Affiliate Link: The Debilitating Tools of War

H John Poole, legendary trainer at the USMC School of Infantry East, has released a new book, dealing with the threats posed by modern technology and how to defeat them.  The book touches on the two areas most people are concerned with most, drones and thermal imaging.  His opinions match those of NC Scout and I and hopefully the book can open some eyes.

As always, Poole begins by pointing out that the US military, and all western miitaries, are overly reliant on technology.  We have the most advanced and accurate weapon systems the world has ever known and drones are an incredible force multiplier.  However, as Poole points out, these tools haven't exactly enabled us to defeat Eastern soldiers.  We fought the Koreans and Chinese to a stalemate, we were defeated by a farmer militia in Vietnam, and we were outlasted by tribal militias in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

He also points to the example of Ukraine, where both sides are using drones heavily, but depsite the Instagram videos, neither side is winning.  In truth, both sides are now reverting to small unit skills and smaller bodies of troops to make progress....more on that later.

The book covers more than just drones and thermals.  Poole dives into weapon mounted lights and lasers, night vision, GPS, acoustic and motion sensors, and many other gadgets we use.  He cites the historical examples of how Eastern soldiers have consistently been able to defeat all of this with solid squad and team level small unit tactics, movement skills, and movement planning.

The rest of this article is for supporters only, so become a supporter today.

Become a Supporter

Book Link: The Reluctant Partisan Volume 2

This weekend, I finished John Mosby’s second volume: The Reluctant Partisan, Volume Two: The Underground.  This volume builds on the first, which was directed more at the actual rural fighting force of a local resistance/partisan unit.  Volume Two concerns itself with the other aspects of resistance, running operations in an urban area, to include intelligence and counterintelligence.

While I liked the book, brace yourself for Mosby’s style.  The only thing I don’t like about this book is his looking down at anyone who wasn’t SOF but thinks they will form a resistance.  He spends a lot of time bad-mouthing the 3 percent movement, which is probably justifiable, but it gets to be too much.  He also derides most of the preparedness community unless you are a super-athlete.  While he has a valid point, he lays it on a bit thick and rather than motivation, it comes across as ridicule and hate.  I’m able to roll my eyes and glean the great training material in here but just brace yourself.

Having said that, this book has great material in it, far beyond the typical “tacti-cool” stuff you find.  He talks about developing an intelligence network and local defense group, finding like-minded people, and intelligence analysis. He also covers counterintelligence and guarding the image you project.  These sections need to be read and re-read dozens of times.  Might even make great class content…..

Just like me, he breaks down “gray man” tactics into reality.  There is a time to be the “gray man” and blend in and there is a time to project the “we will kill you if you trifle with us” image.  As I said, once things get spicy, gray man essentially goes out the window, except in very specific circumstances.

John offers an excellent primer on vehicle patrolling and movement tactics and the appendix contains a very good training curriculum for vehicle operations. 

There is a chapter on the urban guerrilla’s primary weapon, the handgun.  He goes into great detail on handgun operations as well as two-man CQB, the same type that most of the private military companies teach (as well as CAG and other SOF units).

There is a chapter on rifle selection and use.  John smartly stresses familiarity with the manual of arms on several different rifle platforms, as you may have to pick one up and use whatever your enemy was carrying.  It may not be the AR-15.  It might end up being Mikhail’s Brilliant Tool (the AK) or The Right Arm of Freedom (FN-FAL/SLR).  The appendixes contain a pistol and rifle training program.

It’s a solid book and I recommend it.  You can only find it at lulu.com.

Link: Volume One: The Guerrilla

I just finished reading John Mosby's The Reluctant Partisan Volume One: The Guerrilla.  He didn't ask me to review it and doesn't even know I have it, so it's a truly unbiased review.  Mosby is the author of the Mountain Guerrilla blog and a Special Ops veteran.

The book is 357 pages long, including several appendices that are just as good as the main content.

The purpose of the book is similar to my series.  It's meant to provide a baseline training standard for a civilian local defense group/mutual aid group.  It's not good enough that everyone knows small unit tactics, that have to know the SAME small unit tactics and train to a similar standard.

Mosby covers all the basics from physical fitness to combatives and first aid as a start.  Mosby then goes into detail on land navigation, basic patrolling, and squad-level battle drills.  He spends a lot of time on marksmanship and rifle set-up, which is good.  There is a chapter on night movement that is particularly good.

What sets this book apart is a chapter on establishing Escape and Evasion plans and on how to evade.  It's refreshing to see this as most books in the tactical and preparedness fields don't ever touch on it.  Look, if we are going to conduct a resistance (to CHINA or RUSSIA, feds, calm down) or fight bad guys in our area, things might not always go our way and we might need to evade.  The time to learn how to do this is NOW and start develpoing your EPA (evasion plan of action).

There is also a chapter on patrol planning and the Military Decision Making process.  It's good to learn the ability to lead.  Everyone in your group needs to know what to expect in the planning process.

The first two appendices cover gear set up for both your personal gear and your fighting rifle.  The next one is a Fighting Rifle course of instruction complete with shooting drills and standards. The final appendix is a course of action for patrolling skills.

My assessment is that this is a solid training tool to include in your library.

Mosby has several books out.  After finishing this one and thinking about what was in Volume One, I ordered Volume Two: The Underground.  Volume Two covers urban unconventional warfare and incudes a pistol and rifle training program.  I also ordered his Guerrilla Gunfighter Volume One and Two.  Volume One is on the Clandestine Carry Pistol and Volume Two is The Preparedness Rifle and Carbine.  I'll do reviews on them once they arrive.