PLCE assemble CEFO combat fighting order

7/24/2019 PLCE assemble CEFO combat fighting order

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AssemblingPLCEwebbingcorrectly

isnotaseasyasitseems,though,

comparedtoitspredecessor

-P58

-itisapieceofcake.Themo

stpopular

waytodoitiscalledCEFO(C

ombat

EquipmentFightingOrder).Let

ustry

tomakesuchawebbingset.

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All parts of this set are described in Infantry

Training Volume I, Skill at Arms (Individual Training),

Pamphlet No.2 Fieldcraft, Battle Lessons and

Exercises. This is an another stupid regulationsbook, which probably nobody will ever see or read

as a whole, but you should know that such a thing

exists.

Start assembling your PLCE from belt (belt, main).

Make sure that the two D-rings are located exactly

in the middle of your back. The belt can be adjusted

on the left side using a metal C-ring, which ends

should be mounted in the vertical locator slots.

On the right adjustments can be done with buckles.

There are three sizes of belts - for fat people

(86 cm), normal (81 cm) and for absolute anorexics

(71 cm).

Now for the pouches. Mounting them starts from

the middle of the belt (centre of users back). For

optimal effect, all pouches should be placed on

the users sides, while the front remain empty

space. Why? Because PLCE is an infantry webbing

invented in the 80s, when the best way to avoid

the hail of enemy bullets was lying on the ground,

and the most common way to move - crawling.

This is why the pouches are designed so as not

to spill their content and so the soldier would notsuffer from pressing hard angular objects into his

guts.

Right in the middle of the belt (between D-rings)

there is a place for entrenching tool case (ETC) or

utility pouch. The latter should be fastened using

snap fasteners and velcro tape avoiding the outer

straps. This solution is particularly handy when you

need to detach your pouch quickly in emergency.

Now put two water carrier pouches on both sides ofthe first pouch. Mind that these pieces have wider

fastening than utility pouch. This design works

more efficiently on the section of the belt lacking

the support of shoulder straps.

Then mount ammo pouches (ammunition pouch

universal) on both sides. Similarly, to the utility

pouch, use only the black T-rings. All pouches

should be put adjacent to each other as tight as

possible, even if it means bending the belt slightly.


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After assembling pouches now is the time to strap

the yokes. Start with the back straps checking theirlength so that the main part of the shoulder straps

ends right underneath your neck. Then mount the

front straps. People usually strap them to the first

pair of A-rings (counting from the front), but try

to attach them to the second (rear) A-rings at an

angle of 45 . When the same thing is done with the

middle straps, you get two side points of support,

and your PLCE will not be pulling you back (as in

the case of ALICE webbing). The rear pair of straps

as well as the middle ones should be rolled up andsecured using insulating tape. Let the front straps

hang loose - you need to maintain at least a minimal

possibility of adjusting your webbing.

When configuring webbing, consider using someaccessories, which will make your PLCE more

comfortable and functional. The most important of

them is the hippo pad (also called comfort pad, or

simply a hip pad) - the human equivalent of a horse

blanket, protecting the lower part of the soldiers

back against chafing from his webbing.

Once, it was home-made from pieces of foam roll

mats sewn into old military trouser legs and later

substituted with issue hippo pad introduced along

with Pattern 95. This invention spared many usersfrom having their fingers needle-punctured or from

seeking services of a local tailor. The difference

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between using PLCE with and without hippo pad

is significant, I strongly recommend obtaining one.

Another important addition is an utility strap, which

can be threaded through the loops of pouches

from the fasteners side, and then firmly tightened.

This ensures that your webbing will be more

stable - especially when running. Soldiers also tie

the pouches from the outside, using thick rubber

bungee cords with hooks on each end. It is a good

solution, especially on bivaque. A pair of bungee

cords can be used to efficiently secure a basha

(British army slang for tarpaulin) and create a pretty

good shelter. Another thing worth considering is

sewing pieces of flat rubber band (like those on

Mk6 helmet covers) on shoulder straps and pouch

flaps. It will allow you to insert a bit of vegetation to

camouflage your webbing.

The last detail, which you should remember about,

is taping the upper part of the citek fasteners with

insulating tape. Fastening will gain more stability

and citek will not open on its own accord. As for the

top, loosely hanging end of each citek (this part of

the Spanish buckle, which you should pull to open

the pouch), under no condition should you pull

it through the lower (female) part of the buckle.

Such a technique can be found on the Internet

video tutorials advertised as a good way to close

the pouch. In fact, the only thing you would achieve

by applying it would be weakening the lower part

of the buckle and ultimately breaking it. When you

buy PLCE second-hand, always check if it was not

damaged this way, as citeks are crucial parts of

pouches and hard to replace.

HOW TO PACK PLCE CORRECTLYNow I will discuss shortly canonical stuff,

which should be packed in the PLCE. It is worth

remembering that the full contents of PLCE depends

on the task, the mission objectives, functions in the

team, the terrain and the expected enemy, however

certain elements are constant regardless of the

variables listed above.


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Ammunition pouch, universal, NSN 8465-99-132-

1557 consists of two combined pockets, each

accommodating three standard magazines for

SA80 rifle. Pocket flap is fastened with citek and a

large piece of velcro, on the back there are narrow

T-ring fastenings and belt loops. In the upper front

part there is a small female fastex, which is used

for connecting Daysack straps (also known as

Jetpack - a small rucksack assembled from two

side pockets of the Bergen backpack).

Ammunition pouch, left. As the name suggests, it isthere to carry ammunition, in the end this is what it

was designed for. Each pocket can accommodate

three magazines for SA80.

Alternatively, you can also put

a can of beer inside, it will fit

exactly.

Ammunition pouch, right. As

above - here you can carry

everything you can shoot or

throw at an opponent, and - ifthere is still a place - weapon

cleaning utensils (a bottle of

oil, a cleaning rod and a piece

of flannel).

Water carrier pouch/canteen

pouch, NSN 8465-99-132-

1556 is a sizable chunk of

pouch. In contrast to the utility

pouch, it has no attachmentsto the shoulder straps, but

inside there is a compartment

for placing hexamine cooker

and fuel supply for a whole

month. The pouch flap also

contains a tiny pocket for

water disinfecting tablets. At

the back there is a wide belt

fastening stabilized by T-rings.

It is good to have two such

pouches in your PLCE. One is

used for storing a water bottle

with cup (pattern 58). The other

should contain a set of mess-

tins, part of the food ration,

as well as the aforementioned

hexamine cooker with fuel.

Even if you carry your posh camelbak, never get

rid of a water bottle - use it to store water required

for cooking.

Utility pouch, NSN 8465-99-132-1558, like the

ammunition pouch, has shoulder straps fastenings,

a buckle for connecting the Jetpack and narrow

belt fasteners. Can be used for storing everything

which is useful or required by the mission. For

example, some users keep in it their Gore-Tex suit,

some survival box, others first aid kit.

Utility pouch can be replaced by entrenching tool

case (ETC), NSN 8465-99-132-1554. A standard

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NATO entrenching tool (trifold) to be put inside is a

useless piece of rubbish. The thread disintegrates

faster than your teeth after drinking from an

aluminium cup, but it has cool looks in the pouch

and, generally speaking, in the sand or soft soil

without stones you can enjoy yourself digging a bit.

Many soldiers choose another option, and in the

middle of their belt wear two utility pouches instead

of one, treating the first of them as first-aid kit case,

and the other as an all-purpose pouch.

I advise against wearing a gas mask pouch(haversack respirator, NSN 8465-99-132-1559) as

a buttpack - PLCE is not ALICE webbing and the

haversack is not prepared for this role. Attachment

to a belt is placed so high, that while running, it will

make you look like an actor training for the role in a

film for adults. A place for haversack is on the left

side of the webbing: on the belt instead of the left

canteen pouch or below pouches on the left thigh

- the latter option is mounted using a special strap

sewn at the top of the haversack, which should

intersperse the loops of trousers.

Shoulder straps (yoke, main,

NSN 8465-99-132-1560) are very

characteristic elements of the

PLCE. Untypically they consist of

front, middle and rear straps, two

of each, which make them easy

to recognise. The rear (narrower)

pair of straps fulfils transport

role - it is just a new version ofthe known P58 poncho roll. The

soldiers willingly strap to their

yokes things like rolled hessian

sacks or basha. I advise against

mounting bayonet cover there -

it easily gets lost.

On one of the shoulder straps

(usually on the left one) you can

fasten a Bowman radio case

(personal-role radio pouch,

NSN 8465-99-978-7651). There

are two types of covers - one is

wide, sturdy, with olive lining and

two rows of four snap fasteners

at the back for mounting the

pouch on a chest rig. It has also

a vertical strap with buckle to

prevent the radio from falling

from the case. The other radio

pouch is dedicated to use with

PLCE - it is floppy and on one

side it has rough holes cut in

Cordura allowing the use of

radio buttons and outputting the

transmitting wire. The radio is secured in place by

two straps encircling the pouch in the horizontal

plane and fastened with buckles. On the top of the

pouch there is also an elastic cord loop with a snapfastener. The distinction between the two types of

pouches is worth remembering, because when you


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carry a backpack over your PLCE webbing, having

the first type of PRR pouch mounted on the yoke is

really uncomfortable.

Now back to the yokes. The straps on the back of

the neck are used to mount a single Bergen side

pouch. If you insist, you can attach two of them,

but it is definitely more convenient to use a Jetpackmounted on its dedicated shoulder straps known

as yoke, side pouch.

If you think about losing weight, think again, because

the longer the main belt, the more pouches it can

accommodate, along with some stylish gadgets

such as the aforementioned bayonet cover called

frog, NSN 8465-99-132-1567. With its plastic

scabbard the frog is used for carrying the contract

SA80 bayonet. Other useful pouches include ammo

pouch for gunners (200-rd Minimi pouch, NSN

8465-99-679-8281), pistol holster (holster, pistol

(other arms), NSN 8465-99-978-5365), which can

be also mounted independently on a special strap,

or an interesting first aid kit pouch (trauma pouch,

NSN 8465-99-978-4567), which is about the same

size as utility pouch but much more capacious.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a wide range of

different pouches compatible with PLCE, allowing

to customize the webbing to fulfil various tasks and

functions.

Of course soldiers would not be soldiers unless

they tried to modify or improve the equipment,

which they have received from the quartermaster.

Now I shall discuss briefly some the most popular

customizing techniques:

replacement of the main belt - manysoldiers, especially those who, for unknownreasons, tend to jump out of a perfectly functioning

aircraft, substitute their main belt with a so-called

roll pin belt, the belt with parachute buckle. You

can reenact this by buying the belt from one of

the private companies (eg. HM Supplies), or by

replacing only the buckle of your contract belt.

replacement of the pouch flaps - alsoa paratroopers idea with two good reasons to use

it. Citek fasteners have a tendency to unbuckle

during a jump, besides, if they are poorly fastened

(which I have explained already), they often break.

So the Spanish buckles are frequently replaced by

wide pieces of Velcro tape along with a stud. The

idea was picked up by private companies that offer

ready-made pouches (and even complete webbing

sets) with this type of fastening system.

straping the bayonet frog directly intopouches - lets face it: bayonet strapped to the

belt does not lie perfectly. Moreover, the compact,

symmetrical block of pouches is distorted, so

ultimately ammunition pouches on one side of

PLCE are closer to the buckle, and the other are

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farther away. Soldiers solve this problem by burning

small holes in the side of the left ammo pouch,

and by attaching the bayonet cover with a piece

of paracord. A more radical conversion is based

on making horizontal incisions in the ammunition

pouch, through which the bayonet cover fasteners

are threaded. The third and the least invasivemethod is to attach the lower fastener of the

bayonet cover to the interconnected side loops of

two adjacent pouches and the upper fastener to

the middle yoke strap (the one running at an angle)

- directly or through a piece of elastic band or cord.

USE OF PLCEDespite the fact that nowadays there are many

better, lighter and more sophisticated webbings

available, PLCE is still an efficient and comfortablesolution for enthusiasts of the old-school military

gear. Being copied by many private companies -

including the top-shelf ones like Arktis as well as a

lower quality like WebTex - proves the popularity of

the classic design.

A fully loaded PLCE can weigh up to 12 kg, so

distributing this burden evenly is as important as

good fitting. The wide, padded yoke main fulfils this

task perfectly. Combined with a properly configured

main belt and hippo pad it ensures comfort and

stability of the webbing.

PLCE can be worn in two different ways:

without a backpack PLCE can be placedhigh, at the waist level. Note that you will be unable

to rest your arms down your hips and may look like

a watermelon seller.

with a backpack PLCE is worn on hips.This combination has its benefits and drawbacks.Fastening your backpacks waist belt is now really

difficult but PLCE should take on its role, however,

unless properly adjusted, the yokes will severely

hurt your shoulders.

As a relic of the Cold War PLCE is perfect for green

side operations or reconnaissance, everything

requiring prolonged lying down or crawling.

Standing, kneeling or lying down, the user has

good access to the ammunition pouches, bayonetand water bottle, so - to the most important things.

Using PLCE in vehicles is another matter. The

big bulky pouches make sitting comfortably

almost impossible, not to mention any additional

movements. In such situations the legendary

universality of PLCE is a bit overestimated.

A considerable weight of the webbing is - for

modern standards - also a drawback. These kind

of imperfections inspired a number of independent

companies not only to copy, but also to improve

the classic design - with interesting results. But this

is quite a different story...

PLCE assemble CEFO combat fighting order

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