Survival
Bugging Out Is Usually the Wrong Answer
The fantasy is the truck loaded, the family aboard, the city shrinking in the mirror. The reality is four lanes of stopped traffic, a quarter
October 25, 2026
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The fantasy is the truck loaded, the family aboard, the city shrinking in the mirror. The reality is four lanes of stopped traffic, a quarter
Annie Jacobsen’s Biological War is the most frightening book I’ve read this year just as Nuclear War was last year. She really knows how to
There is a snakebite kit in a lot of first aid bags. The little plastic case with the suction cups. Take it out and throw
The Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide is free through the 22nd. Given climate change and recent disasters, you know you need to be better
The brown bottle has been in medicine cabinets for a century. Cut yourself, pour it on, watch it foam. The foaming feels like proof. The
Someone does not come home. You call the police, and somewhere in the back of your mind is the thing everyone knows: they will not
Pick up ten survival books and nine of them will tell you the same things about water, fire, shelter, and food. All of it correct.
There was the fear that leaving a tourniquet on led to limb loss. So there was guidance to loosen it every so often. That is
If you are caught in the open during a thunderstorm, you have probably been taught to crouch. Balls of the feet, heels together, head down,
Most novels, TV series, and films in this genre do you a favor. They kill almost everyone in the first chapter—an asteroid, a plague, something
I fact-check my nonfiction books every so often because things change. And this is a big change, but it makes sense. The old way to
Every situation is different, so this is a guideline, not a checklist you follow off a card. But the order matters, and most people get
Fresh vegetables represent peak nutrition — just picked, just purchased, the full complement of vitamins and minerals intact. Frozen vegetables are a compromise: processed, degraded,
Because it is counterintuitive until you understand what it is. What is survivor bias? During World War II, the military wanted to add armor to
Excerpted from You’re Doing It Wrong: Dump the Myths, Misconceptions, and Bad Advice You Believe, The math looks clean. Fat stores represent stored calories. Eat
Interspersed in Slow Fall are “Elsewhere” scenarios where I present what is happening during a slow collapse of civilization. This is one: SOMEWHERE IN NEBRASKA
At grocery stores across the country, brown eggs command a premium price over white eggs from the same display case. Consumers select them with the
There’s a Facebook post going around about a group of Marines and children in the Pentagon on 9-11. It’s a nice story, heart-warming, etc. It’s
The advice has circulated in safety articles, on social media, and in well-meaning emails forwarded among people for years. If your car goes into the
Excerpted from You’re Doing It Wrong. It’s one of those first aid instructions so widely practiced that it feels officially sanctioned: nosebleed? Tilt your head
Excerpt from You’re Doing It Wrong This was one I learned from my father on the old ’64 Valiant with three on the column– a
Excerpt from You’re Doing It Wrong Rinse the chicken before it goes in the pan. Remove bacteria, remove the residue from the packaging, get it
Excerpted from You’re Doing It Wrong: Dump the Myths, Misconceptions and Bad Advice You Believe This is one of my pet peeves. In Against All
Excerpt from You’re Doing It Wrong: Dump the Myths, Misconceptions, and Bad Advice You Believe Coffee is a diuretic; therefore, coffee dehydrates you; therefore, coffee
This was one of the reasons I wrote You’re Doing It Wrong: Dump the Myths, Misconceptions, and Bad Advice You Believe. This is an excerpt
This is an excerpt from my latest novel, Slow Fall. SOMEWHERE IN NEBRASKA The Chat-n-Chew on the main square opened at six in the morning
D-Day (Time Patrol) is free today through the 9th along with The Gate. Two of my favorite thrillers that contain considerable history. There are also
This is the author’s note at the beginning of my latest novel, Slow Fall. Most novels, tv series and films in this genre do you
In my newest book, Slow Fall, I have excerpts titled “Elsewhere” with vignettes from various places as civilization collapses. One is a couple in Manhattan.
The first book in my new Green Beret survival series, Slow Fall, is out today. The preorder for the second book, Deep Winter, is also
While the majority of the book follows five characters through the collapse of civilization, I also do several “elsewhere” in the world scenes. This is
The first book in a new series, Slow Fall, publishes on Thursday. It’s about the collapse of civilization in the most terrifying way: slowly and
A plethora of free and discounted books today. First, Lavender’s Blue, the first book in the Liz Danger series. By the way, I’ll be publishing
Against All Odds: The Green Beret Guide to Epic Survival Stories This book is a pulling together of research I did for my Preparation and
FREE today through Saturday. The Complete Guide to Map Reading and Land Navigation
FREE today through the 22nd. Life’s Little Black Book: Hacks That Save Time, Money and Your Life What if you had every essential life hack
2026 looks to be a very exciting year on the book front after a slow 2025, which I spent writing a lot of what will
Are you prepared? Not “sort of” prepared. Not “I think we have some batteries somewhere” prepared. Actually, truly ready for whatever comes your way? As
I spent decades in Special Forces learning one fundamental truth: preparation without focus is just expensive panic. That’s why I wrote The Green Beret
I watched Predator: Badlands expecting two hours of things getting their spines ripped out. What I got instead was a buddy movie where one buddy
A short but important post: 53% of people do not have a three-day supply of water, thus: 2 cases of bottled water per person in
Since the first book in this series was well received and I received a lot of positive feedback, here is a second book. Life’s Little
When you’re trying to get something for the person who has everything, do they have the critical gear they need in case of an emergency?
I’m updating my survival slideshows, one a day, and posting them. Here are the ones I’ve done so far. They’re on Slideshare and you can
I took the strategies and tactics we used in Special Forces and put them into a Cycle of Success anyone can use. The Green Beret
I’ve finally, after many years, updated my web site. There’s a lot there and I still need to go through it all. Feel free to
This is the best preparation guide on the market. It walks you through what you need to do, one step at a time. The Green
The Green Beret Pocket Sized Survival Guide is free today through the 21st of August: Download the kindle version and have it on your phone.
We don’t think of these two things unless something goes wrong. And that’s the worst time to figure them out. The first is where your
When I consult with clients about the Area Study and preparation for disastrous events, I often run into those who favor a fixed position for
For many of us, a ‘team’ is a no-brainer’. Our family is our survival team. For others, though, this is a decision: whether to try
When discussing preparation, a key element that is overlooked is knowledge. Knowledge is invaluable. We simply can’t be experts on everything from first aid to
We can get lost in a variety of ways. I work under Daniel Boone’s precept: “I’ve never been lost, but I will admit to being
I wrote this post after there was a snowstorm on the east coast and thousands of drivers were trapped in freezing temperatures on I-95 in
Hot Weather Preparation and Survival Heat can kill directly via heatstroke. It can also increase your chances of succumbing to a heart condition, stroke or
Someone on twitter asked me about this, referencing several recent disasters, where people experienced flash floods. So here goes. Flash floods are sudden and powerful
Every situation is different and this is a guideline. Always make sure your priority is safety for yourself first, then others. You can’t help others
WHAT TO DO IN A CROWD CRUSH – it happens fast and in varied venues. Even if you think this will never apply to you,
Because understanding the possible threats and dangers where you live is so critical, as evidenced by recent events, I’m giving away my Green Beret Area
We recently had a tornado touch down here. We were not in the path and only had a tree broken, but were without power for
If an evacuation has been called, such as for a hurricane, you evacuate as soon as possible. For some situations, smart people evacuate before the
The Area Study focuses your preparation efforts and saves time & money. An Area Study will not only help you prepare, it will also
At the very least, it will save you some expenses and repairs. We have one under every sink in our house and near the sump
Excerpted from: First, there are several terms stamped on the food. This is what they mean: SELL BY: How long a store should display the
Most survival books focus on the survival aspect. The Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide has that, but first, it focuses on preparation. What to
We recently had a tornado touch down here in Knoxville. We were not in the path and only had a tree broken, but were without
The day pack you use for hikes or outings should be made into a simple GnG bag. A GnG bag is the #1 thing a
If you need one piece of preparation gear, get the one that has a lot of pieces. Frankly, after researching, there’s nothing wrong with buying
Popular media is full of post-Apocalyptic shows. Walking Dead, The Last of Us, Earth Abides, etc. The same with movies showing Apocalyptic events where a
Seems forever ago we wrote this, starting with just the premise of a female film director and a Special Forces guy. Don’t Look Down is
You need this book. I say that in all seriousness. The first half of it walks you through basic preparation in a step by step
I “what if” for a living. What makes Special Forces elite is our planning before the actual mission. Planning for all possible contingencies, on top of the
From today through the 24th. It’s a good resource to download to your cell phone and have on hand in case of emergency or disaster.
Our super-fantastic-wonderful book Rest In Pink is only .99 today. or Kindle Unlimited here. There are other free books today, too. One could possibly save
I served in the Special Forces Group oriented to mountain and cold weather operations. In my first six months commanding an A-Team I went to
I think Very Nice Funerals is my 90th book published give or take a few. Given the success of the first book in this series,
Yes, it is finally here. We’re doing a short fuse on this pre-order since the book publishes on 25 October on all ebook platforms and
First off, what’s happened in western North Caroline and Eastern Tennessee in the mountains and adjacent areas is horrific. This will not be a quick
We rely on cell phones and the point has been made that they might be not be reliable. One thing to remember is that a
This meme makes the rounds on social media every few years for some weird reason; about putting your information in your voicemail if you are
Keep on you a list of all medications, allergies, special equipment, along with the names and contact information of doctors, pharmacists and family members. Keep
This is particularly key in moderate emergencies. During natural disasters such as hurricane, flood, extreme weather, wild fire, etc. an organized neighborhood can be essential
For many of us, a ‘team’ is a no-brainer’. Our family is our survival team. For others, though, this is a decision: whether to try
This is basically studying the environment around you in more detail, but with an eye to what it would be like to traverse it (whether
Before we discuss the ERP, we need to consider when you would use it. The most likely scenario is if there is an event where
How to Prevent Getting Lost We can get lost in a variety of ways. I work under Daniel Boone’s precept: “I’ve never been lost, but
GPS AND MAPS A key step in conducting an Area Study is to have maps. Actual, physical maps. We are a society that is overly
Purpose. Delineate the area being studied—this applies to your home, your work, and any other locations you will likely be. We’ll start with you, your
We’re besieged by advice, information and equipment to help us prepare and survive. How do you sort through it all? What is the most efficient
If a disaster struck, who would you want at your side, helping you? A doctor? Lawyer? Policeman? Teacher? While they all have special skills, I
There are many variables when we consider the possible disasters, emergencies, accidents, etcetera that we could face both on a day-to-day basis and long term.
Because we know we need to do something, but we’re not sure what, and there’s just so much other stuff to do in day-to-day living
Shelter from the Storm, the 6th book in the Green Beret series (Will Kane) is out today. Set in late 1978, Will Kane becomes embroiled
2023 was one for the record books, although which records are up for debate. Personally, it was one of adjustment after going from never having
One of the best movies of the year. Okay, got that out of the way. And the reason for that is I read the NY
Understanding Wet Bulb Temperature and Its Dangerous Implications I saw Wet Bulb temperature used in a science fiction short film and decided to investigate further
Someone on twitter asked me about this, referencing several recent disasters, where people experienced flash floods. So here goes. Flash floods are sudden and powerful
Every disaster requires seven things to go wrong. Six Cascade events leading to the 7th event, the disaster. At least one of the Cascade events
April Fools Book Blowout from Bob Mayer. For Real. Lots of good deals today. This is not a prank. So many, I just have to
For today, 1 March, both these books are free for the first time on my Freebies page. I’m making the Area Study Guide free because