Hydration

Temperatures can vary but adequate hydration is essential.  When the temperatures rise, there needs to be a corresponding increase in hydration with both fluid and electrolyte replacement.  Therefore, TWO CANTEENS, or a CAMELBACK AND ONE CANTEEN must be carried by everyone.  While only water should go into the camelback, the canteen can hold either water or other fluid replacement.

Please make sure that both canteens and camelbacks are clean when the cadet arrives at Encampment.

Medications

Cadets are not permitted to self-administer any medications.  This includes Aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, etc .  Any and all medications the cadet needs to take must in the original container as dispensed by the pharmacy.  Over-the-counter medications must be in their original containers.

The medications will be given to Medical at sign-in and returned at graduation.

Cadets who need to carry inhalers or epi-pens with them must carry those items in the right cargo pocket of their pants.  This will make it quicker to locate the medication, should the need arise.  Medical must be made aware of which cadets are carrying these medications.

In case a cadet uses his epi pen, the cadet must bring a second epi pen or a current prescription in his name allowing the medical staff to get it filled at a local pharmacy.  Money to pay for the prescription needs be arranged in advance through ENC administration.

Boots

Do NOT wear new (not broken-in) boots at Encampment.  Since you will be wearing them for upwards of 18 hours per day, the likelihood of blisters is increased.  If you have no other choice but to wear new boots, one of the time-honored way ways to break in boots to the shape of your feet is “Soak them wet and walk them dry.”  You should consult the store where purchased, the manufacturer or a reputable outdoor equipment supplier for full details as to how to accomplish this without causing damage to the boots or your feet.  To give you a quick overview of the general process, one first applies moleskin to blister-prone areas of your feet before putting on dry socks.  Having soaked the boots in lukewarm water or other liquid to soften them prior to putting them one, the boots are placed on the feet and one starts walking.  After the boots are fully dried while wearing, they are removed and treated with a conditioner recommended by the manufacturer.  As newer materials are increasingly incorporated into boot manufacturing, always read all labels and consult with the manufacturer as how to best care for your boots.

Beware wearing used (purchased or borrowed) boots at Encampment.  Used boots in good condition can be a real bargain but realize they are broken in to someone else’s foot, NOT YOURS.  You may be fortunate if your feet and the previous owners feet were similar.  If not however, this can be worse than brand new boots.  They can be stretched too much in certain areas of the boot, allowing your foot to slide back and forth creating friction leading to blisters.  There are materials available to fill in these voids.  You may want to consult the manufacturer, a reputable shoe repair facility or a member of the Armed Forces who have “Been there, Done that”.  The only way to ensure you will not have a problem during ENC is always make sure the boots fits properly prior to ENC.  In the weeks preceeding ENC, wear them for increasing periods of time to see they remain comfortable on your feet.  If you develop pain, stop at once and see if you can identify and remedy the problem.  Largely this accomplished by the incremental application of the scientific method of trial and error.  Once you can walk all day in them without a problem, you and your boots are ready for ENC.

Socks

Do NOT wear all cotton socks.  The socks you wear should perform three functions.  First, wicking away moisture from your feet is essential and best accomplished by a synthetic or synthetic blend (such as polypropylene or coolmax), though wool is good.  Second, padding the foot to minimize shock and friction delivered to skin and foot.  Third, they transfer the friction from the skin’s surface to the socks.  While some socks can provide all functions, even more effective is wearing more than one pair of socks.  The best combination of socks is a thin liner sock (polypropylene,coolmax, teflon, etc.) to provide the wicking and friction reduction, with a thick synthetic/synthetic or wool blend outer sock minimizing shock and further friction reduction.  The inner wicks moisture away from your feet, keeping them nice and dry, while the outer sock cushions the foot and absorbs the moisture, aiding in removal of the moisture by evaporation.

Blisters

Blisters are actually localized second degree burns caused by heat or friction.  The friction causes the top two layers of the skin to separate where the fluid collects.  They are mostly found on the feet and are the most common cause for evacuation on back country trips.  Be aware and take care of your feet so blisters can easily be avoided, or at least caught as early as possible and treated before they become a serious problem.

Blister Prevention

Boots must be broken in or re-molded to your foot so you can comfortably spend all day in them prior to arrrival.  If you have not achieved comfort in wearing your boots all day long, serious blisters are in your future and it is doubtful you will complete the week.  While we want everyone eligible to come to and complete ENC, one should seriously consider postponing till next year (see Cancellation) as blisters are the number one medical reason for not completing the week.

If you are one of those people that get blisters no matter what you do to prevent them, a good solution is duct tape use.  Take a piece of duct tape and place it smoothly and not too tight over the spot on your foot where you get blisters.  This will prevent or minimize blister formation.  The duct tape acts as a friction reducer or lubricant for your foot, similar to oil in your engine.  Your boot slides against the duct tape, not your foot, so therefore, there is no friction between your foot and the boot, and therefore, no blisters.  The only drawback is on a hot day, your feet will retain more heat depending on the size of the area taped.  If it gets get a little too hot for comfort, you may have to rely on other measures and not use duct tape.  But if you’re one of those duct tape haters, or for whatever reason you won’t put duct tape on your feet, there are other ways of preventing blisters.  One way is to use a liner sock. Another is to prevent your sock from bunching up in the toes of your boots, by keeping your boots laced up snugly against your foot to eliminate your foot from sliding back and forth in your boot.  A third way is to vary the tightness of the laces on the the front and back of the boot according to your need, by a triple-twist or half-knot in the laces over the arch.

Treatment for Hot Spots

A hot spot always comes before a blister.  So if you feel a hot spot, STOP!  You need to stop, and treat the hot spot before it forms into a nasty blister.  In 2005 a cadet did not stop and finished the last 6 days of Encampment in sandals.  At Encampment, ask the medic for moleskin.  When you are getting ready to rack, check your feet.  The medics are readily available all day and make rounds in the evening, looking for problems.  Ask them and they will help you.

Treatment for Blisters

At Encampment, get help from a medic.  In the field, you are foolish for not treating the hot spot that occurred only moments before.  Remember, no blister is good blister.  But if you get a blister, it must be treated properly so that it doesn’t become infected.  First off, the liquid in the blister is sterile, and as long as the blister has not been popped, it is a closed wound, and therefore, infection is impossible.  To keep the wound closed, you need something thicker than ordinary duct tape.  Moleskin works great for this (partly because blister treatment is what moleskin was invented for).  The medics carry moleskin and will fit it to your blister as follows:

• Cut a square of moleskin large enough so that it covers the blister, and has an extra inch to two inches of moleskin surrounding the blister.
• Fold the moleskin in half. On the folded edge, cut a half circle the size of the blister.
• Open the moleskin up, and peel off the adhesive back.
• Place the moleskin over the blister so that the blister is in the hole of the moleskin.

Do this again with a second piece of mole skin of the same proportions, and stick on top of the first piece for extra padding, making the thickness of the moleskin slightly thicker than the blister.