Chief J. Chudwin

What to bring, what to buy, what worked and why.

Leg holsters look great but trap too much heat. Wore my regular belt holster I wear everyday. Comfortable and cool. Carried my 5.56 mm Rock River with EoTech and RediMag daily as protection for the team. Corbon DPX 53 grain and Federal Tactical 62 grain carried. Started with full size match AR built by master gunsmith Ned Christiansen at MichiGuns when we first cleared the city as it has 3.5 x 10 Leupold with dot reticle (by Premier Reticle). Wanted magnification as the day we arrived NOPD shootout with 6 bad guys killed who fired on Army Corps of Engineers from building as they were working in boats around a bridge. After that even the stupidest of the criminals got the message. Full size gun with all add on's was way heavy for toting all day. Carbine size much easier and for close work, all that I felt was needed.
I and others had heat rash on our feet and legs.

I left my knee pads in place but low on my shins to be ready but not too tight. Held the heat close to my legs and rash was on.

Gold Bond Medicate Powder and hydrocortisone cream most recommended. Change socks once a day and put on powder. Not so easy to do...

Take along a power strip to accept multiple plug-ins such as cell phone charger as you may find electrical power but the few outlets are not enough when you are with others.

Zip lock bags in 1/2 and 1 gallon are the best for separating and protecting items. I put my badge case and paperwork in one with the TOC and EOC numbers facing out so I could locate tx numbers and make calls without having to open anything. Protected from water and sweat.

Telephones: NEXTEL did not work reliably from south of St. Louis to South of New Orleans. We had NO service along hundreds of miles of I-55. I spoke with others including Federal Agents who use them as their primary comm. same experience. I am communicating with Nextel now and expressed my great displeasure and want to know why we all should stay with them. Verizon worked continuously. As John Farnam wrote to me...text messaging may work when all else does not BUT you have little time to pound out text messages.
Team leader friend told me today he carried both Nextel (which did not work for him) and a Verizon cell phone which did work for him. California USAR Team Leader I worked with had Verizon and his phone worked when mine had no signal.

The small Motorola family radios with subchannels were of value for short range comm as we could communicate within our team during transport and in and around buildings. Take 3 AA batteries,so take 24 extra minimum.

Carry at least half dozen 3 Volt Lithium Batteries for Surefire Lights and cameras.

Cameras get a small digital with big memory and get photos. The new ones take incredibly good photos. carry in Zip Lock bag. Digital video camcorder is great also.

Sanitary individ. foil packed disinfectant hand wipes, CLOTH band aids, lip balm, bug repellent in foil packs, Kleenex pack, suture kit (sewing stuff including yourself) also needed and small space items. Sun block in small roll on container...as back up.

Walmart has blow up air bed in Twin Size. Get D Cell battery powered blower to fill with. Highly recommended as it keeps your back from heading down the spasm chasm, from sleeping on back breaking cots or ground, Yes, when you are a kid you can take it...we old men need some minimal comfort.

We took too much stuff and then leaned it down.


We had two CAR-15's or M-4's for security for team and all the rest handguns and hand tools. The fight was over so how much extra ammo does one need? Two extra handgun mags and two AR mags in a RediMag. There were so many troops and aircraft in the areas that any gunfire would have attracted (in one case did) many to assist.

All pistols and mags with blue finish I saw rusted in the high humidity and exposure from sweat or nasty water. Glocks unaffected. My Gov. model with Robar Roguard (great stuff and Robbie Barrkman owner of Robar is the best of the best) finish was untouched except for blue steel rear sight that rusted but was cleaned off with 0000 steel wool (recommend a small pad in your cleaning kit) and lubed.

A good knife is mandatory and my Spyderco Rescue that I always carry is a top choice. I also have a K-BAR new edition (got to find the name) with short curved fixed blade in Kydex type sheath. Problem is the knife was pulled from the sheath by friction of the vest carrier and lost (as I could not locate it) until last day packing when my partner found it between the seat of the squad, Good knife...not so secure sheath design...got to get word to K-BAR.

External body armor vest carrier much preferred as under shirt vest is too darn hot in extreme weather. Most did not have external carrier and paid the price in heat. Many simply did not wear it ...and as we faced a deserted or dead area it was OK (for them)...I wore mine but paid the heat price one day.

Balance one possible risk with one certain one. We need an undershirt that is cooled by water circulated by a micro pump....

Carry small container of Bleach. Add about half an ounce to a bottle of water (mark with Sharpie as NOT DRINKING WATER) and then squirt the bottled water as a decon unit for shoes etc. Doc Gunn says 5% solution is all that is required.

Large plastic garbage bags fit in a small bag and can be used to carry contaminate clothes and boots in your squad. You do not want or need to throw things out as we just took them to either the laundromat or decon area and cleaned them.

Keep several N-95 face masks in a zip lock to protect against airborne matter and smell / funk. carry a small container of Metholatum for the bad smells and to keep inside of nose moist. If none, use Carmex lip balm.

One 4 Inch Israeli Battle Dressing (IBD) and pair of Latex gloves in side pocket. Thanks Doc Gunn for your instruction.

Clip small carabiner to vest cover and attach Nomex flight gloves for use. Make holes in glove sleeves to go through.

Anything not attached SECURELY is GONE for sure.

Carry a number of Large heavy strength rubber bands for holding and attaching.

Duct Tape mandatory. Wrap some around a flashlight shank. Carry a Sharpie permanent marker to mark stuff and write on surfaces.

A waterproof military type notebook and pen worked very well.

Watch with alarm clock function to get you up at 0400 hrs.

Fan to cool and give white noise when in communal sleeping areas. Ear plugs for sure when faced with snoring....like chain saw. Love my team mate Ray but sure needs surgery...snore-ectomy.

We were given yellow rubber over boots that were very compact and slipped over our boots. When done, we cut them off and left them lay. Not sure who made them. Very much recommended.

Shower clogs VITAL as any shower / head areas with 150 men using are like the bus station...Feet touch floor and fall off soon after. I should have taken a picture...
Tinactin foot spray used daily to ward off the creeping rot.

One roll of Toilet paper carrier compacted in a zip lock bag.

Trim hair and mustache short.

Put on sunblock then bug spray before dressing. Treat bottom of pants, top of boots with bug spray...90% DEET. Reapply sunblock when sweating and bug repellent.

DO NOT reach into any unknown spaces (use flashlight to see or stick to poke) as the snakes have been displaced and there are brown recluse spiders. SHAKE OUT your boots BEFORE putting them on and DO NOT reach inside to check them. Do NOT get in your sleeping bag until you check it, especially if you are in the boonies.If using cots in the bush areas, put the legs in a cup or can of water with some oil mixed in. The millipedes and other biting MoFu's will not easily climb up the legs and attack your privates.

One of the Calif. USAR guys I was with was bit by a spider (type unknown) on his spine; big nasty bite too. Seemed to take it in stride. Them USAR Californian's are tough.

Also, the twin curses of the traveler, diarrhea and constipation are not a joke. Immodium and Milk Of Magnesia are what my Doc friends said to bring. Luckily we on our team needed neither but one of our other team brothers got the dysentery from either bad food, water, or something...Eruptive lower GI is a drag when on operations. Dr. Jones patented Butt Plug in order. He was cured with prescription.

Keep hands clean and fingers out of eyes and nose. Cut nails short. Cover any abrasions or small cuts with Liquid Skin...one our team took a dive in the muck and had an abrasion that was so covered...deconned immediately and to date not falling off gangrenous.

Food...Power Bars (chocolate) kept in CamelBak next to ice and water combo so not melted. Filled CamelBak with ice first thing in am. Lifesavers wintogreen in pocket for dry mouth.

GatorAid or PowerAid mandatory...ton of it at the posts we met at.

Carmex Lip Balm in screw container in pocket.

Good sunglasses with retaining strap so glasses do not fall off and can be hung from neck. Used Wiley -X Vents. Out of production but the best I have found. Walmart lens cleaners in small packet in pocket as lenses get fingerprint and oil from fingers.

Walmart sells sport type T-Shirts (like the brand name stuff) that are not cotton and allow sweat to pass through for $7.

...get the LOOSE type; it was the best thing I had...cotton is not happening when wet.

We wore BDU pants but not BDU long sleeve shirts.Too hot for us...

Sweat head band.