[boatsmac]

Hello all.
As I noted, I have been a observer for quite a long time, yet have always felt I was missing a great deal of information by not being a member. I admit, am one that always question why I need to give out any info about myself on any subject. I was one that always questioned where the 1976 privacy statement was on Navy docs if I had to give any info about myself. I was more than a pain to several of my supervisors for 20 years on when I had to give out my SS#, or just about anything about my self. I remember in boot camp, they wanted me to put my SS# on any mail I sent out, I thought they were joking with me.

Hence, my delay on being a member for any forum. I'm sure that anyone that was/is in the Navy will recognize what my member name comes from. I did 20 years, retired a couple of years ago.

I read this forum and several others like this, and started after I observed major events that have to this day, effect me in such a way that make me question what we see on the T.V. or other forms of "canned and empty news".

Even though I worked for the Government for 20 years, I finally woke up to what happened on 9-11 and even more shocking, Katrina. (actually was asleep on 9-11, my boss called me, I was on leave. It was pretty shocking coming out of a sleep, your boss telling you to turn on the T.V., pack your sea bag and be ready to get to the ship)

I have taken several idea from here and used those ideas for myself.

When I start spending more money on preps, the wife starts getting sort of annoyed at me. I remind my wife what we watched about Katrina, down south, with the flooding, and the desperate people. I still remember her statement, "what's wrong with America and your government?". Keep in mind, she is a Pinoy, and just been here in America for less than a year, she commented that even in the Philippines, they don't act like back home, on what she saw on American T.V.

That, was a profound statement my beautiful, and good soul that she has, smiling wife said. It was so simply and clearly stated. It was honest and direct. I was somewhat ashamed and a little hurt. Not by what my baby said, but that she was right, and I watched my government and Americans showing the way we can and are. I actually had a feeling of being suckered on what I was seeing on T.V., in my country. Suckered in such away that I was proud that I could show my wife what America was about and to let my government let her see what it really does or does not do.

more latter...

 

[jfountain2]

Welcome to the forum.... finally

 

[awildchipmunk]

Welcome aboard.

 

[4giv3n1]

Glad to see you have woken up and are with us here. I look forward to benefiting from any knowledge you can bring to the table.

 

[Josiah922]

Welcome aboard.

Jump right in. I am sure you have just as much to share with us as we have you.

Thank you for your service sir.

 

[mongoose]

been watching the sight and a govt employee of 20 yrs?

tin foil hat time---lol

welcome from the republic of Texas
great site with loads of info and fine folks
dig in and enjoy

 

[boatsmac]

Thanks for the welcome all.

I admit, I suspect I still have more to learn than to really share at this point. Even though I have been working on my preps for a few years now, I, like a lot of people here, feel that I am still behind the curve.

I think that I need a couple million bucks to get the right equipment/move, before I really feel that I might have a fighting chance for the future.

Plus, living in Southern Ca, (the people's republic of California, with Nancy as the supreme leader), I feel disadvantaged already. Even if I was to exclude the political concerns of California, living in the southern part of the state, (we do call it the "shake and bake area".) there is just no way for anyone to really "go to the mountains", living in San Diego if anything really happened out here. Back roads? Forget it. The sea? Being retired Navy, there is a good section of boats/yachts/sailing type of boats I could get at, but trying to hide behind a buoy or a seagull, just don't seen the way to go. Going way out to sea? Not the right thing to do. The open sea could be worse than if one was in the middle of the desert.

So, as a reality check, unless there is some-sort of major destruction that does not take me out right away, I am planing in such a way that I would hold up where I live. I know that I am pretty close to being in a bad way if any major damage happens happens (nuclear release,major earthquake,etc) but trying to hit the road would be the worst thing to do. I have family that lives just a few blocks away where several home burned down a while back in Rancho Bernardo with the fires in southern CA. I was pretty worried for them, but looking back on it now, if they had evacuated as they were instructed to do so, they would have been on the 15 freeway, stopped and stranded. They could see the 15 freeway from where they live and it was going no where. They have been living in the same area for over 30 years, so they knew the fire patterns, the traffic issues, the winds. Even though the "officials" told everybody to go, there was no where for them to go to. The fires jumped the 15 freeway. The same freeway that they would be on if heading back to downtown San Diego.

With that, I am in the mind set that I need to stay put unless I have the true understanding/concept/crystal ball image that gives me at least 6 hours head start.

 

[yoyokat867]

Oorah! Free sliders on Wednesday.

 

[Jhean5]

Welcome aboard Boats, and thank you for serving our country. I did a hitch in the navy in the 80s. Was an AMH. You make some very good points and shows you are thinking it through which gives you an advantage over those that have not. I think staying put makes a lot of sense depending on the situation and like you said without advanced warning there is no way you are getting passed all that traffic. Seen it myself while at the miramar air station. Traffic in southern cali is bad every day. Some suggestions that I have are: Stock pile food and water, as much as you can. Get one of those propane or kerosene gas stoves, the camping type. Get a water filter and water purification tablets. A good knife comes in handy too. You can learn more from other threads, more than I can write down. If you decide you might have to bug out and are without a vehicle, google the "pacific crest trail" that runs from san diego to canada. Bugging out on foot though is not very good for long term survival though, unless you have already picked out a spot to stay and it is fairly close by. Some other things I can think of are: Go camping for fun, just to see what you will need for that type of situation. Oh, and don't tell anyone how much stuff you have.

 

[boatsmac]

The best thing about sliders was that you could eat faster inorder to have a longer nooner.

As for my preps, at this point, I have the couch in such a way that I can slide it in front of the door. At the same time, on the wall next to the door, I have several long type of swords (they are sharp) a couple of daggers, a 150 lb cross bow, a 1100 fp air gun, two hand held short wave radios, a out of sight weapon safe with my 45, with several clips. That is all within 10 foot of the front door. As one gets deeper into the house, I have several emergency candles on the shelf, more items that I have in such a way that my small wife could slide in front of the windows for protection. Extreme? The wife thinks so sometimes. At the same time, I am able to recognize her culture is in such a way that one might think of as "what ever will be, will be, and God will do what is necessary.. More latter.

 

[Scrammer]

Welcome to the boards.