The Carrying of Loads within an Infantry Company

Kennedy, Stephen J.; Goldman, Rachel; Slauta, John

doi:10.21236/ad0762559

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…A service member's height and weight might be an important factor in load carriage. 2,22 Larger service members might be able to carry heavier loads by virtue of their greater bone and muscle mass. [23][24][25] It has been estimated that humans have increased their height about 10 cm since the Industrial Revolution, possibly because of better nutrition.…”

Section: Body Stature and Body Mass As Factors In Load Carriagementioning

confidence: 99%

Load Carriage in Military Operations: A Review of Historical, Physiological, Biomechanical, and Medical Aspects

Knapik¹,

Reynolds²

1997

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EXHIBIT 11-1 HEAVY LOADS IN MILITARY HISTORY Omaha Beach, France (1944) "In the initial assault waves at Omaha Beachhead there were companies whose men started ashore, each with four cartons of cigarettes in his pack-as if the object of the operation was trading with the French. Some never made the shore because of the cigarettes. They dropped into deep holes during the wade-in, or fell into the tide nicked by a bullet. Then they soaked up so much weight they could not rise again. They drowned. Some were carried out to sea but the great number were cast up on the beach. It impressed the survivors unforgettably-that line of dead men along the sand, many of whom had received but trifling wounds.. .. No one can say with authority whether more men died directly from enemy fire than perished because of the excess weight that made them easy victims of the water.. .. This almost cost us the beachhead. Since it is the same kind of mistake that armies and their commanders have been making for centuries, there is every reason to believe it will happen again." (1) Grenada (1986) "Unfortunately too few commanders enforced load discipline. Consider this soldier's observation: 'We attacked to secure the airhead. We were like slow moving turtles. My rucksack weighed 120 pounds. I would get up and rush for 10 yards, throw myself down and couldn't get up. I'd rest for 10 or 15 minutes, struggle to get up, go 10 more yards, and collapse. After a few rushes, I was physically unable to move and I am in great shape. Finally, after I got to the assembly area, I shucked my rucksack and was able to fight, but I was totally drained.' Consider another soldier's telling comment: 'I was scared I was going to get killed because I couldn't really run with that rucksack on.' Even allowing for some exaggeration by the soldiers, no one can doubt they were overloaded." (2) Saudi Arabia and Iraq (1990) "During Operation Desert Shield, a brigade conducted a live fire training assault to seize a bridge. The brigade commander noticed that the equipment the soldiers were carrying was interfering with the mission. At the after action review he directed the battalion commanders to investigate the weight the soldiers carried in their battalions. At the brief back one commander indicated that the average soldier in his battalion carried more than 100 pounds. At Christmas 1990 the 2d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division was conducting training far to the South of the front. During this relatively peaceful time, and especially as a result of the holiday, the soldiers had accumulated many items they could not take into combat. When the order came for the brigade to spearhead the French 6th Light Armored Division's attack into Iraq, the chain of command took steps to care for the soldier's personal effects and excess baggage. They made a list of what a soldier would carry on his person (fighting load), what he would carry in his rucksack (approach march load), what he would carry in his A-bag (sustainment load), and what would go in his B-bag (contingency load). It...

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Section: Body Stature and Body Mass As Factors In Load Carriagementioning

confidence: 99%

Load Carriage in Military Operations: A Review of Historical, Physiological, Biomechanical, and Medical Aspects

Knapik¹,

Reynolds²

1997

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Methodology for the Assessment of Clothing and Individual Equipment (CIE)

Hasselquist

Eddy

Mitchell

et al. 2017

Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing

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Soldier Load Carriage: Historical, Physiological, Biomechanical, and Medical Aspects

2004

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This study reviews historical and biomedical aspects of soldier load carriage. Before the 18th century, foot soldiers seldom carried more than 15 kg while on the march, but loads have progressively risen since then. This load increase is presumably due to the weight of weapons and equipment that incorporate new technologies to increase protection, firepower, communications, and mobility. Research shows that locating the load center of mass as close as possible to the body center of mass results in the lowest energy cost and tends to keep the body in an upright position similar to unloaded walking. Loads carried on other parts of the body result in higher energy expenditures: each kilogram added to the foot increases energy expenditure 7% to 10%; each kilogram added to the thigh increases energy expenditure 4%. Hip belts on rucksacks should be used whenever possible as they reduce pressure on the shoulders and increase comfort. Low or mid-back load placement might be preferable on uneven terrain but high load placement may be best for even terrain. In some tactical situations, combat load carts can be used, and these can considerably reduce energy expenditure and improve performance. Physical training that includes aerobic exercise, resistance training targeted at specific muscle groups, and regular road marching can considerably improve road marching speed and efficiency. The energy cost of walking with backpack loads increases progressively with increases in weight carried, body mass, walking speed, or grade; type of terrain also influences energy cost. Predictive equations have been developed, but these may not be accurate for prolonged load carriage. Common injuries associated with prolonged load carriage include foot blisters, stress fractures, back strains, metatarsalgia, rucksack palsy, and knee pain. Load carriage can be facilitated by lightening loads, improving load distribution, optimizing load-carriage equipment, and taking preventive action to reduce the incidence of injury.

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The Carrying of Loads within an Infantry Company

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Load Carriage in Military Operations: A Review of Historical, Physiological, Biomechanical, and Medical Aspects

Load Carriage in Military Operations: A Review of Historical, Physiological, Biomechanical, and Medical Aspects

Methodology for the Assessment of Clothing and Individual Equipment (CIE)

Soldier Load Carriage: Historical, Physiological, Biomechanical, and Medical Aspects

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