What to carry in your butt pack (by the book)

[@renaissancemarinetv3536]

if we ever had to carry our mop gear we had it in our alice pack. the butt pack carried poncho liner, socks, poncho, extra ammo and chow. thats about it.

[@kilo393]

I remember I heard a Marine say they would carry their mop boots in their buttpacks when he was in Iraq.

[@redfangsociety7636]

Yeah. MOP Boots wouldn’t fit unless that was all you had in there. I’m which case, you were riding around in a vehicle and probably a support/supply guy or whatever

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

I was pre ruck. In Basic we carried our rain suit, with the galoshes strapped to the bottom. Of the butt pack.

[@deangullberry5148]

I kept 2 M.R.E.'s, iodine tablets, 100mph tape, 550 cord, toilet paper, a first-aid, and survival kit.

[@collectornick4270]

cool

[@danielroncaioli6882]

Butt packs came out of the standard MTOE in the 80s and 90s. For units that still used them, they were largely organized by individual unit SOP as was the TA-50 including ALICE pack. With the ALICE pack, most units were issued medium packs while special units like Airborne, Ranger, and Special Forces were issued large. In the 90s MOPP gear had its own compression sack that was worn where the butt pack was carried.

[@collectornick4270]

Nice

[@christopherbordelon5960]

We were still using TA-50 and ALICE gear in 02 in basis training. This is before plate carriers were adopted and camelbaks. We still used 2 ammo pouches, 2 one quart canteens, a compass pouch, and buttpack. In the buttpack we had 1 MRE, poncho and extra change of socks, underwear and tshirt.

[@collectornick4270]

Nice

[@Psalm144.1]

Canteens are now back in vogue, camel backs are fading out in current use.

[@timfontenot2911]

T-shirt (we didn’t wear underwear in the field, if you were light infantry), socks, poncho, MRE. This was your day pack. Alice pack we carried tooth brush/ paste, soap and razor in the top velcroed flap. Out side pockets we carried poncho (center) , rain suit top (right pocket), bottoms ( left pocket). Inside the alicepack , inside a G.I. waterproof bag we carried a sleeping bag and cover ( winter only), extra rations, extra uniform ( depending on how many weeks we were going to be in the field), towel, extra tee shirt and socks, field jacket liner or sleeping shirt or G.I. Wool sweater. This was at Ft. Bragg. Other post such as Ft Carson, Ft Drum or Alaska were probably different.

[@collectornick4270]

Nice

[@wheres_all_the_pie1991]

two ponchos and a rain suit

[@vincentmalpica]

So why didn't you wear underwear in the field?

[@timfontenot2911]

@@vincentmalpica chafing and jock itch (crotch rot). We where constantly on the march, and constantly wet from sweating.

[@chrismclain6301]

Ft. Drum was similar. We did normally carry a poncho liner and field jacket liner as well. Those two pieces of equipment could keep you somewhat warm even if they got wet., and you could put together a makeshift sleeping bag using the poncho and liner in a pinch.

[@sirparksalot2461]

Still rocked one in Afghanistan in 2009. So long as you have ammo and water up front on your belt as a counter balance, you can pack pretty heavy in a butt pack; otherwise your belt will ride up in front.

[@collectornick4270]

Thanks

[@RiflemanMoore]

One thing to comment on, the illustration used in that document purporting to show an Army M1967 'butt pack' is actually a trials system considered to be a nylon version of the M1956. I have a copy of the original photo on my PC I'll send you over on FB.

[@gijr2003]

Rifleman Moore Do you mean LINCOLE?

[@floydvaughn9666]

For BCT and Infantry AIT in the mid 70s we used the butt pack to carry our wet weather suit,which doubled for NBC. The overshoes were strapped to the bottom. No rucks for us. Our ponchos were under the top flap.

[@collectornick4270]

Thanks!

[@christopherbordelon5960]

Edit to original post: So after watching this video again I know this is really good information for persons that do Vietnam Re-enactments or Vietnam Milsim in the airsoft community. I think that is the original reason I looked at this video as I used to take part in Milsim Airsoft. The reason Im adding to this post is because on October 29, 2023, they released and updated 95 page book for FM 21- 15. As I have not seen this book I can only speculate that the buttpack is not even included as well as a lot of the ALICE or M1956/67 gear/ I had two later copies of FM 21 - 15. One was from 1977 and the other was from 1985. The 1977 version was a small green book that gave almost cartoonish looking pictures explaining how each part of your gear was suppose to be attached to your web belt or how you were suppose to have stuff as according to SOP. The other book from 1985 was a larger book that was a deeper yellow color than most FM's but basically had the same info as the one from 1977.

[@collectornick4270]

Thanks!

[@vermontvermont9292]

Did you ever see that one video on KZbin of the guy who had like a case of ensure drinks in his butt pack? Along with so much other crap the butt pack looked rediculious. Dude must of had something like 150lbs of gear including his Alice pack. I pack enough in the Alice pack to survive for 72 hrs rationing everything out. That's Incase I have to ditch my medium Alice pack for whatever reason. I have to change everything out based off of what time of year it is too.

[@CoyoteRidge]

Lol, just watched it

[@zackscott903]

I have the lbv one in woodland camo, unissued

[@HomeGymAustralia]

I love this little channel!

[@collectornick4270]

Thanks!

[@turtlecheese8]

Awesome video! Would there be an updated manual of equipment for the mid 80's to 90's with the minor changes that occurred in uniform and gear?

[@collectornick4270]

Thanks! Yep as far as I know their last on was from 1985 but this one has the most information in it and I recommend it highly www.ebay.com/itm/262380462391

[@collectornick4270]

www.ebay.com/itm/264934931224

[@turtlecheese8]

@@collectornick4270 Awesome, thank you so much!

[@RiflemanMoore]

Great stuff, really interesting!

[@heinekenboy6901]

great but your socks boxer and t-shirt fit in one roll great video

[@eliashaynes3663]

Hey, I'm not sure if you already have, but it'd be awesome if you could do an alice pack review of the stuff you carry in it :)

[@collectornick4270]

Cool idea!

[@kilo393]

Can you do one on what to carry in your Alice pack?

[@collectornick4270]

Somewhere down the line I'm sure I could.

[@vermontvermont9292]

@@collectornick4270 when you do, do the by the book. But also do the you're leaving the house, and probably not coming back.

[@cs-rj8ru]

Man, I'd get some tiny travel sized items if I were you. Scrap the shaving cream entirely and pack a safety razor, tiny toothpase/brush, roll of TP and a BAR of soap. Honestly, packing a can of Barbasol??

[@collectornick4270]

I knew when I made the video it would definitely get a few weird looks. But that's why I posted it as a "by the book" and obviously that isn't really a realistic way or list.

[@redfangsociety7636]

Travel size cans are great for three or four days. The infantry typically live out in the field for weeks at a time, so we need full size cans.

[@mitchellmontgomery1277]

I bought a m61 buttpack and it came with a A bunch of iodine tablets in the bottles and foot powder and shaving brush

[@collectornick4270]

Nice

[@ambulance_boy3834]

Yes just got mine recently! 😉

[@Sundown_23]

Skip to 5:50 to see what you clocked on the video to see

[@collectornick4270]

True

[@tylerjoyce3979]

As someone who is currently In the military and has to carry a fighting load of 70 lbs and a training load of 100 lbs allow me to be the first one to say... IM FUCKING JEALOUS.

[@collectornick4270]

Nice

[@redfangsociety7636]

This has been an ongoing issue since World War I. The military reform movement that emerged post Vietnam had a few successes here and there with this and other chronic foolishness common among western militaries. William Lind is pretty much the only survivor still publishing on the issue. His fourth generation warfare handbook and novel Victoria are mandatory reading.

[@MichaelR58]

Nick , thanks for sharing !

[@tonydaniels6518]

I have heard of GI's having pre-loaded toothbrushes with paste already on them

[@collectornick4270]

Good idea

[@bayardoarellano5440]

82 to 85 Big Red One, Divarty, 1/5FA we never use butt pack at all.

[@collectornick4270]

Thanks

[@1984duck]

they got the manual but most did not get the gear

[@collectornick4270]

True

[@walterwoerner3287]

Where do you find your manuals, I looked all over the internet but can’t seem to find them in a reprint like yours seem to be?

[@collectornick4270]

eBay is where I got all of mine.

[@giorgosg.4619]

Great video 👍

[@macdaddymcd]

Ah cool, thanks man. CIF operative

[@collectornick4270]

Haha

[@njdunson]

Haha! I have the same book!

[@kentuckyburbon1777]

Finally got one.

[@collectornick4270]

Awesome!

[@kentuckyburbon1777]

@@collectornick4270 do you know what pack this is. Looks like it has a waterproof rubber , perhaps predecessor to Alice. $20 bucks missing strap.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZ-tiIubZ85qask

[@shawnofdanaukota3843]

How big is this bag?

[@collectornick4270]

about 12in by 8in

[@disasterduck13]

Thanks for the video

[@collectornick4270]

No problem!

[@jameskelly1680]

When I saw you take out that full-sized Barbasol shaving cream and tube of toothpaste, I laughed out loud. You should visit the travel-sized aisle... It would be a lot lighter and take up less room.

[@collectornick4270]

I knew when I made the video it would definitely get a few weird looks. But that's why I posted it as a "by the book" and obviously that isn't really a realistic way or list.

[@redfangsociety7636]

Travel size cans are great for three or four days. The infantry typically live out in the field for weeks at a time, so we need full size cans.

[@cristianalejandrobotozis5351]

fine video! Thanks

[@collectornick4270]

Glad you liked it!

[@vermontvermont9292]

Yes!

[@shawnofdanaukota3843]

Can this pack fit an IPad inside?

[@collectornick4270]

Yes

[@tommyseabee2176]

It would not be “period correct”. Maybe a slide rule and a notebook. Would definitely fit.