Summer Brutality - Considerations for the Light Infantry Division
Congratulations! You've signed up for the Light Infantry division for the 2023 Summer Brutality multigun match... Now WTF does that mean, and how do you prepare?
I've been asked by Tom at Canadian Multigun, who is hosting the match, to assist as cadre for the Light Infantry division, and conduct a Stop The Bleed stage for all the participants.
For the purposes of the event, we can very loosely equate the multigun match to a patrolling operation. Patrolling Ops differ greatly from fighting patrols, raids, and defensive operations.
The expectation is extended periods of walking, sustainment for 12-24hrs, and potentially longer or multiple engagements in the course of securing, holding, and enforcing general security presence.
The Light Infantry division of the Summer Brutality match will resemble this through it's 1.5 day length, an assortment of shooting and non-shooting stages, and a tactical overnight spent in a mock patrol hide. During the daytime match activities, participants will have the benefit of ongoing access to their vehicles, and the freedom to tap out whenever they've reached their limit, remove your kit, etc. For the tactical overnight, it's important to bring the essentials, and include some of the items that I will discuss below.
At all times, your safety will come first.
The intent of the division is to have some fun, learn some new skills, and experience more than just an hour at the flat range in your kit. So let's cover some of the essentials that will ensure maximum enjoyment, and minimize the suck.
WATER
Water is by far the most important item, above anything else. Most of us don't drink nearly enough water on a daily basis. We can get away with this in the comfort of our homes/workplace with adequate sleep, moderate exertion and nutrition.
Once we remove climate control, add the weight of kit, physical exertion, and factor sleep and nutrition deprivation, it becomes a serious problem.
In 15-25 degree weather, count on consuming ~3L of water a day. 25-35, 4-5L+, and in 35+ degree heat you pretty much never stop drinking water and electrolytes.
I've consumed 8-10L of water a day just trying to keep up with the amount of sweat being produced in 38 degree heat with full kit and body armour.
The more you sweat and urinate, the more electrolytes you need to consume along with regular water. Sugary drinks like Gatorade should be consumed on a limited basis and watered down to 50%, otherwise you can cause extreme sugar highs in the 25C+ ranges for an extended period. Specific electrolyte powders are a better option, and will properly replace the minerals being lost and diluted through extensive hydration.
Water bladders are a great option to carry extra fluids with you, and highly convenient, but should not be solely relied upon as your water source. My recommendation is to use a small 5-10L backpack during the day to carry your bladder, and other small non-fighting items, and to avoid using a back panel affixed to your plate carrier.
Back panels require the removal of your PC to refill your water, and removing your PC means removing your plates, which is basic PPE in a Light Infantry context.
However, bladders have the tendency to burst and do not mix well with electrolyte powders/tablets. Having a 1L Nalgene bottle or canteen on your kit ensures a burst bladder won't leave you without water, and allows usage of electrolyte products as needed.
FEET
Next to water, your feet are next on the list. Good boots that allow your feet to breath in the temperatures expected are a must. Thin, warm weather boots may allow your feet to get wet in damp ground or water, but will dry quickly. Gortex or cold climate boots can make and keep your feet damp in warm weather and on movements, but protect them from being properly soaked in wet and cold.
Merino wool socks are a must. Wool doesn't cause your feet to stink like cotton, and doesn't become abrasive when wet like cotton. Merino wool has the added benefit of being anti-microbial, and is temperature regulating, allowing it to insolate from hot and cold alike.
The Canadian Army issued sock system contains an inner synthetic sock liner, and an outer wool sock. The inner sock helps wick moisture away from your foot, and prevents rubbing directly against your skin. This is particularly useful for anyone with extremely sweaty feet, where foot powder is not enough to keep them dry.
ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, have a dry pair of socks with you.
I use a 3 sock rotation, with an optional waterproof sock. One pair on my feet, one pair in my day bag inside a waterproof bag along with the waterproof socks, and one pair in my rucksack. Once the pair on my feet air wet from exposure or sweat, change them out with the pair in the day bag.
If your feet get properly wet, and your boots are drenched from walking through a swamp, the waterproof socks will protect your feet until your boots dry, and then you can swap out to the dry pair in your bag. Hang the wet socks on your day bag to dry throughout the remainder of the day, and swap in the 3rd pair from your ruck as needed over the course of multiple days.
Use foot powder extensively. A medicated powder rather than just plain powder will help prevent and kill any bacteria and fungus that can easily occur.
Apply foot powder every chance you get. Before you put your boots on, every time you have more than ~5-10 minutes sitting around (and you have someone to cover your arcs), and once you take your boots off again at the end of the day.
Regular foot powder will extend the life of your socks for the day, and fight off the bacteria that is 100% going to grow.
Make sure your toenails are trimmed correctly and to a suitable length, and be sure to trim a week or two before the event so it's not a freshly trimmed nail that is sharp. Your boots will find ways to jam this sharp corner into your toe and cause infections because your feet aren't used to being in the boots for this long.
ULTRAVIOLE[N]T LIGHT
Yeah, sunshine. Sunburn, heat stroke, etc will take you out of the fight just as fast as not having water and much faster than destroying your feet. Cover bare skin with long sleeves, wear sunscreen and re-apply regularly, use neck coverings built into hats, etc. and fight in the shade.
Some shade is better than none. If you can walk in shade a few metres away from your current path and it's not tactically insane, do it.
Sit in the shade when you don't have to be in the sun.
The best hydration can't save you from sunburn.
FOOD
You can go the entire day without eating a full meal, and nutrition is not as important as most people think. Consider caloric dense foods that are easy to consume on the go, and in small quantities as you have moments throughout the day, such as salted peanuts and peperoni meats.
MREs are great, but expensive, and can take an inconvenient amount of time to eat the main meal.
Fortunately for this event, you will have full access to your vehicles for food etc during the match, and this won't be much of an issue for us.
TIERED FIGHTING LOAD
Your specific needs for kit are going to vary depending on the task and application. The following lists are roughly what I would include for each respective tier, for a basic patrolling application. I would often substitute, add, or subtract particular items as needed for specific needs as dictated.
First Line (your survival):
Gun belt or battle belt
Nav, & map
Pistol & mags
1-2 rifle mags
MEDICAL (Highly important to have on your person at all times)
1L water (if not placed on 2nd line)
If you require assistance with your IFAK, we are here to help. OFFSPECWAR is an authorized dealer for CTOMS and SAM Medical, and can supply full IFAKs and individual contents as needed. Discounts are available for pre-purchasing IFAKs to be delivered at the event.
Second Line (your fighting load):
Armor
Fighting rig (more ammo, smoke, etc stuff that supports the FIGHT, ie if all you were doing was fighting only, that's what goes here and nothing more)
1L water (hard sided bottle)
Second Line + (sustained fighting/patrolling load):
Patrolling gear, (added to tertiary areas of fighting rig)
Small 5-10L bag
2-3L water bladder
Rain layers (as needed)
Packable jacket (as needed)
Spare socks
Foot powder
One ration meal &/or snacks
Third Line (sustainment):
Ruck sack
Sleep system
Rations
Mission essential kit
etc
For the Summer Brutality event, I would recommend using the Second Line +, with the addition of a basic sleep system. A 10-20L regular sized backpack is more than sufficient for this, as we will not be needing a full ration meal for the overnight portion either.
FIGHTING ORDER
Carry less. I guarantee you won't need it, or can make do without it, and the weight is far better spent on more water or having a lighter load.
Fighting order is a tiered system designed to work together with every piece of kit. Typically unless it serves to make holes, stop holes, or fix holes, it doesn't belong on the primary fighting rig, which comprises the "Second Line" of your fighting order. That notion begins to shift in the context of patrolling.
On a longer patrol, I will carry items in my utility pouches that I anticipate I may need or want to use throughout the day.
Eyewear cleaner, clear or tinted lenses, PPnS (Paper, Pen and Stuff), toque or alt. soft cap. While these can easily go in my day bag, that's hard to access while on the move.
That doesn't mean I'm stuffing my rig with a bunch of stuff that's perfectly suited for a bag, but I don't need my rig to be dedicated to 10+ mags, extra frags, extra LMG boxes, etc. when I can add a few sundry items without degrading the fighting efficacy of the fighting load.
With that in mind, keep empty space everywhere. You might have to pick stuff up, carry things for your section, etc. Don't fill your day bag. Don't fill your rig.
It's far less of a concern for the multigun match, but it's still worth considering and doing our best to set ourselves up for a patrol.
MARCHING ORDER
As part of the tactical overnight portion of the Light Infantry divisions experience, there will be tactical movements over distance, with your fighting and sustainment kit for the night.
It can be very difficult to make belts, rigs, and packs work together from different systems. That's why Alice packs and webbing were designed as a wholesale system to work together, similar to the USMC ILBE systems today. Belts, PC's, and rucks sized and procured to be one system.
Be sure to try wearing your kit together as a system, with weight, BEFORE the event, and get it sized properly.
ENSURE EVERYTHING IS FITTED SNUGGLY. Tighten straps, and then clean-up the excess so it's not dangling.
Bags should be high on the back, and snug so they don't move around. Chest rigs the exact same. If it's moving, it's disturbing your natural gait and destroying your back and knees.
Water proof everything. Zip locks, dry bags, whatever. If you wouldn't want it soaking wet at any point, put it in a bag. It helps with organization, and you'll thank me if water shows itself in the field.
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Just like hiking and backpacking, you want to keep the weight on your hips. Human shoulders aren't designed for weight carriage. There's no supporting structure beneath them, and very small muscles to hold them up from above.
It's for this reason that lots of long range patrol rigs are closer to belts than chest rigs or plate carriers. So make extensive use of a battle belt/gun belt, and ensure any pack that you use is properly sized so the waist strap takes most of the weight, and the shoulder straps aren't resting on the top of your shoulders (the weight should be on the front of the shoulders instead with space above your shoulders).
SLEEP SYSTEM
Aside from the basics that are being requested in your kit list, there are some essentials that make setting up your half shelter easy and expedient. And taking it back down in the dark as well....
Having a ridgeline pre-set with prusik knots will allow you to quickly string up between two trees with a trucker's hitch, attach your tarp to the prusik's, and slide them along the ridgeline to finish. 60 seconds and you have shelter.
Shock cord tied to the corners, then allows the tarp to stay taut and can be easily affixed to basic aluminum pegs.
Bivy bags are great to have, and modern versions often include a bug net. They will keep your sleeping bag clean, dry, and safe from tears, but sleeping on a quality foam or air mat is also typically sufficient and is less likely to trap heat and moisture in the hot weather than in a bivy.
If you don't a bivy, or a bug net, I highly recommend a simple bug net hat from Canadian Tire or similar to sleep in. Use bug spray on the hat and mesh, and around the opening of your sleeping bag for better effectiveness.
BRING WHAT YOU'VE GOT
While the tendency may be to go out on an expensive shopping spree online, with some of what I've discussed above, for the most part you can make do with what you've got.
Ensure you have the essentials, especially items you might not otherwise have like foot powder, and prioritize water over everything else.
And lastly, don't hesitate to reach out to myself here, or Tom at Canadian Multigun if you have any questions about kit, what to pack, how to pack, or what to expect.
We will spend time discussing all of these topics hands on, but if we can get you in a better position to start with, that's ideal for all.
-DR
