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CPTK
08-04-10, 14:45
I'll be issued an M4 and M9

Here is what I plan on bringing.

KAC RAS
Aimpoint M4/mag
VTAC Sling
Hogue Pistol grip
Battle Comp break
P mags

Computer (have a pelican case for it)
Sheets
multi tool
dump pouch


I forgot that I have a lot of other things you stated below including;

Garmin Fortrax 301
Safariland drop leg for the M9 (prefer serpa and have one for my glock but found a safariland for the M9 cheep)
Bolle T800 goggles
Oakley Balistic rated sun glasses
Oakley boots
Surefire helmet light with white and IR
Under Armor baclava (sp?) which is very light weight instead of a shegm...somthing
Eagle riggers belt
LULA
small spare light and G2
Eagle CIRAS w/ soft armor and pouches for M4 mags and M9 (I took my plates out to use SAPI that will be issued eventough my plates are better)



Anything else?
What about a Beta C Mag?


I prefer an Aimpoint and Aimpoint mag over Acogs. I have the AP mag on a larue flip mount. On my AR with this set up I'm good out to 500 meters and can hit a man sized target w/o much trouble. Already tested at manatee gun range.

I also have a 1000 yrd laser range finder but didnt think I would bring it.



I'm an officer in the Army and am assigned to an FST





For some reason I cant post anymore so I'll keep editing this post



Any recommendations on socks and underware (briefs)
Dont like my junk to be bouncing around so no commando - too much cargo :)


Doubt I'll get an art 15. I might get told to remove the items but doubt getting Art 15.

Already ordered these socks
http://www.thorlo.com/socks/army-socks/over-calf/181.php

Answer to question below - my rank is O3 and should be O4 this Jan. (O5 about 4 or 5 yrs after that).

parishioner
08-04-10, 15:34
This is quoted from Iraq Ninja, an industry professional on the board, in regards to the Hogue grip.


Because they often break, leaving you with a a California legal carbine.

They simply are not strong enough to take abuse, if that is important to you.

May want to rethink that choice or bring two.

Thanks for going over there.

shittercrewchief
08-04-10, 17:20
What are you keeping that M9 in?

TehLlama
08-04-10, 17:20
Ditch the Hogue AND the Brake. Get an MOE (or keep it A2), and keep the birdcage hider.




From a [redacted] list I just sent to guys in a unit I'll be atteched to when I go back...

Multitool - you're set
Knife - a good 3-4" folder probably works best. Don't bring a really nice one.


Admin/Flashlight Pouch - similar to this: http://www.tactical-store.com/ts-bw-pc-dbefbd.html
Keep a multitool in it, or at least the Surefire G2 light you'll get.
One tan Rite-In-The-Rain notebook with protector. We got these from S-TAP
7530-01-536-2651

Canteen Cup Lid - good for cooking
Shemagh - invaluable, but some bases ban wearing them (gay)
Microfiber Towel (smaller, works)

If you're going to use your belt for load carriage, get a better one. Eagle, Specter, OriginalSpecialOperationsEquipment, and DiamondBackTactical make the best ones.
A chest rig can work awesome - just make sure you can use it with a pack. DownRangeGear.com is a great resource.


Lights
Headlamp: PrincetonTec has the best ones, they're $30. If they issue you one, use it.
HelmetLights - SureFire : NSN 6220-01-549-4203
Small Light: an Inova LED ($6) or a Streamlight AAA light ($9) that goes everywhere on you.
Batteries
Rechargeable NiMH AA/AAA in AA/AAA Charger (8x ea)
You'll need the AAA's for headlamps, voice recorders, and other EDL stuff. We couldn't get them.

Grab some extra muzzle covers: canal dipping f**king sucks. Duct tape is a distant 2nd.

Group Items
One Boresnake, One MagLULA-M16 -
Sewing kit is a must. Bases will already have hair clippers.
Small binoculars if they're not already an EDL item.
A small set of allen wrenches (the metric/SAE/Torx trio from home depot works).
A fabric pen, and some superglue

Consider a GARMIN Foretrex (Wrist GPS) - they can be golden - 401 if buying yourself. Otherise, the NSN 201: 5825-01-531-6183

Technology
Pelican 1080 Case for your computer
External Hard Drive - USB Powered
iPod
AA Powered Speakers for audio jack
Pelican Case for this highly recommended

Consider:
PSP (Unlocked if possible - can load with NES/SNES/GENESIS Games)
USB Playstation controller can be awesome w/ old school emulators
Kindle/Reader if you're picky about books

Swap out the QuikClot powder in IFAKs for the Combat Gauze. Move the powder to truck bags, you want the gauze on you.

Add a ziploc with a few ZipTies, Electrical and Duck tape, speaker wire and spare connectors to an IFAK or general pouch.



Learn the correct way to attach the dump pouches (the two straps come out the top - find them, pull them out and it won't flop over worthlessly)


Socks/Shirts/Skivvies
Two philosophies here: get a few quality sets up front and use them; or use expendables.
Socks: Smartwool, SilverToe, and Thorlo socks are fantastic. Wearing cheapass white socks and using them once or twice works too.
Shirt/Shorts. pX access can/will suck: if you can, stage a prepacked care package with extra socks and shirts to save space (but only if your unit has a good reputation with mail handling. Mine let crap linger for almost a year)



If you can swing them:
Garmin Foretrex 401/301/201 Wrist GPS
Surefire X600 Weaponlights NSN 6230-01-525-4109
Or Surefire M300 Mini Scout
Insight or Surefire remote switches for PEQ-15's (and/or Scout Lights)
You should be getting Mk318 ammo (1305-01-573-2229) - if there's any chance of ordering this for supported units that don't have it, do it.

Magazines: PMAGs.
PMAG 30 Black Window: 1005-01-576-5164 OR PMAG 30 Black Non-Window: 1005-01-576-5159
At least 6 per Marine, period.

For M9's, the Safariland ALS/MLS holsters are worth the extra cost. MLS better.

Don't be afraid to order huge numbers of batteries.
Don't travel with GripPods in luggage on civilian flights. TSA idiots can't fathom the idea that you need them in a war zone because they're idiots.

Von Rheydt
08-04-10, 18:08
Awesome list there mate.

I have not been over but I know a few who have and one thing that more than a few guys have said that they are glad they took with them is a foldy uppy individual solar charging panel. To recharge PSP's and music boxes etc etc.

A good mate has been a couple of times and he takes a pillow, about 14" x 14" covered in OG cloth with a uniform name tag and rank tab on. You can laugh - I did, it started as a joke but he is always the guy on the transport or in the temporary accomodation that gets a good nights sleep.

I had to re-supply another mate with a Surefire 4 days after he got there ....... his grew legs and walked. Mark everything.

Take care.

ICANHITHIMMAN
08-04-10, 18:12
Get you own mags for the M9 the issue ones are junk!

PMAGS would not hurt.

Range finder

Ditch aimpoing get ACOG

Your sence of humor

Armati
08-04-10, 21:19
Are you a soldier? What sort of unit are you in and what sort of work will you be doing.

If you a soldier in a regular unit you may not have much choice in what you get to use. When you leave country you will have to go thru customs before you leave Bagram. You may not be able to leave country with optics and weapons components. Just food for thought.

jklaughrey
08-05-10, 01:35
You forgot "Tactical Bacon", bacon flavored salt, and astro glide for those darling veiled women of the night.

All kidding aside, hardware and gear are vital, quality is the key. But most important is a clear head and sound mind. Keep your wits and head on a swivel grunt.

ChicagoTex
08-05-10, 05:49
Safariland drop leg for the M9 (prefer serpa and have one for my glock but found a safariland for the M9 cheep)

Be glad you got the Safariland. SERPAs are breakage prone garbage (do a search for SERPA on this site and you'll get specific reasons and anecdotes as to why)..

Kyle Defoor's Take: http://www.kyledefoor.com/2009/12/gear.html


For a tactical setup Safariland 6004 is still king. Best combat holster ever made.

and his advice regarding mods/maintenance: http://www.kyledefoor.com/2010/03/safariland-secrets.html

usmcvet
08-05-10, 14:15
Well it has been 20 years for me but I will second issue M9 mags sucked then too buy 3 of your own. A good multi tool. I still have mine I used a Mini Mag flash light but there are much better small LED lights out there. If you can try to get gear that takes the same type of batteries it makes life easier. There are high quality headlamps and mini flash lights that take AA.

I agree on the old school canteen cup, we were issued them along with 4 canteens I would bring a canteen to stick in the cup. The microfiber cloth will be invaluable to clean yourself with. I would bring a few old school paperbacks. You can read them and trade them and ya don't need batteries. That is just me.

I would not bring the cmag, battle comp or Houge grip. PMags rock. A perm marker to mark your gear, mags clothes.... good underwear an socks will make you feel like a million bucks if they keep you comfortable. It sucks when you're feet or your junk are uncomfortable because of poor quality gear. I know people like under armor, I don't remember it burns/melts like crazy. A lighter is always helpful to have.

A good attitude will get you far. Stay Safe.

PrivateCitizen
08-05-10, 14:35
Tinactin. Seriously. No idea if .mil supplies this kind of thing.

Athletes foot is very agitating. Along with good sox this can go a long way to keeping your feet happy.

My also consider some ex-officio boxers/unders. Cotton is asking for trouble. They wash and air-dry overnight.

ICANHITHIMMAN
08-05-10, 14:58
I am proud to say I went COMMANDO on 2 tours now UNDER WHAT lol

Ditch the LULA useless IMO. I saw a kid down loading his mags at the range the other day with one I wanted to rip it out of his fat hands!

I took a CMAG to Iraq during the surge, keept it in my M4 next to my 240B just in case. It has to be cleaned every day or it will jam at least the one I had would. In my opnion it is only good for a fixed definsive position.

usmcvet
08-05-10, 15:07
I am proud to say I went COMMANDO on 2 tours now UNDER WHAT lol

Hey that totally solves the poor under wear problem and leaves more room for good socks!

Guys what about toilet paper. Different war but we did not have real TP for quite a while and whiping your ass with MRE TP was a joke! TP was the first thing I asked for from home. I always had a roll in my cargo pocket. The world was our out house! Every one was shy untill day two than you went a little in front of your fighting hole dug a cat hole and took care if business. If rechargable batteries are an option I hope that means real shitters too!

bkb0000
08-05-10, 15:16
Ditch the Hogue AND the Brake. Get an MOE (or keep it A2), and keep the birdcage hider.

why ditch the battle comp?

usmcvet
08-05-10, 16:00
why ditch the battle comp?

Good question I have a Battle Comp and love it.

Can some one with recent millitary experience speak to adding or changing equipment on your weapon. I know it would have been a complete no go for me. Anything beyond basic maintenance ie fieldstripping and cleaning your weapon was a complete no go. It has been 20 years and things may have changed.

Are you enlisted or an officer? I would also take into consideration that you should have the same basic kit your Marines or Soldiers are carrying not some high speed gear you bought for yourself. The A2 flash hided and standard grip work just fine and they are approved gear.

The problems will start after that guys will be putting all kinds of crazy shit on their weapons if allowed to.

bkb0000
08-05-10, 16:08
its the same now. article 15 for unauthorized weapon modifications, if you do anything other than change how things are configured on your armorer-installed RAS.

however, enforcement is another thing. a lot of guys are getting away with some fairly significant mods.

as to the battle-comp- they're pretty much excellent. if i could only make one modification to my issued M4, i'd be a battlecomp.

chadbag
08-05-10, 16:13
Ditch the LULA useless IMO. I saw a kid down loading his mags at the range the other day with one I wanted to rip it out of his fat hands!



I have not served so I cannot speak on this. But I have had a lot of units in country buy multiples of them (usually stripLULA since I guess the ammo gets issued on stripper clips) and issue them to their guys.

William B.
08-05-10, 16:22
... Shemagh - invaluable...

THIS! They come in handy for a LOT of stuff.

ra2bach
08-05-10, 17:03
this is not my list. I copied it for my own purposes from another list where a poster wrote it and then promptly deleted everything when he removed himself from the list.

I'm posting it without permission and if there are any problems I'll gladly remove it.

====================================

Your gear should assist you. No exceptions.

Good rack system - Some use velcro, some use bungee cords, short answer... you need to find what works best for you. Consider a modular set-up, you can adjust it as your duty position changes. Some times you want to have your pouches on your vest, sometimes on your rack... it's best to keep your options open.

Don't go cheap on this either... it's important that you find one that works and will put up with some serious abuse.

NOTE: If you have a releasable armor system, you might not want to use a rack system over it, your armor won’t drop free as quickly, might get tangled up in your rack system and not come off at all (and then what’s the point of having a quick-release armor set?). If you have a releasable armor system, you might want to put your pouches on your armor.

Good cleaning kit - Most units can provide you with one, but I've found that they're either overkill or out-dated. An Otis kit is good, but you don't use all the parts.

If you want a Bore-Snake... try getting by with a piece of 550 cord, I don't like them because metal particles and sand can get stuck in the fabric strands. I've heard stories of them getting bound-up and stuck in the chambers of weapons too. If I can't clear a binding bore snake out of my weapon on an OP in the middle of a city... I'm ****ed. It's your shit. Me? I say **** that noise.

If you need a scraper tool, don't use a surgical steel dental pick... it has more potential in harming your receiver and barrel extension than good that can come from it.

Use a piece of coat hangar wire that's been bent, cut, flattened and filed a little to make a softer metal scraper tool... it's a heck of lot easier to get and cheaper. You can do the same thing with a piece of brass rod stock from Home Depot and a file.

Oh yeah, put a bottle of gun lube on your rack... you'll need to re-lube every 300 rounds or so.

Carabiners – You probably don’t need a full-size climbing carabiner. Get one of those little screw-gate links at the hardware store that cost sixty cents. You can use it to secure your NODS/ GCP/ MBITR without having to re-tie the 550 cord every time you move it. Put some 550 on your NODS plate and stay out of the spider web of
550 that tie-downs usually create.

Lights - You need a couple of different lights, one is a weaponlight (which your unit might already have) and the others are personal lights.

For a personal light, I'd use a headlamp that is red-light capable... you can use it hands-free to treat a casualty (a mixture of blue and red light is best for finding blood), set a charge, work on a gun, program a radio, flip it over to white light for walking around the FOB, reading mail in the shitter or searching a building.

The Petzl TacTikka is pretty much king of the jungle with this one. The French finally got something right, go figure.

You really shouldn't use the high-output lights on your weapon to do in-depth searches. Here’s why: most incandescent weaponlights are meant to be used for short bursts, not extended periods... the bulbs are usually halogen or xenon and they get hot quick too, this leads to premature failure.

Another reason is that your head will go to where your light goes... and some places where you need to look are really hard to put a weaponlight on.

Weaponlight - Whatever light you choose for your gun, make sure it's shock-proof or uses an LED. LED lights are great because they're very shock-resistant and don't need to be replaced like bulbs do.

The bad thing about LED lights is the brightness of most of them don't throw a very bright light beam for a very long distance. The LED lights that can do this are usually expensive.

My opinion? cry once and fork out the cash for a quality light. The industry standard is around 65 lumens minimum for a good weaponlight.

I use a Surefire L4 Lumamax on a Viking Tactics mount or a Surefire X300 on a LaRue mount, either is a solid choice. If you use an L4, think about protecting the tailswitch from accidental discharge. A Z68 tailcap switch is a great answer to this problem, there’s a guard around the switch.

Keychain lights - Other places to put a light are easy, where do you use light at? I keep a keychain LED squeezie light in all the big bags I use… and even some small pouches that I use often.

Here’s why: I can’t see inside the ****ing bag. My headlamp can’t look straight down into my accessories pouch on my chest. Put a light on a piece of 550 cord and safety pin that ****er in there. It’s a solution, but not the only one.

Spare batteries - Make a list of all the electrically-powered shit that you carry with you and bring spares for all of it. Hell, I even had a watch battery (you know, for my watch) taped inside my helmet. Good thing too, I needed it.

If you're smart, you'll have most of your shit set up so that it uses the same types of batteries. Have a place to put them, there are folks out there that make plastic organizers for batteries.

Tip: Leave rechargeable batteries for non-mission-critical shit like your mp3 player. Cold will deplete the charge on a rechargeable battery like a fat chick sucking down chocolate pudding.

Lithium batteries aren’t too adversely affected by cold and have a longer storage life than alkaline batteries. They’re more expensive, but if I’m going to bet my life on a battery, it’s probably going to be a lithium.

Boots - Issued stuff works fine, Belleville 390 desert boots are my personal favorite issued boots. Sure, I have a pair of Hanwag Mountain GTX boots, but there isn't a Big Army Sergeant Major alive that would let me wear them.

Socks - I like WigWam Ultramax merino wool hikers... awesome socks. Smartwool is touted as being pretty good, if you like them try the copies that REI puts out... they're the very same thing and cheaper.

GPS - Small, easy-to-read, back-lit, uses readily-available batteries. I like the Garmin Foretrex 101, 301 or 401. It can strap to your wrist, uses AAA batteries, has a backlight, 500 storable waypoints...

stay away from the 201 though, it's a rechargeable unit made for sailing. Whatever you choose, make sure everyone on your patrol knows how to use it. The more GPS units, the merrier. Buy one at the PX, it's the new compass.

Wrist compass – The GPS may trick you, but a compass and map never lie.

Never assume your patrol will run you through known areas and back to base. What if you have to be quick reaction for another patrol or contractors or a downed UAV? The compass is more reliable than a GPS. I can always tell my buddy on the radio "I'm on the north side of the house" or to that effect if I can easily reference a compass.

Leave the digital bullshit alone for this tool; they're slow, they need to be calibrated a lot and they take batteries. **** that.

The Army has an issued wrist compass for aviator survival kits (compass, magnetic, unmounted: wrist, NSN: 6605-00-809-5252, made by Marathon Watch) but it’s photoluminous, which you have to charge with a flashlight to get it to glow.

NOTE: Photo-luminous shit is inconvenient and I think the ****ing designers that use it are borderline insane. It doesn’t last that long, so to get the glow-in-the-dark-shit to work, you shine a bright light on it. It fades quickly however, so you have to periodically re-charge it. It basically comes down to you using your light to see in the dark, rather than reading your watch or compass via some glow-in-the-dark bullshit.

Long story short, use tritium, it glows for about ten years… not five minutes. Suunto makes a really good compass, but it’s also photo-luminous and doesn’t clip onto wide watchbands.

In my opinion Cammenga makes the best one, the same folks that make the issued luminous compass. The dial is tritium-lit and tracks very well, isn’t liquid-filled (bubbles in a compass are bad) and goes for about forty bucks. My only gripe is the band, I'd recommend you replace it as soon as possible.

Water bottles/ canteens - Some prefer the old-fashioned canteens, but I like the Nalgene bottle because I can cook in it, see what the contents are, it doesn't hold bad tastes, it's easily cleaned and I can measure and mix stuff in it. Canteens have a narrow mouth, can’t accept ice cubes and will warp or melt when holding very hot water.

The cons are: wide-mouth bottles spill easier while drinking, especially in vehicles. There are solutions for this, but they cost extra. My favorite “cost extra” is called a Capcap, funny name… ****ing ingenious. Also; Nalgene bottles aren't free or NBC-mask compatible.

Canteen or water bottle, get a metal cup for it… cold food sucks.

Cup - Whether you're on a combat outpost or pulling shifts on an OP, being able to heat what you eat is a ****ing huge morale boost. Hot coffee or ramen on a COP shift can really assist in keeping your head straight. Get a metal cup for whatever water bottle you use and grab a fistful of heat tablets before you head out the door.

Olicamp and Vargo make cups that fit perfectly under a Nalgene bottle, the Olicamp cup is stainless and goes for like... six bucks.

The Vargo cup is titanium and goes for about thirty bucks, I own both and hafta say that I honestly don't give a shit if it's made out of titanium or not. I like the fact that the Vargo holds about ten fluid ounces more than the Olicamp cup. The only part I don't like is the ****ing lid, so I leave it at the house.

Paper/ Pen/ Pencil - You’ll need to write, the shit you write in combat is usually a little more important than normal shit. Keep in mind that sweat and water will destroy regular paper. Use waterproof paper or index cards.

Rite-In-The-Rain waterproof index cards are available in tan and green. Ordering info for them: NSN:7530-01-536-2359. The tan ones are NSN: 7530-01-536-2360.

Ink will run, so consider your favorite brand of mechanical pencil as well, I like the .7mm ones, they tear
paper less and break lead less.

If you need to reference prowords, battle roster numbers, sketches, UNS', GRGs, radio frequencies, callsigns, whatever. Put it on a ****ing index card and punch a hole in it then tie it off with some 550 cord.
You really don’t want to lose shit like that on an operation. Reinforce it with some clear packing tape so it doesn’t tear off accidentally, regular duct tape works in a pinch too.

Knife - Something you can use to cut with that you can get to easily. Leave the Rambo III Special Ninja Edition bullshit at home. A locking folder with a pocket clip works. Don’t forget a sharpening stone, you don’t need fancy honing oils for the stone, your gun lube or some water should work fine.

Multitool - What do you need a multitool for? I guarantee someone makes a tool that does what you need. Find one that fits your needs, a good pouch for it on your rack is invaluable as well.

Adjustable nylon pistol magazine pouches work great for this purpose, just place your tool or knife away from your reloads. It's funny to watch a guy trying to reload with a Gerber during drills, not so much in real life.

Camelbak - Get one, use it. But if you're on a vehicle and you need water, drink bottled water from the truck first. This way, if you need to get off the truck you're still topped-off on water. You can get rid of that "new" plastic taste with hot water and lemon juice (which is better than hot water and vinegar or bleach). Duct tape works fine for fixing most small leaks.

Eye Protection - Whatever it is, make sure it's on the APEL (Approved Protective Eyewear List) that list is put out for eyewear that is authorized for protective use by military personnel.

Pissed-off that you don't get wear your Limited Edition LiveStrong Oakley Half Jackets? **** you, I don't get to wear my favorite hiking boots.

Eyepro sucks? Start saving up for that seeing-eye dog.

Zip-ties - A handy place to put zip ties is behind pouches or woven into PALS webbing. Check to make sure it doesn’t interfere with your kit or shooting. If you can't figure out a use for zip-ties then you just need to off yourself.

Blow-out kit - Most of these are unit-mandated i.e. they have a certain packing list. That doesn't mean that you can't pack more though. Add some penny-cutter scissors, some extra CATs, remember to add a Sharpie marker or something like it. I attached my blow-out kit to a Velcro tear-away panel with an elastic pig-tail cord to keep it attached to me. It’ll be easier to get to and access what’s inside. Make sure you know how to use it and that it’s not out-dated.

You can also shove medical shit into pockets on your uniform. The calf pockets on your ACU pants hold a Bloodstopper bandage perfectly. In fact, go ahead and do that anyway.

Mark the outside with something permanent, distinctive and visible. A red cross sewn to it is pretty good, but a little red sharpie marker (touched up every once in a while) would work too.

Bungee Cords – If I had enough bungee cords I could probably conquer Asia.

Sling - Two-point. Keep as much of the plastic snaps and buckles and shit to a minimum, it breaks.

If you need to replace a plastic slide adjustment, find an old M16 sling and use the sling keepers at the ends of it... they're metal. Don’t use plastic when ever possible. You’ll figure this out when your plastic buckles crack from getting smashed between a seat-back and some body armor for five months.

Worse comes to worse, use a piece of 1-inch OD webbing and tie it off at the ends. Don’t start off with it though, there are better options out there… don’t begin in a disadvantaged position.

Signal panel - A bright piece of orange or pink all-weather cloth used for signaling, get a piece... keep it handy. Maybe think about sewing some ScotchBrite reflective cloth to it as well. Whatever you use, try not to put call-signs and other stupid shit on it.

The best issued item for this is an aviator signal panel, NSN 8345-00-140-4232 (comes in packages of 4).Keep a rubber band handy so you can attach it to shit or keep a rock in it (for lifting/shifting fires or keeping it from blowing away in strong winds).

Shooting gloves – Most of the time, they’re mandated. Use gloves, don't use gloves... do what you want, they're your hands.

Just keep in mind that Haj is smelly and dirty and that you'll be handling everything from flash-bangs (with some hot fuses) all the way down to hanging out with broken glass, jagged metal, industrial adhesives, solvents, shit like that. Like I said, they're your hands.

Bandanna - Handkerchief, bandanna, rag, same thing... lots of uses. Carry a few. Dust mask, sling, t-kit, blow your nose, clean your lenses, stuff a bullet hole, whatever.

Lighter - Cheap pressurized butane ones are best. My favorites are Scriptos, no child-safety shit, adjustable and they're translucent so I can see if it's almost empty.

Electrical tape – you can’t fit a roll of 100MPH tape into your kit, but this stuff works well in a pinch. Roll it around an cleaned section of chemlight tubing, a Sharpie, chapstick tube, whatever.

Sunscreen - My favorite is this shit called Banana Boat, it looks like an oversized tube of chapstick and it works just like one too. The unscented stuff is made for babies and comes in a pink and white tube. Go ahead and laugh.

Shit paper - Sound funny? You try finding shit tickets on a new COP or Iraqi compound. Bring a short roll of the good stuff from home and fold it down flat. If you wanna prevent Klingons, put some individually-packaged handi-wipes into the cardboard tube. I just keep mine in a squad bag in my vehicle.

Chapstick - Make sure it's also SPF rated, sunburned lips are hard to eat and talk with. This is especially true when you spice your food up (probably while trying to disguise bad KBR cooking). Tabasco and Texas Pete will **** your shit up if you have chapped or sunburnt lips. It can be used in a pinch for sunscreen if you really need it too.

Hot sauce – Speaking of Texas Pete, KBR isn't mom's cooking and no matter how good they are, the menu isn't that diverse. Bring some with you in case someone’s always stealing the stuff at the chowhall.

Fuel Pills/Heat Tabs - Fuel tablets are so ****ing useful I have no clue just how to explain how mother****ing useful they are. Yeah I do... cold food sucks.

If you can smell it, then the packaging has a hole in it, use some tape to re-seal it. These stink, so I usually tape them up as soon as I get them.

Ear Plugs - For 'terps or in case you lose yours and need to talk after a demo breach. Safety pins can hold these inside a pouch pretty well... so you don't have to dig for them.

Use a drop of alcohol in your ears every other day to reduce the risk of ear infections, especially if you use earmuff-style earpro that seals.

Binoculars/Monocular - compact and as high-powered as you can afford. Not being able to ID anything sucks ass. Some people use their ACOG to identify friendly forces, from a distance this can make you look like a threat to a dumbass that doesn’t have an optic. Just play it safe and try not to aim at friendlies.

USB drive - a little thumb drive kicks ass, you can get them for about $30 or so and they carry a lot of shit... trade mp3 files, photos, whatever. The best use I found for mine was keeping all of my military records on me... I scanned them and took them with me. It kept me eligible for a huge ****ing bonus because I had my own records to help back up what the army lost. This is also a real life-saver when you find yourself going to a real easy promotion board and you’re overseas with a shitty S-1 section.

I like to use a memory card in a USB adapter, that way I can use it in a camera (as an SD card) and in pretty
much any non-government computer as a USB memory stick.

Laptop - nothing fancy and make sure it's on your home-owners/renters insurance. Movies, music, games... I
used mine to write my emails home in a simple text document, then I saved it to a thumb drive and took it to the MWR computers and simply cut and pasted to a web-mail provider's email program. It sure beats wasting my allotted half-hour typing-out an email and then sending it.

An Acer Aspire One or Asus Eee netbook is just what the doctor ordered for deployments for new soldiers; wireless, good sized hard drive, small. They both go for about $400.

On that note, if you’re a Joe and you stay up all ****ing night playing mother****ing Xbox, you’re ****ing up big. If you fall asleep in a truck during a mission, expect someone hitting you with something heavy… maybe in the face.

mp3 player - Rock out. Just start thinking about how you're gonna load it, power it, shit like that. Oh yeah, don't bring that shit with you on missions. I'll ****ing kill you.

Safety Pins – The kind you get off an ammo bandolier are the best. Black, strong, rust-resistant… they’re great for staging earplugs, index-cards, LED lights, chemlights, signal panels, whatever.

Drink Tablets/ Powders - The tablets are relatively new and don’t make a huge ****ing mess like powders do. Nuun, Zyme and Elixer are awesome, carbonated tablets (kinda like Alka-Seltezer) that you just drop into a bottle and wait a couple of minutes. It's bubbly for a few hours and basically flavored water with some good shit (like caffeine) thrown in so you can justify using it. Water gets a little old after a while.

Things to know before you go:

Keep a smoke grenade on your shit. Pilots can't see that little signal panel while you're huddled next to cover dumbass. Yellow smoke and white smoke are hard to see. Use green, red or violet instead.

We all saw Blackhawk Down, but don’t be a ****ing retard and modify any grenades with tape or zip-ties. If you tape the ****ing safety clip (some idiots call it a spoon) down and remove all the original safety features, then throw it here's what happens:
Not only does your grenade not go off, but now a bad guy potentially has a hand grenade, it's lost, someone kicks it or removes the tape or the tape rots off. Way to go dick-hole, you ****ed yourself, maybe a buddy or two or even a stranger or kid that didn't deserve to get blown the **** up.

I've never seen anyone at a grenade range that trains to remember removing tape. You didn't train with your ordnance that way, don't use it that way. In a panicked, confused or rushed situation, you're probably not likely to remember until after the fact. I don’t want to explain to your mom that you were a dumbass and killed yourself with duct tape.

Belt-fed guns are your friend, never leave a belt-fed behind. Load a teaser belt, grab an AG and leave the M-4.

Keep your Lasers zeroed. Better yet, keep it zeroed with a pattern generator on it so you know which one is yours. “Hey dude, I’m the circle, you’re the triangle, the team leader is the cross”. Your dot looks like your buddy's dot in a night-fight. It blows when you can't find your laser in a crowd.

Tie your shit down – Learn an End-of-Line Bowline and maybe a Double Figure Eight knot. Use tie downs. Put a little carabiner on the end of your tie-down to attach it to your helmet, your rack, etc.
If it’s mission critical, tie it down… not just the stuff you get from the arms room.

Wear wool socks, even when it’s as hot as the surface of the sun. Wool wicks moisture, you’ll figure it out.

Put your shit on and shove yourself into as many positions as possible with it. Know it, know what you can do with it, but more importantly... know what you can't do with it. Rehearse. But If you're running finger drills, take a break and pick up later.

Have a bag or box with some water, smoke, ammo and frags in it.
Mark it and don’t use it until you need it… you’ll know when you need it.

Mark your shit: Use name tapes, laundry markers or both. Remember, there's only one thief in the army... everybody else is just trying to get their shit back.

It's good to pack some shit that'll keep you comfortable... but there's a time and place for everything. I'm pretty sure you don't need a carton of cigarettes for a three-day combat outpost shift. You could probably do some of your missions without an iPod or your coffee cup too. I like Red Man and everything, but I don't put in a chew if
I think I'm gonna hafta talk on a radio a lot... you get my point?

If you’re particular about your gear, make a list or a photo-catalog of what you prefer to use. This way, when something breaks or wears out you can get someone stateside to get it for you. With a good description and a picture, they’ll know what to look for and send it.

Include sizes, colors, names, accessories, where to get it and how much it’s going to probably cost. It sucks when you get the wrong sized shooting gloves and the used ones you have smell like rotting chicken and are torn to rags. You don’t have to include everything, just the hard-to-find shiz.

Don't do anything because it looks cool, do it because it works. If you hafta convince yourself it works, it probably doesn’t work as well as you think. Always refine your tactics, techniques and procedures.

Don't bullshit yourself: If you don't need that ninja sword... ditch it. Looking cool is not the same as being effective... chances are you're the only one that thought you looked cool anyway.
Cool? Going home is cool.

If you need access to some chemlights, just run a zip-tie or 550 cord through the little eyelet at one end and keep it loose enough to attach to a small carabiner. When you need the chemlight, just rip it off the zip-tie and smack it on something to activate it. Maybe use a rubber band to keep them from flopping around.

Ear protection: $200-350 for Peltors, depending on the model, is worth it. You can hear incidental/environmental noise, radios and people talking. If you have a radio and don't get issued electronic
ear pro, buy it yourself. Take care of it and sell it (or just give it) to the next guy. Ear plugs cost about $0.15 and don’t take batteries. Con: ear plugs aren’t selective, you can’t hear anything.

Stage magazines everywhere, be like the ****ing ammo Easter Bunny.

Keep a list of National Stock Numbers for ordering shit from Supply, they conveniently forget or miswrite the NSNs for your order sometimes so your request doesn’t get completed.

If you’re a Joe, a Sarge or a Sir, everyone should have a list of their favorite NSNs.

Wear your helmet. Nothing is dumber than the guy who doesn't want to wear a helmet because he saw a movie where the SF guys don't wear helmets.

Same goes for your body armor. Wear it… or someone’s gonna rearrange the furniture in your living room.

Training: PT, movement, shooting, commo and medicine. You can be the best IV-sticker in your platoon, but if you can't call for a bird… your partner dies.

Know your routes. Know your alternate routes. If you don’t have alternates, your plan is incomplete.

If it'll make your job easier, buy it. Or you'll regret it later, out in the field, and miserable... where it's not available.

If you’re out for a long walk, maybe think about bringing something small and calorie-packed. You don’t wanna go overboard with the Rip-Its… you’ll really **** yourself up. Try water/Gatorade and energy bars instead.

Bonus: you don’t piss neon green shit, your sleep patterns aren’t ****ed and your kidneys don't join the circus.

PACE.
If you don’t know what it is, here goes:
Primary
Alternate
Contingency
Emergency
Commo, Trans, CASEVAC… ****ing PACE everything.

Don’t be a nasty mother****er. Shower, clean up after yourself, keep your uniforms clean. Yeah, we got it, you were sprayed with blood on a mission, now clean it up douchrocket. It’s not a badge of honor, it’s biohazard.

Don’t be the asshat that takes all the hot water, refuses to clean anything or becomes a card-carrying member of the save-the-piss-bottle-foundation. Hey Princess, you’re not the center of the ****ing universe.

Keep your windows clean enough to lick.

Hatch Operator nomex gloves may cost $10 more than issue aviator gloves, but they last twice as long. So by that logic they're cheaper. If another brand is even better, tell your friends.

They’re knee pads, not ankle warmers. If you wear them and they’re on your ankles, they can’t stop your body weight from driving that little rusty nail into your ****ing patella.

Even if you know a 9-line/ UXO report by heart, keep copies on hand where you can get to them in a hurry. Heck, go ahead and tape one to the sun visor, ceiling, zip-tie it to the radio, where ever. You can get mentally lost when you’re wounded or watching one of your friends all ****ed up. Reading it can help kick-start you back into what you’ve trained… kind of a mental reset button.

Use a rubber band to attach a one-hand tourniquet to your armor so someone can get to it in a hurry. Check it for dry-rot every once in a while.

PMCS your vehicle before EVERY run. If you can't, at least pay attention. Get out, kick the tires, check the fluids, look underneath, get to know your truck. End result: make your truck reliable.
Basically, baby it before you have to beat it to death.

If you do a lot of housework, think about having a magazine on the back of your armor for a buddy. This way, he can see it easier and doesn’t have to go to his shit when he’s in a hurry… This is especially
nice if your weapon goes down and he has to use a lot more of his own ammo to cover your malfunctioning ass.

Trade. Three things you don't need and three things you do? That's one and the same my friend.

“**** it… Let’s go” syndrome is eventually terminal.

Favorite National Stock Numbers
4-Inch Israeli Bandage NSN 6510-01-460-0849
6-Inch Israeli Bandage NSN 6510-01-492-2275
8-Inch Israeli Bandage with 12” Abdominal Pad NSN 6510-01-532-6656
36-Inch SAM Splint NSN 6510-01-225-4681
Bolin Chest Seal NSN 6510-01-549-0939
Combat Application Tourniquet NSN 6515-01-521-7976
Airway, Nasopharyngeal, 28fr, 12s NSN 6515-01-180-0467
Aviator signal panel, comes in a package of four NSN 8345-00-140-4232
OD green 550 cord, 400 yards NSN 4020-00-246-0688
OD green 2-inch tape, 60 yards NSN 7510-00-266-5016
Strobe light, marker, distress ui ea (MS2000) NSN 6230-01-411-8535
Kit bag od green ui ea (aviator kit bag) NSN 8460-00-606-8366
Viking Tactics VCAS sling NSN 1005-01-534-4359
Viking Tactics VCAS wide (padded) sling NSN 1005-01-534-4361
Surefire L4 Digital Lumamax NSN 6230-01-522-6611
Petzl/SKEDCO TacTikka medical NVG green/white headlamp NSN 6515-01-527-8068
Green Rite-In-The-Rain waterproof index cards NSN 7530-01-536-2359
Tan Rite-In-The-Rain waterproof index cards NSN 7530-01-536-2360
Lubricating Oil, Weapons, TW25B. unit size: 1 syringe. NSN 9150-01-448-2266
M249 collapsible buttstock assyembly NSN 1005-01-515-8268
Garmin Foretrex 101 wrist-mounted GPS NSN 5825-01-554-6352
Strider SMF folding knife NSN 1095-01-531-5015
CR123A batteries (Surefire batteries) NSN 6135-01-522-6679
6 inch infrared chemlight 8 hour, 10 per box NSN 6260-01-396-1704
6 inch chemlight orange 12 hour, 10 per box NSN 6260-01-195-9753
6 inch chemlight green 12 hour, 10 per box NSN 6260-01-074-4229
Oakley SI M-Frame Strike 2.0 laser array, grey/clear/laser w/ case NSN 4240-01-555-5324
Tan IR reverse flag patch NSN 8455-01-524-4926
HMMWV tow strap NSN 5340-01-475-3650

Caeser25
08-07-10, 10:20
some really good insoles, dr scholls were the ones i had but i can't remember if they were heavy duty worker or for obese people but they were green and worked really well.

something called a recon wrap, keep it wet, keeps you cool and helps keep the sand out of your mouth and nose.

baby powder for your vital areas;) cuts down on chafing and swamp ass.

pmags whatever color is cheapest and stock up, and m9 mags (the issued ones suck)

uscbigdawg
08-07-10, 12:57
Probably should start with what you're allowed to do with regards to modifications to your gear. Even on the PSD side, the restrictions can be pretty stiff.

Keep it simple instead of all the Gucci stuff. And FWIW, my SERPA did just fine on 2 tours on my ALSE vest.

Rich

TehLlama
08-07-10, 15:18
The only reason I wouldn't be for the M9 is that the Afghan sand played hell with them out where we were. One of our replacements had his brand new Serpa start to choke on the draw within two weeks.

Otis cleaning kits are starting to become standard fare within our units - but my unit also has a nearly infinite supply of AA batteries, and we always have a generator with us, and our TTPs require us to waste ludicrous amounts of chemlites, so we get those by the case - if that doesn't apply to you, pull the above NSNs.
Our predeployment kits included 2/2 locking/simple carabiners, and our MTV Repair kits came with a generous bit of shock cord that became invaluable when we were out there manufacturing our own tactical gear out of useless pouches.

Anything PB and larger will end up with small mountains of care package piles, to the point where okay stuff ends up getting thrown out because of space and pest issues. I was never short on reading material, just high quality stuff. My wife sent me loads of toilet paper and baby wipes, which made life livable, but definitely have some with you, handy at all times.

That larger list below is a very good one - only the bit about computer models, and the LED weaponlights are dated. The rest is great stuff.

Bring backup eyepro - if it's cool looking, it'll probably sprout legs.
Scripto lighters are nice. Gay colors help, I still have my stupid Purple that has made two laps around the planet on my person for that reason.

usmcvet
08-07-10, 21:42
Ra2bach

That is an awesome list. I like the nalgene waterbottle and waterbottle cup for cooking and hot food better than my old school canteen and canteens cup suggestion. The idea was the.same but the nalgene bottles are bigger and have lots of other possitives too over a GI canteen.

ra2bach
08-09-10, 11:10
Ra2bach

That is an awesome list. I like the nalgene waterbottle and waterbottle cup for cooking and hot food better than my old school canteen and canteens cup suggestion. The idea was the.same but the nalgene bottles are bigger and have lots of other possitives too over a GI canteen.

not my list, bro. I copied it from a poster on another forum named Tweeter. guy seems really squared away...

BigRed
08-09-10, 12:27
I wouldn't worry too much about what to buy prior, you can get anything extras you need within a few weeks via the APO. I find many guys going overseas are fixated on what gear to buy, where they could really be using that time and money to hone some personal skills.

I'd spend as much time as I could prior to deployment on essential individual skills like range estimation and long distance shooting with the same setup you'll be carrying. Pick up a Pashtu phrasebook and start reading aloud.

I would bring along that range finder, at the very least to have it if your FOB is getting hit to give a better range on the enemy.

Anything you can do to reduce your load and weight is good. If you can upgrade to a T-1 or H-1 Micro you can shave some weight off that weapon you'll be carrying everywhere. If your chain allows it I'd ditch the soft armor.

If I had to choose one place to spend money prior to deployment it would be on Smartwool socks unless your unit issues you something similar.

ICANHITHIMMAN
08-09-10, 16:19
I have not served so I cannot speak on this. But I have had a lot of units in country buy multiples of them (usually stripLULA since I guess the ammo gets issued on stripper clips) and issue them to their guys.

I cant say I have never seen one in country. I have always used a round to down load my mags for cleaning. Its fast and cost me nothing. The LULA takes to much time IMO and I think its just a solution for a issue that never was there in the first place. If one of my guys wined there fingers hurt they would have been laughed at to know end buy everyone.