The need to write on the tactical skills to have if you live in the suburb became overwhelming as a result of the recent, recurring stories of attacks by suburbanites. I’m very sympathetic to the cause, as my old man preferred an off-the-grid lifestyle from his youthful days. So, growing up, I was a pretty, little suburban with a pair of pink bows to my hair.
And life in the suburb was beautiful. I never wanted to live anywhere else and, thankfully, didn’t have to, save for when I went to college. But even in some nights, I’d miss the peace that enveloped every night in my home, and this was what I always craved for. So, I suppose you’d understand that I moved back home soon as I was done with college.
However, I moved to the city about a decade ago, thanks to my job, and believe me; I’ve always dreamed of returning home. But if life in the suburbs was this serene, why the need for tactical skills?
Need For Tactical Skills To Have If You Live In The Suburb
True, life as a suburban is lovely, but that doesn’t mean it is safe. Even when I was growing up, there was bound to be one or two nights when you’d find yourself in an SHTF situation, and I don’t necessarily mean a natural disaster. I may also mean petty muggers and drunk teenagers.
Fortunately, my father readied us for whatever could happen. So, I wasn’t a Barbie princess, per se; I was rather Harley Quinn with her bat in hand — albeit I used pink hair bows instead of her white. And, of course, I wasn’t Wonder Woman, but I never got mugged or hurt when SHTF.
So, you see, petty, intermittent crimes have always existed in the suburbs, but now things look to be worse. It’s as though there’s an attack every day, which is quite unfortunate given that the suburbs have always been an escape from the city’s hullabaloos.
Still, that doesn’t mean you’re letting criminals win: we are taking action (which is why you’re reading this), so what are the tactical skills to have as a suburban?
6 Tactical Skills To Have If You Live In The Suburb
Having understood the need to have these essential tactical skills as a suburban, let’s look at each one after the other.
Ability To Use Diverse Means Of Communication
Communication is essential; you can’t doubt that. But, as a suburban, it is more important to have and be able to utilize several modes of communication. Knowing to do so will help to be fully aware and keep others informed whenever SHTF. Also, having the skill to communicate over long distances even when the cell towers go faulty can help to seek or offer help on time.
As a prepper, you should have a primary, alternate, emergency, and contingent means of communication and know how to use each. A good example of a communication tool to master is a handheld HAM radio.
Battle Tracking
Battle tracking is about gathering news and intelligence about chaos using any available channel. Before now, battle tracking involved the ability to understand signals on highways and smokes, but, presently, you have resources like social media, news, survival applications, and scanners. You should be able to use all these means in case of any unavailability. Remember that if you can’t gather relevant info about situations, you may find yourself packing unnecessarily or, even worse, run into the middle of the chaos.
Firearms Expertise
You already know these are dangerous times, so you can’t predict when danger will come calling. As such, you must carry a loaded, ready-to-fire gun at all times. Anyway, there’s the 2nd Amendment, and so nearly everybody carries a gun these days.
But it’s not about that. As an American, a suburban, and also a prepper, there is no single reason you should not be an expert in handling firearms. The Constitution backs you already, so why leave yourself at the mercy of others? Train yourself capably in the use of firearms. You deserve to live.
De-escalation
While tactical skills for a suburban may be all about entering the fray and inflicting some pain, it is much more than that. In fact, sometimes, knowing how to de-escalate is as important as pulling the trigger expertly.
Your firearm may not be enough if you get into a fight with ten or more equally armed persons. Furthermore, killing to defend yourself does not mean you’re totally free from the law. There will be trials to confirm that the killing was necessary — you can’t “unkill” a person, you know?
So, in some scenarios, swallow your ego and negotiate. Don’t be blood-hungry; you aren’t a vampire.
Tactical Trauma First-aid Operations
Movies are misleading. The actress or actor is always good at first-aid just because the directors want a romance to start brewing. But this isn’t the cinema. Here’s a shocker: 6 in 10 persons can’t conduct first-aid when trauma hits.
Ironical, because it is the injured persons that make the 6 O’clock news. So, why can’t most of us treat a 1st or 2nd-degree burn, fix a sprained ankle, or stop a bleeding arm? No reason, obviously.
Hand-to-hand Combat
To make the question easy: can you fight? Or, instead, have you undergone professional fight training? If three gang up on you, can you kick them into submission?
Luckily, the explosion of boxing and Chinese Kungfu has made it very easy to learn fighting across the country. There are several clubs you can join to become an expert fighter. In fact, with just one year at MMA, winning hand-to-hand combat becomes as easy as the alphabet.
Also, techniques like jiu jitsu and Muay Thai are easily learned and sure to get you respect from the average bully. And when it comes to the worst, Krav Maga is the way to go.
Concluding The Tactical Skills To Have If You Live In The Suburb
Surviving in the suburbs may be difficult or easy. It usually depends on the time, region, and, most importantly, the skills you have. With expertise in the above-mentioned tactical skills to have if you live in the suburb, there’s no reason you aren’t surviving whatever that hits the fan.