Unexploded Ordnance

I have a moderate curiosity about explosives. I understand the chemistry behind most of them, have worked with a few different types, and I give them the respect they deserve. Like fire and electricity, explosives have a purpose and are safe when used properly. Unlike fire or electricity, explosives have a much longer shelf-life.

Military UXO
I spent the last year of my active duty Army time at the joint-services EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) school, putting special weapons training devices back together after the students had torn them apart. I got to see a lot of bombs, mines, shells, grenades, etc. (henceforth ordnance) that were displayed in combination classroom-museums, and I was impressed by how ingenious humans are when it comes to finding ways to kill each other.

Several of the displays were of ordnance that had been found long after the battles were over. They were still deadly, even though they were decades old and covered in rust. When a piece of ordnance doesn't go “boom” when it should, it can hang around for decades just waiting for the right (or wrong) activity to set it off. Welcome to the world of the UXO (UneXploded Ordnance).

Most preppers make plans for extreme weather, zombies, accidents, and other natural or man-made disaster, but a random piece of UXO can ruin your day just as badly. The scary part is that UXO can be found just about anywhere; you'd expect to find old bombs and such around battlefields and war zones (Germany logs at least one UXO every week), but wartime plane crashes and various live-fire exercises over the years have scattered UXO all over the continental US. Tides and ocean currents bring them to our beaches, fishing vessels drag them up from the bottom of the sea quite often, and the many “souvenirs” brought back by military servicemen over the last two centuries means that UXO can be literally anywhere.

One of the odd links in my bookmarks file that has been there for about 20 years is UXOinfo.com. Sponsored by a private ordnance removal company, the webpage is a place for collecting and storing news about UXO around the world. I find it aggravating that they often don't provide links to their sources, forcing me to do my own research to get more information, but it is an eye-opening site. People run across old (and new) ordnance just about everywhere. Construction workers and hikers seem to find them quite often, but UXO have shown up at Goodwill stores and garage sales. Look through their picture galleries for some interesting (and scary) photos.

Civilian UXO
But besides military ordnance, it used to be legal (and simple) to purchase blasting caps and explosives for agricultural and personal use. Beavers damming up the stream again? A couple sticks of 60% dynamite will take care of the dam. Need to clear out a silted-in drainage ditch? A string of single sticks laid down the center will move the dirt quick. Boulder in the middle of a field too big to move and you're tired of farming around it? Blast it into manageable pieces.

As a result of this old, pre-terrorism era practice, boxes of blasting caps and dynamite are still sitting around in barns and sheds all over the country. I have seen, first-hand, a partial box of DuPont dynamite in a shed during an estate auction. The old man who owned it had passed away and nobody knew how old it was. Since this happened many years ago, the locals just called the Sheriff, who came and made sure it was disposed of safely. Today, the BATFE, FBI, and DHS would want to investigate everyone within 5 miles of the site for links to terrorism.

Dynamite is quirky: since it is made by absorbing liquid nitroglycerin into clay or some other absorbent material, it has to be rotated every month or two it is in storage because the liquid likes to settle to the bottom of the sticks and may seep or leak out (called “sweating”). Handling nitroglycerin with bare hands will have the same effect as a heart patient popping a “Nitro” tablet under his tongue- increased heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and a throbbing headache.

IED UXO
Last but not least are the intentionally placed explosives, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). that have become one of the favorite weapons of terrorists around the world. Usually constructed from artillery shells or home-made explosives, they are often disguised as common debris or objects to avoid detection. Booby traps are another form of placed UXO; if you notice wires coming out of that teddy bear by the side of the road, it would probably be best to give it a wide berth.

The Three Rs
What do you do if you run across a piece of UXO? Follow these three Rs (stolen from a .mil website):

1) Recognize
Have a basic understanding of what explosives look like and realize when you might be looking at one; if you see a cylinder with the ends closed and fins (or the remains of fins) on the tail, it's probably a bomb.

The moron who found a M18A1 Claymore mine while clearing a field in Florida and took it to a veteran buddy is a good example of what not to do.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/US_M18a1_claymore_mine.jpg

Most of us have seen at least one war movie where the “front towards enemy” molded into the plastic is visible. He was lucky that it didn't have the blasting caps installed.

2) Retreat
Don't touch it, move it or poke it, just get away from it! You may want to hang a piece of cloth in a nearby tree or mark the location so the EOD team can find it easier, but don't mess with the UXO itself. 500 yards is usually considered a safe distance, unless you run into a large pile; a mile or two is best if you find something like they did in Germany in 2014.

3) Report
Call 911 as soon as possible and let the experts handle it. Small items may be carried away in a “bomb bucket”, but larger pieces will likely be blown up in place., which can be fun to watch... from a safe distance.

I realize that this is probably more nightmare fuel for some folks. There are enough bad things going on in the world that I hate to add to the list of reasons to worry, but this belongs on that list. Without specialized training and tools, there just isn't much you can do about UXO except get away from it.

A Google Map of LGBT-Friendly Firearms Instructors

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

So, I had a good idea this afternoon and it just kinda... BLEW UP on Facebook.

Long story short: There have been lots of cool people on social media saying things like what my awesome friend Nicki Kenyon said on her blog:

To my LGBT friends – I know you still face prejudice, bigotry, hatred, and ignorance even in this day and age. I know many of you are still afraid to walk down the street with your partner holding hands and are still apprehensive about entering a public bathroom for fear of becoming a victim. I know many of you still face physical threats.

I just want you to know I want you to be safe. I want you well-defended. I want you to have the tools and skills to protect yourselves.

If you are in the VA/DC/MD area and want a partner with whom to go to the range, just ask. I’ll not only go with you, I’ll pay for your range time! I’ll go with you if you want to purchase a gun for self defense. I’ll help you learn how to use it safely and properly. I’ll help you get your CCW.

I never want to see my friends trapped unarmed and terrified in a situation like the one in Orlando, begging for their lives and saying “goodbye” to their loved ones while waiting to die. I want you to have the tools to at least fight back against the prejudice and hate you face. I want you to live to see hatred and bigotry eradicated from this world. J want you to have a chance.

I want you to live. I love you all.

Enough people were saying this sort of thing on blogs or Facebook that I thought, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if there were a master list of all these cool people?" and so I posted as much on my wall.

And that's when my Facebook page blew up, your honor.

I have literally been working ALL AFTERNOON collating the names, cities, and contact information from people willing to donate their time, their guns, their ammo and gasoline to help people learn how to use guns and discover if they'd like to own one for self defense.

It got so big that it turned from a Facebook list into a Google map. And then it got so big that I needed help. And then it got so big that I eventually said "OK, I'm setting this private while I take a break*. You folks just add yourselves and when I come back and make the map un-editable and this status visible again, we'll see where we stand."

So, to all my gun-owning friends who have volunteered yourselves: Bless you. You're doing a great things. And if you want to volunteer, just contact me with your name, city & state, and your preferred method of being contacted (email, telephone, etc).

To all the preppers out there who are wondering if they ought to learn how to use guns, the answer is a resounding YES.

To anyone wondering "Do I have to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Trans to get help from these folks?" the answer is no, it's welcome to everyone -- we're just pointing out that LGBT folks are extra-welcome and won't be judged by these folks.

I encourage you all to spread this map. As the Pink Pistols say, "Armed gays don't get bashed", and helping train our LGBT brothers and sisters might prevent them from becoming another victim of ISIS.

EDITED TO ADD:  
Due to the massive response (which is a wonderful problem to have, don't get me wrong) we have created a Facebook page where your contact information can be left for inclusion by myself or one of my lovely assistants.

Please join -- instructions for what information to give is in the pinned post! https://www.facebook.com/OperationBlazingSword/

*Which is when I'm writing this post, BTW.

Erin is All Right

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

Hi, everyone. I'm fine. I know a lot of you were worried that I might have been harmed in the Orlando nightclub shooting last night (I've gotten more than a few emails, PMs and at least one G+ comment) so let me set your minds at ease by stating I was at home all last night.

Home, by the way, is Daytona Beach, which is at least an hour's interstate drive from Orlando (and that isn't counting time spent in traffic within the city), I was literally in the next county over, so if anything happens in Orlando that affects me it's going to be BIG. As in, Nuclear/Biological/Chemical attack big.

That said, it's not unreasonable to think that I might have gone into Orlando for a night of clubbing. However, Florida has statutes against carrying in businesses whose primary source of revenue is alcohol sales (and I'm not going to analyze a location to see if it's primarily a bar or primarily a dance club), and my rule of thumb is "If there aren't armed guards and I'm not allowed to carry, I don't go there unless it's unavoidable."

Thank you to everyone who expressed concern for my well-being. I appreciate it more than you know. You take care of yourselves as well -- in the words of fellow GBVC contributor Beth Alcazar, "Stay safe and be well-armed."

Paris 11/13/2015

This is being written as events are still unfolding, so there may be some bad information due to the “fog of war.”

Having been caught on the edge of a street riot in a major European city many years ago, I've seen what happens when a crowd loses control and is desperate. It is not a pretty sight when they're all around you -- we were lucky enough to duck into a store just before the owner locked the doors and we waited for the police to clear the streets. Paris is likely ten times as bad tonight.

Terrorists have carried out multiple attacks in Paris, France. At least 200 wounded and 100 dead from gunfire, fragmentation grenades, and suicide vests. Martial law is in effect, chaos and lack of information are the rule, the borders of France have been sealed, airports are shut down, public transportation is not running, people are being told to get inside and stay inside. There are reports of the attackers shouting “Allahu Akbar” and other reports of fire-bombs being thrown into “refugee” camps outside Paris that are full of Muslims.

The shit has truly hit the fan.

The more I hear about this attack, the more it resembles the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai (Bombay), India:

• A small number of (radical Muslim) attackers who don't plan on getting out alive,
• targeting large gatherings of people, mostly in the wealthy areas of town,
• using grenades and fully-automatic rifles,
• creating chaos through multiple, closely-timed attacks.
• Civilians, for the most part, have no clue about what to do,
• even though there is a history of terrorist attacks in the city.

With a few differences:

• Police in France responded much quicker than the police in Mumbai.
• The French police were much better trained and equipped.
• Since France is considered a “developed” nation and India isn't, the news coverage is more intense.

How do you prepare for something like this?

1) Pay heed to Uncle Remus' advice to “stay away from crowds.”
Uncle Remus wrote a weekly blog for 10 years before retiring last year, but some of us recall his constant advice to “stay away from crowds”. Crowds make large targets for idiots who don't care to aim their firearms. Crowds limit your mobility. Crowds have a type of group mentality that resembles a herd of herbivores in its reaction to anything.

2) Weigh the risks and rewards of any trip out of your normal Area of Operations (AO).
Is it really worth traveling to a strange city where you don't know anyone, can't speak the language, and don't know the streets just to watch a sports event? Especially when there is a history of violence in the city and things are getting worse rather than getting better?

3) Always have a way out.
On of the eyewitnesses to the attack on the concert hall mentioned trying to get on the stage after hearing gunfire, knowing that there was an emergency exit backstage. Always look for the exit signs in any building you enter.

When driving, always leave room to maneuver your car around the one in front of you. The shoulder or the ditch may be better than sitting still in a traffic jam.

The French government has sealed the border and shut down public transportation. How are you going to get home, or at least to your hotel room? Have a plan, or at least a map to a place of safety.

Know where the embassy is in any foreign country you visit.

Some suggest carrying a gold coin or two to be able to pay for an emergency trip home. Gold takes up very little space for its value and is generally accepted anywhere in the world

4) Be prepared to fight back if at all possible.
If you live in a place that allows citizens to carry firearms, carry the blasted things. I, personally, will not shop in stores with the “No guns allowed” signs on the doors. I refuse to be left to the tender mercies of even the common lunatics running around on the streets, let alone someone intent on racking up a high body count. If you can't carry a gun find some other way to defend yourself -- martial arts, stun guns, mace, improvised weapons, or a bodyguard are all options.

Be mentally prepared to fight back. I have met several people who have been so thoroughly conditioned in “modern” living that they are unable to fight, even to defend their lives. Pacifists will become victims when TSHTF, unless protected by those who aren't.

5) Remember the “Rules of Stupid.”
Don't go to stupid places, with stupid people, at stupid times, and do stupid things. Know how to figure out what stupid is.

6) Have first aid training.
After the shooting is over, there will be people who need medical aid. Pray that you aren't one of them and be ready to render aid to those who need it. Most of us don't travel alone, and being able to help family/friends comes right after being able to defend them.

http://news.yahoo.com/nous-sommes-tous-fran%C3%A7ais--u-s--stands-in-solidarity-with-france-160956067.html

My prayers and condolences go out to those hurt or killed in the attack on Paris today. It sounds like the attackers are all dead, mostly by suicide, but the investigations will take a long time to root out all of the supporters and collaborators. I pray that no American city ever witnesses such an attack, but I know that it is possible.