[Dead Corpse]

Now, the question you haven't answered is, "Does the average soldier have ANY of those things issued to him by the military as part of his weaponry and carried into combat?

Yes.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/armyweapons/l/aainfantry1.htm

[Dead Corpse]

BTW: I was a 6027. Jet engine mechanic. 6 years USMC. I qualified Expert with both the M1911 and the M9 they were transitioning to at the time.

[robertpaulsen]

From your link:

M-9 Handgun
Did you know that in combat, it's mostly officers who carry handguns? Most enlisted don't.