What roles do your members fill?

[Tyler]

I've decided to write up some roles that members of a group would fill up in a TEOTWAWKI or and extended SHTF. I'll be adding some more over the next while and any suggestions are welcomed.

Leader: this role provides a vital asset to a group. Everyone needs a leader. The leader is in charge of making sure your group is running at full proficiency. They are also in charge of making decisions for the group and ending arguments. This role should be filled by a natural leader as this position creats a lot of stress.

Medic: this role is responsible for maintaining the health of everyone in the group. They will be responsible for making sure that injuries are taken care of and to minimize damage caused to the group.

"Spiritual" leader: this role is responsible for regulating and maintaining phycological health of the group. Emergency situations can cause serious mental health problems and left un treated can problems within your group, preventing it from running at full capacity. The reason I used the term "spiritual" is because this role is close to what modern spiritual leaders do. This role will end up working closely to the leader as communication between the 2 allows for proper placement of people within role in the group.

Fighter: this should be obvious. This role covers the people who are designated to the role of defending your group from external threats such as violent people to violent animals. They are responsible for escorts and are the fighting force behind your survival.

Scavenger: this role is one where the person/people with in it venture out searching for items that can help you are others. This role needs to be able to think on their feet and be good at negotiating, you never know who you will meet when looking for goods. Note: this role shouldn't be filled until the 6 month of survival as most scavengers will be shot on sight.

Scout: this role falls between fighter and scavenger. This role is designed for people to go out ahead of the main group and discover new paths and other groups of survivors. They should be able to fill both fighter roles (longer ranged support or close range firefight support) and the scavenger role (taking items and note of locations of loot.)

Workers: this role is anyone who has no skills that are relevant (such as accounting) in a survival situation. They will be the ones doing the random jobs such as farming, tree chopping to maintaining the retreat.

Builder: this is the role that is filled by those with desired skills such as carpentry or wielding. They are responsible for building up new buildings, shelters and more permanent locations. They are also in charge of building barricades for defence.

Hunter: some one who goes out to get food from nature. This can be meats from animals, berries from the plants or harvest from nature. This role can also involve fishing.

Engineer: this role is there to provide a combination between the fighter and the builder. They are responsible to make sure that your fighters can work at peak performance during firefights or during transportation. This role is responsible to make sure that the battle zone is safe for you fighters as well which means they should be able to disarm traps.

Trapper: this role is very similar to the hunter and is the same in many regards. They also hunt for food but through there traps. Also they are responsible to the creation of defence traps designed to harm human sized targets.

Any thoughts, comments or question feel free to say so. I'll be adding a few more roles over the next 2 days and I have plans for expanding the fighter role and the medic role. Also I'm going to add an animal handler role as well.

 

[Ma'am]

This is a pretty cool tread...kinda neat to think about....and its obvious that you have put a lot of time and effort into it.
I like the idea of having everyone with an assigned job/task. Might eliminate confusion/disagreements later on down the road.

I know in the event of a TEOTWAWKI or and extended SHTF situation civilization would need to rebuild.....but the area I plan on being in is going to be pretty low population and hopefully civilization would be popping up in that area...at least in my lifetime. I am hoping I would not need all of these roles in my situation.

If I can get all my ducks in a row...I am hoping my homestead would be able to support 10-15 people....hopefully i have a few more years to accomplish this before SHTF. These people are my family....if I have enought time I will try to add enough on to have a few close friends who I feel would be invaluable in a SHTF situation.

I really like how you described each role. I think the animal handler role should just be a general Farmer role. I think that would be an important aspect if you have a group large enough. I think scavenging is a good idea/but I dont think that you will be able to keep a large group going if you are relying on scavengers to supply a lot of your groups needs.

With my little group I would expect to be leader along with my husband...since I am the one who worked so hard to prep....but I recognize my husband would be a better 'natural' leader. The family I plan on having there would be wonderful helping with gardening and building, but we dont really have anyone who hunts and fishes much. All my family can fill a little bit of each role.

 

[Tyler]

My idea with this thread is to get people to think about the strengths and weaknesses in there group. Obviously not every role will be filled in small groups. Maybe just the basics, fighters, a leader, workers and a medic. In large groups it will be incredably inportant to have some of the more "unique roles" the scavenger role is more of a temporary role. Like maybe a person who is good at finding things. Like my group will be about 5-6 people (depends on quite a bit) the roles we have are: leader, spiritual leader, medic, fighter, worker. I'd like to add that the spiritual leader will aid in an emergency sittuation because in an emergency people won't be thinking the same. Also you want your leader to be established before SHTF.

 

[Ma'am]

Tyler what do you think ur role would be? Just curious....
I am trying to figure out what I would be within my own family even....I think I would end up being a farmer("animal handler") honestly. I have skills with certain animals and am getting pretty good at gardening or possibly spiritual leader....amongst my friends and family I am the one everyone seems to go to in order to talk about their problems....get sympathy from....or ask advise. I have a bachelors in Psychology and I think it might help me out, by being able to help others deal with the stress

 

[Tyler]

I'd fall within the scout/ scavenger/ engenire role. Anything that keeps me away from "front line" fighting. But with the medical training I'm getting I'd most likely be the medic. I'm either going to become a paramedic or a wielder. I'd be ok in any role really but something that gives me the freedom to operate. Basically a forward sentry, finding new things, building and demolishing and meeting new people. I'm gong to add in more roles that are "specialist" that require training or more skills that can't be taught quickly.

 

[caliprepper95]

Yes I agree this is a very good topic to cover, it gives you an idea of what you believe your role would be.

 

[Tyler]

Yea, my idea is to get people to think about. And what they want their friends to fill

 

[caliprepper95]

Yeah exactly and right now our group is just my family, my best friend and his girlfriend and that's it, for now.

 

[Tyler]

So I've decided to add a few more roles to the list.

Tactician: a leader on the battlefield, the person who calls the shots in combat. This role is one where the person filling it will need to be able to work under pressure and can read combat. They will be responsible for tactical operations and setting up defence patrols. This role is responsible for the placement of fighters but still takes orders from the leader.

Forward sentry: this role is very similar to that of the scout but unlike the scout this role is more combat orientated. The forward sentry is the eyes and ears of the fighting force. They rove ahead of the main force to disrupt movement and find locations that are safe and provide ambush locations. Unlike the scout they won't be retrieving items or trying to make new friends but rather to set up kill zones and to eliminate key targets should the need rise.

Combat medic: name says it all. This is a combat role that is responsible for stabilizing the health of fighters hurt in combat. Need I say more?

Farmer/gardener: again the name says it all. This role is responsible for maintaining crops.

Fire fighter: not like the flame fire but a person who is trained to fight in gun fight. They need to be able to fight under pressure, do basic first aid and follow orders.

 

[old_anorak]

Someone who can set up and work a forge would be a good asset as time went on. Tools will inevitably break or wear out and ammunition will run out. Someone who can work iron would be invaluable in my opinion.

Someone who has a good handle on veterinary medicine would be valuable as well if the community is keeping livestock. It's important to keep animals healthy if you are expecting them to provide a service or product for you.

Someone to watch over and teach the children while their parents are working. Kind of hard to fight off intruders with a toddler strapped to your back. This could be a task for the older people or those who are physically compromised.

 

[Tyler]

Thanks for adding I was going to add a blacksmithing role that should be able to creat gun powder. I also have no idea how to care for anything bigger than a hamster... Yea, I totally forgot about kids as my group is full of teenagers and my parents

 

[sharkbait]

Great topic Tyler!My group goes over this stuff often.

Being the head of my household puts me into most all of these roles,but being disabled,I do have some limitations.Let me break it down into our roles.We have 12 in our group.Three families that consist of 7 adults,3 teens and 2 toddlers.We have 9 that are proficient with multiple weapons as well as hunting/fishing.These 9 will be our fighters,scavengers,security and everything else that falls in that catagory.These 9 "soldiers" include my wife,my 13yr old and myself.We also have a 3yr old.

The mother of the other toddler is the chosen one to shelter the two toddlers if we should all be "engaged".But we also have to protect her as she's a nursing student and has the most medical training.Some of us have first aid training,but it is,at most,basic.

Us three males are naturally the front line with our teens (2 boys,one girl) being secondary and two of our wives and the "7th" adult female adult being our fall backs.Why are the teens secondary?Because,they are good at what they do,they are aware of why we prep,they are not afraid and willing to fight.They are also faster and more agile than us 3 males,plus with two toddlers,we need the mothers to be more protected than us.Like Anorak said "kinda hard to fight with a toddler on your back".

We have frequent bbq's,dinners and/or sit around the fire with a 12 pack and go over these things often.Which is why this is a great topic,we go over everything from plans of security and watch shifts to the "what if all else fails?" plans.We have no plans of scavenging until the chaos has well passed and we won't put our teenagers in harms way until we've been there first or we don't have the choice.But we do this so that when something does happen,all know their jobs which leads to less confusion and more critical organization in a crisis.We don't run crazy drills or get all "conspiracy theoristic",we've just worked out the best plans we could to give us all the best chance of being able to stand our ground and hold out without having to bug out.

 

[Dart]

I have no "group" per se, but Just to have some fun Ill write what I think I could be in a group. I actually qualify for quite a bit of the designations. I hunt, fish, trap, and do the gardening. I'm a veteran and was part of a lot of convoys so I have training in tactics and am obviously familiar with assault rifles. I'm also trained as a combat lifesaver. My primary job in the military was carpenter/welder so I guess could contribute there also.

Basically when it comes down to it, I'm a jack of all trades master of none.

Who wants to invite me in their group

 

[caliprepper95]

I hope someday soon most of us will be able to come together and actually form a group rather than people who live north, south, west, or east. But instead have a groups atleast. Now if you have one then great but if your someone who is like me and can only depend on your father, when your brother is 15 years old and cant shoot a gun to save his life and is just a video gamer and your mother has almost no experience with firing a weapon, then your stuck.

 

[Gazrok]

I've basically got Roles, but they are more about those with certain areas of responsibility. We have some folks who plan to join us at the ranch if the SHTF. Our cop friend, his wife and kids are pretty close...but my other friend and his wife have some traveling to do to get here. 12 people in all.

LEADER - (Me), basically oversees everything, coordinates between the other roles, is responsible for managing the ranch, in addition, I help out where needed, and I'm basically the ranch handyman/engineer, and WARRIOR duties.
LADY OF THE HOUSE - (My wife), basically coordinates all the HOUSEHOLD folks in their tasks, and helps out where needed
GENERAL - (Cop friend, former Marine, Rifle specialist, former amateur MMA fighter), in charge of defense and the WARRIOR folks in their tasks, and of course performs WARRIOR duties, and training of them.
MEDIC - (Former EMT), in charge of medical for the humans and the animals, as well as ensuring we have the right medical supplies, plants, etc. Also helps in HOUSEHOLD duties.
RANGER - (Ranch Hand), takes care of all the animals on the ranch (with help), and oversees farming (with help), and also helps with WARRIOR duties, because she's a good shot.
SUPPLIER - (Friend), in charge of making sure others have the supplies they need, working with the others. Also reloads ammo and plans any looting runs, and smithing needs.

HOUSEHOLD - (Friend's wife, My daughter (grown), Cop friend's daughter (teen)), cooking, cleaning, food prep, water treatment, sewing, etc.
WARRIORS - (My son (grown), Cop friend's son (teen), Cop friend's daughter's boyfriend (teen)), scouting, patrols, sentry duty, inspecting fences, etc.

Basically, everyone would help with everyday tasks, gardening, etc. It may seem a bit sexist, but only one of the gals would really be willing to do the WARRIOR type duties, and we guys would help out wherever needed in any of the HOUSEHOLD duties as well. All those doing WARRIOR duties routinely engage in paintball and/or airsoft as a hobby, just as kind of a coincidence, and we all try and go to the Police range and fire off some rounds as we can too.