I attended The Basic School in 1968. We had a WW II helmet, WW II / Korean War 782 harness and cartridge belt, a small haversack, an E-Tool, two canteens, and a uniform with green trousers and a green shirt with no extra pockets. I arrived in Vietnam in December 1968 as an infantry platoon commander. Only three things were different: I was issued a flak jacket, an M-16 instead of the M-14 we trained with at TBS, and a set of camouflage utilities. Everything else was the same as we were issued at TBS. There was no such thing as bottled water so we filled canteens with whatever local water source was available and put extra water purification tablets to kill most of the critters in the water. We ate C-Rations from the Korean War. I remember that the canned beefsteak and the canned turkey loaf were the only ones I liked. Normally one C-Ration had to last 2-3 days because resupply was hit or miss due to terrain, weather, and enemy threats. In the dry season it was brutally hot and during the monsoon season it never stopped raining but at least we had fresh clean water. One of the many challenges in Vietnam was staying awake. Combat operations during the day and defensive perimeters and squad patrols during the night. At times there were night movements to new positions. There was very little time for sleep. The buildings in the background are very different from the TBS in 1968. Each room had 4 officers (two bunkbeds) and three metal lockers for married officers to use. With 7 in a room it was sometimes a real circus getting ready for training. The dinning room was a regular mess hall with long folding tables and folding metal chairs. The tables had plastic table cloths. On Sundays, coat and tie were required for Sunday dinner. It look pretty ridicules eating in a barebones mess hall in coat and tie. In 1968 we had the Physical Readiness Test (PRT) instead of the PFT of today. The PRT was like a PFT except we wore full combat gear with rifle and two canteens of water. The test consisted of pullups, pushups, step-ups, 100 yard low crawl, fireman's carry for 50 yards, a rope climb, squat thrust may have been in it as well, and finish with a 3 mile run. It was a difficult test. Every week day morning we had PT in regular PT gear. The training was good but didn't prepare me for the tactics and operations I'd face in Vietnam. I was thankful for all the physical fitness at TBS because humping around Vietnam was a real mental and physical challenge by itself. Semper Fi to all my brothers who have served in the Marines.
wow missed being fragged that was a plus ..how many e's did you get killed charging across an open patty ..did you get your air metal for taking a ride in a huey 1 time ..did you have all the new jungle boots while the snuffys held their rotting leather boots together with tape ...
After intial first issue, Replacement of uniforms,clothing ,boots etc. and lost gear you will have to pay for. Somebody who has the contracts to produce this seriously over priced gear are doing very well.They test many of this gear at the aberdeen proving grounds Maryland .Company reps are all over the place .MRIs are e pensive and taste is the least of care compared to long expiration date and weight and special packaging.They dont tell you many things that you should know until you are there and silenced.
No spare socks? Has a lot of faith in his Goretex boots keeping his feet dry and not stepping in water deeper than his boot tops. Always thought spare socks used to be an essential item, after ammo, batteries and water.
He's clearly a boot non war time Officer. They should have had a salty LCpl do this interview. He'd have 3 pairs of socks, baby wipes, chewing tobacco, one multitool (not a bunch of random knives), etc.
@@ProfMannion He's ready to set up the CP... Or watch others set it up and the watching Netflix... Maybe he's watching Jarhead to get the moral going :)
@@MazzBCD yeah I was in the Army we usually carried 1 knife as a just in case. Gerber was mandatory I don't think a day went by that I didnt use it even on days we sat around doing absolutely nothing from 09 - 1130 and then 13 - 1730.
The Number One piece of kit every Marine Officer needs is his *PT Belt.* It is *proven* that one cannot be seriously injured when wearing a PT Belt. Most casualties are caused by someone not wearing their PT Belt.
What gangstas bring: -snus -store bought beanie that's thin enough to fit under a kevlar without being noticed by others (I called mine "the underbeanie") -merino wool inner gloves -bags of tea (a tea bag in one of your canteens can just sit in there and brew all day while you walk around) -ALICE frame so you don't have the newer plastic pack frame bending and breaking and shit -fancy wool socks that are warm -bore snake and store-bought cleaning kit so you're not cleaning the rifle using the same wire brush that someone shoved up his butt in 1991 during the Gulf War Advanced: -months if not years of consistent PT so that you can zone out while rucking and be damn near asleep the whole time -cammie paint strategically applied to bring out your eyes so you can talk to the cute girl (it works, trust me bro) -volunteer to carry the M203. Just do it. You get to shoot 40mm grenades and yell "THWUMP" instead of "BANG BANG".
Some of this gear was coming online towards the end of my time and it was a vast improvement over the ALICE pack and 782 gear. The gear is so much better now than when I was in. Just simple thoughts in re-design, like making the isomat into collapsible rectangles instead of having to roll up a continuous piece of foam, make all the difference in the world. It saves time and is less aggravating to deal with. 550 cord is still essential I see. That will never change.
Would like Business Insider to get with a seasoned 0311 Sergeant or Gunny to do a gear run-through. Nothing like seeing what the guys who are in the fleet are carrying as apposed to the bare standard that is shown in the school. Otherwise, great job at explaining your gear, Sir.
@@marv34001 dip cans (chew) and pogey bait (not sure what the "bait" is yet either, but...) "pogey" is short for "POG" which is, IIRC, "Person Other than Grunt," or something along those lines
@@gmonynegro595 I’d bring my sleeping system, socks, baby wipes, paracord, cami paint, then 2 bags of jerky, sour patch kids, and a roll of grizzly wintergreen. All you need for a week maybe two in the field.
So much gear! In the old days it was surprising to see how gear the average soldier got rid of in the field. In Viet Nam it wasn't unusual to see soldiers naked from the waist up. Then during the first Gulf War, I remember General Schwarzkopf saying the soldiers were cutting the extra reinforcing layers off their fatigues for coolness in the desert environment. Heck even when not in combat, you should see all the stuff hikers shed along the trails like the Appalachian or Pacific Crest. On day one all that stuff sounds like a good idea, by day 7 half of it is gone. Every ounce counts.
It's crazy how much weight is wasted towards bags, pouches, buckles straps zippers patches & other dead weight...Does he really need a bag for his sleep pad? Why not just make it thicker & leave out the bag? Do they really need so many pouches? A big external frame with 1 or 2 big dry bags (1 for detachable day bag) would work better.
I carrier smaller kits when I served in the Marines (1983-1995). When I went to SF Selection in 2004 I carried heavier loads. We had to have 55 pounds without water and food. By the time you’re rucking it’s well over 20 additional pounds.
Fun fact, night land nav on Camp Barrett requires you to cross an obnoxious stream, in the middle of the night. Instead of doing that, I mapped out where my points were and used the Pythagorean theorem to find out where my point were. I always failed land nav/ night land nav, but this was the first time i passed and got a perfect score. Also, I mostly brought baby wipes and gummy worms whenever I was in the field.
Officers, bring what your SNCOs tell you to bring, but more importantly, bring your leadership, empathy, and experience and work every day to earn your Marines respect.
Attended The Basic School in '79 and was a Mapping Instructor there in '80....didn't have half the cool gear presented here. All our deuce gear was Korean War or Vietnam issue.....could swear some of our C-Rats were WWII issue....at least it tasted like WWII issue....thank God for Tabasco. Well done Skipper. Carry on.
As an observer of the US military I usually like reading their thoughts on future warfare. (Let’s face it fellas the Pentagon could be a publishing house they generate so much literature). This officer going through his gear was really interesting as it’s not my thing. For the soldiers and marines it must seem old hat to them but for the novice, like myself, it’s hugely interesting and just not what you normally see. Good job marine. Well done. A+
I served with now Capt. McCormick while he was with CLB 26 in Camp Lejeune lmao he was head of our S1 admin he was just a butter bar when he came to the unit
@@tweezerjam butter bar is just another name for a 2nd Lieutenant the most junior of officer ranks, and CLB 26 is a unit, S1 admin is exactly how it sounds this officer was an Administrative Officer
@@tweezerjam they're called butter bars because the 2nd Lieutenant (first officer rank) is a gold bar that looks like a stick of butter. It's a pejorative term because they're no different than a new private except they have more responsibility. S1 is battalion or brigade/regiment staff. There are 6 of them, we call them "S shops" like the S1 shop, S2 shop, etc. Think of them as cells dedicated to a particular set of tasks necessary for the battalion or brigade/regiment to function. The Army and Marines are slightly different but have the same basic organization. I was army so don't know the exact twist the marines have on things other than I know their squads sre different sizes. A squad for us is 2 fire teams of 4, plus a squad leader so 9 guys, I think they have 11 guys. A platoon for us was 3 squads plus a weapons squad that had 2 anti tank and 2 medium machine gun teams. Then a company was 3 platoons plus mortars and a headquarters element and is the primary tactical unit used to complete missions. A battalion is several companies. A brigade is several battalions. A regiment is several battalions of a specific type of soldier, infantry regiment, Artillery regiment etc Once a unit is commanded by a general they call it G1 instead of S1, it stands for General's Staff. 1 - administration 2 - intelligence 3 - operations (training, plans, etc) 4 - logistics 5 - civil affairs / Public affairs 6 - communications
Damn, that's a lot of packs, vests, pouches, and misc kit to carry (and probably never use!) I can say with a high degree of confidence that his Grunts aren't carrying all that needless crap. 😂
Yes. Our load was bare-bones simplicity. Our TBS platoon commander said every ounce counts, and don't bring anything you won't use. He recommended ziploc bags to keep dry socks and gloves. A notepad and pencil. A waterproof map case. Wipes, toothbrush, a razor and soap. A signal mirror. Knife. Compass. Protractor. Water. MRE's for the number of days planned. Poncho. First aid kit, including mole-skin. Entrenching tool. All of those items are lightweight or required. All the rest of that stuff can be added or subtracted depending on where you are going. This captain seemed to have a load for cold climates.....like Ukraine, for example.
This might sound crazy but I’ve been looking for you for years. You have a 7 year old son Captain. Rueben is watching this video and is so proud his dad is a marine 🇺🇸🫡🥰
Now Business Insider, please go to an actual infantry unit and see how they set up their gear. This man just has his entire CIF issue stored in his packs.
7:30 those goggles are also great for cold weather environments because you can cover your whole face with a neck gaiter and have eye protection that doesnt fog up when you breathe, and they cover a significant part of your face from the cold air
Videos like these make me excited to be able to enlist in the future!! Thank you to all of our military for be brave enough to protect this country!! You are the reason teens like me want to do this!! 💞
Imagine a bullet, especially a tracer round, hitting the butane canister for that Jetboil! I've backpacked the Grand Canyon twice using ESBIT tablets and a collapsable Caldera Cone stove. Never needed more. I carry the US e-tool in both of our vehicles. Nevada has some nasty terrain and weather.
I am a combat infantry vet. We called this equipment TA-50.... Most of this crap is useless, or seasonal. A lot of it, is dangerous to a soldiers existence on the battlefield. You would never carry all this in a ruck sack on your back. There are far easier ways to bring it forward. (Like in a truck, or another vehicle.)
i was doing other stuff around the house listening to this, i could have sworn it was a butter bar Lt. talking. telling all the secrets of the world he has just discovered and is now sharing with us less fortunate souls. when i sat down and seen it was a Capt. i was shocked, but then realized he is still a "better" person (in his mind) than anyone else he is around, so i think he still feels like he is the hero of this story....
Interesting to see the helmet band with cat eyes on the kevlar. The lack of one used to be a quick way to tell the difference between Marines and Army when we wore the same uniform.
They should have an actual 03 enlisted guy do this...this is basically just a basic CIF issue that every Marine receives. I got more specialized stuff than this as a POG at a tracks unit 10 years ago.
Would love to see Business Insider look at what a Teir 1 operator from Delta/CAG or Seal Team 6 would take out on a so called “standard” mission. Good vid!
Just a couple of observations from a civilian. The zippers look troublesome. The sleeping gear is all well and good but 'horses for courses' not lugging the thermal whatever if I'm operating in the Islands. All well and good to provide for all eventualities but at what cost re mobility? If I'm up at the 'pointy end' I want to be haulin ass, not loaded up like a pack mule. Hopefully the organisational plan when in a combat zone provides for the stowage of 'non essentials' at the commencement of operations - all dependent on adequate support I guess. Captain comes across as competent and presents as everything I would expect of an American marine. Can't fault any man prepared to lay it all on the line when country calls. Interesting video.
@@notapplicable4567I was an enlisted 0311 from ‘86 to ‘90. We had 7 mags, 2 full canteens and first aid kit w/ deuce gear belt, ALICE pack with a couple days of clothes. And a flak jacket for longer times in the field. Plus a camo face paint kit. Team/squad leaders had their little green notebook and maybe a compass. The flaks weren’t worth a damn, anyway. A dull steak knife could pierce it.
@@notapplicable4567 ALICE pack, which is a giant POS that kills your shoulders/traps, heavy-ass sleeping bag, WWII-style shelter halves with wooden poles and stakes, e-tool, poncho, foam bedroll, deuce gear with two canteens and however many mags we needed, flak jacket, kevlar, and then extra clothes, etc.
@@notapplicable4567 ALICE pack, which is an enormous POS that kills your shoulders and traps, a heavy, fat sleeping bag, a WWII era shelter half with wooden poles and stakes, a poncho, e-tool, flak jacket, kevlar, a foam bedroll and two canteens and mags on deuce gear.
I forget how important camel packs are in general survival. Canteen's nice but a glorified spacebag for your water, especially 3-5 liters of it, itll keep you hydrated without that excess weight containing it and keeping it cool
I’d bet many would carefully determine which of these items they’ll keep and hump and which items will be discarded. Bulk & weight will determine that?
I honestly just thought this was going to be him going through the platoon manning roster: "First item I bring is a platoon sergeant. Next, I bring an RTO. Then I ensure to load up one corpsman..."
Another comment that I have ( SIR) 😊 Is love your TERM keep the moral up with the ( MRE) my Humble opinion is the ( Jet boil ) Stove is a must. Just being able to heat that water for your morning COFFEE boost 😊😊 if the Marines don't provide you with one, highly recommended you buy one, it can be used for Moral for your fellow Marines. I take mine on every camping trip even if i have the logistics of my camp stove and pot to heat water. 😊 The off the self small stuff like this is available at these big outdoor hunting and fishing stores, many different kind of ( Jet Boal configuration) if you have this cooker on your pack, you become the greatest guy ( Officer) in your unit. Moral big time booster😊😊
Excellent video. I went through the Bridal School aka the Basic School in 1993. The Corps has replaced all the kit. It’s night and day. The trash we were issued was the same stuff used in Vietnam
The Marine Corps Officer , Post - Commission as a Second Lieutenant (O-1) from either the USNA, NROTC, or , OCS, goes to complete TBS ( The Basic School) at MCCDC Quantico, VA, prior to Service in the FMF, has the Uniforms, Weapons, Equipment , and whatever They need , to execute the National Defense and Homeland Security Mission as an Officer in the Department of the Navy's United States Marine Corps ( USMC) . Semper Fidelis, Captain McCormick, Sir, From this Prior Service Enlisted Marine and Soldier. Ooh Rah!!🇺🇲🇺🇸🦅🌎⚓👿🐶🪖💣💥🔥🎖️🛡️🗡️🇺🇲🇺🇸
It will, if you can get it all inside a waterproof bag. Its mass is larger than the water weight it displaces, so yes. That's why aircraft carriers float. I myself used a duffel bag sized REI river sack.
@@danroffee4904which is probably why I hear about Marine retention and morale being the worst. You don't let your NCOs/SNCOs lead. You let the 22 year old frat kids with two weeks of experience do it.
Why do marines always say that about red lights? Having a red light is so you don’t destroy your rhodopsins and maintain your natural “night vision” having a red light isn’t harder to see than a white light so it doesn’t “reduce signature”
The old flashlights, like GI anglehead with incandescent bulbs work like that. I have regular and mini versions. Of couse if somebody sees the light sources like the bulb or reflector inside then it looks like a red stop light. But the bulb in angleheads is recessed. IDK why headlamps don't have a recessed bulb.
White light is a direct contrast against a dark background compared to red. In other words, it is much easier to make out white light from a distance than red.
@@taoliu3949 then why can’t I use my red light at night or smoke at night? Because it’s still visible light that will be spotted miles away by the naked eye
Back in the 'Old Corps'🤣on our nature hikes and camping trips, it was C-Rats, a flak vest, 4 canteens, ALICE web gear and for me, because I was special, a PRC-77! Semper Fi Dawgs...get some!
The first thing any smart Marine officer does is take those cat eyes for the helmet and ditch them. They make a great aiming point for an enemy sniper.
Everyone has cat eyes not just officers 😂 it's not like WW2 where officers and NCOs had big painted lines on their helmets. You can't just take things off your uniform and equipment. They don't glow bright either it's so someone 6' behind you can follow you on patrol.
Hi Semper Fi; Marine I never saw combat I got in just after Vietnam I have a dumb question If you put the water blater under your front plate carrier ???
MRE I’ve heard being described as 3 lies for the price of 1. But, going by my own experience, anything that’s hot and vaguely nourishing is OK if you’re wet, cold and hungry. One of the best meals I ever had came out of a tin at the end of a miserable November day in Germany, hunkering down somewhere out of the perennial drizzle, sort of, not quite …
Lots of unnecessary stuff makes it way too heavy. I'm surprised the Marines aren't prioritizing lightweight packs. Lugging around 80 pounds isn't exactly an efficient use of a soldier's energy.
Can you please explain why you have cats eyes on your helmet whilst wearing full camo? Isn't it the whole point of not being visible to the enemy? You turn your head on the battlefield and you have just shown yourself to the enemy.
I attended The Basic School in 1968. We had a WW II helmet, WW II / Korean War 782 harness and cartridge belt, a small haversack, an E-Tool, two canteens, and a uniform with green trousers and a green shirt with no extra pockets. I arrived in Vietnam in December 1968 as an infantry platoon commander. Only three things were different: I was issued a flak jacket, an M-16 instead of the M-14 we trained with at TBS, and a set of camouflage utilities. Everything else was the same as we were issued at TBS.
There was no such thing as bottled water so we filled canteens with whatever local water source was available and put extra water purification tablets to kill most of the critters in the water. We ate C-Rations from the Korean War. I remember that the canned beefsteak and the canned turkey loaf were the only ones I liked. Normally one C-Ration had to last 2-3 days because resupply was hit or miss due to terrain, weather, and enemy threats.
In the dry season it was brutally hot and during the monsoon season it never stopped raining but at least we had fresh clean water.
One of the many challenges in Vietnam was staying awake. Combat operations during the day and defensive perimeters and squad patrols during the night. At times there were night movements to new positions. There was very little time for sleep.
The buildings in the background are very different from the TBS in 1968. Each room had 4 officers (two bunkbeds) and three metal lockers for married officers to use. With 7 in a room it was sometimes a real circus getting ready for training.
The dinning room was a regular mess hall with long folding tables and folding metal chairs. The tables had plastic table cloths. On Sundays, coat and tie were required for Sunday dinner. It look pretty ridicules eating in a barebones mess hall in coat and tie.
In 1968 we had the Physical Readiness Test (PRT) instead of the PFT of today. The PRT was like a PFT except we wore full combat gear with rifle and two canteens of water. The test consisted of pullups, pushups, step-ups, 100 yard low crawl, fireman's carry for 50 yards, a rope climb, squat thrust may have been in it as well, and finish with a 3 mile run. It was a difficult test. Every week day morning we had PT in regular PT gear.
The training was good but didn't prepare me for the tactics and operations I'd face in Vietnam. I was thankful for all the physical fitness at TBS because humping around Vietnam was a real mental and physical challenge by itself.
Semper Fi to all my brothers who have served in the Marines.
wow missed being fragged that was a plus ..how many e's did you get killed charging across an open patty ..did you get your air metal for taking a ride in a huey 1 time ..did you have all the new jungle boots while the snuffys held their rotting leather boots together with tape ...
Did RVN, '66-'67, E/2/1, 1st Mar Div., who were you assigned to in RVN? Did you spend more than 6 months in the field?
@@katana258 😅🤣😂
my dad says welcome home. 68 as well.
After intial first issue, Replacement of uniforms,clothing ,boots etc. and lost gear you will have to pay for. Somebody who has the contracts to produce this seriously over priced gear are doing very well.They test many of this gear at the aberdeen proving grounds Maryland .Company reps are all over the place .MRIs are e pensive and taste is the least of care compared to long expiration date and weight and special packaging.They dont tell you many things that you should know until you are there and silenced.
Very polished in his answers. They couldn't let a LCpl do this demo. He would've said this shit is trash lol
That salty senior LCpl would have shit paper and a few logs of Copenhagen.
@@scot0151
The shit paper is optional. That Copenhagen is his life line.
He called the sleeping bag thing a woobie 😂 wtf
A woobie is a poncho liner what a chode
Why do you guys always dump on officers? You could've gone to college and commissioned too.
@@alexander1902 found the butter bar
No spare socks? Has a lot of faith in his Goretex boots keeping his feet dry and not stepping in water deeper than his boot tops. Always thought spare socks used to be an essential item, after ammo, batteries and water.
He's clearly a boot non war time Officer. They should have had a salty LCpl do this interview. He'd have 3 pairs of socks, baby wipes, chewing tobacco, one multitool (not a bunch of random knives), etc.
All the 550 cord in case he "needs to build a shelter." He really expects to build shelters out there a lot I guess.
@@ProfMannion He's ready to set up the CP... Or watch others set it up and the watching Netflix... Maybe he's watching Jarhead to get the moral going :)
@@MazzBCD yeah I was in the Army we usually carried 1 knife as a just in case. Gerber was mandatory I don't think a day went by that I didnt use it even on days we sat around doing absolutely nothing from 09 - 1130 and then 13 - 1730.
The Number One piece of kit every Marine Officer needs is his *PT Belt.* It is *proven* that one cannot be seriously injured when wearing a PT Belt. Most casualties are caused by someone not wearing their PT Belt.
PT belts prevent almost ALL Injuries in the army. They must give y’all the older model.
What gangstas bring:
-snus
-store bought beanie that's thin enough to fit under a kevlar without being noticed by others (I called mine "the underbeanie")
-merino wool inner gloves
-bags of tea (a tea bag in one of your canteens can just sit in there and brew all day while you walk around)
-ALICE frame so you don't have the newer plastic pack frame bending and breaking and shit
-fancy wool socks that are warm
-bore snake and store-bought cleaning kit so you're not cleaning the rifle using the same wire brush that someone shoved up his butt in 1991 during the Gulf War
Advanced:
-months if not years of consistent PT so that you can zone out while rucking and be damn near asleep the whole time
-cammie paint strategically applied to bring out your eyes so you can talk to the cute girl (it works, trust me bro)
-volunteer to carry the M203. Just do it. You get to shoot 40mm grenades and yell "THWUMP" instead of "BANG BANG".
E4 here, can confirm
Some of this gear was coming online towards the end of my time and it was a vast improvement over the ALICE pack and 782 gear. The gear is so much better now than when I was in. Just simple thoughts in re-design, like making the isomat into collapsible rectangles instead of having to roll up a continuous piece of foam, make all the difference in the world. It saves time and is less aggravating to deal with. 550 cord is still essential I see. That will never change.
Good to see the zipper quality is about the same as it was in the 90s!
Business Insider makes great military content.
Would like Business Insider to get with a seasoned 0311 Sergeant or Gunny to do a gear run-through. Nothing like seeing what the guys who are in the fleet are carrying as apposed to the bare standard that is shown in the school.
Otherwise, great job at explaining your gear, Sir.
Dip and pogey bait of course
@@CubeInspectorwhat?
@@marv34001 dip cans (chew) and pogey bait (not sure what the "bait" is yet either, but...) "pogey" is short for "POG" which is, IIRC, "Person Other than Grunt," or something along those lines
@@Doppler817 I know what all of it means, I don't understand why the guy commented it. It's a weird thing to say
@@marv34001 how was I supposed to know THAT was your question lmao
It seemed as if you were asking what it was
This is the full packing list before a field op, now do enlisted it’s half the shit(only the necessities) and the rest is pogey bait or tobacco
In the Sea Bees, the priorities were, ammo, water, extra socks, large plastic garbage bags and para cord and marlboros.
@@gmonynegro595 I’d bring my sleeping system, socks, baby wipes, paracord, cami paint, then 2 bags of jerky, sour patch kids, and a roll of grizzly wintergreen. All you need for a week maybe two in the field.
Props for this rundown. Nicely done. As an ultralight hiker, totally amazing what these poor men are expected to carry.
So much gear! In the old days it was surprising to see how gear the average soldier got rid of in the field. In Viet Nam it wasn't unusual to see soldiers naked from the waist up. Then during the first Gulf War, I remember General Schwarzkopf saying the soldiers were cutting the extra reinforcing layers off their fatigues for coolness in the desert environment. Heck even when not in combat, you should see all the stuff hikers shed along the trails like the Appalachian or Pacific Crest. On day one all that stuff sounds like a good idea, by day 7 half of it is gone. Every ounce counts.
It's crazy how much weight is wasted towards bags, pouches, buckles straps zippers patches & other dead weight...Does he really need a bag for his sleep pad? Why not just make it thicker & leave out the bag? Do they really need so many pouches? A big external frame with 1 or 2 big dry bags (1 for detachable day bag) would work better.
Gear has really changed from my time in the ‘60’s Semper Fi
Thanks Captain McCormick, this is so interesting.
8:25 my dude just gives up on that zipper 😅
Godspeed, Capt. Zachary McCormick!
I carrier smaller kits when I served in the Marines (1983-1995). When I went to SF Selection in 2004 I carried heavier loads. We had to have 55 pounds without water and food. By the time you’re rucking it’s well over 20 additional pounds.
Business Insider always produces good and accurate inside looks in the different branches. Semper Fidelis.
Fun fact, night land nav on Camp Barrett requires you to cross an obnoxious stream, in the middle of the night. Instead of doing that, I mapped out where my points were and used the Pythagorean theorem to find out where my point were. I always failed land nav/ night land nav, but this was the first time i passed and got a perfect score. Also, I mostly brought baby wipes and gummy worms whenever I was in the field.
Lots of unnecessary weight, Could strip down much of that stuff and still be highly equiped & capable.
Officers, bring what your SNCOs tell you to bring, but more importantly, bring your leadership, empathy, and experience and work every day to earn your Marines respect.
100% My Brother
Went to OCS, TBS and IOC in 1990. I miss the old deuce gear!! And nothing beats the old mummy bag!!
Attended The Basic School in '79 and was a Mapping Instructor there in '80....didn't have half the cool gear presented here. All our deuce gear was Korean War or Vietnam issue.....could swear some of our C-Rats were WWII issue....at least it tasted like WWII issue....thank God for Tabasco. Well done Skipper. Carry on.
TBS E company 1980 myself.
@@Medevicerep Lt. Wolf remembers.....
@@MADMAX353 oh man, in the dark recess of my memory I vaguely remember references to “Lt. Wolf”. Thanks for reminding me.
@@Medevicerep SEMPER FI BROTHER!
@lostinthedesert-hp4bw Semper Fi Mac.....ask a "former" Marine what that means.
As an observer of the US military I usually like reading their thoughts on future warfare. (Let’s face it fellas the Pentagon could be a publishing house they generate so much literature).
This officer going through his gear was really interesting as it’s not my thing. For the soldiers and marines it must seem old hat to them but for the novice, like myself, it’s hugely interesting and just not what you normally see.
Good job marine. Well done. A+
Definitely alot more stuff than what fit in my M1941 field marching pack
I served with now Capt. McCormick while he was with CLB 26 in Camp Lejeune lmao he was head of our S1 admin he was just a butter bar when he came to the unit
Cool lingo. What the hell are you talking about? Sorry, ignorant civilian here. But he did something right didn’t he? Relax dude. 😂
@@tweezerjam butter bar is just another name for a 2nd Lieutenant the most junior of officer ranks, and CLB 26 is a unit, S1 admin is exactly how it sounds this officer was an Administrative Officer
To translate: Captain McCormick was f**king up people's leave paperwork.
Hopefully I didn't mess up your pay, brother.
@@tweezerjam they're called butter bars because the 2nd Lieutenant (first officer rank) is a gold bar that looks like a stick of butter. It's a pejorative term because they're no different than a new private except they have more responsibility.
S1 is battalion or brigade/regiment staff. There are 6 of them, we call them "S shops" like the S1 shop, S2 shop, etc. Think of them as cells dedicated to a particular set of tasks necessary for the battalion or brigade/regiment to function. The Army and Marines are slightly different but have the same basic organization. I was army so don't know the exact twist the marines have on things other than I know their squads sre different sizes. A squad for us is 2 fire teams of 4, plus a squad leader so 9 guys, I think they have 11 guys. A platoon for us was 3 squads plus a weapons squad that had 2 anti tank and 2 medium machine gun teams. Then a company was 3 platoons plus mortars and a headquarters element and is the primary tactical unit used to complete missions. A battalion is several companies. A brigade is several battalions. A regiment is several battalions of a specific type of soldier, infantry regiment, Artillery regiment etc
Once a unit is commanded by a general they call it G1 instead of S1, it stands for General's Staff.
1 - administration
2 - intelligence
3 - operations (training, plans, etc)
4 - logistics
5 - civil affairs / Public affairs
6 - communications
Wish I would have had this when I was wet and freezing my ass of in Korea. Semper Fi 😊
Damn, that's a lot of packs, vests, pouches, and misc kit to carry (and probably never use!) I can say with a high degree of confidence that his Grunts aren't carrying all that needless crap. 😂
Yes. Our load was bare-bones simplicity. Our TBS platoon commander said every ounce counts, and don't bring anything you won't use. He recommended ziploc bags to keep dry socks and gloves. A notepad and pencil. A waterproof map case. Wipes, toothbrush, a razor and soap. A signal mirror. Knife. Compass. Protractor. Water. MRE's for the number of days planned. Poncho. First aid kit, including mole-skin. Entrenching tool. All of those items are lightweight or required. All the rest of that stuff can be added or subtracted depending on where you are going. This captain seemed to have a load for cold climates.....like Ukraine, for example.
This might sound crazy but I’ve been looking for you for years. You have a 7 year old son Captain. Rueben is watching this video and is so proud his dad is a marine 🇺🇸🫡🥰
Everyone give it up for Ruben!
A son the Capt. wasn't aware of? Big hugs to little Rueben.
First to fight, he’s faithful!!!!!
I get the feeling Reuben has a lot of dads 😂
Now Business Insider, please go to an actual infantry unit and see how they set up their gear. This man just has his entire CIF issue stored in his packs.
Now get a Terminal Lance team leader who is about to get in 9months to give a real gear review to not give BS answers
You guys should do more marine corps videos.
hasn't changed terribly much from my TBS days in the late 90s
A lot different than TBS in ‘89… ALICE packs, Kevlar flak vests… none of the Gore-Tex, Camelbacks, etc. Good to see they have some quality gear.
7:30 those goggles are also great for cold weather environments because you can cover your whole face with a neck gaiter and have eye protection that doesnt fog up when you breathe, and they cover a significant part of your face from the cold air
Once a Marine always a Marine.❤
USMC 1966-1969 how things have changed.
Videos like these make me excited to be able to enlist in the future!! Thank you to all of our military for be brave enough to protect this country!! You are the reason teens like me want to do this!! 💞
"these kind of straps here"=PALS
Payload
Attachment
Lanyard
System
WoW a Military Acronym that actually follows the rules of acronyms....
Imagine a bullet, especially a tracer round, hitting the butane canister for that Jetboil!
I've backpacked the Grand Canyon twice using ESBIT tablets and a collapsable Caldera Cone stove. Never needed more.
I carry the US e-tool in both of our vehicles. Nevada has some nasty terrain and weather.
I think getting hit by a tracer is bad news regardless of the butane canister brother
I am a combat infantry vet.
We called this equipment TA-50....
Most of this crap is useless, or seasonal.
A lot of it, is dangerous to a soldiers existence on the battlefield.
You would never carry all this in a ruck sack on your back. There are far easier ways to bring it forward. (Like in a truck, or another vehicle.)
i was doing other stuff around the house listening to this, i could have sworn it was a butter bar Lt. talking. telling all the secrets of the world he has just discovered and is now sharing with us less fortunate souls. when i sat down and seen it was a Capt. i was shocked, but then realized he is still a "better" person (in his mind) than anyone else he is around, so i think he still feels like he is the hero of this story....
The LBV closeup got me 😂 cameraman knew what he was doing
Interesting to see the helmet band with cat eyes on the kevlar. The lack of one used to be a quick way to tell the difference between Marines and Army when we wore the same uniform.
I was in the Army in the '80's, we had them then, every helmet had it.
India Co learned real quick during O+D all that gear is highly flammable 😂
They should have an actual 03 enlisted guy do this...this is basically just a basic CIF issue that every Marine receives. I got more specialized stuff than this as a POG at a tracks unit 10 years ago.
What would be missing besides some skoal, pop tarts, and crayons?
@@alexander1902 You further proved my point by listing the most important things
Base Weight without food, fuel, water, firearms and ammo?
Pacific Crest Trail thru-hikers have perfected minimal base weight down to
Thanks to Captain McCormick! Very interesting stuff 🫡
Would love to see Business Insider look at what a Teir 1 operator from Delta/CAG or Seal Team 6 would take out on a so called “standard” mission. Good vid!
The good Captain is outdoors uncovered.
Just a couple of observations from a civilian. The zippers look troublesome. The sleeping gear is all well and good but 'horses for courses' not lugging the thermal whatever if I'm operating in the Islands. All well and good to provide for all eventualities but at what cost re mobility? If I'm up at the 'pointy end' I want to be haulin ass, not loaded up like a pack mule. Hopefully the organisational plan when in a combat zone provides for the stowage of 'non essentials' at the commencement of operations - all dependent on adequate support I guess. Captain comes across as competent and presents as everything I would expect of an American marine. Can't fault any man prepared to lay it all on the line when country calls. Interesting video.
Awesome how much things have changed since when I was in during the 90s.
What was ur loadout?
@@notapplicable4567I was an enlisted 0311 from ‘86 to ‘90. We had 7 mags, 2 full canteens and first aid kit w/ deuce gear belt, ALICE pack with a couple days of clothes. And a flak jacket for longer times in the field. Plus a camo face paint kit.
Team/squad leaders had their little green notebook and maybe a compass.
The flaks weren’t worth a damn, anyway. A dull steak knife could pierce it.
@@notapplicable4567 ALICE pack, which is a giant POS that kills your shoulders/traps, heavy-ass sleeping bag, WWII-style shelter halves with wooden poles and stakes, e-tool, poncho, foam bedroll, deuce gear with two canteens and however many mags we needed, flak jacket, kevlar, and then extra clothes, etc.
@@notapplicable4567 ALICE pack, which is an enormous POS that kills your shoulders and traps, a heavy, fat sleeping bag, a WWII era shelter half with wooden poles and stakes, a poncho, e-tool, flak jacket, kevlar, a foam bedroll and two canteens and mags on deuce gear.
@@DantesInferno61 thanks!
I am a high priced bellhop Marines call me a Navy Veteran and proud of all law enforcement personnel.
I forget how important camel packs are in general survival. Canteen's nice but a glorified spacebag for your water, especially 3-5 liters of it, itll keep you hydrated without that excess weight containing it and keeping it cool
As a backpacker, the redundancy and weight, particularly of the sleeping system drives me crazy. Simplify it so they can carry more ammo.
He is in fact an adjutant for his primary MOS
I’d bet many would carefully determine which of these items they’ll keep and hump and which items will be discarded. Bulk & weight will determine that?
I honestly just thought this was going to be him going through the platoon manning roster:
"First item I bring is a platoon sergeant. Next, I bring an RTO. Then I ensure to load up one corpsman..."
Thank God we have young men and women who are on the tip of the spear to defend our beautiful country 🇺🇸🙏🏽
Another comment that I have ( SIR) 😊
Is love your TERM keep the moral up with the ( MRE) my Humble opinion is the
( Jet boil ) Stove is a must. Just being able to heat that water for your morning COFFEE boost 😊😊 if the Marines don't provide you with one, highly recommended you buy one, it can be used for Moral for your fellow Marines. I take mine on every camping trip even if i have the logistics of my camp stove and pot to heat water. 😊 The off the self small stuff like this is available at these big outdoor hunting and fishing stores, many different kind of ( Jet Boal configuration) if you have this cooker on your pack, you become the greatest guy ( Officer) in your unit. Moral big time booster😊😊
It would be so cool to see one if these boot camp vids at a military summer camp
Yall need to do a doc-u-series on Navy Dive school
Talk about packing heavy!
All love from 1/8 ❤️
Excellent video. I went through the Bridal School aka the Basic School in 1993. The Corps has replaced all the kit. It’s night and day. The trash we were issued was the same stuff used in Vietnam
I went through TBS in the summer of 1980. We carried less than half of that gear. This is space age, Buck Rogers goodies.
The Marine Corps Officer , Post - Commission as a Second Lieutenant (O-1) from either the USNA, NROTC, or , OCS, goes to complete TBS ( The Basic School) at MCCDC Quantico, VA, prior to Service in the FMF, has the Uniforms, Weapons, Equipment , and whatever They need , to execute the National Defense and Homeland Security Mission as an Officer in the Department of the Navy's United States Marine Corps ( USMC) . Semper Fidelis, Captain McCormick, Sir, From this Prior Service Enlisted Marine and Soldier. Ooh Rah!!🇺🇲🇺🇸🦅🌎⚓👿🐶🪖💣💥🔥🎖️🛡️🗡️🇺🇲🇺🇸
If the weight of all that kit was mentioned I missed it.
AND does it all float?
It will, if you can get it all inside a waterproof bag. Its mass is larger than the water weight it displaces, so yes. That's why aircraft carriers float. I myself used a duffel bag sized REI river sack.
He forgot the DEI manual, the pronoun placard, and the “I’m white therefore I’m racist” bumper sticker.
All an officer really needs to bring is a Senior Non Commissioned Officer 😂!
That's an army procedure.... Marine officers are expected to lead not follow around a SNCO
@@danroffee4904which is probably why I hear about Marine retention and morale being the worst. You don't let your NCOs/SNCOs lead. You let the 22 year old frat kids with two weeks of experience do it.
There should be a military insider channel
From an old Vietnam Corpsman, this is a walking PX.
😂
Haven’t started the video yet. Does he bring PowerPoint and excel?
you guys surprise me with amazing contents
Should do a video at rasp
whats all that weigh? this should been a junk on the bunk rather than a combat load video.
God bless the Marines. They don’t give them shit and they still get the job DONE!
1977 ALICE PACK was fine.
Sateens went away to jungle camouflage only.
Marines have come a long way with their issued gear
Shit I thought I was the only one putting camo netting on my pack! SEMPER FI!!!
holy moly, there was alot more in there than i thought
I thought marines got taught how to McGuyver everything, not be complete GQ's?
Yeah, this guy hasn't seen combat at all... Should have interviewed a Gunnery or 1SG.
needs to treat those Stuck/BLOWN-OUT ZIPPERS with Paraffin!
I don't know why they started using the gerber e tool over the ames, the ames is way better.
Why do marines always say that about red lights? Having a red light is so you don’t destroy your rhodopsins and maintain your natural “night vision” having a red light isn’t harder to see than a white light so it doesn’t “reduce signature”
The old flashlights, like GI anglehead with incandescent bulbs work like that. I have regular and mini versions. Of couse if somebody sees the light sources like the bulb or reflector inside then it looks like a red stop light. But the bulb in angleheads is recessed. IDK why headlamps don't have a recessed bulb.
White light is a direct contrast against a dark background compared to red. In other words, it is much easier to make out white light from a distance than red.
@@taoliu3949 then why can’t I use my red light at night or smoke at night? Because it’s still visible light that will be spotted miles away by the naked eye
@@jeffpraterJSF "Less detectable" does not mean the same as "undetectable".
How come body armor don't cover the stomach?
A lot to hump. This reminds me of our British gear too.
Back in the 'Old Corps'🤣on our nature hikes and camping trips, it was C-Rats, a flak vest, 4 canteens, ALICE web gear and for me, because I was special, a PRC-77! Semper Fi Dawgs...get some!
What year ?
A NIC at night, Alice and lights.. I didn't serve, I just like that "Nightmares" cadence line.
The first thing any smart Marine officer does is take those cat eyes for the helmet and ditch them. They make a great aiming point for an enemy sniper.
Everyone has cat eyes not just officers 😂 it's not like WW2 where officers and NCOs had big painted lines on their helmets. You can't just take things off your uniform and equipment.
They don't glow bright either it's so someone 6' behind you can follow you on patrol.
Hi
Semper Fi; Marine
I never saw combat
I got in just after Vietnam
I have a dumb question
If you put the water blater under your front plate carrier ???
MRE I’ve heard being described as 3 lies for the price of 1. But, going by my own experience, anything that’s hot and vaguely nourishing is OK if you’re wet, cold and hungry. One of the best meals I ever had came out of a tin at the end of a miserable November day in Germany, hunkering down somewhere out of the perennial drizzle, sort of, not quite …
Crayons and cake. 😂❤
Lots of unnecessary stuff makes it way too heavy. I'm surprised the Marines aren't prioritizing lightweight packs. Lugging around 80 pounds isn't exactly an efficient use of a soldier's energy.
More like 90 fully loaded. 120lbs if you are lucky enough to man the mortar.
There is only one essential thing Marine officers bring to battle: Marines. Marines are the weapons. Everything else is accessories.
I bet there are crayons in the MRE packages....
The only question we have is, are your backpack's deadly? Roa Aotearoa nui.
How many bags do you need, he has bag in every bag!!😂😂
bags are a good way to maximize space
Can you please explain why you have cats eyes on your helmet whilst wearing full camo? Isn't it the whole point of not being visible to the enemy? You turn your head on the battlefield and you have just shown yourself to the enemy.
Frog gear completely replaced the polypro?
Stuff like this is open source, but don’t just hand it out to our enemies…. They’re all over TH-cam and TikTok.