BOLT BAG

08 December 2020

This week, 79 years ago, thousands of unsuspecting U.S. personnel enjoying a beautiful morning in paradise had their worlds brutally turned upside-down. The attack on the Pacific fleet in Pearl Harbor killed 2403 military and civilian personnel, destroyed 19 U.S. Navy ships, and abruptly changed the lives of everyone on the planet in an instant.

NOBODY WAS READY!

While we may never be able to relate to what they were experiencing during those horrific attacks, we can definitely relate to having our worlds transformed overnight.

As SEAL operators endlessly working in the harsh unknown of chaos, we profoundly respect uncertainty. We may boast in our abilities as Master Planners, but we fully appreciate we cannot forecast every contingency. That’s why our best defense for survival is something as simple as a BOLT BAG.

A BOLT BAG is nothing more than some necessities designed to help bail you out of a sticky situation so you can live to fight another day. It can be a physical thing or a mental thing, but it needs to be planned out so when they’re rushing up the stairs for you and you, have less than 20 seconds to get out, you just grab and go!

So, what’s in your proverbial bolt bag when uncertainty comes knocking? Here are some thoughts to help you out, but it really depends on your actual needs.

BATTLE-BOOK – God forbid something happens to you, but if something does, is everyone else dead in the water? Battle-Books are a list of important contacts, account numbers, access information, and instructions so anyone can pick up where you left off. At the family level, this could include Wills, POA’s, combos, passwords, and anything else that can help if you are not available.

COMMUNICATIONS PLAN – If you lose cell or internet service, how can someone get a hold of you? Does your family know how to reach you? Do you ACTUALLY know each other’s cell numbers? Is there a place and time to meet in case of an emergency and no service is available?

EVACUATION PLAN – Are the cars gassed up? (Try not to go below a ½ tank). Where are all the keys? Do you have water, food, and an emergency kit in each vehicle? Do you have an actual map in case Google is not available? Where is the nearest hospital? Plan Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary for EVERYTHING!

We’re not talking like it’s the end of the world, but with a little planning, minor inconveniences like this year don’t have to feel like the end of the world. Make a plan and make sure everyone understands the plan. It’s always better to have and not need rather than to need and not have! Remember, the world needs HITTERS!
Quote of the Day “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
***
il 340x270.434778145 ogc7 1 Embrace the Suck Podcast Episode 03: Embrace the Suck: Revisiting Our discussion on Discipline Want more APG Performance Tips, check out our podcast here. Or our Blog
here

Posted in
Learn About Team Building Communication Tips

The APG Team