How to put together a ALICE LBE
(with notes about using M1967 MLCE, M1956 LCE, and older wire hook items)
Step 1, Size the belt
The first step is to size the belt to your Mk1 Gut LOL. You want the belt semi tight but not too tight. When your adjusting the belt you want the eyelets on the part that is folded back to be roughly symetrical. Easier said then done and it does take some practice. In the picture you see the three different type of ALICE belts. Note how the folded over portion on each has the holes and equal distance from the buckle. Not shown are the M1956 and M1967 belts, but the M1956 and M1967 belts adjust using the center row of holes, but should be adjusted the same as the others. If for some reason your using a M1961 or M1936 belt, they only adjust from one end, but can be made to work if you wish.
The Black buckle belt is by FAR the easiest to adjust and get right.
Step 2, attach the Alice mag pouches
Attach the Alice mag pouches as shown in the picture. You want the eyelet on the pouch to be just above the first eyelet on the non folded over portion of the belt. (see the pics). Put both on like seen in the photos. If your using the ALICE M249 SAW pouches or the M1956/M1967 pouches. Notes on them will be at the bottom of this web page. If your not going to run ammo pouches, just clip to the hole on the non folded over portion of the belt one spot away from the buckle.
Step 3, put the rest of the base LBE belt attachments on.
Put the Canteen and Shovel carrier on. Nothing too earth shattering here except for one thing. If your going to be using one of the Alice packs on the frame, put the two up a little closer to the front as shown. The hip pad on the frame will be right over your LBE belt. It's even worse with the LC-2 pad as it's larger. So leave enough space as shown for it. If your not going to use the Alice pack frame, you can push the Canteen and Shovel carrier back a little for better balance and space.
Step 4, Attach the suspenders, compass pouch, and whatever else.
Again nothing earth shattering here. Attach the suspenders with the front hooks on the mag pouches and back hooks as shown centered on the belt.
Put the Compass pouch where you want, ether on the suspenders as shown or on the belt. The attach whatever else you want. Put the gear on and get the suspenders adjusted so that the belt hangs about your waist.
Make sure the suspender yoke is not pressing against the back of your neck as well.
Extra Step 5, The Buttpack, NBC stuff bag, or the M1967 MLCE sleeping roll carrier on the belt
Detach the suspenders from the back and put the Butt pack belt clips on the belt as shown. (The M1967 MLCE sleeping roll carrier has a velcro strip to goes around the belt), then attach the suspenders to the pack or carrier's suspender holes. Then shorten up the back of the suspenders to compensate for the pack being on the belt now.
Note 1, The M1956 H suspenders and M1967 H suspenders.
The M1956 H suspenders and M1967 H suspenders. pretty much attach to the ALICE gear the same way as the Y suspenders do. You may have to shorten them up more then they normaly are meant to be worn but it's a minor thing and it doesn't affect functionality. One other minor nit is the M1956 suspender front hooks tend to come loose from the Alice pouches when you take the LBE off and set it down on the ground.
Note 2, The ALICE M249 SAW pouches
If your going to use these as intended, here is how to do it. They attach the same position as the normal Alice mag pouches. But your going to have to get the belt clip closest to the buckle jammed as close to the buckle as you can, and depending on how you had to adjust your belt you may have to have one clip one the other side of the belt adjustment. You attach the suspenders as you would the Alice mag pouch. This is a BIG pouch on the belt and it takes up a lot of real estate.
Note 3, Pouches with NO suspender connection, or that have a strap to connect to the up on the suspenders
Now I am going to deviate quite a bit from the way the Army told the grunts to connect these pouches, but I think it's the most secure and space saving way to attach these. It also works for the ammo pouches out there with no suspender straps or that the ones where a grunt cut the strap off. First attach the suspenders to the belt as if you were not going to use any ammo pouches up front. Then slide the pouch onto the belt with one clip on each side of the suspender clip. Then if it has it, attach the strap to the metal ring up on the suspenders.
NOTE: The Alice Y suspender metal ring is much farther up on the suspenders. And I have noticed the straps on some of the M1967 pouches are a little short to reach,
Strange as the Army usually tested for this stuff, but some of the M1967 stuff was obscure.
NOTE: The M1 Carbine and shotgun shell belt loop pouches can be attached this way, but the pouch has to go on first and you have to get the suspender clip on the belt between the loops. This trick really keeps those pouches from sliding around.
Note 4, M1967 MLCE hooks for butt pack and sleeping roll carrier
The M1967 MLCE suspenders have one nice set of hooks on the back. These are for the M1967 Army butt packs and the later M1967 3 day training pack (Same NSN) and the M1967 MLCE sleeping roll carrier. These are easy to attach. You simply hook the butt pack or sleeping roll carrier to the hooks them fasten the velcro loops on the butt pack or sleeping roll carrier around the suspender straps. You can remove the Alice clips from the butt pack to save weight. These work great.
These will somewhat work with butt packs missing the velcro loops but the butt pack will sway quite a bit. The M1956 MLCE suspenders had to ill thought up seperate strap adapters for the sleeping roll and butt pack. But both are a pain the rear to use and only work with the M1956 suspenders. The nickname for the sleeping roll carrier might hint as well. Spaghetti strap as the whole contraption looks like a wad of spagetti!
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