Advice on Packing a 72-Hour Pack

[Luis R. Ramos]

After the suggestions I received on packing my new 24-hour pack, I want to turn my attention to the 72-hour pack.

My 72-hour pack is a duffel bag with shoulder straps. When I had my ALICE pack, I would not have been able to put the 24-hour inside. The Mil-Tec I have now will fit inside but I have not tried to do so.

I would like to know and/or see how others with more experience than me are packing their 72-hour.

Eclipse posted a photo where he had a plastic bin on wheels. I thought the 72-hour was to be carried not rolled, according to the GTM and UDF Guide. What do others feel about this? And I am not being critical. Just want to know opinions to make my own mind. Mind you, if a bin with wheels have been used by many here, that would be great for me because of my age. I can successfully carry my 24-hour, but probably not the 72 plus the 24!



Thanks in advance...

[Eclipse]

My containers don't have wheels, they just nest nicely in a truck or aircraft.

A duffel should be fine.  I'm not aware of any SQTR requirement that 72-hours gear be rucked-in or carried any distance.

It's mission base gear for replenishment.

[Spam]

I'll start the ball rolling:

1. Start by understanding the CONOPS (Concept of Operations) for your particular team. If you are on a SAR/DR team that expects to ride in a vehicle to the end of a logging trail, then to hump ten klicks up slope to establish a staging area to operate out of for three days, that will drive a different solution from a team that expects to drive to an airport, dump your base gear and camp next to pavement. In short, be realistic as to whether you and yours really will operate as analogues of lightly equipped, long range infantry, or as mech infantry.

2. Once you have that straight, then proceed to identifying the logistics footprint for your team, and your expected load plan for your defined vehicle(s) for team gear, for 24 hour patrol gear, and then for your base gear. As a team, you should think about sharing team gear for efficiency, and be sure to include rations and water in the discussion.

3. Based on that, what then is your allowed "logistics footprint" (space/volume/weight) and carrying expectations. For example, if you're going to hump your gear 10K up to the tree line - while carrying your portion of the team gear - go with a real ruck. If you're a mounted horse or ATV team, saddlebags or hard case. If you'll be sleeping at a FOB at the end of the pavement or on a hangar floor - why, a bin on wheels makes as much sense as any.

My personal solution remains a medium Alice ruck. Over the years, I've down sized from a large, and divested with the frame.

Everyone else?

V/R
Spam

[Luis R. Ramos]

The following is a copy from Task O-0001 of a GTM and UDF Task Guide. Highlights are mine.

2)  The extended duration pack is designed to help you live in the field for more than one day, typically 48 to 72 hours.  It includes your sleeping bag, tent, and other long term comfort items.  The extended duration is not subject to uniformity -- color and size does not matter.  The major constraint is how much you can carry.  Even if the mission is only expected to last one day, you should always bring your base gear.  You never know how long a mission will last, or whether you will go straight to another mission from the current one....

C.  You must be able to carry all your equipment at once, in case you must "hike in" to a mission base. 

To me, the areas I bolded imply you should be able to carry both your 24-Hour and 72-Hour packs together. I am in a sense, lucky since the missions I have participated in usually have been about 3-7 hours long, and in the city or on a suburban area, so my 72-hour pack stays in my car.

However I have seen also requirements for bivouacs that imply or state the 72-hour pack must be carried for several miles.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Ok,

Using the terms that Spam introduced, I have not needed to go on very long missions taking me days. I have used the 72-hour and 24-hour in very short missions (3 to 7 hours) and in several bivouacs and airshows lasting weekends. So I have been on a sort of "mech infantry" operation to use the term, since the 72-hour pack stays in the car. Even when I have an Ensolite sleeping pad, tent, tarp, and ground cover in the car, sometimes - usually - I decide, and been able to sleep inside my car, a Honda Civic.

On all the squadrons I have been, there has been no defined "ground team" that trains and work together but is more like put together when arriving at the scene.



Others experience with packs?

[Spam]

Sure thing, sir. In the absence of other information or experience, the task guide is your best bet, of course, an is the source to adhere to for standards of CAP qualifications.


I'm merely suggesting that there are considerations beyond the national-standard generic task, which was never intended to take into account local variances in conditions, missions, and CONOPS. The "in case" clause may not apply in your Area of Operations.


Your best bet, I would advise, is to seek inputs from the experienced GTLs and GBDs in your AO, who can give you locally specific guidance as to the points I've made (and who would be signing you off for that task locally).  They will also be able to give you advice on whether your experience of scheduled vs. formed crews is normative or not (our unit team usually augments with one or two pickups from other local units without GTLs, for example).


Best wishes!
Spam

[Eclipse]

The following is a copy from Task O-0001 of a GTM and UDF Task Guide. Highlights are mine.

2)  The extended duration pack is designed to help you live in the field for more than one day, typically 48 to 72 hours.  It includes your sleeping bag, tent, and other long term comfort items.  The extended duration is not subject to uniformity -- color and size does not matter.  The major constraint is how much you can carry.  Even if the mission is only expected to last one day, you should always bring your base gear.  You never know how long a mission will last, or whether you will go straight to another mission from the current one....

C.  You must be able to carry all your equipment at once, in case you must "hike in" to a mission base. 

To me, the areas I bolded imply you should be able to carry both your 24-Hour and 72-Hour packs together. I am in a sense, lucky since the missions I have participated in usually have been about 3-7 hours long, and in the city or on a suburban area, so my 72-hour pack stays in my car.

However I have seen also requirements for bivouacs that imply or state the 72-hour pack must be carried for several miles.

Well, that just goes to show how outdated and disconnected the task guide is from CAP reality.

There's no such thing as a CAP mission in today's world where you don't know how long you will be out, yes poop happens,
that's why you have the stuff in the 24.  No CAP ground team these days is going to have to spend 3 days out on a whim
or an accident, nor are they going to get deployed from one mission to another without warning or notice, that doesn't happen.

Now, if the training scenario indicates a ruck-in, that's a different story, and you might need to change what you carry and how you carry it.

The problem I've had is that the containers I bring are a lot more then just 72-hour gear, which as indicated can be packed in
a large day pack - I just repacked mine and the actual 72 is in a typical tactical backpack, which I would then wear over my
SARMed vest. It's full but it fits.

I usually have to carry gear for multiple roles, including base ops, with the assumption I have to provide toys for others as well,
which is why I'd never be able to ruck-in, even assuming that was a CAP "thing".

CAP didn't do it for Katrina, Kentucky, or Sandy, nor is it prepared or proficient enough to deploy teams like that any time soon.

[Luis R. Ramos]

From what I am reading, I'd say it would be OK for me to keep my stuff in the duffle bag for my current area of ops.

But if going to a different area of ops, I may have to change my packing.

Mind you, I even have two canteens which I never had to use in a mission. They sit in the trunk, empty since my missions have been in areas where I can always find a 7-11, 24-hour deli, all-night gas station, McDonalds, or Burger King open and get my water there. The canteens have been useful ion the airshows and bivouacs.

[Spam]

Luis, that sounds like a sensible approach to me, given that you're in the NYC area (right?), but I'd still respectfully suggest that you consult with your skills evaluator trainers to make sure that you're meeting common expectations for GTMs in your area.  Just in case, right?

That mentality/approach would, I would submit, serve you well throughout all the other tasks and specialties, and would demonstrate to your local teams that you're ready to be "hooked in" on a deployment call.

Again, great job.
Spam

PS, IIRC, you're also an educator. As my kids are starting back to school now, can I give you a "thanks for serving"!

[Luis R. Ramos]

You are welcome.

I will ask as you suggest.