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Offroad
Offroad
16 years ago

How does a person email you? I can not seem to find a way to do that?

Chris
Chris
16 years ago

i believe that the podcast got published too early. It gets cut off at about the 4 minute mark

DrGonzo
16 years ago

Thanks for the brief Zombie Squad plug. http://www.zombiehunters.org. Interesting concept, I hope it spurs some intelligent discussion.

Chris
Chris
16 years ago

weird i downloaded it first and it cut out at about 4 minutes…then I DLed just now and got it all… Keep up the good work…

Scott from Oregon
Scott from Oregon
16 years ago

Jack, it seems like your talking about more like a civil defense system than a militia in my mind. I can respect that. The potential problem I see is government/military/law enforcement acting more in the unproductive paramilitary mode, instead of actually helping people get food, shelter, medical care, etc. Like Katrina, outfits like FEMA set up check points, block help from coming in, confiscate guns, etc. I wouldn’t want to be part of or be underneath someone like FEMA telling me what to do if it’s wrong or unproductive.

Thanks for the podcast.

Dan Tanner
16 years ago

I think it should be more of a group of Civilian Respondents rather than a “Militia”. I actually looked up Texas +Militia in Google and there were a few hits on articles about militants. I think the media has really gone wild with the term “militia” and brought it into a negative light.

In Texas, it may be a good idea to require a Concealed Handgun License. License holders are required to submit fingerprints and are subject to an FBI background check. These are a group of people already proven to be the Good Guys. You mention not being openly armed which I do agree to. However, there’s no way I’m not going to be discretely armed. ;-]

Minimal First Aid and CPR training should be a requirement and I would hope training for such to be offered at no cost given this is a volunteer organization.

This is definitely a tricky situation. I’m sure many law enforcement groups would not want civilians involved in most scenarios. However, if you are talking about something like post-Katrina where they are stretched beyond limits, it may be welcome. However, getting them to realize that allowing it now to prepare for something like that in the future may be difficult.

Offroad
Offroad
16 years ago

How about just being a part of the AUXILIARY Police Force. Just meet their requirements and they call you up to help when needed. else you take care of yourself.

Offroad
Offroad
16 years ago

You could also be a part of the local AUXILIARY sheriff office, or maybe a part of the folks who enforce game laws in an AUXILIARY capacity only.

Tactical Badger
Tactical Badger
16 years ago

Sounds an awful lot like the CERT program.

https://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/

Except for being armed. And the goofy green vests of CERT bear no resemblance to military uniforms in any way.

And yeah, thanks for the Zombie Squad plug.

Dan Tanner
16 years ago

That’s an interesting concept, Offroad. I’m curious how many LE Groups actually have an Auxiliary force. My city does (Police “Reserves”), but it’s only limited to 20 members. And that’s only good for the jurisdiction of the police dept. itself unless invited by another organization to assist (afaik).

Dan Tanner
16 years ago

Found out our Sheriff Dept does have reserves as well. Requires full training and a commitment of 16 hours a month (which isn’t that bad). But again, it has a very limited jurisdiction.

Now, it may allow for some credibility if members of police/sheriff’s reserve are members. (just musing)

Offroad
Offroad
16 years ago

What you want to do is help the police force to do their job, and not to be labeled as a NUT CASE.

You could even join the STATE POLICE force in the AUXILIARY; or what about the state reserves (NOT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT) and meet the requirements for Military Police training. What you want is to not be subject to call up by the FEDERAL GOVERMENT. The State of New York has a force like this that is not subject to federal military recall, and is totally voluntary.

Dan Tanner
16 years ago

That’s what I was thinking. By being a member of some organization like that, it would lend serious credibility not only to yourself but also the voluntary organization (in this case, the Civil Response Unit). =-]

Dan Tanner
16 years ago

Ahhh…now that I have thought about your comments, you were saying to do this INSTEAD of the subject of the ‘cast.

The point of this was that it is a voluntary organization. If you are a member of a State Guard, you could be “deployed” to an area for disaster relief. It’s not truly “voluntary”. Same is true for an LEO Reserve.

I think the best approach for this would be for medical relief, but there’s other capacities it could operate under. Strictly boxing it to medical will do just that and would end up limiting membership. However, I see it as doing things like workforce for disaster shelters, food/water/supply drives for disaster relief, etc.

It’s not an organization that just barges in on the LEO’s and National Guard, but an organization that has a large enough national or state-wide credibility that a leader could contact the LEOs, etc and ask if we could help out. Essentially volunteer our efforts.

I think you may be missing the point of it all (possibly). I hear what you are saying and respect it, but there is a way for something like this to progress.

ClarkB UpstateNY
ClarkB UpstateNY
16 years ago

At what point do we act simply as ‘individual’ Citizens who arise in cohesive action because we share common values and self-interests? This plan is well intentioned but it sounds ripe for abuse and ‘mission drift’. I personally don’t wish to self identify my interests, abilities, skill set, equipment level, or any other such attributes to an ‘organization’ (read as – databases, outreach, funding, funding politics, partisanship, …). Just my preference and opinion.

I think that a good emergency broadcast system would do most of the job. A voluntary ‘muster’ of citizens could meet periodically, perhaps once or twice a year. If people want to self identify for some potential emergency roll, then that can be of great value in the proper situation, but the existence or extent of such self identification should be entirely up to the individual.
At such a muster the Citizens in atendance would get some basic education and briefings on emergency response scenarios; LE and government agency response to certain emergencies; and provided with maps of essential emergency shelters, routes, supplies, defensive points, etc.
Let advertisers offer promotions, and government provide some form of tax break, or similar incentive, to those who attend.
Offer civilian defense communications devices at cost to everyone. Then in an emergency, people will already be in the mindset to stay tuned to emergency communications, and to use appropriate reporting channels, to support LE and emergency response personnel.

Other than that I am opposed to any further such organization of the Citizenry. I think that people should come to each others aid as a matter of being human. Therefore, what matters most is the availability of good information, hence the suggestion for a communication focus.

If people won’t act to help others locally, without ‘organization’, then no amount of organizing will change how they will act when the SHTF. Thus, in the end the People will get the Government (and Community) They Deserve.

galen
galen
15 years ago

Ham Radio people are also organized and volunteer during emergencies. They are usually the first communications up during times of desaster when all the phones and electric are down. Becoming a ham or connecting with your local Amateur Radio clubs seems like a sensible idea.

Stumpy Pope
Stumpy Pope
15 years ago

I’ve often thought of this subject and watched as disasters unfolded here in the south. The reality is, in a disaster or crisis situation, help is not wanted or tolerated from the “citizens”. Law enforcement at all levels only wants two things from citizens…go away (evacuate) and stay away. If you don’t go willingly they will use force to make you leave and if you resist the force you will be arrested or worse. There is no room for any “citizen” to help in the disaster except from a very far distance. It’s not about “helping”. It’s about power and the state will not give up any power in any way even if it is just perceived power (or lack of it) by letting in average citizens to help. Even if you can supply vital supplies and skills you will not be welcomed.

Stumpy Pope
Stumpy Pope
15 years ago

One more word on the point about complying with all laws, local, state and federal. The direction taken in recent disasters is that all laws and rights are pretty much suspended. Constitutional rights go out the window. The areas affected by the disaster (of all kinds) become a police state and any laws and rights are made up on the spot by the powers in charge. Your right to be secure in your home does not exist. They come to the door, request admission and if you refuse they will come in anyway at gunpoint. They will search your home and confiscate anything they wish (all firearms) and most likely force you to leave. It won’t matter if you have food and water to last. They want you gone. Your rights as they existed before the disaster such as search and seizure, arrest, personal property, etc. are nonexistent and you will be told what, when and where at the point of a gun. I hate to say things like this. I know many will dispute what I say. But, it is the sad truth.

Hoyt Wolstenholme
14 years ago

Gold Confiscation: Could it Happen Again? watch this http://www.youtube.com/edjuh10