What is the difference between an Army A bag and an Army B bag?

Answer 1

An Army "A" bag has two definitions. The most common one being a slang term. Lets start with the other, less common definition.

Literally, a soldier will have 4 main bags.

The first is his ruck sack, which, along with his load carrying equipment (LCE), makes up most of his combat load. That's where he'll usually have 1 or 2 extra uniforms, plus his field gear.

The second is his A bag, which contains the rest of his uniforms, and other essential personal issue item, issued to him by the Army when he enlisted and which he is responsible for replacing, and often a set of civilian clothes.

The third is his B bag, which has other required items, such as extra things he is required to buy and bring with him, or which are issued by his unit.

The fourth bag is his C bag which is his allowance for personal items on deployment. The C bag is sometimes shipped by air or ocean freight.

Finally, he has an allotment for other personal items if he lives in the barracks or for household goods if he is married or has permission to not live in the barracks. These items do not follow him on deployment, but which he takes from post to post when he is assigned to another US post, such as if he is transferred from Fort Bragg to Fort Drum.

If you go to Afghanistan, for example, you take your A, B, and C bags. If you go to the field on your own post, especially for no more than a couple days or a week, you take your ruck sack and other combat load items. If you go to training at a school on post or at another post, you take your ruck sack plus a suitcase or "c" bag, so to speak. If you go to basic training or AIT, you take your A Bag. If you go to a long school, you might take your ruck sack and a sort of a "B" bag of extra items.

Really thees terms are out of use though. many don't know what a B or a C bag is, or think they are different types of bags, such as aviation bags. that's not true. It goes back to when soldiers took everything they had with them when they went from place to place.

No on to the slang definition of an "A bag": Basically an "A bag" is the green standard Army-issued large duffel bag with a handle on one side and shoulder straps on the other, which can be locked with a pad lock.

You can see where this comes from. when a soldier gets to basic training he is issued a A-bag to carry his uniforms and stuff like that. He takes his A-bag with him when he goes to AIT and to his first unit. He doesn't get a B bag at least until he gets to his unit, and often not at all. He doesn't get a "C bag until he is deployed." Often he carries personal items in a nondescript civilian suitcase or duffel bag, anyway, as the army no longer requires you to use the green duffel bag except when travelling to/from basic training or certain other schools.