Here's my views on some of your more recent e-mail. Grandpa
R. brought up some interesting things. First of all on the Ghillie suit,
I don't recommend a poncho for the stereotypical work a Ghillie suit
is used for. A Ghillie suit is a task and terrain specific uniform
that's employed by specially trained folks. If you already have the
training
and field craft to use a ghillie suit correctly and effectively, then
you already know the answer to the question. That answer isn't the
poncho, it's the same one or two piece suit that every sniper from
every nation uses. There's a reason they ALL use the same thing, and
that's because it's the only thing that will does the job at that level
of expertise. Jim's recommendation on the poncho is dead on for the
survivalists who aren't graduates of a service branch's sniper qualification
course.
The poncho is a multi-use item, and that's always a plus. A great example
of one is the German Zeltban. The Zelt can be used as a
poncho, breaking up the outline of the human figure, as a "shelter
quarter" to make a four-man tent, as a tarp to make an individual
shelter, as
a poncho for rain, etc. as an outer garment including various ways
to configure it for walking, riding on horses/bicycles, etc. Many European
countries used them right up until recently. Most are canvas, so they
are quiet, though they are heavy. many are designed with summer foliage
camouflage on one side, and winter on the other, though
I've seen some that are just green and you can dye them whatever you
want for your area. If I was going to use one in the desert, I'd make
a copy of the Zelt in canvas with one side day desert and the other
side night desert, and update the buttons, etc. If I was in the north,
then woodland on one side, and a winter/fall on the other would be
a better choice. You get the idea. A liner made from a GI poncho liner
would also create a sleeping bag, and a field jacket. It's a phenomenal
piece of kit. I can provide specs to anyone, just e-mail Jim and he'll
let me know if it's something worth pursuing in the future for an installment
on the Blog.
On gas masks and NBC, you have to remember not to
equate Army NBC training and procedures with your's as a survivalist.
You don't have the
logistics tail to make fighting and operating in contaminated environments
a viable option. The best you can do is provide a limited amount
of NBC protection that will allow you to egress a contaminated area. Changing
filters when "in the soup" is not high on my list of things
to do. High on that list is getting out of that area. Don't think "Army",
think "survivalist". It's two different things. In a practical
sense, you simply don't need a "dirty environment change" capability.
You need a capability to protect yourself long enough to get to a clean
environment. The mask filters will give you plenty of time to do that.
Military operations in an NBC environment and survival operations in
an NBC environment are two very different things. Equipment, individual
tasks, et cetera are the same or similar, but they are conducted differently.
That doesn't mean you're doomed if a gas bomb hits. You're never doomed
if you prepare. But
your actions as a survivalist will be different than your actions as
a soldier on the battlefield would be.
On the subject of NVG/NODs.
Older generation devices will exhibit what's called "bloom" effect.
So a tritium night-sight would present a big
softball sized glow on the end of your weapon. The later gen units greatly reduce
the bloom effect, so what the effect is will greatly depend on the
generation of the systems in use. Electrical tape will pretty much
cure any noise and light problems at night.- "Doug Carlton"