Charley is Chief Instructor on emergency preparedness and disaster readiness and author of the leading resource on how to build a survival group, titled “How to Plan, Organize and Lead People for Short or Long Term Survival” (Formerly titled MAGS: The People Part of Prepping).
Charley served over 15 years in both the U.S. Army and the Florida National Guard with his survival and leadership experience being tested on several continents and in many natural disasters, including a stint as Lead Scout for the 11th Cav (U.S. Army) where he spent years deployed in Europe honing his skills in reconnaissance, first aid and humanitarian missions.
Most notable though was his deployment following the Chernobyl nuclear disaster where he was sent to monitor the radiation dispersal over much of the fresh food system of Eastern and Western Europe.
In addition, he was charged with border security operations including planning and participating in patrolling and security operations, rapid reaction deployment and security of several international incidents.
All of this led to further survival skill development in radiation detection and chemical warfare among many other tactical and leadership skills.
After returning to the United States, Charlie was in one of the first units to be deployed to the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew, providing relief support for citizens in the way of basic human needs… local security measures to prevent looting… and serving as a liaison to local law enforcement to maintain order in a time of chaos and disarray.
In addition, Charley has provided security for both foreign dignitaries and government officials and today he continues fortify his skills in disaster and family emergency preparedness and train others in how to survive any crisis, disaster or collapse.
A future collapse – potentially even for years – is pretty much a mathematical certainty – which is why we prepare in the first place, right?
But it's the smart survivalists who realize (now!) that going it alone during a crisis is a recipe for disaster.
Building out your survival team BEFORE a catastrophic event is what will truly give you strength in numbers against the hordes of unprepared “zombies” who will freak out once our infrastructure goes down.
But the question is… “WHO will lead your team?”
If you're thinking that's YOU… then you should probably listen to this week's podcast episode first…
Press The “Play” Button Below To Listen In Now…
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Here's what you'll discover in this week's episode…
What type of “personality” it takes to inspire action… and how to tell if you have what it takes!
Why NOW is the best time for you to prepare your survival gear! Sure the clock is ticking, but it's also about the “message” you send others that will decide who the leader will be.
Why “military experience” may NOT be the best decider on who leads your survival team!
And more!
Warning: This episode is going to require you to set your ego aside for a few minutes and think “big picture” about your survival probability!
Hopefully you've already at least started putting together a survival team to face a crisis.
But what's the right number of people you should ask to join you?
Well, just as big family gatherings can uproot old feuds and different views (like your sister-in-law's drunken comments about gun control?) so too can having too many members on your team reveal conflicts you don't need during a disaster.
You can't pick your family members… but you CAN (and should) be very selective about who you have on your survival team.
Recently we talked to survival expert Charley Hogwoodabout just how many people need to be in your survival network and here's what he had to say…
When you’re just starting out building a survival network, the best number of people to start with is actually… whatever you have.
Whatever you can manage to get together at first is all you've got to work with.
Once your network grows some, though, you'll have the ability to pick and choose.
When that happens, you'll find that “too many” is just as big a problem, if not a bigger one, than “too few.”
The Ideal Number For Your Survival Team…
You want enough people in your group that all the skill sets you need are represented, but let's face it… too many people can create problems, power conflicts, or just the need to stockpile so many supplies that the group is unworkable.
The ideal number for a survival team is between 5 and 7 people.
That's about the maximum number who can be effectively managed by a single leader to accomplish a task.
Sure, you can grow as time goes on (and skills become better developed), but remember that family members do count depending on your group format or design.
So now ask yourself: How are you laid out?
Is everyone in a central compound, or are they clustered in a neighborhood situation?
Is it something else?
“What Type Of People Should I Have On My Survival Team?”
The people who will help you survive all have skills, so you've got to select members for the skills your group needs following your initial survival team planning.
Your group members should have the skills to touch on the eight main areas of survival.
These are…
food
water
shelter
safety
security
energy
communication
transportation.
So, in order to get started, look for someone who has good medical experience.
You also want mechanically inclined people, and you want fighters, preferably ex-military.
People with hunting experience can also fill that role, because that provides both security and food.
Additionally, you need someone who can help with food production, including gardeners and livestock handlers.
And you want scavengers who can find things and fill the role of gatherer within the survival group.
If you have that core membership and skill set, you’re off to a great start.
Remember that all these people should cross-train together.
That way, no one person is too valuable to the group to be lost or replaced.
Who will be there to help you when the lights go out?
There’s strength in numbers and when you’re facing a wide-scale collapse, you’re in much better shape to survive if you don’t try to go it alone and have others to band with you as a team.
But who should be on your “survival team” and what skills should they have?
Charley Hogwood has the answers!
Press The “Play” Button Below To Listen In Now…
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Here's what you'll discover in this survival podcast…
Why going “Rambo” isn’t a good survival strategy when the world is crumbling around you.
The #1 infrastructure role most people take for granted… and how to fill this critical gap!
Exactly what skill sets you should seek out to ensure your family’s future survival!
Armed defense! How to protect your team from violence and chaos!
What “garage sales” have to do with a collapse – and the best person to do your survival shopping!
Good stuff! Don't miss it!
What's YOUR Best Skill Set You Would Bring To A Survival Team?
