The first question everyone is going to ask is why were they not prepared? People are making the assumption that this was a planned operation by the Leadership. Maybe, maybe not. If the Leadership truly intended to stay holed up for an extended period before hand and didn't account for how they would feed a force large enough to secure the complex, that's their bad. Yet the other Patriots there came to Oregon to attend the protest did so not intending to take place in an extended occupation. They brought 3-day go bags and that was it.
Battles and entire wars have been lost due to logistics. In Iraq , the advance armor units outpaced the supply line. Some had to stop and wait for resupply efforts, out of diesel and low on ammo. They would have been sitting ducks had not the Republican guard been in full "run away" mode.
Mrs. Bundy's list includes non-food goods that will equip the ones that arrived without cold weather gear. Once everyone has enough socks and blankets those items will be needed less and less. Someone there should be keeping track of this and update us so we all don't send them each a jacket and end up with 200 coats when that money could have been better spent on a sleeping bag. This type of gear will have to be sourced from outside the AO. Bend Oregon seemed to be the closest place to buy said gear. The problem is it has been a harsh winter here already and these types of gear are in high demand. I bought every piece of cold weather gear available and that will prove negligible as new assets show up. I hope they come much better prepared.
Burns appeared to have a Safeway and JC Thriftway from what I saw. It did not appear there was a Walmart or similar type store. Food goods should be sourced at wholesale restaurant supply companies like Cash and Carry. Daily runs into Burns to go grocery shopping is very inefficient as bulk calories are needed in the harsh, cold weather.
A pickup truck load of food was delivered Friday. Approx. 600 lbs. From the number of those involved, which I will not divulge here for OPSEC, that food will last a week, two tops if they get creative and stretch it out. So at a minimum, a truck load of food every week or so will be required to sustain this OP. How can this be done? Who among us is going to step up and take point on this? Who among us has logistics experience?
We need to stop pointing fingers as to who's fault this logistics problem is and start putting the processes in place to resupply these Patriots with what is required. Chalk this up to lessons learned and move forward. There are Patriots in need of assistance. Lets not fail them.
Logistics, the most required aspect of any action, is always the last thing considered. It's not as sexy as SUT, CQC, etc.... But when you're the one shivering from the cold and underfed, logistics is a big deal.
~ ToneDeaf
