Prepare yourself and brush up on your skills with this unabridged, high-quality Civilian Reference Edition reissue of the official Basic Cold Weather Manual FM 31-70 US Army War Department Field Manual, 1959 release. This unclassified civilian reference edition manual represents the best knowledge about cold weather camping, hiking, and outdoors travel for the time and is packed full of essential tips and technique for using and maintaining equipment, clothing, and health during outdoors winter activity.
"This manual is designed to prepare the individual soldier and small unit commander to conduct military operations for extended periods of time under the most severe and varying cold weather climatic conditions. The doctrine and techniques in the manual are applicable in any area that has cold weather and snow with their accompanying operational problems. Troops properly trained in this doctrine and these techniques will be able to fight; live; and move in any cold weather area of the world."-From the Introduction.
This manual is designed to prepare the individual soldier and small unit commander to conduct military operations for extended periods of time under the most severe and varying cold weather climatic conditions. The doctrine and techniques in the manual are applicable in any area that has cold weather and snow with their accompanying operational problems. Troops properly trained in this doctrine and these techniques will be able to fight; live; and move in any cold weather area in the world.
It is the Army's fundamental purpose to win wars through land force dominance regardless of location or climate. This TM provides general doctrinal and technical guidance for operating equipment and ordnance materiel under extremely harsh cold weather conditions (0o to -65o F). Its primary purpose is to familiarize operators and crews with the special procedures and techniques for working in sub-zero temperatures. Also, this manual will assist unit commanders, supervisors (motor sergeants, battalion motor officers [BMOs]), and maintenance personnel in anticipating and planning for the onset of cold weather or an arctic deployment. Failure to follow this guidance can cause injury to personnel and damage to equipment, besides limiting mission accomplishment. This TM does not replace applicable Technical Manuals (TMs) for specific equipment operations, servicing, or repair. It is intended to provide an overview of the special unique difficulties encountered in cold weather operations. Refer to the appropriate operator or higher-level manual for specific instructions. The proponent of this publication is Headquarters, United States Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC). Much of the information in this manual was provided by the USA Cold Regions Test Activity, which is responsible for testing equipment designed for use by the soldier on the winter battlefield and the USA Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, which exists largely to solve technical problems that develop in cold regions, especially problems related to construction, transportation, and military operations.
