Reliance on Certification

Throughout my years in the military, tactical and prepper communities, I always saw this unnecessary reliance upon certifications.  Everything from not being able to do something to not being able to use a piece of gear all because of what I came to realized was just some arbitrary piece of paper.  Well, here's a secret that I have learned and I'll give Pat from Uncensored Tactical (year I refer to him a lot but he happens to give examples and often be an example in himself that proves my fucking point) some credit here in that certifications DO NOT FUCKING MATTER!!!  In some cases, certifications are merely a check in the box or a barrier to entry.  Other times they create a false sense of authority that make the holders believe they have a seat at the table.  In all reality, certifications just feed bureaucracy and create false prophets.

There is no greater check in the box than that of the NRA certified instructor.  In most cases these guys are just the creepy Fudd brass goblins at your local gun range.  In other cases they use their minimal firearm expertise as a means of collecting money from new and unsuspecting firearm owners whom they teach their bad, out of date and in worst cases unsafe firearms practices for money.  If they're not teaching you dangerous techniques like Lucien Black of Voda Consulting (the NRA eventually revoked his credentials) they will teach you outdated techniques from the 80's like Iron Sight (they're also crazy cultists too but more on that another time).  In most states, you actually have to pay these fuckers money because taking a firearms safety course in a requirement for receiving your pistol permit.  Thanks NRA, your "fight" for gun rights created a barrier to entry that also funnels money to your bullshit organization.

Unnecessary certifications also extends to equipment.  One such certification that I've recently found to be unnecessary is the NIJ certification.  This certification acts as a rating system for ballistic protection equipment like helmets, vests and plates.  I know many people (myself included at one point in regard to helmets) that will not trust equipment unless it has been NIJ certified.  Only problem is that most of the good equipment is prohibitively expensive.  That cost is because testing for NIJ certification costs upwards of $40,000.  This creates yet another barrier to entry as new companies with potentially better offerings can't compete as they can't get passed that expensive certification process.

If you're that concerned you can do what I did.  I bought a plate without certification, duct taped it to a tree stump and unloaded on it.  The plate suffered no penetration so I went and bought myself a set.  If you're uncertain about certain items, it might be worth the investment to make a smaller purchase and find out for yourself if a larger investment is worth it.

Something recently popping up withing my local circles of the "Patriot" movement has been this hard on they have for FEMA certifications.  Guys have found ways to use their connections within their respective counties to get sent to various FEMA certification courses using tax payer resources.  Yes, that means the money your government has stolen went to some retard 3%er getting a FEMA certification.  The claim by most in the movement is to enable them to go where places in order to help in disaster relief where they would normally be denied entry.  Others have told me it would be a means of making use of state resources to get them and their personnel out of dodge in their SHTF situations.  In reality, I don't think the state will give a fly fuck what certifications they have, if they aren't part of a state agency they won't be going anywhere special.  They will be treated like every other civilian volunteer because that is still all they are.  My other concern is that because they have be come so reliant and hold these certifications with such reverence that it makes me wonder who's side they will take if the Boogaloo actually happens.  So Goons, that means you might want to consider them in your threat assessments.

Yes, some people actually take ZERT certificates serious.  While the Zombie Eradication Response Team does provides a use, some people fail to realized that it's nothing more than additional marketing.  ZERT, is probably the biggest example of certifications don't make you an expert.  It reminds me of when I first entered my local 3% group.  There was this one guy who constantly tried to inject himself in as an expert yet was obviously a fucking idiot.  He constantly tried to take charge and run shit.  His only qualifier was that he had a ZERT certificate.  Yeah, this guy tried to act like some bad ass because he went to a zombie school. 

Now, I don't those of you who have certification to think that it's bad that you have them.  I'm just saying that when it comes to the purposes of SHTF and the Boogaloo that they don't matter.  Having the knowledge and having the experience are what really matter.  All certificates do are create barriers to entry and false experts.  If bureaucracy breed incompetence then, certifications validate it.