Ok after reading the post about how long it takes congress to put fourth every thing, I'm asking everyone to help me make a list of items that I should invest in on my own. I have thought of things like hand held GPS, Motorola Talkabouts, improved flack vest ect.

How ever I will not be enlisting till the end of September. Any Items will be taken into close
consideration.

thanks

Gun Tape [ duct tape ] seriously - listen to Red Green it has ALL sorts of good uses.. Also condoms [ no, not for that - well, that, too ] which work great for protecting weapons.. keeps out water and sand when slipped properly over lethal end..

and, geez.. there's so much good stuff.. just check out any of the commercial sites advertizing on here and US Cav's online catalogue..

just make sure you can carry/stow it all..nothing worse than a grunt laden down with 100 pounds of ' goodies' struggling to make it up that last hill/dune/obstacle sewating like a housefrau at a fat farm..

Best to take a look at what the long service boys are toting.. they've pared down to the essentials..sooner you get rid of useless kit and become combat ready the better..

watch and learn , then accessorize...

Buy nothing. The military will issue exactly what you need to accomplish your missions. Personal items that beep, squawk, chirp, light up, transmit and receive are seriously frowned upon, especially when on a foot patrol. Besides, what are you gonna do when your handy little personal GPS device disagrees with the Lt and his little map?

Gunny, you are indeed a man of experience! I had to smile at that one while remembering some second lieutenants (warrant officer ones are much worse in some cases).

Lt's an maps....the bane of the enlisted foot soldier!

And then there's troopers like this eager young buck thats of the mindset, that he's gotta have a high tech device for every occasion.

Geez lord help us....an he ain't even passed through boot yet! He could stay in twenty years and never be sent into a combat zone....

I can see it now, combat veteran Sgt Blood has setup a work of art, in the form of a perfect ambush. Its night and the targets (Osama and a few of his drinkin buddies) are approaching without a clue that they are about to meet allah for real. Hmmmm, military intell had it right for a change...go figure.

Private Smuckatelli sitting behind a rock with a perfect sight picture on the trail, is gonna finally get his chance to send a raghead to meet his maker.

(In reality, this is young man is in a position to actually make the shot thats heard around the entire world! He will be the most famous soldier in this century. He's the man that shot Osama bin Ladin right between the eyes!)

He's never felt like this in his entire young life of 18 years! (perhaps when he got his pecker wet for the first time...close but not quite the same feeling) He's so excited, scared, ready to piss his pants that he's been on a hair trigger for the last 45 minutes. He hears murmuring arabic voices coming up from the trail below....He sees them diddy bopping along and holds back like the Sgt said to do...he's ready.......all of a sudden everyone hears something that sounds like.... what the feck?.....a Star Trek ringtone? Where the hell is that coming from??...? Oh SHIT! Its coming from my pocket........Pvt Smuckatelli promptly pisses all over hisself while trying to reach for his freaking cellphone, in the process he fires off a coupla long bursts from his M-16...too darn bad its in the direction of his hootch buddie, ole PFC Fat Ass Johnson.....who took a few rounds right in that big fat ass stickin up in the air.



Meanwhile....Osama slithers away unseen and unharmed.

Meanwhile Sgt Blood is hot enuf to.....well you know the rest.


CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW???? asks the little voice when Pvt Smuckatelli finally answers his cell .....its mom, did you get my care package with those cookies and orange sweatsuit I sent for your birthday?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: thegunny,

Yep, EXACTLY. Don't buy nothin.

"Osama and his drinking buddies" LOL!

The Military has a word for every thing I want to bring along...they call it... 'contraband'

I agree DO NOT buy anything that you will lose when you PLT DADDY see's it and takes it away LOL. I never needed any of that hitec shit in Nam and I made it through

You will need toothpaste and a shaving kit even if you are not shaving. Leave the hair dryer and jell at home. A flak vest will not protect you from your drill sergeant -- nothing will!

Well we could of all told him to buy all those goodies and have him show up at boot camp with all that stuff. Imagine all the fun the D.I's would have had with him and his stuff?

I know not to bring the shit to boot camp, I'm talking about if your deployed. Having and extra tooth pick with you at boot camp is asking for it, only bring what they tell you to bring

There are several things I have heard can be useful, but it might be different in each case. My friend is leaving for his second time to Iraq this month. He is being prepared for it as we speak. I plan on sending him things as he asks for it, but it is very hard for them to take much to begin with. That's what friends and family are for. He was very greatful to receive anything the last time and I know he will be again. I'm not sure anything will prepare you for combat, but FAITH is the best thing to take along.

Do they still issue the ' emergency pack ' ?

you know, the one with the nylons, chewing gum and cigarettes for bribing the locals?

You forgot the prophylactics.

bogert....get through boot and find out exactly what you'll be doing in the service, and where you'll be going before you buy anything.

Your question didn't exactly give us alot to work with in giving you a response you would appreciate. Besides, a sense of when someone is yanking yer chain is something you should actively develop ifn yer gonna be a success in the military. And why would I advise you to buy bullet proof skivvies if you were gonna be a bubblehead? (submariner) Or be an airman stationed up in frigging Iceland emptying out the crappers on all the air force transports that stop over?

Who knows, YOU could be the guy that gets Osamma between the eyes?