Over the last few weeks, there have been some very important questions and comments posted on the ETS Bulletin Board providing some excellent “Food for Thought”.

Because of these questions and comments (and a great deal of thought), I have come to the following conclusions irt my own situation in the event that Bugging Out became necessary:
A) TEOTWAWKI has arrived when all Electronics die and communications with my home/family and with my employer have been lost, along with all active and passive communications (T.V, commercial radio stations, Marine VHF-FM communications, GPS, AIS, SatCom, etc.) capabilities that are on my vessel.
B) I will not be leaving my vessel unless a TEOTWAWKI event occurred.
C) I am getting too old and broken down to attempt trying to march approximately 250 miles with 59 LBS of gear on anything but a good trail, roadway, or Railroad track.

Other factors to now be considered
A) I learned yesterday that I'm transferring to a line boat that runs from the Mississippi River to Corpus Christi, Tx. If TSHTF while I'm on the east end of our run, less distance to be covered but with major obstacles; but if TSHTF while I'm on the west end of the run, then I have a lot more miles, with many more, lesser obstacles in the way.
B) These obstacles could include: the largest swamp in the US, vast stretches of marshland, vast areas of flat plains, the largest river in the US, numerous smaller rivers, bayous, and coulees, hills, radiologically hot areas, and hostiles of several different kinds and flavors.

I have started thinking back to the days of the Civil War and what and how the average infantryman carried his equipment. I am primarily thinking of the Confederate Infantryman (lesser equipped) and he traveled lightly. He carried the following to the best of my incomplete knowledge:

A)A blanket(s) rolled up lengthwise over his left shoulder with the blanket ends tied together.
B)A “possibles bag” (if he possibly had it, it was possibly in there),(over his right shoulder) with weapons maintenance equipment, sewing kit, toiletries (not that they used as much as we do now), etc.
C)A 2 qt canteen.
D)A small rucksack with writing supplies, rations, Bible, messkit, spare set of clothes, poncho, etc.
E)A cartridge box
F)Hat and bandanna
G)Belt with bayonet, pistol (sometimes), perhaps a leather pouch tied to it, and gloves.

This has me thinking about reducing my load to the following:

A)Blanket rolled up lengthwise over my left shoulder with the blanket ends tied together and containing:
1) My pillow,
2) spare clothes
3) Baja jacket

B)My Israeli Parachute Messenger Bag (over my right shoulder) with my:
1) Log Book/Licenses,
2) 5 water bottles,
3) Signal mirror,
4) Medicine Bag,
5) FAK,
a) 1 pkg-Aleve pain reliever
b) 1 pkg-assorted Bandaids
c) 10 ea-moist towelettes
d) 18 doses-Amodium A-D
e) 6 doses-Tylenol Sinus
f) 2 pkg-Theraflu
g) 1 pkg-Q-Tips
h) 6 tablets-Bayer Aspirin
i) 24 tablets-Water Purification
j) 1 ea-Ace Bandage
k) 2 ea-OB pads
l) 1 bt-Tylenol & Tylenol PM (mixed)
m) 1 bt-Prescription-Augmentin (1,000mg)
6) Messkit
a) 6 ea-Triox tablets
b) 1 bt-strike anywhere matches
c) 3 ea-SOS pads
d) 1 ea-metal spoon
e) Combo-knife,corkscrew, bottle opener
7) Condiments:
a) 19 pks-Sugar
b) 9 pks-salt
c) 9 pks-pepper
8) Paracord/pigeon string,
9) Poncho,
10) 55gal garbage bag,
11) 3 bandannas,
12) Bic lighters,
13) 1 bt-Aleve
14) 1 pr-Eyeglasses
15) 1 pr-Sunglasses

C)My food Tube (4”x2’ PVC sealed)
1) 6 pkg-Swiss Miss Instant Chocolate
2) 1 pkg-Mixed Nuts
3) 7 pks-Instant Grits
4) 5 bx-Raisins
5) 8 ea-Slim Jims
6) ½ lb-Buffalo Jerky
7) 5 ea-Beef Bouillion cubes
8) 5 ea-Chicken Bouillion cubes
9) 20 ea-dark chocolate mini’s
10) 10 ea-Tea Bags
11) 3 ea-Granola Bars
12) 2 ea-Chocolate Brownies

D) A very small rucksack with”
1) 4 MRE’s,
2) 1 rl-duct tape
3) 2 ea-space blankets
4) 1 pkg-baby wipes
5) 1 rl-duct tape
6) 2 ea-space blankets
7) 1 pkg-baby wipes
8) Zip ties
9) 5 pk-Raman Noodles (assorted)
10) 1 cn-Mosquito repellant (spray)
11) 1 ea-Coughlin Survival Kit in a Can
12) 1 ea-Magnetic Compass
13) P-38 & handcuff key
14) Toilet Paper
15) Coins ($)
16) clip on hat brim light/laser
17) Written Bug Out Plan
18) BOB inventory
19) Maps

E) Hanging on shoulder sling:
1) Brown Shaving Kit
a) 1 bx-Tylenol Cold Medicine
b) 1 bx-Amodium A-D
c) 1 bt-Vitamin C
d) 1 pkg-Assorted Bandaids
e) 1 bt-Prescription Clarinex
f) 1 bt-Prescription Alegra
g) 1 bt-Multi Vitamins
h) 2 pkg-Ear Plugs
i) 1 bt-Desinex Foot Powder
j) 1 bt-Fish Oil Capsules (1000mg)
k) 1 bt-Glucosomine Chondroitin
l) 1 bt-Baby Aspirin
2) Black shaving kit
a) 2 ea-spare Halogen Bulbs
b) 2 spools-brown/white thread
c) 1 pk-sewing needles
d) 1 pk-eyeglass repair kit
e) 1 ea-spare button

F)Hat

G)Belt with:
1) Survival knife,
2) Buck 110 and Leatherman in 1 pouch,
3) Mini Mag flashlight,
4) Radio Pouch
a) Spare batteries,
b) 8” crescent wrench,
c) flashlight,
d) 1 ea-Magnesium Fire Starter
e) 1 ea-spare halogen bulb
5) 1 pr-Binoculars/camara w/belt pouch

I’ve been working on this posting for a couple of days and it is bordering on still being too heavy. I would appreciate any and all input from all of you ETS members who care to make any. I would also like comments on my mode of thinking as far as trying to go lightweight in order to conserve strength and increase my daily mileage. The rucksack is extremely small and I believe I will be forced to cull more stuff from it’s list. I think this will be a normal process as I start putting this altogether.