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EJ

@spik3ej

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Investigations & OSINT at @lbc, covering global defence and intelligence. Specialist Consultant at Minerva Solutions. Watch geek and EDC nerd ⌚🎒

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When you have an entirely volunteer military, you can spend a generation fighting expeditionary wars thousands of miles away, in the Middle East, at catastrophic human cost and with little to show for the sacrifice - while the vast majority of the population barely experiences any of it.

Troops, veterans and their families carry the physical and psychological scars, the grief and the consequences of decisions made in their name.

Meanwhile, everyone else carries on, largely unaffected - unless fuel prices rise... War remains something happening to other people, somewhere else.

There’s no mass mobilisation, no shared sacrifice, no fundamental disruption to civilian life. War becomes something the military does, rather than something the country experiences.

That creates a dangerous disconnect - governments can wage unpopular, endless wars abroad because the costs are concentrated among a small minority. The wider public remains largely insulated from the consequences, and the political pressure to stop is almost silent.

What happens if war comes to the UK itself? To our cities, streets, infrastructure and homes?

We’ve grown used to the idea that war happens somewhere else, to someone else, while ordinary life carries on regardless.

If a generation has been insulated from the reality of war, how prepared will we be when that insulation disappears?

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“…in peacetime we hate the brute. His rugged toxic outlook is disquieting and frightening. But in war - the most toxic environment of all - there’s almost no one we’d rather see, particularly when he’s on our side.”

Incredibly powerful piece by Peter Muller which hits has hard now as it did 4 years ago when I first saw it.

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September Member of the Month; and so September comes to an end and I can think of no one more deserving of this accolade than EJ. The investigate journalist and butlins advocate sat down with us to chat how he handles talking to confidential sources while taking beer pics, whether he’s invited members of the royal family to the group and why you should always carry a roll of tape.

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•• 𝗜𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 2 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲.

𝖤𝗑𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗆𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝗏𝗂𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝖿𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝗌𝗈𝗅𝖽𝗂𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀, 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍’𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗃𝗎𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖾, 𝗌𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗈𝗋 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗍. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝖺𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 ‘𝖽𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖻𝖺𝗌𝗂𝖼𝗌 𝗐𝖾𝗅𝗅’ 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗋𝗎𝖾 𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌.

𝖶𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗆𝖻𝗂𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉 𝗂𝗌 -32°, 𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖽𝗈 𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝖻𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗄𝗂𝗍. 𝖭𝗈𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖻𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝖿𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝖺𝗅𝖿-𝖺𝗌𝗌𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗌 𝗂𝗍 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗅𝖽 𝖼𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆𝗆𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾. 𝖩𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖺𝗌 𝗂𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗃𝗎𝗇𝗀𝗅𝖾 𝗈𝗋 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗍 - 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖻𝖺𝗍, 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎’𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗈𝗋.

𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝖾𝗑𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗆𝖾 𝖾𝗇𝗏𝗂𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝖻𝗒 𝖿𝖺𝗋? 𝖢𝗂𝗏𝗏𝗂𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗍 - 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝖨 𝗁𝖺𝖽 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗂𝗌𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝖿𝗎𝖼𝗄 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗇. 𝖠𝗍 𝖿𝗂𝗋𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝗍’𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗇 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗏𝖾, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗂𝗍’𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍. 𝖸𝗈𝗎’𝗋𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗎𝗋𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝖺𝗆𝗉. 𝖸𝗈𝗎’𝗋𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗆𝖺𝗍𝖾. 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗍’𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍𝖾𝖽. 𝖥𝗎𝖼𝗄.

𝖨 𝗐𝗂𝗌𝗁 𝖨’𝖽 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗀𝗈, 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖾𝗅𝗉 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝖺𝗇𝗑𝗂𝖾𝗍𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝖾𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 - 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗍𝗅𝗒 𝗁𝗂𝖽𝖽𝖾𝗇 𝗈𝖿 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗌𝖾. 𝖨𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗇’𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝗁𝗂𝖽𝖽𝖾𝗇 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋, 𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝗂𝖿 𝗂𝗍 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 5, 10 𝗈𝗋 15 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗈𝗎𝗍.

𝖣𝗈𝗇’𝗍 𝖻𝖾 𝖺𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗆𝖾𝖽 𝗈𝖿 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝗍𝗈 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝗅 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎’𝗏𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗂𝗇𝖾𝖽 𝖿𝗈𝗋.

𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲, 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲 - 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.

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•• June 2022 - Bucha

3 months after UKR forces had retaken it, teams were still recovering bodies from the surrounding area. The forensic investigation with still so much to do.

It all reminded me so much of the Balkans - the civilian population suffering horrors of just how inhuman humans can be.

Did talk about going to help with body recoveries but Donbass was where I was needed, and where I headed to - linking up with @ivlevyorke.

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**Kit Post**

Plate carriers, and in fact all personal kit, is exactly that - personal. What works for me doesn’t meant it works for you and we all have our own way. Your kit will continually evolve, both in terms of what becomes available and your own preferences. Scope of practice, role, mission set, armed or unarmed and many other things will determine what you have on your kit, where and why.

This was my set up for UKR - it’s not perfect, its been put together over a long period of time and trust me things move around on this set up a lot! I’ve got level IV plates which are a bit heavy but I’m a big lad and can cope 🤣 it’s also a QRB.

1. Drop down pouch - CAT TQ’s, celox, Z gauze, seals,FFD’s, airways, crib cards (MARCH, HeliOps etc)

2. Cyalumes - blue, orange and 2 IR

3. Olight Warrior Mini - it’s small but can illuminate a footy pitch

4. CAT Gen 7 TQ

5. Foretrex 101 - I think they’re on about gen 6 or 7 now, but this is the OG, is still going strong and still does the GPS trick, set to MGRS

6. Level IV helmet

7. IFAK - FFD, celox, chest seal, wipes and another pouch with another FFD, all next to *17 which is another TQ (SOF-TT) and raptor shears

8. Comms - covert ear tube, headset, VHF & UHF radios which are analogue and scrambled. I do have digital comms but in austere conditions and in Donbas I found these to work better than digital. Headset can fit under my helmet and plugs into the PTT (we used to call them pressels 👴🏻).

9. On my left side is all spare pouches which can hold smoke, flash bangs, weapon cleaning kit and inside the cummerbund is 3 magazine pouches

10. Strobe and IR strobe. This can go on my helmet but it’s also easily switched on by an oppo when it’s on my back

11. Pocket Bible, usually goes in my side panel with the soft armour level 3A

12. Loopline and karibenar

13. Drag handle, this is a pretty hefty set up as I weigh 100kg without kit - so it’s got to be able to drag me + the weight of what I’m wearing

14. Drop down pouch, this can have a bit of everything in it if I’m separated from my other kit for a day

15. Admin pouch, lighter, pliers, rubber bands

16. PTT

17. SOF-T

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••Monday watch day - it’s the 1st gen @bremontmilitary Broadsword, on a @zulualphastraps static line strap with blood group tag.

Got them all a few years ago now after their initial release. The back is nicely detailed and as with most of my watches it has my service number, wings and unit moto engraved.

The old school simplicity of this watch is spot on and of course its homage to the original ‘Dirty Dozen’ of MoD WWII watches. The spring bars aren’t damaged, they’re intentionally shaped to match the watch case.

I don’t wear this as much as my other watches, then when I do I always think ‘why don’t I wear this more’, it’s understatement is what I love about it. It’s not too big, small, heavy or light - you still know you have a quality timepiece on your wrist.

#HumbleBrag

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•• Watch Wednesday (or something)

My @sangin.instruments Atlas I ‘matte’ on @zulualphastraps airborne with blood group tag. This was the first Sangin I bought not long after Jake & Paris first got going, obviously impressive tool watch built for work which I loved.

The airborne strap was also the first strap I’d got from Daz, again he’d not long been going - and we did meet up not long after for a decent greasy spoon 😂 was great to see how he was cracking on in the workshop and how the straps are made. The QC was 👌🏻 matching his passion and attention to detail. Was brilliant to see Sangin & Zulualpha linking up and collaborating.

Not sure it shows up well in these pictures but the lume on the dial has developed a lovely ‘patina’ over time as they say, especially after some time in Donbas. The bullet proof movement hasn’t needed a service yet, says a lot about the components they decided to use and why.

I’m an analogue guy in a digital world so any tool watch I have is automatic, I don’t rely on anything digital where possible. Watching the GPS shit itself in Donbas was a stark reminder of this.

Watches are for wearing and like all of mine, I love wearing it and the little stories it has.

•• Tactical Trauma

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Check on…
…Em

#brethren
#kin

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June 6th, 1944. Operation Overlord. Today, we remember the brave Allied soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Their selfless service and the high price they paid for freedom will never be forgotten.
•••••
#watchevac #sangininstruments #dday #overlord #operationoverlord

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They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them 🌺

#remembrance #remembrancesunday #wewillrememberthem

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