THE MICHIGANMILITIA.COM SUPPORT PAGE
MILITIA LOGISTICS VIDEO ONE: RE-SUPPLY OF AMMO
MILITIA LOGISTICS VIDEO TWO: FEEDING AND RE-SUPPLY OF UNIT
The term Field Support is broad, but what I would like to focus on is how it applies to a non-funded, self sufficient civilian militia. First, keep the objectives of Field Support simple:
Depending on vehicle size, a Field Support vehicle should be able to transport a five man team and gear plus unit First Aid supplies, food, water and ammo. SUV’s, Pick-up’s, Van’s (Mini & Full sized) and four door Sedans are what should be considered. If you happen to have a Deuce and a Half, even better.
Any vehicle can be used as an Ambulance, but having the ability to lay injured personal down would be ideal. This gives you room to work on them while getting to better medical facilities. Always have a designated ambulance at any event, ready to go with maps and locations of closest medical facility. Keep a squad sized or better first aid kit in your designated ambulance, and make sure that your senior medical staff or person inspects and evaluates the ambulance and first aid kit, and make sure that your senior medic, whomever that may be, also knows the route to the nearest hospital.
3. Set up Base and Aid Stations
A basic aid station should be established at any event. You don’t want to have to scramble about trying to pull out emergency gear when needed. Set it up at the beginning of the operation or exercise. A base for re-supply is always a good thing, with extra ammo, food & water. Teams can only carry so much gear. Plus any comfort you can supply your team with is a morale booster when exhausted. Sometimes, this extra morale booster may make the difference between success and failure.
Above: Logistical Wizardry, and a trip to Gordon's Food Service, generates a low-cost meal package for 15 people, which costs a little over $2 per meal. This will keep for a long time, and in a pinch, can be eaten without cooking. (The steaks on the left are NOT included...)
The historical importance of this goes without saying. Keeping the team nourished in good time times and bad is important. Keeping the meals simple and quick to prepare in any conditions is the challenge, I will be covering some ideas on what I found works best for me.
Note from Staff: Thumper...concocts new experimental meals...and he makes us eat them! Like the Sauerkraut meals....and The Pita Chips....He's a culinary beast, I tell you!
Cleanliness is next to… well you know. But sanitation procedures also keep your team healthy. Your Job !
-Thumper
Behind every successful militia outfit, team, or operation, there invariably must be a support element in place. Whether lugging an extra crate of medical supplies, operating a video camera, or grilling some burgers or brats, these support folks make the difference between a decent training event and an excellent training event. Without such fine support teams, membership would be down, and morale would not be as stellar as it is today.
Unfolding soon upon this page will be ideas, comments, and suggestions for your support team. Thumper, along with many others, will be clarifying the necessities and duties of a good support element.
By no means should support persons be considered "second-line" or anything of the sort. Neither should there be any truly defined line between support crews and line elements. Level One or higher qualified people can (and do) easily step in and perform critical support functions. By the same token, support persons can (and do) step in to regular training and assume leadership roles.
In an actual emergency, it is likely that support functions, such as medical duties, communications, and transport duties, and other fun logistical efforts will be the true measure of militia effectiveness.
Proposed Support Qualifications:
Support persons must own a vehicle capable of
transporting no less than four persons and their gear.
Gear to be carried in the field on their person:
Appropriate clothing and outdoor footwear, in
accordance with season and terrain.
Personal LBE, in accordance with individual,
to
include at least the following:
Pistol with no less than 18 rounds.
2 quarts of water.
FRS radio
Knife
Flashlight
Gear to be transported in vehicle:
Rifle with no less than 200 rounds. (Suggest
long-range caliber semi-auto with hi-cap
mags, bipod and scope.)
Platoon or larger first aid kit
Tarp no less than 12"X12"
100 feet of 550 cord.
Stretcher
Two blankets or poncho liners.
Food for 15 meals. Need not be yummy
5 gallons of water, water purification tablets
Michigan road map. Delorme Gazetteer suggested.
Compass
Shovel or e-tool, axe or saw
Binoculars
Notepad and pen
Optional: Digital camera, laptop computer.
Abilities:
8/10 with rifle on a 9inch plate at 100 yards, and 8/10 with pistol at 7 yards
Breakdown, clean, and reassemble both weapons
Some form of basic first aid training.
Apply a field dressing to an extremity and treat for shock
Start a fire
Build a field expedient shelter
Qualification:
Persons who are in the field 6 of 13
training or field
events during the previous or current calendar year,
or any 6 consecutive trainings will be qualified as
“voting support” until end of the following year.
Persons wishing to qualify as “support” may attempt
the abilities part of these requirements whenever they
wish. The gear inspection part will be done at the
discretion of the staff. Any gear deficiencies must be
remedied at the following event, in order for both
trainings to be counted toward the support
qualification.
It is far, far more difficult to qualify as “support”
than it is to qualify as “Level One.” Support persons
are critical to the function of militia units.
Please check back here soon, and feel free to send your comments, ideas, and suggestions webmaster@michiganmilitia.com.
Note: Most of the support material on this, and the linked support sub-pages, was written by Thumper.