Reviewed by: Friedrich Seiltgen

Author Joe Dolio is a USMC veteran and currently a Personal Protection Specialist. In addition, he is an NRA-Certified Defensive Firearms Instructor, as well as a Tang Soo Do and Krav Maga Instructor.

Dolio’s prepper blog at www.tactical-wisdom.comis a goldmine of information. Now Dolio has put this wisdom into a compact manual on how to survive in a Without Rule of Law (WROL) Situation. His Baseline Training Manual will teach you the skills to achieve a Base Line Standard of preparedness.

Some of the tips in Dolio’s book are plain common sense, but the world has lost that trait. Many people have become complacent and comfortable with the way things are. It reminds me of a quote from the post-apocalyptic novel called, “Those Who Remain” by G. Michael Hopf, which describes our current situation perfectly:

“Hard times create strong men, strong men create good times, good times create weak men, and weak men create hard times.”

This quote is spot on. Living in Florida, I have been stuck in the middle of several hurricanes and one tornado. The tornado was a turning point for me in terms of prepping. I heard the “train” coming, and when I looked outside, I saw the funnel, followed by explosions of transformers and power lines as the tornado passed, taking out my electrical power for more than days.

I decided I wasn’t going to be caught unprepared again. Unfortunately, people have become so complacent that they expect the government to do everything for them. After the last hurricane, people were sitting around complaining about the government’s slow response in getting them food, water, and power, instead of being responsible for their own safety and security. Now with the current world political situation, preparedness has taken on an added urgency. Dolio’s term, “Without Rule of Law”, is a perfect description of what’s going on in today’s world. You see cities being destroyed and innocent people being murdered without consequence, and it’s not going to get any better.

Some of the areas that are emphasized in the Baseline Training Manual are Situational Awareness, Operational Security, and the Tactical Pause.

Situational awareness is simply having a general awareness of what’s going on around you, and it’s a must in today’s world. You see people all around you walking and driving while engaged with their cell phones. Sometimes the consequences of their inattention are amusing, but sometimes they’re deadly.

Operational Security (OPSEC) is also critical in the preparedness world. Don’t post your preparedness plans on social media! All social media is being monitored by various groups, and you don’t need to advertise what you’re doing or how much equipment, food, guns, ammo, etc. you possess!

The “Tactical Pause” is simply that. Whenever you arrive somewhere, take a look at what’s going on around you before exiting the vehicle. Before you enter a business, see what’s going on inside, if possible. The same goes before exiting the business. This reminds me of training I received as a rookie police officer. One of the case studies we looked at occurred in the late seventies. A LEO in central Florida entered a pharmacy in full uniform on his way home to pick up a prescription. He walked into a robbery! Two men were inside, and two accomplices were outside in the getaway car. The LEO was shot and killed.

Another great tip is having hard copies of maps and a compass in your vehicle and bag. I’ve been doing so for a while now. I always resisted getting a GPS, and while I have one now, I always have backup maps of our destination, as well as of my local area. As Dolio points out, the military can shut down the GPS system for civilian use at any time.

The book has an emphasis on skills, because in the preparedness world, skills are more important than gear. All the gear in the world is not going to help if you don’t know how to use it!

The Baseline Training Manual is the first in a series of preparedness manuals, and future volumes will add to your training toolbox. It’s clear, concise, and easy to read. Pick up a copy today and learn more valuable tips on keeping you and your family safe with what’s coming our way.

That’s all for now folks! Please keep sending in your questions, tips, and article ideas. And as always – “Let’s be careful out there.”

Friedrich Seiltgen is a retired Master Police Officer with 20 years of service with the Orlando Police Department. He conducts training in Lone Wolf Terrorism, Firearms, First Aid, Active Shooter Response, and Law Enforcement Vehicle Operations in Florida. His writing has appeared in The Counter Terrorist Magazine, American Thinker, Homeland Security Today, and The Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security International. Contact him at [email protected].