Question to all the military personel present and past.

As an AMS squadron "shelter manager" inthe 80's I can say theairforce paid lip service to any real preparations. We sat down with the books oneday and figured numbers for food and water per recommendations and took it seriously; and there's no money for water bladders or barrels...SAC's plan was "ARB"
Launch the loaded bombers, PACK THE "ARB convoy" with weapons, spares /fuel/security forces and get outta' dodge: ( Alternate Reconstitution Base: Another non targetted airfield with suficient runway length for any surviving bombers to return to , reload to hit next targets).. people not deemed necesary for the arb function were left on base to wave at incoming mirvs ( written off)with little to no serious preps....it was an unfunny joke for remaining the folks and families.

 

I've been an aviation survival instructor for several years and can tell you that most of my experience and plans fall within the scope of the military teachings for survival. The military has progressed the survival teachings that almost everyone today uses, the next best source is the Boy Scouts. There is a big difference in military tactics and military survival.

 

1. Cut the main meal in your MRE's from top to bottom on one side instead of using the existing aids. (You don't have to dig to eat this way.)

2. Peanut Butter is gold, I've traded a pack of PB for a whole MRE before.

3. In basic training/bootcamp you can make a sandwich out of ANYTHING.

4. Every chance you get, stuff your pocket with stuff you can use for TP; I don't know about the other branches, but the Corps is notorious for not stocking TP (IE: napkins at chow, or on the rare occasion a bathroom is stocked...)

5. Gas Chamber: When they keep screaming for someone to take their mask off... it's a trick... for one, they want you to open your eyes to see who it is... two, they want to make sure no one holds their breath the whole time and will delay long enough to make sure you suck gas a couple times. Also don't rub your face with your sleeves

6. This is going to be hard to explain, but for wall locker inspections... the Corps requires you to have your sleeves all facing the same way. However, when you try to get this to happen, they kind of go everywhere. The best way to achieve this is to jack up your perfect spacing and push all your blouses together. From there take a wire hanger and fold it further than half way. Face all your sleeves in the right direction then pinch them together with the hanger. Leave it this way, when time comes for inspection pull it off and get your spacing right and you'll be good to go.

7. Asian "holes in the wall" do the best tailoring work for your uniforms just bring clear as day instructions for them and they'll probably do it much better than the ones on base. Integrated bases tend to only do a good job on the bases main branch. IE: Fort Lost in the Woods is an Army base where my Motor T job school was, the tailors on the base typically jacked up my Marine uniforms.

8. Don't put alcohol in your canteen, it's not fun to do a hump the next day while hung over and not be able to get the smell of vodka out of your canteen.

9. Ben Gay and Icey Hot are your friends.

10. Medics and Corpsmen have usually only one answer to any injury... Motrin, if they don't give you motrin then they'll resort to the second most common solution... "you'll be fine".

11. Keep your dental up to date, when they NEED people on the frontlines and you have a tooth problem they will probably pull it; while in a normal situation they would have just given you a filling.

12. Last but not least, I hope you like waiting.

 

I don't know I usally told the Marine that they needed some type of shot, then they would say "I'll be fine Doc"

OGM

 

LMAO, it does not bother me (three tattoos) but I've seen a lot of Marines turn into girls when it's shot time; specially when the Corpsmen "lose" the HIV draws, haha.

 

Get gear that is very basic and repairable. Plan on no spares so make sure it is tough before putting it away for a rainy day. Complicated gadgets are BAD.

I was a Army Combat Engineer for 10 years - The tools we used were rugged and simple. Even the power tools.

Remember KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)