Preparedness Lessons from the Uvalde Mass Shooting

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Uvalde — growing up in the Hill Country of Texas, I spent many summers there. I’d describe it as an “Any Town USA.” Quiet, neighborly, everyone waved. Those are my memories as a young boy in this peaceful South Texas town. Move forward forty-plus years to that Tuesday morning in May. As information began to surge on the networks, my mood instantly changed when I saw the headline announcing the Uvalde mass shooting. My home state. My neck of the woods. Suddenly, the distant images of playgrounds, gymnasiums, churches, restaurants, and houses of old friends became flashbacks. Like over a hundred cities in America since Columbine, Uvalde had now lost a layer of tranquility. Just 24 hours prior, Uvalde had been like most every other city in America, not yet listed as a statistic. A disturbed 18-year old kid changed that forever. Innocence lost.

Of all the active shooter events I’ve covered as an on-air security analyst for a network affiliate over the past six years, this one stung the most. In this mass shooting incident, I was able to insert images of people and places I had known. The helplessness I now felt from halfway across the country quickly turned into a personal call for action.

What Can We Learn from the Uvalde Mass Shooting?

Over the next few weeks following the Uvalde mass shooting, several of my colleagues who are involved in public safety training began placing a huge emphasis on enhanced educational programs for first responders (police, fire, EMS) and educational programs for teachers and employees in regard to active shooter events. Rightly so! Uvalde made us all ask, “After what we just witnessed, have we seen any results from all the effort that has gone into teaching new doctrine after what we learned at Columbine in ’99?”

As I began to see a massive focus on training for first responders and employees, I wondered, “what type of training is being directed toward the Frontline Responders?” This term refers to armed public safety professionals who are already on scene the moment an incident occurs, such as School Resource Officers (SROs), armed private security officers, or any number of professional protectors that report to duty at facilities, venues, and soft targets every day across America.

Above: A student at Karl's training organization, KDI, prepares for a drill incorporating a ballistic shield.

Within 24 hours I developed a two-day training program titled “Active Shooter Response for the Frontline Responder”. I immediately submitted my final outline for review to both Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZ POST) and to the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) — two states on opposite sides of the country. Within two days, I received each agency’s blessing to make this course available for continuing education credits to law enforcement officers in their respective states. I’m happy to report that our national roll-out of this training program began less than 30 days from its inception.

As I wrote this course, it became evident to me how much of the material I was putting together could have a direct impact on everyone who has an interest in protecting themselves in a critical situation. Today, I’m here to share an overview of that information with you.

Pre-Hospital Trauma Medicine

Above: The importance of medical training cannot be overstated, and it's not only valuable for professional first responders — everyone should learn the basics.

It sounds like a mouthful, but it makes sense at every level. Pre-Hospital Trauma Medicine is known by several names, but it comes down to investing in your own personal knowledge, skills, and abilities to be able to perform tasks like “stopping the bleed” (hemorrhage control), applying a tourniquet, performing CPR, using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), preventing choking, and rendering basic first aid.

This training is not just for those who may face gunfire. It works for everyone! Being prepared for a medical emergency in the home or office is a preventive measure that we should all take seriously. To what level you take your training is completely a personal decision. At best, you can provide aid for your family. During a crisis, you can become a force multiplier for responding medical personnel. When a serious incident occurs, one thing we have all learned is that there are rarely enough emergency personnel on-scene to provide adequate emergency medical care to everyone.

Like most skills, the skills you learn in the tactical arena are considered “perishable,” and as such, should be practiced on a regular basis. Luckily, there are many resources within our community to help keep your skills up to par. To name a few, programs are offered through the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. Your city or county may offer free classes on the topic of Community Emergency Response Training (CERT), or you can find similar classes through providers in Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC). Numerous local hospitals also host community-based medical education and training throughout the year. If you make the effort, you can become and remain proficient in a variety of pre-hospital trauma skills.

Above: Students in a medical trauma course practice wound-packing with gauze. Oil is used to simulate the slippery conditions of treating a hemorrhage.

Do you carry a first aid kit in your car, at your home, or in your office? If so, are its contents in good condition or outdated? Have you invested in purchasing an AED? Or do you depend on an ambulance coming to help you? Ask any medical professional and they will tell you how critical those first few minutes of a medical emergency are to the individual(s) in distress.

At a minimum, in your Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK), you should carry two CoTCCC-recommended tourniquets, four chest seals, hemostatic gauze, a compression bandage, and a pair of shears. Your IFAK can grow based upon your training and experience, but you need to start somewhere. And keep it with you! You don’t want to be that individual that happens upon a medical emergency and wishes you had your IFAK at that critical moment in time.

Situational Awareness

Above: Two KDI students prepare to make entry into a room using inert training weapons.

Know your surroundings and your environment. It’s absolutely vital, whether in your office or at a public venue, that you make yourself consciously aware of a few things:

  1. Know the location of your nearest exits, emergency exits and stairwells
  2. Know the location of a fire extinguisher, first aid kit, and AED
  3. Know the location of your nearest security office (as in your local mall)

Your rapid response to identify these locations and acquire these items can truly be the difference between life and death. And know a location you can quickly move to where you will be safe during an active shooter event.

It takes a conscious effort to be aware of your surroundings. But every one of us is, at one time or another, is responsible for the safety and security of others. Take this responsibility seriously the next time you’re in a group space. Begin planning now.

If You’re There at the “Moment of Bang”

Let’s address three areas of concern: the mall, your office, and a school. While in the mall, you can rapidly move into the nearest store. Every major mall has a protocol for mitigating active shooter events. Stores will actively lock down their entry gates and most stores have an exit into the rear of the mall for evacuation. Do not get caught in a stampede at any location. There are frequent stories of people getting trampled when caught in the rush of a crowd. If you cannot keep up with the flow of a running crowd, position yourself behind a hard barrier such as a pillar or stationary sign. Inside a mall, because of how they are built, you cannot always tell what direction the sound of gunfire is coming from, so know your environment and exit the main thoroughfare quickly.

In your office, consider establishing a “safe room” — a location where you can shelter in place that is hardened against gun fire. Has your office considered controlling access to the main entrance through the use of cameras, entry control, or voice devices? Does your office have a practiced emergency evacuation plan? Is your reception area customer service friendly, yet still secure enough to keep out unwanted visitors? These and other questions can be easily reviewed by seeking out a trained professional to conduct a physical security survey of your office. (Editor's Note: For more information on how the pros test security and what we can learn from their assessments, refer to our article on “red teaming” from Issue 35.) One of the best ideas I’ve heard is keeping a small fire extinguisher by the reception desk (even by your desk). It has been shown that, in the absence of purpose-built defensive tools, fire extinguishers can work well in deterring a combative individual and buying you time to exit the area. Besides, no one ever questions why you have a fire extinguisher in your office.

Above: Every classroom should be equipped with a well-stocked trauma kit and some type of mechanical breaching tool to create secondary escape routes. Body-worn armor and ballistic shields are also valuable resources for defense in active shooter situations, and should always be available to on-site Frontline Responders.

In classrooms, ensure that you have practiced your active shooter plan. The classroom doors must be reinforced to lock out any unwanted persons. You must have a way to blackout your classroom (no lights) and a way to shelter the students in place behind desks or other hardened objects. If you have to fight the aggressor, remember you are fighting for your life and the lives of others.

Every classroom should be equipped with a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit that contains tourniquets and chest seals, a mechanical breaching tool to be able to exit through windows or even through the adjacent wall, and color-coded signs (red and green construction paper) to inform the first law enforcement officers who reach you about whether there are injured people inside your classroom without having to open the door. And please, do not open your door to an unknown voice that is telling you they are the police. Confirm before you open. Those individuals planning an active shooter event watch school training videos as well, and they often collect pertinent information to assist in their attack.

Closing Thoughts

Every topic we’ve discussed in relation to the Uvalde mass shooting boils down to this one point – preparedness. There is no substitute for a good plan that’s been practiced until it becomes second nature. The criminals we are seeing engage in active shooter incidents are typically not trained, experienced, hardcore terrorists. These are individuals who are disturbed and often fear the pain of being caught or being shot themselves. You have a significant advantage in a critical situation if you have a plan in place, are familiar with that plan, and you have practiced it with others.

The regret of not being prepared truly outweighs the inconvenience of taking time to train.

About the Author

Originally from San Antonio, Texas, Karl L. de la Guerra has been active in the protective services industry for the past 43 years with an emphasis on counter-terrorism and dignitary protection. He is Founder & CEO of South Carolina based Karl de la Guerra, Inc. (teamKDI.com), an international security consulting and protective services training agency. His agency operates KDI Protective Services of South Carolina, KDI Protective Services, LLC in Texas, and KDI Protective Services, LLC in Arizona. Karl has been instructing law enforcement officers since 1981. He is also Chairman of the International Bodyguard & Security Services Association (IBSSA.org) headquartered in Budapest, Hungary.

Book Review: “The Disaster Diaries” by Sam Sheridan

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The Premise: From time to time, we find a survival book that is refreshingly different from the multitude of similar manuals that currently exist in the market. The Disaster Diaries: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse utilizes theoretical disasters as a backdrop to demonstrate real survival knowledge from experts throughout our nation. The author of The Disaster Diaries, Sam Sheridan, accomplishes this goal through storytelling that’s both thoughtful and playful.

Our Review of The Disaster Diaries

From basic skills (such as how to make fire and hunt) to learning how to maneuver a vehicle through a zombie-infested city, Sheridan plays to our sense of adventure to showcase practical skills. Sheridan learns from the nation’s most unlikely practitioners of skillsets that bring a broad base of knowledge of overlooked techniques. Want to learn how to train your body during the apocalypse from an Olympic weight lifter? Do you need to learn how to steal a car from an ex-gang banger who showcases his street knowledge? Sheridan brings his readers with him to explore the spectrum of survival one skill at a time.

The 411: If calamity decimated the world through a massive earthquake, would you have enough food and water to last a week? Could you hot-wire a car to outmaneuver the shock wave of a thermonuclear blast? Similar questions, and many more, have occurred to Sheridan through his sleepless nights as a young father. This has prompted Sheridan to put his family’s safety at the forefront of his quest to be a more well-rounded disaster expert, and is his foundational purpose for writing The Disaster Diaries. Sheridan, an amateur boxer and mixed martial arts fighter, has developed a survivor’s mentality from his years as an EMT, wilderness firefighter, sailor, and a Montana ranch cowboy.

Each chapter is focused on Sheridan learning a new and practical survival skill from experts around the world, and is predicated by some outlandish yet entertaining disaster scenarios that range from super earthquakes to the zombie apocalypse. While his research is dead serious, Sheridan’s tone is quirky and comedic, always appealing to his readers through a relatable and down-to-earth delivery of his journey.

The Verdict: The Disaster Diaries stands apart as a refreshing addition to the extensive amount of reading that currently saturates the preparedness market. Although it serves as a teaching tool, it proves itself as an enjoyable narrative in which you’re invited to follow the author on his personal journey, making it the reader’s journey as well. Each chapter stands alone, much like a manual, but carries the story arc of Sheridan’s transition into a knowledgeable survivalist. Throughout the book, Sheridan keeps his reader motivated as he reminds himself of why he instigated this journey in the first place, which was to protect his family from the worst this world has to throw at them. For the prepper who has enveloped themselves in the “sport” of disaster survival, Sheridan does an excellent job in veering his readers away from narcissistic motives and instead paints the picture that preparing for disasters should be founded on selfless acts for those you love.

It’s here where Sheridan begins to shine as he uses his journalistic instincts to paint a picture that showcases our lack of readiness, which overlooks skillsets that are practical in a cataclysmic world. The end result is a call to action that’s both sobering and humorous, mentoring us to think outside of the box and embrace the fact that our survival is not dependent upon others to save us, but on our capable shoulders alone. Sheridan hopes to provoke us to take our own measures to prepare for catastrophe and successfully reaches across the “prepper’s table” to bring in a wider audience.

The Disaster Diaries is irresistible in its charm as it weaves its readers through an adventure of learning and imagination, especially for those who want to learn to survive cataclysm from someone who is in the midst of struggling to learn the same skills. It’s an upbeat and entertaining survival guide for the end of the world as well as mundane disasters. It appeals to a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and mentalities. What Sheridan has done with The Disaster Diaries is make his journey real to his readers, drawing in new crowds to the world of disaster preparedness who otherwise might not want to read a traditional survival manual.

About the Book

Book & Author
The Disaster Diaries: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse
By Sam Sheridan

Publisher
Penguin Books 2014

MSRP
$17 (Amazon paperback version)

URL
www.amazon.com

Pages
336

Rating

>Thrive
Survive
Die

Offgrid Library of Recommended Reading

Tactics and Firearms

Skillsets and DIY

Novels and Literature

Scenarios and Survival

Bag Drop: Viktos Upscale 2 Urban EDC Sling Bag

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We have dedicated a lot of time in our Bag Drop column covering bags that get packed and then stashed away for emergency situations. This time, we want to talk about a bag that is worn literally every day. It belongs to one of our female freelance photographers, who wears it throughout the day instead of carrying a traditional purse. This Viktos Upscale 2 sling bag and its contents are meant to maximize on minimalism without sacrificing essential equipment for emergency response.

The Viktos Upscale 2 Sling Bag

Make/Model: Viktos Upscale 2

MSRP: $75

URL: viktos.com

The bag itself is a Viktos Upscale 2 – a compact sling bag with a low-key, utilitarian aesthetic on the outside and well-thought-out storage management on the inside. Measuring a demure 15 x 7 x 4 inches all around, the Upscale 2 is slightly larger than a traditional fanny pack but smaller (and sleeker) than many tactical or survival-oriented sling bags currently on the market. There are four pockets, including a dual-zip flat pocket on the body side of the bag, which comes with a universal Velcro holster for CCW.

The front of the bag has a half-moon pocket up top with extra internal padding meant for glasses or sunglasses. The rectangular compartment below it comes with staggered elastic loops of varying sizes to retain your various sundries. That pocket has a small zip-pocket on its face that’s ideally sized for small items like wallets, keys, folded cash, credit cards, etc.

The shoulder strap features an ambidextrous design with a single attachment point at the top, and one on either side at the bottom. The top end of the strap is attached by small side-release buckle, the bottom by a carabiner that can be swapped to the left or right corner depending on wearer preference.

The body-side of the bag does have PALS loops sewn onto it, should you want to run this pack attached to a plate carrier, but is mostly out-of-sight while the bag is worn. Said webbing could be used to attach a couple of small pouches to the outside of the bag if needed, though we felt like this would defeat the purpose of the bag’s minimalist design. Its small size and generally shoebox-y shape makes it easy to stow as a grab-and-go bag in all sorts of places. If loaded and left for emergency use, the Viktos Upscale 2 fits easy underneath the front seat of your car, in between the two front seats, hanging in a locker or by the door, or even in a pantry or cupboard.

Above: The front pocket contains a trauma kit, SureFire flashlight, and a large wallet.

It’s also worth mentioning that Premier Body Armor makes a Level III+ flexible armor insert specifically sized for this bag. While we suppose some armor protection is better than none, the 12.6-x-7-inch dimensions really rely on the enemy’s marksmanship to stop incoming rounds effectively. Slung across the front of the body, it would be slightly larger than the old-school steel “heart plates” used to augment older generations of soft body armor.

Our sample bag is MultiCam Black which is, depending on who you talk to, either the apex or ass-end of tactical fashion. If you don’t care to make such a fashion statement, there are several solid colors available as well.

Bag Contents

Above: No, the tampons are not for gunshot wounds — they're carried for their intended function. A proper trauma kit is stashed in the pack for treating serious injuries.

This is an everyday bag worn in lieu of a proper purse. As such, it contains both some basic preps as well as some typical purse supplies. The CCW pouch holds a single-stack Staccato C pistol with Trijicon RMRcc optic, in an LAS Concealment holster. Originally meant as an AIWB holster, the belt clip and wing were removed and the holster body wrapped in hook tape, to hold it in place inside the bag.

Above: An LAS Concealment holster, retrofitted with Velcro hook material, contains this Staccato C single-stack 9mm pistol.

The sunglasses pouch on the top front of the bag contains some granola bars and tampons. No, the tampons are not for gunshot wounds. That’s what the TCCC supplies in the larger front pocket are for. The elastic loops inside this main compartment are perfectly-sized for retaining a 4-inch Emergency Trauma Dressing from North American Rescue, a pair of compact chest seals, a packet of Combat Gauze LE, a CAT tourniquet and nitrile gloves. The last remaining loop holds a Surefire E1B-MV flashlight. This palm sized backup light produced 400 lumens off a single CR123 and utilizes Surefire’s MaxVision beam – a flood-like reflector which produces a wide, uniform wall-of-light. These features make it ideal for up-close administrative tasks and small area searches.

Above: The effectiveness of the Kopis Designs L-Via knife carried in this pack was tested on a pig carcass in Ed Calderon's Weaponology class.

The front zipper section hides a Kopis Designs L-Via fixed blade. This knife, a collaboration between Kopis and OFFGRID contributor Ed Calderon, is a lightweight, handy defensive fixed blade. The unique sheath features a tooth-like hook that can snag the edge of a pouch or pocket to pop off instantly as the blade is drawn. Finally, an elastic-top mesh pocket on the inside of the front flap holds a large wallet perfectly.

Conclusion

There’s not much to this Bag Drop loadout — some med gear, some defensive tools, some snacks, and some personal goods. If more is needed, there are other larger bags strategically placed throughout the owner’s daily locales (car, home, office). But this Viktos Upscale 2 is truly a daily-driver. It's a general out-and-about bag that’s equally prepared for a drive-through coffee break or active shooter.

A-TACS AU Camo Has Been Re-Released

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Whether you're active-duty military in a combat environment, law enforcement on a stakeout, or a hunter attempting to avoid alerting prey, camouflage is an important consideration. Both humans and animals are extremely attuned to slight changes in color and texture, and these factors can vary greatly from one environment to the next. That's why it's great to have lots of camo patterns to choose from. We're glad to see A-TACS has expanded its line of camo offerings with the re-release of the original A-TACS AU.

The A-TACS AU (Arid Urban) pattern originally hit the market back in 2009 but was eventually discontinued and replaced by its successor, A-TACS AU-X (Arid Urban Xtreme). In the image below, you can see the original AU side-by-side with AU-X; the latter “Xtreme” pattern appears to have a wider range of variance between light and dark elements.

Owner and pattern designer Phil Duke explained that this AU re-release was a byproduct of a growing number of requests from end users who wanted gear in the original pattern. From our perspective, we suspect A-TACS AU performs well in environments with softer light and more muted color tones, while AU-X seems better suited for terrain with darker and more defined shadows. There certainly seems to be room in the market for both options.

For those who live in less dry environments, the company tells us it's also planning to bring back the original A-TACS FG (Foliage Green) pattern, so keep an eye out for that official announcement in the future. For more information about the return of A-TACS AU, go to A-TACS.com/our-patterns.

Shoot & Scoot: Global Military Products Scorpion Mobile Mortar System

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In warfare, a stationary target is a vulnerable target. Firing any weapon from a static position for an extended period of time can allow an enemy to pinpoint your location. Conversely, repositioning frequently makes it harder for an enemy to launch an effective counterattack. The Scorpion mobile mortar system from Global Military Products is designed to address this need, achieving an effective balance between mobility and lethality.

Above: An experienced two-man team can skid to a stop and fire the first round downrange in just 45 seconds. Eleven additional rounds can be fired within the next 60 seconds.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 61 of our sister publication Recoil magazine.

Photos by Glen Castle

The Global Military Products Scorpion

The Scorpion system was originally developed by a family-owned business in Spain called NTGS (New Technologies Global Systems). NTGS is the manufacturer of the Scorpion; Global Military Products, a division of Global Ordnance, partnered with the company to adapt and distribute it internationally.

Once you see how the Scorpion works, it becomes clear that its name isn't just meant to sound imposing — it's a direct reference to the predatory insect's anatomy. Much like the articulation of a scorpion’s stinger, the mortar system swings out of the back of the truck in an arc until it reaches its final position with its baseplate pressed against the ground. This deployment takes roughly 30 seconds and can be initiated as soon as the truck comes to a stop. Within another 15 seconds, a skilled two-man crew can fire the first 81mm or 120mm mortar round downrange (depending on the interchangeable tube installed). In the first minute, the Scorpion is capable of firing 12 rounds; rate of fire slows to 4 rounds per minute after that. More importantly, the Scorpion can be stowed and driven away a mere 21 seconds after the last shot is fired.

Above: After firing a shot, it only takes 21 seconds before the Scorpion can drive away. In many cases, the truck can leave the area before the round impacts its target.

The system is much more than a simple deployable mortar tube. It features a weather station that unfolds as part of the deployment to improve accuracy. The high-tech Fire Control System uses double GPS units to determine the truck’s location and orientation, compares that location to assigned targets, and calculates the ballistic trajectory of multiple munition types. There’s also an electronics cabinet that houses control systems for the elevation and direction of the gun, communication systems, and an independent battery. On the opposite side of the Scorpion’s frame, a pneumatic cabinet contains the compressor, storage tanks, and solenoid valves that control the folding and unfolding operation. The Fire Control System can be operated from a computer screen and keyboard inside the truck’s cab, removing the operator from the blast radius of the mortar, or it can be controlled from similar control panels outside the truck.

Above: A large computer screen and keyboard in the cab allows the passenger to operate the Fire Control System, which automatically factors in GPS, ballistics, and weather data to electronically aim the mortar.

The baseplate of the Scorpion system rests against the ground, distributing recoil so it doesn’t place strain on the truck’s chassis and suspension. Once the system is deployed, the tube still has a 120-degree arc of movement, so it can be aimed precisely without requiring the driver to park at a precise angle. Onboard ammunition cabinets can carry up to 72 rounds of 81mm or 40 rounds of 120mm ammo. Maximum range for each of these munitions is 6,500 meters and 8,000 meters, respectively, with sub-2-mil accuracy.

Above: Ammo tubes on each side of the truck offer protected storage for 81mm or 120mm mortar ammunition.

As for the truck that carries the Scorpion mortar system, Global Military Products says it can be adapted to any wheeled or tracked vehicle over 1.5 tons with no structural reinforcement required. Early prototypes were based on the Land Rover Defender and URO VAMTAC, a Spanish military vehicle comparable to the American Humvee. The truck pictured here is a 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser VDJ79 with a turbodiesel V-8 and five-speed manual transmission. It has no modifications aside from removal of the bed to make room for the Scorpion. With a combined weight of 7,165 pounds (not including ammunition), it’s light enough to be carried by helicopters and other aircraft.

Above: Rather than digging into the ground, the Scorpion’s baseplate presses firmly against it. This distributes recoil without impeding the truck’s ability to pack up and leave quickly.

Global Military Products believes that the Scorpion offers a huge advantage over the legacy mortar systems that are currently in use by the U.S. Army and Marines, which it says have been “essentially unchanged since WWII.” Although it remains to be determined whether our military will adopt this system, it’s easy to see how its ability to park, fire several mortar rounds, and move to a new location in under two minutes could be valuable on the battlefield.

Global Military Products Scorpion Specifications

Vehicle Type: Mobile Mortar System

Base Vehicle: 2021 Toyota Land Cruiser (can be adapted to any vehicle greater than 1.5 tons)

Drivetrain: 4.5L turbodiesel V-8, 5-speed manual transmission

Mortar Type: 81mm or 120mm (interchangeable)

Ammunition Capacity: 72 rounds of 81mm / 40 rounds of 120mm

Set Up / Pack Up Time: 30 seconds

Rate of Fire: 12 rounds for first minute, 4 rounds per minute afterward

URL: globalmilitaryproducts.com

Guerrilla Mentor Class Review: Hostile Encounters on the Road

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How realistic is your training? This is a question you should be asking yourself frequently, since unrealistic training can be detrimental to your ability to deal with a survival situation. When it comes to firearms, we often train on a flat range, standing in a booth and shooting slowly at static targets. In a real fight, it’s important to use cover and concealment to your advantage, move while shooting, and communicate with other members of your “squad” (teammates, family, friends, etc.). who may be present at the time. I recently attended a two-day class that focused on each of these skills, centered around a common context: driving a vehicle. The Guerrilla Mentor Hostile Encounters class was based on head instructor Timothy Lacy’s experience working as a private security contractor in war zones overseas.

Guerrilla Mentor Hostile Encounters

Timothy Lacy Guerrilla Mentor riding in a humvee 2008

Above: After spending years in the Army, law enforcement, and as a security contractor, Timothy Lacy used his experience driving through hostile areas to teach students how to stay safe in worst-case scenarios on the road.

Lacy often had to escort VIPs through hostile areas, and if necessary, return fire and extract the VIPs. You may be thinking that this isn’t relevant to armed civilians, but I’d beg to differ. Whether you find yourself in the path of a road-raging psycho who’s angrily approaching with a gun, you get caught up in the middle of a mass shooting or gang violence on the street, or you’re rolling up to a dangerous situation as a professional first responder, many violent incidents take place in (or near) a vehicle. And although you probably won’t be leading a fire team or escorting government personnel, you might be working alongside an armed spouse and corralling your own scared children.

Above: At the beginning of the class, Lacy demonstrated how to shoot from a vehicle without shattering the windshield or leaving the driver’s seat. This is useful if you need to escape to a safer location immediately after returning fire.

At the beginning of the class, we discussed using a vehicle as cover or concealment — it’s almost always the latter. Most bullets will pass right through both sides of a car or truck and remain lethal. The engine block and wheels/axles provide some protection, but less than you’d think. Cars are also big targets that draw fire like a magnet. If driving away immediately is possible, that’s the obvious choice. Otherwise, it’s best to quickly move back from that bullet magnet, use it to obscure yourself from view, and loop around to a position where you can shoot back or find real cover.

Above: Although unarmored civilian vehicles provide visual concealment, they don't provide much protective cover from incoming fire (especially rifle rounds). The engine block and axles/brakes/wheels can offer some last-resort cover if there's nowhere else to run.

For a practical exercise, we loaded groups of students into pickup trucks and simulated rolling up to a scenario. As soon as the threat was identified, the “tactical commander” (TC, a term from Lacy’s days working private security details) in the shotgun seat yelled “Contact front!” The TC then provided clear instructions to the group — “drive” if we could leave the area, or “vehicle down” if we were immobilized. In the latter case, he followed with “evac [direction],” leading everyone to reply “moving” and bail out of the truck on that side. Once each student was clear of the truck, we took up firing positions and yelled “set” to indicate this. If anyone needed to move, they announced “moving” and waited for the “move” confirmation from the nearest team member before taking up a new position. We moved deliberately, being careful not to cross lines of friendly fire, and bounded (i.e. leapfrogged) back to a secondary vehicle while other members provided covering fire. When we were all set around that vehicle, the TC shouted “recover.” We jumped in, each yelling “up” once we were seated; TC gave the “drive” command once everyone was inside, and the driver peeled out.

Above: By the end of the class, Lacy covered more advanced techniques, such as safely extracting a scared VIP from a damaged truck. In civilian context, this “VIP” might be a friend or family member.

After several dry runs, we ran live drills. As we got more comfortable, radios were incorporated to communicate with our secondary evac vehicle. We even ran scenarios where an unarmed, cowering VIP had to be forcibly removed from a disabled car. Your ability to manage that particular complication will be valuable if anyone in your vehicle (e.g. kids) hasn’t been thoroughly trained how to react if a violent incident occurs.

As a civilian, it’s unlikely that I’ll be riding with four kitted-out friends when a road rager decides to pick a fight. However, the principles learned in this Hostile Encounters class translate well to personal and family self-defense. I feel more comfortable moving and shooting around a vehicle, and I know that if I’m with my wife or someone else who is armed, I’ll be able to coordinate with them to escape or fight back. For more information on future classes with Guerrilla Mentor, go to Facebook.com/guerillamentor or follow the Instagram page at @guerrilla.mentor.

More Training Recaps

Video: ProjectFarm’s Best Folding Knife Tests

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A folding knife is one of the most useful every-day carry tools money can buy, and that's why most of us don't leave home without one. From slicing open envelopes at the office to shaving tinder for a campfire, a trustworthy folder is helpful in an endless array of situations. On the other hand, a poor-quality knife can quickly become dull and useless — it might even break and injure you. So, how can you choose the best folding knife for your needs? We've written articles about this topic in the past, but the YouTuber known as ProjectFarm recently put together a two-part video series that tests and compares 30 folders from bargain-bin ($5) all the way to high-end (nearly $400).

As an illustration of what we're talking about, these two folding knives above might look vaguely similar — both have black drop-point blades, flipper mechanisms, and carbon-fiber-pattern handle scales, but that's where the similarities end.

The top knife in the image is a Master USA MU-A005CF, which is (ironically) made in China with a mystery stainless steel blade and fake carbon fiber scales. It retails for $5 on Amazon. The bottom knife is a Zero Tolerance 0450CF, which is made in the USA featuring durable S35VN steel and real carbon fiber handle scales. It's available at an MSRP of $228, but Project Farm paid $196 for it. Each of these — and 28 other folding knives — are tested in a variety of ways in the videos below. These include blade sharpness, edge durability, tip durability, lock strength, lock release pressure, and even corrosion resistance.

In part one of the series, Project Farm tests 15 knives from Benchmade, Zero Tolerance, Kershaw, Spyderco (two models), Cold Steel, Buck, Civivi, SOG, CRKT, Ontario, CRJB, Opinel, KA-BAR, and Smith & Wesson. Sharpness is measured using a BESS Certified sharpness testing scale immediately after unboxing each knife, again after dulling the blade by running it against a hard piece of ironwood, and a third time after sharpening on a Wicked Edge sharpener.

Part two of the ProjectFarm series includes folding knives from Gerber, Benchmade, Fallkniven, Victorinox, Leatherman, Kershaw, Cold Steel, Kizer, CRKT, Milwaukee, DeWalt, COAST, Kingmax, Vulcan, and Master USA. The video concludes with an interesting interview with a former Green Beret who has been carrying the same Case folding knife for more than 65 years.

Obviously, there are many variables involved in deciding on the best folding knife for your needs. These videos provide a pretty comprehensive series of tests, so hopefully they'll help you make a more informed decision.

New: Armasight Contractor Thermal Optics

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Anyone who has used a thermal optic while hunting at night can tell you the huge advantage these devices provide, but that's not their only application — they're invaluable for search and rescue operations, and recent conflicts such as the war in Ukraine have clearly shown that thermal optics offer an advantage on the battlefield as well. Whether you need to scan your property for four-legged predators, search for a lost pet, or defend against human aggressors, thermal optics can make low-light tasks much easier. The new Armasight Contractor thermals, which were unveiled earlier this year at SHOT Show, are now hitting the market.

The Armasight Contractor series is launching with two models, the Contractor 320 3-12x25mm (top) and Contractor 320 6-24x50mm (bottom). Both optics are designed and built in the USA, and feature Armasight's new made-in-the-USA ArmaCORE thermal core with 12-micron pixels (a large increase in sensor resolution over previous models). Each Contractor optic is contained in a lightweight metal housing and powered by CR123 batteries with a 4-hour maximum runtime.

The Contractor series of thermals offers six color palettes, some of which can be seen above. These images are rendered onto a 60 Hz 1024×768 display. There's also a digital compass, inclinometer, and a choice of eight user-selectable reticles:

Still photos and up to 4 hours of video can be captured and stored in onboard memory. Alternatively, these photos/videos can be downloaded onto a computer via the USB cable, or transmitted over WiFi to your mobile device using the Armasight mobile app (available for iOS and Android). The app can also be used to remotely control the thermal optic, stream live video, check GPS location, and install firmware updates to expand functionality.

MSRP for the Armasight Contractor 320 3-12x25mm is $4,299, and MSRP for the Contractor 320 6-24x50mm is $4,799. For more information, go to Armasight.com.

Letter from the Editor: …And I Feel Fine

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Anniversaries are often a time of reflection, and as my team stares down the barrel of our 50th issue, we certainly have plenty to contemplate. I don’t think there’s any argument at this point that, for many of us, the idea of what it means to “prepare” has changed significantly in the last 24 months. Historically, the American idea of “prepping” has often revolved a single, massive, long-term event. It’s why you’ll still hear some members of the community using terms like “Zombie Apocalypse” or “TEOTWAWKI” (The End Of The World As We Know It) to set the context for discussions about prepping and survival. Alternative rock band R.E.M. even coined a hit song by the same name in the late ’80s, further cementing the notion that a catastrophic societal collapse is the thing we all subconsciously brace for.

But current events tell a different story. Catastrophe has looked less like a mushroom cloud and more like a multicar traffic wreck unfolding in slow motion — a gradual, consistent stacking of individual events strangling our sense of security and certainty in the world, seeming to build toward a crescendo we’ve yet to accurately visualize. Hollywood has made millions capitalizing on our collective imaginations to paint a picture of what “the big one” (if there even is such a thing at this point) could look like.

It’s why we used a pop-culture treatment for our cover this issue, capturing one of the most iconic American movies about fighting for survival against a threat that, four decades later, seems to be bearing down hard on the Ukrainian people. It’s unlikely that we’ll end up with paratroopers raining down on American soil in broad daylight like they did in Red Dawn, but we have to admit that certain aspects of that film have felt uncomfortably relevant lately. There are real photos of tanks in Ukraine with “Wolverines!” spraypainted onto their armor, and others proudly flying Soviet flags as though the Cold War never ended.

RECOIL OFFGRID regular and full-time survival instructor Kevin Estela embraces the concept of art-imitates-life with his roundup of some of the best and worst survival movies in the context of real-life best practices. Patrick McCarthy gets a taste of partisan warfare tactics at Guerilla Mentor’s Hostile Encounters course. (For the full background on Guerilla Mentor’s founder and lead instructor, take a look at our Survivalist Spotlight from Issue 46.) Mark Linderman brings us more recommended reading by way of The Disaster Diaries by Sam Sheridan — a creatively written book about one man’s journey to preparedness, and all the fictional situations he envisions along the way. Elsewhere in this issue, Patrick Diedrich gives us a primer on the role of local plants in self-sustainment, and Mr. and Mrs. Alton run down the basics of off-the-grid disinfectant solutions.

Survival has always been a game of the right knowledge executed with the right tools. To that end, Mr. McCarthy closes our three-part series on building the ideal survival AR-15, and I take a look at the Crane TEC Tempest — a unique fixed-blade knife designed specifically for low-visibility self-defense. Michael Janich also gives us a rundown on perimeter and travel security alarm systems.

Regardless of how you view the current trajectory of human history, or how you envision its future disruption, we hope to be here for another 50 issues, helping to make you ready for whatever the world throws your way. Network news may be telling us that it’s the end of the world as we know it, but in the words of R.E.M. vocalist Michael Stipe … we feel fine.

Click here for a full list of articles from Recoil Offgrid Issue 50 that are currently available online.

Pocket Preps: IFAKs for Everyday Carry

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The on-body IFAK (Individual First-Aid Kit) has been a standard item in military kit for generations and has become common with police, fire, and other first responders. As the trend goes with smart ideas, it’s now becoming common with hunters, hikers, and savvy moms at the playground. Minor accidents and injuries happen all the time and it’s nice to be able to just deal with the issue on the spot, rather than having to run home or dash off to the closest store for the needed equipment. But on top of that, some of the better-equipped IFAKs contain trauma dressings and tourniquets, for when the absolute worst happens and minutes (or even seconds) can mean the difference between life, death, or long-term impairment, while waiting for a 9-1-1 response.

Naturally, personal IFAKs will vary depending on the level of your training, your destination, and even your outfit. It’s not socially acceptable to wear a business suit and have a large, red IFAK worn on your belt. However, a pocket or ankle carry kit will likely go unnoticed to all but the most astute observer. Likewise, a larger kit could blend well with your backpack-style water carrier while you’re hitting the trail or single-track forest path on your mountain bike. For whatever your social engagement, there’s a kit that fits your needs.

Ryker Nylon Gear 4WS AFAK

Dimensions:
6 H by 17 W by 2 D (full) inches

Colors:
Black, Coyote Brown, Gray, Ranger Green

Includes:
Pouch only

MSRP
$75

URL
rykernylongear.com

Notes
A nice take on the IFAK, the Ryker Nylon Gear AFAK is an ankle worn kit, which keeps it discreetly out of the way when wearing a suit and tie, or keeping your tactical vest uncluttered. It features three vertical pockets with hook- and loop-style retention straps and one long horizontal pocket on the smooth back side. It’s designed to hold their AFAK Medical Supply Kit (sold separately, $134), which includes an orange SOF Tactical Tourniquet, QuikCot Combat Gauze, HyFin Vent chest seal twin pack, trauma shear, and Black-Fire latex-free nitrile gloves. This will cover the basics of major trauma, like a sucking chest wound or arterial bleed. I found this kit to be more comfortable worn over a high-top boot, but love the ankle concealment aspect.

Pros:

  • Discreet carry, keeps chest and waist free for other uses

Cons:

  • Can be uncomfortable on skin for prolonged wear

Dark Angel Medical Every Day Carry (EDC) Trauma Kit

Dimensions:
4.5 H by 3.25 W by 1.25 D inches

Colors:
Black, Coyote Brown, MultiCam, Ranger Green, Red

Includes:
Pouch, hemostatic gauze, nitrile gloves, mini compression bandage, pair of Hyfin Vent Compact chest seals

MSRP
$100

URL
darkangelmedical.com

Notes
Compact and lightweight, this pouch features a Hypalon panel on the back with cuts made for the included MALICE clips, and a belt channel that’ll fit up to a 2-inch-wide belt. There are webbing loops on the right side that can hold a pair of reduced-size trauma shears (not included), and elastic loops on the left to hold a tourniquet (not included). I particularly like the design of the large loop pull handle on the top of the flap for fast, break-away style access in an emergency. You have to pull this flap away from you, not toward your body as on common pouches. There’s even a loop square on the front of the pouch for the included red cross identifier, or your 1-inch patch of choice. This kit comes standard with QuikClot Bleeding Control Dressing, but ChitoGauze XR Pro is available for a small upcharge.

Pros:

  • Size, excellent top opening, quick access to tourniquet and shears

Cons:

  • Tourniquet windlass juts out a bit

Arbor Arms Medical Nut Ruck Small

Dimensions:
5.5 H by 7.5 W by 2 D inches

Colors:
Black, Coyote Brown, Grey, MultiCam, MultiCam Black, Ranger Green

Includes:
Pouch, 5x elastic bands, 1x wrap

MSRP
$60

URL
arborarmsusa.com

Notes
The Arbor Arms Medical Nut Ruck Small is a very versatile and customizable pouch. It can be worn as a traditional fanny pack with its stowable/removable waist strap, which can be either side-release or G-hook. You could also attach it directly to their SALT belt system or similar MOLLE gun belt via snap-on side-release buckles or the built-in Velcro flap, or to a plate carrier with their First Spear Tube Hanger (not included). The Check-Mate panel on the inner back wall of the pouch offers a ton of versatility for a customizable setup. The Medical Nut Ruck Small is 80 percent of the size of the slightly larger Standard Ruck ($80), which is designed to hold the contents of U.S. Army issue IFAKs, while the even larger Plus variation ($90) is designed to hold the contents of the USMC IFAK.

Pros:

  • Duty-grade construction, numerous mounting options, modularity, fanny pack strap is standard

Cons:

  • Sold as an empty bag with no medical supplies available, most options are extra cost

Doom and Bloom Ultimate Compact First Aid Trauma Kit Grab N Go

Dimensions:
7 H by 6 W by 4.75 D inches

Colors:
Black, Coyote, Digital Camo, Red

Includes:
A lot! (see notes)

MSRP
$99

URL
doomandbloom.net

Notes
If you’re looking for one of the most comprehensive IFAKs for your journey to the local trail, you may have found your kit. This kit includes: pouch, CPR instruction booklet, tourniquet, “how to stop bleeding” instructions on waterproof paper, surgical face mask, hand sanitizer packets, 4-inch Israeli bandage, Celox 2gm powder, organic cayenne pepper powder (35,000HU), raw unprocessed honey packets, 6-inch gauze, 4-inch ACE bandage, stainless steel Mayo scissors, four nitrile gloves, 3M Steri Strips, super glue, 4×3-inch Moleskin, 3×4-inch gauze, Burn Jel packets, insect repellent packets, Bacitracin packets, 4×4-inch gauze, ABD 5×8-inch dressing pads, 2×4-inch Band-Aids, 1×3-inch Band-Aids, triangular bandage, medical tape, iodine wipes, alcohol wipes, ibuprofen tablets, and a 12-hour glowstick. The pouch features a hook-and-loop first-aid patch, high-quality quick-release buckle, and MOLLE attachment system.

Pros:

  • Contains a little of everything, can effectively deal with many minor issues

Cons:

  • Big, bulky, better suited to minor injuries than major trauma

Live the Creed Responder IFAK

Dimensions:
7 H by 4.5 W by 1.5 D inches

Colors:
Black, Coyote, MultiCam, MutiCam Black, Ranger Green, Wolf Grey

Includes:
Pouch, QuikClot Combat Gauze, NAR HyFin Vent Compact chest seal, nasopharyngeal airway, H&H Mini Israeli bandage, trauma shears, XL Bear Claw gloves

MSRP
$150

URL
ltcreed.com

Notes
This is a strong, compact, and very well-secured IFAK. It’s made from laser-cut laminated Cordura and secured with a medium-sized 1.5-inch quick-release buckle. The narrow profile has a different design than most other pouches. It has both top and bottom pass-through openings (or left and right, depending on the pouch orientation), so supplies can be removed from either side. And the included trauma supplies fit nice and snug, no wasted space and no frills. Responder IFAKs can be mounted horizontally to any MOLLE platform or belts up to 2.5 inches, or vertically to any belt up to 2.5 inches. There’s also two Tac Tie polymer mounting clips and a 2-inch PVC medical identifier patch included. Tourniquet and tourniquet holder sold separately. This IFAK, with optional tourniquet holder, now lives on my rope rescue harness.

Pros:

  • Convenient size and shape, excellent closure, mounting options

Cons:

  • Most expensive of the reviewed kits

Live the Creed EDC Pocket Trauma Kit

Dimensions:
5.5 H by 3.5 W by 1.25 D inches

Colors:
Black/Red, Coyote/Red, Grey, MutiCam Black/Wolf, Ranger Green/Black, Wolf Grey/Red

Includes:
Pouch, SWAT-Tourniquet, QuikClot Dressing, Tan XL nitrile gloves, bandages, wound closure strips, iodine wipe, alcohol wipe, bacitracin ointment

MSRP
$75

URL
ltcreed.com

Notes
This kit is more like an “IFAK lite,” but rather than that being a weakness, that is its strength. The compact nature of this kit allows it to fit into the breast pocket of most coats and many lighter jackets. It’s really about the size of a very, very fat wallet, but easily fits into the rear pocket of a pair of jeans. You can also MOLLE mount it or clip it onto a belt. It certainly lives up to its EDC name.

Pros:

  • Fits into most pockets for everyday carry

Cons:

  • Bulky despite its small size, limited capacity

North American Rescue Enhanced Trauma Aid Kit (ETAK)

Dimensions:
5.75 H by 4 W by 1.75 D inches

Colors:
Black, Coyote, MultiCam, Ranger Green

Includes:
HyFin Vent Twin Pack, wound packing gauze, 4-inch mini emergency trauma dressing, large black nitrile gloves, permanent marker

MSRP
$85

URL
narescue.com

Notes
This nicely sized kit holds the bare essentials. Sized to fit on a standard belt, duty belt, or MOLLE system, this kit has a tearaway back panel to assist with stowage options or rapid deployment. There’s also a convenient carry/grab handle on the rear. The main retention buckle is well designed. It stays closed securely, even when the pull tab is grabbed, ensuring it doesn’t accidentally detach until you consciously open the flip-up buckle. But if you rip the pouch off in an upward rotation manner, it detaches nicely. The pull tab also has a 1×2-inch MED (medical) patch for easy identification.

Pros:

  • Size, retention buckle, modularity, solid construction

Cons:

  • You need to add a tourniquet to make it a complete kit