The Boogaloo Be Bop, pt 1

Back in my Basic Training days, if a Drill Sergeant saw a recruit strutting around, or simply walking with a non-military bearing aura about him, the Drill Sergeant would scream something like “Hey, Where do you think you are, Be bopping back on the block? You better move with a purpose there, Soldier!”

That recruit was walking around, forgetting his surroundings and not having a care in the world. He forgot he was training to be a Soldier in a whole new world where Drill Sergeants are everywhere and see everything.  That recruit failed to realize that he was supposed to be training to go into a whole new world, one in which people are trying to kill you and if you don’t move with a purpose or keep your wits about you they will succeed in doing so.

That was 30 years ago, 29.5 years to be exact but who’s  counting? Today, you’ve got a bunch of guys that are pretending to be tough and preparing for the big “boogaloo.” They are buying an AR-15, plate carrier with steel plate armor, 3 mag pouches, an IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) a Bao Fang radio, and the cheapest Spec-Ops look-a-like helmet on the market. When they are done with all that they have no money for training and are out of shape, not Red Cross First Aid qualified, and think the “survival paracord” sling they tied to their weapon is just fine, plus they ran out of money for ammo. So, they can’t move 10ft without needing a break, the “paracord” sling melted to the barrel and broke the first time they eventually went to the range, and they still don’t have batteries for the radio that they don’t know how to talk on without causing a whole lot of confusion amongst their teammates. But, I’m sure they have a cool call sign like “Killboy, Master Stealth Dude,” or the soon to be popular  “Maverick,” after Top Gun 2 releases this summer. 

Notice I put asterisks around “paracord,” because in the military, “paracord” is exclusively referred to as “550 cord,” for it’s 550 lb tensil strength. Officially, the Army calls it “Type 3 nylon cord.” It’s used for the risors on parachutes, hence the term “paracord” for civilians. It’s also a very good survival item, as you can tie things and use the guts for fishing line, sewing, netting, etc.

This is what I am referring to when I mention the “Boogaloo Be Bop.” Unaware of their current surroundings these guys are not capable in their current mindset to prepare for the coming surroundings that they think are coming. Just like the stupid recruit in Basic Training who thinks they are Billy Bad Boy from back on the block but who’s really just a clueless kid that’s about to get smoked by a Drill Sergeant. These are the guys that, if the shooting starts, they will get killed, get others killed, and ensure certain mission failure because of sheer incompetence.

I have been a soldier on active duty for 6 years that includes a combat deployment. I’ve been in the National Guard for 24 years and counting, including 2 combat deployments. I’ve learned that Soldiers hate wearing their helmets, and they hate wearing body armor. The one thing they hate more than wearing body armor is wearing the plates in the body armor. Even in combat soldiers would ditch their plates every chance they got. They would buy “plate carriers” that offered no ballistic protection except that they could carry plates, unlike the Army-issued vests that would stop shrapnel, debris, and anything up to 9mm bullets. Having bought those plate carriers, do you think Soldiers would carry plates in them? Not a chance if given the choice. Of all the documentaries and pictures from the Vietnam War, how many Soldiers were wearing their body armor? It was actually mandated to wear their body armor, but doing so was so costly in that extreme heat that heat stroke and heat exhaustion were much more of a bigger threat than shrapnel from a rocket or mortar and in addition the US Military doesn’t issue the cheaper, heavier steel plates the militia guys are wanting. The US Military bought expensive ceramic plates that are much lighter and Soldiers still hate wearing them and often ditch them as soon as the officers are not around.

I’ve been to many meetings and training sessions with various militia groups and III% members through the years and these guys insist on wearing ballistic protection. They can’t afford the ceramic, so they buy the steel plates, which are much heavier. They don’t train with the plate carriers and the money they spent on the armor is money they needed much more on ammunition for training. Helmets? They need it for night vision, some say. Night vision? Really? They don’t have money for that stuff.

If a second revolution starts the civilians are not going to be able to go toe-to-toe with the military or the police because that’s not how it works. The Viet Cong played havoc on US troops throughout the Vietnam War without body armor, helmets, and night vision. Iraqi Insurgents did the same thing and so did the Taliban and Al Qaida.See the pattern? It is guerilla warfare, folks. You don’t need to look like a Tier 1 Operator in order to fight tyranny. Body armor and helmets are for playing dress up for wannabe Soldiers. That’s all it is. It means that you don’t have a clue as to what it means to be in the fight or what you need to be in the fight. To say that your priorities are messed up is an understatement.

A plate carrier, otherwise called a vest, is not a bad idea as you have easy access to your magazines, a first aid kit, etc. Steel plates and other heavy expensive stuff? That is where it gets stupid really fast. Many people can and have good set ups of plate carriers. Many of them are veterans, where they have the stuff they wore while in uniform. It works for them. But if that’s not you, you don’t need to follow the crowd. I still have my plate carrier I bought in 2004 for OIF 2 and still use it while in the National Guard. I also have an old Kevlar helmet. Do I wear the helmet or put steel plates in the carrier? Nope, not a chance. I wear an issued helmet when I am required to wear it, but that is also for fragmentation and shrapnel from rockets and artillery which is meant for the modern battlefield. Guess what the police don’t have and the Military won’t be able to use on our own civilians? Rockets and artillery. The so-called “boogaloo” will not involve artillery or close air support. It will be a police action if it would happen, but it won’t, at least not in the near future. 

Being a guerilla in insurgent type warfare requires you to move fast and light while using stealth. You kill the giant by giving it paper cuts, causing it to bleed a little and get frustrated until they no longer have the political will or popular support to keep up the fight. You don’t need to win battles, you need to outlast your opponent.

The truth is that anyone who refers to civil disturbances, uprisings, or wars as a “boogaloo” doesn’t have a clue as to the seriousness of the situation or the price all sides will have to pay. It’s a joke to these people and a casual tagline to easily dismiss the tribulations that might come. It’s an affront to those that have fought such wars. It’s a reckless abandonment of logic full of internet bravado where guys talk tough but don’t even bother to get up from the couch to walk the walk. The actual name of “boogaloo” came from a bad B rated movie from the 80’s called, “Breakin’ 2: the Electric Boogaloo.”

It’s the latest craze, the “Boogaloo Be Bop.” Everyone may be doing it but like wearing underwear outside of your pants, wearing clothes backwards, walking pet rocks on a leash, and bell bottom jeans, it makes you look like a complete idiot. Yes, all of those were real and very popular fads back in their day.