What regulations prevent or allow the use of rolling military style duffel bags or cases?

2019-08-01T10:29:00-04:00

Are you allowed to use a rolling duffel bag? What regulations dictate what rolling luggage, duffel, or case is acceptable for a deployment?

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2019 10:32 AM

2019-08-01T10:32:38-04:00

I have some soldiers asking this question and as far as I am concerned, if the colors/patterns are in regulation, the luggage is able to be palatized on a military transport, and it is not extremely abnormal, I don't have an issue with it. The Roller bags some of the soldiers use make me jealous, but I don't think they are wrong to use them, they are smart.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 1 at 2019 10:33 AM

2019-08-01T10:33:09-04:00

Sir, there are no real regulations that I know of. What I do know is what you will take on the plane/put under the plane will be determined by the airline. For example, flying out of the Killeen airport right outside FT Hood only allows 2 checked bags weighing no more than 50 pounds, and of certain dimensions.

Response by CSM William Everroad made Aug 1 at 2019 12:26 PM

2019-08-01T12:26:30-04:00

CPT Private RallyPoint Member, having served on various baggage details as a PVT and as an NCO unit movement teams, anything other than the standard duffle bag is a real PITA. It complicates stacking, loading and unloading and the commercial variants are sometimes not as resilient to abuse.
I have seen disgruntled details treat nonstandard bags with a little extra disdain, perhaps to test those limits. On a personal note, I have often thought of getting a rolling duffle when doing the double bag shuffle to the load point.
Bigger picture though, is personal convenience enough to justify allowing the use of non-standard bags during a unit movement? Even if it is no big deal for the loadmaster, non-standard bags present unique problems. Young Soldiers tend to waste money already, and a wave of non-standard bags can invite the financially disadvantaged to splurge on something cool. And where is the line drawn? If, as a Commander, you authorize a non-standard bag for shipment, do you specify which type and make or do you let the Soldiers decide for themselves what is a reasonable deviation from the norm?
I have seen Soldiers go so far as to pack everything in footlockers, extra large duffle bags, and even civilian luggage for unit movement. All of which can certainly be palletized, but present problems down the road.
Take for instance combat load plans for vehicles. Traditionally, Soldiers' personal gear is allocated space based on their clothing bag items, so if they choose a non-standard size and shape, it may throw off load plan calculations.

If this is a case of what you want to personally take and not a Command decision, I would test the limits of the UMOs patience for my own personal convenience. Nothing I would take on deployment is anything I would mind not bringing back if it doesn't fit in my patrol's load plan anyway.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Aug 1 at 2019 3:16 PM

2019-08-01T15:16:27-04:00

Actually a lot will depend on the Cdr, if you will be allowed to have/use non-military gear. Plus as said by others will it stack uniformly on a pallet, will the airlines (commercial) allow it, etc. Bottom Line Sir just why do you want to be special?

Response by CPL Gary Pifer made Aug 1 at 2019 6:25 PM

2019-08-01T18:25:24-04:00

I ve worked in Air Cargo in the Air Force and never told a Captain what or what he could not do. But I've seen detachable wheels for duffle bags. I used wheeled bags myself