I am having a difficult Internet time trying to find any site that would list what a soldier carries in his (or her) backpack. I realize the lists would be different for different services. I'll take anything right now.

This all stems from a viewing on the Discovery Channel today of the Mountain Marines based in California. They had everything in those packs! AND they could fit their sleeping bags in their packs. They scaled 300' cliff faces with full packs.

Anyhoo, can someone point me to some links to help my pathetic little mind......

Thanks a bunch.
Pathetic Michael

As you say, the load is different for the services, and for a particular mission. This topic was covered a year or so back, you might try a search, but if I recall correctly you will not find any specific lists there...

In addition to the different loadouts for different services, units, and missions, the contents of an individual soldier's pack are going to vary a lot from individual to individual. Just to get an idea, take a look at this list of extra gear recommended for a soldier deploying to Afghanistan. Now, a lot of that stuff won't get carried in the field, but some of it will. Soldiers carry a lot of stuff in addition to what they are issued (and they substitute better personal gear for some of the issue stuff).

Go to military.com and look around for the Army, Army National Guard, and Marine Corps Basic Training Manuals. They are there somewhere, I don't know exactly where. You should look for the section on preparing for an Equipment Inspection and how the items are laid out. Good Luck.

Thanks for your replies. It was a wierd request, but you folks have helped.

Again, Thanks!
Michael

As an ex soldier, I can give you an idea what we were required to have in there at all times:
MOPP gear (chem suit)
1 pr extra BDUs
2 pr socks
1 pr t-shirt
shaving gear
poncho
wet weather top/bottoms or goretex
2 qut canteen
E-tool
flashlight.
Mission essential gear (NODs, demo gear, clatymore, radio gear, as assigned).
After that, you can put in anything you like.

Here is a thread from a .mil board. Now most of it is combat oriented, so it may or may not be what you're interested in.

Thanks for the list. Ya all know how it is when a wierd little unattached brain cell goes off on a bushwack. If you don't, this is the result......

Again, thanks for the links.

Michael

OK all...I gotta ask... what does the following mean?

"1. Any extra Class VIII you can bring from HS is good to have."

Honestly, the variations are not limited to the different services. Every unit provides different items to their personnel. Everyone is issued with standard items (sleeping bag, poncho, weapon such as an M-16 or 9mm, Gortex jacket, etc, etc) and then every unit supplements the equipment with supplies purchased with their unit funds, which they request and budget for every year. This process allows for units to buy equipment that meets the needs of the particular mission at hand. It also allows some folks to get some pretty nifty toys. In theory the equipment is all controlled and must be returned when the member finishes the mission and/or leaves the unit.

Here is what the Air Force recommends people bring to Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training:
(http://www.brooks.af.mil/web/sere/survivalkits.htm)

High quality pocket knife with at least two blades
Pocket compass
Match safe with matches
Plastic or metal container
Waterproof wooden matches
Needles – Sailmakers, surgeons, and darning
Assorted fish hooks in heavy tin foil or plastic holders
Snare wire, small hank
Needle nosed pliers with side cutters; high quality
Bar Surgical soap or hand soap containing physohex
Small fire starter
Personal Medications*
Water Purification Tabs
Small First aid kit*
Chap stick
Safety pins
6" Bastard file
Aluminum Foil
Flexible saw
Camouflage
Mosquito head net
Fish line
Zip lock bags
Small Steel mirror
Penlight with batteries
Split Shot for fishing weight
Gill net
Candles* (Cannot be taken to field here at USAFSAM)
Water containers

This list contains recommendations only. These are not required items for the course.

* These items will need to pre-approved by the instructor staff prior to going to the field.



Class VIII is the military supply code for medical items and HS stands for home station.

Well, that's a pretty good response to my very wierd question. You have cleared up a lot of other questions in your response. I appreciate your time and your efforts very much.

I found some info on the Lightfighter Tactical Forum suggested earlier that helped as well.

Again, thanks for your time.

Michael

The bigger problem in trying to answer your question is that a lot of guys (and gals) carry thier own gear becuase they like it better than the issue stuff.

Where did military Camelbaks come from? Becuase a lot of units had purchased them with thier unit money, and everyone in a unit that didn't buy them was buying them anyway. Eventually, the military broke down and issued them rather than working on a small mountain of plastic canteens that has been growing since Vietnam. Everyone was buying reflex sights out of pocket for long time, now DoD is issuing them. The Army and Corps are FINALLY issuing goggles that work with helmets, after two decades of issuing tanker goggles to everyone that didn't even really work well with the helmets worn by armour crews, much less the standard k-pot, during which time people were buying them. The list goes on and on like that.

It all started with "the best money can buy at lowest bid," and the age old requirement that everyone look exactly the same, equipment wise. In days of old you couldn't even carry anything that showed if it was non-issue, left handers were issued a right handed holster, etc etc etc...

Ok, now this is getting interesting.....

Ugh. Those things stink to high heaven. I bleach mine out every time I am about to use it.

Gah! Then you probably never get the bleach taste out of the things. I've got a friend who actually likes how they taste, so he was welcome to mine when I switched to polycarb bottles. He also likes powdered eggs. *shrugs*