Ranger Archive
Thread: So you like camping huh?
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FourthNail
Mon Mar 14, 2005 3:47 pm
#1
Hehe, try camping this way...
The past two weeks I have been in my final phase of OCS and it was all out in the field for squad, platoon and company tactics. After running maybe three or four missions a day, we camp in a small patrol base of 30 people or in a 360 degree perimeter with 150 people.
Here's the rub though, out of the two weeks time we were in the field, it rained eight of those days. Not too bad right? Out of those same two weeks, the average temperature at night was 34 degrees. Now, after running these daily missions and coming into our sites around 7:00pm we're already drenched and freezing. Now we have to stretch a pancho out roughly knee high off the ground, toss everything we've been carrying (45 to 55lb ruck) all day long under it and crawl our wet selves into our sleeping bags which by the third day are soaked as well.
After about the first week, you tend to see people just shutting down after awhile. Two nights before we left we were in a small patrol base and the sky broke wide open into a torrential downpour. Still, 35 degrees outside. Some people just stood there in the cold dark rain not moving for about thirty minutes or so because any movement made it colder it seemed. THAT night, was by far the best night sleep I had the entire time.
I set my pancho up as a lean-to and crawled under it. Rolled out my sleeping bag, took off everything wet and crawled into it with just my boxers on. Got toasty in about ten minutes and slept like a rock. Next stop, Officer Infantry Basic Course, then Airborne School and Air Assault School if I can get it. As far as Ranger school goes, who knows. Ask me again in another year.
Plunk
The past two weeks I have been in my final phase of OCS and it was all out in the field for squad, platoon and company tactics. After running maybe three or four missions a day, we camp in a small patrol base of 30 people or in a 360 degree perimeter with 150 people.
Here's the rub though, out of the two weeks time we were in the field, it rained eight of those days. Not too bad right? Out of those same two weeks, the average temperature at night was 34 degrees. Now, after running these daily missions and coming into our sites around 7:00pm we're already drenched and freezing. Now we have to stretch a pancho out roughly knee high off the ground, toss everything we've been carrying (45 to 55lb ruck) all day long under it and crawl our wet selves into our sleeping bags which by the third day are soaked as well.
After about the first week, you tend to see people just shutting down after awhile. Two nights before we left we were in a small patrol base and the sky broke wide open into a torrential downpour. Still, 35 degrees outside. Some people just stood there in the cold dark rain not moving for about thirty minutes or so because any movement made it colder it seemed. THAT night, was by far the best night sleep I had the entire time.
I set my pancho up as a lean-to and crawled under it. Rolled out my sleeping bag, took off everything wet and crawled into it with just my boxers on. Got toasty in about ten minutes and slept like a rock. Next stop, Officer Infantry Basic Course, then Airborne School and Air Assault School if I can get it. As far as Ranger school goes, who knows. Ask me again in another year.
Plunk
Message Edited by FourthNail on 03-14-2005 02:48 PM
JBMat
Mon Mar 14, 2005 6:05 pm
#2
I do have some questions -
Sleeping bag?
Wuzzat? I had a woobie. Two if it was winter.
Buncha sissies they got these days - and yes, I remember C rats (ham and mother******s were the worst).
Keep your feet and knees together when landing and hit all 5 points of performance (my wings have a star and wreath on top).
JB
DesktopSaki
Mon Mar 14, 2005 8:57 pm
#3
Sounds like you were thinkin' likea Ranger. :>
It's so neat we have some real military guys (past and present) around here. Salute.
FourthNail
Tue Mar 15, 2005 6:34 am
#4
JBMat wrote:I do have some questions -Sleeping bag?Wuzzat? I had a woobie. Two if it was winter.Buncha sissies they got these days - and yes, I remember C rats (ham and mother******s were the worst).Keep your feet and knees together when landing and hit all 5 points of performance (my wings have a star and wreath on top).JB
HAHA! Yeah, we took the old sleeping bags out there. Most of them ended up soaking wet too. Some of our platoon had the new sleep system which is a lighter bage, and two outter shells, the outer most one being gortex. Total they weigh as much as two poncho liners and keep you bone dry.
I gotta have me one of those!
C-Rats? Man, you're tounger than me and the worst I had was first generation MRE's. At least I thought you were younger than me. I joined in the summer of '88. Back in the OLD Corps
Plunk
JBMat
Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:54 am
#5
First generation MREs sucked. Hockey pucks in two flavors, beef and pork sausage.
What was really good was the old Lurp rats. One bag, add water, stick in your shirt for a half hour to warm/rehydrate. Huge portions, lightweight, and actually decent (mmm...chili).
And yes, the new sleep systems are decent. Tho some of us would "cheat" and carry civilian bags in the old covers - lighter and warmer.
As to younger -nope.
JB
FourthNail
Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:17 am
#6
Haha, you're the first person on the board I've met that's older than me
Plunk
Plunk
e6alfa
Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:19 am
#7
Dehydrated beef paties.. YUM!! 
5 fingers of death. Even better! 
The new MREs are like a McD's drive thourgh. What ever happened to heating up your food with a little blue tab?
The new sleep systems are great! Yeah a little bulky, but I've slept IN a winter rain storm out in the desert before.
With all that said, now I know why I made a ranger!
FourthNail
Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:22 am
#8
AAARRRGH! The five fingers of death. That and the ham slice were the bane of my existence while in the Corps. I hated that crap.
Ever had the cold weather rats? Two MRE's in one.
I also got me a pair of the new gortex boots. Man those things are nice, kept my feet dry the entire time out there. And the little trick about sticking the feet end of your sleeping bag into your wet weather bag while you sleep is priceless.
And forget 550 cord, bungees are the way to go
Plunk
Ever had the cold weather rats? Two MRE's in one.
I also got me a pair of the new gortex boots. Man those things are nice, kept my feet dry the entire time out there. And the little trick about sticking the feet end of your sleeping bag into your wet weather bag while you sleep is priceless.
And forget 550 cord, bungees are the way to go
Plunk
Message Edited by FourthNail on 03-16-2005 07:22 AM
SickSix
Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:25 am
#9
the new MREs are good if it's all you got. but i'd never eat any of'em if i didn't have to
the new sleep systems are great. i had an old fart'sack for a while, and all my buddies had the new ones (that's the guard for ya), i just stopped taking it tothe field. the old bags take up your entire ruck by themselves! finally i got the new system.
supposed to be getting new BDUs soon.........
FourthNail
Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:28 am
#10
SickSix wrote:the new MREs are good if it's all you got. but i'd never eat any of'em if i didn't have tothe new sleep systems are great. i had an old fart'sack for a while, and all my buddies had the new ones (that's the guard for ya), i just stopped taking it tothe field. the old bags take up your entire ruck by themselves! finally i got the new system.supposed to be getting new BDUs soon.........
What I did was stuff the fartsack into my WP bag and strap it to the top of my ruck keeping the interior free for more gear. Then I bungeed the sleeping mat to the bottom so that when I stood the ruck up, it would help keep it off the ground and dry.
When I rolled my fartsack, I rolled it like I sleep in it and made it a bit wider so the straps on the ruck actually had something to hold on to, if that makes any sense. I also only use a large ruck. What state are you in Six and what's your MOS?
Plunk
Message Edited by FourthNail on 03-16-2005 07:28 AM
JokitoRoyo
Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:33 am
#11
Reading the above thread has brought back tons o memories for me. Joined up in 89, did my stint down in Benning. Lived the high-speed life. Had a great time during some starnge and turbulant times.Completed airborne, got into Training Bat; took a little spill, got musterred out. Though half my body squeaks and grinds when it rains, I wouldn't trade those memories or the experiencefor anything though.
There was an airshow I went to a few years after I got out, theROTCdbl dot fella there was showing off the new gear. Was real impressed with the use of modern materials, and po'd as hell cause my sorry tuckus had to haul all that wool based crap every-fricken-where.
As for the food in field, I remember not giving a crap. By the end of the day I was just happy to eat. The only thing I couldn't stand was when they tried out the new MRE's with Hotdog and Hamburger. I'd trade those off as quick as I could. Hot dogs were the consitancy of dough and the hamburger puck was well, i can't post that in polite company.
Seems as though there are quite a few of us ex-military types in this profession. Maybe that's why i feel at home here.
SickSix
Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:34 am
#12
11B all the way!
Thankfully, one of the good(albeit few) things to come out of sending us weekend HOOAHs to Iraq for 12+month tours is that the bigwigs in high places now realize that if they plan on sending guardsman/woman to war, WE NEED THE SAME QUALITY EQUIPMENT!!! lol
oh, and Florida is where i serve. 3 weeks of hurrican duty right smack in the begining of Fall semester kinda messes things up though*
* in now way am i trying to say that i suffered from those hurricanes more than anyone else, i saw the desctrution, i know how bad some people are still suffering from it
JokitoRoyo
Wed Mar 16, 2005 8:43 am
#13
Eleven BANG BANG! HooAHH! Well carry-on you straight legged infantry sonovab**ch!
SickSix wrote:
11B all the way!
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