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We have all done them! Little things done with limited items you have on hand in the field to make life a little easier.
Do you have a favorite field hack that you do in the field to make your situation feel a little more like home or make your job a little easier to accomplish that isn't in any field manual?
Do you have a favorite field hack that you do in the field to make your situation feel a little more like home or make your job a little easier to accomplish that isn't in any field manual?
Military Life
Deployment
Overseas
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 44
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I was a 63T in the early '90's stationed at Ferris Barracks in Erlangen, Germany. Twice a year for about 6 weeks at a time, we'd go on maneuvers at Hohenfels. We could only take so much with us as far as spare parts. The Bradleys and Hummers would take a pounding and one of the weak points in both systems was the cooling systems.
That's why God invented the MRE and the Oatmeal Cookie Bar. Got a coolant leak due to a hole in the radiator or a hose? Crumble that bad boy up, put it in the radiator and you're good to go for about 48 hours before you need to do it again. I once kept a Bradley alive in the field for 3 weeks using this method before I could get the radiator replaced.
That's why God invented the MRE and the Oatmeal Cookie Bar. Got a coolant leak due to a hole in the radiator or a hose? Crumble that bad boy up, put it in the radiator and you're good to go for about 48 hours before you need to do it again. I once kept a Bradley alive in the field for 3 weeks using this method before I could get the radiator replaced.
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1LT Nick Kidwell
I dunno what that speaks to more, the shortcomings of the vehicles, the dubious edibility of the cookie bar, or your ingenuity...
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CSM Charles Hayden
1LT Nick Kidwell, Obviously the ingenuity of the American Soldier. Do not despair LT, they are everywhere in the Army.
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14
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I used the coffee pot for hot water to shave with, vehicle mirror to shave in. Canteen cup to do it in.
Vehicle won't stArt? Take rag and put a little jp8 on it. Remove dust bowl cover from air intake. Wipe inside with fuel rag. Replace lid and start vehicle. Ether is like crack, once you vehicle gets it, it won't operate without.
.50 caliber links placed small diameter down (single link on antenna, dbl free), over an antenna make a great chemlight holder for marking platoon/company positions.
Vehicle won't stArt? Take rag and put a little jp8 on it. Remove dust bowl cover from air intake. Wipe inside with fuel rag. Replace lid and start vehicle. Ether is like crack, once you vehicle gets it, it won't operate without.
.50 caliber links placed small diameter down (single link on antenna, dbl free), over an antenna make a great chemlight holder for marking platoon/company positions.
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I would carry a white cotton sock with me in Iraq. Soak the sock in water and put your water bottle in the sock. As the water evaporates from the sock it cools your water bottle (much like the burlap desert water bags). When the temp is 100+ outside, it's nice to have!
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CPL Rob N.
Yes CSM, I didn't use the method much in 29 stumps though. Once you had the sock wet, the bees would come out of nowhere. They could sense the water I guess. They were pretty aggressive and persistent. I had one of the desert water bags hanging on the side of the LAV one time and the bees started forming a beard on the bag. Needless to say, the bees where more than welcome to have it!
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COL Clifford Wheeler
I used to take one bottle out of the freezer every morning for later in the day, and a cold one for immediate consumption. Gave me a nice cool refreshing one around noon. Of course, I was lucky to have a fridge/freezer in the headquarters.
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