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Part 10
As the Group started getting ready for the remote OP's near Hansen's fields, they still made attempts to contact a few of the missing members. A small number of members had not shown up at the retreat. Email and phone contact was made with some of them early on when that was still possible. All that were missing seemed reluctant to bug out and head to the retreat. Some didn't even answer their emails or phone messages. Usually these were the ones that put very little effort into the group.
The reality of going someplace they were not familiar with, bringing only a meager handful of supplies with them and working with people they had made no attempt to really train with or get to know sunk in for some of them. This was the reality of the situation for those that fell off the wagon and did not take the group seriously, train and prepare.
Fear and apprehension over leaving their homes turned into denial and complacency over the general situation. Many believed they would get some "warning" from the TV however all they received were the "everything is going to be o.k. no one panic" speeches constantly on the TV when things started falling apart.
Jim figured more than a few spouses had kept families from bugging out. They had experienced this before during 9/11, before Y2K and during some hurricanes. The Group had always encouraged family participation including wives. But inevitably, few spouses took part in group activities. In previous years, people had joined the group having a spouse that was against the whole preparedness program. Some of them might have "tolerated" it when all it meant was a few dollars here and there and a husband sitting on the internet now and then. However when it turned into serious preparing, time away from the family training, preparing a safe place, etc. THEN it became a problem.
One or two "men" in this situation tried to "drag" their wives to group activities. Some would "talk up" their spouse, how interested in doing these things they were, how they wanted to learn to shoot, etc. Usually the wife had no idea of the husband's bragging and would make him look like a fool when she refused to come out and shoot, when she refused to help the other women out in projects or work, etc. Once or twice in 20 years, the Group had witnessed a few particularly immature women who ran their men make up little drama incidents in order to get their way out of the group without quitting. "Quitting" meant giving up and to a prideful man or woman that looked bad, so instead it would be a "so and so looked at me sideways, he hates me so we are leaving" type drama. Usually everyone recognized it for what it was- the family wanting to leave but false pride issues keeping them from bowing out nicely. You just couldn't do enough screening of people to overcome the occasional wanna be. They came in all ages and socio economic groups.
The Group had always had a six month probationary period where the group could "learn" the new member and the new member could learn some of the group. During this time period no sensitive information was given the person and usually a lot of false information was given to the person. It was like dropping a little dye into water, you could see where the information spread to. Usually it was the new member "talking too much" or asking other members the same question in an attempt to verify the info.
It was expected that some questions would be asked. The standard line was "you can ask anything you want, but it may not be answered." With the few number of actually serious commitment type people around, it was foolish to tell a new member too much when their was a large chance that he would be gone in a year's time.
Attempts were made via radio to communicate with those "missing" group members daily at a set time via a prescribed frequency. This would continue until six months into the emergency at which time it was pre-determined that they would be considered dead.
"Missing" group members pre- positioned supplies were not touched, but it was clearly understood by all that if you did not arrive within a month, you would lose your living space. And if you did not arrive within six months, it was assumed you were dead. Any of the members could have CRAWLED to the retreat within six months so this wasn't an issue.
__________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
Jim went down with the first team to establish the remote OP near Hansen's fields. Dubbed "OP-H" or as Todd said "Preparation H."
Comm was set up and tested between OP-H and the retreat, dead drops of extra mags, bandages, bottled water, batteries and smoke grenades were established in directions opposite the retreat. It was expected that if OP-H was attacked and overrun, that the crew there would NOT head directly back towards the retreat but in in opposite direction. The dead drops were ammo cans buried at known points that could be accessed quickly. The most important items needed by a team of people running from a larger crew would be extra magazines of ammunition, bandages, water, batteries for radios and NVD's and smoke grenades.
The first day at OP-H was uneventful and with the situation in hand, Jim left that night to walk back to the retreat.
As the Group started getting ready for the remote OP's near Hansen's fields, they still made attempts to contact a few of the missing members. A small number of members had not shown up at the retreat. Email and phone contact was made with some of them early on when that was still possible. All that were missing seemed reluctant to bug out and head to the retreat. Some didn't even answer their emails or phone messages. Usually these were the ones that put very little effort into the group.
The reality of going someplace they were not familiar with, bringing only a meager handful of supplies with them and working with people they had made no attempt to really train with or get to know sunk in for some of them. This was the reality of the situation for those that fell off the wagon and did not take the group seriously, train and prepare.
Fear and apprehension over leaving their homes turned into denial and complacency over the general situation. Many believed they would get some "warning" from the TV however all they received were the "everything is going to be o.k. no one panic" speeches constantly on the TV when things started falling apart.
Jim figured more than a few spouses had kept families from bugging out. They had experienced this before during 9/11, before Y2K and during some hurricanes. The Group had always encouraged family participation including wives. But inevitably, few spouses took part in group activities. In previous years, people had joined the group having a spouse that was against the whole preparedness program. Some of them might have "tolerated" it when all it meant was a few dollars here and there and a husband sitting on the internet now and then. However when it turned into serious preparing, time away from the family training, preparing a safe place, etc. THEN it became a problem.
One or two "men" in this situation tried to "drag" their wives to group activities. Some would "talk up" their spouse, how interested in doing these things they were, how they wanted to learn to shoot, etc. Usually the wife had no idea of the husband's bragging and would make him look like a fool when she refused to come out and shoot, when she refused to help the other women out in projects or work, etc. Once or twice in 20 years, the Group had witnessed a few particularly immature women who ran their men make up little drama incidents in order to get their way out of the group without quitting. "Quitting" meant giving up and to a prideful man or woman that looked bad, so instead it would be a "so and so looked at me sideways, he hates me so we are leaving" type drama. Usually everyone recognized it for what it was- the family wanting to leave but false pride issues keeping them from bowing out nicely. You just couldn't do enough screening of people to overcome the occasional wanna be. They came in all ages and socio economic groups.
The Group had always had a six month probationary period where the group could "learn" the new member and the new member could learn some of the group. During this time period no sensitive information was given the person and usually a lot of false information was given to the person. It was like dropping a little dye into water, you could see where the information spread to. Usually it was the new member "talking too much" or asking other members the same question in an attempt to verify the info.
It was expected that some questions would be asked. The standard line was "you can ask anything you want, but it may not be answered." With the few number of actually serious commitment type people around, it was foolish to tell a new member too much when their was a large chance that he would be gone in a year's time.
Attempts were made via radio to communicate with those "missing" group members daily at a set time via a prescribed frequency. This would continue until six months into the emergency at which time it was pre-determined that they would be considered dead.
"Missing" group members pre- positioned supplies were not touched, but it was clearly understood by all that if you did not arrive within a month, you would lose your living space. And if you did not arrive within six months, it was assumed you were dead. Any of the members could have CRAWLED to the retreat within six months so this wasn't an issue.
__________________________________________________ _________________________________________________
Jim went down with the first team to establish the remote OP near Hansen's fields. Dubbed "OP-H" or as Todd said "Preparation H."
Comm was set up and tested between OP-H and the retreat, dead drops of extra mags, bandages, bottled water, batteries and smoke grenades were established in directions opposite the retreat. It was expected that if OP-H was attacked and overrun, that the crew there would NOT head directly back towards the retreat but in in opposite direction. The dead drops were ammo cans buried at known points that could be accessed quickly. The most important items needed by a team of people running from a larger crew would be extra magazines of ammunition, bandages, water, batteries for radios and NVD's and smoke grenades.
The first day at OP-H was uneventful and with the situation in hand, Jim left that night to walk back to the retreat.
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