This is just off the top of my head, and it’s been more than 10 years since I soldiered for a living, but an 11-B serving in a light infantry battalion (such as in the 10th Mountain, 101st, or the Ranger Regiment) could be expected to carry the following:

Uniform:
Jungle or Desert boots (with 550 cord laces), issue wool/cotton sox with polypro sock liners.
BDU/DCU pants and shirt, with brown t-shirt (Coolmax is best), Polypro ECWCS top.
Riggers belt.
Dog tags & green ID card.
K-Pot.
Patrol Cap or Booney hat, and wool watch cap (carried in pants cargo pockets).
Drive on rag (in pants cargo pockets).
Shemagh (in the desert)
Goggles (the cheep ones you get at clothing sales, with the dark lens).
Nomex flight or CVC gloves.

Also carried in uniform pockets is usually a notebook, a map of your AO, a boy scout silva compass, your wallet, at least one black ball point pen, a multi tool, a signal mirror, what ever keys you might need, a P-38, an MRE spoon, various amounts of pogy bait, and some matches. If you are high speed, you will also have a strobe, and a Garmin etrex, some extra 550 cord, and maybe a chem light or two. You will also carry your protective mask around on your hip all the time.
Weight: I don’t know, I never weighed my uniform, but I’d imagine up to ~20lbs+.

Body Armor:
…After Somalia every one is in body armor.
Weight: depending on what it is, 20-30lbs.

Web-Gear (LBE, LBV, or something cool by Eagle, LBT, SOE etc. if you can get away with it).
Basic load of ammo (between a 120 and 180 rounds of 5.56 if you are carrying an M-4 or M-16).
Two 1qt canteens of water.
A fixed blade knife, or bayonet depending on unit SOP.
Basic first aid kit (the issue “airborne” kit).
Several pressure dressings.
A couple grenades, and some smoke or CS as mission dictates.
A butt pack with various snivel gear (p-liner, poncho, hammock, etc.), and maybe an MRE or two.
An issue lensatic compass.
Leather gloves.
NVG’s.
A couple of snap links, and a sling rope.
A cleaning kit for your weapon.
Weight: with live ammo your web-gear can weigh 30 to 40lbs.

Rucksack (generally an ALICE Large):
MOPP gear.
More water.
More ammo.
More snivel gear.
Mission specific gear (radio, LAW, Dragon, bolt cutters, C-4, extra rounds for the 60, etc.).
Weight: 45-75lbs.

Well, at any rate this is roughly what we carried in the 80’s, mixed in with some stuff my friends that are still on active duty tell me that they use now (Garmin etrex for example).

Hope this answers your question.

Gary


Edited by Casket10 (04/03/03 11:44 AM)