Formation of Groups

[BadgeBunny]

I think theres a few people on OSA that would be solid candidates for a group. Ive never met them in person but from seeing their posts for a few years, id be ok.

For me, its about what you bring to the table.

I feel this way also -- I've come across some really exceptional folks on OSA. However, I am less worried about what you "bring to the table" than I am you willingness to do whatever needs to be done to make things run smoothly and safely.

I am actually encouraged by the number of responses in so short a time. And I appreciate that they are serious responses at that. When I tried this a few years ago on this forum there were a bunch a garbage responses that resulted in a locked thread. BadgeBunny, do you remember that?

Yes, I do. I also remember the thread on the other forum you are talking about.

I am one of those folks who would give you the shirt off my back if you needed it (even to my own detriment sometimes) but I don't suffer fools and assholes lightly. For me, groups have always created more problems than they solved. I'm all for helping out where I can (and accepting help when I need it)but in the end my house is over here and your house is over there. Believe me, it's just better that way.

 

[jrusling]

I am not going to try and get a group, but I do have a few neighbors that I would trust. There are also a couple of widows that live close and that I have known for decades that I would be glad to help out. There are a few people that I know from OSA that I would also be glad to help out if needed. Then again there are quite a few people that live in my neighborhood, that as far as I am concerned would be on their own. Now many of these people I would help if it was not in a time of emergency. I strongly believe in protecting my family before anyone else, then would come friends especially those that could not take care of them selves.

 

[justanotherpatriot]

Love this thread! Ive thought about this topic for a while and have created more questions without answers than you can shake a stick at. I agree with BB that although I would like someone to bring something to the table, sometimes the most important thing that they bring is in their head. How to, knowledge, attitude, willingness to work, protect the group, ability to get along, etc. Although I dont have or belong to any one group, I have fairly close ties with about a dozen likeminded families. Some of us have met through get togethers and informal meet and greets with many attendees who dont really have a clue. I think I am most comfortable with this arrangement because you tend to have an affinity for like minded people and are more likely to attract/be drawn to those like you. We have had several "group" dinners, bbq's etc. where you can get to know each other on a friend level and discuss and or show different types/methods/levels of prepps. Each of us is scattered around the area and each has a particular niche in their prepps, for example one has a very high accumen with comms, one has a high level of security, food production, reloading, animal husbandry, mechanical apptitude, food preservation, on and on. We dont have a set in stone bug out location, rules and regs, or list of must haves but have become close enough and confident in the abilities of each of the others that if SHTF we have multiple locations to head to as a staging area. A short list of topics to have in a "group" is who is acceptable (before and after SHTF) and why, means and methods of accepting, structure of the group (although I would recommend KISS here), code of conduct, perhaps a warning code to use if you are being coerced into revealing/reporting info, most likely scenarios to prep for and how/what you need/have in those preps.

 

[justanotherpatriot]

Another thing is to keep your plans fluid. It seems foolhardy and illogical to prep for one particular world shattering cataclismac? event. I have reached the conclusion that it makes more sense to prepare with the most likely to be needed items for a majority of possible events. It is amazing how once you have prepped for one scenario how little it takes to adapt those preps for others. One of the first and only rules that we follow is that any prep that we buy has to be able to be used in other areas of our life or we would be using it for another purpose anyway. There has to be a function besides just prepping.

Same thing with your group. Have a core drop dead group if you must, but expand beyond that with other likeminded people who could/would be plan B. Same thing with Bug out locations, caches, escape routes/means.

 

[justanotherpatriot]

I like the comment Lurker had on groups could be raiders also. I think that is a good assessment and one that you should make sure there is some loose consensus on within the group. I think there will be some who would say no raiding or scavaging under any case. Personally I have a list of some things that would be great to have but there is no point of stocking them until after. There are some personal boundaries that I have reguarding raiding and as necessary at times as I think it might be, I would have a really hard time with someone justifying raiding an individual or group unless that group had been involved in the theft in the first place and then only as a means of removing the civil threat with the supplies being the spoils. Scavenging on the other hand, in those situations would be a boon to the individual or group and may equal survival.

 

[bigbang]

I would keep it to family because I have a large one and already have talked to several of them about a meeting place in the event of a "SHTF".
Maybe if you attended a group event with other forum members you could get to know others and talk about their interest and get somewhat familiar with who may be a good group person for your group.
Maybe a get together like some are talking about in this thread; http://www.okshooters.com/showthread.php?155285-Any-interest-in-attending-a-bug-out-weekend-trip

 

[SMS]

Now, here are some things to watch out for.

First, you don't need nut-cases. Some of these people can cause greater apprehension than the folks outside of the group. Rambo types, for example need not apply to any group I want to be part of.

Second are those with serious mental problems. I worked at Boeing in Renton a long time ago and when I was there, I had the unfortunate experience of working next to a gal who was actually psychotic. (And no, I did not drive her batty. She was that way long before I knew her. This gal saw people watching her that weren't there. That type of psychotic.) Weed these people out.

Third are those people who are very insecure and think that they have to prove something all the time. This can cause a lot of friction within a group, and is to be avoided whenever possible.

Those who won't pull their own weight should be avoided as well.

There are a few other negative factors that I would take into consideration.

Do all perspective group members have the same moral compass as you?
Same sense of right/wrong?
Do there share a similar long-term goal?
Are they the type who thinks that the 'ends justify the means' or do they live by an ethos?
And quite simply...do they have the type of character/personality that will allow you to live and work in close quarters with them for a long period of time?

 

[Johnjosiah]

Great thread.

Where does scavenging end and theft begin? Being a raiding group seems to imply a willingness to rape, kill and plunder at the expense of others. The group across the way has a flock of chickens...Lets go take 2 they won't miss...Well they have a milk cow and a supply of ammo. There are 4 of them and 12 of us lets offer to let them join us and if they refuse we can overpower them and take everything anyway. Desperation can lead to strange behavior.

Religion, morals, skills, ethics and such as SMS noted are some of the most important things I would look at.
What is the hierarchy of the group?
How is the group leader chosen?
Is the majority of the group willing to be the team or is there a bunch of chiefs?

 

[freeranger]

How would the logistics of locale be addressed? If group members aren't within the same neighborhood, the group concept isn't likely to hold it together because members are likely to want to stay close to their homes, which I believe is a natural, human trait. In my mind I see neighbors coming together, similarly to the Korean community during the LA riots, to defend themselves and their property. When things fall apart, even neighbors who don't hold the same views as you may change their thinking when push comes to shove in order to survive. Those in rural settings would be at a disadvantage if marauders move out of urban areas in search of food, primarily livestock. The farmer or rancher by himself would be hard pressed to survive, and would they be willing to leave their places to band with others knowing that their work will be gone when they return?

 

[BadgeBunny]

I, too, tend to believe that neighborhoods would just naturally evolve into groups. We have friends from all over the state who are welcome here anytime and for however long it takes. They each would return the favor to us in a heartbeat. The problem is none of us want to leave where we are unless it's just impossible to avoid.

Even if my home was completely unlivable, I still have pets to care for and GC has work. As long as GC is working, I'm right here, making sure he has a meal and as warm a bed as I can make him to get into -- even if that means I have a tent pitched in the yard and we are eating MREs (bleech) ...

God, I can hardly wait for him to retire so we can get out of town ...