Monthly Archives: August 2025

Article – Mysterious Crime Spree Targeted National Guard Equipment Stashes

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A string of previously undisclosed break-ins at Tennessee National Guard armories last fall marks the latest in a growing series of security breaches at military facilities across the United States, raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of US armories to theft and intrusion.

A confidential memo from the Tennessee Fusion Center reviewed by WIRED details four break-ins at Tennessee National Guard armories over a seven-week span. In one incident, thieves made off with night vision goggles, laser target locators, and thermal weapons sights, among other equipment. At others, intruders breached fences, tripped alarms, and gained access to supply rooms discovered in the aftermath to have been unlocked.

Really, this is, IMHO, one of two things – either its a buncha people wanting to gear up for the boogaloo or whatever flavor of upcoming apocalypse they believe in, or its some guys dumping ACOGS and DBALS on eBay. I’m more inclined to believe the former.

This sort of thing happens more frequently than anyone cares to admit, just not usually on a grand or organized basis. Everyone knows ‘that guy’ that stole an ACOG, a lower, a GPS, whatever, while on an exercise. In the case of guns, they usually lock the place down and send everybody out into the field until the item is found. On non-gun stuff…it might be a little less strict but I could be wrong.

Were I of the ‘insurgent’ nature, I’d say my interest would be commo gear above all else…especially the encrypted stuff. But theres a lot to be said for having NODS, IR lasers, and ACOGS in quantity.

I know that in the old days when the military still used commercial vehicles, such as Suburbans, Blazers, etc., a lot of tires and spare motors mysteriously wound up in people’s garages. Nowadays its a different story…I bet they RFID the heck outta that stuff.

But, if the military is serious about investigating this they should troll eBay and some of the exchange forums on the discussion groups. If it turns up there, you know it was done for cash and if it doesn’t turn up there…well….there may be something afoot.

Article – ‘Cult’ of tourniquets causing thousands of unnecessary amputations and deaths in Ukraine, say surgeons

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From a post at Bayou Renaissance Man, an article about how the improper, unnecessary, or overuse of tourniquets in Ukraine has led to ‘tens of thousands’ of unnecessary amputations.

The tourniquet has saved many thousands of lives and limbs in war zones around the world, but misuse of the device is causing huge numbers of excess amputations and deaths in Ukraine, say top military surgeons.

Captain Rom A Stevens, a retired senior US medical navy officer who has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and East Africa, estimates that of the roughly 100,000 amputations performed on Ukrainian soldiers since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, as many as 75,000 were caused by improper use of tourniquets.

“I’ve seen tourniquets that have been left on for days, often for injuries that could have been stopped by other methods. Then [the patient] has to have their limb amputated because the tissue has died,” Captain Stevens told The Telegraph.

There is more to being prepared than just buying a tourniquet and shoving it in your gear. Much the same way buying a gun doesn’t make you ‘safer’ unless you actually, you know, learn how to use it. YouTube videos would, I’d imagine, be the minimum and the optimum would be one of those Stop The Bleed classes that seem to be everywhere.

This sort of segue’s into an argument that appears from time to time in the preparedness world: should you stock medical equipment that you are not qualified or trained to use? On the one hand, so the thinking goes, you are more likely to cause harm than good by using a piece of equipment, a drug, or a technique that you are unqualified to use. On the other hand, just because you don’t know how to use it does not mean there won’t be someone around who does. We’ve all read about car accidents where a bystander pulls over to help and its a nurse or doctor. You may not have the talent, but there may be someone around who does…and they need the right tools to maximize that talent.

Folks more knowledgeable than I will chime in on this subject, I’m sure. (cough*Aesop*cough)

 

Missoula Gun Show

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The big Missoula gun show this is this weekend and its a little…underwhelming. But part of that is because, frankly, theres not much left I need and even less that I want. But, I have people visiting me this weekend and we’re making a gun safari of it…hitting the gun show and all the gun shops up and down the valley. Interestingly, it wasnt at the gun show but at a shop in Hamilton where I spent the most money. This is the same shop that, back in February, I got a decent deal on a Trijicon dot. Well, they had another. And they also had an Eotech XPS-2 that was used. Wound up buying both f(used) or a good discount. Its an interesting gun store…not a lot of old stuff, but alot of used stuff. And theres some pretty interesting oddballs….for example I saw a Ciener Mini-14 .22 kit which I almost bought until I remembered Cieners reputation with his AR .22 kits. Its a pretty good shop and I highly recommend it.

Since Im playing host to out of towners from a place that doesn’t believe in freedom, theres a big range day planned today. Might take some pictures, might not. But….thats the weekend.