As a soldier, you know the importance of proper care and use of your
weapons, tools, and equipment. This is especially true of your knife. You
must always keep it sharp and ready to use. A knife is your most valuable
tool in a survival situation. Imagine being in a survival situation without
any weapons, tools, or equipment except your knife. It could happen! You
might even be without a knife. You would probably feel helpless, but with
the proper knowledge and skills, you can easily improvise needed items.
In survival situations, you may have to fashion any number and type of
field-expedient tools and equipment to survive. The need for an item must
outweigh the work involved in making it. You should ask, "Is it
necessary or just nice to have?" Remember that undue haste makes waste.
Examples of tools and equipment that could make your life much easier are
ropes (Appendix G),
rucksacks, clothes, and nets.
Weapons serve a dual purpose. You use them to obtain and prepare food and
to provide self-defense. A weapon can also give you a feeling of security
and provide you with the ability to hunt on the move.
