What LFHI Is
The Light Fighter Homefront Initiative is a chapter-based training and community action network. Members train in six practical skill areas and put those skills to work through free public classes, disaster response, and civic engagement. Chapters operate independently with no central headquarters or chain of command. The full founding document is at lightfighterhomefront.org/foundation.
How You Get Here
You submitted the Get Involved form and LFHI vetted you through a Signal conversation. If you selected “Join an existing chapter,” LFHI connected you to the chapter lead in your area. If no chapter exists near you yet, LFHI holds your information and connects you when a chapter forms in your region.
Every member goes through the same vetting process, whether they are founding a chapter or joining one.
What Phase Your Chapter Is In
Chapters progress through three operational phases. The phase your chapter is in determines what your first meetings look like.
Phase 1: Crawl (first 3 months)
If your chapter is in Phase 1, the focus is on establishing baselines. The chapter is not running its own training yet. Members are attending established courses and structured events together as a group.
The baselines every member is expected to meet:
- Medical: Stop the Bleed and CPR/AED. Non-negotiable for every member.
- Communications: FCC Technician license exam. Study at HamStudy.org, take the exam as a group.
- Marksmanship: Attend a structured course with the chapter: Project Appleseed clinic or a local match.
- Physical readiness: Group hikes and rucks with the chapter.
- Homesteading: Cooperative Extension workshops attended as a group.
- Technical independence: EFF Surveillance Self-Defense and Privacy Guides digital security basics. Signal, password managers, two-factor authentication, and VPN set up and working.
If you already hold relevant credentials (EMT, amateur radio license, military qualification, trade license), you have met the baseline in that area. You are expected to help other members reach it.
Phase 2: Walk (months 3-12)
Members are pursuing additional certifications through established organizations. The chapter attends structured events regularly. Members with prior experience are mentoring newer members. The chapter delivers its first free public class.
Phase 3: Run (12+ months)
The chapter has qualified members and is running its own training sessions. Full rhythm: monthly training day, monthly outreach event, quarterly multi-discipline field exercise, annual chapter assessment.
Your chapter lead can tell you which phase the chapter is currently in and what the current training focus is.
The Six Training Areas
The Foundation organizes training into six areas. You do not need to pursue all of them at once. The chapter focuses on one or two areas at a time and adds more as it builds competence.
Emergency Medical Response. Trauma care, tourniquet application, wound packing, airway management, CPR/AED, triage, wilderness and austere medicine, prolonged field care, IFAK build and use, and disaster preparedness.
Communications. Amateur radio (Technician through Extra license), HF digital modes, Winlink, mesh networking, software-defined radio, emergency communications protocols, PACE planning, incident command integration, and operational security.
Marksmanship and Firearms Safety. Firearms safety, legal knowledge, basic through advanced marksmanship, positional shooting, ballistic fundamentals, weapons maintenance, and structured competition.
Physical Readiness and Navigation. Fitness, rucking, land navigation, orienteering, and search and rescue.
Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency. Gardening, food preservation, beekeeping, basic animal care, chainsaw safety and woodcraft, textile repair, home maintenance, and cooking from scratch.
Technical Independence. Off-grid power (solar, battery systems, generators), water purification and storage, self-hosting (email, cloud storage, and communications on your own hardware), digital security (encrypted messaging, device hardening, data broker removal), trade skills (electrical, plumbing, welding, fabrication), and physical security assessment.
The Tier System
Individual progression follows three tiers based on what you can do, not how long you have been a member. The Training Roadmap lists specific certifications and courses at every level for each training area.
Tier 1: Foundation (3-6 months). Baseline competence. This is where new members without prior training start.
Tier 2: Practitioner (12-24 months). Intermediate ability and field experience. At this level you mentor Tier 1 members.
Tier 3: Cadre (2+ years). Defined by who you have taught. Cadre hold instructor certifications and actively train other members.
If you arrive with prior experience, your chapter assesses what you can do and places you accordingly.
Your First Meeting
Bring: A notebook, a pen, water, and weather-appropriate clothing. If the session is outdoors, dress for it. Your chapter will tell you if a specific session requires additional gear.
What happens: Introductions. A training block where you learn and practice a skill. A debrief where the group discusses what worked and what to change. Some chapters handle scheduling and logistics at the end.
If your chapter is in Phase 1, your first meeting may be a Stop the Bleed session, a Technician license study group, preparation for an upcoming Appleseed clinic, or a group ruck.
Chapter Roles
Every chapter has six leadership roles. As a new member, you are not expected to fill one immediately, but you should know who holds them.
| Role | Function |
|---|---|
| Chapter Lead | Coordination, schedule, and chapter health |
| Training Lead | Curriculum, skill assessments, and instructor coordination |
| Comms Lead | Radio nets, licensing support, mesh nodes, and PACE plans |
| Medical Lead | Medical training, IFAK standards, and casualty care protocols |
| Outreach Lead | Community events, civic campaigns, and public coordination |
| Logistics Lead | Equipment, supplies, training locations, and finances |
Roles rotate at least annually. As the chapter grows, you may be asked to take one on.
Communications
Your chapter uses Signal for day-to-day coordination. Make sure you have it installed and are added to the chapter group.
Matrix is a leadership and coordination tool operated by LFHI central. Access is provided to chapter leads and comms leads, not all members. The Chapter Communications Guide covers the full setup.
Membership
From the Foundation: there are no applications, no dues, and no initiation beyond the initial vetting through LFHI. You stay by showing up consistently and being useful.
What is expected:
- Meet your baselines. Complete Stop the Bleed, CPR, and the other baseline requirements for your chapter’s current phase. Members with prior qualifications help others get there.
- Show up. Monthly training is the minimum. If you commit to being there, be there.
- Learn. Pursue certifications at your own pace. The tier system is the roadmap.
- Pass it on. What you learn, you teach to others. That is the core principle.
If someone stops showing up, they are not expelled or removed. They are simply not active. If they come back, they pick up where they left off.
Finding a Chapter
Check the Chapters map. Registered chapters are listed with location and contact information.
Submit the Get Involved form. LFHI connects you with chapters in your area or holds your information until one forms.
Start one. If no chapter exists near you, the Start a Chapter guide covers the standup process from application through full operations.