How do you remember what to do, or how to do something when all heck has broken loose? Some people might be able to just remember, others may need a little reminder. Acronyms are great ways to help remember important tips, tricks, or even skills. Here is a small accumulation of some that I feel are important to remember, and a couple that I've put together myself.
METT-T: This is an old military acronym for how you will go about with staying alive.
M: Mission. Whether it's a military mission, or just the goal of surviving, stay focused on the situation.
E: Enemy. Again, whether we are talking about people, or just obstacles, keep track of what you might be up against.
T: Terrain. What kind of terrain are you operating in? Know your surroundings.
T: Troops. Who do you have with you, and how can they be of importance to the mission/goal?
T: Time Available. What is the time frame for the mission/goal. Long term survival or a short military raid? You need to determine how much time is on hand.
SURVIVAL: Keep this acronym handy for when you might get lost or abandoned in the elements.
S: Seek Shelter. Depending on the elements (weather, altitude, etc..) your body can only survive for a short amount of time. Shelter should be the first priority on your list.
U: Unpack. Once you've established some sort of shelter from the elements, unpack everything you have. Take inventory of whats there, and then repack with the most essential items within easy reach.
R: Recon. Explore the immediate area around your shelter. Look for water sources, food sources, firewood, game trails, or anything that might help you get out of your situation, or make the situation better.
V: Vaccinate. Take care of any cuts, scratches, and anything else that can get infected. Even the smallest scratch can get infected and cause a ton of pain and troubles later.
I: Ignite. Start a fire. Even if it's hot out, nights get cold, even in the desert. More than anything, a fire can boost moral, signal for help, boil contanimated water, and cook food. Make sure you have plenty of firewood to last through the night.
V: Visualize. See yourself surviving and making it out alive. Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you have the will to live, and can see yourself living to see tomorrow, you have a huge advantage.
A: Action. Don't just sit there and wait for somebody to come along and save you. Continue to collect firewood, food, water, and continue to make improvements on your shelter. It may be awhile before somebody finds you. You can also venture a little farther from your shelter every day, so you can see whats around the next bend. Just be careful not to get injured or lost again.
L: Listen. Whenever you have the chance, listen to your surroundings. If you haven't found a water source, maybe you'll be able to hear a river or stream. You might be able to hear dogs if there is a search party out looking for you. Even the sound of birds and chipmunks can boost moral and let you know there aren't any predators in your area.
Never Eat Soggy Wheat. A good way to remember where the points on a compass are.
Never: North
Eat: East
Soggy: South
Wheat: West
If you make a circle and start at the top; that is where North will be. Going clock-wise, the far right of the circle will be East, the bottom is South, and the far left of the circle is West.
SHELTER: Here is an acronym that I came up with to you help you build a good shelter.
S: Sturdy. Make sure your shelter is safe and sturdy. If you find a cave, make sure the roof isn't going to cave in, or that fallen tree isn't so rotten that it will crash down on you.
H: High ground. You don't want your shelter in a low spot where rain water will channel through or pool up, making for a long and wet night.
E: Entrance. You'll want to be able to enter your shelter easily without the risk of knocking down part of it, but you want to keep out as much of the cold are also. This part might take some trial and error, but keep working at it, because a good shelter may be the only thing you have going for you.
L: Level. Unless you like to sleep on a slope or on top of rocks, try to keep your shelter on level ground. Look for any uneven spots and flatten them until you think you'll be comfortable. Lay down and try it out before you build. The last thing you want is to finish your shelter and find a huge rock right in the middle that you can't unbury.
T: Time. In some situations, you might have to make a hasty shelter. (Just something to get out of the downpour.) But, if you know you are lost and might be there for a couple days, take your time and build a good sturdy and dry shelter. Heck, this is your new home for a few days; might as well make it as comfortable as you can.
E: Escape. You might want to make an escape route out of your shelter. If a predator decides he likes your shelter and doesn't like the idea of sharing it with you, you'll probably need an alternate way out.
R: Relax. Once you're satisfied with your shelter, take some time to lay in it and relax. More than likely, you spent a ton of energy building your shelter. Don't forget, there is still lots and lots of work to do to live to see tomorrow.
KISS: Another acronym stemming from the military, but it basically tells you to keep things simple.
K: Keep
I: It
S: Simple
S: Stupid
Keep It Simple, Stupid. Sometimes, the best solutions are the simplest. If things seem to get too complicated, then go back to keeping it simple. It's like trying to pack a survival kit. You can't carry everything including the kitchen sink, so keep it simple and train with what you can carry.
I hope these few acronyms will help give you an idea on how to simplify remembering certain terms. You can also make up your own if it's easier for you to memorize. As long as it works for you, then it's the right way to do it. You never know, maybe this will help you live to see tomorrow.
