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In modern day ground forces branches, how much running, or jogging, or marching with or without full gear on will an infantry man have to do?
Is most of that just basic training when they physically prepare you? Will you be doing lots of running, jogging, marching with full gear, or without if you were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan? Do you do lots of that while going to infantry school?
Or do most modern day ground forces utilized motorized vehicles for most of the long distance transportation, and do not require the troops to actually walk on their own two feet to reach far off destinations?
Soldiers spend a lot of time in patrol walking, running, low crawling. Not just infantry Soldiers. Sometimes Artillery, Engineers, and other combat arms Soldiers are involved in patrols in combat zones. They use HUMMVs and Armor Personnel Carriers and other trucks, vehicles to transport in long distances.
Soldiers do physical fitness activities every day with running. They're tested in running every 6 months last I heard - Army is changing their physical fitness test from my understanding.
Soldiers often march in garrison when in large groups to move from point A to point B in an orderly manner.
In modern day ground forces branches, how much running, or jogging, or marching with or without full gear on will an infantry man have to do?
Is most of that just basic training when they physically prepare you? Will you be doing lots of running, jogging, marching with full gear, or without if you were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan? Do you do lots of that while going to infantry school?
Or do most modern day ground forces utilized motorized vehicles for most of the long distance transportation, and do not require the troops to actually walk on their own two feet to reach far off destinations?
30 years ago my tank battalion ran more than the infantry battalions in our division 5 days a week in PT gear unless the wind chill factor dropped to more than 15 below zero. We had a battalion commander who was a runner so that was the emphasis in morning PT and not the weight room where the other tank battalion in our brigade was.
There are many factors with force protection, from what kind of enemy threat versus speed that would determine if or when an air assaulting, a mechanized, or motorized infantry force would dismount
Soldiers spend a lot of time in patrol walking, running, low crawling. Not just infantry Soldiers. Sometimes Artillery, Engineers, and other combat arms Soldiers are involved in patrols in combat zones. They use HUMMVs and Armor Personnel Carriers and other trucks, vehicles to transport in long distances.
Soldiers do physical fitness activities every day with running. They're tested in running every 6 months last I heard - Army is changing their physical fitness test from my understanding.
Soldiers often march in garrison when in large groups to move from point A to point B in an orderly manner.
Even in patrol they have to run at brisk pace with full gear? How far can they possibly low crawl? Is there every a time when they actually have to jog at a brisk pace with full gear for long distances?
I looked up the average weight carried by a soldier and it said 97 to 135 lbs. Said most in Afganistan carry over 100. That seems broadly right depending upon factors.
In my day it was about 60 but that was half my weight so fitness was important.
Not sure where you are going with your question but there is no getting around it fitness, endurance, and strength are important. Walk a lot.
Even in patrol they have to run at brisk pace with full gear? How far can they possibly low crawl? Is there every a time when they actually have to jog at a brisk pace with full gear for long distances?
It is an at the moment command decision based upon threats and the need for rapid movement. The dropping off of excess equipment is little different than deciding to dismount a vehicle.
In the case of dismounts so there is a lower chance of a catastrophic loss because individual soldiers can see and hear better along with being dispersed. However if dismounted and the unit has to move fast you are slower, while possibly under fire to get going.
During my Active Duty career; running, sit-ups and push-ups were seen as a brief window into your overall fitness. A US servicemember could be doing lots of things for fitness, but only these specific things were tested.
Living underwater in a steel pipe 7 months a year is limiting, many of our Physical Readiness Tests were accomplished with us running-in-place.
Running, Sit-ups and Push-ups have no direct relevance to many military jobs, outside of being seen as general model for cardiovascular fitness.
I looked up the average weight carried by a soldier and it said 97 to 135 lbs. Said most in Afganistan carry over 100. That seems broadly right depending upon factors.
In my day it was about 60 but that was half my weight so fitness was important.
Not sure where you are going with your question but there is no getting around it fitness, endurance, and strength are important. Walk a lot.
I really just want to know how much traveling by foot, and how much weight they are carrying in modern times. How much is considered acceptable, or what limits the military puts on such activity in order to ensure the health and well being, and combat effectiveness of the individual soldier.
I really just want to know how much traveling by foot, and how much weight they are carrying in modern times. How much is considered acceptable, or what limits the military puts on such activity in order to ensure the health and well being, and combat effectiveness of the individual soldier.
It depends, upon the terrain, the mobility and firepower the enemy has, and the specific mission. Armies have historically tried to cut weight carried so dismounted troops can fight better. The optimum national Infantry Journals say to shoot for is somewhere around 60 lbs. But then there is always something else a planner thinks might be needed so a soldier on a long term patrol from a Roman Legionnaire to a paratrooper dropping into combat often finds his gear is double the optimal load.
Since railroads started crossing the land as much as possible you put soldiers on a vehicle both to save his effort and to make it harder for an enemy to break contact and slip away to fight again just because he had vehicles available and your friendly forces did not.
I really just want to know how much traveling by foot, and how much weight they are carrying in modern times. How much is considered acceptable, or what limits the military puts on such activity in order to ensure the health and well being, and combat effectiveness of the individual soldier.
Depends on the type of unit.
Light infantry will do more walking than most.
There is nothing more demoralizing than walking past vehicles and leaving them there so you can go for a nice walk.
Most I've covered in a single day was 18 miles through rolling hills for overwatch positions. To say it was hell was an understatement despite not having been shot at that day. It was nearly 110, I'm carrying more than 1/2 of my body weight in equipment. I have started off with a full camelbak, 2 bottles of water and 2 bottles of Gatorade. Drank all of that before getting back to the trucks where I slammed 2 bottles of water and ate/drank after we got back to base. Didn't pee until the following day, that's how dehydrated I was and I'm pretty conservative with water consumption. It seemed like non-stop walking all day. Towards the end of the patrol while I was nearly back to the truck, I turn the corner and see a camel staring at me. I slowly walk around it and it starts following me. I put my selector switch on my M4 from safe to semi and I'm getting ready to send this thing to camel heaven as it keeps following me. My commander catches up and tells me he will take care of it. He stops, waves his arms around and yells at the camel as I walk away...
The only times you will crawl, sprint or run is when you are under fire or in an open area. Open areas are very dangerous as you have neither cover or concealment. Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
Depending on how far you need to go for patrol, what the terrain is and the IED threat, you may be dropped in by helicopter.
Walking 7 miles back to base after an 8 day patrol with no water left had a lot of guys lining up for the medic to give them an IV.
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