Read some AAR comments by a militia member who deployed to the Bundy incident. He talked about how long it took him to get his sustainment package together.

Made me think that you would want a 3 day of supply in your kit and then pre-made sustainment loads for a 1 or 2 week period (that size so you can move it easier).

Each sustainment load would have meals, water, ammo, batteries, TP, etc. You could cache the stuff or have someone in your network get it to you.

Back to the recent Bundy event- - seems to me that if you are self-deploying you would want to take as much stuff as you could.

Some good posts already here with some ideas-but reading the AAR's made me re-think my set up.

There were people and situations where a three day supply would bet taken up just in travel time.

There were people who ran into problems of "too much stuff" and "not enough stuff". That goes both ways and sometimes withe same gear.

Travel light fight heavy:

You need forward supply and cache in order to avoid having to travel heavy. Oathkeepers did apparently get in fairly quickly and set up an administrative supply point, food, water, toilet paper, that sort of stuff.

The distances involved are beyond the power projection capability of a lot of small scattered and localized groups. Rolling in without logistics assets puts you at risk of losing your combat assets to mundane things like a vehicle breakdown, traffic accident, lost luggage at the airport or whatever. Years ago you could fedex a supply drop in, nowdays, that is heavily restricted.

I agree on the sustainment packages but there is another angle to it, which is having some ready to ship to rally points along a convoy route. Money works surprisingly well, but we know how things like paypal get shut down quickly.

Prepaid phones and phone cards can present a security problem, but there are a few ways to mitigate some of those risks while the communications assets can retain some value. What we all learned the sickening way is how some woman's fondness for her fancy android smartphone and its built-in GPS led the feds to Dyer and can compromise a convoy movement, but a phone swapping protocol can help mitigate that situation, especially if things heat up a bit like some people say they will and there is the strong possibility of multiple hotspots happening in the second half of this year.

Hotels and gas stations can work as sustainment package pickup points. Then there are working groups that can be organized through social media.

For that matter, anyone heading through Portland Oregon on their way to the Bundy Ranch deployment is welcome to stop by for a meet and greet and pick through some of my gear and supplies but for now, my contributive efforts are remaining in a different direction and are on a two to five year commitment before I figure I can justify putting a significant investment into any other situation. The only way I would go to any deployment other than what I am already committed to is if someone foots the travel and expenses bill, but I would not be asking any wages on it.

There are some rumors of extra care being taken for mail and package searches on mail and parcels going into the Bunkerville area now, so a lot of stuff will likely have to go in by courier.

It seems the number one expense people are having to contend with on this is fuel, and it might be worth checking to see if we can do any sort of prepaid fuel cards. That helps coordinate contributions while preventing the people who are having to travel from using any sort of personal debit card which could be used to track their travel routes through backtracking the locations of purchases.

More from Mike V.

At request of WRSA, I'm working up a draft SOP to cover some of these issues and others, it will probably get posted there by Monday.

Not sure if an entire platoon is needed for that, but something.

Headquarters and support is a force multiplier,meand you see that in the big picture with regards to successful vs unsuccessful special forces operations then in comparison to conventional unit operations which will barely function without some fairly competent people in charge of getting beans bullets and bBandaids to the troops.

Common sence now days seems to be a super power.
To all new awaken patriots. If one chooses to stand up against tyranny. One must get it through their thick skull. Logistic ie extra food gear medical. Will mainly have to come with yourself or your group. Things have changed talk is cheap. If you do deploy to help another out. Bring extra. If every individual that went into bundys camp. Brought with them a big bag of beans rice or what not. Logistics would not be a problem.
On another note since it is dessert every extra bottle needs to be filled with water. When emptied refill it don't wait.

Obviously depends on the number of people there. As a Troop Commander, I had 5 cooks and a couple of supply guys, and a couple of commo guys for the Troop. If you have a cast of hundreds as in NV, it does take a platoon - but that is to make sure I don't run out of can Cokes.

This is what we were trying to do several years ago. We were hunting around for a used cheap concession trailer or even an old ice cream truck, just for the truck, to be able to provide some means of support in an emergency. We have the generator, propane tanks, water storage barrels, Big Berky water filtration, turkey fryer setup, Big Chief 35,000 dbl burner cook top w/griddle, big propane grill, misc. commercial grade pots and utensils, a small commercial pizza oven, R.V. microwave, mini deep freezer, mini fridge, blah blah blah and a enclosed small support trailer for most of the gear. We even have a pressure cooker and canning equipment.

Everything we bought was approved by not only state guidelines but federal also.

Everybody thought that it was a great idea, but.... nobody else wanted to step forward and help out. Not even in trying to just find a vehicle or travel trailer that we could check into, nadda.

Heck we even scored a porta-john and a small flatbed trailer to haul it on. All on our own dime.

Now everything is in storage as we are trying to move, we will try again sometime in the future, with a new group, a much better group. But until then....... oh well.

We got the equipment first because it was cheaper by going to yard sales and auctions and it could always be used on the home front, but our long-term goal is to still build a mobile kitchen.

Now with some of you guys and the group sizes that you talk about having there is no reason that you couldn't put together an auxiliary with some older members of your family's and maybe re-hab an old travel trailer or RV for just this purpose.

By the way, we were looking at being able to feed about 200 people twice a day until we could get the bugs worked out, the basics mind you, but still good hot grub.

If any of you need ideas please feel free to ask.

I'm a Canadian so the Bundy deployment wasn't really up to me.

However, there exists a need to establish a supply circuit for any domestic deployment.

For example, if you deploy, you need to deploy with a Grand Cherokee, Blazer, Expedition, or similar vehicle. That vehicle needs to be set up to transport driver and one passenger. Every two people need one large cUV-style vehicle (for this reason an SUV capable of rough travel is more important than a camper which can't drive fast on a dirt roads. The most luxurious camper is no good if it can't get there.

That vehicle needs several cases of 24 bottles of water. There are price differences. Nestea and the local bargain basement water will be different in price, but really, as long as it doesn't have bird dung in it, it's fine. No need for San Pelligrino or Voss. For every man, for every three days of deployment, you need 36 bottles of 1/2L size. If you are planning to deploy for a week, you need 84 1/2L bottles per person. I can fit eight in my Jeep and still carry most battle ready equipment.

If you don't have water, you will be competing with hundreds of people who plan to drink beer, Coke or have the idea that they'll filter water from available sources. For me, training in the desert teaches you that if you don't bring it, it doesn't exist. Even if there are rivers, sloughs or streams, they will be rapidly exhausted. If an attack occurs, and you're sitting on the shoreline with a Sweetwater filter, filling your Camelbak, you are not combat ready. I keep a Sweetwater and a Lifestraw on hand, but they aren't designed to keep a 12 man team in the high desert ready. If everybody has a Lifestraw that's good, but again, if there are hundreds of people and everybody has the plan to drink out of local streams, you're SOL. Especially if there are no streams in the AO.

In addition to water, there should be for each person, sufficient rations to deploy for 10 days, or longer. If the situation develops into a battle, or your deployment is longer than expected. Get foods like lifeboat rations (basically a nutritious sugar cookie) or Datrex bars which do not make you thirsty. A Datrex bar is dry and I always want a swig or two of water to wash it down, but their nutritional content will keep you fighting. In addition to lifeboat or Datrex bars, bring civilian food you like to eat. If you like sardines, crackers and cheese, bring it. Don't be obligated to show up with a dozen MH ration pouches and plan to eat them every meal. I've had IMPs for 3 days straight on times and if you plan to take a bowel movement, you may have difficulty (which results in headaches, dizziness and general maliase).

In any deployment, there will be a need to resupply the troops who are on the ground. If you deploy, there needs to be a set program of supporters who can deliver loads of equipment. For example, if you have a f/t job and can't make it to a deployment because you have to feed your family and can't just leave work, you might make arrangements with your unit who is deploying to get the location of your positions and be able to drive to your position and unload supplies.

The GMC Safari vans are 4x4 and if you can find one still mechanically sound, you may want to buy one, strip the insides and use it as a resupply vehicle. They are old, but my neighbor had one.

Also, remember that civilians don't typically eat MRE/IMP rations. Your resupply needs to include things like high-protein canned goods, roughage (for example, a bushel of apples or a case of canned veggies), vitamin rich foods, fresh cheese, powdered or canned milk, candy, etc. Basically, if your wife will buy it and bring it home, you want to have it available in the field.

This all goes out the window if every platoon shirks their responsibility to field their unit. I know a lot of LDS people. Good folk. Responsible. When one of them holds a party, some show up with a case of Coke, others show up with a couple dozen buns from their oven. That's how it should work. Every platoon needs to provide for themselves. Cook groups, fires, stoves, everything related can be best provided at the platoon level. If there are units showing up who figure a 7-11 is their personal supply unit, and they're fifty miles from a 7-11, what happens? Historically, unless you have semi-trailers coming in with supplies, every man needs to have his own food and gear set up on his own.

If there is a platoon of men who have flown in, or who don't have their own gear, we realize the key problem of massive mobilizations. There will no doubt be people expecting a mess hall, barrack blocks, arms depots, etc.

The requirement for a deployment should be (A) food and water, (B) force of arms, (C) operational equipment and (D) cash. ABC are to keep the force in the field. D is to pay local sources and fiscally support the location of the action. If in this fictional Montana deployment, if you ask a farmer to slaughter a cow, it ain't free. If you sleep in somebodies barn, putting their facilities at risk, you should slip them a couple hundreds. Everybody needs to carry 300 dollars in ten and twenty dollar bills in their pocket or money belt.

Finally (I know this is getting long and hard to read) there should be one statement.

If you cannot supply yourself, don't come until that's taken care of. Would you show up to a gunfight and expect somebody else to supply the rifle, ammo, optics and magazine? Would you show up to a wine tasting without a bottle of wine?

CK

A few other items that should be part of a vehicle load-out would be 1-solar shower, no-rinse camping soap and other personal hygiene articles, 1-camping 5-gal. bucket toilet,T.P, waste bags, small bottle of no-rinse hand sanitizer and a small folding shovel.
All of this can be stored in the 5-gal. bucket so as to not take up much room at all, and ensure better health and morale.

Ducttape,

In my experience, hauling a massive tarp or tent to use as a mobile mess hall would be more practical than having an RV or ice cream truck. Fuel for one would be prohibitive and you have serious mobility issues. Having a deuce and a half, loaded with the gear you need to set up a mobile kitchen, would be better IMO.

You may want to consider having some kind of mobile truck to be used as a field ambulance. We can't count on helicopters to haul away the wounded.

I'm curious, what kind of grub would you want to serve in a mobile kitchen? I think having every 5 persons supply a naptha or propane stove, or arranging for BBQs for every platoon would be reasonable, expecially if there are 500 people spread all over the place. It's terribly romantic to have a centralized chow point (for example, taking over a barn and producing meals using bulked rations?) but who supplies it, who pays for it, who hauls in the rice, beans, butter and meat? It's a wonderful idea, but if you can't get everybody to sign off and agree to pay or supply such a unit, how do you mandate it?

The plan is to use it for what ever emergencies may come up, hence self-contained. If the situation changes rapidly we can roll with the punches and bug-out quickly.
By being a certified mobile kitchen you will not be hassled to much by health inspectors and shut down if you are running a clean place that is in compliance. One less thing to worry about.
By being a certified food server with like a church group so to speak, you can really buy in bulk at prices that are really low.

Also as in the Army, not everyone needs to go to one centralized location to get a meal. A large meal can be placed in insulated food containers and runners then take it to where it is needed.
Hence, in the rear with the gear.

All I'm saying is that regardless of whether it's a hurricane,tornado, flood,forest fire or what have you this is someplace to start and then go from there. I could not afford to feed 500 people on my own dime unless like chow halls, they pay for their meals, that or a plan has been setup to where the cooks show up and and donated money is used to buy bulk ingredients.

Just like if some para-medics or other medical professionals were to setup a medical trailer/tent/ambulance. Or some plumbers building a field shower setup. Etc, etc, etc.

A little here, and a little there, but the bottom line is personal responsibility, do what you can for yourself and your team and that makes things easier on any independent logistical entities that are able to respond.

Ducttape,

Exactly. My only concern would be paying for it. I suppose each unit would be able to be asked to supply either cash or supplies.

There is another way, which is sponsorship. Unit sponsors provide this stuff and that reduces the burden on the actual fighting force personnel but also gets more into opening the door for professionalism, for better or for worse, in fighting forces that function with the expectation of a logistics tail and may or may not be worth the investments by sponsors.

This is where the Hadjis go a lot with their action videos in the various jihadi actions, showing that they are on the ground and doing something in their side of any particular conflict, then contact is made through networks of sponsors who verify who is who, conceal the identities of others, and try to raise funds and sponsorship for particular groups, actions or veteran programs.

It is a time honored system put out by the nation states that had originally started out sponsoring subnational groups, both the "west" and the Communists used it. The Church used it during the Crusades and that is what gave rise to the Templar and to a later degree the Masons, who grew into several charity management organizations which in turn became business empires.

The concept remains similar though. XYZ organization declares to have taken a side in the conflict, puts boots on the ground, declaring they have boots on the ground, then engages in noteworthy action, with varying levels of verification of the action, then sends representatives around to the sympathizer population asking for contributions and tribute to support the action. The character issues come into play on how well those contributions are managed, what they accomplish and what the factions making the contributions care to accomplish, which can also be varied, misstated and ulterior. Filtering agents will work constantly to manage information and resources between sponsored people and events and the sponsors.

That of course, leads to several shortcomings, like accusations of mismanagement or theft, which definitely happen, but when the accusations vastly outpace the contributions, then you know that something has become effective and is known to be effective by the politically savvy players in the conflict.

A little trip to the shed. When it comes to sticky fingers. From said individuals who claim to be for rights and defending the freedoms of said republic. No need to blab about. Just do what you may or may not think needs to be done about any issues that may arise

Not all ideas and way of doing things work in all places. Find out what works in your ao and use it. When all the kinks are worked out to where it shows to be effective. Pass it along to others.