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?
Read the Whole Article Here…
