Give yourself permission...

What is your instinct when you suddenly see this guy in a combat situation?

Most people think that running is a darned good idea right about now.

I agree.  Unless running leaves someone or something (like a Principle) you love at his mercy.

Then, you have to fight.

If you have let this guy into your personal space, you have already f'd up many, many times.  You have already violated everything Mosby, Max, Mason Dixon, and every other rifle/handgun instructor has ever taught you.  Jeff Cooper is spinning in his grave.  But, here you are, facing a guy with a machete who intends to dominate or kill you.  And he is just one or two steps away from striking range.

Do you know how to handle him?  What if you don't have a sidearm, or you ran empty with no time to reload, or firing is too risky, because the entire position has been over run and you may kill one of your own?

My students know how to handle him.  My students will kill this guy.  A few may die in the effort, but the Bad Guy will die, probably by his own machete.  But most of my students will live through this fight, and have a machete to give to someone in the Tribe.

The technique to kill this guy is the easy part.  It is startlingly simple.

The hard part is mustering the courage to do it.  Sane people do not deliberately walk into attack range of a man with a machete who intends to kill him.  But that's what you must do if you intend to fight and prevail.  You have to overcome that gene in your body (I call it the Good Guy gene) that makes you hesitate and tells you it isn't right to kill.  You have to flip that switch.  No one can do it for you. 

I would suggest that each of you sit down and have a serious discussion with yourself, and give yourself permission to kill in self defense.  Have that conversation now, in the safety of your den or living room, not when the guy and his machete are coming hard at you.  Give yourself permission to kill in self defense now so that when a death fight is suddenly upon you (they rarely announce they are coming) you can act without hesitation and kill him.  Your life is yours, and no one has the Right to take it. 

Give yourself permission to kill in self defense.

You have to do it.  I can't do it for you, but I can promise you that if you wait to have that conversation with yourself in the face of a man with a machete, you will hesitate and probably die.  Then he decides what to do with your woman, your children, and everything else you hold dear.

And it won't matter if you must kill him with your own empty hands, or your own machete, or if you are able to pull a trigger and kill him.  The killing part is easy.

Taking the decision to kill is what gets most Good Guys dead.

Give yourself permission now, please.

Kerodin
III

My AAR from the OVM CQB Class...

That OVM patch on my training gear bag is flown with pride.

Holly and I met a group of serious and kind Patriots, were escorted to the training site, and security was put in place.  For the most part we trained in the July heat on a mountain somewhere in Ohio on the western side of the Appalachians.  This was a generally younger group, all but two (both III Arms Founders) are members of the Ohio Valley Minutemen, a militia unit that understands what a militia unit should be, a militia unit that would get a nod from Captain Parker.

The two Founders who drove a considerable distance to participate were also welcomed by Sandman and his Team, and it was great having them present.  If you have never been to a PatCon, I simply can't explain how good it feels and all the benefits that come with getting together with fellow Patriots.

The entire group trained hard, and I was very proud to see how many people were surprised at just how easy and effective many of the techniques are to perform.  I particularly get great satisfaction when I have a woman being held by two strong men, one holding each wrist, and she is able to free herself and draw her pistol. As a teacher, being able to pass that knowledge to a fellow Patriot, especially a woman, and to see her become aware that she is NOT powerless in such circumstances, fills me with great satisfaction.

This was the first militia unit we have trained (we've had militia members in other classes, but not a full unit operating in militia mode) and I have to say I am impressed with the way they operated.  I won't go into any detail, but Holly and I knew we were safe.

Militiamen and Militia Commanders, this part is for you:

Sandman and his unit are doing the very hard work of defeating the stereotype of militia in America.  They are not hiding in the hills.  They are not afraid of .Gov - for good reason.  They go out into their community and help people with mundane activities.  If the river were to rise Sandman and his Team would probably beat the paid First Responders to the scene and begin saving lives.

"Militia" is not a dirty word.  It is a word that has significant, proud history in America.

If you are in a Militia unit, thinking about joining a unit, or commanding a unit, please make contact with Sandman and ask him about his model.  If you believe that winning Hearts and Minds is important in the coming Ruckus, then you are in a position to change minds and win hearts in small ways within your community.

It was explained to me that it is tradition that the commanding officer of a county-level militia unit carries the rank of Captain.  Anyone can stick a rank pin on their hat or collar, but earning the respect of the people in your command is another matter entirely.  I watched the people in this unit - they respect their Captain. 

When I asked for a volunteer to take a fall with a pack on, to demonstrate just how vulnerable a pack can make you in a CQB situation, it was Sandman who geared up and took the fall.

That is called leading from the front.

That's what Leaders do.

When SHTF, OVM's AO will be secured for Liberty and denied the Enemies of Liberty.

I am proud to have been invited, and I am better for having met each of those people.

Kerodin
III

OathBreaker PatCon? Not so much...

That graphic I snatched from Wirecutter, and he credited Angel.

You and I already get it.  LEO is dangerous to the republic.

Now this from Bill:

Oathbreakers are holding a shindig up in Idaho.  No big deal, on my radar they occupy the same territory as the DNC, Congress, and Mao's rotten corpse.

But I have a nit to pick:

Problem: It is being promoted as a "PatCon" by some folks.  To be fair, not the Oath Keepers organization.

A "PatCon" or "PatCom" is a very specific type of event for Patriots.

Patriots do not violate the Constitution.

The Oath Keepers organization, as it exists today, is filled with oath breakers.

Look at the names on that poster, especially the ones that once (or still) carry badges and guns.  Tell me which one "NEVER" broke his Oath to defend the Constitution.  Every LEO, every day he works, violates the Constitution.

These people are not allies in the fight for Liberty.

I have no beef with former military in Oath Keepers.  But LEO in Oath Keepers is just plain hypocrisy.  Until Stewart Rhodes does a gut-check and starts kicking oath breaking LEO out of his organization, the entire organization remains useless.  Until his love of membership dues takes a back seat to The Oath, Oath Keepers is not only useless, they are part of the problem. And the sad part - most of the members can't even see the hypocrisy.

Kerodin
III

CQB: South Eastern Michigan

CQB class is forming in the southeastern Michigan area, shooting for the weekend of the 24th.  At this moment they are looking to include the Day Two GroundFighting 101 class, which will include about 2 hours of sparring to burn the techniques into muscle memory.

If you are interested in attending, let me know and I'll put you in contact with the Point Man in the area.

Kerodin
III

SitRep & Idaho PatCon

 

**UPDATE**  Please give an answer ASAP, preferably by August 1 - H and I will be on the road from July 30 until we hit Idaho - so we need to make as many preps as soon as possible.  Thanks!

~~

As you can see by the image, some of the gear that has been following me around the country is beginning to catch up.  CQB Hosts: H will be sending you III CQB Badges so you can distribute them to your people.  Yes, Alan P. (South Carolina), you too. 

The 300 patches - I am still noodling through the III 300 - the who and what, the mission, and more.  I need to talk to a few of you to ensure we are heading in the proper direction.  The III 300 will be a very special collection of Patriots - men who mean to take point, men (and women) who mean to never bend knee, men who live the III to the core and intend to die with Liberty beneath their feet.  More on this later.

My new profession is known to you, and it demands that I share more of my life than I usually would.  Forgive me if I cross into TMI territory once in a while.

III PatCon:  Friday the 6th, Sat the 7th, Sun the 8th of September - The Idaho gig that started simply as a routine visit home has blown into a real "Thing".  This makes me very, very proud.  Let's do this!  I have already warned you all, there is nothing on the site at this moment except a pad site cleared by a bulldozer.  H and I intend to set up a tent off in a corner and build a rough fence that is secure enough to keep our dogs from committing suicide on some Ranchers steer.

Come one and come all, bring a tent, bring a trailer, there are 20 acres and most of it is on a STEEP incline.  Ms. Violet advises we may have to go without open campfires due to dry conditions - but we'll be together and we'll make it work.  Bring some water, bring some food.  Bring a wife or hubby.  Bring a sleeping bag.  Bring a smile.  If you bring weapons, as I said before, keep them under YOUR PERSONAL CONTROL AT ALL TIMES. 

We'll handle some Congress business, Citadel business, I have heard Miller may be there, so there will be III Arms talk, and somehow, I suspect we are all in for a good time.

We will try to rent a few sani-johns, but I advise everyone to bring more water than you think you'll need.  We'll get a propane grill just in case open fires are no-go.  Bring some hot dogs, hamburger, steaks, whatever.

Folks - this is as un-planned, un-coordinated as it gets - screw the plans and let's just meet, greet, take care of some business, and be f'n Patriots.

One thing I need to know ASAP, RIGHT NOW, and if you don't know right now, AS SOON AS YOU KNOW: How many are coming and how many plan to take my CQB course?  I'll post a poll at right.  If you plan to attend and have to cancel, no worries, just please zip me an email, so I can keep a semi-realistic number as a running total.

Folks - H and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you.

Security:  As much as I hate to say it, I DO think a security patrol, 24/7, is a prudent move.  Local media HATES us, many locals HATE us for no reason other than we exist.  Regional media may be present.  I don't want this to look like an armed invasion, by the same token, controlling our perimeter is simply smart.  Feel free to weigh-in if you think perimeter security and challenging trespassers is too much.

So - SOUND OFF!  Who's coming and how many in your Tribe are coming with you - poll is at the right.

Kerodin
III

Time to look into your Heart

See that poll at right?  At the moment 59% of you have admitted that you would not do anything to help George Zimmerman if had been convicted.  First, thank you for the honesty.  We all know that had he been convicted, it would have been a political conviction, which means Rule of Law is dead.  Make no mistake, Rule of Law IS dead, Zimmerman just got lucky on several levels (he isn't white, so much obvious legal hanky-panky that the Jury got to see, and so forth).

If 60% of the people who read this blog, people who for the most part consider themselves Minute Men and willing to fight and die for Liberty, are not ready to leave the porch and resort to the bullet-box for such a blatant act of injustice, I ask you to please look inward and ask yourself this question: What is it REALLY going to take before you start defending our Founding Principles for your fellow Countrymen?  Not just for you and your family - your Countrymen, fellow Patriots who you do not know.

So far as I know, there was not one massed crowd, anywhere, protesting the prosecution of George Zimmerman - an obvious Intolerable Act.

How did I answer the poll?  I'd have sent him money for his commissary account so he could buy some trading material while locked up.  But I'm not ready to leave the porch for what is, honestly, just one more abuse in our long train.  Shame on me.

But: I would find out what prison they put him in.  I would have found out his block and cell.  I would pass that intel to local III when things get sporty.  I have a list of people I intend to help, once it gets sporty.  I have other lists, too - not people I intend to help on this plane of existence.  But these are mental lists - sorry Mr. Prosecutor.  Nothing is written down.  ;)

Back to the poll: It is not yet time to leave the porch, at least not in a one-way, John Parker manner.

Yes, I agree with most of you who say we should have started long ago.  But the reality is that right now, at this moment, the ground is not in our favor and too many Patriots refuse to move.  I'm not sure what it will take - NSA barely registers an uptick of indignation in most Patriots.  I don't know what it will take to make masses of Patriots leave their porches in common cause.

I do know this:  Drawing a line at the threshold of your front door as "the" Intolerable Act that gets you moving is a FAIL.

It is time to have a serious conversation with yourself, Patriot.

Waiting much longer is not merely a losing strategy - it will result in the absolute loss of Liberty.

Kerodin
III

A Patriot needs to sell a 1911A1

Kenny has listed a link to GunBroker for a Patriot who, sadly, needs to let go of a 1911A1.  I say "sadly" because for most of us, firearms become part of us - and letting one go is like letting a piece of ourselves go.

Help a Patriot, and give his 1911A1 a good, dignified home.

You don't need another 1911?

EVERYONE NEEDS ANOTHER 1911, DAMMIT!!!

Here's the link.

Kerodin
III

An Honor bestowed upon me...

This is a close-up of my CQB training pack.  It is filled with Blue Guns, Blue knives, a few live blades, and sundry items.  It goes with me to every CQB class.

Saturday after class, training with Sandman and a pair of Founders who came from considerable distances, Sandman, CO of the Ohio Valley Minutemen, bestowed an honor upon me that I take with abounding pride - honorary membership with his Tribe.  That is the horizontal patch in the pic.  He gave me a second patch sans Velcro that will make it to an appropriate training shirt.

I am humbled to have been accepted by such fine Patriots.  They proudly consider themselves "Hill People", their patriotism and sense of Liberty runs deep, and while I didn't mention it Saturday, my parents and their families come from this general area.  My mother is from the Parkersburg area, and dad hailed from the Bluefield Virginia side of the river. 

To everyone who I met (and met again. like Alan P), my sincere thanks for making my wife and me feel so welcome, and for giving this training such serious commitment.

One final note, at the risk of making Sandman embarrassed, because he is a humble man: Militia Leaders, I encourage you to follow his model.  His people trust and respect him because first and foremost, he cares about them first.  Secondly, he is attempting to shift the paradigm, the negative stereotype that Enemies of Liberty have stigmatized to the word "Militia", and he has done so by standing tall in his community, putting his people to tasks that HELP civilians.  Militia is NOT a dirty or scary word - it is a word filled with history and pride.  Do not allow anyone to take that from our heritage.

End of diatribe. 

That special bottle you folks gifted us - Mrs. Kerodin loves it.  A few sips and it was nighty-night.  ;)

Stay safe.  More later.

Kerodin
III

Patton: Fixed Fortifications are a monument to the stupidity of man.

Context is everything.

If the future citizens who intend to live in the Citadel expected a .mil assault from current US or even .Gov LEO, the Citadel design would be folly.  It would be suicide.

But what if we do not expect a modern .mil or .Gov LEO attack - and they never come?

"Walls have been obsolete since gunpowder" is a common criticism heard by Citadel advocates.  But...every US .mil facility in hostile country, right down to the F.O.B. has a built and patrolled perimeter of some sort, no?  Obsolete against air power, explosive, mortars, sure.  Not so much against a rush of hungry men with rifles.

This is simply a post I've had on my mind for a few days, as I ponder how many people fail to ask the right questions.  They make assumptions without key intelligence, and reach outcomes and expectations that are skewed.

The next time someone challenges the military effectiveness of the planned Citadel, remind them that the only defense anticipated is against enemies with, essentially, offensive capabilities from the 1500's - with rifles.

If you want the right answers, you must first ask the right questions.

Kerodin
III

OVM AAR: Coming soon

I will post a proper AAR for OVM in the near future.

I have one thing to say - if you consider yourself a Patriot and you don't find a reason to meet this man and the Team he has assembled, you are missing out on one of the most important, beneficial networking opportunities that will ever present itself to you.

And if your AO is ANYWHERE near his AO, get it done.  Drop the hubris, the ego, the attitude - meet him and open serious lines of communication.

If you do not to that simple act - you do not DESERVE command of your unit.

Kerodin
III

Something to think about...Nodes

I was talking to a friend in email, and felt it was time for a gentle reminder.

You see all of those interconnected nodes above.  Consider each and every dot as a person.  Now consider yourself one of the dots.  Every other dot represents, as far as .Gov is concerned, a person in your life, even tangentially, who can be exploited or otherwise used against you, if you are not careful.

Start with the obvious: Spouse, children.  Then move out to extended family.  Then move out to you children's teachers, your meth-head cousin that you never see, even at the family get togethers.  It includes your doctor, your pharmacist, your shrink, your eye doctor, your co-workers, your customers, the guy you buy your ammo and guns from, your vet, your kids teacher who smoke pot at home, and so on.  E.v.e.r.y.o.n.e.

Each and every single one of those people have their own nodes, and vulnerabilities.

Now consider .Gov decided they want you - for any reason.  But all-in-all, you are clean - either because you are smart, or you aren't up to anything.

But they want you anyway.  Maybe you did nothing other than write an effective letter to Reid's office.  Maybe you fly a III bumper sicker or a Rand Paul t-shirt.  Maybe they don't like that they teach your kid X in school.

They can find the meth-head nephew of the pharmacist or teacher, and explain if you "...remember seeing Mr X doing Y, you'd be helping the community and Nation Security..."

The implied threat, of course, is that they cooperate, or their sins come to light.

You already know in your heart how many people will stand on principle, and how many will fold.

Knowing this...

Knowing that if they want you, for any reason...

...they will have you...

Isn't it more American to stand tall and tell them to Fuck Off, and then warn Mr. X they are coming for him?

Think about it.

Kerodin
III

Diesel Guys

H and I are considering a bus to serve as double duty: RV-esque vehicle to get us to CQB and III gigs in more comfort and space than the milk truck.

Second duty will serve at the Citadel Beachhead as a short-term "apartment" when required - guests can sleep indoors with a few creature comforts.

A few questions:

It comes from a school system, obviously, and I don't know which one.  I "assume" that school systems adhere to a pretty good maintenance schedule - I may be wrong.  Anyone know?

Next: Drivetrain is a DT466E Diesel with auto tranny and about 120,000 miles on it.  It has a hydraulic wheelchair lift that can be useful.  190 Horses.

I know these buses are not geared for a lot of highway driving, but I think my mechanic can improve that ratio.

How is that engine as far as diesels go?  Is it one of the new "high rpm" diesels?  I think at 120K the diesel is just getting broken in, and should run 400K+, yes?

If we decide to go this route (it is merely a concept being explored), we'd also make it a III Project, outfit it for cool III events, graphics, III Arms promo, etc.

Anyone with any insights to the mechanics?

Kerodin
III

Texas PatCom

Texas Patriots: Click Here.

Kerodin
III

Buchanan: Please read with your Big Boy pants on...

Read here.

The problems have to go.  The Liberals.  The Marxists.  The "Dems".  The "Entitled".  The thugs.

They simply have to go. 

"...you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here..."

Kerodin
III

Building a Citadel Wall - in Detroit area?

Detroit is in decay, looters and riots are just over the horizon, and a surviving suburb of 20,000 Souls is considering a 12-14' wall, gate, and state-issued ID for entry.

Great concept.

Bad execution.

They will be over-run.

Why?

They failed to get off the line of attack.

There will be a lot of that going around, soon.

Here's the link.

Kerodin
III

Never Happen Here...Twice...

Discuss over at Wirecutter's place, here.

Because not only CAN it happen again, it IS happening, right now.

I do have a hope: Everyone who fails to learn from History will not only repeat it, but die in the encore.

Kerodin
III

WATCH DRUDGE

**UPDATE** - At first read of the President's remarks, I say he is cooking something big behind the scenes - we may not know "what" for a while, but it will be even bigger than his Mental Health expansion of Prohibited Persons...

Just my gut-read.

~~

Something 2A is brewing from the FedGov level, using Martin case as the predicate.

It may be nothing...

...it may be something.

Kerodin
III

Intel Course

Need a course in practical, hands-on HumInt?

If it isn't what you did for a living, it will help you identify and build your targeting matrix.

Here's the link. 

Kerodin
III

The littlest III

I will let her proud papa reveal more when he is ready - but welcome Miss Madison, the littlest III.

Does anyone really need any more reason why Liberty matters?

She comes from good stock.  Congratulations to Momma & Papa!

HK & K
III

TacticalProShop.com - First Class Gear Shop

H and I arrived in Los Angeles ready for our class with BonnieGadsden and his Tribe.  Of course, we still had no Blue Guns (except my personal few).  Setting up an account with the Blue Gun company was my first choice, but they are swamped with orders and couldn't help me out in time.  (I still intend to set up this account, because you folks need training weapons).  From DC I made contact with Matt at Tactical Pro Shop in Burbank, California.  I gave him my list of Blue Gun needs, and he said he had me covered. For anyone who has never been to "Los Angeles" it is a sprawling, massive area that all falls under the umbrella of "Los Angeles", though it is really more than about 100 smaller towns/small cities that rub shoulders with one another.  The actual city limits of "Los Angeles" are "relatively" small, compared to what most maps call "Los Angeles".

H and I were down near Long Beach, between the class site and Holly's sister's home.  Burbank was about an hour - each way - on several different highways.  It was Friday, July 5th when most everyone had shut their doors for the long weekend.  I walked into Matt's shop and said "Point me toward your Blue Guns." and he immediately knew it was me.  "We talked in email, right?  You're from DC?"  I said yes, and he gave me the smile of a man who knows how to run a small business.  And it wasn't just a "business smile" - the guy is genuinely nice, he knows every product in his shop very well, and I watched as he and his assistant helped a knife shopper find "the proper" knife for what the customer wanted, inside his budget range.  There was no hard sell - he was taking care of his customer.

True to his word, he had the Blue Guns I needed and even had them ready to pull from the back storage area (what wasn't on display).  I ended up with 2 different M4 variants, 2 1911's, 2 Browning HPs, a blue knife, and a Sig - and he gave me his 4th of July discount.  For those of you who buy Blue Guns, you know they are not cheap, and I can tell you from personal knowledge having dealt briefly with John Ring (the manufacturer) there is not much profit margin built in for Dealers.

Matt took good care of me.  His shop is relatively new (a bit more than 5 months with the doors open, now), and well-stocked.  He hasn't bothered with an FFL (who would in California these days?!) and as I said, he not only knows every item in his shop, he stocks quality gear.

If you live locally, stop in and say hi.  If you are shopping for something tactical online, try his shop first: TacticalProShop.com.

He's not paying me a dime, this post is simply to let my audience know he's a good guy with a good shop that deserves to be supported by Patriots.  I'm going to add his shop to my right sidebar as soon as I get off the road (this laptop doesn't have any of my good software).

TacticalProShop.com

Kerodin
III