# OpSec failure you may relate to.



## unclebob (May 14, 2010)

OpSec
Funny word or an important concept?

Today while at the gun store in a small town I have done some buisiness with I was talking to the owners girlfriend/sales person. He was out and the conversation turned to food prices and then evolved to include the probable economic decline and the notices from Kraft and Sisco about food price increases and shortages.

Well the next thing I know she is telling me about the prepper types that shop their store and that the owner and his best friend are doing that prepping stuff. Funny thing is I know his best friend and he works in the same office with one of mine.

I ask her if there are many of those prepper types in the area and I get an earfull of info.


POINT IS
Your chain is as stong as your weakest link. :sssh:


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## BizzyB (Dec 10, 2010)

We had a close call today. Neighbor kid, Codename: Dennis the Menace, came by selling raffle tickets. A Honeyville grain delivery had come earlier along with two giant pickling crocks and the boxes were still stacked in the foyer. Dennis the Menace looks past Mr. B and asks, "You guys moving?" Uhhh, er...


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

BizzyB said:


> We had a close call today. Neighbor kid, Codename: Dennis the Menace, came by selling raffle tickets. A Honeyville grain delivery had come earlier along with two giant pickling crocks and the boxes were still stacked in the foyer. Dennis the Menace looks past Mr. B and asks, "You guys moving?" Uhhh, er...


"just boxing things up to put in our storage unit...." uh, yeah, that's it


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## IrritatedWithUS (Jan 9, 2011)

"move along...nothing to see here..."


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## Concerned_ Citizen (Jan 20, 2010)

Yeah, im an idiot and informed 1 or 2 people at work whom i felt i trusted about certain prep related things.....next thing i know in converstaion with a supervisr he asks...something like, "i hear your stockpiling for the end of the world".......Chilled me....i promptly responded with a sarcastic remark....thats the last time ive mentioned ANYTHING prep related....

on the topic of OpSec.....posting on this website is really dangerous as well....i wish i had been more informed about this stuff.....I have a very erie feeling that posts made by me on this site will come back to haunt me one day


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Concerned_ Citizen said:


> on the topic of OpSec.....posting on this website is really dangerous as well....i wish i had been more informed about this stuff.....I have a very erie feeling that posts made by me on this site will come back to haunt me one day


proxies, proxies, proxies


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## jungatheart (Feb 2, 2010)

All those people who laugh at us and carry on will be the grim faced aggressor at our doorstep demanding our food for their Poor Kids. You might be able to trust certain people now but I've seen people I thought were okay turn into monsters with just a little adversity.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I just tell folks that I only prepare for the power outages that we seem to constantly have around here(just yesterday as a matter of fact.) and for poor weather.
But most of my family and friends know about my "food allergies" and off and on poor health and don't even think twice about me stock piling stuff that I need/use when it is on sale. In fact many family members have been asking how to do some of the stocking and rotating of bigger buys... But I have not been sharing with others Don't need random acquaintances showing up with hands out when things get worse.


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## nj_m715 (Oct 31, 2008)

IrritatedWithUS said:


> "move along...nothing to see here..."


I just had a good laugh. "These are not the droids you're looking for" 
(wave hand slowly in front of face)


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## nj_m715 (Oct 31, 2008)

Concerned_ Citizen said:


> "i hear your stockpiling for the end of the world"


I have dropped hints or poked around with some friends or family to look for allies. If they don't respond as prepers I simply switch gears to the old " I buy in bulk when on sale to save money" sort of thing and I point out the increase in food over the last few months. I leave it at that and hope I planted a seed with them.


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## JayJay (Nov 23, 2010)

How strange---I just sent this to all my email contacts..
except the neighbor that is hopeless!!

Preparedness Pro » Blog Archive » "If They Could Just Get It!"

"If They Could Just Get It!"


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## ctnchpr (Jan 16, 2011)

*OpSec*

When I come across "OpSec" in posts, my brain reads it as "OpSecurity" sometimes and "OpSecrecy" at other times. To me, they're one and the same. I tell nobody nuthin'. After the smoke clears and the DW and I emerge from our deep-woods hidey spot, we'll hook up with whomever else survives. There'll be a good chance that they'd been preppers, too.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

This week I was involved in a conversation and found out that there are several preppers in my work area.

I reminded them about OPSEC and COMSEC and also supplied this site, and of course a copy of the Golden Hoard post to emphasize the need to keep it on the low.

Everyone just considered me strange, raising chickens, and turkeys, making my own beer, etc.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

JayJay said:


> How strange---I just sent this to all my email contacts..
> except the neighbor that is hopeless!!
> 
> Preparedness Pro » Blog Archive » "If They Could Just Get It!"
> ...


*"Here's the problem, part of the reason why preparedness folks have such a negative stigma thrust upon them. is because many conduct themselves in such a way that they are begging to get the blue blazes beat out of them during recess. What's wrong with being clean cut, well spoken, intelligent, and well put together AND being focused on preparedness?"*

couldn't agree with *that* more emphatically


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## nj_m715 (Oct 31, 2008)

I think most people fell preppers are crazy because they have the "it can't happen to me" mindset. My store will never be out out food, my car will never get stuck in the snow, my house will never see a storm that knocks out the power for 4 days and there will never be riots here because this is America. Anyone who thinks otherwise must be nuts because they know they are right no matter how you look, dress or talk. You are nuts if you do anything different from the flock.


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## BizzyB (Dec 10, 2010)

The_Blob said:


> *"Here's the problem, part of the reason why preparedness folks have such a negative stigma thrust upon them. is because many conduct themselves in such a way that they are begging to get the blue blazes beat out of them during recess. What's wrong with being clean cut, well spoken, intelligent, and well put together AND being focused on preparedness?"*
> 
> couldn't agree with *that* more emphatically


Agreed. I think it goes toward the Gray Man philosophy: Blend in. Don't draw attention to yourself, don't linger in someone's memory.

Some people get quite carried away trying to find the perfect "gray" vehicle for bugging out/in or the perfect "gray-yet-tactical" costume to wear on SHTF Day. Gray is being center of mass, fitting in, the norm. If you're hanging with suburbanites, look suburban not homeless. If you're hanging with farmers, look rural not haute couture. If you're hanging with urban hipsters, well... the homeless look works well for that.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

Prepping is personal like your bank account, private.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

nj_m715 said:


> I think most people fell preppers are crazy because they have the "it can't happen to me" mindset. My store will never be out out food, my car will never get stuck in the snow, my house will never see a storm that knocks out the power for 4 days and there will never be riots here because this is America. Anyone who thinks otherwise must be nuts because they know they are right no matter how you look, dress or talk. You are nuts if you do anything different from the flock.


That is *SO* right from I what I see and here, at least in this area. In my area of NC, lots of folks have money, not billionairs or anything but enough so they can buy pretty much whatever they want. I get the impression that they think that no matter what the situation they will be able to get anything they need when they need it. I am actually glad I'm not in their boat and willing to be prepared. Being an old woodchuck from Pennsyltucky helps also and I look at the world a whole lot differently. I have lived the have nothing life and been happy. They have never even thought of the possibility of having no electric, indoor plumbing, heat or AC.


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## Tacitus (Dec 30, 2012)

The_Blob said:


> proxies, proxies, proxies


Do you pay for them...or do you use free ones?

I guess I figured proxies were good for keeping Google or Walmart from tracking me, but I figured the government was probably running most of the proxies. (And I don't even mean that in a conspiratorial way. I just assumed they would want to do that for legitimate security reasons...just the lay of the land.)


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## sgtrunningfool (Dec 8, 2012)

Call me paranoid but mostly over informed on the cyber topic. Never assume that your actions on the internet are anonymous, even in a cyber cafe. Truthfully for most people the best way for someone to track your actions is your bank statement.


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## CulexPipiens (Nov 17, 2010)

We got five of us prepping at work. Two approached me trying to sell me on "prepping" shortly after they discoverd it and the other two were having (independent) conversations with other co-workers. I danced around and pushed a bit until they finally admitted they were prepping but hoped I'd keep it quiet and not make fun of them. Of course at that point I discussed the fact I was too. All four were surprised as they didn't know about or even suspect I was or each other. We now have an informal sharing plan where we let each other know about info, deals and other related info. 

I won't run around shouting about it but if I come across someone wanting to get started or already doing so I'm happy to discuss with them. The more prepared people out there better chances we all have.


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## invision (Aug 14, 2012)

See this is where I disagree some... Let me give you an example... One of my clients is literally filled with preppers - they just sold out a year ago to a major company...

The preppers there are:
Former owner/CFO - he was wearing 5.11 tactical pants to work, and I asked him straight up going shooting? That started a in depth gun talk, which led to other areas, all of the focused indirectly around prepping. He use to manage the IT guy and knows he is a prepper so he flat out asked me, then he goes me too.

iT guy - this guy is in my group including his girlfriend and his parents.

Head of Unit deployment - this guy is in my group as well as his family 

Pre-sales engineer - started talking guns with him and IT guy walks up and asked if he got in his order of MT house... Bang...

Head of large client sales - half brother of one of the former owners (not the CFO) - he was outside smoking saying how his brother would blow through the money he just got front he sale of the business... And said he was too stupid to take a look at the economy and not buy a BOL... Used BOL... He was talking to another leading sales guy... Both preppers.

Oh, and the last owner, saw my NRA lifetime member emblem on the back of my CTS, and asked me how much I shoot, and could I help him... Why? He doesn't like the future... It's a start... Get them thinking at least.

I think more and more are getting into it... And if you find out - I think giving them a hand will be a good thing... That way IF SHTF you have a group of prepared people out there that once the dust settles you know they have the same mindset and trust can be somewhat established.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

My grandfather was the one who got us started. He's old school 'cold dead fingers' kinda guy who grew up after the depression with a father in the CCC's. He started with knives, them guns and ammo, now food and water. He's agreed that with him an my mother living in town, they won't be able to stay and will need to BO. He got my husband and I thinking, then we shared it with my husbands family (of whom only 1 sister is prepping), while he worked on my mom and sister. 

Just found out that my best friend from high school is prepping as well. I have a few prepper pages/groups as friends on Facebook and post/like/share stuff often. A few of my friends have questioned me on it and I tell them the truth: this country is going to hell in a hand basket and I want to make sure my family is taken care of. It's gotten them to thinking. 

And yes, I know everything on the Internet is public and anyone can see it, but if my posts get just one more parent thinking about it, that's one more family prepared for the worst. I've never gotten any flack or 'I'm coming to you house' comments.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

On a smaller scale…

Our driveway is about 100’ in length. Not too far from the road I put a sensor that would send a notification to the house when tripped. The notification was a chip that would play a recorded dog barking. Any car or walking person coming up the driveway, bark-bark.

Son was in junior high and thought that bark-bark was the coolest thing. He was told to keep his mouth shut about it.

Wasn’t too long before the neighbor’s boy was showing up at out front door with no bark-bark. Turns out my son enlisted the neighbor’s boy in figuring out how it worked. And then the neighbor’s boy took prided in always sneaking pass the sensor.

Wife has the same problem too. Everything that she sees or hears she has a compulsion to repeat to anyone that will listen.

So the area I’m clearing on the south side of the woods isn’t for a SHTF garden, it's the garden she wanted with extra lawn.

She’s afraid of firearms and as long as I keep them out of site and don’t talk about them she can live with that. The few times she’s asked how many or the cost, my response is that she didn’t want to talk about them, in other words no answer. 

When we lost power for 2 days and she could not take a shower or use her hair dryer, I used that as a reason for buying the generator.

Camo shirts. Military surplus for only $7 each, Dear. Cheap work shirts for Lazy L chores. 

Chickens. Honey! Fresh eggs every day! And meat when they stop laying. The rooster could be the 2nd biggest OPSEC problem I’ll have. He can't keep his mouth (peak) shut either with his crowing.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

Our biggest prob isn't the kids- it's our dogs. We have a 4lb miniature pincher (husbands idea), who thinks he's a mastiff so he 'protects' us from all the mean birds and cats. Sis in laws dog is a little better; he a Russian hunting dog so he can track and point, just is too stupid to get the training (he literally ran into a tree last week treeing a squirrel-I thought I was gonna die). 

I want a Tibetan mastiff but the cost of getting one plus feeding the thing make it impossible (unless we hit the lottery). Prob get a few labs; had them in the past and were great.


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## showmad (Jan 20, 2011)

Loose lips sink ships,less said the better but one thing for sure is to have a couple of cover stories. Someday a lot of people may show up at your door,hungry an you can't feed the world.


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## dixiemama (Nov 28, 2012)

The way my husbands reputation is around here, we won't be getting many ppl and the ones that might show up, will be my mother in laws family who are bums (live off food stamps an SSI). They know we keep extra food for when the powers out, but not the full extent. It's the reason I have super heavy duty locks on all doors.


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## Dakine (Sep 4, 2012)

TheLazyL said:


> She's afraid of firearms and as long as I keep them out of site and don't talk about them she can live with that. The few times she's asked how many or the cost, my response is that she didn't want to talk about them, in other words no answer.


When people ask me about firearms, and then here in CA once the conversation comes up, they naturally gravitate to something like "well, how many guns do you have?"

And my honest answer is... "Not only do I not count them, why does it matter? If I have two I'm okay but if I have 12 I'm a psycho?" I follow that up with comments about "how many cars are okay to have?" and the knee-jerk response is cars dont kill, guns do... but I know my numbers... car accidents kill 88 ppl a day, gun violence kills 33 (on average of course)

I don't get defensive, or indignant, I try to rock them back on their heels and let them see that they are already of a certain mindset without even knowing why.

why do they care if someone wants one of each brand to do target shooting with? does 3 make them more dangerous than 1?

And anytime anyone brings up anything gun violence related at work, I immediately start trying to turn the conversation to mental health care, and in CA, our failed system of Corrections and how the animals are repeatedly let loose to repeat their crimes.

It's going to get worse before it gets better.


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## Cabowabo (Nov 6, 2012)

I know several people who all are active duty military, and are all preppers. And they are all oath keepers. Its not hard you start talking about guns, that will branch out what they think on Obama, the way the country is heading etc.


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