Think it’s a movie still photo, not RVN.
Camo cover on helmet is FUBAR. Green side out on one side, brown side out on the other!
He has chin strap around his chin! No grunt would do that, even for a posed picture. And that model chin strap looks like either ABN or post-RVN issue.
He has the right suspenders, but what’s that camo flack jacket on his back? Don’t remember camo flack jackets. Were all OD, yes?
Doesn’t have enough “shit” hanging off suspenders and chest.
Too good a shave.
Rifle has a yellow dymo label on upper part of stock. Never saw rifle in RVN with that.
Mag looks like civilian issue 30 rd mag.
Pine tree?
What’s that thing on the underside of the carry handle?
His hands, arms and particularly fingernails are way too clean to be a grunt.
When was that camo screen issued?
Of course, you guys who had three hots and a cot every night might not be aware that........... :~)
I’m guessing the pic is from Stateside training... maybe Ranger school or something along those lines, from the late 70s / early 80s.
BTW... *all* grunts wear the chinstrap now. The flak vests from 70s through 90s were camo. I agree there’s not enough crap hanging off the suspenders, and that he’s reasonably clean, but the shaving issue is enforced a LOT more than it used to be (kinda like the chinstrap).
Oh, and that thing under the carrying handle is the leaf sight for the M203.
First time I saw an M-16 was in Okinawa carried by an Air Force AP. He was guarding a parked B-52 (with bomb bay doors closed.)
My unit had M-14's, no M-16's.