Hydration Pack Regulations

[isuhawkeye]

do you wear it over or under your saety vest

[Dad2-4]

Which goes to why the reg was written the way it is. I know we've all seen little tiny patches of safety vest peeking out from under hyda-packs and gear vests. Why not make the hydra pack and gear vest orange to begin with? I'm planning on buying an ES vest with built in hydration bladder pocket. Then someone, somewhere will tell me I can't wear it.

[N Harmon]

Black is authorized with BDU and ABU in USAF and will be in CAP, so why bother getting anything else?

Well, black does absorb more sunlight than other colors, thus getting hot faster. I have a black camelbak and hate drinking warm water.

[hatentx]

then drink you water faster it wont get hot then

[PHall]

A little ice in that black camelbak will solve the warm water problem and will help keep you cooler too!

[CadetProgramGuy]

Once at an encampment we made notice on the packing list that camel backs were not allowed.

An officer showed up with one, we informed him of the camelback policy, he procedded to put it under his bouse.

We asked him to remove it, or remove himself from the encampment.  He made the good choice and removed the camelback.

[jimmydeanno]

Once at an encampment we made notice on the packing list that camel backs were not allowed.

An officer showed up with one, we informed him of the camelback policy, he procedded to put it under his bouse.

We asked him to remove it, or remove himself from the encampment.  He made the good choice and removed the camelback.

Guess you guys showed him...

[afgeo4]

Once at an encampment we made notice on the packing list that camel backs were not allowed.

An officer showed up with one, we informed him of the camelback policy, he procedded to put it under his bouse.

We asked him to remove it, or remove himself from the encampment.  He made the good choice and removed the camelback.

I REALLY REALLY hope this was done before camelbaks were authorized by NHQ as uniform items.

Local units have no authority to "de-authorize" uniform items or anything else. The only thing units can do is authorize additional items to be used/worn in that unit's AOR.

[afgeo4]

Black is authorized with BDU and ABU in USAF and will be in CAP, so why bother getting anything else?

Well, black does absorb more sunlight than other colors, thus getting hot faster. I have a black camelbak and hate drinking warm water.

1. Warm water gets absorbed by your body faster. Your body has to warm cool water to body temp for it to be absorbed if the water is cold. That uses lots of energy.

2. Warm water, though isn't as good tasting, is just as effective at hydration as cold water.

3. Woodland Camouflage is almost as dark as black and the temp differences would be almost non-existant.

[Eclipse]

Local units have no authority to "de-authorize" uniform items or anything else. The only thing units can do is authorize additional items to be used/worn in that unit's AOR.

Local unit and activity commanders have the authority to prohibit any uniform or equipment they deem appropriate.

[mikeylikey]

Local units have no authority to "de-authorize" uniform items or anything else. The only thing units can do is authorize additional items to be used/worn in that unit's AOR.

Local unit and activity commanders have the authority to prohibit any uniform or equipment they deem appropriate.

Really??  I thought they could add to it, but not take away from it.  NOW they can tell you what specific items to bring to an activity, but they can't just say "disregard 39-1". 

[Eclipse]

Local units have no authority to "de-authorize" uniform items or anything else. The only thing units can do is authorize additional items to be used/worn in that unit's AOR.

Local unit and activity commanders have the authority to prohibit any uniform or equipment they deem appropriate.

Really??  I thought they could add to it, but not take away from it.  NOW they can tell you what specific items to bring to an activity, but they can't just say "disregard 39-1". 

Table 1-1. Wearing the Uniform
NOTES:
1. The National Commander and other commanders may specify the wear of a particular uniform type for the purpose of achieving a uniform appearance at squadron, group, wing, region, and national functions. However, all commanders must be mindful of the objective of attaining a neatly uniformed appearance at a minimum of personal expense to the individual member and will consequently refrain from imposing unreasonable uniform requirements.

[jimmydeanno]

1. The National Commander and other commanders may specify the wear of a particular uniform type for the purpose of achieving a uniform appearance at squadron, group, wing, region, and national functions. However, all commanders must be mindful of the objective of attaining a neatly uniformed appearance at a minimum of personal expense to the individual member and will consequently refrain from imposing unreasonable uniform requirements.

It says "uniform type" as in Blues, BDUs, Flightsuits, etc.  It doesn't say canteens vs. camelbacks, etc.  I would also consider it an "unreasonable uniform requirement" to make me go purchase canteens and a pistol belt when I have a perfectly functioning camelback - which is outlined in 39-1 - and canteens are not.

[Eclipse]

1. The National Commander and other commanders may specify the wear of a particular uniform type for the purpose of achieving a uniform appearance at squadron, group, wing, region, and national functions. However, all commanders must be mindful of the objective of attaining a neatly uniformed appearance at a minimum of personal expense to the individual member and will consequently refrain from imposing unreasonable uniform requirements.

It says "uniform type" as in Blues, BDUs, Flightsuits, etc.  It doesn't say canteens vs. camelbacks, etc.  I would also consider it an "unreasonable uniform requirement" to make me go purchase canteens and a pistol belt when I have a perfectly functioning camelback - which is outlined in 39-1 - and canteens are not.

Authorizing the use or wear of something is not the same as prescribing its use or wear.

GTM Manual says "Canteen(s) to carry 2 quarts of water", so based on that manual, hydration packs aren't even authorized.

With that said, who said anyone was making you buy anything?

Prohibiting a hydration pack is not the same as requiring you to buy something else.  The equipment list says
"web belt and canteen", but all you have is a hydration pack? Here's a water bottle, put it in your BDU pocket and move on.

The fact that you don't own the prescribed equipment for an activity does not necessarily allow you to use something else at your discretion, especially something which is clearly visible and different.

This also falls back to the whole "I know better and you can't tell me what to do argument", which doesn't fly in a paramilitary environment where we are trying to instill discipline.  When people play organized sports, they are handed a required equipment list, and in many case a prohibited list as well (i.e. metal spikes vs. plastic, aluminum bat vs. wood, etc.) whether something is "better" or not, is irrelevant, here is the list.

Show up without your required gear to a little league game, and you likely warm the bench, likewise if you miss required practices, etc. (i.e. training), yet in CAP, where in theory we are training people to save lives, it seems to be OK to just do whatever you want, regardless of the rules or the leader's wishes.

[RiverAux]

What we have here is a little bit of unfortunate confusion between field gear and a uniform item. 

Keep in mind that Table 2-5 in 39-1 (where the camelback reference can be found) is really meant to describe standards for quite a few things including some optional items.  The way I interpret this table is that if an item is going to be used (or worn, or tattoed on you), this is the standard it must meet. 

For example, there is a standard for umbrellas.   Do we take this to mean that it would be fine for someone to take an umbrella with them on a ground team mission in a rain storm? 

So, what I get is that if camelbacks are going to be allowed for an activity, they have to be black, brown, or camoflage.  It is interesting to me that they seem to be more picky about the color of this item than that of our other field gear.   

[Hawk200]

Seems like more people or so stuck on everyone being absolute clones of each other that they aren't considering practicality.

So what if a few people wear a Camelbak, and others don't. Seems like having water would be more important. The Camelbak is within regs, there's really no reason one should be forbidden.

But I guess that abolute uniformity, without any of the variation that's actually authorized by the pubs is more important. No wonder we have people that don't renew.

[RiverAux]

GTM Manual says "Canteen(s) to carry 2 quarts of water", so based on that manual, hydration packs aren't even authorized.

For ground team work, maybe.  But what about airshows and other generic CAP activities? 

Prohibiting a hydration pack is not the same as requiring you to buy something else.  The equipment list says
"web belt and canteen", but all you have is a hydration pack? Here's a water bottle, put it in your BDU pocket and move on.

So, since most water bottles are a pint, in order to carry 2 quarts, you would need to put 4 water bottles in your cargo pockets to have the minimum amount of water.  I'm pretty sure that having 2 pounds of water bouncing against each of your legs is going to be pretty darn uncomfortable.