Australian Defence Force and Police Shopping List

Have you put any thought into what items you may need to make recruit training and enlisted life easier?

ADF and Police applicants face enough stress leading up to their enlistment day with their YOU session, medical clearance, beep tests and PFA assessments. Read on to shed some light on the unknown with a list of helpful items and where to find them.

THE SHOPPING LIST

G-SHOCK WATCH
This one is a must have for ADF and Police recruits. Water resistant, durable and has a number of useful features that standard watches don't. We recommend choosing a low visibility colour that blends in with your uniform in order to meet tactical and dress requirements. Click here to get yours today.

WHITE/RED LIGHT TORCH (AAA BATTERY)
Get yourself one of these from an Army Disposal, Camping shop or The Barracks Store. Preferably something small and lightweight with an interchangeable white and red-light filter and definitely powered by AAA batteries. The ADF runs on AAA’s so it might be worth picking up some spares as well.

MULTI TOOL
The ADF and Police Force will most likely issue you with a Multi Tool however they are low quality and pretty limited with their arsenal. Make sure at a minimum it contains a good quality wire cutter, knife, screwdriver and scissors. This piece of equipment is your lifeline in countless situations so invest in a good one.

DUCT TAPE
You will use this stuff for everything in a barracks and field environment including patching up your shelter in the field, reinforcing your personal kit as well as your trade related maintenance. Another endless possibility item that many recruits wish they had during training.

WATERPROOF STATIONARY
Briefing, documenting, recording and note taking are a constant requirement in military and police life. You will be expected to have the means to do so in any environment wet or dry. Invest in some waterproof pens, markers and pocket-sized notebooks to ensure you are always prepared to meet the standard of your peers and superiors.

RESEALABLE PLASTIC BAGS
As a former soldier who didn't listen to this advice, I am urging you to learn from my mistake. When packing for the field environment ensure that you store your clothing, food and other sensitive items in waterproof, resealable bags or sleeves. These can be found in any supermarket. Look for ziplock or sandwich bags. They may just save you from your commander's pre deployment waterproofing test or an unexpected torrential piss down.

MATCHES/LIGHTER 
An obvious one overlooked by many. Portable fire is a convenience taken for granted right up until you realise you have no way of heating up your dinner or destroying classified material. And there's nothing more shameful than crawling to the smoker's area begging for a light, except for what they might make you do to earn it.

JET BOILER 
These bad boys may not be allowed in basic training until you have demonstrated competent fieldcraft with the items issued to you so it might be worth waiting until after recruit training. However, once you have earned your stripes these are all the rage. Found in camping stores, these compact heaters are not much bigger than a coffee thermos and can boil water in minutes saving loads of time and stress around meal times. We highly recommend having a backup gas for it too.
 
BIVVY BAG 
Another ‘Veteran’ lifesaver that may not be allowed until after you have completed basic training is a Bivvy Bag. It's essentially a waterproof condom for your sleeping bag preventing water and dirt from contaminating your sleeping area and adding an extra layer of insulation. Some even come with a built-in mosquito net keeping uninvited guests from interrupting your beauty sleep. These wonderful assets can be found in military stores and camping shops. Worth every penny.
 
Conclusion
We have no doubts that this list will give Australian Defence Force and Police Recruits a solid head start for success during their training and the rest of their careers.

For any further inquiries regarding where to buy these items and how to use them, don't hesitate to contact our experienced coaching team.

Make sure to check back regularly for more blogs containing useful information aimed at enhancing the capability of Defence Force and Police Applicants.

(Written by Mitch Bambery - The Barracks Gym Coach