begin sermonette

You can file today’s rant under the rubric that it is better to be prepared than unprepared. If you have a go-bag handy at all times, you can comment and take cheap shots at me. You can take cheap shots if you don’t, but I won’t take your advice.
Since the early days of the American Colonies when the militia needed to be ready to turn out (and stand-to) at a moment’s notice because of (1) “Native American” attacks or; (2) Red Coats/British Army coming to confiscate their firearms, being ready at a minute’s notice has been important.
Today the Indians are either drunk on the reservation or they’re raking in big bucks by running casinos or pumping oil from the ground in Oklahoma. The British Army doesn’t even have a proper regular band to play for the Queen’s birthday because of the nation’s burning need to doll out welfare payments to layabouts.  Be that as it may, the idea of being prepared is still useful.
I’m rolling out and laying out my go-bag and its contents so that y’all (y’all inserted for Pretty Jenny’s benefit) can criticize, complain or suggest what I may be missing. No, WoFat, I don’t keep my (XXL super magnum) condom packs in the go-bag, so before you fly off on that tangent, I’m setting the record straight.  This is not only a family blog, but it’s also a sermonette. No, LSP, I don’t keep my combination mini Rooshan (Russian) phrase book and Bible in the go-bag. No, Brighid and Juliette, I don’t keep my one ounce Krugerrands in the go-bag. Those need to be carried on my person at all times so that the lady I’m with can’t lift them and swap them from the latest Jimmy Choo shoes and Alexander McQueen studded crystal Britannia clutch purse (with gold alien skull on the top). No, Old NFO, I don’t keep a copy of my old DD-214 in a laminated sheet in there to show off at McP’s pub (Coronado) in the hopes of cutting a groupie out of the herd. Yes, Woodsterman, I keep selected photos from your blog so that I can remember what we’re fighting for… ;^) No, Race Bannon, the credentials don’t go in the bag. Fredd, I should carry a Norwegian flag for misidentification purposes, but don’t.
The Bag: Kifaru Bag with Claymore Pouch (trauma kit inside pouch)
Go-Bag rig – 18″ ruler
Trauma Kit:
2 Halo Chest seals (because what goes in also comes out sometimes and if you have a sucking chest wound, you might want to have two seals)
1 Tourniquet (industrial strength)
1 Celox coagulent
3 Bottles of pills (in metal anodized vials – color coded)
1 Rigger’s tape (100 mph tape)
3 Compress bandages
This isn’t a med kit. It’s for fixing ME if I’m shot. The way it goes is that I use your kit on YOU if you’re shot and you use mine on me. I have med kits in my vehicles with gause, SAM casts for broken bones, betadyne, bandaids, etc. This kit isn’t one of those.
Standard Kit:
1 Glock Model 21 handgun (with belt and shoulder holsters)
4 Magazines filled with .45 Hornady +P ammunition/and 200 rounds of spare boxed ammunition
1 MPF (titanium knife) with “field saw”/garrote in pouch
1 Jenny Wren Tomahawk
1 knife sharpener
3 Chemlights (green/red)
2 Five hour energy
1 Compass (Lensatic)
1 Toothbrush (don’t be a hater, dental hygiene is important to me)
1 Dental Floss (waxed – many uses)
4 Steel Wool (for starting fires in wet conditions) and lifeboat matches
1 Watch Cap (black wool)
1 Gloves (tac)
1 Surefire flashlight (6 spare batteries)
1 GPS Transponder
1 IR beacon
1 Pop Flare
1 Flare/smoke combo (combat swimmer)
1 Sunglasses (because if you’re cool, the sun shines wherever you are)
1 Reading glasses (because I’m getting old)
1 550 Cord (300 ft)
1 Handcuffs 
4 Energy Bars
1 Water bottle (filled)

Knives – MPT above and MPF below

To avoid mis-identification, I am posting this appendix. Ever since the SEAL knife-off competition in 1989 conducted by NAVSPECWARGRUONE that I was part of, there have been zillions of knock-offs and a number of derivative knives. The MPK (titanium), made by Rick Schultz of Mission Knives won the competition with the SOG knife coming in a distant second. Steel knives such as the one made by SOG are not optimal kit for people who may work around magnetically activated sea mines. Titanium is also noncorrosive, which means that special care is not necessary for a knife immersed in sea water.

The knives above (MPT* above) (MPF below) are derivations of the original MPK (Multi-Purpose Knife). Rick Schultz also made a folding titanium knife (which I also have), which he called a “MPF”, not to be confused with the MPF above (Multi-Purpose Fighting knife)

*MPT = Multi-Purpose Tactical knife

The MPF represents an additional generation of this line of knives and was not made by Mission Knives in Mission Viejo, CA. It was made in Anaheim, CA by the company that bought Mission Knives. You can see that there is a departure in titanium alloy, in blade shape and grip functionality. In many ways I prefer the Mission Knives model but keep those aside as collector’s items to hand down to my grandsons one day.
end sermonette

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20 COMMENTS

  1. I would trade the IR Beacon for bacon…'cause that's what I thought it said the first time I read it.

  3. HAHA! I noticed the 12" ruler that you call an 18" ruler to impress the ladies. And I must say, you live in a rough part of town, don't ya.

  5. Always interesting to see what others put in their go bags!
    I know what a Krugerrand is (only because my FIL used to have a few…) but who are Jimmy Choo and Alexander McQueen?

  6. LOL, I don't have my 214 in there either. And I need to get a Jenny Wren. I don't have any handcuffs in mine, but I do carry some heavy duty tie wraps… 🙂

  7. Remind me not to irk you, or in anyway get your irritated. I don't have a scat bag, but if I did, it would have Pop Tarts (cherry), my iPhone and a couple of VISA cards. OH, and my .357 Magnum with a box of 50 hollow points.

    As you can tell, I am more of a 'glass half full' kinda guy….and I am not sure how to take that Norwegian flag thing, let me ponder that for awhile.

  8. You are so much cooler than me.

    I think I'll submit this to family as my standing Birthday/Christmas wish list. Maybe eventually I'll be cool too.

  11. Cherry pop tarts…anything cherry. YES. And they have a shelf life equal to a twinkie. Sadly, I think that they'd be munched inside the bag.

  14. I thought my purse was pretty hardcore with an epipen, pocketknife, chapstick, misc drugs, writing utensil, and handkerchief. You've put me to shame.

  15. Nice rig.

    But how difficult would it be for the Russians to take out Great Britain's army? Oh. There isn't one.

    Not that I'm bitter.

Comments are closed.