But along with that, I begrudgingly accepted the reality that people weren’t ready to hear or think about what I was dwelling on. So, between that and not knowing where or how to begin finding allies or identifying enemies, in my frustration I sought advice. It was some of the best advice I would ever receive in my life, still to this day: “Your friends and enemies will make themselves apparent to you when you are ready to meet them. You will know them when you see them, and they will know you, and everything will fall into place and proceed naturally.”

In the meantime, I reasoned: I can’t presume to worry about or guide others while I myself have so much to learn; I didn’t know shit. So I endeavored to get myself up to speed, minding the advice that others would come when the time was right. There is still much to learn, despite how far I’ve come.

I knew I would need access to certain people, knowledge, and equipment; I took a job that would provide access to those things, and a means to use all of them in a manner towards which I was naturally inclined (namely, helping and protecting people) while living a “normal life” in the event that what was foretold never came to pass, that the time and effort wouldn’t be wasted. All the while I remained attentive, watching both the times and how people reacted to them.

So it’s important to point out here, that unless we’re speaking particularly on the subject of LE, I am never talking to you in that capacity in any of my writings; Rather, merely as myself. Just one of the guys that shares many of the same interests, morals, and values as many of you.

As more and more people were in their own time seeing the writing on the wall and coming to the realization that the horizon was in fact starting to look dark and that no one was coming to save them, I watched as they gravitated towards the 2A circles. Not just for the hardware and software, but for like minded individuals as well.

In the meantime, I found that the advice was right: I too would come to find others; my path took me straight to some of the best and brightest among those I sought, many of whom I am blessed to truly call friends now: those who would step forward, and those who have (in varying capacities) chiefly among them. The enemy would stand and be counted on their own accord in due time, just as well.

It is remarkable to see you all finally coming together. It is as relieving as it is foreboding to see that you’re finally here. No matter what you call yourselves, be it militia, prepper network, minutemen, mutual assistance group, armed citizens, whatever. You have no idea how much you are needed. Watching all of you form into a network of nodes covering varying areas of expertise seeking to assist each other in self mobilization… Finally. The troops have arrived.

I commend your efforts, and encourage you to continue striving towards the best form of readiness and capability you’re able to muster; it is the impetus for all that I do, for every piece of content I’ve written: To facilitate that pursuit (even from behind enemy lines), for those who would; To galvanize America’s last line of defense against an ever encroaching adversary that works tirelessly to destroy our way of life, having revealed itself in broad daylight and without shame.

That’s why, when I first heard of the Appalachian Ranger Association, I applauded it. I supported it. I wanted to believe in it and its ability to reach its outwardly stated goals. Although I would strongly suggest against seeking the level of publicity and exposure the ARA had since managed to obtain as it came up (seriously, if you’re telegraphing your numbers, capability and reach on social media platforms, you’re fucking retarded), for many of us it was refreshing and reassuring to see that something like that could be done, and apparently done right!

Apparently not.

As it turned out, things with the ARA were not all that they seemed. On the surface, a steadfast collective of voluntary protectors, but the longer I observed the more things started to not smell right. There were hints, early on. Little things that tipped me off that something shady was going on down in Knoxville, TN. But nothing I could speak or act upon. Again, it was too soon. Too many had been fooled into supporting the organization, and I had little to substantiate my suspicions.

I knew then that if I spoke against it, I would be on the receiving end of a deluge of hostile backlash, dismissively branded as a ban state cop that didn’t think citizens should be permitted to come together in arms and train in a coordinated fashion. Patently false, but no less likely that such a response was in store for me had I lacked discipline and struck out prematurely. I wouldn’t ignore that gut feeling though (and it’s a big gut, amirite?) that something was off about the ARA, or at the very least its leader. All I could do was continue to quietly observe.

But by that point, playing the long game was something I had gotten used to and quite good at, having won it a few times along the way. So I knew I would again have to bide my time and wait for others to see the same thing I did and realize, something was amiss. That it wasn’t just the overreaction of some wayward blue state mentality. I can say now that my patience surely paid off. Now there’s feedback. Now there’s witnesses. Now there’s PROOF that corroborates my suspicions. Those of us watching have compared notes, and we arrived at the same conclusion: The ARA and its leader Mark are non-starters for the greater community.

𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘’𝗦 𝗦𝗠𝗢𝗞𝗘…

𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙑𝙄𝘿𝙀𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙏𝙊 𝙎𝙐𝘽𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙄𝘼𝙏𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙄𝘾𝙇𝙀 𝘾𝘼𝙉 𝘽𝙀 𝙁𝙊𝙐𝙉𝘿 𝘾𝙊𝙇𝙇𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀.

When I first made contact with Mark, the ARA’s leader, our first conversations were amicable; we apparently saw eye to eye on things, and he’d even told me “I really enjoy the conversation, and I can tell you’re a good man,” after having said my own page was phenomenal and to keep up the excellent work. After that we had a brief but friendly back and forth dialogue. I thought that was cool, and it looked like things were off to a good start. That was last year.

Trouble with him started about a month later after I posted one of my gear modules. I had seen elsewhere on social media a couple of newbs in the gear circles asking where and how they should mount and carry handcuffs on their kit; the response was almost unanimous, regardless of whether those answering were LE or not: “What do you need cuffs for? You planning to take prisoners? Where are you gonna keep them?”

So I addressed this and said in my module, don’t worry about cuffs on your kit, chances are you have neither the facility or paperwork to properly detain someone and document why you took their freedom away; if you need cuffs as a mission requirement, it’s more likely that someone that knows the when why and how of taking prisoners will issue them to you and explain the tactics and lateral limits thereof. This also mitigates an ill-fated would-be lone wolf, knowing they’ve got cuffs, looking for a reason to use them just because. You can go back and look at the module as it was originally written and see for yourself (Gear Part 6: Overt First Line, posted August 5th 2022)

Personally (outside of work), I don’t carry cuffs on my kit. Priorities of work during Matters of Contingency dictate that I am responsible for me and mine long before I take responsibility for prisoners, and all that the responsibility entails; I would imagine this was common sense. So you can imagine my surprise when I discovered Mark talking shit in the comments of some random post made by some random cocksucker, and twisting my words in the process; “Don’t ever train or use handcuffs because only police have ever detained anyone,” he had inaccurately quoted me in saying.

Well. That’s not what I would have expected from someone I’d had such a good rapport with previously; the fuck was his problem? Why didn’t he approach me directly to discuss why he disagreed or determine what I meant and why, if he wasn’t sure? That is after all what he demands of those that have a problem with him. I would later come to find that Mark lacks the fortitude for such things.

Despite being falsely accused of thinking that only LE should be allowed to have or train with cuffs (I’ve never said such a thing), I resolved to be the better person and approach him directly to find out for myself. Mark wouldn’t have responded if I asked him directly out in the open because “the ARA doesn’t argue online”; Mark just makes disingenuous drive-by commentary and pretends it didn’t happen later.

I asked if something about my post with the bit about handcuffs rubbed him the wrong way. He said “as an LEO of 8 years,” that I was wrong about cuffs and he wasn’t going to argue. He also said that “down in Appalachia,” citizens have the right to make lawful arrests or be appointed as special deputies as per the needs of the Sheriff.

It’s worth noting here that, having claimed 8 years in LE, Mark would never disclose where or in what capacity he served in detail, and it would later come to light that he possessed zero credentials or certifications in any of the localities he claimed to work in, in any capacity he claimed to work, for any period of time he claimed to be in LE; 2, 8, 10 years, depending on who was asking.

After 14 years in LE myself, I try to avoid using them if I can when I do have them on me at work. I’m not about locking people up for petty shit, and then having a mountain of paperwork to do while babysitting some asshole for petty nonsense. And really, a cop with one year on the job in this sociopolitical time would know that. So for Mark to lean on “8 years” of experience and come out swinging on that topic was a little suspicious.

Let’s put aside for a moment that the whole “as per the needs of the Sheriff” part substantiated what I said about how realistically speaking, someone that knows the when why and how of taking prisoners will issue them to you and explain the tactics and lateral limits thereof. Two things stood out about Mark’s behavior here: First, his stonewall attitude in saying he wasn’t going to argue (he never responded to any PM I sent him after that and it’s been over a year), and second, the “down here in Appalachia” qualifier he chose to use.

Perhaps you’d describe my patriotism as conservative, as I am a strong proponent of the union and its Constitution, and all the tenets, decrees, protections and guarantees thereof. They are all together what enables our existence as the sole superpower on the planet, our global flexibility as the leaders of the free world, and the quality of life we enjoy as a free people with the defensive and projection capability we possess. So when Mark started talking about “Appalachia” like it was a sovereign region unto itself apart from said union, as though he were both some sort of separatist and the self-appointed (read: never elected) arbiter of that region, the picture it started to paint was grim.

Over time, Mark’s separatist-like tone and attitude about Appalachia and his position in regards relative to the rest of the country despite lacking any formal appointment to power became bolder and more pointed; the ARA was for Appalachia and Appalachia only; “We don’t concern ourselves with the opinions of those outside Appalachia,” said the guy who isn’t even from Appalachia (he’s from Toledo, OH, well beyond the geographic and cultural regions of Appalachia).

His demeanor suggested that everyone else (despite their fanfare and support of the ARA, for instance) could basically go fuck themselves; This is how he would typically answer questions pertaining to other groups seeking to network or affiliate with the ARA; “This will never happen, the ARA exists for Appalachians within Appalachia. If you want something where you are, make it yourself.”

That alone seemed off. But once you took into consideration, with this tone and attitude in mind, that this guy sent volunteers into Kentucky to assist in the flooding disaster relief (undoubtedly for PR/publicity purposes first and foremost) and insisted that they do so while fully armed and kitted up (something they were asked to leave over if they wouldn’t disarm after numerous complaints– they left), we can infer that he was also intending for “his men” to be equipped with cuffs of some variety for arrest purposes at some point, likely lacking any procedural parameters for their use, as was the case for most of their “qualifications.”

At that point it was like holy shit, this guy is going to get someone killed. Think about it: the poleese have enough trouble apprehending people that don’t want to go to jail; what do you think is going to happen when not the cops but a bunch of self proclaimed, self tabbed Rangers with no official charter try to do it?

…𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘’𝗦 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘

That was just the tip of the iceberg, anyway. As others have articulated in their coverage, Mark and the ARA’s intentions were significantly worse according to insider testimony pertaining to the tasking of what the ARA calls RSTG (Ranger Special Task Group) Black and Gold; the former being a hit squad Mark described as his personal assassins, and the latter being Mark’s personal protective detail, as insiders and former members articulated.

Isn’t it peculiar that a man who stood up what he claimed (lied) to be a non-profit organization for young men who wanted to serve their communities and families without being bound to interests outside of Appalachia, would see a requirement to take prisoners and form kill teams, or that he would need bodyguards during Search & Rescue and Disaster Relief operations?

Not really, once you see how Mark admitted he would sooner take your shit for free (read: by force) before he bothered to barter with anyone. And well before this had been confirmed by members who’ve since left the ARA, there were already whispers and rumors in the comments of Instagram posts months ahead of time that Mark had communicated to the ARA rank and file that they would loot and pillage in a disaster scenario without rule of law to keep them in check. This has been further corroborated by former members more recently.

That so many former members testified to the underhanded intentions for the ARA that Mark had attempted to conceal from us in all manner of MiniTrue fashion while projecting the image of being a champion of liberty, testifies further to the institutional rot within as a consequence of the failure of leadership that Mark closely micromanaged.

But I’m going to skip over those details for now (see the following Appendices for direct feedback from those who dealt with Mark in person), because those don’t hurt you. They only hurt the ARA, and those who choose to enable it, affiliate and participate with it. And they 𝗱𝗼 choose to lay with such dogs, regardless of the fleas.

However, I would encourage whoever’s reading this to review all the evidence in regards to the internal strife of the ARA; a tangled web we find Mark squarely at the center of. It further substantiates the suspicions and hunches many of us had independently as observers, before we realized how many of us were out there seeing the same thing and arriving at the same conclusions simultaneously: that the ARA or at the very least the guy running it, is bad news (both for local folk and the greater community). That he is not one of us but rather, a domestic enemy… lying in wait.

“Just because someone’s into guns, gear, and training like you are, doesn’t automatically mean that they’re your friend or on your side.”

– Article author, usually regarding leftists

Earlier this year, Mark pivoted. Where he once claimed, “I do not care about much outside of Appalachia. Other people should focus on getting their own houses in order, that is what we are doing here,” there was now a change to his tune; it would seem someone convinced him to reconsider, along the lines of previous inquiries he’d received pertaining to branching out.

Instead of confining himself and his efforts to the region of Appalachia, he intended to go National; Starting in 2024, Mark’s goal was to change what ARA stands for: Instead of “Appalachian Ranger Association,” it would change to “American Ranger Association.” This is what finally inspired us to act; There was a cancer among us. And as any, it needed to be rooted out, removed, and destroyed; Never permitted to thrive, lest it grow into something terminal relative to the greater collective.

𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗘𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧

𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙀𝙑𝙄𝘿𝙀𝙉𝘾𝙀 𝙏𝙊 𝙎𝙐𝘽𝙎𝙏𝘼𝙉𝙏𝙄𝘼𝙏𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙉𝙏𝙀𝙉𝙏 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙄𝘾𝙇𝙀 𝘾𝘼𝙉 𝘽𝙀 𝙁𝙊𝙐𝙉𝘿 𝘾𝙊𝙇𝙇𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀.

I want to take a moment to address the conspiratorial insurgency-like approach taken here: It is necessary when the enemy you’ve positively identified is seen by the majority as the good guys, but you know that this is not true. You know that there’s a monster beneath the surface that if left unchecked will become a big problem for a lot of people in due time. They have the best and purest of intentions as they come up, but as soon as they get a taste of power they go off the rails and become corrupt and unjust. But they are still loved.

“A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good, just because it’s accepted by a majority.”

– Booker T. Washington

At that point it is up to good men to recognize the matter for what it is and do something about it. Sometimes there’s fear of reprisal and therefore hesitation. But this is the American way of handling an entrenched tyrant. It is not the first I have participated in or saw succeed, and I do not suspect it will be the last.

I have seen men develop a sense of self-importance after getting a dose of celebrity in the spotlight. I have watched them grow arrogant as they accumulated popularity and power within their spheres of influence. I have seen these men attempt to lean on that perception of themselves as an authority to exclude or blacklist those who dissented from or criticized them from the greater 2A community and/or what all the industry had to offer. Then I saw their fall from grace and knew closely what contributed to it legitimately. So I knew what I was looking at when I saw it in Mark and the ARA and said to myself, “Here we go again.”

Now, whether the American Ranger Association in Mark’s mind at this juncture was merely a standardized organizational template to be distributed nationwide to like minded armed citizens to form groups amongst themselves, or a Patreon based exclusive content avenue matters not.

Either way, knowing Mark and his tendencies both psychologically and in practice, there was no doubt that he would attempt to use this approach to establish a nationwide shadow army and install himself as its supreme commander; to use the knowledge, experience, and talents of those who have actually served in a military capacity (those he would deceive) across the country to enhance the ARA’s offensive capability, and therefore its ability to prey upon those unable to resist; “Why would I barter when I can take your shit for free?”