Okay this is for every 18C, not just the 18X that just graduated last week. It is sad when three ODAs and one ODB deploy to conduct combat ops to a forward “Base” and forgot to bring items or equipment forward. Basic tool sets, equipment, and supplies. Bottom line is you MUST take care of YOUR ODA, don’t think that your higher (ODB or FOB will) or others will. To watch the ODB and ODAs looking for hand tools, nails, screws, power tools, tape and mech tools to use to make anything from furniture to breaching charges is very sad.
Facts: Deploying or moving forward to conduct one- to two-week combat operations outside of your assigned Fire Base, you need to plan for the most or worst. If you are living at another camp or forward site you should bring your own supplies. Only one ODA brought basic engineering tools forward to, let's say to make “things” needed for the mission at hand. So with this happening, I think this needs to be brought up and hopefully it will drive what is need by Groups for their AORs. Not just within OIF & OEF deployements.
I’m going to break this down into two different parts. First is things you need to think about getting from home station prior to deploying to OIF or OEF or wherever. Second will be basic things I feel you should always bring if you will be working out of a stationary place outside of a fire base.
Things to have from home station:
Repair and Utilities (R&U) Kit:
- A good cordless power tool set. I like a
Makita over a Dewalt. Why? Because of the Skill Saw blade size. Make sure you get a 6 1/2 saw blade, some cordless come in 5 1/4"
Makita is 6 ½”. Overseas, you get a lot of unfinished lumber, you need a bigger blade.
++Also get an
extra battery charger and make sure you have four batteries total. If you have old ones that came with your tool set, order some new fresh ones with your SOR and Company funds before you deploy. It can be hard (very) to get them in some countries.
- Six (6) good framing hammers, 2 ea 3 to 5 lb. hammers, 2 ea. Cats Paw or nail pullers and 2-4ea 25 ft. tape measures. When you get into country get 2-3 meter tape measures so you can tell locals the sizes that you need something made in. This way they can take the measurements too.
- Corded power tools. You will need to bring the following; IMHO, this is what I like to have. Plus, once you get to a good foreign country (Europe) you need to get as many in 220-240V as you can.
+ Skill Saw with 2-3 2
5-40 tooth cut (higher better for 2’X4” cutting) and
6o+ tooth cut for finishing, plywood and Plexiglas (Carbide Teeth), and 1-2 masonry and metal cutting blades.
+ Standard ½” drills with a good drill bit set. You need a drill bit set that covers everything from wood to metal to concrete.
+
Hammer drill With third world materials and concrete you need one.
- 4-5 good hand saws. It’s good to have two cross cut and ripping saws, I would say two of each type. I like to have a Shark tooth saw too; it can cut both – Cross and Rip.
-
Tree Bow Saw. Get 4-6 blades on top of the on that it comes with. Look in third world countries you find a lot of rough cut lumber. Sometimes, you may have only trees to deal with. A hand box saw can come in handy too.
- Chain Saw. With trees and rough lumber a chain saw is a Charlie’s best friend at times. I like a
Husqvarna; you want something that you can work on easily. Mr. Harsey your input here, please chime in!! Get extra chains, spark plugs, and a tool key too. Make sure you get the 2-cycle oil for the fuel mix, and bar oil too, a box key for each saw should work. You have to know your AOR for this.
-
Hex tool set: get English and a metric set each.
- A
Dremel tool kit, I like a
Roto Zip set. They make a cordless one now, so that helps out. This can be used with your demo set too.
- A good tool set. Some like a Craftsman or Mac Tool set. Get it in a plastic tool box and something over 110 tools. It’s good to have it in metric and English.
- Tool belts
or apron (Added). 2-4 each if you’re doing a lot of building. Get more with your mission (MTT) fund site. Make sure it has a nail pouch and hammer “hook”.
- Nails and screws. Get some, screws are more important than nails. Third world screws are typically flat head screws and they SUCK!!
- A box of Series 5200 locks. People like to cut them and our ODA always has a universal key when we deploy. Don't forget your master key!
- Extension cords: 2-4 25 ft. cords, 1-2 50 ft. and 100 ft. cords. You need to get some of the cords with a three plug head. Get a heavy enough gauge cord for the loads you plan on running. Ask your 18E if you need help with the electrical calculations.
- A small generator. 5-15K is great and is overkill. But if you have to a lot of work or run some heaters or OPCEN items they work. Mil Gens are too big IMO.
- Lastly get a home improvement book. Something like the
Home Depot or Lowe's book that covers just about everything within a house repair.
An electrical one helps too.
Demo Kit. Well it is no longer the SDK, the regular Army has it now. So plan for your shortcomings on the supplies within it. All of those nice MOD shaped charges are all EOD items. What you were taught in the Q-course during CALC & PLACE is not what they were used for. Find the SDK TM book and you will see what they are used for. With that note, get your supply NCO to order what you want. He will have to re-confirm the order every 30-60 days, so you have to remind him.
What I think you need extra for a Demo Kit: (others chime in)
- The Dremel tool set works great for building Breaching charges.
- Tape Tape Tape!! Get some from the store. That DOD Lighthouse for the Blind doesn’t stick too well in the heat. Get colored duct tape.
- Spray adhesive.
- Get some craft store Super Glue. Regular Super Glue doesn’t stick to plastic and Demo well if at all. The craft type from a craft supply store works great.
- Electrical wire
strippers. Pick up at least two.
- If you Demo Kit don’t have the Gerber DEMO/EOD Tool get two for you and the other 18C. They will walk off if not secured.
- Utility knife. Get 4-6 utility cutting knives to aid in cutting demo instead of your Benchmade you use to open your food with. Get extra blade sets too.
- Order good commo wire (copper) from your SIGDET if you plan on doing electrical caps. Some foreign countries only use electrical caps, check on where you are going.
- Double sided adhesive tape. Super tape or something along those lines. Check with your SFAUC committee or CIF Company. They will know what is working in which ever theater you are going to.
- Rubber bands. As needed, all sizes. Riggers will have the heavy ones.
- Medical tape. I like taping my charges with 1” medical tape then writing the DTG made and charge name. Time systems, the same way.
- Paint markers. Two sets are working fine. Get some for your 18B and 18E, they like them too.
Hybrid Mode
