The Vigilant Operator

Hot Off the Presses

  • Meditation for 12/3/25

    Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
    Who trains my hands for war,
    And my fingers for battle -Psalm 144:1 (NASB)

    Praise your Creator. Get your mind right. Let loose the dogs of war.

  • Be Prepared: PT II

    In the previous post, I broke down the definition of the phrase “Be Prepared.” In it, I explained that for one to be truly prepared, they must be both mentally alert and physically ready.

    Today, let’s focus on being physically ready.

    When you think about being “physically ready”, what comes to mind? Is the mental image something like having a secluded farmstead, a pantry stocked full of MREs, and an armory that would make a quartermaster drool? I mean, let’s be honest, any of us that have the drive and calling to protect, defend, and avenge, all dream of having the ultimate off grid homestead with all the bells and whistles…and perhaps a secret entrance to the armory under a staircase (it’s cool, okay?). While that level of self-sufficiency is a dream – and you don’t have to have Rockefeller money to be more prepared than yesterday.

    Strip away the fantasy. Survival comes down to four things:

    • Food (You have to eat to maintain strength and awareness, also, no one likes you when you’re hangry)
    • Water (You’re around 50%-60% H2O, keep it that way to maintain your bodily functions)
    • Shelter (Mother Nature doesn’t like you, so protect yourself from her)
    • Defense (Because trouble always comes knocking, protect you and yours)

    When you get down to brass tacks, those four categories are the biggest things to consider when it comes to being physically prepared. Let’s break them down, shall we?

    Food and water: the basics. We all know that water is required for living, growing food, and washing off the grime after things get real. Considering its importance in a survival situation is a must. So, what are going to need?

    Scenario: Society has hit a breaking point. Conflict has erupted in the streets of Everytown, USA, and utilities are either destroyed or have become severely limited. Water is scarce and of questionable quality, posing a high risk of contamination. How would you ensure that you have access to clean water for your needs?

    Consider our ancestors. They didn’t have pipes, pumps, or convenient taps, yet were able to live long enough to pass on their DNA to our forefathers. How did they do it? They looked to the sky. Collecting rainwater is simple, effective, and costs nothing. A few containers (anything from clean buckets to 55-gallon drums) in the right places will give you an easy way to collect rainwater, which you can then use for whatever purpose you need. If all else fails, use clean soda or soup cans for collection. No, it may not give you 55-gallons worth, but it’s water. On that note, we need to discuss what to do with the water before you drink or cook with it.

    Thanks to industrialization, there are very few places where one can scoop up a handful of water and drink it without getting some kind of gnarly sickness. To combat this, you’ll need to either boil or filter your collected water. If you have access to iodine tablets, they can make quick work of cleaning it up, though some can leave a chalky aftertaste. A Lifestraw is incredibly valuable in this situation, as it filters the water as you drink from it. The downside to this is the need to replace the filter every few weeks.

    There are other ways to filter water, one of which I’m in the process of building, and will have the design uploaded once complete.

    To save time, and to allow the chance to post on a more frequent basis, the Shelter and Defense topics will be covered together in the next post. 

    With that said, I owe you an apology for not getting this out earlier. I’m just one guy, and things can get hectic. Lord willing, things start to slow down, and I can focus more time on writing.

    See you soon.

  • S2 Underground: The Wire 10/30/25

    //The Wire//2300Z October 30, 2025//
    //ROUTINE//
    //BLUF: WAR CONTINUES IN LEBANON AS TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH. UNREST UNDERWAY IN TANZANIA. AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE IN CARIBBEAN. WHITE HOUSE PLANS TO INCREASE NUCLEAR TESTING FOLLOWING RUSSIA’S INTENSIFICATION OF SIMILAR EFFORTS.//

     —–BEGIN TEARLINE—–

    -International Events-

    Middle East: Overnight Israeli targeting in Lebanon continued with new strikes in the southern regions of the country. This comes after a few days of airstrikes and rising tensions in Lebanon. 

    Analyst Comment: Details are sketchy on all sides, however a series of events have transpired over the past few days that have deteriorated relations. On Sunday, French troops stationed in Lebanon as part of the UN observation mission shot down an Israeli drone that was harassing their position. In response to that, a different drone approached the French position and dropped a grenade near them. An Israeli tank also fired a round that landed near the French observation post, continuing a long-standing tradition in the region (The IDF will frequently shoot near an international power that they don’t like, they have hit a few observation posts with tank rounds before). In addition to this, IDF bombings adjacent to UN locations in Lebanon have continued to send the message, but mostly have just increased tensions in Lebanon once again and served as a reminder that the relationship between Israel and France is not particularly great.

    Tanzania: A state of civil unrest is underway nationwide following the deterioration of protests over the past few days, most of which have been prompted by recent election woes. The incumbent President excluded his main political rivals from the ballot, which prompted protests and demonstrations. These efforts have now become more widespread, and around a dozen fatalities have been reported so far during the riots.

    Caribbean: Yesterday evening the Pentagon announced another strike in the region, which resulted in the sinking of one more narco-vessel in the Pacific. 4x KIA were reported as a result of the strike.

    -HomeFront-

    Washington D.C. – Much rhetoric has abounded following various developments in the field of nuclear weapons. Earlier this week, Russia publicly announced the successful test of their latest nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable torpedo system, which has been a class of weapons in development since the 1980’s. This latest version, dubbed the “Poseidon” in the open source world, is the latest version to be publicly and successfully tested. This in turn produced much fanfare surrounding these tests, and President Trump has stated that the US intends to increase nuclear testing over the next few months; because other nations have increased their efforts, so will the United States.

    —–END TEARLINE—–

    Analyst Comments: Regarding this recent rhetoric, there appears to be a “lost in translation” factor to what has been said by world leaders so far. Russia, for instance, has not stated that they intend to carry out testing of actual atomic weapons themselves. The last time Russia conducted a test of the detonation of a nuclear warhead was in 1990. China similarly conducted an underground nuclear test a little more recently, back in 1996. Russia in particular also has a slightly different “nuclear triad” than the United States. The US has bombers, submarine launched missiles, and static missile silos, all of which form the main methods for the deployment of nuclear weapons (thus the three legs of the “triad”).

    Russia has a different, more diverse view of nuclear deterrence. They have bombers (same as us), submarine launched missiles (again, same as us), some static silos, a lot of mobile launchers to include some train-based options, and now entering more widespread operational use, nuclear torpedos to supplement their very substantial submarine force.

  • Be Prepared

    Be Prepared

    Two simple words.

    Easily said, easily forgotten.

    Perhaps these words bring back memories of your childhood? Maybe the Boy Scouts? Maybe your father, uncle, or someone who took you under wing? Whatever memories this simple combination of words brings back to you, I hope that their weight comes to mind as well. In this modern era of ever changing political and socioeconomical climates, an ounce of preparation may very well be worth a pound of cure. Because when the unexpected happens – whether that be a job loss, a failed shell, a terrorist attack, or a simple power outage – being ready can be the difference between life and death.

    So what do the Boy Scouts, your old man, and your mentor mean when they tell you to “Be Prepared”, exactly? Well, let’s look at the phrase itself and see what we can find out, eh?

    The Dictionary (or, the Dictionary of Google, in this case) states that the word “Be” is used to “describe existence, identity, and a state of being”. So, to “be” is both a physical and mental state. This is an important fact. To be prepared physically is to have your body, home, and gear ready for whatever may come, whilst being mentally prepared means that you have not only a plan for when some sort of situation arises, but that you are resolved to handle it.

    Preparedness, by definition, is “A state of readiness, especially for war”.

    Putting the two words together, and allow me some creative license with this, we can essentially say that the Boy Scouts, good old Dad, and that guy that showed you the ropes were all telling you to stay alert and ready.

    So, how do we do that? How do we remain both alert and ready?

    To begin, let’s start with the state of “being ready”. When the everyday Joe thinks of the word “readiness” in regards to a survival scenario, their mind probably wanders off to a remote cabin far away from society, surrounded by woods for miles. There’s probably chickens (there’s always chickens), a basement chock full of canned food, and one hell of an armory. You did you homework, spent the money, and built yourself a nice homestead that’s off grid and relatively self sustaining. While having the means to feed and defend your family are vital, without the right mental preparation, your well stocked prepper paradise will end up being nothing more than a real world loot level when the raging masses come knocking. Unless your attention and thought processes are up to snuff with your gear, your chances of living out whatever situation you originally bugged out for will grow more and more slim as time goes on.

    Over the next few posts, I’ll be doing a deep dive into both the physical and mental aspects of preparedness, and what we can do to ensure that we can be truly ready for whatever comes our way.

    Talk to you soon,

    -Disciple

  • S2 Underground: The Wire – 10/24/25

    //The Wire//2300Z October 24, 2025//
    //PRIORITY//
    //BLUF: U.K. MISTAKENLY RELEASES MIGRANT THAT SPARKED THE EPPING RIOTS, MANHUNT UNDERWAY FOR THE FUGITIVE. BRITISH DIGITAL ID SCHEME TO TARGET CITIZENS FOR NONCOMPLIANCE. VEHICLE RAMMING ATTACK REPORTED AT COAST GUARD BASE IN CALIFORNIA. USA TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA TERMINATED AS CANADA LAUNCHES PROPAGANDA AD CAMPAIGN.//

    —–BEGIN TEARLINE—–

    -International Events-

    United Kingdom: In an interview regarding the Digital ID scheme, PM Starmer revealed that the penalty for not getting and using a Digital ID will be a fee of £85 for every instance of financial transaction that would ordinarily require an ID under this new plan.

    This afternoon, a separate situation developed as a major police operation was declared in Essex after the Epping Hotel attacker was allegedly mistakenly released from prison. Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was released by police this morning, rather than being deported. Currently a manhunt is underway, and local citizens are urged to be on the lookout for the violent criminal. Local police have not provided a description of Kebatu other than his mugshot, however a local citizen posted a video on social media after they spotted a man matching his description carrying his belongings in a clear trash bag. This footage was taken before the wanted notice went out, and the grey sweat/tracksuit he was wearing matches the description that court reporters visually saw him wearing earlier that day in court.

    Geolocation of this video evidence places Kebatu’s last known location outside a cafe at Number 84 on the High Street in Chelmsford. The video cuts off before Kebatu’s destination could be confirmed, but his last known azimuth places him traveling North up High Street, toward the bus station.

    Analyst Comment: Kebatu is an Ethiopian national who assaulted a child and a woman in Epping back in July, prompting the now-infamous Epping Riots. He had only been detained for roughly a month, and was supposed to be deported as a way of the British government showing that they do indeed deport violent criminals. However this shining example of good faith has been dashed, and the already dismal public sentiment on the issue is about to get a lot worse.

    To put it lightly, it is in Mr. Kebatu’s very best interest for the *police* to find him as soon as possible. On the one hand, it is true that the British government let a violent criminal out of jail. But on the other hand that also means that he is no longer under police protection, he has no documentation, doesn’t speak English, and no one knows where he is. Anyway, a few protests and demonstrations are well underway in Epping, and time is of the essence to find him, before the trail goes cold.

    Canada: The United States has suspended trade negotiations with Canada due to the discovery of a propaganda campaign targeting Americans. The government of Ontario ran a $75 million ad campaign featuring a speech by Ronald Reagan, in which he spoke negatively about the idea of tariffs. This speech, however, was a fabrication using clips and words selectively cut from Reagan’s 1987 address in order to make it look like Reagan was not in favor of tariffs…when the actual uncut speech was actually in favor of tariffs.

    Analyst Comment: There’s a saying in the world of psyops…a deception campaign can never fail. Even if discovered, the deception effort will cause doubt as to what’s real, so there will always be some level of effectiveness. In this case, Canadian officials thought they were being cute by playing fast and loose, but this was not simply a harmless meme or something obviously fake. The content that was produced was fully intended to take the place of true information, and when carried out by a nationstate to manipulate the internal sentiment of a foreign nation, this a very serious charge. The sheer scale of this propaganda cam

  • S2 Underground: The Wire – October 22, 2025

    //The Wire//2300Z October 22, 2025//
    //ROUTINE//
    //BLUF: VIOLENT CAREER CRIMINAL GRANTED BOND IN CHARLOTTE AFTER SHOOTING TODDLER. MEMBERS OF SINGH FAMILY CARGO THEFT RING ARRESTED IN CALIFORNIA. PENTAGON REPORTS STRIKE IN PACIFIC OCEAN AS NARCO WAR SPREADS. NEW HAMPSHIRE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE RETURNS TO BENCH AFTER ACCEPTING PLEA DEAL IN CRIMINAL CASE.//

     —–BEGIN TEARLINE—–

    -International Events-

    Ireland: Unrest in Dublin continued throughout the night, with thousands of protesters and rioters taking up position outside the Citywest Hotel. Today, local observers noted significant fortification efforts being undertaken at the sprawling complex that encompasses the resort hotel, indicating much more protest activity is expected.

    Analyst Comment: The situation was made worse by the fact that most media organizations have only focused on the riot itself, and not the kidnap and rape of a child that started the whole affair. Compounding issues further was the observation of another load of migrants being bussed in to the area under heavy police protection.

    South America: The War Department has announced another kinetic strike on a narco vessel, bringing the total count to 8x vessels sunk so far this campaign. This vessel was not sunk in the Caribbean, but rather in the Pacific Ocean in a vicinity that has not yet been disclosed. 2x individuals onboard the vessel were killed during the strike.

    Analyst Comment: Regarding the previous strike on the Narco Submarine, details have come to light regarding the survivors of that strike. One individual was Columbian and was repatriated to Columbia after being severely wounded during the strike. This individual (who has not been identified) suffered severe wounds and might not survive. The other individual was from Ecuador and has been identified as Andrés Fernando Tufiño. He was repatriated to Ecuador, and was promptly released without any charges being filed as the government of Ecuador states that he committed no crime. This is quite a bold statement considering he was fished out of the ocean after his narco submarine filled with cocaine was sunk by an AC-130J gunship, but nevertheless this points to the seriousness of the situation. Venezuela, despite being the face of this campaign…is certainly not the only belligerent in this conflict, which is rapidly escalating into a region-wide war.

    -HomeFront-

    Wyoming: This morning the State Capitol building was evacuated after a suspicious package was discovered. Eventually EOD personnel rendered the device safe, and the building remained closed for the rest of the day. It is not clear at the moment if this device was an explosive device, but the investigation continues.

    Analyst Comment: This incident, while not uncommon, does provide a learning opportunity for all. A staffer initially discovered the device wedged in the state seal near the entrance to the building. Rather than leaving the suspicious package in place and immediately contacting authorities (as is the recommended procedure for the discovery of potential IEDs), the staffer picked it up and brought it inside the building. After tampering with the device for a bit, someone at some point realized that it might be an Improvised Explosive Device, and security was alerted, prompting the evacuation.

    New Hampshire: State Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi has returned to the bench after being indicted on seven counts pertaining to her attempting to use her position on the Supreme Court to influence her husband’s criminal case.

    Analyst Comment: Her husband, Geno Marconi, was the head of New Hampshire’s Port Authority  when he was indicted on multiple counts of evidence tampering. This stemmed from an investigation into his misappropriation of state funds, as well as running an organized crime syndicate in which he used his position to grant preferential treatment

  • S2 Underground: The Wire – October 22, 2025

    //The Wire//2300Z October 22, 2025//
    //ROUTINE//
    //BLUF: VIOLENT CAREER CRIMINAL GRANTED BOND IN CHARLOTTE AFTER SHOOTING TODDLER. MEMBERS OF SINGH FAMILY CARGO THEFT RING ARRESTED IN CALIFORNIA. PENTAGON REPORTS STRIKE IN PACIFIC OCEAN AS NARCO WAR SPREADS. NEW HAMPSHIRE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE RETURNS TO BENCH AFTER ACCEPTING PLEA DEAL IN CRIMINAL CASE.//

     —–BEGIN TEARLINE—–

    -International Events-

    Ireland: Unrest in Dublin continued throughout the night, with thousands of protesters and rioters taking up position outside the Citywest Hotel. Today, local observers noted significant fortification efforts being undertaken at the sprawling complex that encompasses the resort hotel, indicating much more protest activity is expected.

    Analyst Comment: The situation was made worse by the fact that most media organizations have only focused on the riot itself, and not the kidnap and rape of a child that started the whole affair. Compounding issues further was the observation of another load of migrants being bussed in to the area under heavy police protection.

    South America: The War Department has announced another kinetic strike on a narco vessel, bringing the total count to 8x vessels sunk so far this campaign. This vessel was not sunk in the Caribbean, but rather in the Pacific Ocean in a vicinity that has not yet been disclosed. 2x individuals onboard the vessel were killed during the strike.

    Analyst Comment: Regarding the previous strike on the Narco Submarine, details have come to light regarding the survivors of that strike. One individual was Columbian and was repatriated to Columbia after being severely wounded during the strike. This individual (who has not been identified) suffered severe wounds and might not survive. The other individual was from Ecuador and has been identified as Andrés Fernando Tufiño. He was repatriated to Ecuador, and was promptly released without any charges being filed as the government of Ecuador states that he committed no crime. This is quite a bold statement considering he was fished out of the ocean after his narco submarine filled with cocaine was sunk by an AC-130J gunship, but nevertheless this points to the seriousness of the situation. Venezuela, despite being the face of this campaign…is certainly not the only belligerent in this conflict, which is rapidly escalating into a region-wide war.

    -HomeFront-

    Wyoming: This morning the State Capitol building was evacuated after a suspicious package was discovered. Eventually EOD personnel rendered the device safe, and the building remained closed for the rest of the day. It is not clear at the moment if this device was an explosive device, but the investigation continues.

    Analyst Comment: This incident, while not uncommon, does provide a learning opportunity for all. A staffer initially discovered the device wedged in the state seal near the entrance to the building. Rather than leaving the suspicious package in place and immediately contacting authorities (as is the recommended procedure for the discovery of potential IEDs), the staffer picked it up and brought it inside the building. After tampering with the device for a bit, someone at some point realized that it might be an Improvised Explosive Device, and security was alerted, prompting the evacuation.

    New Hampshire: State Supreme Court Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi has returned to the bench after being indicted on seven counts pertaining to her attempting to use her position on the Supreme Court to influence her husband’s criminal case.

    Analyst Comment: Her husband, Geno Marconi, was the head of New Hampshire’s Port Authority  when he was indicted on multiple counts of evidence tampering. This stemmed from an investigation into his misappropriation of state funds, as well as running an organized crime syndicate in which he used his position to grant preferential treatment

  • Riddles in the Dark

    This is a work in progress, so bear with me. Lots of good things coming.

  • Hello, World!

    Test?