/2016
115. Real Security In The U.S. 6/13/2016
116. What You Need To Know: Active Shooter 6/16/2016
117. Good Guy With A Gun (A Little Rant) 6/17/2016
118. Use it or it will use you: Fatal Funnel 6/17/2016
119. Ruger Mini 14 and Bill's Birthday 6/21/2016
120. Batteries Power Your Preparation 6/22/2016
121. Ambush! What We Learn From Tragedy 6/23/2016
122. Say what? Hearing Protection 6/27/2016
123. Striker Fired Versus Hammer Fired 6/27/2016
124. Fighting From/With A Vehicle 6/27/2016
125. A Green Berets EDC 6/28/2016
126. Porter Rockwell's Birthday 6/28/2016
127. Preparing For An Active Shooter Event 6/28/2016
128. Seeing And Hearing An Attack 6/29/2016
129. Reading Ammo Boxes And Choosing 6/30/2016

Jul (17)
130. Pledge Honorably On Independence Day 7/4/2016
131. See Trigger Press Drill: Drill of the Month 7/7/2016
132. Actually Becoming Prepared 7/8/2016

133. Don't Be The Hunted: E & E 7/8/2016
134. Trying To Get Through The Holster Jungle 7/11/2016
135. Teaching A Woman To Shoot 7/12/2016
136. Rifle of the Mormon Battalion 7/14/2016
137. Being Secure At A Public Event 7/19/2016
138. Remembering Samuel Colt On His Birthday 7/19/2016
139. Your Own Chicken Outfit 7/20/2016
140. Security While Shopping 7/21/2016
141. Introducing FLAG: A New Occasional Writer 7/22/2016
142. Nutrition In A Junk Food World 7/22/2016
143. Make a Plan, Be Prepared 7/22/2016
144. Lessons From Tragedy 7/27/2016
145. Pandemic Basics 7/28/2016
146. Serious First Aid Kit For The Range 7/29/2016

Aug (25)
147. Concealed carry: Ins and Outs 8/1/2016
148. Situational Awareness...Again 8/2/2016
149. The Shemagh: the History and Uses 8/2/2016
150. Storing Ammunition 8/3/2016
151. The Bombing of Japan: Lessons To Learn 8/6/2016
152. Gun Show Tips 8/8/2016
153. Stripper Clips and Speed Loaders 8/8/2016
154. Thyme For Herbs: By Flag 8/8/2016
155. Armed In A Bathroom 8/11/2016
156. Privacy and RFID Chips 8/12/2016
157. Annie Oakley Inspirational Shooter 8/15/2016
158. Being A Shooting Instructor 8/16/2016
159. A Few Songs and Some Thoughts On Preparedness 8/17/2016
160. Buy Ammo While You Can 8/19/2016
161. Basics Of Bullet Casting 8/19/2016
162. Thyme For Herbs: Basics and Terminology 8/19/2016
163. The Great .223 5.56 Debate 8/23/2016
164. Getting Out Of Dodge: Evacuating The City 8/25/2016
165. AR Build Tips 8/25/2016
166. How To Improve Shooting 8/29/2016
167. Why Do You Need An AR 15?: Knowledge Over Hype 8/30/2016
168. Managing Recoil During Self Defense 8/30/2016
169. Scenario Of The Month For September 8/31/2016
170. Overwatch: September Drill Of The Month 8/31/2016
171. Gun Misconceptions 8/31/2016


Sep (18)
172. Staff Of Life: Wheat 9/01/2016
173. Review: PrettyLoaded.org and National Situational Awareness Day 9/01/2016
174. Family Safety and Security Is A Mindset 9/01/2016
175. Negligent Discharges Are No Accident 9/7/2016
176. Drone Survival 9/8/2016
177. Parking Lot and Parking Garage Security 9/9/2016
178. Making Intelligence Work For Your Family 9/13/2016
179. Brigham Young's Colt .31 9/14/2016
180. 9 11 After a Few Days Of Thought 9/15/2016
181. Trampling Other’s Sacred Symbols 9/16/2016
182. Body Armor And Plate Carriers 9/19/2016
183. Riot Avoidance And Safety 9/23/2016
184. Do It Yourself Gunsmithing 9/23/2016
185. Gunfighting Advice From Gunfighters 9/23/2016
186. Happy Situational Awareness Day! 9/26/2016
187. Vehicle Backing Off The "X" 9/26/2016
188. The Steps Of A Draw 9/27/2016
189. 25 "Rules" Of A Gunfight 9/28/2016

Oct (13)
190. Generator Power As An Option 10/5/2016
191. Overwatch: October Drill Of The Month 10/6/2016
192. Storing Gasoline 10/6/2016
193. Food Choices For Your Prep Plan 10/6/2016
194. Security From RAT's: Communications Security 10/7/2016
195. Back up For The Contingency Plan 10/11/2016
196. Are You Being Followed? 10/13/2016
197. Rant About Politics And LDS Members 10/14/2016
198. "Experts" 10/14/2016
199. Spare Magazine and Maintenance 10/20/2016
200. Registration and Privacy 10/21/2016
201. Find Ammunition Quickly and Cheaply: gunbot.net 10/24/2016
202. Preparedness and The Normalcy Bias 10/28/2016

Nov (21)
203. Escape and Evade: Important Skills You May Never Need 11/1/2016
204. Carry Condition: An Appeal For Condition One 11/7/2016
205. Tactics For The Field 11/7/2016
206. Guns And Statistics 11/7/2016
207. Vote! Vote! Vote! 11/8/2016
208. November Drill Of The Month 11/8/2016
209. Selecting A Flashlight 11/10/2016
210. Veteran’s Thoughts 11/10/2016

211. Movement And Training 11/16/2016
212. 25 "Rules" Of A Gunfight: Revisited In Detail (Part 1) 11/17/2016
213. Shooting In Cold Temperatures 11/18/2016
214. 25 "Rules" Of A Gunfight: Revisited In Detail (Part 2) 11/18/2016
215. Targets And Their Varieties 11/21/2016
216. Feeling Home On The Shooting Range 11/21/2016
217. Reholstering Safely 11/22/2016
218. Trash And Shredding: OPSEC 11/22/2016
219. Speed And Acuracy 11/23/2016
220. Untraceable, Anonymous Communication 11/28/2016
221. Family Security Plans 11/28/2016
222. We Gotta Get Outa This Place: City Evac 11/29/2016
223. Happy Birthday Oliver Winchester! 11/30/2016

Dec (8)
224. December Drill Of The Month 12/2/2016
225. It Can Happen Anywhere 12/6/2016
226. Pearl Harbor and Situational Awareness 12/7/2016
227. GSR: Evidence Of Training 12/8/2016
228. Making Your Own Pepper Spray 12/9/2016
229. Stop Being/Raising Wimps! 12/14/2016
230. Turn Out The Lights And Train 12/15/2016
231. Europe Being Attacked: What's It To You? 12/19/2016

LDS Gunsite Index 2017
Jan (10)
1. Why 9mm Defends Me 1/1/2017
2. Reasons To Carry 1/4/2017
3. January Drill Of The Month 1/4/2017
4. Preparedness Goals 1/12/2017
5. Military Slang For Everyday 1/16/2017
6. Email and Privacy 1/23/2017
7. Guns Make Us Safe 1/26/2017
8. 3rd Year, Oaths, and Immigration Security 1/31/2017
9. LDS Gunsite Index 2016 1/31/2017
10. Overwatch: Drill of the Month for January 1/31/2017

Feb (10)
11. More Immigration Security 2/2/2017
12. Should YOU Carry? 2/2/2017
13. Tacticool Gear 2/8/2017

14. Surviving A Knife Fight 2/14/2017
15. The Survival Gap 2/14/2017
16. Top 5 Articles For 2016 2/15/2017
17. Shooting From The Ground Up 2/16/2017
18. Self Defense For The Average Guy 2/21/2017
19. My Dear Scouting Is Dying 2/22/2017
20. Gun Safety And You 2/24/2017

Mar (15)
21. Your Precious "Metals": Storing Ammo 3/2/2017
22. The Key To Self Defense: Keychain Weapons 3/2/2017
23. Overwatch: Drill of The Month For March 3/3/2017
24. When To Draw 3/3/2017
25. EDC: I Love Tac Pens! 3/3/2017
26. When To Leave: REDOUT 3/6/2017
27. Important Questions For Preparedness Planning 3/8/2017
28. Nutrition And Food Storage from FLAG 3/8/2017
29. Biker Attack Security 3/14/2017
20. How To Treat A Stalker 3/15/2017
21. How To Fly With A Gun 3/15/2017
22. Beware The IRS and Other Scams 3/16/2017
23. Mossberg Family Gunmakers 3/20/2017
24. Civilian Response To Active Shooter Event 3/22/2017
25. Brigham Young's .31 Cal 3/24/2017

Apr (10)
26. State Of The World 4/5/2017
27. Overwatch: Drill of the Month For April 4/5/2017
28. The Castle Doctrine And You 4/6/2017
29. After All We Can Do 4/7/2017
30. Stay In The Fight: Freeze, Fight, or Flight 4/12/2017
31. FLAG's Food Storage Journey 4/21/2017
32. Self Sufficiency 4/26/2017
33. And More Self sufficiency: Preparedness In The Burbs 4/27/2017
34. .38 Special: Love/Hate Relationship 4/28/2017
35. Eating For Health: The Foundation Of Defense from FLAG 4/28/2017

May (10)
36. The Holy Grail: Shot Placement 5/2/2017
37. Shotguns For Home Defense 5/2/2017
38. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month For May 5/8/2017
39. Jeff Cooper's Birthday: Seven Principles Series, Intro 5/10/2017
40. Eating Healthy By FLAG 5/10/2017
41. LDS Scouting Slipping Away 5/11/2017

42. Part 1 Jeff Cooper's 7 Principles: Alertness and Decisiveness 5/11/2017
43. Peace Officer Memorial Day 5/15/2017
44. Part 2 Jeff Cooper's Seven Principles:
Aggressiveness, Speed, Coolness 5/17/2017
45. Part 3 of Jeff Cooper's Seven Principles:
Ruthlessness and Surprise 5/30/2017

Jun (12)
46. Warrior Checklist From Steve Claggett 6/1/2017
47. Overwatch: Drill of the Month for June 6/6/2017
48. Expand Your Situational Awareness With Drills 6/7/2017
49. Monthly Book Review: June 6/7/2017
50. When Is Fake, Real? When It's News 6/9/2017
51. Learn To Embrace The Suck! 6/14/2017
52. Perfect Practice: Good Habits 6/15/2017
53. Buying Food In Bulk by FLAG 6/21/2017
54. The Darknet: Mystery and Free Speech 6/21/2017
55. Porter Rockwell Philosophy 6/21/2017
56. Don't Be A Sitting Duck! 6/23/2017
57. Rotating Carry and Defense Ammo 6/26/2017

Jul (10)
58. Aim Small 7/6/2017
59. Overwatch: Drill of the Month For July 7/6/2017
60. Eating Healthy and Crap: From FLAG 7/6/2017
61. Monthly Read: Book Review For July 7/6/2017
62. The Unexpected Bang: Negligent Discharge 7/11/2017
63. Concealed carry Advice From A Pro 7/19/2017
64. Security Dealing With A Stalker 7/20/2017
65. Importance Of An Exit 7/26/2017
66. Types Of Surveillance: Who's watching Who? 7/26/2017
67. I'm Not A Knife Guy, I Swear! 7/31/2017

Aug (10)
68. Extreme Weapons And The Atomic Bomb 8/7/2017
69. Monthly Read: Book Review For August 8/7/2017
70. Not Being A Man Of Blood 8/11/2017
71. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month For August 8/11/2017
72. Human Trafficking: How To Prevent Kidnapping 8/14/2017
73. You Carry A Gun? 8/18/2017
74. We Are Not Australia: Gun Control 8/22/2017
75. Choirboy and Burns List of Security At Church 8/23/2017
76. Concealed Carry “Don’ts” 8/23/2017
77. Who Decides? 8/28/2017


Sep (12)
78. Strike First to Survive 9/1/2017
79. Emergency Preparedness Security 9/4/2017
80. Remembering 9 11 9/11/2017
81. LDS Missionary Fights Back After Attack In Brazil 9/13/2017
82. Monthly Read: Book Review For September 9/13/2017
83. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month for September 9/13/2017
84. Safe Water: Boiling 9/19/2017
85. Reality Based Training 9/19/2017
86. Basic Privacy: Big Brother Is Out There 9/21/2017
87. Saving Water Damaged Guns 9/22/2017
88. National Situational Awareness Day 9/26/2017
89. Wet Ammunition 9/26/2017

Oct (11)
90. Your Safety And Security Is Your Responsibility 10/3/2017
91. Porter Rockwell and The OODA Loop 10/3/2017
92. How To Store Ammo and How Much 10/5/2017
93. Mainstream Media Does It Again 10/5/2017
94. Monthly Read: Book Review For October 10/5/2017
95. What We Can Learn From The Vegas Shooting 10/12/2017
96. Snipers 10/12/2017
97. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month For October 10/13/2017
98. Privacy: Scribbling 10/19/2017
99. Buying A Glock Is Dangerous! 10/20/2017
100. Some Phone Apps To Consider 10/31/2017

Nov (5)
101. Utah State Firearm: 1911 and John Browning 11/2/2017
102. Current State Of Our Lives: Church Security 11/11/2017
103. Changing Hearts and Minds: Teaching Shooting 11/15/2017
104. Stats, Reality, And Always Being Armed 11/16/2017
105. Monthly Read: Book Review For November 11/17/2017


Dec (9)
106. Reminders Of OP Rockwell Philosophy 12/1/2017
107. December 7th and Christmas 12/7/2017
108. EDC Ideas 12/7/2017
109. Suicide Bomber Profiles 12/13/2017
110. Tips In Being Vigilant During Christmas Season 12/14/2017
111. Bugout To Survive 12/16/2017
112. Security Mindset 12/16/2017
113. Monthly Read: Book Review For December 12/18/2017
114. Buying A Tourniquet 12/21/2017

115. Porter Rockwell and Christmas 1847 12/23/2017


LDS Gunsite Index 2018
Jan (6)
1. LDS Gunsite Index 2017 1/2/2018
2. Poor Man’s James Bond Series (1 through 4) By: Kurt Saxon 1/3/2018
3. Hearing Protection: Hear Me Out 1/5/2018
4. Expedient Fallout Shelter: For When It's Real 1/18/2018
5. LDS Gunsite's 4th Anniversary: Murphy's Laws 1/25/2018
6. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month for January 1/29/2018

Feb (12)
7. Grim Reality of Self-Defense 2/5/2018
8. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month For February 2/6/2018
9. Monthly Read: Book Review For February 2/6/2018
10. Porter Rockwell Tactical Preparedness 2/9/2018
11. School Shootings and The Normalcy Bias 2/15/2018
12. Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground Basics 2/16/2018
13. Responsible Gun Ownership and Practice 2/16/2018
14. If You Are Willing 2/20/2018
15. School Security: If It Were My Kids 2/22/2018
16. Fight Against Gun Laws! Call To Action 2/23/2018
17. Privately Selling Your Guns 2/26/2018
18. Gun Collecting Throughout the Country 2/27/2018
19. Police Shoot Hostage: Training Problem 2/28/2018

Mar (5)
20. Background Check Questions: Can You Pass? 3/1/2018
21. Monthly Read: Book Review For March 3/2/2018
22. School Security: Opinion and Ideas 3/7/2018
23. Renewing Your Carry Permit Early 3/12/2018
24. Overwatch: Drill of the Month for March 3/14/2018
25. Irrational Fear and Gun Education 3/30/2018

Apr (3)
26. Breaking In A Gun 4/9/2018
27. Resist! Nothing Else Is Acceptable! 4/16/2018
28. Close, Don't Be Closed Upon 4/20/2018

May (8)
29. Following Christ and Fighting Evil 5/1/2018
30. My Rationalization 5/4/2018
31. Boy Scouting Caves and Caves 5/11/2018
32. Overwatch: Drill of the Month for May 5/11/2018

33. Cleaning You EDC Knife/Multi-tool 5/16/2018
34. Choosing Your Home Defense Handgun 5/18/2018
35. Do We Want Our Schools Secure, Or Not? 5/22/2018
36. Memorial Day Is Not Good For Everyone 5/29/2018

Jun (8)
37. Overwatch: Drill of the Month (Firedrill) 6/6/2018
38. Your D Day: Preparation and Situational Awareness 6/8/2018
39. Complacency and Concealed Carry 6/11/2018
40. Looking Like A Hard Target 6/14/2018
41. Flag Day 6/15/2018
42. Recognizing Cover 6/15/2018
43. Changing Out Your Carry Ammo 6/19/2018
44. Don't Raise Offensensitive Kids 6/28/2018
45. A Legacy of Protecting Prophets 6/29/2018

Jul (7)
46. The OODA Loop: O=Observe (Part 1 of 4) 7/2/2018
47. The 4th: Remembering Honor And Sacrifice 7/2/2018
48. The OODA Loop: O=Orient (Part 2 of 4) 7/3/2018
49. PTSD: Self-Defense Reality 7/20/2018
50. The OODA Loop: D=Decide (Part 3 of 4) 7/23/2018
51. The OODA Loop: A=Act (Part 4 of 4) 7/24/2018
52. Complacency Kills! 7/30/2018

Aug (6)
53. Trust But Verify 8/7/2018
54. Hyrums Gun 8/13/2018
55. Eluding Dog Tracking Teams 8/14/2018
56. Parachute Cord: It's Not Just For Jump School 8/21/2018
57. Hiding From Aircraft and E and E 8/27/2018
58. Fight The Freeze 8/28/2018

Sep (7)
59. Remembering 9-11-2001 and 9-11-2012 9/11/2018
60. Myth Of Firepower and Winning A Fight 9/11/2018
61. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month For September 9/12/2018
62. What Is Your Major Malfunction? Drills To Help 9/13/2018
63. Every Day Carry Basics 9/13/2018
64. Breathing: It's Not Just For Living Anymore 9/18/2018
65. Caring For and Cleaning Your Guns 9/26/2018


Oct (12)
66. Concealed Carry ADD 10/1/2018
67. Monthly Read: Book Review For October 10/1/2018
68. Bury Your Guns? 10/2/2018
69. Winning A Fight For Your Life! 10/9/2018
70. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month For October 10/9/2018
71. We Have To Better Than Them 10/10/2018
72. EDC and Your Wallet 10/12/2018
73. Words To Live By: Code Of Conduct 10/12/2018
74. Protecting The Prophet and The Brethren 10/23/2018
75. Remember Beirut 10/23/2018
76. First Aid Basics: Using A Chest Seal 10/26/2018
77. The Rare Mail Bomb 10/30/2018

Nov (4)
78. Basics Of Buying A Tourniquet 11/4/2018
79. Veteran’s Day Remembrances 11/6/2018
80. Concealed Carry And Forgiveness 11/16/2018
81. Overwatch: Drill of the Month For November 11/27/2018

Dec (9)
82. Gun Inventory: A Man Has To Know His Limitations 12/10/2018
83. Overwatch: Drill of the month for December 12/10/2018
84. Constitutional Carry: My Opinion 12/12/2018
85. Interesting (maybe) Facts About LDS Gunsite 12/12/2018
86. Monthly Read: Book Review For December 12/14/2018
87. Complacency And Lack Of Education Kills 12/14/2018
88. Holiday Security 12/17/2018
89. Children And Guns 12/19/2018
90. Merry Christmas! 12/25/2018


LDS Gunsite Index 2019
Jan (6)
1. Legalities of Concealed Carry and Defense 1/4/2019
2. Proportional Response 1/10/2019
3. Clint Smith Safety Challenge 1/11/2019
4. Check You Bug Out Bag 1/11/2019
5. Overwatch: Drill Of The Month For January 1/16/2019
6. Hiding Guns And Safety 1/24/2019

Feb (5)
7. Being Offended Is Offensive 2/5/2019
8. Legend of Special Forces Underground 2/11/2019
9. LDS Gunsite Index 2018 2/12/2019
10. Being Organized In Ammo Storage 2/18/2019
11. Overwatch: Drill of the Month For February-Tribute To Todd Green 2/19/2019

Mar (1)
12. Gun Cleaning 3/18/2019

Apr (6)
13. We're All Safe Now... Bump Stocks Are Gone 4/3/2019
14. Adding To Your Training Program 4/4/2019
15. Overwatch: Drill of the Month For April 4/9/2019
16. Thoughts On SERE and Survival Schools 4/10/2019
17. Privacy And What Not To Say On The Internet 4/11/2019
18. Privacy: Being Less Exposed On The Internet 4/12/2019

May (3)
19. Backfires, Fireworks, and Gunshots 5/3/2019
20. Overwatch: Drill of the Month For May 5/14/2019
21. Preparedness Review 5/15/2019

Jun (10)
22. Gun Registration in The U.S. 6/3/2019
23. An Oath: Worth Fighting For 6/4/2019
24. AK Or AR? The Eternal Question 6/5/2019
25. Remember 75 Years Ago-D-Day 6/6/3029
26. Concealed Carry And Law 6/6/2019
27. Overwatch: Drill of the Month For June 6/7/2019
28. Privacy: Dead Drops Now and Then 6/10/2019
29. Danites And Modern Persecution To The Church 6/18/2019
30. Celebrate Porter Rockwell's 206th Birthday With A OPR Tour 6/21/2019

31. Man/Livestock Tracking: Cutting Sign 6/23/2019

Jul (4)
32. Hope Your July 4th Was Great! 7/6/2019
33. LDS Security Training Facility 7/22/2019
34. Overwatch: Drill of the Month for July 7/22/2019
35. Understanding Those With PTSD 7/31/2019

Aug (4)
36. Going Underground 8/12/2019
37. Nationalism and Patriotism 8/28/2019
38. Who Is Watching You and How To Be More Invisible 8/29/2019
39. What Stops A Bullet And What Doesn't 8/29/2019

Sep (8)
40. The Church's New Firearms Policy and Me 9/5/2019
41. Porter Rockwell and Loren Dibble: When Not To Shoot 9/7/2019
42. Overwatch: Drill of the Month for September 9/9/2019
43. New LDS Policy Defense Adaptation 9/10/2019
44. Situational Awareness Day 2019 9/19/2019
45. The Space-Time Continuum and Awareness 9/19/2019
46. What, Me Worry? 9/20/2019
47. Safety, 200th Hour, Safety! 9/27/2019

Oct (5)
48. Learning Threat Indicators 10/2/2019
49. The Ammo Shortage of 2008 and Gunbot.net 10/2/2019
50. Overwatch: Drill of the Month For October 10/3/2019
51. My Suggestions For Church Defense 10/9/2019
52. The Decision To Defend 10/22/2019

Dec (2)
53. "Be Nice!" (Everyone's Mom) 12/27/2019
54. The Flaws Of "Run, Hide, Fight" 12/31/2019
LDS Gunsite Index 2020 Jan (3) 1. Auto-loaders Over Revolvers 1/17/2020 2. Reposted Most Viewed Post of 2019 - Legend of Special Forces Underground-Updated 1/17/2020 3. Who Said It? January 1/31/2020 Feb (3) 4. LDS Gunsite Index 2019 2/4/2020 5. Who Said It? February 2/5/2020 6. Reposting of The Most Viewed Post Ever: Concealed Carry Participant, Porter Rockwell's Guns 2/5/2020 Mar (9) 7. Coronavirus, Pandemics and Being Prepared 3/3/2020 8. You CAN Handle The Truth! 3/5/2020 9. Come And Take It 3/6/2020 10. Who Your Friends Are 3/11/2020 11. Preparation Inventory 3/13/2020 12. Hiding or Caching Your Guns 3/16/2020 13. Who Said It? March 3/19/2020 14. A Training Plan 3/24/2020 15. Freedom Versus Safety: From Don Verde 3/27/2020 Apr (4) 16. Overwatch: Random Drill For April 4/6/2020 17. Perfect Practice Makes Perfect 4/10/2020 18. Decontamination Ideas 4/14/2020 19. Who Said It? April 4/21/2020 May (5) 20. I Stand Accused! (But I'm Not Very Upset By It) 5/19/2020 21. Military Grade Gun Laws And Reporting 5/19/2020 22. 50+ Items That Sold Out During the Pandemic from Code Name Insight 5/22/20 23. New Website That Tracks/Reports Danger 5/22/2020 24. Who Said It? May 5/26/2020 25. This Business Will Get Out of Control 5/31/2020 26. Being Caught In A Riot 5/31/2020 27. More Pandemic Preparedness 5/31/2020 Jun (7) 28. My Advice To My Kids: Riot Prep 6/3/2020 29. New Gun Owner Basics: Don’t Go Crazy! 6/7/2020 30. June Is Porter Rockwell Month! 6/10/2020 31. Safety Is No Accident! 6/12/2020 32. Who Said It? June 6/12/2020 33. Threat Indicators in Church, Etc 6/22/2020 34. My Opinion: Leftists, BLM, Protests, Police 6/25/2020 Jul (6) 35. 4th of July 2020 7/7/2020 36. Masks Research 7/15/2020 37. Range Etiquette and My Reverence For the Range 7/17/2020 38. My Problem With Anti-Mormon Attacks 7/29/2020 39. A Reluctance To Train 7/30/2020 40. The Temperament To Carry 7/30/2020 Aug (2) 41. Reason For Dark Humor 8/7/2020 42. Get Food Storage Now 8/31/2020 Sep (11) 43. Police and Kyle Rittenhouse Shooting 9/1/2020 44. 9-11 Remembrances and A Call To Be Prepared 9/11/2020 45. Overwatch: Random Drill For September 9/18/2020 46. Burning Your Preps 9/18/2020 47. By FLAG, Food Storage: Salt 9/19/2020 48. Starting A Coal Fire 9/19/2020 49. A Mask, A Mask, My Kingdom For A Mask! (Update) 9/22/2020 50. Who Said It? September 9/23/2020 51. Finding Ammo 9/25/2020 52. Making Home Ground Wheat Bread by FLAG 9/29/2020 53. Conspiracy 9/30/2020 Oct (2) 54. Tourniquets Can Save Lives 10/5/2020 55. Training Differences 10/6/2020 56. Who Was That Masked Man? 10/21/2020 Nov (1) 57. Take a look at your home security 11/30/2020