Tent [Archive] - Professional Soldiers ®

Desert Fox

02-25-2004, 21:20

Excuse me if it sounds an obvious question, but let's me explain why I ask this. :(

The setup of a tent is time consuming.
A tent has a big shape.
A tent is not absolutly necessarily, even in bad conditions.

So, I would like to know at wich point a team normally uses a tent.

The Reaper

02-25-2004, 21:23

I never have, on a team.

TR

Team Sergeant

02-25-2004, 21:25

I have but only a couple of times and only in sub-zero temps.

10th Group soldiers are the experts in the tent area.

TS

Ambush Master

02-25-2004, 21:33

Really, if you think about it, I would have always carried the BIGGEST thing I could find and pitch it way the hell away from where I was !!! I have Never slept in a tent, except when in Boy Scouts, Camp MacKall and when camping with the Family !!

Edited to say that I do not consider the time that I spent at CMK to have been a Boy Scout experience !!!! :D

Desert Fox

02-25-2004, 21:33

Originally posted by The Reaper
I never have, on a team.

TR

Thank you TR,

I wasnt sure but I am not surprised.
What about...houch (excuse-me but I really dont know how to say it in English)? Do you bring houch with you?

The Reaper

02-25-2004, 21:48

Yep, used an Aussie hootch any time a shelter was appropriate.

TR

Desert Fox

02-25-2004, 21:59

Originally posted by The Reaper
Yep, used an Aussie hootch any time a shelter was appropriate.

TR

Thank you for such a fast answer. This is amazing to just refresh the page and have (magic!) an answer! :rolleyes:

A team has this difference that it cannot really be relieved and protected by another formation.This is why the hide setup and SOPs are so importants.

PS: in French, hootch is ,,hoo-ch-e''.Dont pronounce the "t" before the ch.Pronounce the "e" in English. Always useful to know... ; )

Ambush Master

02-25-2004, 22:04

Not trying to be sarcastic here, but if you can translate any of the following into what you consider to be a Houch then yes we would take them with us:

A pile of rocks.

A Rucksack set on the uphill side of a tree with the straps let out as far as they can go, so you could go to the downhill side of said tree, sit down, hook your arms into the straps, secure straps, weapon, etc. and get a good nights sleep without having to worry about falling off of the side of the mountain .

A swamp full of who knows what, you snag a branch and get your arm over it so you can keep your face out of the water and sleep when you can.

If you consider a houch to be any place imaginable that one could sleep, then yes, we carried a houch with us .

D9 (RIP)

02-29-2004, 22:21

Originally posted by Desert Fox
A team has this difference that it cannot really be relieved and protected by another formation.

FWIW, I never saw anyone use a tent in the Marine infantry either. If it rains, then use your poncho. Around '93 some guys bought aftermarket gore-tex bivvy bags for wet weather. But I never saw a tent (read: shelter half) used after I left boot camp for anything but command post, logistical purposes.

Footmobile

02-29-2004, 22:32

D9 - 2 man Eureka tents are a draw as needed item from supply now in the Corps.;)

Nice to have 'em for some situations (spending an overnight on a range in CONUS for example), tho never on a mission.

Way better than the POS shelter half.

ktek01

02-29-2004, 22:43

Originally posted by Footmobile

Way better than the POS shelter half.

Anyone ever actually put two shelter halfs together, outside of Basic Training?

The only time I ever slept in a tent in the Army was during ECW Training, and we had to pull that thing around on an akhio.

Desert Fox

02-29-2004, 22:54

Originally posted by D9
FWIW, I never saw anyone use a tent in the Marine infantry either. If it rains, then use your poncho. Around '93 some guys bought aftermarket gore-tex bivvy bags for wet weather. But I never saw a tent (read: shelter half) used after I left boot camp for anything but command post, logistical purposes.

Hi D9,

I was thinking more about winter and arctic conditions.The rain is definitively not a case for a tent.
Personnaly I like my gore-tex bivvy bag.If the temperature drops below minus 10-15 C, i like to use an air matrix or foam, to stay warm.But the air matrix is bad because the noise is makes when you fold it.
How do you call the foam 'carpet' in your army??

Thank you

The Reaper

03-01-2004, 06:40

Originally posted by ktek01
Anyone ever actually put two shelter halfs together, outside of Basic Training?

Korea, in February.

I build a mean Poncho hootch, but at 53 below and snowing, you better have something a little better.

TR

Psywar1-0

03-02-2004, 08:37

Fiercely Loyal

07-19-2007, 03:16

When I first got to my unit the first weekend we went out to the woods I brought my LBE, poncho, extra uniforms, the works. Well as I am trying to make my in shelter out of some logs and a poncho I hear tons of laughter. Unbeknownst to me, Aviators do not do that sort of thing. Within ten minutes they were out of uniform and setting up civilian tents near the water. Shortly there after a radio was blaring and steaks on the bbq. So to be honest in my military career I have only seen tents or nice barracks. However if I am camping on my own in the winter, I'll take a snow cave over a tent any day.

7624U

07-19-2007, 05:32

I have but only a couple of times and only in sub-zero temps.

10th Group soldiers are the experts in the tent area.

TS

Only time 10th use's them is in Alpine training, high elavation, No Snow, Rocky ground, If we have good Snow fall we always make Snow Caves.

Here at Mackall I Use a Crazy Creek Hamock with a Tarp From WalMart for over head cover.

Ret10Echo

07-19-2007, 05:47

Only time 10th use's them is in Alpine training, high elavation, No Snow, Rocky ground, If we have good Snow fall we always make Snow Caves.

More snow is better....Tree pit works pretty good if you have the right environment. Snow trench can work in a pinch, but if it isn't deep enough (snow isn't deep enough) it is a suck-fest. Been there.

Echo-tats were issued but I am not sure anyone ever really set one up on the team.

Dome tents with 3-fly system were pretty nice, with a vestibule and cold-hole you can hooch-up pretty comfortably. Downside is the weight unless you were pulling a deer-sled or polk it's a lot, but you do what you have to.

RTK

07-19-2007, 05:48

The only times I've used my shelter half was at NTC in the contonement area. EVERYONE had to set them up. They were more concerned with the damn shelter halves being dress right dress than they were about the guerrillas at the gate.

The rest of the time I'm either in a Bradley, a HMMWV, or an OP. No tents there.

Pete

07-19-2007, 06:01

.....I was thinking more about winter and arctic conditions.

Well, there was this time at 20 below that we had North Face two man tents, light tan in color, in our rucks. We also had GorTex sleeping bag covers.

For two weeks the Tents stayed in the rucks and the Covers stayed off the bags.

Oh, wait. We used one of the tents to cover over an OP. They were on an open slope with no snow and some bare tan colored rocks. Prior to BMNT we put the guys in their sleeping bags and covered them with the tent - no poles of course. They sat out there all day and got what they needed with nobody the wiser. So, I guess the tent came in handy that trip.

SF_BHT

07-19-2007, 07:13

Used one at NTC once when we had to wait 1 week before the exercise started. Probably the funniest thing in the world watching 6 SF guys trying to figure out a GP Med Tent. It got set up but was a little painful. Never used on during a Opn in all my years.

x SF med

07-19-2007, 08:17

More snow is better....Tree pit works pretty good if you have the right environment. Snow trench can work in a pinch, but if it isn't deep enough (snow isn't deep enough) it is a suck-fest. Been there.

Echo-tats were issued but I am not sure anyone ever really set one up on the team.

Dome tents with 3-fly system were pretty nice, with a vestibule and cold-hole you can hooch-up pretty comfortably. Downside is the weight unless you were pulling a deer-sled or polk it's a lot, but you do what you have to.

Snow caves and snow holes on wintex... (winter warfare back in the old days).

Ecotats - heavy, made a good ecw bivvy sack, but they never issued enough poles to create a shelter/tent, and there were never any instructions/training on how to set the f***ers up. I will have nightmares tonight, thanks Ret10...

Snaquebite

07-19-2007, 08:20

I carried a small tent on a 50 miler once with 10th Group, but quickly dumped it once I figured out snow caves/holes and how much more warmer and comfortable they are.

long trail

06-25-2008, 22:34

Many years ago when half the Brit Army was camped on Ft Bragg for a Purple Dragon exercise I traded my beret for a "SAS" poncho hooch. Very small in pack space(smaller than a 1000ml IV Bag) yet big enough when set up to cover me and my ruck. It also intergrates quite well with my hammock. After the Brits left General Jacksons was making copies for awhile. You might be able to pick one of them up there.

I believe you are refering to thier Basha shelter..I have two in DPM...One is a Brit made copy and my other is the real thing measuring 8x11 feet and will fold up small enough to fit in a BDU pocket. Great pice of kit.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m210/eastscout/p1013130.jpg

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m210/eastscout/p1013131.jpg

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m210/eastscout/p1013135.jpg

Diablo Blanco

07-01-2008, 17:58

Anyone ever camoflaged a hooch so well you couldn't find it?

Twice...

Once in basic, we set up our hooches and I chose a perimeter spot. I woke up to light shining through. I poked my head out and didn't see anyone else or their hooches. Panic! That was probably the fastest I ever packed a ruck. I ran out to Malone road and there was the rest of the company in formation waiting to move out. DS's looked surpised, they didn't do a proper headcount and didn't notice one was missing. They just told me to fall in. Nothing ever came of it.

Second time, my team built a hide on the side of a hill we could all fit in for our OPFOR ops. We spent about an hour camoflaging it. We chose a location that was a generic as could be and not in natural lines of drift. We left for an ambush and came back later and couldn't find it for another hour. Apparently we had built it so structurally sound we were standing on it!

BigJimCalhoun

09-12-2010, 20:03

Only time 10th use's them is in Alpine training, high elavation, No Snow, Rocky ground, If we have good Snow fall we always make Snow Caves.
.

I am considering backpacking in for my elk hunt this year. Given my skillset, I am thinking a tent will be better than improvising with onsite materials. I am not sure if there will be a enough snow for a snow cave - hopefully there will be no snow.

Right now I only have the family cabin tent - not a small light one.

Combat Diver

09-13-2010, 00:06

Only once did I use a tent during a training exercise and that was in the Alps during a blizzard. Operational always a poncho hoch, snow cave or holes in the desert. Have used tents during 1-2 week range/dive operations. Those were either GP mediums or their replacement ARFABs.
CD

Dozer523

09-13-2010, 15:13

Korea, in February.

I build a mean Poncho hootch, but at 53 below and snowing, you better have something a little better.

TRAmen, amen. You have never been cold until you've been cold in Korea.
You find yourself a rice paddy dike and set up on the lee side. Stomp, kick out the snow, Lay your poncho down. Inflate your store boughten therma-rest. Shake out your old chicken feather sleeping bag. Put your poncho liner inside. Sit down on it. Take off your boots - put the soles together and place them between your bag and the therma-rest with the toes pointed down so they are between your knees. (Keep swishing your feet around inside the bag).
Take off your helmet and replace with a watch cap. This next step you have to do fast! Take off your field jacket, rezip it, stick your feet in it, and wrap the arms loosely around. Replace feet and legs inside poncho liner and inside sleeping bag. Zip up the bag (almost) as quick as you can. Wiggle around to warm up the air. Reach out and pull your shelter half over the whole thing. Try to keep your nose and mouth exposed. Take off your golves, put them where you can find them. Unfasten your belt and trousers. Stuff your hands down there (don't worry you won't:eek:) Oh and your canteens go inside too. If in the middle of the night you wake up hot, kick straight up cuz it probably snowed on you.

At -50F your spit will freeze before it hits the ground. The good thing is you really can't tell the difference after about -30F

ZonieDiver

09-13-2010, 16:13

Panama doesn't look so bad anymore...:D

longrange1947

09-13-2010, 18:30

Used an arctic tent once. Happier than hell that I did. We jumped into Utah as an OPFOR against a team that was supposed to rescue a POW. We had a static position at the NG camp outside of Salt Lake, can't remember the name, it was in the late 70s. Anyway, we jumped in and brought arctic tents because the weather report said very cold and no real snow until about halfway through the exercise. Got to the Site and most of the guys just crashed on site in their sleeping bags, the old giant chicken feather frost bite model with poncho and poncho liner. Myself and one other used a bit of time to set up our tents. Woke up the next morning to about two feet of snow. Went from blow hole to blow hole waking and guys as we made a fresh cup of coffee for each. Some mighty cold guys but all survived and all set up tents.

The only time I used them. Did use a GP medium once on weather warfare training at Canon Mountain though. :D

Have used poncho hooches in the woods in the winter. If we are set in a semi secure area for a base camp then we can set one up, if a patrol base then never. As was stated, ruck sack and lightly dozing.

Dozer523

09-14-2010, 09:25

Panama doesn't look so bad anymore...:D

Bugs. Yuck

ZonieDiver

09-14-2010, 14:27

We had a static position at the NG camp outside of Salt Lake, can't remember the name, it was in the late 70s.

It was probably Camp Williams, where much of "Devil's Brigade" was filmed. I spent a lot of time there in the late 70's and early 80's.

Bugs. Yuck

And Black Palm! But better than cold. I hate cold. Operation Brim Frost '82 was not my most fun time!

Ret10Echo

09-14-2010, 18:08

I knew these were around somewhere...just took a while to locate them...

Tents...oh yeah...:D

Dozer523

09-14-2010, 18:16

Did use a GP medium once on weather warfare training at Canon Mountain though. Did GP Mediums in mid OCT to mid DEC at Grafenwohr. Camp Cheb (?) No liners, cots with inflatable air mattresses, chicken feather issue sleeping bags and oil-fed stoves (2 ea) proximity to heaters was based on rank. I think the only time I was warm was in the shower (2 blocks away).
Truth be told? Gunnery in Germany were the two best times of the year.