Existence Load

Clothing Worn & Packed	Weight (Lbs.)	Quantity	Total Weight
100 Weight Fleece Jacket	00.661		0.661
300 Weight Fleece Jacket	01.322		1.322
Gortex Top	02.200		2.200
Gortex Bottoms	02.200		2.200
Polypropylene Top	00.440		0.440
Polypropylene Bottom	00.462		0.462
Cold Weather Gloves & Mittens	01.325		1.325
		Total	8.610
Sustainment and Other Equipment	Weight (Lbs.)	Quantity	Total Weight
Watch, Cap	00.550		0.550
Insect Repellant	00.750		0.750
Sewing Kit	00.100		0.100
Mat, Isopor	01.500		1.500
Bivy Sack	02.200		2.200
Modular Sleeping Bag	04.500		4.500
Two Man Tent	08.500		8.500
Shaving Gear, Towel, Facecloth	02.000		2.000
J-List Suit (MOPP Suit) Complete with boots and gloves	10.000		10.000
Batteries, AA (4)	00.375		0.750
		Total	30.850
Chow and Water	Weight (Lbs.)	Quantity	Total Weight
Canteen, 2 Quart (Filled) w/MOLLE Compatible	04.600		4.600
		Total	4.600
EXISTENCE LOAD ITEMS weight			44.060
+Assault Load			47.871
+Approach March Load			23.225
+Sustained March Load			22.840
Total Existence Load WT	137.996
Objective WT (Combat Load Report)	126.800

 

6. Recommendations. Based on the conclusions and calculations of this study, it is recommended:

 

a. Marine Corps accept the body weight and height of the average Marine as 169 pounds and 70” (respectively) and use these figures in current matrices for combat development.

 

b. Marine Corps adopt the Sustained March Load and the modified Existence Load definitions.

 

c. Marine Corps adopt the body weight percentage of 30%, 45%, 60%, and 75% of body weight as the percentage of load to be carried by the average sized Marine in the Assault, Approach March Load, Sustained March Load and Existence Load scenarios.

 

d. Based on recommendations from 6.a. and 6.c., Marine Corps adopt the calculated conclusions for loading Marines in the Assault, Approach March, Sustained March, and Existence load scenarios as 51, 76, 101, and 127 pounds (respectively).

 

e. Based on the average Marine weight of 169 pounds and an Existence Load weight of 129 pounds, Marine Corps adopt a combat load volumetric of 322 pounds (169 + 24 = 193 + 129 = 322) as a weight and balance load per Marine boarding a lift asset.

 

f. Update the weight and height data every five years.

 

g. Not all commands populate the Height/Weight portions of the PFT records and we lost data points. Recommend all commands fill-in this section of the PFT in order to allow future updates to the system regarding height and weight.

 

7. Future work.

 

a. Experiment with the optimum body weight percentages for the Sustained March Load and the Existence Load. The Naval Health Research Center (NHRC), San Diego, CA has a Human Performance section in their Physiology Department that can perform this study. Camp Pendleton could conceivably be the test bed.

 

b. Develop a Marine Corps doctrinal publication in which a Combat Load chapter is included; concurrently, develop a pocket field guide on methods for packing the load bearing equipment according to the various load scenarios.

 

c. Validate report results in an operational setting.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Military Publications, Standards, Reports, Handbooks:

 

1. Army Chief of Staff (2002) “Combined Arms Operations in Urban Terrain” Field Manual (FM) 3-06.11. HQ, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. 28 FEB 2002.

 

2. Ehrlich, R.J. (2001) “Chapter 11: Soldier’s Load and Combat Readiness” Joint Readiness Training Center Newsletter, No. 01-15 (JUL 01), Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL), US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Fort Leaven worth, KS 66027-1350; pp 71-76. downloaded from: http://call.army.mil 20 SEP 2003.

 

3. Army Chief of Staff (2000) “The Infantry Rifle Company.” Field Manual (FM) 7-10. HQ, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., 31 OCT 2000.

 

4. Department of Defense (1999) “Design Criteria Standard: Human Engineering.” Military Standard 1472F (MIL-STD-1472F). 23 AUG 1999.

 

5. Ministry of Defence (1997) “Human Factors for Designers of Equipment Part 3: Body Strength and Stamina.” Defence Standard (DEF-STAN) 00-25 (Part 3)/Issue 2. Ministry of Defence, Directorate of Standardization, Glasgow, G2 8EX;24 Jan 1997.

 

6. Ministry of Defence (1997) “Human Factors for Designers of Equipment Part 2:Body Size.” DEF-STAN-00-25 (Part 2)/Issue 2. Ministry of Defence, Directorate of Standardization, Glasgow, G2 8EX; 14 FEB 1997.

 

7. Department of Defense (1995) “Handbook for Human Engineering Design Guidelines.” Military Handbook 759C (MIL-HDBK-759C).

31 JUL 1995.

 

8. Department of Defense (1991) “Military Handbook Anthropometry of U.S. Military Personnel (Metric).” Department of Defense Handbook 743A (DOD-HDBK-743A). 13 FEB 1991.

 

9. Army Chief of Staff (1990) “Foot Marches.” Field Manual (FM) 21-18. HQ, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., 01 JUN 1990.

 

10. Army Chief of Staff (19XX) “The Infantry Battalion.” Field Manual (FM) 7-20. HQ, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., DD MMM YYYY.

 

11. Army Chief of Staff (1982) “Jungle Operations.” Field Manual (FM) 90-5. HQ, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., 16 AUG 1982.

 

12. US Marine Corps (1971) Evaluation of MARCES Platoon Load Distribution Report. Marine Corps Development and Education Command, Quantico, VA; 21 JAN 1971.

 

13. US Marine Corps (1970) Marine Combat Electronic System (MARCES) Platoon Final Report: The Platoon and Its Operations (Volume 2). HQ, Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.; 30 JAN 1970.

 

14. Army Chief of Staff (1967) “Principles Governing the Design of the Individual Equipment of the Combat Soldier.” Technical Bulletin (TB) 34-9-253. HQ, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C.

 

 

Science Publications, Technical Reports, Press Releases, Books, and Staff Papers:

15. Santee, W.R.; L.A. Blanchard; K.L. Speckman; J.A. Gonzalez; R.F. Wallace (2003) “Load Carriage model Development and Testing with Field Data.” USARIEM TECH NOTE TN03-3. Biophysics and Biomedical Modeling Division; US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA.

 

16. Fronduti-Polcyn, A.; C.K. Bensel; E. A. Harman; J.P. Obusek; C. Pandorf; P. Frykman (2002) “Effects of Weights Carried by Soldiers: Combined Analysis of Four Studies on Maximal Performance, Physiology, and Biomechanics.” Techincal Report: Natick/TR-02/010. US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command; US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA.

 

17. Whitaker, J. (2001) “New Rucksack Helps Soldiers Tailor Load.” SBCOM-Natick Press Release No:01-50. US Army Soldier Systems Center-Natick; US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, Natick MA; 19 SEP 2001.

 

18. Whitaker, J. (2001) “Physiological Monitors Key to Peak Performance.” SBCOM-Natick Press Release No: 01-58. US Army Soldier Systems Center-Natick; US Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command, Natick MA; 08 NOV 2001.

 

19. Butler, P.J.; C.J. Patterson (2000) “ The Effects fo Environment, Terrain, and Load on Infantry Soldier Performance.” ARL-MR-478. Weapons and Materials Research Directorate; Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD.

 

20. Harman, E.; P. Frykman; C. Pandorf; W. Tharion; R. Mello; J. Obusek; J. Kirk (1999) “Physiological, Biomedical, and Mechanical Performance Comparisons of Soldiers Carrying Loads using US Marine Corps Modular Lightweight Load-Carrying Equipment (MOLLE) and US Army Modular Load System (MLS) Prototypes.” Tech Report T99-4. US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command; US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA.

 

21. Knapik, J.; K. Reynolds (1997) “Load Carriage in Militray Operations: A Review of Historical, Physiological, Biomechanical, and Medical Aspects.” Tech Report:19971014-055. Army Research Laboratory Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD; US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA.

 

22. Townsend, S.J. (1994) “The Factors of Soldier’s Load.” Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) AD-A284-389. Defense Technical Information Center, FT Belvoir, VA.

23. Knapik, J; R. Johnson; P. Ang; H. Meiselman; C.K. Bensel; W. Johnson; B. Flynn; W. Hanlon (1993) “Road March Performance of Special Operations Soldiers Carrying Various Loads and Load Distributions.” Tech Report No. T 14-93. US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command; US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA.

 

24. Ezell, W.L. (1992) “Battlefield Mobility and the Soldier’s Load.” Command and Staff Paper. Marine Corps University, Quantico, VA.

 

25. Buckalew, L.W. (1990) “Soldier Performance as a Funciton of Stress and Load: A Review.” ARI Research Report 1545. Field Unit, FT. Hood, TX; US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.

 

26. Knapik, J (1989) “Loads Carried by Soldiers: Historical, Physiological, biomechanical, and Medical Aspects.” Tech Report T19-89. US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command; US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA.

 

27. Anonymous (1985) “Infantryman’s Combat Load” Command and Staff Paper. Marine Corps University, Quantico, VA.

 

28. Marshall, S.L.A. (1950) Soldier’s Load and the Mobility of a Nation. The Marine Corps Association, Quantico, VA (Jan 1980).

 

Periodicals:

 

29. Regalado, A. (2003) “Gearing Up: Girding the Grunt for War.” Wall Street Journal. 07 FEB 2003, PG. B.1.

 

30. Rorke, T. (2003) “Army Looks to Lighten Soldier’s Combat Load.” Belvior Eagle. May 2003.

 

31. Zoroya, G. (2003) “101^st Ready for Enemy Territory; Army Airborne Assault Unit Carries Variety of Weapons and Heavy Burden.” USA TODAY. 19 MAR 2003, pg. A.06.

 

32. Brill Jr., A.P. (2002) “The Last Ounce of Combat Readiness.” Navy League of the United States. Downloaded from URL: http://www.navyleague.org

 

33. “What Joe Carries.” 13 JUL 2001. Downloaded from URL: http://call.army.mil/products/sop/adams/chapter16.htm

 

34. Kennedy, H. (2001) “Army Striving to Lighten Load for Combat Soldiers.” National Defense. JUL 2001, pg. 30.

 

35. Goodman Jr., G.W. (1999) “ Revolutionary Soldier: US Army’s Land Warrior Program Turns the Corner and Shows Far-Reaching Potential.” Armed Forces Journal International. OCT 1999, pg. 56.

 

36. Solgere, A. (1999) “A Soldier’s Load…Revisited.” Marine Corps Gazette. Vol. 83 No. 10 (OCT 1999).

 

37. Luddy, J. (1996) “A Lighter Burden to Bear: Program Priorities Focus on the Individual Marine.” Marines Online. AUG 1996.

 

38. Porter, S.C. (1992) “The Soldier’s Load.” Infantry. Vol 82 #3 (May-Jun) 1992.

 

39. Inghram, D.C. (1987) “Lightening the Combat Load.” Marine Corps Gazette. 1987, Vol. 71 (3).