MSO Minutemen

Back on January 7th I wrote a post called “MSO Minutemen….Are you one?” In it I discussed the need for all of us to be a Minuteman – to be ready, at a moments notice – to respond to an emergency. This response may include providing for your family light when there is none. It may be having food when the grocery stores are closed or the shelves are empty. It may be protecting your family, your friends, and your neighbors from those that wish to do them harm.

What follows is not written in stone….please comment with suggestions. 

I present…… the

ModernSurvivalOnline: The Minuteman Protocol

msomen

 A Minuteman is someone who is prepared – at a moment’s notice – to respond to whatever situation they may be confronted with. It may be a simple power outage. It may be suddenly finding yourself near a mass shooting in a mall. It could be walking into a situation

where your neighbors are getting assaulted by some drug addicts. It may be a breakdown of society and you find yourself and family in a world without rule of law.

Regardless—you need to be ready. You need to be a Minuteman.

Summary: What follows is a suggested “system” or template which one could follow and adapt to their particular needs and circumstances. A variety of minimum equipment/supply levels are listed.

People who read this document will live in many different states, have different economic capabilities, geographical conditions, and have a variety of environmental challenges which to deal with. This means that no single, individual system recommendation will work for all.

MSO Minutemen are made up of men and women from all religions, races, and nationalities. We all want to work, provide for our families, and live our existence on our terms. We believe in what the Founding Fathers of this country created many years ago. We believe in the Constitution.

We also believe that we all have a responsibility to provide and care for our communities and prepare for concerning times ahead. This preparation towards readiness combines food storage, water, defensive equipment, and gear which can be used in case of a power outage or a major supply chain interruption – or worse.

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Being a Minuteman does not mean that you are radical, anti-government, or unpatriotic. As a matter of fact as a Minuteman you should back the US Constitution 100%, and this Republic called the United States of America. You should also support peaceful, democratic methods which to guide and create positive change for America.

This country’s economic welfare, morality, and socioeconomic state are in a free fall towards a destructive demise. I hope what follows provides some guidance and provokes thought on how to be ready….”just in case”.

LEVEL I – Basics

This is not an all-knowing, endless list of all supplies that any Minuteman could ever need. Rather, it is just template which to follow and provide ideas. Customize your own individual system to fit your needs and situation.

SUPPLIES

Food – Most any serious emergency will disrupt the normal distribution of food. It is critically important to maintain enough food reserves to make it through until things return to normal. How long will that be? That is the $100,000 dollar question. We recommend for Level I to have at least a one month reserve of food.

A one month food storage supply for one person can be put together with commonly found food from at any grocery store. The saying – “Store what you eat and eat what you store.” holds true. What follows is an example of a One Month Food Supply for one person:

20 cans             soups

15 cans             beef stew

30 cans             vegetables

15 cans             fruit

2 lrg boxes        Pancake mix (add-water-only)

2 bottles            Syrup

2 boxes             saltine crackers/whole wheat crackers

2 jars                peanut butter

15 boxes           pasta/spaghetti

15 jars              spaghetti sauce

15 cans             baked beans

20 cans             meat/Spam

15 bars             candy bars/nutrition bars

This is not a perfect diet by any means; however it does provide plenty of calories and variety for one person for at least 30 days. In addition to the food items – plan on alternative methods for cooking and preparing food should the power go out.

Water – There is a commonly used adage that in an emergency the minimum water requirements are one gallon per person per day. This is the minimum depending upon activity and likely is not enough. For the MSO Minuteman, store as much water as you can – with Level I recommending at least  30+ gallons for each person.

What follows is an example of a One Month Water Supply for one person:

12 jugs, gal.      Spring water from local grocery store

3 cases             Bottled drinking water, cases of 24 bottles

3 jugs               7-gallon Blue containers, available at Wal-Mart/Amazon.com

Beyond water storage – the ability to filter water should be prepared for and considered.

When you visit an external link on this page and then make a purchase, I may earn a commission. Read my full advertising disclosure here.

A common Brita-brand water filter is excellent for filtering out small foreign particles – however they will not work for water that may have pathogens or bacteria. With this in mind – it is recommended that a LifeStraw Water Filtration Straw be stored for each person.

fakit

Medical – The category “Medical” covers both first aid as well as other medical considerations.

A good basic First Aid Kit is a requirement, along with some other first aid supplies. Should you have health issues requiring prescriptions or other necessary items – those should be stocked to have at least a one month supply.

Suggested Level I Supply List:

  • Basic First Aid Kit
  • Rubbing Alcohol, bottle
  • Hydrogen Peroxide, bottle
  • Triple-antibiotic ointment, tube
  • Compression wrap
  • 30 days of medical prescriptions

Defense

Firearms are a critical part of any Minuteman’s system. In fact – many would argue that it is THE most important part. In a serious SHTF or WROL (Without Rule of Law) event  – law abiding citizens will be preyed upon by criminals and thugs. It is up to the Minuteman to defend themselves, their families, and their neighbors.

The Minuteman is to be at the ready at all times to respond. With this said – they must be able to grab their firearms, their gear – and react.

Here is the recommended minimal equipment for Level I:

  • Rifle – any long gun that can be shot reliably and accurately
  • Ammunition – minimum 250 rounds of ammunition
  • Carrying System – system to carry ammunition, firearm(s), magazines, etc.
  • Gun Cleaning Kit

Method for carrying defensive supplies:

In order to achieve the “grab-and-go” concept there must be a system in place by which to transport needed defensive equipment efficiently. Whether a Winchester 94 lever-action .30-30 is your rifle of choice or an AR-15 – extra ammunition and other defensive supplies need to be at the ready at all times. Generally – this is achieved through a variety of pouches, packs, bags and vests.

For the Level I Minuteman – develop a system for carrying extra ammunition and magazines that fits your budget and is comfortable to use. Once decided on – practice with that system over and over again.

One possible solution for carry a defense load is the tactical load bearing vest. One inexpensive example is the Condor Modular Chest Rig.

Another possible “grab-and-go” carry option for defensive gear is the 5.11 Bail Out Bag. Basically, the 5.11 is a shoulder bag with multiple compartments including magazine pockets in the outside for AR magazines.

Bottom Line: A system must be developed so that in about a “minute” your main battle weapon and needed supplies can be grabbed and you can go to where you need to be.

Rourke's rig
Rourke’s rig

SKILLS

Skills are the most underrated and under-discussed aspects of preparedness. To be part of the MSOnline Minutemen System – certain skills are necessary.

Here is the recommended minimal skills for Level I:

  • Basic First Aid Skills – take a basic first aid course or at a minimum self-study reading and watching video’s. Be able to:
    • Treat cuts, scrapes, and abrasions
    • Know the steps to stop bleeding
    • Identify hyperthermia, heat stroke/exhaustion – and how to treat
    • Apply a splint
    • Identify and treat shock
  • Breakdown carried firearms, clean, and reassemble

PLANS & INFORMATION

What happens if power is lost through an area and there is no method for communication with loved ones? Does everyone know what to do? This is the premise of this section – making plans “just in case”.

Here are the suggested plans to make for Level I:

  • Power Outage – everyone in the household needs to know what to do if there is a power outage. Don’t open the fridge, know where flashlights are, stay warm in winter time, radio for news, etc.
  • Significant Event/Danger – What will each member of the family do in the event of a significant event such as a terrorist attack? Communications may be down and family and friends may be away from home. Who will get the kids from school? How will everyone get home from work? What if?…….
  • Simple Vehicle Breakdown – car breaks down on the way home from work – then what? What if someone can’t be reached via cell phone? Are there numbers for local tow trucks in the glove box? How about an AAA membership?

Everyone’s potential problems and solutions will be different. Think of what plans and procedures need to be made as part of your Minuteman Protocol System.

MISC GEAR CHECKLIST

here is a basic list of general supplies that should be stored and readily available in case of an emergency.

  • Radio with extra batteries
  • Flashlights with extra batteries
  • Manual can opener
  • first aid kit
  • cell phone chargers/adapters
  • candles and matches
  • blankets
  • fire extinguisher

Recommended Books

here are a few recommended books related to defense and preparedness and would fit well in any Minuteman’s library.

Summary – This completes the template for the ModernSurvivalOnline: The Minuteman Protocol – Level I. This is considered a minimal template for preparedness.

Remember – the Minuteman Protocol is to be at the ready, so in a moments notice you will be ready to defend your family, your loved ones, your property and supplies…..and your country. The MSO Minuteman is honest, has integrity – and is proud to do the right things. The Minuteman holds close those values which built this great country over 200 years ago.

– Rourke

5 thoughts on “MSO Minutemen”

  1. So when the Rooskies hack our power grids, wouldn’t some solar gear be important – to recharge our radios and headlamps? BTW, cell towers will run down shortly after the power loss. So, 2-way radios for staying in touch with relatives? “Water wars” will break out immediately because most (by far) folks won’t have water reserves. Life and death time. Just from a hack, not from civil collapse which will be the result, not the cause. What’s to stop the spread of massive rumors that lead to big, stupid decisions? Why not put effort into hardening the electrical grid rather than trying to turn everyone into a “Minuteman?” Planning backup communications rather than selling ammo?

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  2. It seems the concept is not just about TEOTWAWKI, but for everything between there and normal day to day status. Car accidents can happen anytime. Hurricanes or earthquakes can knock out power, water, and restrict access to medical services for weeks, yet not result in societal breakdown. That’s the most likely scenario. Zombie apocalypse is just the funnest to fantasize about.

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  3. So how does one become a minuteman Milita? I heard the US government frowns on it. Replying on my spam email account, (just in case I am being monitored)

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