Clothing

Clothing is an important part of any type of survival. Having the proper clothing can keep you warm and dry. I have put together a few outfits that I use frequently. These all work well and can be found fairly readily. The first picture is what I use for hunting and camping in colder climates. Alaska is notorious for being cold and wet so having good quality clothing is a must. This is Cabelas Outfitter Fleece with Windshear. The berber fleece not only keeps you warm, even when wet, it is quiet while stalking game. I purchased the jacket, pants, pullover shirt, gloves, watch cap and neck gaiter all from Cabelas. It works very well for me, from moose and bear hunting to lounging around the campsite.

Next is an example of my every-day wear. I wear this when hiking, shooting or just going to the store. The pants are Blackhawk Tactical Pants and I have various colors. The shirt here is Columbia but I own several different brands. Of course the leg holster only gets used when in rural locations and I wouldn't take my rifle into Walmart either.

This is my rain gear. I have both DCU and Woodland Gor-Tex that I can use. Gor-Tex is great for keeping the water out, but it doesn't breathe very well. Luckily the jackets have zippers under the armpits to aid in this. I also have fleece liners for the jacket and pants for colder weather.

This is what I would wear out hiking in semi cold and rainy weather. The pack is my Camelbak M.U.L.E.

Of course this is what I wore while serving in the Air Force. It's the new ABU or Airman Battle Dress Uniform. I don't really wear it much, but I like having different types of camouflage at my disposal.

Of course I have the old mainstay of camouflage, the BDU or Battle Dress Uniform. What I love about BDU's are their versatility and functionality. They are comfortable and can be found everywhere.

This is me wearing my BOB. I have several different packs to choose from depending on the situation, but I mostly use this setup.

Having good quality clothing for the type of environment you will be in is paramount when it comes to surviving. I have been cold and miserable many times because I didn't have the proper clothing and I can tell you it sucks.

Sandstorm in Kuwait 2006

While deployed to Kuwait in 2006 this storm hit. Looked like a scene right out of the "Mummy" and was a bit erie. Lasted about 30 minutes in all and got sand everywhere.

Helo to Balad

Had the opportunity to ride in a Sikorsky MH-53 "Pave Low" from Kuwait to Iraq. Totally different than flying in a plane for sure.

Fly Away Mission to Iraq

I had the honor to do several "fly away" missions while serving overseas. The mission was to fly from Ali Al Salem Air Base to Balad. We served as security escorts for wounded troops heading home.

F2 Tornado in 2006

May 25, 2006 an F2 tornado ripped through my home town. With wind speeds hitting 120 mph. These pictures were taken 2 houses down from my home. Luckily the only damage I had was a broken window and the neighbors tree fell in my yard. Estimated damage was close to 1 million dollars. The worst damage was done to mobile homes.

Camping with new camper 2010

After using an old Rocky Mountain Buckaroo for 1 summer we decided to buy a much bigger and better camper. This is an 8' 1980 KIT Kamper. It has a queen sized bed, 3-way refrigerator, 4 burner stove with oven, sink, heater, 30 gallon water tank and full electric. This is it's maiden voyage on Elmendorf AFB.

Homemade awning

Bugging In or Bugging Out

In all survival/disaster preparations, deciding whether you will stay or leave is a top priority. The answer to this question dictates how you should prepare. Of course the scenario will dictate which you should do. Common sense will go a long way to determine when you should stay or when you should go. Lets take a flood for instance, should you stay or go? Well if you live in the path of the flood and your house will most likely be submerged, leaving is the best option. If a tornado rips through your town staying will most likely be the best option if you have a safe area to hold up in. I, like most, would prefer staying home. It's safe, secure and what we know. Leaving could end up being worse if you get trapped because of traffic or road closures. Some recommend traveling by foot to avoid the roads, but trudging through a disaster area isn't really the smartest decision. In any case having a plan for both is a good thing. When making a bug out plan be sure to have alternates routes of travel. Try to avoid highly congested areas and bottle neck locations ie. bridges, toll roads etc. In my bug out plan I am limited because I have to travel through bottle necks and high congestion areas. There is only 1 way out of town and there is no getting around this. So staying home unless it is absolutely neccessary to leave is what I'll do. You just have to make your plan to fit your needs and within your unique limitations.