'Something Is Brewing': Ex-DIA Warning, Fact-Checked
Updated: 1 day ago
Quick answer: The warning is real, and so is the person who wrote it. Farijah "Doc" St. Clair is a combat-wounded Army veteran and former Defense Intelligence Agency staffer who now runs technology and intelligence at the private risk firm Crisis24. On Oct. 27, 2026 he posted on X that "something is brewing" and that Americans' "window to prepare, even with the basics, is closing." But he named no event and shared no evidence of one. The official moves he pointed to are real. His conclusion that they signal a coming crisis is his personal opinion. The basic prep he recommends is sensible either way.
If you've seen the Raw Story headline "'Something is brewing': Ex-intel staffer fires off ominous 'going to get rough' warning" going around, here's who said it, what he actually wrote, what checks out, what doesn't, and a calm plan you can work on this week.
Who Is Doc St. Clair?
Current job: Head of Technology and Intelligence at Crisis24, a GardaWorld-owned risk consulting firm, where he leads AiiA, an AI intelligence briefing product for corporate executives built with Palantir (Crisis24 bio).
Background: His company bio says he served in the U.S. Army and as a U.S. government intelligence officer, supported efforts to counter Russian influence, and deployed to multiple combat theaters. His LinkedIn describes more than a decade in the Army and the "Defense Intelligence Enterprise," and Raw Story reports a stint at DIA around 2015 and 2016.
What that means: He's a credentialed intelligence professional, not an anonymous account. But he is no longer in government, and he wasn't speaking for DIA, the Pentagon or any agency.
What He Actually Said
St. Clair's long post went up on X on the morning of Oct. 27, 2026. It was later deleted, but other users preserved the full text, including novelist Danielle Langlois, whose copy of the post spread widely. Raw Story's write-up quotes the same lines. The main points:
"Your window to prepare, even with the basics, is closing... it is now undeniable that something is brewing."
He said he once worked on counterintelligence threats to Continuity of Government (COG) and Continuity of Operations (COOP), and that once governments tell citizens to prepare, "those preparations have already been conducted for national leadership."
He pointed to European governments telling people to keep supplies on hand, and to reports that U.S. military bases must be self-sufficient for 90 days, which he called "the loudest signal."
He predicted the recommended prep windows will grow: "3 days will turn into a week. A week will turn in to a few weeks."
"What Americans should know is that you will be on your own. FEMA does not have the resources to help people in a time of need during an event at national scale."
He described a scenario he attributed to an Army Asymmetric Warfare Group study: major city stores out of food in three days, then looting spreading outward.
His advice: stock "water, rice, protein, canned foods," plus basic medicines, and prepare quietly. Randomize store trips, cut back on visible deliveries, and "feign poverty."
He told readers "to not focus on the 'what,'" and signed off: "It's going to get rough."
What Checks Out
European governments really are telling households to prepare. On Oct. 22, 2026, the UK launched its "Be Ready" campaign asking every household to be ready for three days without outside help, with water, non-perishable food, a torch, a radio, cash and a first aid kit. The UK government says this matches France, Ireland and the Netherlands, and the BBC notes Germany advises about 10 days. Our guide on how countries prepare their citizens covers these programs.
FORTRESS is real. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the FORTRESS initiative on Sept. 30, 2026 to make U.S. bases independent of the civilian power grid and supply chains. Fox News reported on Oct. 25 that major bases would need to run on their own for at least 90 days. Snopes rates that claim "mostly true", because the Pentagon hasn't formally confirmed the 90-day figure. We covered it in our FORTRESS initiative explainer.
You should plan on being on your own at first. FEMA itself tells families to keep enough supplies to last several days, because help can take time to arrive after a big disaster.
What Doesn't Hold Up (or Can't Be Verified)
No event, no evidence. St. Clair didn't say what he thinks is coming, and he cited no classified or insider information. "Something is brewing" is his reading of public news, not a leak.
The official reasons are more ordinary. The UK says its campaign is about severe weather, cyberattacks and service outages, and it's the first step of a three-year awareness effort. FORTRESS is about keeping the military running if the grid is attacked in a war. Both are long-range planning, not a countdown.
The predictions are his. The idea that prep windows will stretch from three days to "a couple months" is a forecast, not something any government has announced.
We couldn't find the study. We couldn't locate a public Asymmetric Warfare Group report matching his three-day city collapse scenario. Grocery stores do run on tight, just-in-time deliveries, but treat the looting timeline as unverified.
Not everyone is convinced. Geostrategist and author Martin Skold replied: "What. Are. We. Preparing. For??" He added that having useful things on hand is useful, but that anything more "requires specifics."
Our Take: Prepare, Don't Panic
Should you take this seriously? Take the basics seriously, not the doom. You don't need to believe something big is coming to benefit from a stocked pantry. Storms, outages and job losses happen every year. Panic buying, on the other hand, empties shelves for neighbors and wastes money on gear you won't use. As we wrote in why most preppers won't survive the fear-mongering, steady beats scared.
On "prepare quietly": discretion is reasonable. You don't need to post photos of your stockpile. But don't cut yourself off from your neighbors. In real disasters, neighbors are usually the first help that shows up. A simple neighborhood emergency communication plan does more good than pretending to be poor.
A Calm Prep Plan: 3 Days First, Then 2 Weeks
Start with the three days most governments recommend. Then build toward two weeks at your own pace.
1. Water
Store at least 1 gallon per person per day. That's 12 gallons for a family of four for three days, or 56 gallons for two weeks. See how much water to store.
Sealed pouches like Datrex Emergency Water, 64 Pack store flat and last for years.
Keep a backup way to treat water, like Potable Aqua Water Purification Tablets.
2. Food
St. Clair's own list is a good one: water, rice, protein and canned foods. Buy what your family already eats and rotate it.
Add a few no-cook options for when the power is out. Genuine U.S. Military MREs are complete meals with heaters. Our MRE calculator guide shows how many you need. Compact Datrex 2400 Calorie Emergency Food Rations fit in a car or go-bag.
3. Power and Light
Flashlights or a headlamp like the Rothco Cree LED Headlamp, spare batteries, and a charged power bank. Skip candles when you can, since they're a fire risk.
Our power outage kit guide covers the rest.
4. First Aid and Medicine
A stocked kit such as the Rothco General Purpose First Aid Kit, plus pain relievers, cold and flu medicine, and any prescriptions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about keeping a small extra supply.
Use our first aid kit checklist to fill the gaps.
5. Communication
A battery or hand-crank AM/FM radio for news when cell service and internet are down.
A handheld radio like the Baofeng UV-5R can listen in on local weather and emergency traffic. Transmitting on most of its frequencies requires an FCC amateur radio license, so get licensed before you rely on it to talk.
Write down important phone numbers on paper, and agree on a family meeting spot and an out-of-state contact.
6. Cash and Documents
Keep some small bills at home, since cards and ATMs don't work without power (Ready.gov).
Store copies of IDs, insurance policies, prescriptions and medical information in a waterproof bag, plus a digital backup.
FAQ
Who is Doc St. Clair?
Farijah "Doc" St. Clair is a combat-wounded Army veteran and former U.S. government intelligence officer, including time at the Defense Intelligence Agency. He's now Head of Technology and Intelligence at Crisis24, a private risk firm.
Did he say what event is coming?
No. He told readers not to focus on the "what" and to focus on being prepared. He didn't name an event or share evidence of one.
Is the Pentagon really preparing bases for 90 days?
The FORTRESS initiative is real and was announced on Sept. 30, 2026. Fox News reported the 90-day standard, and Snopes rated it "mostly true" because the Pentagon hasn't formally confirmed the number.
How much should I store?
Start with three days of water and food for everyone in your home, which is what the UK, France, Ireland and the Netherlands recommend. Then work toward two weeks. FEMA's Ready.gov recommends supplies for several days.
Why was his post deleted?
He hasn't said publicly, as far as we could find. Copies of the full text were preserved by other X users before it came down.
*This post reports one person's opinion and the public facts around it. It isn't a prediction or official guidance. For emergencies in your area, follow your local officials, and call 911 for help. Sources were checked on Oct. 30, 2026.*
Want the basics in one place? Start with water, no-cook food and a light. The products below are all in stock.
Get Ready Now: Shop Emergency Disaster Products
Stock up on essential emergency supplies today — food, water, shelter, and more. Be ready for anything.
Comments