INFANTRY: The Growth of Mail Order Equipment

StrategyPage.com ^ | August 2, 2004

[Cannoneer No. 4]

What the Troops Are Buying With Their Own Money [or, what to send a combat soldier you know]

[JoeFromSidney]

I did like Nuc Mam, Ba Me Ba, Suntory

How about Singha? That was my favorite. When I drank that out in the boonies, I knew I wasn't going to get Bangkok Belly.

[SAMWolf]

Not made by the lowest bidder Bump

[armymarinemom]

Looks like my Christmas and birthday shopping list.

[300winmag]

Most of the equipment I actually took to the field was privately purchased.

Same here. Being in a SP artillery battery, we didn't have to walk, and had plenty of vehicles for "stuff". The first things that went into my wall locker were the GI sleeping bag and that awful air mattress. And the shelter half stuff. Living in the back of a M577 was like having a luxury RV.

I still cherish my Eddie Bauer (back when it was a real outdoors store) ultralight down bag, and Thermarest self-inflating foam pad. A good night's sleep was a high priority for me. That damn GI air mattress let me down every time (pun intended), while the Thermarest deployed in about 10 seconds, rather than 10 minutes of huffing and puffing.

[cavtrooper21]

We called our private purchase gear our "Field Kit"... Looked like hell, but worked great.
Then there was the pretty stuff. Made the Battalion Cmdr's eyes shine with pride during a walk through.
Best looking window dressing you ever saw, unless you were in front of a Victoria's Secret store.
He never asked about the still full duffle bag on top of the wall-locker.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Here's you a mail order catalog to peruse.

[Redleg Duke]

I enlisted in 1964 and went to basic in 65. Much of the issue stuff was pretty pathetic. The greatest trial was the damned baseball cap. Close second was that stupid Ridgeway cap with its inane metal spring to hold it up. Load bearing equipment was lame and the uniforms were uncomfortable and very "peacetime army".

I am glad the army is wising up.

[cavtrooper21]

....I'll take one of those, and one of those.
....does the model come with that outfit?????



Shame on you. (just a little)
:^)

[T-Bird45]

How about the big brouhaha over the Brit "woolly-pully"? The USMC officers in my FAOBC class had them issued but there was hell to pay if you were Army and wore it under your fatigues.

Brilliant, as the Guiness brothers say....

[armymarinemom]

What would work as well as pantyhose? Would silk thermal underwear be as good on the skin but not look as funny?

[Cannoneer No. 4]

[Cannoneer No. 4]

I don't know. I never wore silk thermal underwear. Probably nothing works as well as panty hose for the price. Don't ask don't tell.

[Terabitten]

I live in Columbus, and hell, I can't think of the name of the place... but it's still there. If y'all need anything from there, lemme know, I'll pick it up for you :)

Ranger Joes is still there, but US Cav closed down. I never knew why, because they always had better prices than Ranger Joes.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

I never envied the Marines their sweaters. But I went to AROBC in the summer.

I was issued a 5-button sweater when I got to Germany, and that was a pretty good item. Beat scarves and gloves and field jackets most of the time.

[Sam the Sham]

It doesn't sound as bad as the Civil War when Union cavalry units dumped their Springfields and purchased Spencer repeaters out of their own pockets.

[Milligan]

I have a pair of Thinsulate winter gloves. People talk about grams which one is best for Chicago windy winters?

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Henry repeaters cost $35.00 a piece, when a private only made $13.00 a month.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Air Force mittens are best.

[Eagle Eye]

Yes, it works well. And I used it a lot last winter. Don't let anyone tell you that winters in Iraq don't get cold. That wind is really nasty sometimes.