If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s the power of ‘Count’n Ounces.’ In my previous life, I would go “to the field” on a plane, and when the time came… I would jump. I jumped with a parachute. I jumped with a reserve parachute. And I jumped in with a backpack and LBE (Load Bearing equipment…which is military parlance for a canteen belt and suspenders) that contained everything I would have at my disposal to do whatever I was going into the field for. Let’s not forget your gun, ammunition and other ammunition. In total, everything that came out the door of the plane was carrying between 120 and 160 pounds… or even more. Thank God, the parachute did its job.
When I started my career, we had a backpack called a jungle ruck. It consisted of a tubular metal frame and a bag containing between 1 ½ and 2 cubic feet of space. Not a lot of space, considering all we had to carry. To the frame (usually the top half) we would strap a waterproof bag that would carry sleeping clothes and maybe a few other things. Now, for a Soldier heading into the field for 14 to 30 days, the first priority that goes into the ruck is mission-critical supplies and equipment. For me, that meant a minimum of one heavy radio, several batteries (big batteries), antenna-making supplies (wire, insulators, rope, etc.), and a bunch of other miscellaneous stuff. Then came my share of other equipment needed for the team.
After that, I can start to see my needs. Food, clothing, toiletries, sleepwear, “whining gear” and the like. Each man had his standard list of personal things that he took. And what you took was as small and light as possible. You literally started ‘Count’n Ounces’ because you were going to carry every ounce you took. And if you were able to escape leaving that extra ounce behind, you did. Here’s an example: Back then, you were issued one of two types of field rations: C-rations or LRRP. C-rations were “wet food.” It came in a box that had individual cans of the main food, fruit, cake, bread, crackers, peanut butter, you name it. She also had a sundry kit that had coffee, creamer, salt, pepper, toilet paper, and a few more things. A complete C-Rat can weigh from 2 to 2 ½ pounds. You could take all of that… or… you could break it up and take only what you wanted and leave the rest behind. And that was what we did. I couldn’t eat the box. He stayed behind. I didn’t want the cream. Outside he went. Whatever was inside that box that I wasn’t going to consume, I left behind. It may have only added an ounce or two, but that’s the weight I didn’t have to carry. Everything was examined in such a way. Probably the most valuable lesson I learned was the concept of “dual use”.
What is Dual Use? It’s the selection of items I brought with me that could be used for two or more tasks. Comfort, however insignificant, was important to us in the field. If you could carry something that had dual use and also provided some means of comfort, it was worth its weight in gold. What is an example of a dual-use item? A canteen cup. The old GI canteen cup was made of stainless steel and molded in such a way that the canteen fit inside. It was relatively heavy, but could be used to heat food, drink coffee, draw water from a shallow stream to put in a canteen (yes… we use iodine tablets to purify water), boil water to sterilize instruments, pick berries or other native foodstuffs, and the like. Another dual-use item? Almost every man had a “drive-on-rag.” It was a triangular cloth called a tie that he wore around his neck to keep warm (when it was cold) or to hang something (like a flashlight), tied around his head to prevent sweat from getting into his eyes (when it was hot) and to use as a filter for insects and other debris from the water that is collected and poured into the canteen (from the canteen cup). A utility knife, such as a Leatherman, was also popular. He had a knife, pliers, screwdrivers, awls, even a saw. The parachute cord (aka 550 cord) was invaluable.
We had another saying, “Travel Light – Freeze at Night.” The sleeping bags were heavy…especially when wet (military bags are full). It is best to take a poncho liner (nylon) and a light poncho (also nylon) and keep warm in them at night. Not as warm, but not as heavy. The backpack was the pillow. Neither tent. Instead, we use a second poncho tied with a 550 cord.
Time passed and the old jungle ruck was retired and replaced by the ALICE Ruck. A much bigger bag so we could carry more things. Eventually that was replaced by what was called the LOWE Ruck. Even bigger, but it was also MUCH HEAVIER than the jungle or ALICE rucks. They also gave us a lot more equipment. Technology has reduced it, but 100 pounds of light equipment weighs as much as 100 pounds of heavy equipment. So ‘Count’n Ounces’ was still the name of the game.
In future articles, when I talk about specifically planning or conducting treasure hunting adventures, whether it’s metal detecting, gold panning, or whatever, I’ll give you my “spin” on supplies and gear to bring. In most cases, I’ll recommend something that’s dual-use, or at least lightweight, but gets the job done. I really like comfort, and part of that comfort is being able to get from point A to point B with all my “stuff” and not be so exhausted that I can’t do what I went there to do. Until then, start thinking about ‘Count’n Ounces’ and start planning your next treasure hunting adventure.