This was driven home to me during the first Gulf War. I was living in Japan, working for the Navy, and found myself stalking the electronics marts of Tokyo (Akihabara) looking for civilian GPS units to send to the troops in Iraq. The local wives' club was managing it. These units weren't better than anything that was official government issue but they were plentiful and good enough.
Of course, no dictatorship could trust its citizens with this much power. A free society can. Advantage, free society.
I think that is probably the way to go
My soldier friend says to tell you that the civilian units they received from you all were superior to the ones they were issued. Thank you!