Great Article about a man surviving SHTF in Bosnia

[WiseOwl]

http://www.shtfplan.com/emergency-preparedness/a-survival-q-a-living-through-shtf-in-the-middle-of-a-war-zone_10252011

It is kinda of lengthy and his english isnt 100% but there is a lot to learn from this article. One thing that stresses on is ammo and weapons. I agree with that to an extent depending on where you live. Nevertheless, this is a pretty good point of view coming from someone who lived it.

[slingshot]

Thanks WO for the link. I read this thread on the original board and it really bothered/motivated/scared/angered/educated me. Selco, I'm sure, is still having a lot of bad dreams. Now the link has been organized like this, I'm going to get my wife to read it. She goes along with prepping, but is really not on board. I hope this will motivate her and educate her. Thanks again.

[WiseOwl]

Because of screaming kids I had the chance to read it twice today. It really makes you think. My wife thought I was crazy when I said I needed 500 shells and 500 .40 rocket launching laser bullets :) before I felt comfy.....and with that I still think I am slacking. I have a dollar general within a mile so I know I have somewhere to go and add to the shelves if the train fell off the tracks in an instant.

Preppin on a budget (well no funds whatsoever) is tough....and sometimes stressful. But from this mans description of how it went down there, I believe a lot of people would go his route and think because the govnt said its going to be ok, then they just chill..............if I see the "immediate" signs, I am on full gung ho GI Ninja Turtle mode.....

I am just blessed that I do have some things set aside and some skills. And this board and a couple of other websites have really helped me tremendously. Ha, we are the 1%!!!! :)

[Matt In Oklahoma]

This is a great article and it should scare the snot out of everyone because it happened and became so large that it could no longer be ingnored as it was for many years. It's not the only place either, it's still going on in Africa. I'm trying to collect my thoughts because it brings back alot.

Movement was difficult there so distance trading was hard to impossible. There were many things that led to that from gangs, robbers, 6 million land mines in a place about the size of Oregan, NATO bombing runs, surrounding and mobile Armies some which switched sides or beliefs several times. The roads were controlled by someone different everywhere. Sides that were poitical and religious so it was hard to tell where you stood with anyone. The lack of leadership and direction, mass killings and WROL led to true monsters with a total disregard for life. In some villages one day an Army would arrive and kill everyone from a religion then leave, later another Army would show and kill everyone from a political party then later a third Army would show and kill a selected group deemed a threat. Women and children were raped, alot. It left so many with that hollow eyed 1000 yd stare. They survived but thats about it. I dunno if they ever recovered, sounds like he did somewhat, you always pray but you know that it will never be complete on the healing. The boarders changed all the time, you could ask 3 people and get 3 answerrs because they just started going with what it was when they were born. Guns and ammo seemed to flow freely for the thugs. Thug Snipers killed alot for unknown reasons. Diesease like he said even minor stuff would get you. Everyone was dehydrated and even dropped food didnt get consumed because of it at times. Alot of men/boys went and joined the Armies to fight for their beliefs to come home to find no home or a hollow shell of what they had with raped women, dead children, destroyed places. It pushed some over the edge. The cold and wet killed and those with heat had to be careful on use because it drew in bad folks if it was seen. Things had declined to such a level that almost everyone was ready for a change, they were lucky that someone was there to help them change. If it happens here that wont be the case. There were other countries that were spared the spread but again if it starts here i'm not sure it wont stop spreading except to already poor places.
In America we believe that you have a basic right to the pursuit of happiness. We have so much and are so lucky, even as survivalist we have the chance to buy stuff and conversate right here about such things. Even today this man can not openly talk about his preps because of restrictions. Cherish it because it can be lost, faster than you think.

[Not_Yet_Prepped]

That story is horrible (great info but gut renching)... I am currently reading "One Second After" and the similarities I see are un-real.

If the STHF here in the great USA... I think it is going to be bad, very very bad. We have a large population that is way more spoiled than any where in the world at any time in history and many many guns floating around and we for the most part have no real skills (atleast most of population)...

Sure we can "Type" or create a website or txt or shoot them up in Call of Duty but no "real world skills"!

[miked2345]

Wow... Very thought-provoking story!! It's one thing to hear stories about WW2 from an elderly relative... One can say "Well, that happened long ago, before I was born..." But this Bosnia thing happened so recently - I'm guessing most of us here were adults or teens when it happened.

On the one hand, it makes me wonder if something like that could happen in the USA... Yet, the "other side of my brain" says "Umm, let's not sit around un-prepared and hope for the best!"

[saeb]

Certainly has some interesting things to say. Well worth the read.

[1Admin]

Small family or single man, not good for survive in town SHTF, maybe in wilderness (i don t have expirience in that) Even if you stay low profile, hidden in your house with lot of food etc, sooner or later mob will come, and you have maybe have one or two guns, very hard. I agree with low profile policy, it is very important not to attract people with anything, but when they come, you need to have numbers, people and guns, best people is your family.

You mean the "gray man" fantasy of living just like you live now, by yourself, with no lifestyle changes, surrounded by 500,000 people in the city won't work?

I mention rural areas in other post. As far as i remember it was better there.

Less people around= less potential for trouble. Math doesn't lie, math doesn't have an agenda.

About robbing grocery store and gas stations, it happened very very fast, as soon as shooting started all valuable things was emptied, there vas some effort of authority to keep it together but everything fall apart in first weeks.

This should shoot to crap any remaining hopes in the "last minute shopping" crowd. Do it now or forget it, their won't be time when TSHTF.

Good thread.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

This is a good article about swallowing the pride and doing what it takes when faced against overwhelming odds

http://shtfschool.com/silence-before-storm/