I – Prepare

Stay On Mission

Stay on mission compass illustrationStaying on mission means you remain committed to your objective—no matter what temptation, disruption, or distraction you encounter—until you accomplish what you set out to do.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Secure Your Base (Your Soul) ]

For the SemperVerus Brotherhood, staying on mission means keeping your soul strong by adhering to the 5 core components of Prepare, Aware, Be, Know, Do, resulting in the strategic element of solidifying your Self-Defense.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, SemperVerus™ Brotherhood/Sisterhood Launches to Help People ‘Stay True’ ]

Staying true to your spiritual, mental, and physical purpose is the way to disallow mission drift and mission creep. It all comes down to intentional decision-making to stay true at every step of your life journey, every moment of every day. If you don’t, you’ll veer off course before you’re even aware of it. It happens one little decision at a time, where you go astray bit-by-bit. You need to build in measures to help you avoid suffering this outcome.

Quality Self-Defense Training Builds Character

IDPA target to illustrate the importance of firearms trainingAn article in Psychology Today suggests that training seriously and responsibly for armed self-defense contributes to developing a sense of human empathy and strengthens human character.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The Greatest Man… ]

The article’s author, David Yamane, professor of sociology at Wake Forest University, writes that those who are dedicated to improving their self-defense knowledge and skills “see that it is indeed appropriate at times to use our human capacity for violence pro-socially, in defense of self, loved ones, children, the weak and infirm, and other innocents. Gun Culture 2.0, to borrow an idea from sociologist Harel Shapira, sees defensive violence as ‘civilized’ rather than barbaric.”

Checklist: Categories and Their Items for Every Day Carry (EDC)

Browse EDC items at AmazonPreparedness is a vital element of SemperVerus mindfulness. One act of being prepared is to be intentional about selecting specific practical items to keep with you in your pockets, purse, belt pack, day pack, or vest as you travel through your day.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, SemperVerus and the Noble Foundation of Scouting ]

Everyday carry (EDC) is the collection of useful gear you consistently tote on your person to help you overcome simple everyday problems and to anticipate unexpected and possibly dangerous situations. Your selection of tools you consider to be essential is a personal decision. An item you think is vital may not even enter the mind of someone else. But that makes it no less important for you. You need to balance practicality and preparedness with weight, bulk, and comfort. Each component of your EDC should serve a purpose or have at least one specific, useful function.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Prepper Survival, Travel, Leadership, Reader Apps ]

Every day, your EDC essentials prepare you for the worst and empower you to do your best.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Questions to Ask Yourself ]

To help you think through your own EDC, here’s a list of major categories to consider and item ideas for each one. You decide what and how much you want to carry every day.

Practical Knot Tying

Adventurer Bear Grylls provides instructions on learning how to tie the most practical knots you can use for everyday needs:

  • reef (square) knot (tying two rope ends together)
  • reef knot with two hitches (to prevent slippage)
  • overhand knot (tying two rope ends together that won’t unravel)
  • clove hitch (securing the rope to a post)
  • clove hitch with additional hitch or two overhand knots (to prevent slippage)
  • clove hitch using loops (securing the rope to an open pole or stake)
  • clove hitch sliding the loops together (securing the rope to a carabiner)
  • Italian hitch closing the loops on itself (to belay a person down a cliff)
  • stopper version of a hitch (to trap the rope )
  • bowline knot (for tying a rope around your waist)
  • figure-of-eight knot (for tying an adjustable loop or handhold)

[ Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, Devotional Insights on Courage by Bear Grylls ]