We've come to this critical part of the evening where we're talking loadout. What can and should you carry when SHTF in an EOTW scenario or even, kyrie, actual warfare. What do you carry and how heavy should it be?
Current US doctrine says something in the region of >100 Lbs, plus water, ammo, helmet, yet more ammo, weapon and all the rest. Very, very heavy. Maybe as heavy as the fighter himself. So there you have all these guys humping at least 100 Lbs of stuff around. Nightmare, you're so heavy you can't operate, to say nothing of no knees in the future.
So whaddya do? Stash the unnecessary kit in a hole somewhere, a "cache," and march on with what you actually need. Point being, take what you need. Maybe that's just an FN and some stupidly short shorts.
All this in mind, no, I did not go running with an 80 Lb load the other day, but I did cook some delicious mac cheese. Yum. Caveat, fall upon your enemies and destroy them utterly.
Travel Light,
LSP
Circa 1963-1966 we carried about what was carried in WWII. No body armour, 200 rounds of 7.62, entrenching tool, bayonet and gas mask. Afghanistan we had troops lugging 100+ lbs chasing natives wearing robes, sandals, and an AK-47. WTF?
ReplyDeleteSelous Scouts, the finest counter-insurgents of their time or ever since. Pamwe Chete!
ReplyDeleteThe older I get, the more weight becomes a factor.
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty much the same for me in the mid '80s, WSF. These guys carry a LOT of weight. Ye Gods.
ReplyDeleteMr. BadFrog, I have no choice but to second your motion.
ReplyDeleteCuriously, there was an older gentleman who used to wander about this North Central Texan pastoral idyll wearing a Pamwe Chete t shirt. I went up to him at the Shamrock filling station, offered a crisp salute, Brit style, and announced, "Ah, Zealous Selous."
He looked at me, grinned, and said "you're the only person in this town that'd know that." Well, praise God for General Knowledge. I think he'd been a Captain in Vietnam and then ventured forth to the Dark Continent only to return to Texas. Wore a lot of jade jewelry and was pretty frail by the time I knew him. So.
Having backpacked a lot in my life, keeping weight down was critical to the balance of preparedness and enjoyment for the distance to be traveled (some AT Thru-hikers take this to the extreme, but then a few more pounds offers exponential comfort.) I have carried 100+ lbs before over passes and in the snow in the Wind Rivers…no fun. I was a lot younger and in top shape. Did it to help another hiker who was struggling. After that I got serious about paring carried loads while not sacrificing readiness and fun. No matter, 35-45#’s is still a bunch of weight over 15-20 miles, and not everyone is built to carry that much percentage of their body weight.
ReplyDeleteIf the military believes 100#’s of gear per soldier is necessary to be humped to and fro, they need to rethink provisions (heavier load, more caloric intake required, more food weight, etc). Few soldiers can operate effectively that loaded down, and at some point the knees or ankles give out.
Paul, a long time ago I thought nothing of marching off with lots of weight. There it was and off I went. Different story these days, I'll leave it to the kids! But yes, 35-45# is still lots over 20 miles, to say nothing of weapon, ammo, water and all the rest.
ReplyDeleteI think they have the food science pretty well worked out, I think... but look at those Selous Scouts -- very light.