DUAL SURVIVOR's JOE TETI - THE TRUTH EMERGES

Joe Teti's lies and disgraceful conduct has been the subject of much discussion within the Special Forces community. His response to being called out on his outrageous claims is the defamation suit described below . . . NOT a smart move . . . S.L.

Lawsuit: SF Members Describe TV Star as Problem Soldier

The bizarre saga of Discovery Channel reality star Joe Teti took another twist as court documents emerged, from his former National Guard Special Forces teammates, that paint a dark portrait of a man known more for lying, stealing — and worse — than for the combat prowess he professes on his show, "Dual Survival."

"I believe Joe is a sociopath [who] could be dangerous to those he believes have injured him," writes Sgt. 1st Class Daniel McClain, Teti's former team sergeant, in a letter to the Special Forces Association that is part of a formal response in an ongoing lawsuit.

"I knew he would always be a problem," writes Teti's former executive officer, Lt. Col. William Sharp, in another letter, part of the SFA's 50-page rebuttal to the lawsuit filed by Teti late last year.

Sharp, now with U.S. Special Operations Command, writes that he was preparing paperwork to bar Teti from reenlisting, revoke his security clearance and strip him of his Special Forces tab, before Teti left the unit on his own.

"Teti is far below Special Forces standards, he is an embarrassment to Special Forces and Special Operations," writes Sharp, listing a litany of allegations.

Read the rest of it HERE

This Is What I Know:

Teti claims that he is a Special Forces combat veteran. He is not. Teti never deployed. Teti left the Army soon after 9/11, one step ahead of disciplinary action and knowing that the Army was about to freeze all ETS and retirements due to the war. Teti worked overseas as a contractor (the article describes his work ethic, or lack thereof) and uses this activity as basis for his claimed status of combat veteran.

Teti served in the Marine Corps prior to joining the Army National Guard. During his time in the Corps, Teti attended a Navy dive school, upon which he claims to be a Combat Diver. This is not the same thing and in fact he was kicked out of the Dive Supervisor course at the Special Forces Underwater Operations School in Key West, Florida for either cheating on a test or his false claims of Combat Diver status - not sure which.

Teti claims to have attended SERE (Survival-Evasion-Resistance-Escape) training, that he was a SERE instructor. Both these claims are false. To anyone who has any kind of proper survival training or outdoors experience, his ignorance is quite visible on the Dual Survivor show. Of all the worthy Special Forces soldiers out there who actually know this kind of subject matter, Discover Channel somehow got snowed by this charlatan.

Teti has had his membership in the Special Forces Association revoked - an uncommon event - and there is discussion of revoking his Special Forces tab due to his dishonorable conduct and outright lies.

There are other Teti activities I am aware of but cannot comment on at this time due to other lawsuits that are pending - he has done more than just steal and lie, Teti is a dangerous fool with a violent streak and has permanently hurt some families. Teti is a fool to challenge those who challenged the legend he attempted to build around himself.

The Truth has come out.

STORMBRINGER SENDS

100 ITEMS TO DISAPPEAR FIRST

1. Generators - Good ones cost dearly; diesel generators are the best - more run time per fuel volume. Fuel storage is risky; and a generator's noise attracts thieves.

2. Water Filters/Purifiers

3. Portable Toilets

4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6 - 12 months to become dried, for home uses.

5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!)

6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.

7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.

8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.

9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar

10. Rice - Beans - Wheat

11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)

12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)

13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.

14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.)

15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric)

16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.)

17. Survival Guide Book.

18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.)

19. Baby Supplies: Diapers / formula. ointments / aspirin, etc.

20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)

21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)

22. Vitamins

23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item)

24. Feminine Hygiene / Haircare / Skin products.

25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)

26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets, Wedges (also, honing oil)

27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)

28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)

29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).

30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels

31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)

32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)

33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)

34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit

35. Tuna Fish (in oil)

36. Fire Extinguishers (or a large box of Baking Soda in every room)

37. First aid kits

38. Batteries (all sizes . . . buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)

39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies

40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)

41. Flour, yeast & salt

42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go first

43. Writing paper / pads / pencils, solar calculators

44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime.)

45. Work boots, belts, Levis & durable shirts

46. Flashlights, chemical lightsticks ("chemlites"), Lanterns

47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)

48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with wheels)

49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush & paste, Mouthwash & floss, nail clippers, etc

50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)

51. Fishing supplies / tools

52. Mosquito coils / repellent, sprays / creams

53. Duct Tape

54. Tarps / stakes / twine / nails / rope / spikes

55. Candles

56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)

57. Backpacks, Duffel Bags

58. Garden tools & supplies

59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies

60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc.

61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)

62. Canning supplies (Jars / lids / wax)

63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel

64. Bicycle tires / tubes / pumps / chains, etc

65. Sleeping Bags & blankets / pillows / mats

66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)

67. Board Games, Cards, Dice

68. Rat poison, Mouse traps

69. Ant traps, cockroach killer & "roach motels"

70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)

71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)

72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc.

73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)

74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)

75. Soy sauce, vinegar, bullions / gravy / soup base

76. Reading glasses

77. Chocolate / Cocoa / Tang / Punch (water enhancers)

78. "Survival-in-a-Can"

79. Woolen clothing, scarves / ear-muffs / mittens

80. Boy Scout Handbook

81. Window Insulation Kit

82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix / Jerky

83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts

84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)

85. Lumber (all types)

86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)

87. Cots & Inflatable mattress's

88. Gloves: Work / warming / gardening, etc.

89. Lantern Hangers

90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts

91. Teas

92. Coffee

93. Cigarettes

94. Booze (for bribes, medicinal, etc,)

95. Paraffin wax

96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc.

97. Chewing gum / candies

98. Atomizers (for cooling / bathing)

99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs

100. Goats / chickens

From a Sarajevo War Survivor:

Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper attacks.

Stockpiling helps. but you never no how long trouble will last, so locate near renewable food sources.

Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.

After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in war quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.

If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the easiest to do without.

Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a lot of the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible. Only needs enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially if you buy it in bulk.

Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me, you'll have a lot of time on your hands.

The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you how many people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a little bit of toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in fighting if you have to lose your humanity. These things are morale-builders like nothing else.

Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches

Saturday Bird HERE


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WILDERNESS SURVIVAL: ALASKA GRIZZLY

ALASKA GEOLOGIST SURVIVES 2 ATTACKS BY GRIZZLY

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The bearded, sandy-haired geologist was on a job in the remote Alaska wilderness when a grizzly bear suddenly emerged from the brush just yards away.

So Robert Miller did what he was trained to do — he fell to the ground, clasped his hands around his neck to protect it and played dead.


Robert Miller, 54, recovers from a bear attack in his hospital room in Anchorage, Alaska, on Wednesday, June 23, 2010. The bear attack occurred June 20 as Miller, a Millrock Resources Inc. geologist working near Rainy Pass in the Alaska Range, waited for a helicopter to pick him up. Miller was using a small handsaw to clear brush so the helicopter could land when the bear emerged from the brush about 25 feet away. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)


Miller was fortunate to have survived, said Rick Sinnott, an Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist.

He should have been packing a more powerful gun, Sinnott said. "You have to be a very good shot or very lucky to stop a brown bear with a .357 Magnum."


This I knew - .357 barely gets you into the club considering the size of those monsters they grow up there in Alaska. - S.L.


Miller did the right thing to play dead with the grizzly, Sinnott said.

"Most of the time they just want to neutralize you and if you are playing dead after they swat you or hit you, you are pretty much neutralized. But if you try to run or stand right up or are screaming or waving your arms around, then they think you are still a danger," he said.


This I DIDN'T know - but it makes perfect sense, when you think about it, and it almost worked the first time until he got up. We've got bears around here but they keep to themselves for the most part. I teach my kids to keep good situational awareness about themselves when they're in the woods - good general advice anytime, in any kind of environment - especially when picking berries; that is the most dangerous time you might find yourself between Mama Bear and her cubs. - S.L.


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ADMIN NOTES

I've been tooling around the Blogger service, trying to jazz up the STORMBRINGER Experience . . .


Are YOU "Experienced"?


OK so I've cracked the code of the links (to the right on your screen) . . . IF YOU ASKED TO BE LINKED AND I DIDN'T DO IT - I DIDN'T BLOW YOU OFF I was still learning and I know at least one guy fell off my radar . . .


I'm struggling with ad sense on getting some better ads, stuff that's military related . . . if you see an ad for something TOTALLY WEIRD be advised I have no control over some of that stuff that's coming across the screen . . .


The products and services I personally endorse are to the right there - my buddy Mike's Screamin' Eagle Softail Custom Harley:




I have seen this bike and featured it on Theo's LAST of the FEW and STORMBRINGER last summer - THIS BIKE HAS TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED . . . like the ad says: "meticulously detailed, garage kept beauty" and I can attest it DOES have less than 1000 miles.


. . . and a new Friend of STORMBRINGER: Caspi Silver by Amnon Caspi:





He makes the Sterling Silver Joysticks from famous IDF combat airplanes including the Mirage, the F-4 Phantom and the F-16:





Amnon makes other cool things as well, like miniature Jerusalem Walled City Business Card holders - as soon as I rate a permanent office and a desk I'm getting one of those - and other Holy Land related items.


STORMBRINGER GOT SUCKED INTO POLITICS this past couple of weeks . . . I told you it generates Dark Energy within me . . .


Dark Energy


What can I say? There's been some big dealings going down in Dog City - all you suckers who think the Federal Government is going to take care of you - did you forget already all that hullabaloo last year over the deplorable state of affairs at the VA and Walter Reed? Well guess what? Walter Reed is the SHINING JEWEL of Government Healthcare - you ought to pay it a visit, see what you're in for. Bring some kind of kerchief for your nose, maybe some Vicks VapoRub to put under your nose there like they did in Silence of the Lambs - the place smells of urine.





This post signals a return to the original vision of Blog STORMBRINGER . . . to fight Evil wherever and whenever it manifests itself . . . to promote military themes . . . cool facts and anecdotes from history . . . international security . . . the Holy Land . . . guns . . . leadership . . . survival . . . honor . . .





. . . the Paratrooper Mystique . . .









. . . and the general kaleidoscope of WAR WEIRDNESS . . .



. . . that followers of Blog STORMBRINGER have come to love and expect . . .






"Read responsibly, my friends . . ."




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NINE-BANDED ARMADILLO

My buddy Jim reports from Canaveral National Seashore, Cape Canaveral, Florida.:


Here's something you don't see every day. Armadillos are not blind, but they do have poor eyesight. If you are close to an armadillo, and you stay quiet and stand still, the chances of it not noticing you are there are fairly good. We approached this one on the road. It did not see me or know I was there until I was about three feet away.





It may seem like an odd question, but the answer is “Yes”. In many areas of Central and South America, armadillo meat is often used as part of an average diet. Armadillo meat is a traditional ingredient in Oaxaca, Mexico. I have heard that some peoples of South America keep small varieties of armadillos as edible housepets. During the Depression, armadillos were often eaten by hungry people. They were called “Hoover Hogs” by people angry with then-President Herbert Hoover’s broken promise of a chicken in every pot. The meat is said to taste like fine-grained, high-quality pork.

I have seen several online recipes for armadillo, and I have been told that armadillo meat is an acceptable substitute for pork, chicken, or beef in many dishes. (I have not yet had an opportunity to dine on armadillo myself, so I can&38217; say personally whether this is true.) If you have access to armadillo meat, don’t be afraid to try it, but you should make sure that the meat is cooked thoroughly to avoid the possibility of contracting a disease. Armadillos are known to carry leprosy, and although the incidence level is fairly low in most regions there is still a risk of transmission if the meat is undercooked.



When I was at Florida Ranger Camp down in Eglin Air Force Base, these little rascals were all over the place. They get underfoot; it's almost as if they are tame.


No, I haven't eaten one. I didn't know they were edible, although I can guarantee you that I was so hungry at that time that if I'd known, I'd have been feasting on the little rascals . . .



- S.L.


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ONE TOUGH CUSTOMER

Today on STORMBRINGER we respect possibly the greatest survivalist of all time . . .


JULIANE KOEPCKE





On Christmas Eve 1971, in the skies above the desolate, remote jungles of Peru, a bolt of lightning that blew the fuselage of LANSA Flight 508 open like a Coke can going under a car tire. Juliane Koepcke, a quiet seventeen year-old high school senior on her way to visit her father, fell two miles out of the sky, without a parachute, crunching into the dirt floor of the Amazon Rain Forest with enough velocity to flatten an elephant. She somehow miraculously awoke and came to her senses still strapped in to her seat. She had a broken collarbone, a severe concussion, deep cuts in her arms and legs, and one of her eyes had been swollen shut. Mild injuries for someone who just plummeted several thousand feet through the air; obviously the triple canopy foliage of the jungle broke her fall.

Juliane unbuckled her airline seat belt and briefly surveyed the wreckage. All she saw were corpses and empty seats. She was alone in the Amazon, with the thick canopy jungle above preventing her from signaling for help. Juliane Koepcke had no food, no tools, no gear, no powerbars, no means to make fire, no maps, and no compass. It was just her, against the wilderness.





The Amazon is one of the densest, most impenetrable jungles on Earth. It is home to thousands of species of venomous creatures, dozens of other non-poisonous things, to include the Candiru Fish that swims up peoples' urethras and embeds itself with a couple of horrific sharp spines.

As previously mentioned, Juliane Koepcke was just a young high school senior, but she was working towards a degree in zoology at a school in Lima, Peru. Her parents were famous German biologists, and she'd grown up living in a number of different research stations in the middle of this self-same jungle. Juliane searched through the wreckage, grabbed the few pieces of candy and food that she was able to scrounge up from the debris, and started walking off into the jungle.





Though she was disoriented and concussed, Juliane kept her wits about her, knowing that her best chance of making it out of this situation was to link up with civilization as quickly as possible. Knowing that people tend to live near waterways of some form or another, so she pressed through the underbrush until she found a small creek, and she just started following it downstream. When the creek ran into a larger body of water, she followed that. When the vegetation on the river bank was too thick, she waded through knee-deep, piranha- and candiru-infested waters. She constantly pushed herself on, fighting forward, driving ahead through sheer force of will alone.

For eleven days (!) Juliane Koepcke trudged through the Amazon Rain Forest without any gear or food, smashing her way through the snarls of vegetation and plant life, avoiding the man-eating crocodiles she routinely encountered, and fighting off insect swarms, clouds of leeches, and other blood-sucking and/or multi-legged disgusting creatures. She drank river water, battled through infection and disease, foraged for whatever scraps of food she could get her hands on, and did whatever it took to stay alive long enough to find help.

Finally, after a week and a half of this hellish, death march, the semi-conscious, zombie-esque Koepcke shambled into a remote, makeshift logging camp on the edge of the rain forest. She fell down, curled up, and waited for help, which arrived the following day. The loggers gave her some very rudimentary first aid (part of which involved pouring gasoline on her to clean out her wounds; sounds like a whole lot of fun) and took her on a seven-hour canoe trip to the nearest town, where a local pilot then flew her to the hospital for treatment. Of the 92 people on board Flight 508, this unassuming 17 year-old woman was the only one who walked out of the wilderness alive.

Of course, Juliane Koepcke wasn't done yet. She went on to get a PhD in Zoology, proving that this survivor could take the most horrific situation Mother Nature could throw at her and wouldn't even slow down. Her survival story remains one of the most incredible demonstrations of human endurance that I've ever come across.




In 2000 Koepcke returned to the debris-riddled crash site to film a documentary.



She's just hard like that.



.

SURF OR DIE

Mother Nature is The Boss . . .



An unusual tale of sea survival . . . or perhaps better described as SURF survival . . . . . . . S.L.

I SURFED THE TSUNAMI TO SAFETY: Briton tells of remarkable escape by riding OVER deadly Samoan wave
Mail Foreign Service - 2 October 2009

A British survivor survived the tsunami which devastated the South Pacific by paddling towards the towering wave, he has claimed.

Tom Gogola, from Devon, was in Samoa for a three-week holiday when the island was hit by a 20-foot wall of water.

The 22-year-old was in the water surfing when he saw the wave racing towards the shore.

He did the only thing he could - and paddled as hard as possible straight for the wave.


Situational awareness probably saved his life.


Aiming the tip of his surfboard up to ensure its nose was not pushed under by the towering wall of water, he said he rode right up and over the top of the wave.

It is not clear how far out to sea Mr. Gogola was at the time. The nearer tsunami wave comes to shore, the more quickly it will change height as the water becomes more and more shallow.

Mr Gogola's father Steve, 59, said: "He said it was pretty unreal surfing when the tsunami happened. He and a friend decided to paddle out, rather than in, and they were picked up by a boat.

"Tom also said half of the people who were surfing got washed into the jungle."
Mr. Gogola, keeping in contact with his family on Facebook, said the tsunami has taken everything apart from a few clothes.

The college student wrote yesterday: "I've lost everything but I've still got my life."


This young man - he is no longer a kid after what he went through - has a good survival attitude.


His father said: "When I saw the news I thought, oh God, Tom is out there, I hope he is alright."

Mr. Gogola was not the only surfer to survive the giant wave by riding it out.


SURFED TO SAFETY: Chris Nel rode out the tsunami for an hour and a half, fearing that he would be smashed into the land at any second if he lost control


New Zealand student Chris Nel was surfing on the south coast of Savai'i island in Western Samoa when the 8.3 magnitude quake struck on Wednesday morning. He had been in the water with four other New Zealand surfers and an Australian when the tsunami appeared.

Mr. Nel, a hospitality student, was forced to ride out the tsunami on his surfboard for more than half an hour, fearing he would be 'smashed into the jungle' by the surging water.

Now, back home on dry land, he is thanking his lucky stars that he lived to tell the tale.


RIDING THE WAVE: The roof of a building is swept away by a tsunami wave in Apia, Samoa, on Tuesday


Mr. Nel, from Wellington, was on holiday in Western Samoa when the massive undersea earthquake struck.

"I went out early morning for a surf, then I felt the tremor - you get them all the time in New Zealand, so I didn't really think too much of it. Then I went out in the water and caught a few waves."

Mr. Nel had been in the water with an Australian man and four other New Zealanders when the first signs of the coming tsunami appeared.

"All of a sudden the water went really weird, it kind of glassed off and got really lumpy, then we started moving really quick, getting sucked out to sea," he said.


CALM BEFORE THE STORM: The water is eerily glassy as the first of a series of tsunami waves approaches the shore outside the Ulimasao Marist Center, in Vailoa, in Samoa on Tuesday.


"It was pretty scary looking back and seeing the reef completely dried up; it looked like a volcanic riverbed, it was just gone."

Then he saw a giant spurt of water hit the shore.

"I was thinking, This is it, we're going to get washed away and smashed into the jungle."

"We didn't know what was going on, we thought, Why is no one coming out to help us?" but it turned out everyone had already been evacuated by that point."

The surfers tried in vain to reach the shore as whole trees started floating past them. They lay on the surfboards as wave surges swept ashore, riding them out and trying not to get smashed.

"After about 35 or 45 minutes of floating around, we managed to time it between a surge to get to land through the reef channel," Mr. Nel said.

When he made it to shore, he saw that the surf camp he had been staying at had been destroyed.

"A lot of my stuff got washed out to sea and I found one of my surfboards in the jungle," Mr. Nel told the Dominion Post newspaper.


Animation of the tsunami moving through the Pacific:




Initially he had stayed at the beach to help salvage a wrecked boat but left when he heard another tsunami warning.

"Everyone just got out of there. I managed to grab my passport and board shorts."
The surfers headed to a village and waited for about five hours until the threat of a second surge had passed.

Days earlier, Mr. Nel had been surfing off the south coast of Upolu, an area that was devastated by the tsunami.

Mr. Nel left Samoa on Thursday, flying back to Wellington wearing the pair of jeans he had managed to find in the jungle.

"We were really, really lucky," he said.


Luck is skill, preparedness & opportunity.


"If anyone had caught a wave closer to shore there would have definitely been people who would have died or been severely injured."






"Hey! Charlie don't surf!"

THE DESERT LIVES & BREATHES . . .

My good friend & brother-in-arms Erik is in the great Sonorra Desert of the American Southwest . . . a place I know well and love . . .


Mornings are beautiful there . . .


Erik is originally from this area, he was raised in the desert, so I asked him to track down some wildlife for STORMBRINGER . . .

Horned Lizards, known as Horny Toads, abound . . .

A coyote was here . . .

A snake - NOT a sidewinder - was here . . .

Hard to tell what we've got here, from the photo - I'd say some kind of lizard, although there is no tail drag. Not a bird. Maybe a small critter of some kind . . .

From a survival point of view, knowing where the animals go tells you 2 things: A) where to set your traps & snares, and B) where to find water. Now get busy with that shelter, the desert sun is coming up and it's going to get hot . . .

MOTHER NATURE IS THE BOSS

Las Vegas Boy Dies After Getting Stranded in Death Valley

It all started as a fun camping trip 1 August for a mother and her young son, an adventure in the desert. The warning signs came early, a flat tire, but they changed it and continued to drive on - not considering they now had no spare - they also had no maps, compasses, or signalling devices (no cell phone coverage way out there in Death Valley). After the second breakdown, 24 16-oz. bottles of water, Pop Tarts and cheese sandwiches didn't last too long.

The average summer temperature in Death Valley National Park, a vast and desolate area along the California-Nevada border that is considered one of the hottest places on Earth, is well over 100 degrees.

The Desert will kill you with boring regularity, if you let it. They recovered the mother last Thursday, the 5th. She told them her son had died the day before.

I've been to the Mojave Desert just on the edge of Death Valley; the place is called that for a reason. I've also soldiered down on the Mexican border. The Sonora Desert of Arizona and New Mexico kills at least one person a day; immigrants trying to make their way across on foot.

Out in the Sahara, and over to Sinai and Kuwait, I've recorded temperatures as high as 120 degrees in the cab of the truck. In the desert, I always considered the survival kit to include the truck, and part of that included not one but at the very least TWO spare tires. Plus a double load of fuel, in five gallon cans. Plus a double load of water, in five gallon cans. Signaling is a challenge; it goes without saying that cell phones don't work that far away from the repeater towers.

One of the scariest times I had in North Africa was the time I took a wrong turn and strayed off track; by the time I did a map check, we were over a hundred miles from the track. If you break down on track, no problem - someone will roll by sooner or later. If you break down OFF track, now you are in a survival situation. I knew it was serious when Muhammed my guide started saying his prayers, as we rolled along at one mile-an-hour, with tires deflated to make it through the powder-like moon dust.

Mother Nature is the Boss.

SURVIVAL KITS

Even the smallest survival kit, if properly prepared, is invaluable when faced with a survival situation. Before preparing your survival kit, consider the environment you plan to operate in, and the equipment and vehicle(s) you will have on hand.

SURVIVAL KITS

The environment is the key to the types of items you will need in your survival kit. How much equipment you put in your kit depends on how you will carry the kit. A kit carried on your body will have to be smaller than one carried in a vehicle. Always layer your survival kit, keeping the most important items on your body. For example, your map and compass should always be on your body. Carry less important items on your pockets, or a survival vest. Place bulky items in your rucksack.

In preparing your survival kit, select items you can use for more than one purpose. If you have two items that will serve the same function, pick the one you can use for another function. Do not duplicate items, as this increases your kit's size and weight.

Your survival kit need not be elaborate. You need only functional items that will meet your needs and a case to hold the items. For the case, you might want to use a Band-Aid box, a first aid case, an ammunition pouch, or another suitable case. This case should be--

• Water repellent or waterproof.
• Easy to carry or attach to your body.
• Suitable to accept varisized components.
• Durable.

The six categories of survival to be covered by a survival kit are:

• Medical (First aid items).
• Water acquisition & purification (tablets, drops or filters).
• Fire starting.
• Signaling.
• Food procurement & preparation.
• Shelter.

Some examples of these items are--

• Lighter, metal match, waterproof matches.
• Snare wire.
• Signaling mirror.
• Wrist compass.
• Fish and snare line.
• Fishhooks.
• Candle.
• Small hand lens.
• Oxytetracycline tablets (diarrhea or infection).
• Water purification tablets.
• Solar blanket.
• Surgical blades.
• Butterfly sutures.
• Collapsible plastic containers for water storage.
• Chap Stick.
• Needle and thread.
• Knife.

Include a weapon only if the situation so dictates. Learn and practice survival techniques. Consider the environment in which you will operate. Then prepare your survival kit.

KEYWORD SURVIVAL

Keyword "SURVIVAL" is the opening chapter of U.S. Army Field Manual 21-76, Survival.
Whenever faced with a survival situation, remember the keyword "SURVIVAL." You may some day have to make it work for you.

* S - Size Up the Situation
* U - Use All Your Senses, Undue Haste Makes Waste
* R - Remember Where You Are
* V - Vanquish Fear and Panic
* I - Improvise
* V - Value Living
* A - Act Like the Natives
* L - Live by Your Wits, But for Now, Learn Basic Skills

Click on the above links to learn the meaning of each letter of the word "SURVIVAL."

FIELDCRAFT 101: TIE TWELVE KNOTS

These are some of the basic and essential knots all pioneers, woodsmen and adventurers should know.

1. SQUARE KNOT.
The square knot is used to tie the ends of two ropes of equal diameter. It is a joining knot.


How to tie the Square Knot:
A) Holding one working end in each hand, place the working end in the right hand over the one in the left hand.
B) Pull it under and back over the top of the rope in the left hand.
C) Place the working end in the left hand over the one in the right hand and repeat STEP 2.
D) Dress the knot down and secure it with an overhand knot on each side of the square knot.

2. OVERHAND KNOT

This general-purpose knot can be used as a “stopping knot”, or as a step in tying more complex knots.

3. CLOVE HITCH
The Clove Hitch is an anchor knot that can be used in the middle of the rope as well as at the end. It can be used as either an anchor or middle of the rope knot, depending on how it is tied.


How to tie a Clove Hitch at the End of the Rope:
(Note: Assume that the anchor is horizontal.)
A) Place the working end of the rope over the top of the anchor. Hold the standing part in the left hand. With the right hand, reach under the horizontal anchor, grasp the working end, and bring it inward.
B) Place the working end of the rope over the standing part (to form a loop). Hold the loop in the left hand. Place the working end over the anchor to the left of the loop.
C) With the right hand, reach down to the left hand side of the loop under the anchor. Grasp the working end of the rope. Bring the working end up and outward.
D) Dress down the knot.


How to tie a Clove Hitch in the Middle of the Rope:
A) Hold rope in both hands, palms down with hands together.
B) Form a loop away from and back toward the right.
C) With the right hand, form a loop inward and back to the left hand.
D) Place the left loop on top of the right loop. Place both loops over the anchor and pull both ends of the rope in opposite directions. The knot is tied.

4. TIMBER HITCH
The Timber Hitch is even better than the Clove hitch. It is easily made by passing the end of a rope around the spar or log, round the standing part of the rope and then twist it three or more times around, under and over itself.


How to tie a Timber Hitch:
A) Place the working end of a rope around a spar (c).
B) Then route the working end (a) several times around standing part (b), against the lay of the rope.

5. SHEET BEND
The Sheet Bend Knot is used for tying two ropes of different diameters. It is structurally related to the Bowline.


How to tie the Sheet Bend:
A) Pass the end of one rope through the bight of another.
B) Go around both parts of the other and under its own standing parts.
A double sheet bend may be employed when a Sheet Bend may not have enough friction to hold well.


The Double Sheet Bend, like the Sheet Bend, is used to fasten a small line to a larger one. In the illustration the light colored line would be the smaller and the
darker one would be the larger.

6. ROUND-TURN-AND-TWO-HALF HITCHES
This knot is used to tie the end of a rope to an anchor, and it must have constant tension. It is an anchor knot.


How to tie the Round-Turn-and-Two-Half-Hitches:
A) Route the rope around the anchor from right to left and wrap down (must have two wraps in the rear of the anchor, and one in the front). Run the loop around the object to provide 360-degree contact, distributing the load over the anchor.
B) Bring the working end of the rope left to right and over the standing part, forming a half hitch (first half hitch).
C) Repeat STEP 2 (last half hitch has a 4 inch pigtail).
D) Dress the knot down.

7. TAUT-LINE HITCH
Since it will only slide one way, the Taut-line hitch is often used to adjust tension on tent lines. The taut-line hitch will hold firmly under tension.


How to tie a Taut-Line Hitch:
Place rope end through or around whatever it is you are fastening (in the illustration it is an eye on a corner of a tent or tarp) make a round turn twice around the standing part below it, then bring rope up across the standing part and a make a half-hitch around it.

8. BOWLINE


The bowline is one of the most important and versatile of knots. It is be used to tie a single fixed loop in the end or the middle of a rope. It is an anchor knot, when used to tie the end of a rope around an anchor. There are several variants of the bowline.


How to tie the Bowline:
A) Facing the anchor, bring the working end of the rope around the anchor, from right to left.
B) Form an overhand loop on the right hand side of the standing part of the rope, toward the anchor.
C) Reach through the loop and pull up a bight.
D) Draw the working end of the rope from the left hand side through the bight, and bring it back onto itself. Now dress the knot down.
E) Form an overhand knot with the tail from the bight.

9. BOWLINE-ON-A-BIGHT (TWO-LOOP BOWLINE)


The Bowline-on-a-Bight is one of the many variants of the Bowline. It is used to form two fixed loops in the middle of a rope. It is a middle rope knot.


How to tie the Bowline-on-a-Bight:
A) Form a bight in the rope about twice as long as the finished loops will be.
B) Tie an overhand knot on a bight.
C) Hold the overhand knot in the left hand so that the bight is running down and outward.
D) Grasp the bight with the right hand; fold it back over the overhand knot so that the overhand knot goes through the bight.
E) From the end (apex) of the bight, follow the bight back to where it forms the cross in the overhand knot. Grasp the two ropes that run down and outward and pull up, forming two loops.
F) Pull the two ropes out of the overhand knot and dress the knot down.
G) A final dress is required: grasp the ends of the two fixed loops and pull, spreading them apart to ensure the loops do not slip.

10. GIRTH HITCH
The girth hitch is used to attach a runner to an anchor or piece of equipment. It is a special-purpose knot, often used in mountaineering for placing a snaplink (D-ring or carabiner) in mid line, or tying one rope 90 degrees off a heavier line.


How to tie the Girth Hitch:
A) Form a bight.
B) Bring the runner back through the bight.
C) Cinch the knot tightly.

11. CAT’S PAW

The principle of fastening by twisted rope is utilized in the “Cat’s Paw”. It can be used as an alternative to the Girth Hitch, or for hoisting with a hook.


How to tie the Cat's Paw:
A) Pass the bight of your rope over the end and standing part.
B) With a bight in each hand, take three twists from you.
C) Then bring the two bights side by side and fasten the snaplink or hook.

12. PRUSIK
The Prusik is used to put a moveable rope on a fixed rope such as a Prusik ascent or a tightening system. This knot can be tied as a middle or end of the rope Prusik. It is a specialty knot of climbers.


How to tie the Middle-of-the-Rope Prusik:
The middle-of-the-rope Prusik can be tied with a short rope to a long rope as follows:
A) Double the short rope, forming a bight, with the working ends even. Lay it over the long rope so that the closed end of the bight is 12 inches below the long rope and the remaining part of the rope (working ends) is the closest to the climber; spread the working end apart.
B) Reach down through the 12-inch bight. Pull up both of the working ends and lay them over the long rope. Repeat this process making sure that the working ends pass in the middle of the first two wraps. Now there are four wraps and a locking bar working across them on the long rope.
C) Dress the wraps and locking bar down to ensure they are tight and not twisted. Tying an overhand knot with both ropes will prevent the knot from slipping during periods of variable tension.
How to tie the End-of-the-Rope Prusik:
A) Using an arm’s length of rope, and place it over the long rope.
B) Form a complete round turn in the rope.
C) Cross over the standing part of the short rope with the working end of the short rope.
D) Lay the working end under the long rope.
E) Form a complete round turn in the rope, working back toward the middle of the knot.
F) There are four wraps and a locking bar running across them on the long rope. Dress the wraps and locking bar down. Ensure they are tight, parallel, and not twisted.
G) Finish the knot with a bowline to ensure that the Prusik knot will not slip out during periods of varying tension.

My references for this post are US Army Field Manual 3-97-61 MILITARY MOUNTAINEERING and The Boy Scout Handbook. -S.L.