This is not a pleasant thing to have to write. You’d think what follows would be common sense and understood, at least in our own teams and groups. Sadly, it’s not. The current world and national situation doesn’t leave much time for pleasantries and sensitivity anymore. So, be objective when you read this and do a self-evaluation. If the shoe fits, take the steps necessary to correct it. If it doesn’t fit, but it fits someone you train with, help them be an asset by being honest with them first, and then helping them on their way to improvement without coddling them.

That being said, if you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already been involved in training of some sort. Or, you’re seriously considering coming out with our group or some other group to train or become a member. You’ve already got some preconceived notions of what to expect, and if you’re ex-military, you’ve probably got a good amount of field gear, or at least know what minimums to go and buy.

Therefore, this is not primarily written to or for the person who’s never thought about field work or defending their family or community, let alone their own private part of the country, even though the absolute novice can benefit from what is herein. This is not even written to members of a particular group. Every group, based upon published pictures all over the internet has the kind of people this is written to and for. You’ve seen them, I’m sure. As this piece goes along, I’m sure the pictures I’m referring to will come to mind.

This is written to the “regulars”. For the purpose of this op-ed piece, regulars are very loosely defined as the people who come to at least one training session a year ostensibly to keep their skills ‘sharp’ and to make sure they can still hit a target at 100 yards. They demonstrate they have the absolute minimum required field gear, do the absolute minimum physical task requirements (and then crow about how hard the PT was and how well they’ve performed), crow about how well they’ve shot (usually after making the minimum score acceptable and blaming their shortcomings on a sub-standard weapon that they defend more doggedly than their favorite sports enterprise), and then make sure they’re right on time for any chow break offered.

Now, to be sure, not all “regulars” fit the above description. Some regulars come to every training session they possibly can and keep their buddy, team or group informed if they can’t make it. If you’re one of these who takes the responsibility of increasing your abilities seriously, and it’s evidenced by the way you try to stay in shape, keep your gear in good order (no matter how old it is), keep your weapon clean and ready, work to improve your marksmanship consistently, and generally work your ass off when you train, thank you. You’re the one benefit your family, your friends, your team and your community will have should bad times come sooner than later. This is not written to you, either, other than to acknowledge the consistent hard work you put in with your self, your buddy, your team and your group because it has to be done, and not because it’s “cool” or some other such rot.

This is also not written to the men who have legitimate medical issues and just flat out cannot do things they’d like to do. They train and serve in the best capacity they can. They also know the score as to what their limitations mean to their buddy, team and group, and are usually very honest about their capabilities.

This is written to the regular who does nothing to improve himself other than to own a military look alike carbine or rifle, who’s overweight by varying amounts and sees no reason to drop the excess weight (sports on tee-vee with a plate of hot wings and a beer are too important), slow (can’t walk more than a few miles (if that) any faster than 30 minutes per mile without taking a couple hour break afterwards, let alone do it while carrying a 50 pound existence ruck), likes to wear all the camouflage (usually has the latest and greatest pattern) but he’s too lazy to improve his physical condition to make him more of an asset to his team or group and has the delusional audacity to think he is going to “be there when the SHTF” for the others. That’s the man this is written for and if that describes you personally, do your self a favor and read the entire thing before you get your back up and think, “this guy can go to hell” or “what does he know” or whatever else you might use to justify your current status as a liability to your buddy, your team, your group, and most of all, to your family. Use this as an alarm clock of sorts.

This is your wake up call.

Get your fat-ever-widening-ass off the couch, knock off the six beers a night (light beer of course, right?), get your medical clearance from your doctor, start shrinking your meal portions, get out and exercise, even if it’s a walk around the block, and start improving yourself!

Really. It’s time. You need to understand what you really are and what you are not.

If you cannot keep up with your buddy, your team, or your group in training, just what do you think you’ll be able to do if the real thing ever happens? If you are one of those who start hyper-ventilating after crawling 10 meters and sweating in 60 degree weather with no physical exertion, you are a “liability”.

In other words, because of your personal choice not to improve your performance capability, you will force your buddy, team or group to either die with you, because they feel guilty about leaving you behind, or they will abandon you in the field, because it has become a choice of you or them. For all those buddies, teams and groups feeling this way about certain “regulars”, but are too nice to say something to you, I say, “Thanks loads!”. I’m sure we all appreciate the fact that we are going to have to carry your load in addition to our own. Some team member you are.

Not fair you say? Ok, let’s just say for a moment that your team gets into trouble and it’s up to you to be able to help your buddy out of a jam. Can you do it? Do you have the physical stamina and strength and skill to save his life like he will do yours? Probably not. Sure, you can tell yourself all you want that you’ll do “whatever it takes”, but the sad fact of the matter is that, deep down inside your gut, you know better.

This is a plea – please, for your buddy, your team, and your group’s sakes, get in better shape starting today! We, all of us, need you to be able to support what we do by being an active, dependable, strong member. Otherwise, when you die of a heart-attack in the field, your epitaph may be is that your buddy, team or group was happy you were there because they could strip you of whatever they needed and leave you for the carrion. I’m sure none wants to remember you that way and I’m sure nobody wants to be remembered that way.

Now, moving on to the ever-present territorial “my-rifle-is-just-as-good-as-yours-even-though-I can’t-hit-much” regular who has difficulty hitting a 10 inch circle at 100 yards, let alone keeping his rounds in a 20 inch square at 500. Get this good: It’s not necessarily the fact that you have bought a hundred dollar rifle. Many men are superb marksmen with inexpensive military surplus or iron sighted hunting rifles. The reason you can’t shoot well is that you don’t practice the fundamentals of marksmanship when you’re at home. You don’t do “snap-in” exercises, you don’t practice your positions, you don’t practice your breathing, and you don’t practice your trigger depression. Worst of all, you don’t ask for advice from people who do shoot well when you’re in the field. Then you wonder why you can’t hit a barn door when you finally do show up to shoot your “Main Battle Rifle”. On top of that, during tactical training, you wonder why people avoid working with you because of your unsafe weapon handling. Everyone has seen people they sometimes refer to as “Mr. Muzzle Sweep”.

Now for the “Kmart/Walmart” regular: This is the man who is so budget conscious that he always, and I mean always, tries to do everything “on the cheap”. No matter what it is: Ammo, gear, food, water, etc; everything for a penny. Frugality is one thing—we all have to watch our money. Cheap is another. Example: This category of “regular” goes and buys a $15 sleeping bag “rated” for 0 degrees Fahrenheit (in actuality these “bargain” bags are good to about 35 degrees) because he’s got other priorities like going to see his favorite sports team play (for about $200), so now he’s got both things covered. He’s got his bag and he’s been to his sports event. Come winter training session time, he will most likely not make it (some sort of excuse will come up), but if he does show, he ends up using everyone’s gear because if he doesn’t, he’ll die of exposure. Remember “The Deer Hunter” when Fred Savage’s character was always trying to borrow boots, socks, and even ammo from Robert DeNiro’s character? Same thing. If you remember, DeNiro’s character does the best thing possible on their last hunt together: he tells the constant borrower, “No.” The lesson is simple – you need to provide your own quality (best you can afford) gear. If you’re on a tight budget and you have a choice between buying a good ruck sack for $150, say a CFP 90 and an older, used, but very serviceable large ALICE pack for $40, you buy the ALICE and use the other $110 towards a good pair of boots (something you should never skimp on!). Take ammo as another example: Buying the cheapest ammo you can find is not necessarily the brightest thing to do if the ammo in question is not reliable in the field. It’s better to have 250 rounds of ammo you’re sure will fire and hit where you aim than to have 1000 rounds of ammo that is fraught with ‘squibs’ or is so inconsistently charged you don’t know where your rounds are going to impact.

If the above describes you, maybe you better sit back and understand something: The rest of us who scrimp and save to get the best gear we can at the best price we can don’t appreciate having you as a “tax deduction”. We’re not here to equip you. Remember, all your buddies, teams, and groups are their own logistical support! If you are going to be part of the team, you might want to start to save up a bit and ask around to find better deals than the crap you show up with (and sometimes not even that) for training and expect someone else to cover your shortfalls.

As I said at the beginning of this necessary, but unpleasant task, use this as a wake up call. The clock continues to tick.

See you in the field.