Despite the massive buildup of Russian forces on their border, and the fact they’ve been in conflict with Russia for years from a previous invasion, less than 20% of Ukrainians thought that their country would get attacked.

Even fewer prepared for the possibility.

A week ago their lives were normal; just like ours.

The week before this happened, I had published my Green Beret Area Study Workbook. I have to be honest and say I had mixed feelings. On one hand I knew it was an essential book; one I’ve been working on for years.

Given climate change, and even just day to day living, we all need to do an Area Study of our Area of Operations. But there was a part of me that looked at the parts like the one that walked you through planning your evacuation route and thought “People will think this is over the top”.

Sadly, the events of the past weeks have proved that those parts of the book are essential. Disasters, whether natural or man-made, can strike anywhere at any time. West coast? Earthquake. East coast? Hurricane. Pacific Northwest? Heat Dome. Southwest? Epic drought. Texas? Freeze. The list goes on and on.

Those are things that have already happened or are happening. But there are many others that can occur suddenly. Every week there is a new disaster somewhere in the country. Americans might think they’re safe from what happened in Ukraine, but one in three Americans experienced a climate disaster last year. Sadly, most were under-reported. Worse, almost everyone involved wasn’t prepared.

This isn’t about hunkering in a bunker with a hoard of smoke meat. This is about common sense, day to day, things we should know about and prepare for.

On the far side from doing an Area Study of evacuation routes, there are the simple things one should do in their house to protect themselves, such as being prepared for a fire or having the car adequately prepared.

Do you know your threats and assets? Do you know the priority in which you need to get prepared and the things to be prepared for? Have you made plans that need to be done now, not on the fly while caught in the disaster?

I’m glad I’ve finally published The Green Beret Area Study Workbook as the companion to The Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide. I truly believe they are the two most important books I’ve written.

Get prepared. Stay safe!