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Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Wed Jul 10, 2019 7:20 am
by Peacedog
Childhood development is critical. This is something that really concerns me given the media/Xbox generation that is growing up right now. These kids have very little proprioception/physicality.

Like you said, if you don't get it early, I'm not sure you get it at all.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Wed Jul 10, 2019 11:29 am
by everything
early education is a massive advantage. I think there have been studies showing how many more neural connections the brain forms. also there was a recent "meta" study concluding that music education is the most predictive factor for success (measured by grades) in all academic subjects. so basically, kids must do PE and music. I don't know about art, but it's inconceivable not to do art, too.

on the loads topic, can't follow the military talk, but 175 lbs being carried????? omg.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Wed Jul 10, 2019 12:58 pm
by Peacedog
It's pretty crazy some of the weights being carried for days at a time.

On the one hand it shows what the human potential is capable of. On the other hand, it makes me think a lot about what is happening to those bodies long term.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 11:52 am
by everything
I don't even understand this "ruck" hobby. Seems just as stupid if not more stupid than marathons and ultramarathons. These people must be too uncoordinated for sports? Or too type A for daily life, but not enough for cliff diving?

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 12:44 pm
by windwalker
everything wrote:I don't even understand this "ruck" hobby. Seems just as stupid if not more stupid than marathons and ultramarathons. These people must be too uncoordinated for sports? Or too type A for daily life, but not enough for cliff diving?


Actually its more of a life style

Dont know about "them" being uncoordinated we weren't,
you could always ask them or join and find out

Image

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 12:50 pm
by windwalker
Image


Today the average US soldier carries at least 60 pounds of gear, with an extended patrol often doubling that weight. Specialized warfighters, such as Automatic Riflemen, Combat Medics, and Special Operations can see totals much higher. For example, US Army Spc. Craig Brown carries 90 pounds of gear as a SAW gunner, not including a ruck.

https://www.ptxnomad.com/what-do-soldie ... -it-weigh/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc5O6Y- ... e=youtu.be


Image

The above image from PEO Soldier show the breakdown for electronics and batteries used by a US Airborne soldier during Operation Enduring Freedom, for a 72 hour mission. Between optics, flashlights, night vision devices, GPS (DAGR), and radio and the lack of interchangeable batteries on many of these devices, 16 pounds of batteries had to be carried—or the equivalent of an unloaded SAW machinegun.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 3:33 pm
by everything
it sounds necessary in the military to a point.

for the hobbyists, I don't get it. every marathoner and ultramarathoner I've known has ended up with stupid repetitive stress injuries. doing long runs/walks with even more weight? I mean if they feel they have something to prove to somebody or have a badass fantasy, maybe there are better things to take up? I think they should take up judo or bjj instead. 3 minutes groundwork should be a lot more humbling w/o the repetitve stress injury. the macho bullshit goes away. what really gets me is my friends who post on fb or instagram about this. i don't post my soccer plays or judo throws. I haven't done a long run in a long time, but those plays and throws are much, much harder to do.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 5:10 pm
by Steve James
Between optics, flashlights, night vision devices, GPS (DAGR), and radio and the lack of interchangeable batteries on many of these devices, 16 pounds of batteries had to be carried—or the equivalent of an unloaded SAW machinegun.


And who would want to carry an unloaded SAW? So, if the batteries were eliminated, that'd be a SAW + the needed ammunition. That wouldn't make the load any lighter. But, the question is what does the guy who's carrying the equipment (thinks he) needs to carry on/out a mission. It would obviously be best if he carried the least possible. How much is that...?

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:00 pm
by windwalker
Steve James wrote:
Between optics, flashlights, night vision devices, GPS (DAGR), and radio and the lack of interchangeable batteries on many of these devices, 16 pounds of batteries had to be carried—or the equivalent of an unloaded SAW machinegun.


And who would want to carry an unloaded SAW? So, if the batteries were eliminated, that'd be a SAW + the needed ammunition.
You seem to have missed the part were he is describing his basic load out, why would he not carry what
he is required to carrry?


That wouldn't make the load any lighter. But, the question is what does the guy who's carrying the equipment (thinks he) needs to carry on/out a mission. It would obviously be best if he carried the least possible. How much is that...?


How much is that...?


Turns out its how much you are required to carry is what you need to carry, depending on mission and functional role in the squad.
Imagine that?

@everything,

Dont know why anyone would want to carry so much as a hobby,,,To each his own I guess.
In the military as some have mentioned people do what ever they need to do to make things easier
the problem with this approach is that most methods are based on known practices and requirements.
If one eliminates something that turns out to be needed because it's to heavy, not going to be a happy ending..


On the other hand if something is carried that is never used and documented as such, it soon gets dropped
from the load out....


Training, is what enables one to be able to function within the mission requirements. The training itself
is quite demanding and hard designed to weed out those that can not meet the requirements.

The military doesn't always get the best and lightest gear..a large part of this is due to cost...maybe the elite operators did or do,
but IME grunt units "infantry" got what was functional and cheap ie low cost..

In my day they still had C-rations "canned food" in a box...
which transitioned to MRES later on..

Like the new uniforms very cool, these troops will never know what blood stripes mean...time goes on...

For example batteries, with all the electronic gear it would really suck not to be able to use it because
of no power source we didnt have all the high teach stuff that they carry but the batteries for the PRC 77 RT Image
had to be carried along with the radio itself.


@peacedog or others, I noted no mention of MOPP gear...or gas mask...

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 6:24 pm
by Steve James
Turns out its how much you are required to carry is what you need to carry, depending on mission and functional role in the squad.
Imagine that?


Exactly. The only way to avoid the necessity is to avoid putting people in a position where they need to carry that much. It's unavoidable, as are the inevitable injuries. But, I think this is about human limits, and it's why soldiering is for the young. That was the point of this thread, too. No matter the exact weight of the load, no one will be able to carry it forever.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:30 pm
by everything
yes you can carry your peak load for a little while, and maybe it's glorious.

and then you have to find some other meaning or pursuit. can't chase your former self.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 7:48 pm
by Peacedog
We were forced to deploy with mopp gear a couple of times. Always sat in the bag. Apparently it was some kind of Congressional mandate.

While I could almost see it at certain points in Iraq. In Afghanistan it was a complete waste of time. As an "O" I pulled rank and mailed that back through the post office a few times. I always kept my mask and the drugs after the event below though.

The one time I used my mask was during a sand storm after some camel f^&*&ing little desert rat Bedouin kid threw a rock at the Toyota my team was patrolling in and broke one of the rear quarter panel windows. Everyone laughed at me. But I was the only guy not coughing up dust for the next three days. I got b*&%^ed at by supply when I came back as they didn't know what to do with a used gas mask canister. Bastards even tried to make me pay for it. I got out of that one thanks to my CO. It was labeled a "mission essential" use of equipment.

As far as I know, I'm the only person to ever use a gas mask in recent years. Granted it was not for a chem warfare purpose.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 8:04 pm
by everything
damn that's scary.

so you used it to filter dust? and other times chemicals?

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 8:18 pm
by Peacedog
Just for dust the one time.

NEVER used one for chemicals.

Re: you can't sustain your peak accomplishment years

PostPosted: Fri Jul 12, 2019 8:37 pm
by Steve James
:) Better to have it and not need it than not have it and need it.