Altered Realities Radio Interviews our very own Neil Brown, Jr.
From Altered Realities Radio: Robin and Julie are pleased to welcome Neil Brown Jr. to the show! Neil has had over 20 film and television appearances, including The Fast and the Furious, Harry’s Law and Never Back Down. He is perhaps best-known for his appearance on AMC’s hit series, The Walking Dead, as Guillermo, and as LCpl. Guerrero in Battle: Los Angeles.
A lot has happened since the Zombie Survival Crew opened its doors to the public. So much so that we’re having trouble figuring out who is on our side and who is out to destroy us. Are you the crew member turned spy? Have any of your fearless commanders been compromised or brainwashed? Only time will tell. Take a look at our history and see if you can figure out what’s in store for the ZSC.
Everything started out innocently enough. In a bid to be prepared should the worst happen, Juliette began to gather an elite group of persons she could trust at the end of days. We had no clue then that an Unknown Government Agency (UGA) monitored her Twitter feed. Upon releasing the blog post disclosing her plan, Juliette received an invitation from this agency. They would fund her efforts to ready mankind against a zombie invasion and aid her in recruiting efforts globally.
Now, we all know Juliette. She’s very no-nonsense and shoots from the hip (metaphorically, you can’t aim a crossbow that way). Those of us brought in as commanders knew it was only a matter of time before the UGA took exception to how she ran things. I’m mean, seriously, the woman can’t say hello anymore without someone threatening her with an axe, machete, or putting her in a choke hold. Sure enough, not a week after the ZSC began recruiting she got called in to meet with our handlers. Mr. E. and Mr. C. weren’t very forthcoming with details. They picked Juliette up and we lost contact with her for a few weeks.
With a new crew coming into Command, Anthony stepped up to brief them. Because of Juliette’s abduction, he filmed his dispatch to the troops at an undisclosed location. Despite our best efforts to keep him safe, the UGA managed to find him. In a display of bravery and dedication to the Zombie Survival CrewTM, Anthony managed to get the message off to us before someone snatched him. We could only assume our friendly neighborhood UGA handlers were to blame. If he left when they began breaking down the barricade, would he have escaped? We think so – he’s too well versed in evasion tactics to have failed.
Tension rose in the ZSC command center. How many of us would be black-bagged? We searched endlessly for something, anything that would lead us to Juliette and Anthony. Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, our communication experts were able to locate the GPS tracker on Juliette’s phone. The signal didn’t last long, but we traced it to a stretch of desert outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Using her (wicked sweet) stealth skills, R.C. scouted the presumed UGA stronghold. As feared, the encampment was heavily guarded, nearly impenetrable. But we know better than to take appearances at face value. R.C. wrote up her report and handed it over to ZSC loyalists. Several plans were worked out in great detail. Wulfie, one of the best strategists we’ve come across, came up with The Plan. She had a squadron at her disposal and any supplies we could muster.
The plan still failed.
As Anthony and Juliette were exiting the underground labyrinth of the UGA stronghold, security officers overwhelmed our inside crew. Our commanders were recaptured. To this day we do not know what happened to the troops sent inside to perform the rescue mission. We received a video feed, Zulu 1032, which showed just how bad it got at the end of the mission. The losses were heartbreaking.
In the week after the failed rescue, the ZSC commanders attempted to rally the troops and keep morale up. However, there were some strange incidents noticed by SAPPED officer Wulfie that didn’t quite seem… right. First Lieutenant Sean Patrick Flanery began to speak in code and at one point left a strange message scrawled on the wall of the command center. No one saw him accomplish this feat. Rumors began to surface that he gained control of commander LK’s flux capacitor. Possibly with help from the UGA?
We can gloss over the zombie bunny infestation… What? No. We are!
More important than undead cute things, our SAPPED officers discovered devices hidden in the ZSC command center. Analysis proved they were recording phone conversations and anything said within the building. The devices were disposed of. We are unsure of how they got in. There may be a mole in our midst.
Things around Command quieted down for a while. We were struggling to get a lock on Anthony and Juliette’s new location after the UGA’s base was destroyed. Out of the blue Green Brigade commander IronE Singleton received a message from Juliette asking to meet him in Atlanta. With a squadron waiting in the wings, he went to the meeting. Sure enough, it was Juliette there in the flesh, but something seemed… off. Before IronE could secure her and bring her back to Command, Juliette took off. Her location is currently unknown. Members are encouraged to approach her with caution. We do not know what was done to her while in UGA custody.
Another problem came to attention shortly after Juliette’s strange appearance and disappearance. SAPPED officer Grae Wolffe, while attempting to provide technical aid for one of the command team, became a target of interest for the UGA. They intercepted the parcel he shipped off, took the sensitive materials within, and returned the envelope to him with obvious chew marks on one corner. No one could have known he planed to mail anything to Command—unless they’d been monitoring private communications.
The UGA has gone so far to isolate ZSC commanders that they’ve cut off internet service to commander Jinxie G’s residence. She has been forced to communicate through an unreliable cell phone signal and WiFi hotspots. Obviously she hit on something big, but without a secure line of communication we can’t be sure. We need the information in her possession. It could be exactly what we need to gain an upper hand over the UGA.
Late Breaking News: A coded message has been emailed to Command. We are working to decipher the encryption. So far all we know is it’s been sent from a newly made email address via cell phone. When we know more, you will be the first to know.
It’s hard to say exactly at what point Battle: Los Angeles got the better of your fearless leader, but I do know the following for sure:
The adrenaline was pumping even before a very brave @BeachBetty1 of our North Carolina brigade agreed to accompany me to the theater (and hopefully prevent me from having a heart attack). Loyal ZSC warrior that she is, BeachBetty1 was terribly kind about the popcorn I threw all over her lap …repeatedly. I screamed, all-but-shredded the popcorn container with just one hand and even swore once or twice.
It all started when Neil agreed his training to prep for Battle: Los Angeles had some valuable lessons for the ZSC. To further support the ZSC troops and promote preparedness he agreed to lead a combat mission (errr, contest). I loaned him my crossbow, and Command has been delighted with the results he’s achieved.
Early reports from the field had me worried. I was late to the mission because of a recruiting operation at Monster Mania so intense my field report had to be broken into two parts (part one here, and two, here). Orange Brigade Commander RC Murphy penned this initial report on Battle: Los Angeles.
By the time the credits rolled on Battle: Los Angeles (and no, we’re still not going to spill the details for those of you who have not seen it yet) Command was pretty determined to keep the contest prize to ourselves as payment for the extensive emotional distress caused by the film. Fortunately for our winner, LK, RC and Jinxie talked some sense into your fearless leader.
The ZSC cadres showed great love and devotion to Neil with some truly amusing, and quite a few lovely, entries into the contest. It’s almost painful that only one of you will receive_________ from Neil.
Yep, you read it right – we’re not revealing the prize. Only the winner.
We’ll reveal the prize once she actually receives it. (We’re kinda evil that way folks.)
Oh! And there’s a bunch of other ZSC loyalists who are due for bumper stickers for being among the first 10 entries! Look for a DM or email from Command so that we can send you your swag!
A massive thank you and ZSC salute to Neil and everyone who entered!
What would happen if an alien force invaded Earth? If Battle: Los Angeles is even 75% correct, put me out of my misery before they get further than the beach.
As far as film openings go, typically war footage gets some yawns and expectant foot tapping. However, given the conflicts and recent disasters the audience was rapt. Silent. Dare I even say, thoughtful? This film comes about at a very strange time in the world’s history and hands us a look at war on the home front.
Right away, we’re driven to like the platoon of marines. They are funny, and I’m not saying this because ZSC’s own Neil Brown Jr. delivered some of the most amusing lines. The cast they put together for the film is astounding. Their performances make Battle: Los Angeles work. Without an emotional connection to the characters it’s just another alien shoot-em-up movie.
The most difficult parts of the film aren’t scenes where they show civilian casualties, though they are striking. No, what caught me was moments where, alongside the marines, we see the full scope of the damage to the city unfold. It became a macabre beauty of sorts painted in fire and smoke. Landscapes most city dwellers take for granted are leveled in no time at all.
During combat scenes the audience is put in the middle of the action. They’re “grab you by the gonads” intense, but a little confusing. The pacing of the movie hits hard then backs off to allow us to regroup and figure out what the heck just happened. It literally became an edge of your seat watch for us.
Battle: Los Angeles works hard to show how combat can mess with a person’s head. There are moments when we forgot the aliens outside because the marines dive so deep into their own issues. Only once did I feel the attention to their mental plight took from the movie itself. However, with the way the film is shot the audience gets a really good grasp of what happens to people during war. It’s not all physical damage out on the battlefield.
Holy S#!% moments that ZSC members should look out for in order to learn new battle techniques? How to quickly discover the enemy’s weakness. A unique way to dispatch a rather large enemy combatant. (A technique this commander will utilize should I ever be surrounded by zombies) Oh and what happens when a tough as nails female is injured.
The Zombie Survival Crew is all about supporting our fellow members. First Lieutenant Neil Brown Jr. has been waving the ZSC flag with pride since being brought on to the crew. And wouldn’t you know it, our katana-wielding friend has a new movie coming out on 3-11-2011.
From Sony Pictures:
For years, there have been documented cases of UFO sightings around the world – Buenos Aires, Seoul, France, Germany, China. But in 2011, what were once just sightings will become a terrifying reality when Earth is attacked by unknown forces. As people everywhere watch the world’s great cities fall, Los Angeles becomes the last stand for mankind in a battle no one expected. It’s up to a Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his new platoon to draw a line in the sand as they take on an enemy unlike any they’ve ever encountered before.
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To celebrate the release of Battle: Los Angeles,
we’re offering ZSC members a way to not only show support for one of ours, but win a little swag as well.
Requirements:
A picture of yourself with a Battle: Los Angeles ticket stub in hand at your local movie theater.
Entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM PST on 3-25-2011.
Images containing nudity, obscene gestures, or illegal activity will be disqualified.
When submitting entries, you give the Zombie Survival Crew permission to post your image on zombiesurvivalcrew.com and it’s associated social media outlets.
Winners will be notified via the email address given with entry photo.
To whet your appetite for the movie, take a look at the trailer below:
Chief’s Note: Newly promoted Special Agent, Premier Protection Enforcement Division (SAPPED) officer @Wulfie_ has observed the following recent activity within Zombie Survival Crew Command.
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SAPPED UPDATE:
At 9:32 PM on Feb 9th a group of ZSC members were gathered together in the Compound Mess Hall when something sped past us. Not everyone noticed, but a couple of us sensed that…something had moved through the room with such speed and stealth that it had to have been supernatural.
While inspecting the room Crew members discovered this message sent out via twitter by Sean Patrick Flanery:
“David Cameron sings it out…!!!!!!! …Amen, brother.”
Gibberish? Not if Command knows Sean. Drunk? We think not. It is far more likely one of two things. Sean was showing off his stealth abilities and decided to rub our noses in it by taking the time to leave us a note so we’d know it had been him. Or he has been captured by the same Unknown Government Agency that kidnapped Juliette and Anthony and left us a coded message informing us of the situation.
Personally, I hope Sean was just showing off and, at the same time, teaching us that we need to be on guard AT ALL TIMES. But if this isn’t the case, my guess is that LK Gardner-Griffie‘s Flux Capacitor is now in the hands of the Unknown Government Agency (UGA). LK may or may not be aware of the theft. She may or may not be working with UGA. Further investigation will be required before we’ll know.
A Flux Capacitor is the ONLY thing that explains the way Sean was able to move, undetected, in and out of a room filled with people. Because he has proven himself to be a highly regarded and trusted member of the ZSC I don’t believe he has betrayed us, or that he’s acting against us. It is far more likely that he has been kidnapped by UGA.
Sean is more than capable of avoiding capture by defending himself – as noted in my earlier report. However, being a loyalist to the ZSC, he is perfectly capable of allowing himself to be captured in an effort to locate Juliette and Anthony. It is my belief that Sean has been kidnapped by UGA and that he somehow managed to find and use LK’s Capacitor long enough to get a message to us, informing us of his abduction without being detected by the UGA. Clearly, he would not abandon Juliette and Anthony to UGA which is, probably, why he returned to wherever it is they’re all being held.
I recommend that a Red Alert be issued at once and that a full investigation begin including the following steps:
Find out if LK and/or her Flux Capacitor are missing. Stealing only the Capacitor would have been the smartest thing for UGA to do because we’d have no reason to suspect anything was wrong or that it was missing, especially if LK is all right.
Establish if Sean has been kidnapped and…who is taking care of Donut in his absence.
Decrypt the coded message Sean left us.
Ascertain if any of these events were the result of the ZSC having been infiltrated with spies and, if so, locate them.
It may be that there are no spies and that the ZSC Headquarters has been bugged.* If that’s the case we need to run a thorough sweep for all devices and remove them. It would be smart to leave several of these devices in place thus allowing UGA to believe we have no idea what’s going on. We may be able to reverse the spyware so that we can track the signal back to its origin. This may lead us to where the three victims are being held or it may only lead us to an UGA agent or two. If it leads to agents then I highly recommend allowing Neil Brown Jr., RC Murphy, and Norman Reedus to interview them in whatever manner they see fit.
Once everyone is cleared, assign protection details around the other Commanding Officers and First Lieutenants in order to protect them from being kidnapped as well.
Locate where Juliette, Anthony and Sean are, whether they’re being held together, and rescue them. It’s unlikely they’re being held together. At the very least Sean will be separated from them and, perhaps, kept unconscious because of his fighting abilities.
Find, retrieve, or destroy, the Flux Capacitor so that it cannot be used against us again. Perhaps LK, if she isn’t a victim of kidnapping/mind control, or a spy, can help with this plan. Surely she and Jim Burleson can put together a plan to enable us to do this. (If Jim Burleson hasn’t fallen victim and isn’t a spy.)
We need to kick the UGA’s ass once and for all.
*Be sure to check and get rid of the secret #zombiebunneh hidden in the main operations room – what better place for a bug than in the belly of a fuzzy wuzzy zombie bunneh? Whoever gets this job should be prepared to deal with RCMurphy by distracting her with chocolate, striped knee socks, or new blankets for her personal cave.
Chief’s Note: the decision to publish the following assessment from ZSC Member @Wulfie_ was not taken lightly. She has inadvertently uncovered internal Command structure and planning secrets. Retribution is not out of the question.
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Let’s face a few things here. No matter how the Zombie Apocalypse begins or ends it isn’t going to be pretty. Not all of us are going to make it.
Sure, we have the Zombie Survival Crew. We’re gathering forces, training, getting ready to defend ourselves. But there will be battles, and casualties. People we care about will go down and, if they rise up again, are we prepared to take them out? What would you do if one of our Commanders, or First Lieutenants, got infected and decided you’d make a nice snack?
Last week Neil Brown Jr. delivered a valuable dispatch designed to help us survive in the event of a cataclysmic global event. With that in mind I’ve written a report profiling the ZSC officers we look to for advice, protection and communications. Yes, they’re well trained, but if they become infected with the zombie virus, we need to know how to protect ourselves. This is especially true if the zombies we have to deal with aren’t just shamblers but intelligent walkers.
FIRST LIEUTENANTS:
David Della Rocco is the one who’s going to catch us off-guard because, while we’re rearing back from his zombie appearance, he’s going to be throwing out the funny one liners. Being stressed out by the apocalypse is going to have us off our game and one good joke will have us snickering, then chuckling, then laughing our backsides off. He’ll be making some wise crack about The Walking Dead. We’ll be trying to hold ourselves up because we’re laughing too hard and that’s when he’ll get us with his weapon of choice: the chainsaw. Watch out for the zombies who can make you laugh; they’ll kill you with the jokes first and their teeth later.
Jim Burleson is trouble from the get go as a zombie, or otherwise. He’s gifted at orchestrating major events which means he’ll be the one putting together the zombie attack plans. His secret weapon is a Ball Pein Hammer. Ouch. The problem in dealing with him as a zombie is that he’s smart enough to have designed a plan hidden within a plan that’s hidden within another plan. By the time you figure out something’s going on, you’ve got a hammer slamming you between the eyes. This one needs to go fast, if he’s turned, or we’re all dead.
If Neil Brown Jr. gets zombified, he’s going to be on the front lines of any planned attack because he can bring it. Our lead vato is going to go ballistic and run off in all directions trying to find out whose fault it was that Neil got turned. (It will probably be Jim Burleson’s fault because he’ll know what a strong zombie Neil will make.) Neil’s dangerous as a mere mortal; put him in a meat suit that doesn’t feel pain and he’s going to cut loose with his martial arts as soon as he’s used up his katana. If he isn’t drop kicking you into your next life, then he’s going to be charming you with that hypnotic voice and calm demeanor, and will probably talk you into believing that it’s a great idea if you allow him to bite one of your fingers; after all, you’ve got nine others, right? Either way – you’re dead meat.
Pauline Campos is our first female zombified Lieutenant. Don’t be fooled by her gender. She’s got a Mexi-fro that no man in his right mind could resist. While said male is distracted by that and trying to help her with her diaper bag, she’s going to be nibbling on his appendages and shooting anyone who tries to stop her with her .45 ACP pistol. As a former newswoman, she intuitively knows where the action is and the best place to position herself to get to the…meat of the matter. Watch out for this little hottie from hell should she be looking in your direction with zombie eyes.
Sean Patrick Flanery as a zombie? All I can say is head for the hills, kids! I’ve seen this guy in action and, the way he takes out a Jedi Warrior with his mad skills, none of us stand a chance. Jus’ sayin’. Besides, having 2 black belts in Karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, this guy is walking death to the walking living. After reviewing his portfolio, I’m betting that the first thing he’ll do if he becomes a zombie is to infect his specially trained assassin dog, Donut. Don’t let the name fool you. If you see Sean coming…shoot AND run because if you don’t take him down with the first shot, you’re just going to piss him off. Donut will catch you and be gnawing off your leg, while Sean sidles up to finish you off. If Sean goes Zombie, it’ll take a fleet of us to bring him down.
BRIGADE LEADERS:
LK Gardner-Griffie was abducted into the ZSC at the point of a crossbow. Not a good sign. If she’s zombified and teams up with Jim Burleson, we might as well give it up…unless they’ve been brain damaged. Because if their brains are in tact then, between the two of them, we’ve had the meat…er…become the meat. She’s got files on us and, if she happens to retain that information, she’s going to know exactly who each and every one of us are and where we live. She’ll assemble groups of Geeks to take us out one by one, moving from the most threatening down to us lesser munchies. If she actually happens to own a functioning flux capacitor…we might as well slit our own throats because the attacks will be like something out of Star Trek. Teams of zombies will be beaming in and out. We won’t know what bit us. In fact, it’s a safe bet that we’ll be zombiefied before we even realize we’re dead. LK will be at the very top of our Most Wanted list if she’s turned.
Don’t let Anthony Guajardo’s youth and pretty face fool you. He never goes anywhere without the protection of his dogs and is extremely dangerous, as proven by the fact that he has survived encounters with Daryl Dixon and “T-Dog”. He may look innocent, but he’s not. Be wary of him because when he’s not side-tracking you with the cuteness, he’s going to be hacking away with his machete looking for some finger food.
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RC Murphy’s weapon of choice of is the sword but she seems to have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with our fearless leader’s sacred crossbow. This one hides behind a facade of outrageously funny mood swings and ADD tendencies. The trouble here is that it’s a clever ruse masking the fact that she’s actually psychotic. Several of her other personalities are made of the stuff that no one, and I do mean NO-ONE, on the ZSC wants, or is prepared to deal with. Don’t be fooled by her mild mannered wife and mother persona. There’s some real evil in her lusting to break free and being zombified might be just the thing that does it. Watch out for this cutie. Trust me on that. Also…avoid the Z’s.
Ah yes, our beloved, multi-tasking and somewhat flighty Jinxie_G. Self-proclaimed creator and destroyer of worlds. On top of being an Amazon, she’s proficient with the compound bow. Being nocturnal and constantly pumped up on caffeine and nicotine makes her hyper-vigilant. As long as she’s one of us, we’re fine. But if she goes zombie, I’d suggest the duck and cover technique. A grenade, or explosive of some kind, might be our only choice in taking her down as a zombie. The problem with this is, she has a gaggle of supernatural buddies who can step in at any time and kick our collective butts. Our best bet is to make sure, she’s not Turned.
IronE Singleton’s weapon of choice is the up-close-and-personal hammer. YIKES! Add his willingness to get a bloody facial to his passion for work, life and family and he’s a formidable opponent. He’s one of the most huggable on the crew and that makes him more dangerous than all the others. The shortage of hugs during any apocalypse makes IronE (a.k.a. Mr. Huggy) particularly dangerous. Watch yourselves! He might look like a teddy bear but embracing this zombie is a fast-track to zombification.
Now we get to Norman Reedus. Oy! Norman’s weapons training, crossbow abilities, and his gift for remaining clear and focused on missions makes him a valuable commodity to the ZSC. He’s an expert survivalist which, I’m sure will save our butts if we’re on the run. He handles stress swiftly and directly – though I have to wonder what’s going on behind those eyes when he’s just sitting around in silence. I believe Norman would make the most dangerous zombie of us all. In character as Daryl Dixon he’s shown patience, reserve and a willingness and ability to set his personal feelings aside and just get on with surviving. But I think he’s got a long memory and is capable of a multitude of surprises that could prove dangerous if he’s pushed too far. Right now he’s on our side and doing his part. But all of us need to remember that he doesn’t need us and he might very well be better off without us. We’re liabilities to him and I’m sure he knows this. At the same time, in the event of a zombie attack, he’ll have a few bodies to throw at them while he makes his getaway. As a zombie…yeah…I’d be totally unable to predict what he’s capable of so let’s try to make sure he stays human – that’s dangerous enough.
Our fearless leader, Juliette Terzieff, the humanitarian. She is the official leader of the ZSC and that’s an understatement. She might be known for running around in circles screaming, but don’t let her fool you. She’s not flighty. She’s not overwhelmed. (Tired yes, overwhelmed, no.) There are things we don’t know about her; things she has hidden from us – a move any good leader should make, by the way. But let’s remember that she’s been in actual war zones and heavily involved in international politics. While her human heart is humanitarian, I’m positive her zombie heart would be zombitarian. As the leader of the ZSC, she’d be a primary target for an intelligent zombie invasion. She’s the one that knows everything about everyone, including information that the rest of us don’t have access to. Information that she may, or may not, share with those under her immediate command. She could turn zombie and set us all up for the biggest fall yet and none of us would know it. As a zombie she could infect each of those closest to her, until the rest of us are wiped out. If that happens it won’t be long before she’s giving out bags of human meat instead of the bags of chocolate that her human self awards us with. Keep an eye on Juliette. Don’t let her height fool you either; one round of ChaCha Ferrigno and you’d be zombie food.
Moral of this report, friends and neighbors? Watch your back and don’t forget for one second that, despite our best efforts to organize and band together in the event of the Zombie Apocalypse, any one of us could become a casualty.
Rest assured, your commanders have heard the cries of anguish from our crew and we are in full agreement; the Vatos need to return to The Walking Dead.
Our undercover agents have located targets for a campaign launch in order to make sure they are aware of the overwhelming love the Zombie Survival Crew has for the Vatos.
We will begin sending #BringBackTheVatos tweets to the targets at 12:00 PM on Friday February 11th. The retreat will be called at 12:00 PM the following day, Saturday February 12th. Times are local to whatever time zone you live in.
Now I know we all feel strongly that our Vatos deserve more screen time, but please keep this civil. -R.C. twirls a sword and gives a stern look-
Sample tweets:
@GunnerGale We at the #zombiesurvivalcrew would LOVE for The Walking Dead to #BringBackTheVatos! Please pass the word along.
@RobertKirkman Who loves Vatos? The #zombiesurvivalcrew! We’d like The Walking Dead to #BringBackTheVatos. Please pass the word along.
@valhallapics The #zombiesurvivalcrew really wants #TheWalkingDead to #BringBackTheVatos.
Get the point? Good. Now go forth and tell the world at large to #BringBackTheVatos!
Call to Action: Zombie Survival Crew First LieutenantNeil Brown Jr. – Guillermo from the Vatos episode of The Walking Dead – talks survival and what he learned during Battle: Los Angeles.
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Sometimes the fiction I portray helps me to understand real-life truths. Working on Battle: Los Angeles gave me some insights I thought wise to share with my Zombie Survival Crew brigades ahead of the film’s 3-11-11 release.
Battle: Los Angeles asks the broader questions about survival during a cataclysmic global event as major U.S. cities are attacked and marines are sent into Los Angeles to evacuate civilians before the government launches a massive counter-offensive. Sure, we’re battling aliens, not zombies, but many of the same rules apply.
Lesson 1: Stealth Tactics
Filming took us through some real Marine training and as much as I’d like to say the weapons work was the most valuable, the truth is how many of us are going to encounter military-grade weapons right off the bat during a zombie infestation? (Unless you have them already…)
No. The most valuable lessons were in learning how to really take cover during a firefight and how to conceal your presence. Tactics like the following:
– Don’t leave evidence of your presence. Pick up empty shell casings, cigarette butts, etc, etc.
– People do what you see in movies when a firefight breaks out. Big mistake.
– Process: Get low. Find solid cover. Identify source of fire or danger. Examine your environment.
– A car door will not protect you from bullets. The only safe places to take cover around a vehicle are behind the engine block or axles.
– In a house dry wall will not protect you. Get into the residence and take cover behind additional items such as a bookcase or table.
Lesson 2: Teamwork
As a cataclysmic event unfolds it is time to put aside differences and work together. This is about humanity, about survival. Everyone has something to offer.
If we are to survive, we have to band together as I learned filming both The Walking Dead and Battle: Los Angeles. Understand the enemy – how they operate; what they want; the best ways to defeat them. It cannot be done alone.
Lesson 3: Strategic Choices
Every person has something to offer towards common survival in the case of a cataclysmic global event but having a good command team in place is essential. From my Battle: Los Angeles cast mates I’d offer up the following as top recruits.
Cory Hardrict – He’s the type of guy who will receive the phone call, look at the bottom line, come up with a plan and execute it. No questions. No doubts. But he’s also a team player.
Michelle Rodriguez – She’s kind of a nerd but down to fight to the death for anyone on her team. She’s gritty and grindy, and something to watch in a battle.
Will Rothhaar – This kid is young, ready for anything and fast. He’s a team player unafraid of a dangerous assignment.
In the week after the failed rescue, the ZSC commanders attempted to rally the troops and keep morale up. However, there were some 
Things around Command quieted down for a while. We were struggling to get a lock on Anthony and Juliette’s new location after the UGA’s base was destroyed. Out of the blue Green Brigade commander 
