There are many that believe history will show we are in the early stages of a new civil war – or an American Reformation. How exactly this war will play out is certainly up for discussion and dispute. Many believe there will be areas of severe civil unrest, guerrilla warfare, and scattered battles of varying sizes. Who will be the insurgency? That depends on location and political makeup of area/region.
So – why an Operational Cache?
An Operational Cache is a resupply of critical items often accessed while on the go. These caches are often – but not always – buried to hide from others. Major components often placed in an Operational Cache are defensive supplies. The possibility of immediate and unplanned relocation out of an area make having supply caches invaluable.
What to Put in the Operational Cache?
Only you know what will work best in your cache. The cache may be very mission specific or very general. It may contain supplies to feed, clothe, and defend – or something else entirely.
Here are a few general guidelines:
Rifle/Pistol
extra ammunition, magazines
tactical gear – holsters, vest, plate carrier, mag pouches(Condor chest rig is budget friendly and works great)
flashlight/spare batteries(lithium)
first aid kit/trauma supplies/tourniquet – visit DoomandBloom.com medical preparedness store
communications equipment – Baofeng UV-5R/disposable cell phone
spare clothes – socks/boots/underwear/pants/shirt/hat
gloves – Mechanix FastFit are a good choice
food – MRE’s are excellent
water filter – recommend Sawyer Mini Filter System and LifeStraw
spare contacts/glasses
multitool/knife
rope/paracord/various zip ties
tarps/tent/hammock
backpack – for carrying supplies away from the cache
toilet paper/wet wipes/hand towels/toothbrush/toothpaste
small notebook & pencil
Where To Place The Cache
An operational cache does NOT have to be buried but can be. It may be at a buddy’s house, in a storage unit, in the corner of your shed, or buried up in the mountains beside a large oak tree. The decision on where to store the cache is highly dependent on many factors including geographical location, contents, specific intended uses, and method and means of access.
A stump located out in the middle of nowhere could provide a unique location for an above ground cache hid deep down inside of it. Covered with vegetation a bypassing hunter could glance and never see what awaits inside.
Burying Firearms?
As far as burying a cache out in the country or in the mountain it does not go without risk. First – I would not bury anything that can lead back to you should it be discovered. A firearm purchased through a dealer and coinciding with a Form 4473 filled out will link the purchaser to that firearm. Only bury firearms purchased via private sale.
Quality of Contents
The most popular theory on cached supplies is to place secondary – or “B” grade items in storage. You may have a really nice high-quality Smith & Wesson AR as part of your kit. For the operational cache, a $350 Hi-Point 9mm carbine is stashed along with extra magazines and ammunition. Another example would be having a Benchmade Nimravus Tanto as an SHTF-EDC knife while placing a Cold Steel GI Tanto in the cache for long-term storage.
Another proposed theory is almost the opposite. If you are having to access your operational cache then things must be extremely dire. Now more than ever “A” grade equipment is needed.
I understand both perspectives and agree the absolute best equipment should be cached. The deal here is the absolute best equipment THAT CAN BE AFFORDED. It is certainly better to have a Hi-Point cached than nothing at all. If a duplicate Smith & Wesson AR can be cached that is all the better.
“One for me….one for the cache”
Summary
It is apparent the container type, contents, and the location is completely dependent on factors only known to those putting it together. It’s important to realize there is no limit to how many caches can be stashed. Having several over a wide area provides a security blanket no matter which direction one might have to travel.
