wearing camo..................

i never really understood this.
all my militia friends along with many other conspiratorial anti-new world order folks live in this stuff.
i always ask why?
if, and or when, tshtf how will anyone tell who their enemy is if everyone is basically dressed the same?
if you spot someone wearing camo in the field how will you know it's a good guy or a bad guy?
personally, i stick with all earth tones. i avoid military camo for the reasons i just stated.
is there a solution to this possible problem?
think of the militia during the revolution, the brits were pissed that they didn't wear a uniform. couldn't tell who was who.
same in the modern wars, the insurgence don't wear a uniform so it's almost impossible to tell who is who.
i have a feeling that when the crackdown on america occurs, the first to be picked up will be those wearing camo.
it will be considered a uniform.

reply to post by rubbertramp


i agree with your point but:

1.) old style camo patterns from CTD like sources, flecktarn is really cool. if it was our own troops turning on us digicam would be kinda dumb to wear
2.) which earth tone pants would you prefer if you had to choose olive drab, brown, black, tan? i have been thinking brown myself.
3.) for shirt color i though about GI green t-shirts but then we get into your post topic, air force wears black so maybe that isn't good either.

i used to think the cadpat was the way to go but.. then again the N.I.R. stuff really may override concerns about looking like the percieved enemy. no way would i choose a chinese or russian tyoe camo. that is real dumb.

a darker khaki color or coyote green pants and a brown or o.d. top looks the best all around in my opinion.

as long as its not burnt orange, red or yellow..so hip hop people may wanna change their style if shtf, stuff basically glows in the dark as it is.

reply to post by rebeldog


awesome reply.

2.) which earth tone pants would you prefer if you had to choose olive drab, brown, black, tan? i have been thinking brown myself.

i pretty much wear earth tones anyways.
but, for the desert, sand colored khakis. then through the colors spectrum to black for night time.
i don't wear jeans, blues etc......
i even have a pair of pants that are an earth red color.
would be perfect for the desert regions of southern utah.

Casual camo is just like any other lifestyle marking whether it's baggy jeans, a band t-shirt, or a lacoste lizard on your polo.

Just a way to conform to a group or a lifestyle. I dont mean to put anyone down or insult anyone. Dress how you want to dress. I dont care. Im not going to mock you or anything. Just dont pretend your dressing any which way really means anything more than superficial lifestyle presentation. When we were kids it was because GI Joe was cool and we all wanted to be in the military. When we were teens it was because "urban" camo was cool and it fit the rest of our projected lifestyle. Now it's either because your out hunting or because you want to project some military-esque or, if obese, goofy arm-chair militia-esque image of yourself to those around you.

Of course there are those who spend a lot of time and money on things like paintball, airsoft, hunting, etc.. and over time their wardrobe has just become nothing but camo and blaze articles. It happens. I ride a bike a whole lot and over the years my closet is more spandex and neon colors than anything else . It just happens.

Unless you're actively trying to conceal yourself in a wooded or forested area there's no real reason to be wearing camo. The best concealment in the real world as it is is looking just like any other average guy out there. Clean haircut, subdued behavior, dress like an extra in the background of some TV show. Dont call attention to yourself.

And of course sometimes a pair of pants is just a pair of pants lacking any ulterior motive. I had them on over the weekend because they had a loop for my hammer and I dont care if they get filthy. They are camo after all. Then they were right there on the floor this morning so I just grabbed them and headed out. No macho projection behind it. No crazy militia projection. No "GI Joe is cool" projection. Just the first pair of pants I saw and my wallet was already in them.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


nice, but i think you missed part of my point.

if and or when tshtf,
is it safe to assume you'll be wearing your camo instead of your neon spandex?

I question folks that live in camo 7 days a week, the only such item I wear regularly is my field jacket because it has huge honking pockets, a nice warm liner, and a hood in the collar. Even in a shtf situation I can't see wearing camo all the time, only when out on a patrol or other venture beyond the borders wherever I'm holed up at, it wont serve me any purpose if I'm doing work in the garden, fixing up a garden tiller or building a rabbit cage.

I wear camo because when hunting season is over it goes on sale at Wal Mart for five bucks. I never pay retail for clothes.

reply to post by Helig

I wear regularly is my field jacket

uh oh, here's where i need to admit a lie.
i do have a 'mossy oak' jacket.

thanx for reminding me.
maybe i just answered my own question.
at least it is different than the military and law enforcement will be wearing.
around here i've even seen the sheriffs wearing the tan colored digital.

reply to post by rubbertramp


Depends on what I'm doing. If I have to "bug out" as it were I would probably just be wearing a pair of jeans and an ordinary jacket carrying a typical looking bag.

If Im out in the woods stealth camping or something else I dont want to be found doing Ill probably wear camo.

There's a lesson we can learn from the typical street gangs out there. Within the last decade or so the whole "colors" thing has died out. Seldom do you see flashing red and blue or gold and black or whatever their respective colors happen to be. That activity drew too much heat. Now your typical gang-banger wears a plain white t-shirt and jeans. They save that color flashing crap for parties or other safe environments.

Originally posted by thisguyrighthere
Unless you're actively trying to conceal yourself in a wooded or forested area there's no real reason to be wearing camo. The best concealment in the real world as it is is looking just like any other average guy out there. Clean haircut, subdued behavior, dress like an extra in the background of some TV show. Dont call attention to yourself.

This is the best general response to the OP.

However, let me break the situation down a bit more to get a better understanding.

The idea here is the militia wearing camo. Most militias organize to help and protect their communities/state. They don't have the intent to be a sleeper cell, but a clearly visible aspect of society. In this role, clothing to show grouping or identification is desired. In a natural disaster, people can identify them as providing aid, assistance or security. They also would defend their areas against an invading foreign force, or in WROL, bandits. In these cases, it is ideal to have a common or recognizable uniform. Should the government turn on it own people, presumably such prominent groups would be targeted first. They would not likely have the chance to serve in their defensive role. So in this aspect, the uniform be it camo or jeans and t-shirt, are irrelevant.

If the government were to turn on its own, then 'regular' folks trying to band together to defend themselves would not have the training or equipment to be very effective against a standing army. In this case, any such sleeper cell militias would be used and they would not be uniformed, unless a given uniform was tactically advantageous, such as in a wooded area, otherwise, they would blend in with the regular community and actions taken by them would be deemed terrorism or sedition.

So generally speaking, camo use by militia provide a psychological boost to the individuals, and identification by the communities in which they serve.

reply to post by Wolf321


i agree with much of what you just said.
apparently you do not know the members of the acm and s.n.m. militias that i do.
they are digging in and stockpiling waiting for the government to come round them up and send them to fema camps.
on paper what you say makes absolute sense, yet in my world i've witnessed a much different reality.
most that i know have already made their minds up regarding who their enemy is.

maybe the confusion factor would make wearing similar uniforms worth while.
i really don't know to be honest.
anyone who claims that they do know exactly how things will go down is full of it.

after reading my reply i feel a need to say that the last part was not directed at you personally.
just a blanket statement.

reply to post by rubbertramp


If the group you're talking about exists solely to resist an eagerly expected oppressive government, then they are doing it all wrong. I would hope that this group would consist of a bunch of kids 18-21. Anyone who thinks as such otherwise hasn't thought the thing through and is going only on emotion or idealized fantasy.

If their aims and methods are as visible as you mentioned, then their expectations will most certainly be met if and when the government does decide to crack down on its own. They will be the first in lines at the fema camps, and they will have been taken before they can even think about reaching for their stockpiles.

Their mentality is better suited to the sleeper, rouge fighters after D-day, not the militia.

I am sure that some people wear camo for the macho/warrior state that it creates for them....as others have said tho, wearing same (unless actively hiding in the woods for woodlawn camo for example) you will stand out. The essence of any camouflage is blending in with your surroundings. You wont blend in wearing camo in the city unless maybe it is urban camo or black bdus at night. The first reason above (warrior state and a related reason: sense of "unity" for militia groups) is why wearing "camo" may even be outlawed in a martial law scenario. Even without proper insignia they may rationalize that only active duty military are entitled to wear military styled camo (the exception being mossy oak type tree camo styles).

reply to post by Wolf321


just so you understand my point a bit better.
i posted this o.p. a while back.

non-religious militias

and yes, i fully agree with you regarding what a militia should stand for, yet from experience i have not found such an organization.
maybe you have some ideas.

There isn't much point in wearing cammo if you aren't in the woods (or simmilar location with the right cammo) and if you aren't trying to remain concealed. To address the looking like the military there are types of cammo that you can aquire that won't look like the cammo that the military uses.

reply to post by rubbertramp


Interesting other thread there. I must have missed it somehow.

I hear where you are coming from. The thing about militias, they are comprised of local people. It takes a fusion of all the right conditions for it to get going and even more to stay going. If the only people with the time or willing to make the time are short-sited youngsters looking to feel heroic, that's all you get. Or there simply might not be enough people interested to commit to such things. In either case, the best you can do is prepare yourself and network for ideas and info online.

In the militia community, just like in any community, you are going to have extremist, holy-rollers, and sheer nutters. Nationwide , from what I can tell and generally speaking, operational militias are on the level and do good for their communities and the individuals.

One of the best I have heard of is the Michigan Militia. They seem like the kind of group you would like to see in your area. There are others here, here and here. Additionally, you should check out some of the militia boards (AWRM and USM). You can get a feel for how groups operate, see what you like and don't like, get a feel for the broad ideas embodied in each group or maybe see how to start your own local militia. Unlike our standing army, there are no rules or standards; a militia is what the members make of it.

I would say it is good to have both regular clothes and some good camo such as multi cam. Bug out bags and gear are often advised in the survival arena but rarely do I see advice on bug in caches. It may be smart to have supplies that allow one to blend into a city environment after a stay in the more remote areas in a post SHTF world. I personally don't like to wear most camo as it makes me stand out. Normally I can walk into and out of a room of people without being noticed. Awareness in the way you walk or act is also important. Some people are just loud while others barely are noticed. Learn to stay in the visual dead zones regardless of what you are wearing.

Havent and wont wear any form of camo since got out of the military..
Usually wear either black or grey mens cheongsam, hakama and keigogi or sarong depends on time of year as usually hot here and more comfortable than wearing western clothing. Have no trouble blending with either colour.

reply to post by rubbertramp


You are completely right! Wearing camo would be a terrible idea. Everyone will be wearing camo and you will not be able to tell who is on your team. I suggest getting you and your lot together and wearing a plain white outfit with red stripes in a circular pattern. Be sure to leave a large red dot in the center as well. Preferably right in the chest, I should think. The bright colors will alert you when your group is on the move so there will be no confusion at all!

Must admit, I wear various forms of camo pretty much all the time. Have spent time in the military, I don't feel comfortable in anything else. Here's my favs at the moment:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/2ac067e8ce7c.jpg[/atsimg]

Also its normally a hell of a lot cheaper than regular clothing and lasts very well as well. I guess having a friend who owns an Army surplus store helps too. Also I wear my Lowa PTB Patrol boots petty always too, again comfort and durability play a major part in this too.

I get the points raised about being mistaken for the 'enemy' but in peace times comfort and practicality rule for me.