Your Pro Citizen Newsletter 73: The Humble Poncho Shelter; New Recon Handbook Release Date

In partnership with

…three hours in extreme weather

Inside the “rule of threes” you are familiar with just behind oxygenated blood at three minutes the need for shelter from the elements comes in at number two. So as long as you only have the holes you were born with and aren’t doing your best Aquaman imitation finding or building shelter is your next priority. Outside of exigent circumstances shelter also makes life tolerable when in the field while training, conducting legitimate missions, or just hiking for a few days with your buddies.

Space is always at a premium

We all have the challenge of trying to put five pounds of stuff in a ten pound bag (or 80 lb ruck). This volume problem becomes even greater when you leave your ruck behind and only roll with your load carriage or an LBE/assault pack combo. During blue sky mild weather this is not a big deal, but the rule of the infantryman is if there is shi**y weather within 100 miles it will be on top of your unit. You should always count on the weather to turn against you in the field, it is just the way it is. This universal truth removes the “I’ll just leave it behind” option when it comes to shelter.

The volume of our shelter options being restricted as it is requires a versatile and compact option. Depending on the weather and season the general triumvirate ruling shelter requirements is something to sleep in, something to sleep on, and something to sleep under (sleep for the infantryman or scout is in very loose and uncomfortable terms compared to what most of us had last night in our own beds). Pads, systems, bivy, compact tents may all be part of this but the simplest, inexpensive, versatile, and readily available for us is the military poncho. They are relatively light, compact, and with some practice can be setup in several shelter configurations.

Simple Example

There are several options that you can use for a poncho hooch, the techniques are near endless. Every seasoned infantryman has his “go to”. There are a few tactical principles that apply no matter what shelter option you choose, just make sure you stay within those (BLUES or BLISS acronym covered in the CM-6). Poncho tent, lean to, plow point, around-the-world, half and half…the list of setup options is endless. The simple lean-to is a great one to start with if you are looking for fast, easy setup and teardown.

Rigging

Simple, lightweight and fast setup/teardown are what we are after. Save the fiberglass poles and two room family tents for the KOA campgrounds, the goal is to setup something that is “good enough”. Adding bungee cords and pre-rigged stakes is the way to go in my experience. If you are in the desert southwest or the grasslands you will have to find a solution that works for you, but in general if you have two trees near each other this system will work.

• Military Poncho with hood tied off

• Two (four is better) 18 to 24 inch subdued color bungee cords with hooks

• Three (six is better) aluminum or titanium stakes with 550 loops

There are two reasons I carry stakes vs the “I’ll just cut stakes in the woods, carrying them is stupid” approach. First reason being it is hard to hide signs of stake carving when you leave the site; sharpened stakes and wood shavings violate our leave no trace principle as a scout. Second it takes time and effort to find and cut stakes and then you need to tie 550 to them…it is just too much trouble and takes way more time than having some lightweight stakes rolled up with your poncho.

Summary. This is just a quick easy example of “A” way of doing this. A poncho is always a great option, but it is not the only option. Whatever you choose be sure to get a lot of iterations under your belt in the field under poor conditions. You may have a great idea for a shelter model on paper, but as soon as the “little bit of stinging rain” starts it becomes a wet burrito. The key is find what works for you in your conditions and practice a few different options that will serve you in different conditions. A field expedient shelter day in the woods with new community members is an easy and fun way to introduce them to the craft and can be done without going all Tactical Timmy on them (at first).

The new CM-7 is finished! Man, that was a beast to get dialed in and write in a way that fit with the community’s requirements. This one was a work of heart and soul, I am so happy with how it turned out. If you have the CM-2 Recon manual and the FR-2 Recon Leader’s Guide this manual will round out that set on the recon subject. The Minuteman Recon Handbook will be released in about 20 days, we will let you know as soon as we have the specific date. We are just waiting on the first pallets of completed manuals from the printer and they will be ready for you!

Looking for unbiased, fact-based news? Join 1440 today.

Join over 4 million Americans who start their day with 1440 – your daily digest for unbiased, fact-centric news. From politics to sports, we cover it all by analyzing over 100 sources. Our concise, 5-minute read lands in your inbox each morning at no cost. Experience news without the noise; let 1440 help you make up your own mind. Sign up now and invite your friends and family to be part of the informed.

Subscribe to 1440 today.

Use of any DoD photos is done IAW US code and does not imply endorsement of the DoD or US Army.