Military bases

[oldsoldier]

 I ran across this topic on another forum and wanted to get some imput/reactions here.

 With the recent amount of increased acts of violence on/around military posts. Plus the chance of first strike danger in the event of a war or whatever. Would you want to live near a military base/installation in the event of shtf/teotwaki?

[LCDR.Baker.USN]

I would assert that our enemies, even if they never read Sun Tzu, are more like Sun Tzu than Clausewitz.

The Japanese attack in Pearl Harbor, the Viet Cong disguising themselves and living among farm villagers, Palestinians strapping explosives to a hollow pregnant-looking belly of a young lady, or of course, 9/11 hijackers attacking the World Trade Centers... The impact does not come from an intention to thwart or undermine our military, but to inflict fear in the population and deteriorate our resolve to even be armed... To have us FEAR OURSELVES and BLAME OURSELVES for the attacks.

Our population squirms a little when folks on active duty are targeted, but they absolutely MELT and CRUMBLE when innocent civilians are attacked, understandably so.

Our enemies haven't read Clausewitz and are unlikely to ever attack proportionally and symmetrically on US soil.

Simply put, if our enemies sabotage or destroy a Navy base or a ship (like USS COLE), the Navy's surge capacity is significantly impacted, and leaders will have to re-write their force protection plan and deployment cycle.

Detonate something in an area of American culture and commerce, the whole WORLD is shaken, and we start second guessing EVERYTHING that we stand for.

[atomic17]

@LCDR: Well put, very well said. Wish i could give +1

Though id be somewhat concerned about, in teotwawki, the soldiers taking their guns, walking off the base at ohh-dark-thirty and asking you for a "donation"

[oldsoldier]

 LCDR Yeah I agree +1 to you.  The original thread ( another forum) stated that in the thread starters opinion. ( which really pissed me off) insinuated that living near any military installation would be worse place to live because in normal times ALL MILITARY personell are "knuckle dragging, druggy zombie, spouse beatin, uneducated, stupid trash, That could not make it in "normal society". He said to just look at the amount of crime on a military installation and anyone could see that. He also commented that if society broke down nobody anywhere near a base would be safe.

 Personally As a vet. I think he is full of SH## and I would love to adjust his attitude but someone like that would never understand or believe that MOST military people are just good people who just want to do whats right and serve their country. Not everyone can be a Doctor, or whatever so most of us have to use what skills we have and do the "grunt work"

 That's the reason for this thread to see how people here feel. Have I had my head buried? Are most people afraid of us? Why? What did we ( active and no longer active) done to deserve that fear?  It both angers me and depresses me that there are people out there that feel that way. 

[LCDR.Baker.USN]

We have been subject to the same press that spit on Viet Nam vets and almost elected worthless A$$ John Kerry. In their opinion, only the academic, and political elite have any business making decisions and that the working class should just surrender their rights and property to those who can care for us from DC. They view the military and the Police as an unfortunate but necessary class of dunce-robots who exist to protect their ability to swindle the rest of us.

Sick to say the least.

Additionally, if you compare the crime and behavior issues of first-enlistment active duty folks and the behavior of other 18-22 year olds, the only difference is that the UCMJ makes us pay for the behavior that our peers are getting away with. It is disproportionately LOWER in the active duty population than in the general population (HS graduates without a college degree).

That being said, if I had a business card, it would say "Since 1995, proudly protecting your right to be totally WRONG", because that's what my job feels like on many days. I believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights even when dipsticks abuse their own inalienable rights and when other dopes try to infringe on mine.

Have a great day!!!

[oldsoldier]

THANK YOU!!! I agree with you 110% I wish we could do something to change peoples attitude!! Have a great day your self

[Todays Survival Show]

You may have heard me mention on some of my podcasts that I have never served in the military and it's one of my regrets.  I wish I had served.  People who make statements like the person from the other forum are just plain ignorant.  Yes, the Ft. Hood shooting proved that military bases are a terrorists' target too, but that doesn't mean we are less safe living on or near them.  What about oil refineries?  Are people in Houston less safe because of those?  What about nuclear power plants, are they more prone to terrorism?  Would those same people have thought on Sept. 10th,  that 2 huge corporate business towers would be destroyed by radical nutjob terrorists flying 757's? 

Did people on Sept. 10th say..."you're less safe if you live near the World Trade Center in New York City?"  I doubt many did.  That's just plain stupid thinking.  We are at risk ANYWHERE.

As for the derogatory statements about military personnel, I'm appalled.  I don't know what to say about that really.  I know some "knuckle dragging, druggy zombie, spouse beatin, uneducated, stupid trash, that could not make it in "normal society" - type people who are NOT in the military.   

[penguinofdoom]

As someone who grew up an army brat, anyone who bashes the military in a blanket statement deserves a good ol' fashion Texas sized beating. To begin with, I believe most of the people in the military are there to serve. There are those who are in the military simply because they cannot hold down a job or have no direction in life (yeah, I know some of them). But if you can't afford college its a great place to go to learn a skill, start a career, or support your family. In fact I wish my brother would stop being a bum and join.

I have lived on or close to military bases almost all my life and I'd say unless you are close to a base that is a significant target for some reason you are not likely to be attacked there. It is much easier to attack civilian targets. Just to get onto base here you have to have a military ID or be escorted by someone who does. An attack would mean someone in the military is involved.

In fact, if something catastrophic did happen I would rather live by a base. Organization, supplies and protection would be found there first and slowly radiated outward.

I will preface my thoughts on the Fort Hood shooting with this: unless there is more information I have not heard then he acted on his own and it was not an orchestrated act of terrorism. I believe we should parallel Ft Hood with Columbine not the twin towers. An individual had issues and acted out. Because of his ethnic heritage we jump to terrorism. Look at the guy who flew the plane into the IRS bldg or the guy who tried to shoot up the pentagon. We didn't jump to jihad with them. But as soon as someone with a middle eastern heritage does something it must be al queida.

[mbarnatl]

I ran across this topic on another forum and wanted to get some imput/reactions here.

 With the recent amount of increased acts of violence on/around military posts. Plus the chance of first strike danger in the event of a war or whatever. Would you want to live near a military base/installation in the event of shtf/teotwaki?

 A few reports in the news does not mean that there are increased acts of violence on/around military posts.

 I have lived near and on military bases and overseas... I have seen more violence in our nation capital than by a military base. Wait ....they don't report all the murders within 10 miles of the white house. Go to Phoenix, AZ... if you want to see lots of violence... no base there. It doesn't bother me to live near one, you just have to prep for a few extra threats that you would not normally have to being away from one. There is alot of advantages of living near a base. There is violence no matter where you live, just some places are higher than others. Now there will be  increased acts of violence when people are losing jobs, having their rights taking away, and being taxed to death.

[Todays Survival Show]

Go to South Dallas (Oak Cliff) if you want to experience violence.  Not that you should...but I'm making a point.

Good post mbarnatl

[Todays Survival Show]

As someone who grew up an army brat, anyone who bashes the military in a blanket statement deserves a good ol' fashion Texas sized beating. To begin with, I believe most of the people in the military are there to serve. There are those who are in the military simply because they cannot hold down a job or have no direction in life (yeah, I know some of them). But if you can't afford college its a great place to go to learn a skill, start a career, or support your family. In fact I wish my brother would stop being a bum and join.

I have lived on or close to military bases almost all my life and I'd say unless you are close to a base that is a significant target for some reason you are not likely to be attacked there. It is much easier to attack civilian targets. Just to get onto base here you have to have a military ID or be escorted by someone who does. An attack would mean someone in the military is involved.

In fact, if something catastrophic did happen I would rather live by a base. Organization, supplies and protection would be found there first and slowly radiated outward.

I will preface my thoughts on the Fort Hood shooting with this: unless there is more information I have not heard then he acted on his own and it was not an orchestrated act of terrorism. I believe we should parallel Ft Hood with Columbine not the twin towers. An individual had issues and acted out. Because of his ethnic heritage we jump to terrorism. Look at the guy who flew the plane into the IRS bldg or the guy who tried to shoot up the pentagon. We didn't jump to jihad with them. But as soon as someone with a middle eastern heritage does something it must be al queida.

Terrorism is an act, not an ethnic classification.  Terrorism is an act that you do.  Anyone can commit a terrorist act no matter what their decent.  The guy (Slack) who flew a plane into the IRS building is a terrorist.  He committed a terrorist act.  Timothy McVeigh was a terrorist, Nadal Hassan is a terrorist, the guy who shot up Virginia Tech is a terrorist.  Terrorism is the act they committed.  It doesn't have to be an organized attack from a country or group or militia.  Your points are good ones.  However I will say there is a lot of evidence showing that Hasan was communicating with Al Qaeda.  But anyone who does these kinds of act, IMHO are terrorists. 

[longrangetactical]

I'm going to have to agree with this one. Terrorism is a definite act of sabotage, or violence that may or may not have a meaning to it.  I do not condone violent activity to express a view. Which is one of the reasons I bring up THOMAS JEFFERSON. He was not acting as a terrorist yet had we lost the war he would have been surely tried as one.
So be sure you know who a real terrorist is. If you go by ones interpretation , who already does not look out for the best intrest for the AMERICAN PEOPLE IE.( GOVERNMENT) of what a terrorist is. It could be every body.  The fact that THOMAS JEFFERSON and so many other heroes fought for this COUNTRY did so knowing that they could have been easily branded a traitor/ terrorist in this COUNTRY had we lost the war.
When I speak about men from our history, I do so to bring up a point. The men I refer to did the right thing ( AT THAT TIME IN HISTORY.) This does not in any way mean for any one to start marching up the stares of the capitol ready to take it over. We are not in that time YET. I pray we never get in that time again.