new guy, new couple, new family show up... evaluate them?

[rockriver]

what are the criteria?
what are the signs?
what characteristics?
do you look for.

the shtf....
things are getting worse...
imagine meeting a new couple
maybe you are traveling.... bugging out!!
or
maybe you are snug as a bug at your super retreat (supposedly safe!) in a good location..
or
maybe you are all forted up in your subdivision home in a mostly safe (ain't burned down yet, and the commies ain't attacked yet) subdivision where like minded folks are beginning to work together... even digging up their pretty grass and planting tomatoes and green beans!.

and...
a newbie/individual/couple/family show up.

how do you judge them? they look healthy. he's got short hair. about 35 6'0" about 210 appears in shape and alert.. she's got long hair. 5'9" slender, about 35. pleasant but alert. pretty, both talk well, clearly very educated. looks like a basketball player.

they are willing to stay, but they also have the gas to go "on down the road."
what characteristics are you looking for? what questions will you ask... they've agreed to stay at your location for the night. around the campfire, what are you going to ask?
the couple is you?
what will you ask your host? what are you looking for?

[protus]

Anyone want some scotch..I've got a 21 yr single malt.......

Depends. What's my end goal. To settle in with strangers or continue to my own location.
If I'm passing. I may offer to work the next day to repay for the hospitality and kindness.
If we are to stay.
It be best to figure out where first..then to speak to who's in charge.
Campfires are nice. But rules and what's expected need to be hashed out before settling in.

[rockriver]

i'm just guessing you, (the host) may walk by his car and look in...
you notice, lots of jewelry that still has the price tags on them in the back seat...
or
you notice white bags with the letters pmex showing on the floor. bags are about the size of a 5 lb bag of flour
or
you notice lots of plastic baggies full of material that look like marijuana.
or
you notice several greenish bags that have nra written on the side in the rear floor.
would any of these things affect your decision?

[RobertJ]

Quartine, Dont give laydown of the land for a while untill you feel them out, keep eye on them. Make them work hard, if they are unwilling to do so show them the door. Lots of questions on different days writing down their answers discretely or recording (if able, due to which ever event happened) then re-ask and re-ask same questions worded differently to see if same answers match. DO NOT let them in on security right away A QRF of interior security at most. No numbers nor radio protocall, No look at rosters (if large enough group)

Vetting is hard under normal circumstances let alone during SHTF

Edited to add:
Trust is earned not given. If you get a bad vibe, well trust that instinct. If anyone in the group gets a bad vibe listen to their concern and act upon it. Let the newbs know they are not vetted... and if they start snooping or asking questions to group members let your group know to report what they ask, no matter how innocent.

:eek:
guess I'm a little paranoid

[Lowdown3]

The idea that you are going to take in people you did not previously (before TSHTF) know in some way, shape or form is nutty.

Too often any more, we think people are the answer, no in the majority of issues they are the PROBLEM.

A completely unknown variable in a WROL situation, nope ain't gonna happen. "Don't know you, definitely don't owe you" (anything).

A casual acquaintance, someone I barely know from church, social circles etc. "Oh man, a FEMA truck was around last week and dropped off some MRE's, here is a few for you, they said people should head to the shelter in Valdosta where there is free food, meds and shelter there. We are planning on going soon, you should too."
That is your "out" for the ones that want/need to keep up with the social norms. Which could prove helpful later if/when things rebuild. The latter talk about that situation will be either:
A. "You know that so and so, we stopped by his place just to check on him and help him and all when all that bad stuff was happening, and he shot at us!"
or
B. "Man so and so is a solid guy, when that bad stuff was happening we stopped by his place and he had a few of those rations the military was giving out and he shared them with our family. We are really hungry and that helped."

The problem with B of course is that it HAS to be presented well. Give but with a slight reluctance to, hold on to them a little bit at the end, look at them like your losing your first born, etc. Why? Cause you pretty much have to convince that these ARE your last to make this work.

The problem with A is that IF it isn't full on forever SHTF you will be ostracized as the uncaring church member ("I don't know brother, but he definitely didn't show the love of Christ to me that day." Typical church folk backbiting/slander/gossip) the uncaring social club member or worse of all, you know the evil capitalist ba$tard that had more and didn't "share" and all.

So best to avoid such situations where at all possible. Be that prickly porcupine that no one wants to get near. Cause they are cute and all, but damn it hurts if you get too close.

Let's be 1000% clear for all the newer "preppers" out there, make sure you read this next part carefully-

YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO HELP ANYONE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS!
and probably MORE importantly given the more socialist attitude that's been prevailing for the last few years-

NO ONE OWES YOU ANYTHING AND NO PATRIOT, SURVIVALIST, PREPPER, COMMON CITIZEN, ETC. IS UNDER ANY OBLIGATION TO HELP YOU WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS.


Folks, we are truly ON OUR OWN. Best to plan around that even if you have established groups. NO ONE has an obligation to keep you alive BUT YOURSELF.

YOU must do this, on YOUR OWN. The gubmint isn't going to do it for you, your BS subdivision "community" isn't going to do it for you, even if your in an established group they are not going to do it for you. YOU MUST DO THIS.

However once you prepare, learn necessary skills, keep them sharp, etc. in other words, BECOME A REAL VIABLE SURVIVOR, THEN and ONLY THEN are you a real asset to your "community", to your church, to your group, even to your own family.

Plans are great, lists of stuff your never going to obtain or do are great, but that's NOT PREPARING. Preparing is understanding, planning for and being able to AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE stand on your own.

[Lowdown3]

What Protus wrote-

It be best to figure out where first..then to speak to who's in charge.
Campfires are nice. But rules and what's expected need to be hashed out before settling in.

and what RR asked in regards to the "Host" side of the equation bears starting another thread for that part of the equation also. Whole 'nuther set of circumstances there.

[rockriver]

i'd be glad to see another thread, but I've started a few recently. more than my share!... someone, please do!
the marijuana/stolen jewelry/silver apmex bags/pistol carrier question works both ways. as hosts or as visitors.

if i'm b.o. and stop at your place on the way and see marijuana/drugs (my experience has not been good with people involved with these items. that is a clear indicator to me, that I need to quickly move on! example: a high ranking traveling preacher stopped by an associate's home for a few days.. he was big into the survival/preparedness mode... he and his cohorts got to talking about their druggie backgrounds. when associate advised that the drug scene was not part of their experience in past or present, he got upset because he was sure we were lying to him, cause "everyone" was. his visit went down hill from there. he aint been back! and associate cancelled a visit to his home and church.)

[protus]

What Protus wrote-



and what RR asked in regards to the "Host" side of the equation bears starting another thread for that part of the equation also. Whole 'nuther set of circumstances there.

I'm still wondering how they got past the gate...

;)

Your correct. How a host would handle things is a different ball game...vs those trying get to gain acceptance into a pre existing "hood".

[rockriver]

how did they get in the gate? great question. poor gate security!

o.k. I asked the question poorly... poor comm on my part.
let's try this little story. what if...

we've been warned before that a vicious (of course it would have to be large!) group of commies, motorcycle mommies, Koreans, rogue ex military group, Syrians, could attack your well fortified, well stocked, well manned retreat. you had taken your family there to plant tomatoes and do patrols and trust in leadership for the duration. and we all "Know" that our retreat is solid and can't be taken. we/you? all took all the classes. but this time the attackers won. they took the compound and a few of you escaped with bare basics. only 2 aks, 3 glocks and . you were running for your lives. (it was amazing your second in command had a vest full of mags and his ak and his uniform wasn't even dirty! yep. loudmouth, with all the military experience sure kept up his leadership role. it was a shame. loudmouth lost his wife and daughter.
---
you are devastated. many of your best were killed. you killed many attackers, but folks lost children, wives, husbands.. and now, thank goodness you have a back up plan... you are headed across the state border to Ss' farm. (that ss stands for super survivor!)
it's a weeks walk. you met ss on the internet and he always said, come to my place if you get in trouble. ss even met with your folks a time or two!
after 4 days you've set up a basic camp for the night, and up walks
newbie mentioned above and his wife. they have just set up around the bend and heard all the racket and complaining from your group. and the crying from those that lost friends and spouses.
they've been observing quietly from the woods.
newbie was headed for the family farm, also a many day walk for him and wife.

finally newbie shows himself. your group needs water and newbie has scouted and found the stream that looks pretty clear. he realizes he needs to tell your group about the stream.
plus, he is wondering if he should go with your group for mutual support.

how do the two groups evaluate each other.
newbie and wife are both lowkey. quietly asking questions.
boss of your group is ok. loudmouth is showing out.
newbie as asking loudmouth about his military background and uniform. boss's wife is warning boss that loudmouth is paying too much attention to newbies wife. boss is tight with loudmouth and just laughs it off. the women are cowering when they are around their men. mostly the women stay separate, doing what they are told.

newbie, thinks he's seen some of these folks before, but can't place them.

how does each side evaluate the other?