Don't Train Like A Pro

Some of the most professional warriors get something wrong, yet would never run the same risk learning how to play chess.
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[@SilverShamrockNovelties]

I’ve been trying to make this point for years. All these tactical classes for civilians are structured to make the customer feel like they’re freaking invincible after spending that $800

[@dw5523]

Seeing a DBD comment on the channel adds validity for me. I'll add it to the stack. From someone who's taken your point to heart, thanks.

[@MrChuckwagon55]

99% of the time your absolutely correct. But there are some guys who are legit and will teach civilian’s everything. Most are just using their special ops background for just BS flat range training.

[@ppspsd]

Bleed in training so you don't DIE in combat!! This refreshing and brutal honesty!! 2 complaints, 1 your flask was on a shelf NOT in your hand! 2 where's RIGGS? He's the true star of the show!! Stay Alert, Stay Alive, Stay Safe!! 💪💪💪💪💪

[@STOKERMATIC]

🫡🥃

[@StrategicSelfRelianceDefense]

Fkin A right brother. Always push your personal envelope. To contribute to your training question, as one example as a tracker I will wear different shoes on each foot and then track myself backwards over various substrates. Track my 9 year old daughter after telling her to run check the mail on gravel, keep logbooks of aging auto and human tracks and tertiary spoor (discardables) out to 30 days or more. So much can be done by an individual on a daily basis to become as skilled as they choose, it just takes self drive and initiative to make it happen. Always push your personal comfort zone. Always study others. Always watch human behaviors. Today we worked carbine/shotgun/tactical medical and I spent as much time studying the human gait cycle and footwear while they were moving and shooting. ALWAYS BE A CONSTANT STUDENT!!! Well said sir!!

[@dn88s]

Man I don't like surprises or people screwing me. But I can relate I used to train for hunting trips by backpacking on rainy feb-mar days. You learn much better how to stay dry when you really don't want to get wet.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Easy seas don’t make wise sailors.

[@theintrovertedcalifornian5047]

Being a infantry veteran does give you a advantage because you have been exposed to individuals with leadership skills even if you have none. The thing about the civilian world is people have to realize we do not have access to hand grenades, claymore mines, crew served weapons, armored vehicles , mortars , artillery , unlimited manpower, a supply chain etc. So your training has to be centered on what you do have and who you have to work with. I think communication with your neighbors if you live in a rural area is key.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Agreed!

[@wilfdarr]

You should still take the time to make yourself familiar with those systems: your people may get your hands on a crew served weapon, claymores, grenades etc (most of us in this community know where the reservists/police have their armory in town, and a good number of reservists/police would in fact side with us in a Boogaloo/riot type situation) or you may be recruited to assist on an artillery system or armored vehicle (look at the kids killing it in the Bradley's we gave to Ukraine!), and you don't want it to be the first time you've ever looked at that system and how it's used. Train hard for sure, but don't burn yourself out, don't be afraid to flip on a doc on the Bradley, or an in-depth look at how the Ma Deuce works. Rounding out knowledge shouldn't be discouraged.

[@theintrovertedcalifornian5047]

@@wilfdarr Im ex infantry I am familiar with those systems lol

[@theintrovertedcalifornian5047]

@@wilfdarr vehicles are death traps remember that

[@wilfdarr]

@@theintrovertedcalifornian5047 Fair enough. I'm coming at the problem as a civilian. Ya if you're already familiar no point beating a dead horse.

[@user-sb9fw6ui2i]

You always have a backup, for the backup, for the backup, for the backup, for the backup.

[@joeloporto5210]

I recently joined our local Search and Rescue. Its a way to real-world train on land nav, medical, working in a team in adverse conditions, etc. So far it’s been a great supplemental and I’m testing my skills and equipment in real world applications.

[@paladin556]

I grew up drag racing. Bracket racing in specific. There were two tracks close by. One was known to be an easy to win at track and the other was known to be a "if you can win here, you can win anywhere" track. I raced at the hard track and learned from the best. I had to lose against the best to learn from them. It was hard and mentally tuff for a year or two, but eventually I could travel around and win anywhere. Like they say, to be the best you have to beat the best. That means you have to train with the best.

[@rushmaned]

I remember the same thing, me and my father played chess....

[@billwelch3421]

One of the things I always complained about during my time in the military. The primary force was always set up to win. I would argue they weren't learning anything and were not prepared for the unexpected. It took a while for me to get enough rank to have an impact and tell the higher ups that we would not just go out and die in an orderly military fashion. They finally understood when we as the aggressor force walked all over their elite.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Good stuff man. Thanks for sharing!

[@YouveBeenMiddled]

Gunny Highway, is that you?!?

[@aaotcis]

I've seen this first hand as OPFOR during Cold War TACOPS. Units in their FTX evolution within a site with fixed security fence, where OPFOR was not allowed to climb, dig, or cut. How did we rekt their false sense of security? We intercepted their sick call truck; impersonate "lost patrol" and walked right thru the front gate as "ground guides."

[@theintrovertedcalifornian5047]

@@aaotcis Thats why when going through Ranger school when returning back from a patrol its the platoon leaders duty to identify each platoon member coming back into the area of operation.

[@aaotcis]

@theintrovertedcalifornian5047 Agreed. You'd think this MP unit would have done that. As it was night TACOPS, anything was fair game so long as the physical perimeter fence was not altered. You should have seen the look on the OO as we walked through the site security gate facility. Precious. It wasn't until we successfully passed the FTX security check point that all hell broke loose. Add insult to injury, we destroyed their CP with the OO looking on.

[@GruntProof]

Outstanding

[@protectpersevere2030]

Well said stoker

[@robertlarsen6516]

Frankly, I’m truly blessed to have stumbled upon you, Randall, The Cousin, Brent, etc…because you all are real. Not unreal, like so many on the EweTube. Appreciate these chats more than you know.

[@jeffedoe4189]

Hopefully some more friends will listen to this and think

[@fanman8102]

I’ve been thinking about this for a while and believe the best most can do is be ready to play the A Team role. Most don’t have the time nor money to go play ‘training’ for the weekend let alone an entire week. How do we train years of experience into people during one weekend a quarter or whatever their meeting rotation is. It could take a whole year of monthly meetings to train people to recognize hand and arm signals, get in the correct position and move as a group. My example is the Pusan Perimeter. Short story is, the Marines send a Brigade of reservists and they helped save the day. What’s not always said is most of those reservists were WW2 combat hardened veterans. You can’t train that.

[@tombobak5820]

thank you, very well said...

[@STOKERMATIC]

🫡

[@Op4Grunt0311]

Solid advice

[@IndependentArmz]

I don't remember the specific time, but I do remember the feeling when I did beat my dad at chess. He wasn't the type to let you win, so it was sweet!

[@nicholas2827]

I would say going against someone a little better than you is best. It will ensure enough challenge that you stretch your skills, but not so much that you are so overwhelmed you can’t see where you are getting it wrong. Say level 1 going against level 1.5-2 will not only teach from failure but even give a chance a success. This would be far more beneficial than say level 1 V. 10

[@DDGVET4]

I'm going out on a limb here. I don't think that this is going to look like anything what we think it is going to look like. That will be hard to train for. To coin the old phrase "improvise, adapt and overcome will most likely be the order of the day. Communication and fluidity will be just as important or more so than playing out senarios in training. Realistically, medical support may be non-existant or too dangerous in exposing the group to obtain. You will be your own supply line. Gathering intelligence in advance on where needed items are, and plans to obtain them without being seen or heard. Ammo, water, food, medicine are naturally the top items of concern because they need constant replenishment. You will need to move further and further out of your op area for logistical purposes if the conflict becomes extended for a period of time beyond your inital supply level so having a good handle on how long you can operate on that supply is key. We're used to having the gedunk brought to us guys. Logistics is going to be a lot harder than fighting. Unconventional or irregular warfare is wholly different than most are used to and that's where I'd spend my brain power. Hell, it may well be that the hardest thing is figuring out who your enemy is at first before it's too late.

[@223dmr7]

I talk about this to my family and they all think I'm nuts. I've been doing some training on my own, I am all by myself. When I'm out back training they laugh and say well are you playing Cowboys and Indians again today?

[@STOKERMATIC]

Keep grinding!

[@michaellafavor6327]

I have the same problem with my family I have do everything and train and I am doing it to keep them safe and they don't want to here about the problem coming

[@RedDevil5081]

@223dmr7; there was a time when that wasn't playing. 🥃🍻

[@jimmyfields5831]

I’m in the same boat when I go out full kit my wife thinks I’m crazy etc.. but they really don’t think about shtf stuff to involved with phones reality tv etc..

[@aaotcis]

In the context of civilian prepardness, OPFOR offers a wide array of challenges in the MSEL training climate. Whether it's avoidance navigation to imminent conflict, logistics to field craft, I'd wager far too few civilians possess these skill sets. And it's not a complicated learning curve so long as there is opportunities to learn.

[@ketononeill8898]

I think on the prepared civilian side of things that logistics, land nav, intel, and comms skills should be a primary focus. Everyone wants to fight, thats the "hot" stuff. Nobody wants to hump 20 mi with 45 lbs in the middle of the night to sit at an LP/OP for two-three days. The best way to train those things is to get out there and do it. Hiking/camping with the fam, or solo, and making contact back home via radio, etc. Having a family to take care can really translate to logistics pretty well, too.

[@preparedcitizens]

Experience the failures and lessons through quality training so you can prevent them in a real scenario. Great video brother!

[@MrChuckwagon55]

Remember at some point you must sleep, so you have to have other guys patrolling and protecting while your sleeping and then rotating on and on. Lone wolves can’t survive during SHTF. We are all human. Try to get a medic as part of your team (ideally an 18 Delta).

[@user-gp9bt6fy4b]

You learn more from your mistakes and losses than victories. Training should be a programme of incrementally difficult scenarios, each time stretching the limits of skills/abilities etc a little bit further. View all tasks as numerous small hurdles to get over.

[@jerryj3047]

intel, train basic stuff. elbow close to the body, switch 1,2,3,4, do a static and dynamic entry...everything goes out of the window when you have a guy with PKM in a hallway, you can't train for every scenario...hole in the floor, a guy with suicide vest holding trigger, guy shot 5 times with mp5 keeps fighting, all that happened..can go on and on...good video

[@Valorius]

@Stokermatic Bro, from a fellow youtuber, that is an AWESOME thumbnail!

[@bafumat]

The simple fact is that no matter your preps, skills or awareness. Eventually, we will all lose these scenarios. Its just a matter of time and statistics. These scenarios all suck. And end only one way. All you can hope for legitimately is to live yhe best you can until the end. Preps and skills are a necessity. But you wont win.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Appreciate ya!

[@223dmr7]

We win in the end anyway Amen 🙏. But I will go down blasting

[@jimmyfields5831]

Yeah we won’t win that’s what the British thought in the American revolution in 1776

[@johnlogan5152]

Pessimistic attitude, gets you dead. We can’t win against an army, true. We can win against a group of people who want our food, water and etc.

[@bafumat]

@@johnlogan5152 being overly optimistic about your abilities will get you dead too.

[@skydivingcomrade1648]

Pros are predictable, amateurs are unpredictable

[@cliffkirby8570]

I have no idea what to expect or how to train for that... Weapons are lubricated and zeroed for a specific ammunition even though it's crazy as it seems I think it's far-fetched to believe that a little come to that. But I have been wrong before.

[@paulkirby6822]

You make great points live on the edge but think about the big picture

[@theintrovertedcalifornian5047]

In todays world if you can get a team of adults together and teach them how to pull guard duty, use a radio properly and be safe and accurate with a firearm you have accomplished a lot because everyone is so adhd. So far this old infantry veteran is training with old retired sheriffs in their 60s and local farmers because the young men and women have no interest in training whatsoever.

[@STOKERMATIC]

I feel ya!

[@RedDevil5081]

You got that right!

[@theintrovertedcalifornian5047]

@@alfanika2934 their phones lol

[@theintrovertedcalifornian5047]

@@alfanika2934 no i don’t think so

[@williamwalker1277]

Stoker, you brot up paintball. I pick the guys that were young men and they act like real men really for a war. They were no horse playing or joken.My team and I started a 5 man and ten man playing in 1998. Our first tournament was in 1999. We played 86 teams from all over the world. We came in seventh. We played a tournament in 2000 We went up against 83 teams and won. In 2001 we played a tournament in st louis.we went up against 96 teams and won.. In 2002 we played a tournament in Chicago and went up against 93 teams in the rain for 5 days and we won. After we won tham games. We got invited to the World paintball championship games in Huntington Virginia in 2003. We played for 6 days. After the last game was over we went out with the World paintball championship. That was 21 years old. The team and I trained 6-7 days a week every day for 6 years.Now I'm 64 yrs old and can't run a mile but I still shoot my guns like I'm 30 or35.

[@webcaster]

GOLD

[@user-ci2mn1oy3w]

the only thing that makes sense for shtf is to have a year's supply of food scatter-buried at your BOL, which BETTER be in the woods around your local water source. If shtf, dig a 20m long tunnel in 2 weeks, at night only, hiding the excavated dirt, and stay in it for a year, while 99% of the population dies-off. Come out only at night, only for an hour, while you access a food bucket and cook a meal. Then it will be MUCH safer, at night, to tend hidden plots of peanuts and root veggies. In another year, half of the remaining 1% will be dead. That will make it much safer (using night vision) to go scrounge what you need. To hell with groups, cause one of "your people' will just shoot you in the back over your not taking in some worthless relative or friend of theirs, not dispensing duties or meds the way they want, etc. To hell with the patrolling, too. You want your hunk of woods to look like any other. Then there's no reason for anyone to stay in your area. If they do, it wont take many subsonic, silenced 22 brainings (at night) to make them want to move on. They just cannot risk taking such casualties.

[@zero5374]

Here is my concern with uniformity, Predictably Everyone has the same uniform training, with no specialization, Imo that's a problem because it's predictable. Military skills are great, but a lot them are not well guarded secrets. so its closer to eating trail mix that's just peanuts. If you are military trained in fire arms, like Us training, level up, pick wholes in that training and improve. if you feel you have done that enough grab a new platform, and learn a new useful skill set. Then learn the concept of controlled chaos and unpredictably.

[@q-man762]

I think the only successful organization is going to be a functioning community that can withstand a sustained attack by a smaller force anyway.

[@brotherbrovet1881]

Retired Light Infantry Squad Leader here. Strategically relocated to a remote ridge in the Ozarks. Train? Thankfully, I found a fellow vet who's a real-life John Wick competitive shooter and ex-instructor for Border Patrol. 99% of my training is training for that moment you're never expecting, drawing from the holster and getting A-zone hits. Organizing my local Hillbilles is like herding cats. Main focus today is establishing a community CB network amongst our neighbors. We have no PD, no VFD... folks here are used to being self reliant. The locals who've always lived here have no urgency. Those of us who've moved here recently do. Looking to schedule "networking" events at a couple local taverns and eateries.

[@randalllybarger5625]

Stoker, let us know where we can get the most effective anti-radiation sickness meds or natural home-made version formula because... all the SHTF strategies will come after the earth rocks and a mushroom cloud appears.

[@jeffedoe4189]

Yea that's exactly what I was thinking. If that individual can't hit the side of a barn at 10 paces why the heck would you ever want to be next to him in a 2 way range . So work those individual skills till your a study. But constantly check your work have it evaluated by someone who's better and knows more about it

[@quhectic221st]

Man I like this guy he keeps it real like evander Holyfield.

[@AEC213]

Train the basics till they are automatic enough like breathing

[@wilfdarr]

I disagree with your assessment on paintball: is it 1:1 training, absolutely not, but as long as you understand that it's not training, it's sport, there is value in playing any sport, especially with those who will be beside you in an emergency, and I'd argue that as far as sports go, paintball/speedball has more value in teaching you to read angles than say hockey or football. Everything else here I agree 100%. Great video as always.

[@STOKERMATIC]

Appreciate your thoughts.

[@theycallmetim4397]

New sub here. GenXGemini sent me. Said I would not be disappointed. Looking forward to checking out more of your content. Love this video. Thanks!

[@STOKERMATIC]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@jimmyfields5831]

What’s your thought of the mil sim game like airsoft etc…

[@ccdme891]

So if the person that is better than you at “chess” this would mean that they wouldn’t waste their time playing with you so….

[@Grizzly907LA]

I don't know I want to go through Stokers training. I'd probably keel over ;-) Though I can become an extreme hard ass when I am training someone on something. We'd do damage control and flight deck fire fighting drills, non stop when we were deployed to the gulf in 90. We also had to go through "rough trade," where we sat in the San Diego harbor (that sucked because everyone else in the harbor was having a good time, sailing their boats etc,) and do drills non stop, with outside observers, grading us, and they were obnoxious. Before we deployed. Needless to say it was f'ing exhausting and tedious. We got our skills down pat though, after all of that training.

[@308reloader5]

The world has gone mad😮

[@johnm6736]

Show me a “prepper team” that has actual proficiency and a rock solid foundation in the individual skills and physical fitness, and who has the same in the collective skills, fundamentals, ttp’s, and understands their “why” or mission…. And whose members show up religiously every single time, and hit the hard skills on their own daily…. Then, we can talk about that groups training. Not only is that rare, it’s practically non existent. Unicorn. When they do get together, they simply work on stuff WAY above their pay grade and try to run a marathon when they can’t even tie their own shoes.

[@Ceannadach]

The problem is most people have careers, families, traditions, and other duties to attend to first and foremost. A professional military has their duties first, everything else second; making them superior in all ways. A fresh PVT out of Benning will have far more knowledge, grit, and determination than most preppers.

[@johnm6736]

It’s all about priorities. Don’t have 15 min a day to dry fire? 30-60 min to hit the gym a few times a week? Everyone has jobs, families, etc. Everyone has problems. No one cares. Your opponent, in competition, the street, combat or the guy just trying to out work you sure doesn’t care. And if people don’t have the drive or desire to get better, that’s fine. Just stop the fantasy of even playing “prepper” , “sheep dog” or “American bad ass” in the first place

[@johnm6736]

Champions were created with dry fire and very little live fire. One multi time national champ made Gm with proper dry fire and only 5000 rounds fired in practice. Professional strength athletes and body builders win competitions with full time jobs, families and lives. What other excuses can we come up with?

[@PurityofWrath]

Adaptability

[@thepracticalrifleman]

This sounds like lashing out at Matt. 🤔

[@STOKERMATIC]

I know plenty of folks who would stand guilty - and if I’m honest, I’m probably more guilty than any.

[@Variable19]

What @gruntproof said

[@highchamp1]

Saddam Hussein Had the same problem

[@goombakiwi]

You want to really learn a topic; commit to training others on it.

[@donnelsen6507]

Love your thoughts and agree; but can you please trim your beard? 🙂

[@JB-uk7mn]

🫡

[@surveillancedevicemedia]

🌈🌈🌈🦄🦄🦄

[@Ronjr4494]

But Top, if ya killem, they wont learn nothin.

[@STOKERMATIC]

🏴‍☠️🥃🏴‍☠️

[@TravisMcKnight-lk7gg]

Skill sets and cross training individuals in your main fire support weapon, in medic skills, navigation 🧭, como , enemy weapons and tactics, everyone having some level of skills in multiple jobs .