SHTF Groups

[keylay31]

For SHTF situations, do you plan on just "going it alone" and sticking to family only, or do you have a group of like minded individuals that you plan on meeting up with to share resources, security, etc? I'm interested because I've always assumed it was more the first, but a guy I was talking to seemed to have some sort of group of 20 people or so. Not sure how formal it was, or how you would even find such group. What say you guys?

[tmckay2]

For SHTF situations, do you plan on just "going it alone" and sticking to family only, or do you have a group of like minded individuals that you plan on meeting up with to share resources, security, etc? I'm interested because I've always assumed it was more the first, but a guy I was talking to seemed to have some sort of group of 20 people or so. Not sure how formal it was, or how you would even find such group. What say you guys?

groups would be nice, but one thing to remember if it realy does go bad, is its hard to truly trust anyone. fact is survival takes over and even close friends will back stab you if they feel it is absolutely necessary to do so. id need a pretty long lasting relationship, theyd have to be close by, and have to be completely supplied. think about it. say you keep a saw for cutting wood. you tell the guy in your group for months to get a saw because he may need it. he refuses. then it all goes bad and youve got the saw and you both need it, how long does it take before things get ugly between you two?

[cstone]

This is similar to what I am thinking about in this thread: http://www.co-ar15.com/forums/showth...eferrerid=3409

[Omicron]

This is indeed an interesting idea, but tmckay makes a good point - how far can you really trust people you don't know in a true SHTF scenario? I'm not quite that cynical - I think people you know well will not screw you unless they have no other choice, but a well organized group who's planned and trained together will likely stick together in a crisis and not turn inward unless things are REALLY REALLY bad.

The problem is in finding people you can talk about SHTF honestly with, then choose a leader and leadership structure, then come up with a training plan, then finding the time to train. Much easier said than done.

I've thought for a long time there's a market for neighborhoods that are built with self-reliance / preppers in mind, then only sold to people of the right mindset and who agree to participate. They'd have to be screened, and agree via some kind of a contract to a certain amount of training and duties and prep for their families and the community. Then if SHTF you'd have defensible homes arranged in a defensible manner populated with people who are trained and equipped to protect themselves and survive for the long haul. Such a community is apt to be able to hold on indefinitely.

[Sawin]

...

I've thought for a long time there's a market for neighborhoods that are built with self-reliance / preppers in mind, then only sold to people of the right mindset and who agree to participate. They'd have to be screened, and agree via some kind of a contract to a certain amount of training and duties and prep for their families and the community. Then if SHTF you'd have defensible homes arranged in a defensible manner populated with people who are trained and equipped to protect themselves and survive for the long haul. Such a community is apt to be able to hold on indefinitely.

This would undoubtedly lead to the "compound" assertion from the neighboring public. They'd look at that neighborhood as a cult or something. That's not exactly an appealing selling point. I think having a close group of friends and family in the 5-6 couples (10-12 adults and their kids) range is about as good as it can be... any more than that and you'll definitely have an outcast couple or two who will feel undermined or less valuable, and divisions will follow. The fallout may not be to life or death levels, but it would be emotional, especially for the women...ever seen a mid-season episode of survivor?

In a SHTF scenario, I plan to team up with friends from church and family, as well as a couple close neighbors. We'll help each other get supplies, barter amongst ourselves, and share intel and observations, but that's probably about it. The event that triggers the shtf would have to be huge in order for it to go further than that. I have zero intent to move in with anyone else, or have them move in with me... bugging in is still the plan. They should too. If forced out, it's off to western Nebraska to the in laws section.

[Chad4000]

I hae always thought a little group... I think that would probably make the most sense.. but I am prepared to hit the road with just the fam too...

[HoneyBadger]

Seriously though, apart from being viewed as a cult, I have been thinking of a way to organize such a neighborhood for a few years now. The conclusion that I've come to is that you would either need hundreds of people on board to include every house in the neighborhood (which would be nearly impossible to control if things got bad unless you really were a cult), or you would have to be out in the sticks somewhere. It seems that there may be some people with this idea along highway 94 on the way to Kansas, but they are pretty far out there... A bit further out there than I could convince my wife to live.

I could however see this working especially well with a little mountain community of say, 5-10 houses and everyone would be very self-sufficient: Wind or solar power, wells, septic, well-fortified houses. They could be off the grid as much or as little as they want. Personally I would love to have a backup source of power and a well. If only I had the money to buy some property in the mountains right now...

[Hitman 6]

The problem is in finding people you can talk about SHTF honestly with, then choose a leader and leadership structure, then come up with a training plan, then finding the time to train. Much easier said than done.

Boom. +1

[sellersm]

It must be a cohesive group with clearly communicated, commonly shared, deep values. Think back to the old communities of the West in our country's early days!

[HoneyBadger]

It must be a cohesive group with clearly communicated, commonly shared, deep values. Think back to the old communities of the West in our country's early days!

Also, I think everyone in the group should have equal investment to the cause, whether it is monetary investment, time investment, supplies, whatever. In addition to what Sellersm said, everyone in the group needs to embody the same level of mental and physical commitment, or it might not hold up.

Now, who wants to buy some acreage, split it into parcels, and build some homes for likeminded individuals? I bet if somebody did this right, they could screen the buyers and "build" a group that could work, right?