Are soldiers authorized to utilize hammocks? If we are, what would the regulation covering it be?

This is the most PFC question I’ve read in a while.

Ultimately Command discretion and situation will dictate. Personally I’ve seen it happen from time to time and I’ve also seen it get shot down from time to time. Situation dictates but just be sure to check the temperature of the water before jumping in if you understand what I’m saying. Don’t just set up a hammock and think you won’t draw some attention.

AR385-10 states that soldiers must sleep in a designated and marked sleep area, protected by natural barriers if at all possible. Nor are you allowed to sleep in vehicles.

AR40-11 Preventative Medicine has requirements for noise, environment, and physical separation (5ft or head to toe). Regulation assumes you are sleeping on the ground, beds (Appendix D) or cots. Para 3-5 Individual Soldier measures: "(5) Place sleeping bags or cots head-to-toe if there is less than 5 feet of space between them."

My primary concerns from a composite risk management standpoint would be:
- having the soldier tie it off between vehicles and either be hit in low visibility or dragged to death by a tactical vehicle leaving in a hurry without a walk around.
- having a soldier in a perimeter sleeping two feet off the ground falling out and being injured or a team mate walking into the damn thing in low visibility.
- soldier slogging around an assembly area or unit perimeter at night trying to find a spot for the hammock getting lost, hurt, or separated if the unit has to "jump" on short notice.
- in combat conditions, being above ground like that is a liability. Hate to write a letter home because a guy got hung up like a dolphin in a tuna net trying to react to NBC, direct fire or indirect fire.
- Good luck in places like Kansas, Colorado, or NTC finding two trees to tie It off to.

This is really a unit SOP, unit chain of command thing. Did every NCO in your unit get abducted by aliens? Why don't you ask them? If you got told no, it's no. Pick another hill to die on.

How and why is this an issue?