• Thanks for stopping by. Logging in to a registered account will remove all generic ads. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Packing a Ruck

However I don't mind just chatting, even though the conversation usually ends up regarding some type of food  ;D
[/quote]

Really, eh? Without fail, it DOES always turn to food. What's that about, I wonder?
 
SuperbusServitium said:
However I don't mind just chatting, even though the conversation usually ends up regarding some type of food  ;D


Really, eh? Without fail, it DOES always turn to food. What's that about, I wonder?

Food, women or cars......seems to never fail......

Last guy I was on a BFT with who started talking about food got firmly told to shut it.......breakfast was still a long way off.......
 
Couple of the guys this past weekend were hurting bad... One was fighting a flu, the other one hurt his ankle partway through the march.... As they came up on the final stretch Gangnam Style started playing on the Safety vehicle Radio, and we pulled up beside them and cranked the music. Motivated em enough to finish strong at the end.  ;D

http://youtu.be/9bZkp7q19f0
 
Anyone read the book "The Long Walk" by Stephen King?  I just imagine I'm one of those kids.

I don't listen to music when I'm tactical though, bad habit, even if it's a simulation.  Perhaps things are different now (i hear you're allowed to sleep in boot camp from time to time now :p), but I imagine if I even pulled out an ipod during a ruck march I'd probably end up with an ass chewing or a counseling.
 
I like music while working out at the gym but out on the roads and trails I never wear earphones:
2 things: I'm paranoid - someone is always trying to sneak up on me - and safety, a car, bike, dog, bear or your GF's ex could be approaching and you don't hear them bc you got Justin Bieber on your ear.
When I'm in a group I'm always chatting or listening to the conversation or just my heartbeat and boots pounding/shufelling (every day is shufelling) - if someone breaks into song that's great.

CHIMO!
 
SuperbusServitium said:
However I don't mind just chatting, even though the conversation usually ends up regarding some type of food  ;D


Really, eh? Without fail, it DOES always turn to food. What's that about, I wonder?

This is all the time, not just during BFTs. However the details are generally more specific.
 
Here's how I get through mine-

Step 1: Find most opinionated Cpl in Platoon

Step 2: Pose loaded question, or generate offhand comment, for example "Man do I love issued boots" or "We should do BFTs way more regularly, this is great training"

Step 3: Enjoy
 
Marksman said:
Here's how I get through mine-

Step 1: Find most opinionated Cpl in Platoon

Step 2: Pose loaded question, or generate offhand comment, for example "Man do I love issued boots" or "We should do BFTs way more regularly, this is great training"

Step 3: Enjoy
Oh you are good.  ;D
 
Is there a ref: out there that will help me prevent troops from overheating during ruck marches in hot climates ie: dress on the march ( unblousing of cmbt pants , unbuttoning of cmbt shirt sleeves) I could really use the help as I'm in the make sence cornner and I need some admistrative Ammo.

also to add it will be a 25 km march 29 May 2015 in GRN Petawawa and it may be hot.

Cheers
 
As a PMed Tech, I've never been in support of not blousing trousers properly due to it potentially increasing the amount of skin exposed for insect bites and for prime areas for ticks to attach themselves to.  Just my  :2c:

As far as avoiding overheating, best suggestions are: Pers should hydrate themselves before, during and after the march and if possible, the marches should take place at times of the day when the temperature is lower (e.g. early or late in the day).

But yeah, common sense seems to go right out the window sometimes.  I recall a unit doing a rucksack march after a sports day.    :not-again:
 
http://armypubs.army.mil/doctrine/DR_pubs/dr_a/pdf/fm21_18.pdf

The US wrote a PAM, but not the Canadian Army.

The biggest thing is for commanders to balance force protection vs threat.  Unbuttoning shirt sleeves makes sense if you are in an administrative posture, but not if you are in a potential threat area due to risk of flash burns/wounds to exposed skin.

Edit to Add:  The biggest factor is march discipline.  We have a silly concept of ruckmarching in the Army, created by the BFT, which is "go as fast as you can, burn your feet out, and have oranges halfway through the 13km".  I've taken soldiers with more weight through dozens of kilometers of terrain through proper march discipline, which includes programmed halts and distribution of heavier equipment (try adding a C6 tripod to your load....).

PMedMoe said:
As a PMed Tech, I've never been in support of not blousing trousers properly due to it potentially increasing the amount of skin exposed for insect bites and for prime areas for ticks to attach themselves to.  Just my  :2c:

That's what the inner dust covers are for.
 
Infanteer said:
That's what the inner dust covers are for.

If the wearer hasn't already removed them.

recceguy said:
Which, if properly worn, defeat the purpose of unblousing the pants for ventilation.

But there are small openings between the pantleg and dust covers.
 
recceguy said:
Which, if properly worn, defeat the purpose of unblousing the pants for ventilation.

Not really, as you reduce from two layers to one layer, plus eliminate boot bands which restrict circulation.
 
Steno360 said:
Is there a ref: out there that will help me prevent troops from overheating during ruck marches in hot climates ie: dress on the march ( unblousing of cmbt pants , unbuttoning of cmbt shirt sleeves) I could really use the help as I'm in the make sence cornner and I need some admistrative Ammo.

also to add it will be a 25 km march 29 May 2015 in GRN Petawawa and it may be hot.

Cheers

Having done way too much of this stuff in the past the best advice I can provide is to start early. Really early if it's summer, like 0400hrs or something. And don't wear helmets or body armour if you have the choice.

I'll assume that you will have the ability to incrementally work folks up to a 25km distance, so won't go on and on and on about the right way to build people up for these things.

Good luck!
 
Steno360 said:
also to add it will be a 25 km march 29 May 2015 in GRN Petawawa and it may be hot.

Is this Ironman workup training or something?  Otherwise, I gotta ask: What the fuck for?  ???
 
PMedMoe said:
Is this Ironman workup training or something?  Otherwise, I gotta ask: What the frig for?  ???

I'm guessing Ex RUCKING BEAR aka because the Bde Comd said so. We did ours back in April but the rest of the brigade units in Pet postponed theirs due to operations.
 
IIRC we are issued camel-backs in addition to the 1 and 2 quart canteens.....ensure soldiers carry enough water...my  :2c: I do ruckmarches here at CFSME with a full 1 quart in addition to the camelback and we extra 500ml water bottles.....

ballz said:
I'm guessing Ex RUCKING BEAR aka because the Bde Comd said so. We did ours back in April but the rest of the brigade units in Pet postponed theirs due to operations.

so my guess, it's will be like a giant slinky then...... ;D
 
Back
Top