[Trust but Verify]

Thanks. That is kinda what I thought.

[Voice in your head]

Over Christmas break, I met up with a soldier who was straight out of basic training and on his way to Iraq, soon. He was buying the basic stuff that enthusiastic new soldiers buy - gerber multi-tool, mini-maglite, some fancy knife, 550 cord, 100 MPH tape, etc. Buy your new soldier a surefire flashlight. The mini-mags that are popular among soldiers are useless. They are not bright enough and the batteries die too quickly. The LED light on a surefire lasts a lot longer, the lithium batteries hold up better in cold weather, and it is way brighter. Also, it can attach to his weapon and he can buy an IR filter for the lens, so that it can be used in conjunction with his night vision. Make sure you get him the right model, since not all attach to the weapons. And buy him extra batteries, from the manufacturer. They are not available in most stores, plus they are a lot cheaper when you buy from the manufacturer.