This will be a wide ranging post in an attempt to tie in some interrelated topics. It’s been a while since I posted opinion, but here we go.
I have made many a post about the ‘Lite Fight’ concept. The purpose of the Lite Fight concept is to be as deliberately light as possible in the gear that you carry. However, there are nuances to this: although I talk about ‘light’ it isn’t really so. The purpose of the lite fight concept is to not carry more than you need, but at the same time you must carry what you need for the fight. Thus, a basic combat load based around a plate carrier and battle belt with all the items that you need to fight the battle as ‘first line scales.’ Bottom line, that isn’t light. Thus, I’m not supporting the ‘tacticool’ guys who you see wearing a plate carrier with three mags on the front, and that is it. That’s great for flat range posing, but it doesn’t equate to ‘first line scales’ for an infantryman. A light infantryman is indeed what you need to be, however unpopular that opinion is – it doesn’t matter if you see yourself as an irregular fighter or some such, the concepts and basics are the same.
What I do see are guys planning to carry rucks, talking about bug out bags, and similar stuff. I don’t think that is what we will face, and I’ll elaborate on that below. Given a ‘lite fight’ load, which in itself is not light, and adding a large daypack or ruck to it, immediately causes you problems. The most I would consider is a small daypack with some essentials in – probably mainly water and night vision for starters. You might be thinking about rucking in as an approach march to a patrol base? Why? Under what circumstances? What will happen is that you will be exhausted. I will, sadly, talk about fitness also below. This will make you complacent in terms of route selection. If you do run into contact, you will be slow to react and take cover, you will have to dump the ruck, and thus you will lose all your gear. We also face heat and humidity over the summer months that will paralyze you if not prepared or carrying too much without the right amount of fitness preparation. There are ways you can logistically support an operation without weighing down the guys with loads that will degrade their combat effectiveness, such as the use of vehicles whether that be trucks or ATV/UTV. Also, given a real combat operation, such vehicles will be used for ammunition forward (to supplement the first line scales via resupply) and casualties to the rear. But that requires a level of organization, and probably a command cell / QRF, that is well beyond where we are right now.
Do I remember carrying rucks and large loads while in the infantry? Of course I do. But my fitness was top notch, and I had the ability to recover, because I was young. Just like you, you probably aren’t young anymore, and you probably don’t have the required fitness levels anyway (even if you are still young, but not in an operational infantry unit, where it is part of your job). The last thing we want is guys rolling around gasping for breath because of too much gear.
Yet, having said that, why would I advocate for the wearing of plate carriers? Don’t those weigh a lot and prevent cooling? I do sell lightweight but effective ShotStop plates that allow me to wear front, back and side plates for the same weight penalty of a single ESAPI issue plate. But even that isn’t the point – the point is that your life, and that of your family, is precious. You don’t have an acceptable level of casualties that you can continue with and sustain operations. You are a small, probably family based, unit. Plates will not stop you getting killed or wounded, but they will significantly reduce the chance of penetrating trauma to the thoracic cavity (chest area: heart, great vessels, lungs etc.), which isn’t survivable.
To me, a plate carrier is vitally important. But this ties in with fitness (oh dear!). I wear my plate carrier (my whole setup) for PT, even in the summer. I also carry a 70lb sandbag on top of my tactical gear. I have posted about this. It’s also PT that works if you are older and injured, because there is no need to run on a ‘heavy carry’ (which will destroy your knees on the downhill – ask me how I know!). You get the PT benefit on the hills. Do hill reps. I can assure you that with this load, you will be breathing it in from Timbuktu even at the walk. If you live in a non-permissive environment, sadly you won’t be able to wear your gear, but you can get a weight vest, popularized by crossfit, that will achieve the same effect. You will find that even in the heat of summer (of course you will sweat – that’s not a reason to visit the doctor!) staying under the canopy helps a great deal, without spending time under direct sunlight. Also, for conducting operations, you do have night vision and will be conducting them at night, right?
Big, big piece of that is fitness. I’ve seen so many people that call themselves preppers/survivalists toting around 60-100 lbs of old pancakes and donuts. That’s not prepping, that’s accumulating a bunch of gear that someone else is going to take.
I do high intensity resistance training twice per day (no rest, 1000-2000 reps per session) along with all the chores that come with living on a farm. I ain’t the best shape I ever been in, but I’m alot better off than most the people my age. And, I’d bet, alot better off than most the people half my age based on all the lard-butts I see when we’re in town. Magazines, water and first aid.
Being older, at 73 or even some what younger, presents different problems!
Having had heart problems as many of us older folks do, adds to them.
As most of us in the medical field know, ATP provides the energy for cellular function, it is produced through the krebs cycle. For those younger this all works great, for those older, or who nutritional deficiencies, there are problems.
The first is CoQ 10, while not a vitamin, as it is produced in the body; however as we age this production drops, reducing ATP production, and energy!
Replacing it with a supplement can help, as can other components for ATP production.
I have been treating my heart failure with 300 mg of good CoQ10, 400 mg of magnesium citrate, D ribose at 10 grams and L- Carnatine at 2000 mg.
I am also taking fish oil and Standard Process Cardio + at 8 per day.
This protocol has worked well for my patients as well as myself! See the Sanatra solution.
So if you are middle aged, or older this can provide you with additional energy, for humping through the brush!
Be sure to take Ubiquinone -- Ubiquinol is unstable & has no shelf life -- tho it is commonly advertised as “more absorbable”.
At 71 I still workout every day in martial arts, endurance is what suffers with age. I do not take any medications and am still at my fighting weight of 165lb. All wars have been won with boots on the ground and I believe that is how we will defeat these vile putrid enemy’s in our fallen Republic. I will not bow or surrender, it is either liberty or death.
Tom, I am impresses!
Good on you, brother. When I was a young man, I was counted on to take up the slack for the older guys. Now that guys like us are “the older guys” we’re taking up the slack for the youngsters. Haha.
Yea we can do it, with the spirit and resolve I see here it will be a cake walk.
Haha. Yup.
Sorry about the typos in the previous comment, I was very rushed!
If I didn’t make it clear, this protocol is helpful for real energy production, to make humping a heavy load easier, making bugging out faster, or improving over all heart function. In addition for high altitude, Cataplex E2 is very helpful.
To be sure non of these protocols are “proven”, after all only vaccines, drugs or surgery are proven to be safe and effective!
Some additional food for thought, don’t ask your banker for military advice, he
has no training, conversly don’t ask your doctor about nutritional advice, he has little or no training!
As with all unsolicited advice take mine with a grain of salt, check it out on your own.
Just a thought, get a ‘throw-away” bike on CL. No frills, green slime in the tires, under $100…it’s quiet and you can move silently for many miles…remove all reflective items on it.
Thanks Wes for spotting and posting Max’s article. That man tells it like it is!
I too, have collected a great deal of kit and supplies over the years because I, like Max and yourself know, we’re all going to play some part in the coming shit show. At 56, 5’10, 165, I can outpace most 30 year olds.
Being healthy and fit should be a way of life for most folks. The end of The Empire of Lies may very well also include the end of a lot of good (and bad) folks.
Humor me for a moment. Perhaps some of us are in good shape.Take a good hard look at your hands. If they’re soft and pretty lookin’, you might want to rethink your “hardness level”.
Indeed.
Opinions are like, well you know, the thing! Ruck, no ruck, situation, what situation? Country, city, ‘burbs. Hard to advocate what gear needed unless the situation is specified. You living in your same ole hood commuting to your local neighborhood insurgency by taxi, or did you have to re locate to another brothers hood. Well then maybe a ruck was needed, or maybe not. Your ruck will tire you out for sure, but so will sleeping without your poncho liner, poncho and snivel shirt. It is also a wonderful thing to have something to eat now and again or maybe an Xtra canteen from you ruck. X tra ammo, batteries, 1st aid goodies, butt wipe, socks… What if you stashed your ruck and then charged into the inferno without it? Good thing my battle belt holds all that stuff. What do I know. Former 11B1P. With a ruck. Or maybe not. Good article though. Good info. Just being… well you know, the thing!