Texas Militia Standards and Guidelines:
Contents
Texas Militia Declaration of Purpose: 1
About the Texas Militia Command Structure: 2
Texas Militia Command structure: 3
Command and Non-command positions: 3
Chain of Command: 3
Texas Militia Unit Structure: 4
Texas Militia Unit Assignments: 5
Texas Militia Fire Teams: 5
Texas Militia Guard: 5
Texas Militia Volunteer Support: 5
Texas Militia Policy and Rules: 6
Membership: 6
Elections: 7
Duties of those in Command: 8
Things not Tolerated in the Texas Militia: 8
Email Guidelines: 9
Uniforms and Gear: 9
Official Uniform BDU: 9
BDU Uniform Care: 10
Tactical Vests and Rigs: 12
Weapon Systems: 13
Rifle or Long gun choices: 13
Edged Weapons: 15
Texas Militia Declaration of Purpose:
Everyone is welcome regardless of race, age, gender, color, religion, or political
affiliation, provided you do not wish to bring harm to our country or citizens. We
are here to promote, support and maintain a free and Constitutional
Government. The Militia is a military force composed of ordinary citizens to
provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of
emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of
service. We believe education is the first requirement for keeping and maintaining
freedom! With that said we encourage you to pick up a book and read about
America’s historical documents that were a part of the founding of this country
before you ever pick up firearms or join the Militia! As Americans, it is
"everyone’s" responsibility to uphold and defend the Constitution; this is a
requirement of a free people. The militia is needed as the absolute last line of
defense against any threat, whether natural or man-made, foreign or domestic; it
is everyone’s responsibility to be prepared to protect and defend state and
country. As to the need for armed citizens, as a human being you have the right to
live for your own sake, and while living, you are responsible for defending the life
of you and yours. The militia fulfills a long established American tradition as the
ultimate and final guarantor of freedom; it establishes that as a free people we
are ready, willing and able to defend our lives and country.
"If a people expect to be ignorant and free, they expect what never was and
never will be." -Thomas Jefferson
“Congress have no power to disarm the militia. Their swords, and every other
terrible implement of the soldier, are the birth-right of an American ... the
unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state
governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the
people.” – Tench Coxe
About the Texas Militia Command Structure:
As any organization goes, so goes with it a management structure or command structure in the case of a
military organization. Any successful business has tiers of management to promote and maintain the
health of the business, likewise the same holds true for a military organization as well. This however is
by far one of the biggest sticking points to any militia! Militia’s have broken up or failed to grow from
this one point alone. This is due to not looking at history and how Militias were run and set up in the
past, not taking into account our own American history. One problem then that arises with some groups
that call themselves Militias is that they are started by a mysterious person that is never seen and only
gives orders to be followed with no one to answer to. In other cases some Militias may be started or
lead by a person that is less than qualified to lead and there is no remedy available to place someone
more qualified in the leadership position. Then you have the Militias on the other side of the fence that
say they have no leader and will wage a “leaderless resistance” if the time comes for it. That “leaderless
resistance” goes against everything we know of history. There has never been a successful campaign of
“leaderless resistance” lead against any organized army of the world. Leaderless resistance also ignores
exactly what our founding fathers wanted the militia to be! Let’s look closely at the 2nd amendment.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep
and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Being “Well Regulated” refers to the people being well trained, prepared and disciplined. Our Founders
knew we would have to be organized to stand against enemies such as England or France at the time.
Being “unorganized” or “leaderless” is in direct contradiction to what our founders wanted and not
mentioned in the 2nd amendment. As one historical example our beloved Paul Revere joined the Militia
as a lieutenant of artillery. It’s obvious that Paul Revere was not a “Militia of one” but rather part of a
larger Militia with a command structure in place! At the time of the Revolutionary War you either had
the Militiamen that came “at will” or you had Militiamen that signed a contract to enlist for a stated
amount of time into the formation of which was none other than the Continental Army. Either way
there was a command structure in place and both groups reported to their appropriate commands.
There was NO “leaderless” war being waged except by the occasional person caught in the crossfire of
the war! So to be practical and realistic the TM will mirror the command structure that the Colonial
Militia followed. The end result turns out to be fair and holds true to the nature of this Republic and how
history records that Militia’s were formed and run both before and after the American Revolution! You
wouldn’t expect a town to organize a Fire Department and select a Fire Chief and Captains after a fire
starts so why do we have this thinking that we shouldn’t organize a Militia and its command structure
now before the “fire” starts!
Texas Militia Command structure:
- Everyone in the Texas Militia is considered a leader!
-The command positions will mirror those found in the current U.S. military and also what was used by
the Colonial Militia. This happens for a number of reasons. One reason is that it works! The Second
reason is this is how Militias were structured even before the revolutionary war. Another reason is that
during war, martial law or invasion there will be patriotic soldiers leaving various Military's and joining
our ranks and this will in fact stream line the process for them to integrate themselves into the Militia.
Command and Non-command positions:
-Command positions will be voted on and include Corporals, Sergeants, Lieutenants, Captains, Colonels,
Majors and Generals etc.
-Elected Command positions will be included in all units to keep order within TM.
-Due to the less physical nature of the higher Command Offices of the Texas Militia, the Texas Militia
Support will be allowed to be elected for Lieutenant Colonels positions and higher over the whole
Militia.
-Everyone that is not in a command position will be ranked as a specialist.
-Obviously and laughably there will not be a need for a General or Majors etc. with only a five man
team. The command structure will be built as a bottom to top structure to keep it simple and lean.
Command positions and upper command positions will be added as more people join the Militia. So with
a five man Fire Team there will be 4 Specialists (Fire Team members) and 1 Corporal (Fire Team leader).
As for another example, when the group grows to 11 men there will be 8 Specialists, 2 Corporals and 1
Sergeant. Here’s how it’s broken down in the Military and our model to use.
Chain of Command:
Specialists
Corporals
Sergeants
Lieutenants
Captains
Lieutenant Colonels
Colonels
Major Generals
Lieutenant General
Etc.
Texas Militia Unit Structure:
-Fire Teams, Squads ET Al. will be assigned based on Geographical locations rather than familiarity with
other members. For example it doesn’t make any sense to have one member of a Fire Team located in
Austin and 2 members of the same team in San Antonio if there are already people within the same city
that you live in to be grouped with. Fire Teams will constantly be reorganized to put you in closest
proximity to your fellow Militiamen.
Fire Team – 5 soldiers, 4 Specialist Commanded by 1 Corporal.
Squad – 2 Fire Teams for a total of 10 soldiers. 8 Specialist, 2 Corporals and commanded by 1 Sergeant
or Staff Sergeant.
Platoon – 4 Squads for a total of 40 soldiers. A platoon is led by a Lieutenant with an NCO as second in
command, and consists of four squads or sections.
Company – 3 Platoons for a total of 120 soldiers. Three platoons form a company, which is commanded
by a Captain with a first Sergeant as the commander's principle NCO assistant. An artillery unit of
equivalent size is called a battery, and a comparable armored or air cavalry unit is called a troop.
Battalion - 300 to 1,000 soldiers. Four to six companies make up a battalion, which is normally
commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel with a command Sergeant major as principle NCO assistant. A
battalion is capable of independent operations of limited duration and scope. An armored or air cavalry
unit of equivalent size is called a squadron.
Brigade - 3,000 to 5,000 solders. A brigade headquarters commands the tactical operation of two to five
organic or attached combat battalions. Normally commanded by a Colonel with a command Sergeant
Major as senior NCO, brigades are employed on independent or semi-independent operations. Armored
cavalry, ranger and Special Forces units this size is categorized as regiments or groups.
Division - 10,000 to 15,000 soldiers. Usually consisting of three brigade-sized elements and commanded
by a Major General, divisions are numbered and assigned missions based on their structures. The
division performs major tactical operations for the corps and can conduct sustained battles and
engagements.
Corps - 20,000 to 45,000 soldiers. Two to five divisions constitute a corps, which is typically commanded
by a Lieutenant General. As the deployment level of command required to synchronize and sustain
combat operations.
Obviously we will probably never see the Militia levels grow to such an extent but we will have the
ground work in place to help the organization to whatever level of growth it might achieve.
Texas Militia Unit Assignments:
- The reality of the situation is that we need “All hands on deck”! So we need everyone to contribute in a
positive way to the Militia!
Texas Militia Fire Teams:
The primary goal of this Unit is to be ready at all times for all circumstances! This is Unit where we would
like most men to be at. Fire Team members need to train on a regular basis and will need to meet up on
a regular basis with their fellow team mates! Fire Team members will need to work up to being able to
sustain themselves out in the “field” for extended periods of time. Fire Team members will also need to
get all the gear necessary to accomplish this task.
Texas Militia Guard:
The primary goal of this team will be to guard! Women will be assigned to our TM Guard unit.
Historically speaking women have been just as fierce and deadly in battle as have men; in fact one of the
best snipers in recorded history was a Russian woman! Without getting too graphic there has been very
logical reasons for separating men from women in most of the Major Armies of the World. Historically
speaking when men and women are put together in very harsh conditions within groups in combat
settings or any setting for that matter, the women or woman will attach themselves either consciously
or unconsciously to another man in the group for support and protection. At this point the woman’s
loyalties then will center then on the man and the man then becomes more focused on protecting the
woman instead of protecting the group or achieving the goal at hand. At the same time love triangles
could occur which could also jeopardize the whole group because someone is over come with jealously!
Also natural conscience tells us that women should not be on the front-lines of battle! Furthermore a lot
of our members have wives or girlfriends and if women are allowed in Fire Teams then it becomes a
problem because every guy will want his wife or girlfriend to be on a particular team etc. and this will
save us from that ordeal. Women will however be allowed to attend all trainings and meetings with the
men. Women will be allowed to partake of all training curriculum with the men! Realistically speaking
when it comes down to it, if there is an all out assault on our community and freedoms etc. we will all
find ourselves, men and women side by side fighting to prevail! TM Guard will mostly be responsible for
protecting women and children of Fire Team members while they are on assignment. They will also be
responsible for protecting homes and businesses while Fire Team members are away. While at any
meetings or trainings TM Guard will act as security at those events.
Texas Militia Support:
Any gentleman that would be a liability to the Fire Teams in actual combat will be in TM Support. For the
men this is not based on weight or age but will be judged on a case by case basis and if you can keep up
with training and not have to sit out or down due to over exertion then you will be on a Fire Team. The
primary goal of this group will be to support or back up the Fire Teams or Guard in times of need.
Texas Militia Volunteer Administration:
The Voluntary Administration position is one that crosses all of the above categories and includes “S”
shops. In other words if you’re a volunteer firearms instructor, you may be instructing both the TM Fire
Teams, TM Guard or TM Support. These positions are voluntary and you can either volunteer yourself or
have someone recommend that you volunteer. Voluntary Support positions include but are not limited
to Recruiters, Trainers, Chaplains, Doctors, Medics, Radio and T.V. Public Relations etc.
Texas Militia Policy and Rules:
The bottom line is that all positions and rules are voted on by all members!!!
-The TM Policy and rules can be changed at any time by taking a vote.
-To add, adjust, or delete any rules a TM member simply need to bring the proposal up for vote.
-Rules or Policy can be changed by 75% of all members voting and agreeing to the action being
requested. Let’s say for example that at a given time in the TM we have 10 members in current standing
and a member wants to change the official camouflage from Multicam to yellow polka dots. One
Militiaman simply needs to bring it up during a training or meeting for vote and as long as 75% of all
members are present then the vote can take place, if 75% of current members are not present then the
vote cannot take place but can be communicated for a vote at a later date. So for example with 10
current standing members in the TM Militia the request can be approved if at least 8 members agree
and vote yes to the change. In a five man group then there would need to be at least 4 members
agreeing to the proposed changes.
Membership:
Currently we cannot allow anyone that has been:
1) Dishonorably discharged from the Military or discharged without honors
2) Anyone with a Felony conviction
3) Anyone not allowed to own a Firearm
You are considered a Texas Militia member when you show up to a meeting; training or personally meet
with a Commanding Officer and let us know “I want to be a Texas Militia member!” This is a voluntary
organization and you can join or leave at anytime, however we ask that you give us the courtesy of
letting us know that you no longer would like to be part of the Texas Militia when you do leave.
Currently there are no membership dues for Militia members however we do take up collections
occasionally to help other members or causes.
Secondarily being a member of the Texas Militia requires that you participate on a regular basis in
meetings and trainings or other events that are planned. It also requires that you sign up on the list for
voluntary positions. Obviously Birthday's, Funerals, Vacations etc. do happen and will cause your
absence but if you feel that the “Game” is more important than Militia duties then perhaps remaining a
“Internet Commando” is more in line with your ambitions. We’ve had some trouble in the past where
individuals talk a good talk about having skills that would benefit the Militia and wanting to be part of
the Texas Militia however they never show up to any events or trainings.
When you join the Texas Militia you will be ranked as a Specialist.
Oaths and Affirmations:
Since this is a voluntary organization we do not require “Oaths” to be taken, however it does benefit the
group as a whole to hear someone verbally state their intentions to help the “Cause”. We have one Oath
and one Affirmation that you can choose to speak in front of the group if you so desire. The Oath is the
basic form of the current U.S. Military says and will go like this:
"I, _____, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against
all enemies, foreign and domestic.”
Secondly for those of you that have religious convictions against taking a “Oath”, you may simple state
your intentions through a “Affirmation”. The basic Affirmation will go like this:
“I,_____, do affirm that I will protect our God given rights, my country, and My State, Family and Militia
members to the best of my ability.”
Elections:
-All Command positions will be voted on by all members of the Militia! If you cannot attend the meeting
then you need to send an email or letter at least one week prior to the meeting to make sure your vote
is counted!
-Voting will happen twice a year on the first Saturday of February and the first Saturday of July. Voting is
required and to be kept both in peacetime and wartime! No one can declare themselves a permanent
leader just because of war or any other situation that arises.
-Concerning the elections, everyone is eligible to be voted for and no one can disqualify themselves
from being voted for. For the sake of discussion and from here on out we will have the example of a 5
member group consisting of John Doe 1, John Doe 2, John Doe 3, John Doe 4 and John Doe 5. So if John
Doe 2 decides he doesn’t want to be in a leadership position and vocalizes that before the vote but John
Doe 4 and 1 do think he is qualified and vote for him and he (John Doe 2) wins the majority vote, he
must take the leadership position. This happens for two reasons, sometimes those around us can see
the leadership qualities in others that they can’t see themselves and secondly if someone intimidated
John Doe 2 into saying he wasn’t interested in the position, then that potential problem will also be
eliminated with this clause.
-Militia members are eligible to serve two full 6 month terms as long as they are elected by a majority
vote. Militia members can only remain in a command positions for a 6 month term or 1 year term total
depending on the vote results. In other words take the position of Sergeant for example, John Doe 1 is
voted in for the position of Sergeant and after the 6 month vote comes up he is voted for again to be in
the same position, he can only remain in that position for 1 year total! After serving a 1 year term John
Doe 1 must step down from that position and he cannot be eligible for that same position for at least 1
year. After 1 year of not serving in that position he can be eligible to serve in it again if he is elected by a
majority vote. In another example let’s say John Doe 1 served as Corporal for one year, if the position of
Sergeant is available John Doe 1 is eligible to be voted for that position and serve in that position for one
year also. After serving in the position of Corporal for 1 year and then Sergeant for the next year John
Doe 1 cannot be voted in again for Corporal or Sergeant for one year. John Doe 1 can only hold his next
command position for 1 year total and if there is no higher position to be voted on then he must step
down and resume the position of Specialist. This does a number of things that our current government
should be doing in a true Republic namely term limits! This also eliminates vote fraud if it should ever
happen in this organization, so even if someone were cheating they couldn’t keep that position of power
for more than 1 year.
-Unlike our current situation in this country where you are not required to vote, all currently active
members must vote for all open command positions!
-If you do not vote for anyone within the time allowed it will be deemed that you are voting for yourself
for all the open positions.
-The vote will be done by paper ballot, email or letter by mail and shown openly for all members to see
either by email or by vote form at a meeting.
-The majority vote wins. So for example out of a five member team 2 people vote for John Doe 3 and
everyone else receives 1 vote each then John Doe 3 wins. If there a tie between 2 people then a lot can
be cast such as a toss of the coin for heads or tails. If 3 or more people tie a lot can be cast such as short
to long sticks to decide the winner in such a case.
-The person that receives the win for whichever position is available at the time can be recalled by 60%
of the members for any reason or no reason at all. In other words say John Doe 2 wins by 2 votes and he
does something at a later date that the other members in the group think is unconstitutional or amoral.
For example, in a five man Fire Team, 3 members of the Fire Team can call an emergency vote to recall
and cause a new vote to happen and all members must vote for the position again. The new member
voted in will serve until the next election and be eligible for two more terms after that.
Duties of those in Command:
Those in Command positions need to be aware that they not only represent themselves but also
represent the Texas Militia as a whole! Commanding Officers need to be professional at all times!
Commanding Officers need to be fair, balanced, informed, not lose your cool, and reasonable with their
duties and personnel.
-In case of death, capture or desertion the person in the elected command position must name a second
in charge. The second in charge will then assume command in the event of the previously mentioned
setbacks happening and remain in charge until the next vote or an emergency vote is convened.
-Those that receive elected command positions are to use their position to encourage their fellow
Militiamen to get the necessary supplies and training needed to become successful and self sustaining.
Those that are elected should also strive to educate themselves and others by reading books and
manuals regarding military tactics and strategies so that they can make successful and decisive military
decisions in time of martial law, invasion or a collapse in our society.
Corporal duties will include having monthly meetings and trainings.
Corporals will also need to get their FCC Amateur license so that every Fire Team has a Radio Operator.
Duties of those not in Command:
Specialist will need to attend monthly meetings and trainings. The following are examples of approved
reasons for not attending meetings or trainings on a regular basis, work, church, B-day, funeral and
vacation. The following are not good reasons for not showing up for meetings and trainings, “the game
is on”, “too tired”, “don't feel like it”, or “need to go shopping with the family”. The only way we can be
an effective fighting force is if you show up regularly and train!
Things not tolerated in the Texas Militia:
DO NOT talk about or send out emails to other members about making bombs or explosives. You will be
asked to leave and reported to the authorities!
DO NOT bring materials to make a bomb to any meetings or training we are having! You will be asked to
leave and reported to the authorities!
DO NOT talk about or email any member mentioning killing or assassinating any person or group, DO
NOT do it! You will be asked to leave and reported to the authorities!
DO NOT bring any illegal firearms to any meetings or trainings! If you have a Class 2 or 3 licenses, then
you need to have the proper paperwork with you when you have the weapon with you at any training! If
you don’t then you will be asked to leave.
DO NOT ask any other member to “hold” something for you or “take” something for you that you
supposedly can’t have! If this happens to any member please report it to the next in command
immediately!
DO NOT take any pictures of Military installations or send such pictures through the internet to fellow
TM members! If you have any pictures that you feel would be of valuable intelligence, you need to first
take those to your commanding officer and then bring them for a meeting if your Commanding Officer
deems it necessary!
No pictures or video-taping will be allowed at any trainings or meetings unless approved beforehand.
Also with any pictures or video all contain GPS or “geo-tags” this must be turned off before the picture
or video is taken. Embedded in the images is a geo-tag, a bit of data providing the longitude and latitude
of where the photo was taken. The Web site ICanStalkU.com provides step-by-step instructions for
disabling the photo geo-tagging function on iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Palm devices.
Death threats to any member in the Texas Militia or any person outside the Militia will not be tolerated
and is grounds for immediate removal from the Texas Militia. Threats of violence against another
member such as telling someone you’re going to “kick their ass” in a threatening way will be reviewed
by the Command staff and may be cause for removal.
Email Guidelines:
One thing that needs to be made abundantly clear is that the Texas Militia is a professional organization
and we expect all our members to behave in a professional manner!Professionalism is expected during
trainings, meetings and yes even through emails! When sending emails to other TM members you are
no longer representing yourself you are representing the TM as a group.
If you are sending emails to other members there should be none of the following:
-Cursing
-Name calling
-Threats of violence
-Any other thing you wouldn’t do to Grandma!
-Political information, “Forward's” from non-Militia members and other emails not related directly to
the Texas Militia or the Militia as a whole.
Uniforms and Gear:
Official Uniform BDU:
-Texas is bigger than some countries so we have many different geological areas for one State! Multicam
is the official uniform color for BDU’s (Battle Dress Uniform) of the Texas Militia. Most of Texas will be
well served in Multicam however Texas is a big state and some areas of operations may require a
different camouflage color which will be made on a case by case basis! We understand we all don’t have
unlimited funds so get your gear when you can!
Lieutenants and those of higher rank may wear a solid color BDU however once actual combat
operations have started everyone should be in Multicam to prevent the enemy from taking out our
Officers.
Name Tapes can be gotten at the following location: http://www.1800nametape.com/multicam.htm
You should get name tapes with your name (can be your real name or a handle/nick name). Location
such as what city you live in and Blood type.
BDU Uniform Care:
Optical brighteners in laundry detergent make the Battle Uniform more detectable by night vision
equipment and more visible in a low-light environment of any kind, by reflecting more of any available
light Militiamen must wash the BDUs with detergent that does not contain optical brighteners.
Optical brighteners are chemicals that absorb the ultraviolet and violet region of colors in a fabric. They
"trick" the eye into seeing a brighter shade and reflect more light. The Near Infrared, or NIR, capability
of the BDU is degraded when washed with optical brighteners.
Most commercial detergents contain optical brighteners. There is no way to tell whether a product has
optical brighteners alone by the labeling. On the care label, the instructions are to launder in a mild
detergent which does NOT contain optical brighteners. No laundry detergent lists whether or not it
contains these brighteners. Impact of optical brighteners is permanent; it cannot be "washed out."
The BDU and Recognition Programs page states the following detergents are safe and optical brightener
free for use with the BDU’s. While the BDU comes with a care manual, some items on the laundering
instructions are not covered in the manual. By contacting the individual laundry detergent
manufacturers the following list was compiled of detergents which do contain optical brighteners and
those which do not:
DOES NOT CONTAIN BRIGHTENERS (OKAY TO USE):
- Cheer (liquid and powder)
- Cheer Free
- Exchange Select Cold Water Wash
- All Detergent Free Clear
- Country Save Liquid Detergent
- Allen’s Laundry detergent (power and liquid)
- Bi-O-Kleen Laundry Detergent (powder and liquid)
- Charlie's Soap (powder and liquid)
- ECOS Free and Clear Laundry Detergent
- Mountain Green Liquid Laundry Detergent
- Nature Clean (liquid and powder)
- Oxy-Prime Powder
- Planet Ultra (liquid and powder)
- Seventh Generation Laundry detergents
- Sportwash
- Sun and Earth Liquid
- Surf Powder (not Surf Liquid)
- Washeze
- Woolite, original and dark
-Bold Powder
-Cheer Liquid (all versions)
-Cheer Powder (all versions)
-All Powder (all versions)
-Surf Powder (all versions)
-Woolite (all versions)
QUESTIONABLE CONTENTS (SHOULD AVOID)
Spray ‘n Wash (all versions)
Calgon (all versions)
CONTAINS OPTICAL BRIGHTENERS - DO NOT USE
Dreft Liquid
Dreft Powder
Era Liquid (all versions)
Gain Liquids (all versions)
Gain Powders (all versions)
Ivory Snow Liquid
Ivory Snow Powder
Tide Liquids (all versions)
Tide Powders (all versions)
Tide Tablets (all versions)
Fab (all versions)
Dynamo (all versions)
Ajax (all versions)
Suavitel Fabric Softener (all versions)
All laundry products made by Colgate-Palmolive
Arm & Hammer Liquid (all versions)
Arm & Hammer FabriCare Powder (all versions)
Arm & Hammer Fresh ‘n Soft Fabric Softener (all versions)
Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
Rain Drops Water Softener and Detergent Booster
DeliCare Fine Fabric Wash (all versions)
Wisk (all versions)
All Liquid (all versions)
Surf Liquid (all versions)
Yes (all versions)
All Dial Laundry Products including:
Purex Powder (all versions)
Purex Liquid (all versions)
Purex Fabric Softener (all versions)
Purex Baby (all versions)
20 Mule Team Detergent (all versions)
Zout (all versions)
CAUTION: If using a store brand or “generic”, the label usually states “compare to [brand]” on the front
panel. Match that to the list above for ingredient content.
Additionally, turning the uniforms inside out while laundering prevents the Velcro from attaching to
other items and prolongs the usefulness of the Velcro.
Tactical Vests and Rigs:
First thing to avoid is to stay away from Airsoft equipment such as packs, vest and pouches. Although
these look like the real thing once you get in the field you will notice very quickly that your gear will
come apart due to bad stitching etc. Voodoo Tactical is a notorious Airsoft maker and best to avoid.
The real thing will cost more on the onset but as the saying goes “buy cheap buy twice”.
There are many configurations of carrying gear at any militia training. Feel free to come and see, or look
through the pictures in our Field Reports to see what everyone is carrying. A lot of rigs are
amalgamations of mixed gear from many countries.
If you want ideas or suggestions on how to carry your stuff, please attend any militia training session
and ask the people there for assistance. They will be more than willing to offer advice.
It is also important, especially with older gear, to make sure that there are no shiny metal surfaces
visible. You can tape or paint over them. Also make sure that any straps are not excessively worn, and
that all necessary clips are present and functional.
Trauma Kits, VOK, BOK’s etc
Every Militia member should have at least 2 Trauma Kits, one for training and one for real operation’s.
Think about it, you spend hundreds of dollars each year on ammo so you should spent a little extra and
get two kits!
The term “Blow-Out Kit” comes from the Military, and refers to a medical kit to treat life threatening
wounds in the field.
Our take on the terminology is that just like a tire has a blowout, so can you if you’re severely injured.
The Blow-Out Kit is the human equivalent to a tire’s patch kit, which treats the sustained damage.
Just as a patch kit is a temporary fix for a tire, a Blow-Out Kit is a temporary fix until a higher echelon of
care can be reached.
The Blow-Out Kit is designed to treat the three leading preventable causes of death in the field.
These are Extremity Hemorrhage, 60%; Tension Pneumothorax, 33% and Airway Obstruction, 6%.
While we say the Blow-Out Kit is used “in the field,” this doesn’t just refer to a military battlefield, it
represents YOUR everyday field.
It can be driving to and from work; serving with local Law Enforcement, Fire or EMS; attending various
shooting schools and everyday activities in between.
The concept of a Blow-Out Kit is being prepared, plain and simple.
Carrying a Blow-Out Kit will enable you, or someone coming to your aid, to have the necessary supplies
to save a life.
You have to ask yourself if the cost and inconvenience of maintaining, carrying, and having a working
knowledge of these supplies is worth saving a life. The answer should hopefully be YES!
We could talk all day about other medical equipment to carry for an emergency situation, but the
purpose of a Blow-Out Kit is to have the essentials on you to prevent death.
EMS is typically a phone call away, and barring any natural disasters. etc., their response time should be
quick. But “quick” depends on many variables, and will they always be quick enough to save a life?
If you’re out in an area away from EMS, then you should adjust your equipment accordingly and have
then what’s necessary to sustain for longer periods of time until higher echelon care can reach you.
Military
As mentioned above, the original idea of a Blow-Out Kit was developed by the Military to give each
soldier the minimum equipment needed to save a life without the need for a medic. In a firefight, a
medic could be unable to reach an injured soldier.
Having the individual soldier carrying their own Blow Out Kit also enables a medic to not have to exhaust
their own supplies, carry enough for everyone, or worry about running out of essential lifesaving
equipment.
We all know that in an emergency situation the only one you can count on is yourself. Local resources
will be tied up in a man-made or natural disaster and response times will be out the window.
Here are what I found available on the internet.
VOK kit $48 (It looks like the same one that Tactical Response used to offer so don't know if they still
stock it)
http://www.cavalryarms.com/medical/VOK.html
Blow out kit $20 (Good price but doesn't come with turniquet)
http://www.promedkits.com/blow_out.html
BOK kit $100 (A bit pricey)
http://www.itstactical.com/its-tactical-store/
Multicam Blow out kit $55 (Best deal I've seen thus far, the multicam med bag I have cost $10 more and
didn't come with any VOK kit! This comes with both the multicam bag and kit! (Great item to start
putting your uniform together!)
http://www.afmo.com/Multicam_T_C_C_C_Kit_FA188_p/211-00598.htm
Trauma Kit Now $95 (Also comes with multicam molle bag but the previous listing is much better deal!
They have a refill pack for $30 that comes with almost everything except multicam bag)
http://www.blueforcegear.com/product.cfm?type=cat&cat_id=6&prod_id=129
So how do you treat the three leading preventable causes of death in the field? Let’s break it down by
the three causes.
Hemorrhage
Hemorrhage is merely blood loss from the circulatory
system, and commonly treated with direct pressure. This can be done by placing gauze over the injury
and either applying pressure yourself, or having the victim hold the required pressure to stop the
bleeding.
Pressure exerted on a wound will prevent the collection of fluids in the underlying tissues, and prevent
edema (swelling caused by trapped fluid).
If the victim is unable to maintain pressure themselves, or to make things easier, a pressure
dressing/bandage can be used. The most common pressure dressing is the multi-functional IBD (Israeli
Battle Dressing) which combines a primary dressing with a pressure applicator and secondary dressing.
What if direct pressure is unable to stop uncontrolled bleeding and traumatic hemorrhage?
Your options are to use a hemostatic agent or as a last resort, a tourniquet. While we say a tourniquet is
a last resort, applying a tourniquet can be the first response if the severity of the injury warrants it.
Hemostatic Agents have become increasingly popular because they work to promote hemostasis (stop
bleeding) by introducing an agent then allows the blood to clot quicker than traditional direct pressure
will.
If a Hemostatic Agent is used, the packaging should try to be saved to show to higher echelon care what
was used, or at least be noted somewhere.
When a hemorrhage occurs from major limb trauma or if a hemostatic agent is not enough to achieve
hemostasis, a tourniquet is used.
The time that a tourniquet was applied, and that one is applied, is important for higher echelon care to
know and should be noted.
If a tourniquet is to be used for over two hours, where higher echelon care is not immediately available,
it’s recommended to release pressure for five minutes every half hour to prevent muscle and nerve
damage due to compression.
To recap the treatment of simple hemorrhage to traumatic hemorrhage, we’ve described needing
these essentials:

Hemostatic Agent

Pressure Dressing / Bandage

Gauze

Tourniquet

Something to note hemostatic agent used and/or tourniquet use/time applied
Tension Pneumothorax
During a penetrating chest wound (Pneumothorax) air is being taken into
the pleural cavity with each breath and if not treated, the buildup can cause pressure to build against a
lung and prevent it from fully inflating (Tension Pneumothorax).
A Pneumothorax can be caused by any penetrating injury to the chest wall, such as a gunshot or
stabbing, but can also be caused by a fractured rib.
To treat a Pneumothorax before it becomes a Tension Pneumothorax, a seal of some kind needs to be
applied to the source of penetration.
There are two schools of thought for sealing a chest wound, one who recommends a vented chest seal
to prevent the further buildup of pressure, and some recommend completely sealing the chest wound.
The argument is that completely sealing the chest wound can lead to the development of a Tension
Pneumothorax, but a tension takes some time to develop and can be relieved quickly and easily with a
decompression needle should that problem arise.
That leads us to treating a Tension Pneumothorax, which as described above is the prevention of a lung
fully inflating due to pressure build up inside the pleural cavity. if left untreated the pressure has the
potential to produce pressure on the mediastinum and compress the heart decreasing blood flow, or
even cause the trachea to move away from midline.
To treat a Tension Pneumothorax, this pressure build up must be released somehow. This is done with
the insertion of a 14 gauge 3.25″ needle into the 2nd intercostal space in the midclavicular line (Needle
Thoracentesis). A 3.25″ needle is used to ensure it reaches the pleural space.
The 2nd intercostal space is the area between the 2nd and 3rd rib on the affected side. Always double
check to ensure the needle is being inserted into the side with pressure built up.
Further treatment of a Tension Pneumothorax may require intubation and higher echelon care should
be sought out immediately.
To recap the treatment of a Pneumothorax and/or a Tension Pneumothorax, we’ve described needing
these essentials:

Chest Seal

Decompression Needle
Airway Obstruction
An airway obstruction or blockage can often be as
simple as a relaxed tongue in an unconscious or semiconscious victim. This can be cleared up with the
head-tilt / chin-lift method and looking for chest rise.
In a traumatic situation there may be blood or bone that might be able to be removed with a finger
sweep of the airway, but to maintain the airway of a unconscious or semiconscious an NPA should be
used.
An NPA or Nasopharyngeal Airway is a soft rubber tube that is inserted into the nasal cavity to bridge
the airway between the tongue and the back of the throat or between any other damage that the victim
may have sustained.
There’s a flared end at the end of an NPA which prevents it from getting carried down the throat, and
always remember to insert an NPA with the beveled side towards the septum (divider between nostrils).
In major facial trauma, ensure the NPA is used on the unaffected side, not the injured side.
An NPA can also be used for an emergency Cricothyrotomy, which is an incision through the skin and
Cricothyroid Membrane to secure a patients airway during an obstructed airway or major facial trauma.
Gauze can be used to secure the NPA by placing a gentle overhand knot over the NPA and securing the
gauze around the back of the neck.
Weapon Systems:
Rifle or Long gun choices:
There have been several motions to standardize the Rifle Style and Rifle Calibers but presently no
decision has been passed by vote yet! Currently most Texas Militiamen have either a AR or AK platform
style weapon. We encourage everyone to get what is called a MBR (Main battle rifle) which is a .308 or
higher caliber and is effective out to 800 yards or more. This is important because the Militia's best
success in combat will be shoot-and-run from a much farther distance than the enemy. The 5.56 and
7.62x39 are not very effective at long ranges over 200 to 400 yards. Don't get caught in the Hollywood
disinformation where they glamorize those styles of weapons.
Painting or “Dura-coating” your weapon is a good thing and is highly recommended for Texas Militia
members. Black looks cool but when you are in the field it will give your position away much sooner
than someone that has a camouflaged weapon.
Edged Weapons:
Knives should be a part of your Militiaman uniform. Hatchets and Tomahawks would also make a nice
addition to your load out gear.
Media:
We ask that members refrain from speaking to the media. We have designated people that will speak to
the media because they have been trained to deal with them. One thing you need to realize is that the
media’s job is to destroy the public’s perception of the militia as a whole. No matter what any media
person tells you, they are not your friend and they are not looking to be fair and balanced with the story.
Furthermore we make our own media and the media can’t twist it like they would if we came on a show
and spoke to them.
Talking Points:
Talking points are a set of answers that no matter what the media asks you or implies that you are ready
to continue speaking just what the talking point is and not add anything further.
Interviews:
We will strongly discourage taped interviews. It is very easy to cut and paste what someone said and
make it look like they said something else. Also it’s very easy to have an opposing view that makes the
Texas Militia look really bad. If an interview has to be done then the Texas Militia only approves of live
interviews. It makes it much easier to get our point across as well as the correct information. It also
makes it much harder for the media to get opposing talking heads to rebuttal what we are saying.