I'll go first: Fire by friction. When I was going through Green Beret training, I thought I had fire figured out. Lighters, matches, ferro rods—easy. But the first time I had to make fire with nothing but wood and determination? Humbling doesn't even cover it. It took me hours. My hands were blistered. My ego was bruised. But when that coal finally formed and I got flame... man, that changed everything. Not just because I could make fire—but because I proved to myself that I could do hard things when it mattered most. That's what real survival skills do. They don't just prepare you for the wilderness. They build the kind of confidence that carries into every part of your life. So here's my question for you: What's ONE skill you've been putting off learning? Fire? Shelter building? Knife sharpening? Navigation? Drop it in the comments below. And if you've already learned it—tell us what finally pushed you to take action. Let's learn from each other. That's what this community is all about. 🔥 P.S. — If fire by friction is on your list, I just dropped a free guide that breaks down the exact method I teach. Comment "FIRE" and I'll send it your way.

"What about [X skill]? Shouldn't that be on the list too?" You're right. There are WAY more than 5 critical survival skills. So here's the deal: I kept it to 5 because those are the foundational skills that everything else builds on. Master those, and you can survive. Period. But since so many of you asked, here are the next-level skills that separate someone who can survive from someone who can THRIVE in the wild: 6. FIRST AID & TRAUMA CARE Why it matters: You can have all the survival skills in the world, but if you bleed out in the first 10 minutes, none of it matters. What Green Berets know: -Tourniquet application (when and where) -Wound packing and pressure dressings -Fracture stabilization -Hypothermia and heat injury prevention -Improvised medical supplies The skill that separates amateurs from pros: Staying calm under pressure and treating trauma with limited resources. What you should practice: -Take a Stop the Bleed or Wilderness First Aid course (I have in-person workshops coming up soon!) -Build a proper IFAK (Individual First Aid Kit) and know how to use every item -Practice tourniquet application until you can do it one-handed, in the dark 7. FOOD PROCUREMENT (Hunting, Trapping, Foraging) Why it matters: You can survive 3 weeks without food, but your decision-making, energy, and morale collapse long before that. What Green Berets know: -Edible plant identification (and what will kill you) -Primitive traps and snares -Fishing techniques (improvised hooks, nets, spears) -Game processing and preservation -Caloric prioritization (fat > protein > carbs in survival) The skill that separates amateurs from pros: Knowing which plants are safe to eat in YOUR region – and having actually eaten them before you're starving. What you should practice: -Learn 5 edible plants in your area (and their poisonous look-alikes) -Build and set primitive traps (figure-4 deadfall, Paiute deadfall, snares) -Process small game (squirrel, rabbit, fish) from field to table

I spent years as a Green Beret Engineer and Intelligence NCO. Deployed to some of the harshest environments on the planet. And here's what I learned: Survival isn't about having the fanciest gear. It's about mastering the fundamentals that keep you alive when everything goes wrong. These are the 5 core skills every Green Beret is expected to master – and the same skills I teach civilians who want to be truly prepared, not just "survival enthusiasts." 1. FIRECRAFT – The Non-Negotiable Why it matters: Fire is life. Warmth, water purification, signaling, morale. Lose your ability to make fire, and your survival timeline collapses fast. What Green Berets know: -Multiple ignition methods (ferro rod, friction fire, magnification, chemical) -Fire in ANY weather (rain, snow, wind, wet conditions) -Tinder identification and prep (natural and man-made) -Fire lay structures for different purposes (cooking, warmth, signaling) The skill that separates amateurs from pros: Hand drill friction fire. If you can make fire with nothing but wood and your hands, you're never truly without fire. What you should practice: -Master your primary method (ferro rod) until you can do it in the dark, in the rain, with numb hands -Learn one primitive method (bow drill or hand drill) -Build a tinder bundle that catches on the first ember -Practice fire-making in bad weather – that's when you'll actually need it 2. SHELTERCRAFT – Your First Line of Defense Why it matters: Exposure kills faster than hunger or thirst. Hypothermia can set in within hours. Your shelter is your survival priority after immediate threats. What Green Berets know: -Site selection (drainage, wind protection, hazards, resources) -Insulation principles (ground insulation is critical – cold ground -steals body heat) -Natural shelter construction (debris huts, lean-tos, snow shelters) -Improvised materials (tarps, ponchos, emergency blankets) The skill that separates amateurs from pros: Building a debris hut that actually keeps you warm. Most people build shelters that look good but don't retain heat.

Real talk—most people can't start a fire without a lighter. We're changing that. This week, we're doing a community challenge: Build a tinder bundle using ONLY natural materials from your area. Post a photo in the feed and tell us: - What materials did you use? - How long did it take? - What surprised you? The best part? Tag someone who needs to see this. Invite a friend or colleague to join and take the challenge with you. No experience needed. Just curiosity and willingness to get your hands dirty. Who's in? 💪

A topic to generate discussion. I have been studying wilderness skills for my entire life, in the woods with our land surveyor dad, as a scout, a scouter, and now a grandfather. So what mindset and priorities do I teach a 10 year old? When I pry the switch and iPad from his hands and get him into the woods, where do I start. We have attended a survival program here in New Hampshire which has been a great refresher for me a fantastic for him. His “bushcraft pack” is set up based on the equipment list for Rob’s Coyote Bushcraft school. We have kits with identical equipment to better teach and train. Haha. The packs are different - I have a much wider back. Mentors of mine all order the survival priorities differently. One advocates fire first, no question. One stresses that shelter is paramount. And that is just the starting point. I guess I am trying to train G Man that every situation is going to be different. STOP. It may be that after evaluation that the bail-out-bearing is all that is needed to save the afternoon. Stop and actually sit down settle yourself and then Think. Panic causes so many negative situations. Observe your surroundings and only then Plan your next step. It is hard to work scenarios with a child. As my son reminded me this summer, kind of hard to plan a situation with a 10 YO. FYI, they are all over the place. How do you start when you are teaching?