Yikes. I have no other word to start this post. As most of you know, I try and keep my posts upbeat. So I apologize in advance. For this one scared me. I haven't been to a "Army/Navy Surplus store in a decade or two. I went back in the Early 2,000s to get some Unit Patches to sew on my hat. I brought my DD 214 with me, so I could prove to the Clerk I was in those Units. She never even looked. Just rang up what I bought. And that was the last time I went...until today.
Someone posted a picture of the old Garrison Cap, which we called by a much more vulgar name. I much preferred that Cap to the Saucer Caps with the shiny bills. So I thought maybe I would buy one to show my Grandkids, maybe pick up some of those Metal Unit Crests to give them along with the hat. So off I went.
As I was browsing around, I found a lot of stuff from back in my day, but not as much as I thought. Fatigues were rare, BDU's were much more common. And some newer stuff I didn't even recognize. When did the Army go back to WW II Style? I missed that somehow. They look kind of cool though. And there were those heavy helmets we wore with the helmet liner - which when all we wore were the liners, we thought that was a good break!
So far, so good. And then "Yikes" walked in the door. Two young men, couldn't be more than twenty, twenty five tops. They had kevlar vests on. They had Glock pistols and extra mags on their hips. Both had K-bars strapped to their legs, and were wearing Oakley sunglasses. I thought they were Marines (Camp Lejeune is seventy miles from here) . But why were they wearing shorts with all that gear on?
Me being me, I chat with them. Their technical and weapons knowledge was off the charts. They knew all about suppressors, night vision goggles, even some fancy kind of band aide I never heard of that speeds up blood clots for a bleeding wound. They told me about small drones for peeking over a hill, or around a building...and showed me how they would carry one in a pocket on their vests.
They were literally armed to the teeth. So I asked what Branch they served in. None. Never served. But they all meet up with about forty other guys to train for the upcoming unrest. I asked what upcoming unrest.
I swear they looked at me like I had two heads. I told them I don't watch the News and I stay clear of Politics. They shook their heads. One of them put his hand on my shoulder and gently said: "Pops, you need to wake up. You might have to put your Uniform on again." He said it in a kindly way. I think he was
unaware of the weight of his words. "Prepare for the upcoming unrest?"
They told me that they practice urban warfare, how to clear a rooftop, room, or basement. When to use "flash", gas, or bangers. They even told me technical stuff about explosions like the back pressure if you blow a door with C4. Why you have to use hand signals because when the sh*t hits the fan, you can't hear, and neither can anyone else.
They knew way more than me, and they were up to date too. Without a day in the Service. They know how to rig IED's and set them off with a cell phone, they were a literal fountain of information, tactics, equipment and strategy.
And they had no idea how bad they were scaring me. These guys want things to go South. They want to fight. Here. In the USA. Against their own brothers and sisters. They can't wait. Yikes.
One of them told me they have more gear, and weapons, in their truck. I asked why? They smiled at me: "Because you never know when you might need them."
Yikes, Double yikes. Even in the Army I met a lot of wannabes. They wanted to prove themselves, win Medals... and be a real Hero- like Audie Murphy, or a made up one like Rambo. These two were cut from that cloth. I didn't ask them why they didn't actually join the Military...because I think the Military is much better off without them.
I left the store without buying anything. And I am still a bit shaken. Anyone , who thinks Violence in this country is what we need more of...well, I can't agree. I won't agree. And I am afraid that just like in Europe, one man can put millions out of their homes, hundreds of thousands wounded or Dead, and set a country back a century. These two "Patriots" seem to think they- and the ones they love -will somehow miraculously stay unaffected. Water will still run, electricity will be on, and food will be delivered on time. Like their group will just stop by Burger King on the way to whatever scenario they think is playing out in their minds.
it won't be that way. It will be a mess, and messier than anyone could imagine.
And now I have to percolate that those people know more people like them. And are training and hoping....
Yikes. Just Yikes.