goofs with a new group.

[rockriver]

the post --group opsec -- brought a couple of situations to mind.
related to group opsec.. but a different question.
--
what goofs or screwups have you or an associate done related to joining a group.
or what goofs did the group do??
or what signal did you get that this group wasn't for you?
--
me... living in my high rise apartment, and my boys on my floor.. no goofs.

but,
an associate met a fellow on the internet.. went to a meet and greet .. met some fellows.
good guys.. went to another.. fairness, open attitude, etc... associate (i'll call him asso for short)
finally went to one of the guys farms. it was an old couple. there. all went well. farmer inited the asso and wife to join their group. asso wanted to consider.. not sure what all would be involved.. asso described a
family farm on the internet and asked the question. "what would be needed to start up a retreat with this
basic start up?. a group member asso knew, hollered opsec... and gave strict comment. it was appropriate.
asso , unbeknownst to him, had apparently described groups farm too!! plus it made asso a target. and put the group at risk. asso, felt like a d.a. but backed away from group, as he had screwed up on day one. bad start.

another associate met some folks over the internet. folks had a group.. real established. folks and associate
(i'll call him asso) had some common christian friends which added to asso's positive vibes about folks. leaders of folks said he had traveled with and led big meetings with a common church leader.
the folks group was out of state, a long way off, where the group lived. active church group. on the surface all looked great. folks liked asso and sent some folks to meet asso. asso inquired about property for sale in area of group. it was reasonably priced. asso was impressed they would travel so far. all the words sounded right. folks came back again and invited asso to visit them. all looked well. asso made plans to go
visit folks. . on 3rd visit by folks, asso realized folks were extremely _______ (just put in whatever words you want to)
some of the results being they were rude to assoc and wife. their women were cowering down to the men. folks talked church talk and read the bible, but wouldn't let asso read. something was wrong. asso checked with some associated church folks that should have known the leaders of the folks... nope... never heard of him.
something was wrong.. asso began to realize his family had no business moving to that area.
unless he was willing to bow to leader of folks, and he wasn't.

story 1. asso goofed bad.
story 2. asso should have done some investigating of folks earlier on.. and sometimes you don't get
to know someone until you've met with them several times.

we hear a lot of success stories. tell us of the goofs. change the names/details to protect all.

i suspect a bunch of us newbies have a lot to learn.
if you don't have some goofs... if you haven't had some strikeouts, you haven't been swinging the bat.
just my humble opinion!!

[rice paddy daddy]

I choose to be the eccentric hermit.
I'm not anti-social, I do enjoy meeting people from these boards at campouts and I do have friends in my tribe (veterans and recovering alcoholics), but have no plans to join a "group."
It's just not for me.

[motesjm]

I haven't had a group goof. But I can tell you from experience that people on internet forums will surpise you greatly.

I went to a meet up of members from another forum a few years ago. There was one guy from that forum that was experienced in almost everything...hunting, trapping, covert counter sniper operations, gardening, spying/espionage, barbering, blah blah....the list went on and on - real well rounded guy. Now I assumed that this man must have been a seasoned Nam vet with more than a touch of grey on the top. Nope, just a goof ball that talked and talked. He had talked so much about growing food on the internet that I felt obliged to ask him how his garden was going. "Oh, well those are just plans I'm going to enact if TSHTF, I don't actually have room for a garden" Gottcha. Kill any deer last year? "Nah, its so expensive to get them skinned and processed that it was cheaper to buy meat." Check. You must be former military? "No, but I've shot rifles with Nat Guard guys alot."

When its too good to be true, well, its probably not true.

[rockriver]

lol..
mote, that was good.
the problem is... it is so true.

a guy talked on and on about his military experience.
paratrooper
and how effective a saw and a 50 cal machine gun were.
i was super impressed.
he knew all the little buzzwords.
i walked up heard him telling someone that he
decided that to drop out of paratrooper school was better than really jumping.
then later...
awe. i never shot an machine gun, (besides my m16) but i watched 'em shoot one and it was awesome...

btw, i have no military experience.
thanks mote.. you brought back several good memories.

rice,
a quesiton pops in my old head.
i'll bet you've got a few neighbors that you've learned to trust.
maybe they brought over some veggies.
or you fixed their old truck for them,
or you helped them build their fence.
or guys across town, that you hunt, bowl, or ride horses with...
or the guys your family would ask to be pall bearers for you.

this question is more to all of us "ungrouped" folks. not just rice.
yep, there is no 10 folks that sit down and make plans and talk about the group.
but, i've got a feeling that most do have church mates, fishing buddies, trail riding friends, cousins, nephews, that you trust. that are very willing to take you to the doctor when you are sick. or check on you when you miss church, or invite you to go to the movie, or stood up for you when the 4 drugged up bullies tried to steal your lunch money in high school.

just thinking.
rr

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Goofs I have made:
Bringing people in without research I have had my share of idiots

Bringing people in without neutral location meets had many many trolls who act as thought they want to be in but wont make the neutral meets which weeds them out. usually they just wanna know where your supplies are and where they can go if it turns bad

Joining without understanding ALL the in and outs found myself at a meeting i shouldnt have ever been in and almost got into a gunfight

Having people tell me they are pro military and leo only to find out they secretly on other boards and at meetings talk straight cash s.. and are liars had this within the last few years as they turned on me after it was found out the military was training in LA and i explain we trained in all major cities etc, things went south fast

Finding felons within makes you an accessory to a felon in possession of a firearm

Finding undercovers within saw someone i met once who was working and tried to make me something i wasnt

Attending what i thought was a meet n greet meeting to find out it was a hate the man meeting full of less than desirables from both sides of the law just be careful

Moving to fast and wanting to muchdownfall of fear and didnt take my time building quality relationships

Talking over the heads of those around me and not realizing it still do it i think but try hard not to

Pushing to hard in training i'm a d.. because that was what i needed to be keeping troops alive but i have had to gear back because it aint the same so ole sarge made some goofs

I know there is more but I have some quality people around me now that I respect deeply and hopefully will help me stay on the right track

[rice paddy daddy]

lol..
mote, that was good.
the problem is... it is so true.

a guy talked on and on about his military experience.
paratrooper
and how effective a saw and a 50 cal machine gun were.
i was super impressed.
he knew all the little buzzwords.
i walked up heard him telling someone that he
decided that to drop out of paratrooper school was better than really jumping.
then later...
awe. i never shot an machine gun, (besides my m16) but i watched 'em shoot one and it was awesome...

btw, i have no military experience.
thanks mote.. you brought back several good memories.

rice,
a quesiton pops in my old head.
i'll bet you've got a few neighbors that you've learned to trust.
maybe they brought over some veggies.
or you fixed their old truck for them,
or you helped them build their fence.
or guys across town, that you hunt, bowl, or ride horses with...
or the guys your family would ask to be pall bearers for you.

this question is more to all of us "ungrouped" folks. not just rice.
yep, there is no 10 folks that sit down and make plans and talk about the group.
but, i've got a feeling that most do have church mates, fishing buddies, trail riding friends, cousins, nephews, that you trust. that are very willing to take you to the doctor when you are sick. or check on you when you miss church, or invite you to go to the movie, or stood up for you when the 4 drugged up bullies tried to steal your lunch money in high school.

just thinking.
rr

RR, when it comes to veterans, those who talk the loudest generally have done the least.
The only difference between a war story and a fairy tale is one starts out "There I was........" and the other starts out "Once upon a time......"
And yes, as I said, I do have friends that I can depend on. In fact my next door neighbor is also a veteran of the Southeast Asian War Games. I have a FEW other men I can depend on as well.
But the idea of an organized "group" just doesn't sit well with me, in my mind it would be a home owners association on steroids.
Everybody has their own opinions, wants and desires, and I do not disparage anyone who wants to band together. It's just not for me.

[Chief]

Some factors I have come across in groups and forums are these.

Effort factor- you do all the planning and organizing and let me know what you come up with.

Seriousness factor- do you really think this is going to happen? I mean I think about it but I am not that serious about it. (not realizing we do this for insurance and piece of mind)

Rah Rah factor- these people start out like gang busters only to slowly fade into the sunset.

Covert factor- now being somewhat conscious of keeping your self on the down and low is good, but committing to a group and still being like that is a problem.

Gun factor- This is the guy that likes to prep for guns and guns and more guns. Not knowing that he can not eat his bullets. Also not knowing that you have to ad more to a group then

[survivealone]

One type factor- this is the prepper that prepares for one type of Paw and only one. Where a lot of the prepping for one can cross over for others, this narrow focus can cause problems later on down the road. Especially when another reason for a Paw occurs, and they did not plan for that when they had time.

I for the life of me Could never understand that thinking........Drives me crazy !!!

As for Groups, I have been in clubs and things not to do with survival or prepping. And I have found they all tend to have a narrow vision and that vision is usually defined by whomever started the group. ...Not For Me..