Field Note book Suggestions?
 

Can any one suggest what type of field note book is best for SFAS. I noticed in everything I read about the packing list that note books are restricted to 4x6 size.
Im just trying to buy what I need ahead of time.

Im sure someone in the forums here has oppinions on what works best.
Warrior-Mentor states in his book to buy a water proof note book. I havent found anything like that in clothing sales yet. Thanks for any help yall

I would take Rite-In-The-Rain

#935 & #935T Shirt Pocket:
3" x 5" spiral bound with Universal pattern. 50 sheets.
GREEN -#935 - NSN# 7530-01-498-2080
TAN - #935T - NSN# 7530-01-505-3705
#C935 - Shirt Cover (Notebook sold Separately)

http://www.riteintherain.com/tact.html

NDD: Thanks for the reply. I dont know how often you actually need to take notes at SFAS. Will I need to take notes a lot during classes or am I required to have a field notebook because of the "Army standard" of every squared away soldier always has something to write with and something to write on? Thanks also for the Rite in the Rain link as well.

There's a reason the Army standard expects every squared away soldier to have something to write with and on at all times. The more tired you get and the more complicated the things you have to remember - the more likely you are to fail to recall key components of your mission/instructions. Take notes as required and use them. Don't forget OPSEC though and always remember to sterilize notes you no longer need. Rite in the Rain is good stuff and available in several formats. The only thing it won't work for is TP - not absorbent at all! :D Peregrino

this looks more like a packing list suggestion/recommendation...consider the source...i'd be gettin' me some if i were you...

Yeah, that. I still panic a little if I don't have a pen and a piece of paper in my pocket.

no kidding...if a guy works for me and i ask him to come into my office, he'd better come through the door with a writing instrument and something to write on...when i go see one of the other manager's, i usually have a pen and pad of paper with me...when i was a commander, it was very bad form to report to me without some way of taking notes...very bad form... :D

I really like the R in the R stuff. I printed my own CQB notebook out of it and I am working on a Sniper Data Book. Very easy to do if you have access to a laser printer.

Any good office supply store should have this type of notebook in various sizes, but you might have to special order them. They were a standing order for the construction company I worked for in Washington state. I'm sorry, but I can't remember the brand we used.

Specifically, you will take notes during lectures/classes unless you're already solidly grounded in Land Nav. I recommend taking notes even if you don't "need" to. You WILL need the paper to write down your route plan. I was never stopped, but had several buddies whose routes took them too close to roads and were stopped by Cadre. They had to be able to prove they had a reason to be there. If you stay off the roads, you'll be G2G. I had the 3x5 size and wish I had had the 4x6 one for drawing the intersections.

If this seems confusing, don't worry about it. The Cadre will explain everything you need to know.

Don't be last, don't be light, don't be late and especially this time of year DON'T be low. Good Luck!

Books

Noted! :D

the boss came back to my lair today to discuss some issues with a project...he received a call and needed to make a note...as he was fumbling around, i handed him a notepad (that i had to make notes of his comments) and a pencil...when he was done, i crossed my arms and tapped my foot..."I know, I know..." (he and i chewed on one of our colleagues for showing up at a meeting without pen and paper)..i just commented about his lack of military service (he's an AF Reserve Group Commander)....he said he owed me some push-ups...i said i'd e-mail him when i got tired... :D

I'm glad someone else admitted that before I did. I still use the green Army note pads I got in Supply before I retired. My co-workers make jokes about them but I don't forget things since I wrote them down.

Saved my butt a few times already.

Doc

my problem is that i don't always remember where i wrote them down... :confused:

Holy **** LOL!!

What Clothing Sales are you looking at? Let me guess, Ft Jackson?

You'll def find them at Ft Benning Cloth Sales and most shoppettes (during Abn School) as well as Bragg Cloth Sales. Ranger Joes and US Cav usually carry them as well...although they mark them up (of course).

BTW .. squared away you're getting the packing list together early.
JM

WM: Sorry for not responding back to you earlier. I have solved the field note book problem by buying a cordura nylon Rite in the Rain 4x6 note book. I really like this one above the other varieties I saw. I got it from General Jackson's on a recent visit to Ft Bragg and the SWC museum. WM I think this field note book would meet your approval. Thanks for posting in.
Somedic

Glad to help.

WM: I carried my new field note book on a five mile ruck march over the weekend and it rides well in my hip pocket. I listened to the advice offered members of this forum who took the time to post in. For every one question you guys answer, I can think three more so please tolerate me until Im tabbed or dead.
somedic

Are you a Special Operations Medic?

Pm sent.
 

PM headed your way NDD.

Not any more.

TR

This is an offshoot from the original post, but I haven't been able to find anything that would write well on this type of paper. The best I could find was a pencil, but that kind of defeated the purpose of using waterproof paper. Any suggestions?

Ird: The feild pens sold in most clothing sales works well for me. I have also found that a 0.5 mechanical pencil works ok if you dont have to erase to often.
haztacmedic

Depending on your AO, a pencil may not be a bad solution. When it gets cold, ink pens don't flow very well. Plain old wooden pencils are also handy in that there are no moving parts to break, they're easy to sharpen with just a pocket knife, and they can write on a wider variety of surfaces. In a pinch, you can also crumble some of the graphite stick as expedient graphite lubricant for metal on metal joints.

You are correct. A pencil works well.

Why does that defeat the purpose of waterproof paper? The purpose of waterproof paper is so that it doesn't turn into a soggy ball of crap when you are doing land nav in the rain.

You know, when the US decided to launch a man into space, NASA spent an enormous amount of money developing a pen that would write in zero gravity. You may have seen them in stores labeled as a "SPACE PEN." Even then, they don't work that great...I've used one.

You know what the Russians did?

They used a pencil. Saved the cost and it works 100% of the time. Plus you can fix mistakes.

Occam's Razor. Most of the time, the simplest solution is the right one.
Keep this lesson, it will serve you well throughout your career in SF.

Bottom line, a mechanical pencil with 5mm lead works great.

This doesn't diminish your post one bit, but FYI (and IIRC) Sir, the Russians used ballpoint pens. The reason it worked was because of surface tension on the tip.

The company says it took Fisher about 2 years and $2 million to develop the space pen.

Prior to 1967, there were no pens that worked in space so there were pencils used, but there were concerns about pencil dust floating around the space capsules as well as fears that if the tip of a pencil broke off and drifted into the electronics, there would be problems.

The full story has been debunked (snopes, etc), but it's there as an example.

Bottom line, NASA's problem with the pencil, won't be an issue for you walking in the woods...

JM

Sir, I don't know who's right - and it doesn't matter enough to wrestle over it. Like I said, your example holds true either way.

The source was Pedro Duque, astronaut for the European Space agency. Comment written 23rd October 2003.

With that said, I'd like to say thank you for enriching this board.

I will probably order your book when I've resettled, it seems very interesting.

Thanks for the information, guys.

Looks like I need to stick with my pencil. I've tried space pens, but haven't had much luck using them on waterproof paper. They seem to slide all over the paper.

My earlier comment about a pencil defeating the purpose of waterproof paper was focused more on my use of them. I bought my notebook to record landmarks and draw simple maps when hiking and fishing. Pencil lead rubs off this paper much faster than other paper. It's great for the short term, but I have to copy everything over if I want to keep it. Then I have to laminate that paper if I want to carry it back out with me. I wanted to eliminate that duplication.

This will not work in zero gravity. There is no flow of ink to the ball.

Try holding a pen upside down and writing with it. It will not work for very long.

TR

I've decided on the desert tan Rite in the Rain 4x6 cordura note book and pad.
It zips completely and fits well in my left BDU hip pocket. I drew a particular terrain feature on the water proof paper last weekend during a 5 mile ruck while sweating like a pig and had no problems with my sketch.

Found this item at General Jackson's on Yadkin Ave just off Ft. Bragg. I have no doubt that I was overcharged but I like Rite in the Rain stuff better than anything I found at Clothing Sales on Ft Bragg, Ft Jackson, or Charleston AFB.

The MCSS at those posts didn't stock Rite-In-The-Rain notebooks?

Razor: They had the Right in the Rain 4x6 note pads but only Gen Jacksons had the HSLD coyote/desert tan cover with pen slots and a pocket-all of which is closed with a zipper.

Might want to get in the habit of putting in one of your top pockets (under US ARMY or Name Tag). I remember plenty of times when crossing water obstacles or draws, when it looked shallow and I'd find myself sinking in waist deep. Even though it's waterproof...it's good to keep it dry as much as you can.

My $.02.