Much like privates in the military, inexperienced civilians have a tendency to purchase low end equipment that is either completely unnecessary or such poor quality that it will fall apart the first time they use it. That’s alright, everyone has to start somewhere and being a beginner is not only a good thing, but much of what we see civilians with is airsoft-tier garbage that they either bought off of Wish.com or a surplus shop peddling Chinese made kit to those who wouldn’t know any better. Some people would say they don’t need high end gear as a civilian, that the likelihood of needing to use it is low, or in peak ignorance, that their cheap equipment is jUsT aS gOoD as the higher end stuff. Rubbish. If you want something that you can depend on when your life is on the line, why trust anything but that which is dependable and useful? As I tell just about everyone that asks me what gear, gun, or equipment they should get; it’s better to buy once and cry once.

The biggest difference between the needs of military and civilian personnel is the role of the individual. Soldiers are fighting to kill bad people and break their stuff like a toddler on a tantrum. Civilians are looking to survive, protecting themselves and their families from whatever threat may arise. Some don’t even care about that, they just want to train and be proficient at killing people without the stupidity of the military. Either way, it’s respectable. Because of these differences, it’s important to consider that what works in the military spectrum might not be efficient in the civilian real. Kit like body armor with side plates, or combat helmets, would have an obvious place in the military realm, but chest rigs and bump helmets will probably be more useful in the civilian world. Understanding these differences is critical to making intelligent gear choices.

For me, the transition from being an active duty infantryman to a civilian weekend warrior caused a change of mindset. No longer did I have access to issued SAPI plates, or the need really to even wear body armor. I wanted to wear a chest rig that emphasized the change in mindset; carrying less ammo, more land navigation, survival kit, HAM radio gear, and water/shelter. For me, a lightweight helmet for mounting hearing protection (with options to wear without the helmet), lights, and night-vision would be smarter than a full sized ballistic helmet. I’m not here to win a battle, clear a building or charge a machine gun nest, that’s the once a month job now. The goal is survival, transitioning from point A to B, and the ability to defend myself if my world goes to shit.

This series is going to reflect that mindset difference. The purpose is to have something to point to when asked the same question over and over again, so that once the individual understands the ideas and concepts of civilian preparation, they can move forward better informed and able to problem solve. There will be a few assumptions moving forward: that you possess a modern AR/AK platform rifle, understand the importance of land navigation and communication, and are committed to learning the skills necessary to survive whether in the bush or an urban environment.

If any of my two readers want to contribute to this in some shape form or fashion, feel free to message me or email me at mike.a.collard@gmail.com