It’s the mental debate every war-fighter has before departing on a mission, every hiker has before stepping off on a journey, and every camper has as they pack their bags: how much can I carry and still be as effective as I need to be? At what point is the extra weight of our gear doing more harm than good?
According to research conducted by Marine Corps Capt. Courtney Thompson at the Naval Postgraduate School, the number is lower than you might expect. The baseline for most combat operations is set at 43 pounds – which is the standard weight of the flak jacket, kevlar helmet, and other combat necessities, meaning, any long-term survival gear has to be tacked on to that number. According to Captain Thompson’s research, combat effectiveness starts to really suffer after adding just 15 pounds to that combat load.
“Marines always have to be prepared to engage with the enemy,” said Captain Thompson. “In doing so, they typically have personal protective equipment, weapons and other gear. Ultimately, the goal is to make those Marines as lethal and survivable as possible, and my thesis works towards that same goal.”
That figure falls dramatically shy of the loads many Marines are tasked with carrying in combat, which regularly exceed 150 pounds and can, at times, climb up above 200 pounds for those tasked with manning larger weapons systems. As a result, Marine Corps officers are required to carry 152-pound packs for nine miles at a 20-minute-per-mile pace in order to complete the Marine Corps Infantry Officer Course – a physical challenge that has seen more vocal criticism in recent years.
Ni mjadala wa akili kila mpiganaji wa vita ana kabla ya kuondoka kwenye utume, kila hiker ana kabla ya kuondoka kwenye safari, na kila mkambi ana kama wao pakiti mifuko yao: ni kiasi gani naweza kubeba na bado kuwa na ufanisi kama mimi haja ya kuwa? Ni wakati gani uzito wa ziada wa vifaa vyetu unafanya madhara zaidi kuliko manufaa? Kulingana na utafiti uliofanywa na Kapteni wa Jeshi la Wanamaji. Courtney Thompson, Mwalimu wa Chuo cha Naval Postgraduate School, anasema kuwa idadi hiyo ni ndogo kuliko ilivyotarajiwa. Kiwango cha msingi kwa shughuli nyingi za mapigano ni 43 lbs, ambayo ni uzito wa kawaida wa koti la flak, kofia ya chuma, na mahitaji mengine ya mapigano, ikimaanisha, vifaa vyovyote vya kuishi kwa muda mrefu vinapaswa kushikamana na idadi hiyo. Kulingana na utafiti wa Kapteni Thompson, ufanisi wa mapigano huanza kuathiriwa baada ya kuongeza pauni 15 tu kwa mzigo huo wa mapigano. "Wafanyakazi wa majini lazima wawe tayari daima kushambulia adui", alisema Kapteni Thompson. <unk>Kwa kufanya hivyo, kwa kawaida wana vifaa vya kujilinda, silaha na vifaa vingine. """Lakini lengo ni kuwafanya wanajeshi wa majini kuwa hatari na wanaoweza kuishi, na thesis yangu inafanya kazi kuelekea lengo hilo lile. <unk> Takwimu hiyo inashuka sana kwa mizigo ambayo wanajeshi wengi wa majini wanawajibika kubeba katika mapigano, ambayo mara kwa mara inazidi pauni 150 na inaweza, wakati mwingine, kupanda juu ya pauni 200 kwa wale walio na kazi ya kubeba mifumo kubwa ya silaha." Maofisa wa jeshi la wanamaji wanalazimika kubeba mizigo yenye uzito wa pauni 152 kwa umbali wa maili tisa kwa mwendo wa dakika 20 kwa kila maili ili kukamilisha kozi ya Maofisa wa Jeshi la Wanamaji - changamoto ya kimwili ambayo imeona ukosoaji zaidi katika miaka ya hivi karibuni.