By Brian Duff What Is the Gray Man? The term gray man describes a way of dressing and acting so as not to draw attention to oneself. The goal of the gray man is to go unnoticed by blending into the environment by being as average and inconspicuous as possible. Why Be the Gray Man? People will want to be the gray man for a variety of reasons. In today’s world, being the gray man will help divert attention from you to others. By diverting the attention of bad guys, you have a better chance of avoiding a confrontation. Think about it—if a bad guy wants to rob someone, will he focus on the plain Jane person, or the person with expensive-looking jewelry and designer clothes? For example, if you wear a “Kill ‘em All” t-shirt, a bad guy looking to steal guns could target you. Does the Grey Man Concept Only Apply to People? No, the gray man concept applies to people as well as things. Driving your car with little stickers of each family member on the rear window is likewise not a good idea. Sure, it’s cute, and you’re proud of your family. Unfortunately, it also tells the bad guys how many people and pets are in your house. Why make it easier for the criminals? In a grid-down scenario, if you are cooking when others are starving, you are asking for trouble. Starving people may be able to smell your cooking and could decide to show up looking for a meal, or more. How Do I Become the Grey Man? You become the gray man by first, paying attention to your surroundings. In other words, engage your situational awareness. Look for what other, regular people are wearing. What people wear in the city is often different than what people wear in rural areas. Don’t just focus on clothes. Think about accessories and personal items. Do people in the area smoke? If most people don’t, you won’t want to either because doing so attracts attention. How are they carrying themselves? Do you walk in an aggressive or nervous manner? What do they do and how do they act when they talk with others? Do they shake and introduce themselves when meeting? Concentrate on not doing things that make you stick out. Again, you have to pay attention to notice what to do and what not to do. Think it Through What it takes to be the gray man changes with the environment. Are you going to a rougher part of town or to an area you don’t usually go? If so, what do the people wear there? If a significant event is happening and you decide to bug out, how can you tone yourself down? If you decide to bug in, what should you do to look less appealing to the bad guys? In the End Being the gray man is something that should be thought about and planned for. When you do, you lower the chances of becoming a victim. So, talk about it with your family and your trusted circle. Play a game with it. See who can become the most unassuming gray man out of the group. Test it out. Evaluate yourself. Adjust your actions and try it again. Lastly, never forget, you’re just one prep away. If you have any other information, suggestions, or thoughts about the gray man, please leave a comment below. Stay safe, secure and prepared.
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By Brian Duff Is it just me, or is there an increase of civil unrest and riots in recent years? Have you thought about how to prepare for a civil unrest? The sad truth is that peaceful, well-intended demonstrations are increasingly turning violent. This, in turn, makes predicting potential civil unrest almost impossible. Fortunately, most demonstrations rarely, if ever, devolve into chaos. However, the unpredictability of even well-meaning demonstrations makes them dangerous. Therefore, before participating in or traveling near such an event, it is best you take a few precautions. Doing so will help keep you safe and alive. Improve Your Situational Awareness – Stay Informed Maintaining effective situational awareness will help keep you safe. A great road to improving your situational awareness is through information. So, take a look at the local news on a regular basis. Keep an eye out for stories about possible demonstrations or anticipated problems in areas you may be going. If you’re traveling to unfamiliar areas, set up keyword email feeds focused on the area, town, or city. They’ll alert you with an email when a news story containing your keyword is published. Next, listen to what people are talking about. Are they ticked off and fired up to cause trouble? What about their body language? Do you get the impression they are preparing for a fight? Is your gut telling you there is going to be trouble? If so, listen to it! Pre-Plan Your Actions Have an idea in your brain of what you will do if something happens. By thinking ahead and considering potential scenarios along with possible responses, you will be ahead of the game if something happens. Plan your evacuation routes out of the area ahead of time. Know safe havens such as a hospital, public buildings, etc. Ensure you have money for transportation should you be separated from your car. Set up pre-designated meeting points in the event you lose your family or friends. Think about the situation and find ways to avoid it. When you do, you’ll be better prepared for all possibilities. During the Actual Civil Unrest Let’s face it, when a riot happens, the police have their hands full. So, the mindset that they are going to help you isn’t guaranteed. Chances are the police already have their hands full. Plus, running towards the police during a riot may not be the best decision. After all, it may not be that easy for them to tell you apart from the knuckleheads. If not, who knows, you could end up on the wrong end of a police officer operated riot stick. Likewise, going against the protesters may catch you a beating as well. Instead, try to blend in while working your way towards a safe location. Blending in does not mean doing stupid things such as confronting the police. It means you become the gray man; don’t draw attention to yourself and work your way out of the area. Keep Calm As in any bad situation, one of the keys to your safety is to remain calm. This is not a time to become emotional. It’s a time for confident decision making followed by swift action based upon those decisions. You will also need to remain observant and adaptable to the developing situation. Lastly, never forget, you’re just one prep away. If you have any other information, suggestions, or thoughts about how to prepare for civil unrest, please leave a comment below. Stay safe, secure and prepared |
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