[wraithofroncollins]

Ok, this came off a Survival Blog I read on OPSEC for preppers, for those who don't know OPSEC is a military term from "operational security" and basically its the lowest for of military security, also known as STFU! So on this blog I read someone suggesting basically sitting in the dark looking out, to hide the fact you have electricity.

Sometimes the various survival blogs have some good info and sometimes it leaves me thinking WTF? This is one of them...

Anyway... So I was thinking about this and realized I'm not the only one who has seen this type of material. So my question is what other bad advice have you seen for Prepping?

 

[Back Pack Hack]

Don't light up your house at night.
Don't fill the neighborhood up with the odor of steaks cooking.
Don't gain weight during a food shortage.
Don't water your lawn when the water is turned off.

This is all OPSEC 101.

 

[wraithofroncollins]

Don't light up your house at night.
Don't fill the neighborhood up with the odor of steaks cooking.
Don't gain weight during a food shortage.
Don't water your lawn when the water is turned off.

This is all OPSEC 101.

There are discernable limits to all of the above...

There is a huge difference between lighting up the house and, hiding in the dark. For example, lets say I have power and no one else does, depending on the situation I may not care if anyone sees my house lit up. Thunder storms blow out the power and I have solar, yeah I got lights, radios and, so on. Whoopty do...

My neighbor comes over and we fire up the grill to cook all the perishables before they perish (neighborhood smells like steak), and... what. Power is out, so we are having a BBQ.

This is something I was talking about in another thread. Context. Not everything is a doomsday drill for the end of the world and I have better security helping my neighbors then hiding from them.

 

[Back Pack Hack]

If you're out of power for more than a day, the neighbors will come knocking on your door with a dead cell phone in one hand and an extension cord in the other.

As to context, you need to state it.

 

[wraithofroncollins]

If you're out of power for more than a day, the neighbors will come knocking on your door with a dead cell phone in one hand and an extension cord in the other.

As to context, you need to state it.

No I don't because, the question is bad advice... Some good advice is bad advice out of context. As for my neighbors... eh. We had no power in town for almost a month after it got flooded and I have solar, aside from a charging a few cell phones of a day, that I volunteered to charge for good relation with those around me. No one came with extension cords.

 

[Back Pack Hack]

The only question I saw was the one you posted. Are you saying it's bad advice?

 

[Kauboy]

The only question I saw was the one you posted. Are you saying it's bad advice?

I think he means that his question was asking for bad advice, for levity's sake, but you presented good advice.

 

[Back Pack Hack]

I think he means that his question was asking for bad advice, for levity's sake, but you presented good advice.

I guess it's good advice in some situations, but not others.

So he had poor OPSEC by letting his neighbors know what he is capable of during a short-term power outage. Failing to STFU. Guess where they'll go when the S really HTF?

 

[wraithofroncollins]

The only question I saw was the one you posted. Are you saying it's bad advice?

My original question;

So my question is what other bad advice have you seen for Prepping?

Yes, I am saying...

So on this blog I read someone suggesting basically sitting in the dark looking out, to hide the fact you have electricity.

is bad advice.

1. Just cause you are trying to conceal that you have electricity in a long-term grid down situation with hostiles around you, by sitting in the dark is bad advice. You can conceal that you have power by hanging blankets over windows, keeping a low light source on means you can see others inside so if someone decides Burglarize your home, you can see them & they can't surprise you.
2. Depending on where you are whats going on... presenting a hard target may be safer then trying stealth your location. Or it could invite a Russian artillery strike. Context to the situation.

I think he means that his question was asking for bad advice, for levity's sake, but you presented good advice.

Good advice can be bad in certain contexts, so if your talking bad advice, you should include the context.

So he had poor OPSEC by letting his neighbors know what he is capable of during a short-term power outage. Failing to STFU. Guess where they'll go when the S really HTF?

And guess who won't be there? Remember helping my neighbors is only a bad idea, if you don't trust those around you. Funny story of two towns in WV both got flooded, one town tore itself apart with people thinking like you. The other my town, everyone came together and helped each other. I couldn't pull security 24/7 but, me and my neighbors formed our own little watch schedule and looked out for each others property.

If the S really HTF, who could a trust a town full of people who believe I am unprepared or a group of people in town, who will help me defend me and mine. OPSEC is fine no one knows my full capability but, so what I have solar and wind generators, I have a battery bank and, I was in the military. I write survival books and taught survival and self-defense classes.

If I didn't have something people would assume I was hoarding... lol

 

[Back Pack Hack]

......Remember helping my neighbors is only a bad idea, if you don't trust those around you.......

Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't include that as part of the context. I guess we're all supposed to just know that.

 

[ErickthePutz]

If you're out of power for more than a day, the neighbors will come knocking on your door with a dead cell phone in one hand and an extension cord in the other.

As to context, you need to state it.

Not true. Not true at all.

 

[wraithofroncollins]

Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't include that as part of the context. I guess we're all supposed to just know that.

You said:

So he had poor OPSEC by letting his neighbors know what he is capable of during a short-term power outage. Failing to STFU. Guess where they'll go when the S really HTF?

I assumed you was talking me volunteering to help my neighbors...

 

[Maine-Marine]

I will offer some great wisdom

Marry a Fat girl - she will be shade in the summer and warmth in the winter

Marry an ugly women, less chance a friend will cheat with her and if she does an leaves.. so what -she is ugly - and if you followed advice #1 she is also FAT

regardless of how nice the soap smells never walk out of a public restroom sniffing your fingers

 

[inceptor]

And guess who won't be there? Remember helping my neighbors is only a bad idea, if you don't trust those around you. Funny story of two towns in WV both got flooded, one town tore itself apart with people thinking like you. The other my town, everyone came together and helped each other. I couldn't pull security 24/7 but, me and my neighbors formed our own little watch schedule and looked out for each others property.

Going it alone is not a viable option. What y'all accomplished was good, and good practice. With neighbors having each others back, y'all stand a better chance of making it.

 

[KellyDude]

Neighborhood is used to my solar sidewalk lights and motion lights. Only giveaway would be the security cameras IR glow on backup power, but I think that's a Good thing
Immediate neighbors & I look out for each other. But- like other threads on what to share etc, it'll be a personal judgment call.
Once the cat is out of the bag in emergencies, you're on open ground.