Just What the Doctor Ordered

Dear Black Bag Confidential Reader,

One of the most challenging aspects of survival is handling a medical emergency when you’re in the middle of a crisis, especially if you’re nowhere near a quality medical facility.

That’s where Omar Hamada comes in. Omar is a 14-year veteran of the U.S. Army, 10 years of which were spent in the U.S. Army Special Forces. Currently, he works as an emergency room physician at one of the largest and busiest hospitals in Tennessee.

Omar has been working with me on Spy & Survival Briefing for several months, and recently he offered to lend his expertise to the Black Bag Confidential Weekly Drop.

Which means we want to hear from YOU.

If you want to know about wound care dos and don’ts, how to stabilize broken or sprained limbs, what medical supplies you should have in your bug-out bag or any other survival medicine topics, send your questions to [email protected].

Now let’s get to this week’s batch of reader mail.

I have a friend who used to work for FEMA and reads something like your survival email. Now he is a nervous wreck and has developed anxiety and IBS. Scaring people, the gold madness, etc.… not nice.

— John P.

While some people or organizations try to use scare tactics, I have zero desire to do that. I believe we are sharing important safety and survival skills that could potentially save your life — and that should give you peace of mind.

A perfect example is with all the recent terrorist attacks. It’s critical to be vigilant any time you are in a crowded place, and that’s one of the skills I aim to teach. However, I don’t want that to prevent you from attending events and enjoying yourself. Just be mindful about what’s going on around you.

Does this mean even a felon can carry the NOC Knife?

— Calvin R.

To be clear, Calvin, I’m not a lawyer. But I can tell you that the legality of carrying knives such as the NOC Knife is regulated by the states and varies from place to place. Be sure to check the local laws where you live for a definitive answer.

In some states, if a convicted felon is caught with a knife, it may be considered a deadly weapon and therefore illegal. But it depends on the state, the type (and specifically the length) of the knife, the crime that person was convicted of and the circumstances surrounding their case.

What I’d really like to buy from you is new ink cartridges for the three tactical pens I already own. One has run out of ink, and the others have that destiny.

— Norm D.

You’re in luck, Norm. The tactical spy pen uses a standard ink refill you can purchase at virtually any office supply store. I recommend taking your pen with you to make sure you buy a replacement that fits. For my pens, I’ve purchased Parker QuinkFlow ballpoint 1.2 mm refills.

About that survival bag for cars… You overlooked something. How many people are in the car at a time? They EACH need a space blanket, MREs, compass, whistle and water purification tablets.

— Bruce B.

You’re absolutely right, Bruce. Ideally, you should have a bug-out bag for each member of your family. This is why I have a bag for myself, my wife and each of my kids in each of my vehicles.

I would like your advice on night vision scopes, etc. I live on a ranch and it’s somewhat remote. I think that night vision would be useful in protecting the place at night.

— Jim F.

Night vision scopes would certainly be useful in a situation like yours, Jim. The only drawback is that this is the type of gear you don’t want to go cheap on. For a quality night vision scope, you’ll spend at least $2,000 — and that’s probably on the low end.

I recommend checking out the Armasight brand of scopes. This company offers many different options depending on what features you need and how much you want to spend.

But like any add-on to a gun, you need to train with your new scope so you know how to properly use it if and when you have to defend yourself.

My wife and I are retired and are about to take a long trip in our new RV. Although I own several guns, I am reluctant to take them along. What can you recommend as the best nonlethal method of self-defense?

— Gabe P.

Great question, Gabe. I recommend purchasing a self-defense stun gun flashlight. The great thing about this handy device is that you can use it as a regular flashlight, which means it would blend in easily with the rest of your gear, since you and your wife are traveling and staying in your RV.

However, if you are walking around a strange town at night and encounter a dangerous person, you can use the stun gun to give you the chance to escape. In addition to this flashlight, I also recommend you and your wife carry tactical pens with you everywhere you go.

Stay safe,

Jason Hanson

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