COMMENTARY

You know you rang that bell like a schoolmarm on crack

I was at the PX grabbing some shit I don’t need when I ran into some buddies who work for another contractor. This particular contractor is somewhat know for “warm body recruiting”. We all sat down over a lukewarm coffee when a couple of their less than high-speed coworkers sat down.

Of what is a tradition in contracting, everyone did the usual dick-measuring contest where guys start asking each other about their backgrounds. I sat back and waited for the standard responses that usually vary from “I was in the Army” to “I rescued white women from dragons back when I was in a SCUBA K9 unit” to my response of “just contracting bro” [that always receives the most bewildering looks].

That is when one of the guys came out with one of my favorite cockamamie lines: The “I went through BUDS/SF Selection but I had to drop out because of an “injury” line. I swear I have heard that one at least 100 times over my lengthy Contracting and EP career.

By my count [and according to these guys] no one has ever quit SF Selection or Rang the Bell at BUDS because they couldn’t hack it in the entire history of Special Operations – like ever.

This BS story is usually followed by the “but they were still impressed by my performance and said I could try out again, and even let me hang out with them after, but I decided to get out instead”.

Click Here to Keep Reading – COMMENTARY: I Swear if I Hear Another Person say “I Didn’t Quit BUDS/SF Selection – I Had to Drop out Because of an Injury” I am Going to Kick a Kitten in the Head >>>

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This is the type of guy who worries about stealthy mag pouches for sneaking up on Charlie – don’t be that guy

So I was showing this guy here in Iraq one of the Zulu M-4 Mag Pouches I have and the first thing he said was “the Velcro is too loud, people will hear you use it” or something to that effect.

I was like “dude, you are a medic on a Helicopter, seriously?” – but he would not consider buying that pouch because in his mind it would somehow tip-off his location to the Ninjas or whatever he would be sneaking up on [presumably after already blasting off 30 rounds and jumping off a helicopter].

Normally this would not have stuck in my mind but like 3 days before another guy said he didn’t like one of my knives because it had a stainless blade that “would be too visible in the dark”. He is a blond guy who runs down the roads in Iraq in a 30 truck convoy in huge pick-up trucks with his PMC’s name written down the side. I was like “sure dude, they will never see you coming if you got a blacked-out blade”

This is a common affliction affecting many people in the tactical community going back as long as I can remember. It is sort of the same thing as guys who carry 148 rounds of ammo and 3 pistols everyday “just in case they have to get it on in on some sort of epic gun-battle at Starbucks where they burn through 5 mags.

Don’t be a Tacticalous Douchebagnus – Click Here to Keep Reading >>>

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Give it a few years and this will be the “right” way to shoot a pistol again

I was at the range yesterday doing some boring ass weapons quals for the security contractor I work for here in Iraq when this new guy says to me “you’re not supposed to hold your M-4 that way” and then later “you’re supposed to let your mags fall free” – all said with an arrogant ‘I know everything because I watched a Magpul video’ look on his face [you all know that look].

The “Wrong Way” was: holding my M-4 with my weak hand on/in-front the magazine well [like the way many people grip an AK] and pulling my dry mags free [instead of letting them fall free].

Now besides the fact I can’t stand Range know-it-all Douchebags this kid was so wet behind the ears his shoulders were wet. Instead of the usual James G. berating that has been known to make grown men cry; I just beat his ass like a redheaded stepchild in China on the qual instead. So in the end he had to eat a big can of “shut the fuck up little man” [I still called his mom names].

I understand that the way I shoot an M-4 is not the “accepted” technique currently being taught today – but it works for me. So does be that make me a poor shot or tactically inefficient? No. Would my marksmanship or tactical ability be more accurate/faster if I shoot the way you are “supposed” to? Not for me, I tried other ways of operating my rifle and I just don’t move or shoot as efficiently.

Click Here to Keep Reading – TACTICAL COMMENTARY: “You Shoot The Wrong Way” – What? >>>

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Should I buy a BOB, take a sniper course or Pay Off my credit cards? Hmmmm…

The Urban Survival Community is Stagnant and the Tactical Community Only Wants to Sell You Shit

Recently I was re-reading my series on “Do You Really Need a Bug-Out Bag”, I hadn’t really read all of the comments thoroughly, so that was one of the things I really wanted to look over. I was actually surprised how much discussion and buzz this article created; the original article has been talked about in podcasts and on several different forums online.

Most of the responses were pretty constructive with just a few “you suck balls” posts you get whenever someone challenges widely held [but not backed in reality] beliefs in the survival community. Given, I did go straight for the nuts on that one; the BOB is probably one of the most revered subjects in Urban Survival.

But one of the things I wanted to do with that article was to start good constructive dialogue on one of the most prevalent subjects in urban survival.

In my opinion one of the biggest problems in the survival community is the lack of new and innovative ideas along with the general atmosphere that questioning any widely held belief is somehow taboo.

And this closed train of thought is opposite to every other academic community where questioning and challenging your peers is the backbone of innovation and new ideas.

Click Here to Keep Reading – COMMENTARY: Why DVM Challenges Widely Held Beliefs >>>

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When choosing something to wear for your next airsoft game remember that thousands of soldiers have died while wearing this uniform

Before I say this I want you all to first know that I have no problem with Airsoft Players, actually I am quite the opposite (especially comparing me to other folks). I think Airsoft enthusiasts have done a lot for the tactical industry, especially from a financial prospective (they buy tons of gear, that drives the prices down for all of us).

Also Airsoft enthusiasts demand for realistic Airsoft guns has created extremely realistic Airsoft guns that can be used as training tools. Many top schools use Airsoft guns for Force-on-Force training (I use them as teaching tools myself).

So I am not Anti-Airsoft by any definition, sure I occasionally poke fun at Airsoft folks but hey – I make fun of everyone.

Now that I have that out of the way let me get on to my point.

If you play Airsoft do not wear any uniforms that are currently used by the Military (UCP ACU’s, MCCUU, ect.) and do not use patches that are currently issued to Military folks (like SF, Ranger, ect.).

Men and women have died in those uniforms and while wearing those patches, it is a disgrace for someone who did not earn them to wear ACU’s with a SF patch on the shoulder while playing a game.

Click Here to Keep Reading This Article >>>

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