Ghosting...the Art Of Never Being Seen!

Ghosting. It was a term we used to indicate our ability to not be detected. Not seen, heard, smelled or detected in any way. For us, being detected was a death sentence. For "Preppers" caught in a bad place in a SHTF situation were ROL no longer exist or just bad people are looking for potential victims, Ghosting may save your life. These skills haven't really changed since we carried spears and ate mammoths. The primary skills involved include:

1. Camouflage - the use of man made and natural materials to blend into your environment.
2. Noise discipline - Keeping man made sounds to a minimum or none.
3. light discipline - No man made light can be used in any way that can be seen. Also eliminate all reflective surfaces that can give you away.
4. odor discipline - No scented soaps, perfumes, strong smelling foods or anything that can attract attention.
5. Tracking and counter tracking skills - self explanatory

Some might think such precautions are a waste or to military. Hope your right. For everyone else I look forward to hearing your thoughts and questions.

Dale

file:///C:/Users/Ronald/Documents/fm_31-20-5_special_reconnaissance_tactics_techniques__procedures_for_special_forces.pdf

 

Good morning Dale,

All on target. Some rambling as per "thoughts" offered in response:

1. Camouflage; In an urban disaster, sometimes a sports coat - really also configured to serve as a cargo vest with benefit of warmth, rain protection, ... , allows the prepper to "blend in" with the masses. It minimizes the exposure of the prepper getting on some target acquisition list of the human-trash wanting a high-quality multi-tool and wallet. Plus, the sports coat covers the belt loaded with evac items.

For the same urban environment involving diaster matters such as a GOOD evac, a flight bag is premier camouflage compared to an OD/desert tan MILSPEC pack. It keeps the profile low to flat. My flight bags are also modified for wearing as a back pack besides the manufacturers' shoulder strap.

 

I just have to blend in with the dirty, smelly, Wal-Mart people, which is not a problem. Depending on time of year a jacket is a good idea. A Sport Jacket wouldn't work in my area, but in a city where they are common it is an excellent idea.

Thinking this through I am wondering about a backpack of any kind. It seems that people here only carry backpacks when they are going to work, and that is mostly the walk from the car to the office. You don't see many adults carrying backpacks for EDC. A travel bag may be a better option.

See, Dalewick. Now you have me thinking, and paying attention. That is a scary proposition. I think I am O.K. with most of the list. My tracking and counter-tracking skills are non-existent, so they don't even count. Something to work on.

 

Your spot on. Camouflage doesn't always mean military camo or a ghillie suit, but to blend in to your environment. If your in NYC a 3 piece suit may make you invisible where blue jeans and a flannel shirt, would stand out.

Dale

 

it's may be considered a camouflage thing but not allowing ourselves to become silhouetted on a ridge line or against a dark or light area.

 

YES! Always stick to the thickest brush you can navigate through. Most people (including soldiers) are lazy and will take the path of least resistance. NEVER use roads, paths, trails or railroad tracks for moving through a contested area. It will get you killed.

A good prepper skill is to learn navigation in harsh terrains and all times of day and climates. It's a lot different navigating while camping in the sunny summer, than it is in the pitch dark, in heavy woods or swamps in a down pouring rain. Your pace count is even different. There are also other navigation skills you can learn to help during difficult orienteering.

Dale

 

Ghosting has social meaning post-SHTF.

Look poor. Look hungry. Never flash anything of value. Take the free cheese and look at it as if it were gold.

On the way home, someone tries to take your cheese. Kill'em. One less aggressor.

 

Wasn't aware of another meaning to "ghosting". Interesting.

OG, just wondering and no offense meant. Do you have anger issues? You seem seriously P O'd at the world as of late. Everything OK? Just asking.

Dale

 

Yep,..that one I was familiar with. So MANY terms for that, on both sides (friendly and enemy).

Dale

 

When I first started seeing my wife-to-be over 40 years ago, her family asked her why she was dating an old man. Her father told others, "He's too serious." I'm actually younger than my wife. I was an old man by high school. When in Jr. High, I was helping my dad and his brothers and the crew count money out of the gambling machines they ran. For college jobs, I didn't work in grocery stores, OK. In the first grade, my parents took me to the back of the morgue to say goodbye to my dead grandpa who was also my best boyhood chum. When a kid, I killed things to watch them die. Got bullied, put them on the ground. My dad said, "You did good," when I did. I was only punished once for being mean to another kid -- my dad wanted to make friends with the other boy's dad. Some folk have had a childhood. I didn't.

I keep an eye on my temper. I appreciate your input. I do. I don't know what I look like. The thing in the mirror is fuzzy. Feedback's good.

 

How special. Y'know, I'm not big, but people tell me I look frightening. My own wife said this thing to me. I get, "You're frowning, what are you sad about?" Wasn't frowning that I noticed at the time. Sometimes I have no emotions at all. There's times when anyone is without feelings. I'm not happy or sad or anything.

What's this about, "Put on a happy face." False faces, don't you just hate them.

My dad was a gambler, frequented seriously dangerous places. The man could look through your eyes back into your soul. Taught me to gamble around age 11. I'm 12-ish, we're playing 7-card stud, he says, "Look at me." I did. He says, "You will never bluff me. I'll always pay to see your cards." Big life lesson there. Saw him in a dream decades after he died. I told him that he was dead. He looked right through me and says to me, "It's not that different."

Wolfie, they are never gonna understand people like us. How could they? We are not them. I still talk to them. Don't know why I do. Maybe I'm thick-headed. I embarrass myself thinking I might be accepted. As much as I try to avoid them, God keeps pushing mutants in front of me. Ugly and sick world, this. When I die, no angel will greet me. Rod Serling will be standing there. If he offers me a cigarette, I'll know that I'm in Heaven.

 

Can't judge a book by its cover.

 

t

I understand growing up hard. Was getting bullied by twins when I was seven and my Dad told me, "if you come home with your ass kicked again , I'm going to kick it!". My fear of him was greater than that of anyone else. The next day, they jumped me and I took a tree limb and beat both of them so that they went to the hospital for days. Good training for the riots and racial problems that came.

Seems like I always found myself in dangerous places and violent times.

Maybe some of us know violence, so that others know none.

Like you, my wife is older than me but everyone thinks I'm way older than her. I tell her , it's the mileage not the age.

When I was young, the army found someone they could train to be what they wanted and expendable (no real attachments). I credit my wife with saving me and bringing me back to the world.

Dale

 

I would have to say my upbringing was as normal as Beaver Cleaver. Perfectly middle class. Can't even remember any drama or trauma. OG; there may be times when you are in your Nothing Box. Maybe that is when your wife thinks you are frowning.

IMHO this link explains a lot. Just 5 minutes and very funny.

 

Good afternoon Dale,

Ref the riots and racial problems;

When I returned from RVN, besides training our newbies in arty recon and getting ready for Fulda Pass "just in case", was mostly busy with riot control ... more officially "augmentation to civil authorities". A worst area was D.C. so the Marines say. I do believe them. Over 100 cars were burning in 1 night that could be seen from the Capitol. D.C. was racial but Kent State was not.

 

I was born in Washington DC. Also lived in Baltimore, MD., Columbus, OH and Richmond, VA as a kid in the 60's and early 70's. As teenagers, my cousin and I would go down to OH state Univ or up to Kent state Univ and watch the girls streaking. I prefer those memories to the ones I have of the riots and fights. Saw my first murder in Detroit, MI. I was 13. Still remember the guys face that got shot. He just couldn't believe he was shot. Even while trying to hold his blood in and watching it flow past his fingers. I can still see his face.