Once I get to my unit would I be able to carry a different aid bag instead of the standard M9 (I've been looking into the RATS aid bag)?

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 13:21:19 -0500

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 1:26 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 13:26:41 -0500

In my unit they don’t care as long as you have an aid bag. You do get issued one though.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 1:30 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 13:30:32 -0500

No. You will get what the Unit has issued (either M9 or Blackhawk bags, most likely the M9. MOST units will let you use your personal aid bag, but you’ll have to purchase that on your own.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 1:38 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 13:38:10 -0500

You’ll likely be able to carry any bag, depending on SOP, but in the end...they are all bags.
There is a lot of whiz-bang stuff written about one bag over another, but at least 1/2 of it is BS; knowing what to pack, why, and how to access it through muscle memory is WAY more important.
You don’t rise to the occasion, you drop to your lowest level of training. That is true of every emergency.
Know what you have, where it is, how to use it, and drill, drill, drill. Also, look closely at evidence based medicine and peer reviewed studies before buying into ideas out there.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 2:03 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 14:03:02 -0500

I use a STOMP 2 bag that I've had for years. I make sure my junior medics and CLS have all the essentials. All of their bags are dress right dress. You can pick up any aid bag (other than mine) in my company and know what goes where. That being said, my bag is well labeled. I also ordered WALK bags. Long story short, it depends on your NCO.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 2:45 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 14:45:35 -0500

If you have a personal bag they might let you carry it, however you should wait until you understand what the “usual” packing list consists and the type of missions you’ll undertake and if you’re a line medic stick to the standard bag bc you might end up swapping bags with another medic.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 5:37 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 17:37:45 -0500

Once you learn the basics of SOP’s your medic NCO has for you then you can carry and have whatever you want stocked the way you want

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 6:34 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 18:34:11 -0500

It all depends on SOP but be cautious with your bag choice because the bigger the bad the more inclined you'll be to cram it full of anything and everything you think you'll need. I personally have a RATS pack and I love it but it also weighs 40 lbs packed and there are no good ways to carry it with a ruck, or an assault pack for that matter. I use it when I'm doing mounted operations but if we're going light for a few days with our rucks a RATS is going to be a night mare to work with. I have a second bag similar to the M9 that is a couple inches deeper and has two pockets on each side, I'm not sure of the name of it. I use that one with rucks because you can clip it on to it without it throwing off your balance or wrecking your back. It's nice intermediate between an m9 and something bigger like a RATS or a stomp. Also you're making privates pay don't jump right away into buying a $600 bag.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 6:36 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 18:36:24 -0500

I also just saw your previous post about being slotted for airborne you're gonna want to make sure your aid bag is jumpable too, I know mystery ranch came out with a jumpable RATS pack but it would suck to drop hundreds of dollars on a bag you can't jump with

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2018 7:21 PM

PV2 Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 19:21:35 -0500

Thank you sergeant

Response by SSG Dave Johnston made Jan 21 at 2018 9:30 PM

SSG Dave Johnston — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 21:30:34 -0500

That M-9 carries a whole lot more than the M-5 I use to carry add 2 of the 3-Pocket bags for JIC and that was just for range coverage/M-113/ Cracker Box. Would use 40/60mm ammo cans stocked with Med Gear on either the M-577 or M-113, was great for resupply; but that was during the Cold War days. Think of what you'll be facing... IV's, Bandages, empty MRE boxes for splints, 100 MPH tape and Par Cord.
Pack up your M-9 and secondary bag and hump 5 miles. That should be a good indicator of WTH was I thinking

Response by CPL Chris Palmberg made Jan 24 at 2018 10:02 PM

CPL Chris Palmberg — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 22:02:45 -0500

Before you get too carried away trying to be the baddest mofo to ever wear the Caduci, remember this. Your unit dictates your gear... Regardless of the promises of your recruiters & instructors, you have no idea what your mission is going to be. You'll hit reception, and be assigned based on the needs of the post. If, like me, you manage to grovel and beg your way out of a CSH into a line brigade, you still might end up as the BN Med PL driver... wait until you know what your mission is going to be.
Even then, start with what the unit issues. You might find that an old tri-fold ambulance bag meets your needs. If you're working a PAD, your personal kit will likely consist of your own stethoscope & little else. Your scope of practice is dictated by your supervising provider... If he doesn't trust you to take a pulse, you're not going to need a bag, because you'll be ostracized to the motorpool, with frequent servings voluntold missions.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 27 at 2018 10:31 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 22:31:40 -0500

I wouldn't worry about it, depending on unit you might be given a different one anyway. Plus once you deploy your unit may buy the medics better ones. Plus keep in mind unless you are on the line chances are you wont be carrying one.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 12 at 2018 8:05 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 12 Feb 2018 20:05:57 -0500

Just learn your job man. If you learn your aid bag by heart it won’t matter which one you use.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 5 at 2018 6:29 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 06:29:48 -0500

Unit SOP but generally if you want to buy an aid bag to use it’s allowed so long as it follows general conventions (i.e. color, jump certified if needed, etc.). There isn’t a true “standard” bag per day, though the M9 is probably the most ubiquitous.

That said, most perform the same job just as well, and its how you use the stuff that matters. I would be careful about dropping 450 bucks on a mystery ranch bag, as nice as they are. You will run into lots of bags over time, and I would suggest trying a few and actually humping them around for a bit before buying something.