All of these.  Horse/Unicorn mask should have a damn NSN by now.  And the easiest way to have fun at some stupid SGM's expense is to carry a banana and a water bottle (one item per hand) at all times if/when on BAF or KAF, since they're both salute bases.  God they get so pissed when you don't do it....so much fun to be had.  

Snip

What is this wolf tail?

A wolf tail is something you can use to hang outside of a window or something to let friendlies know the building is clear and/or occupied by friendlies.

Wolf-tail link info...
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-06-11/appi.htm

 

Big fucking plus one on the retention lanyard. My harness failed on an air insertion and I damn near fell to my death. My friend and the girl across from me caught me and pulled me back into the blackhawk. I was scared shitless. Another time I was going home on leave and my flight got shot up over Taji.

I'm over here now and about to redeploy soon, here's some tips I hope for anyone about to head over.

- Bring batteries, CR/SF123 3V, AA, AAA, C, 9V etc. We've been sucking dick the whole deployment for batteries because the BN POG's were hoarding them all.
- Have a readily available list in the rear for the care package person of stuff you will consistently need, mail took 4-6 weeks to get to our COP in RCSouth, Tabacoo, Energy Supplements, Work out supplements, Baby Wipes, Etc
- Lots of baby wipes. Logistics is pretty much notta compared to previous deployments and especially since they're cutting dynacorp and the likes.
- Bring spare weapon parts, head space & timing gauge, CLP, LSA/LSAT, NOD pieces, lanyards, slings, etc. As we've had to suck dick for charging handles and other pieces , everything has been hard to get. Weapon Cleaning Brushes (Shaving brushes/Marsh INK brushes, Tooth Brushes)
- Extra light bulb batteries, head lamps, etc, especially if youre going to a blackout COP/FOB/Firebase

Since logistics is going away, be prepared to work on your own generators and amenties yourself. We've had to repair our own Generators, Washers, Driers and Shitters and Showers (we have the shitty connex trailers and they break all the time).

Hoard as much shit as you can for you and your guys. COPs are getting shut down so it's open season for connexes left behind.

And Everything MXPatriot said too! Good notes bro

Hope that helps anyone.

Lots of good information here.  The experience I have comes from both the military and contracting, so these suggestions will go both ways.  My first deployment was GW1 and before contracting / contractors/ LOGCAP I,II,III,IV etc. became what it is today.  When I hear statements that 'contractors don't give a shit' or 'logistics going away', it makes me wonder how todays military could/would operate without it.  Since then I've worked doing contracting.  Bear in mind many of the contractors out there are prior military, like you will be one day.  Perhaps if you demonstrated some compassion for your fellow countrymen and soldiers, then they would 'give a shit' and wouldn't hoard all the good stuff while you had to do without.  A little bit of kindness doesn't hurt, will make your deployment easier and go a long way in life.  My last job contracting was for a private aviation company and we flew the same routes as military air craft, were exposed to the same hazards and operated on the same freq's.  I can assure you that when .mil air assets went down (and they did frequently) our birds in the same AOR would do their part to get a visual and always asked if we could assist. Again, most of our crews were prior service.  Its not all about being a tier 1 badass.  A lot of it is just being a little more comfortable and surviving.    I don't mean to ramble on but this paragraph could be its own sub-set of advice in unto itself.  

*Have a back up plan.  I could use all the clichés but, you know them....always have a back up plan.  Not a bad idea to have a back up plan to your back up plan.  

*Get a Haj phone.  They are cheap cell phones, can be had for around $40 bucks and phone minutes/units for various amounts.  They're relatively cheap to call CONUS and won't get killed with international and roaming like a phone brought from the US and used over, lets say in AFG.  Keep several phone cards on hand just in case. The batteries seemed to last pretty long on most of them if you don't leave them on all the time and will work in the surrounding countries.  My ATT phone would work but the Roaming, fee's etc would jack it up to around 4 or 5 bucks a minute.  They operate on different bands than US cell phones and won't work in the US but are worth their weight if you need them.  Get used to dialing and familiar with country codes.  Every country has its own code (US is 001) and dialing between phone networks is different.  Read:  they don't dial like a US phone you are used to.  Cheap enough to get your comms up and out of a jam.  

* PLB (personal locator beacon).  What's your life worth?  They vary in price and you can get one middle of the road for around $400 bucks.  When I registered mine, I listed the leisure and work related reasons, that it would be use for.  The battery life is approximately 5 years and an invaluable piece of back up gear.    

* A Compass.  Get one and get trained up on it.  When all other battery operated gear goes down, you will still be able to navigate.  A cheap one (see pic) could be had for around $15 bucks and light enough to be carried in almost any pocket or pouch.  

* Learn some of the local language.  This doesn't mean you need to be an interpreter but knowing a few phrases, enough to get you around, understand general terms, and literally helps you understand the locals you are dealing with.  In many countries there can be several dialects, in AFG the main ones are Dari and Pashto.  Doesn't help to learn a little about the culture.  Afghans are Persians, not Arabs.  

* Fast /compact energy.  My favorite is PBJ.  The sachets in the pic are single serving, lightweight and will last a long time.  Also shown in the pic is Oral IV, electrolyte additive for hydration.  

* Laminated / Extra copies of your passport.  It may not work as the real deal but will expedite the process if you are without your original.  

*  International plug adapter.  Not all electrical plugs/outlets are the same around the world.  Nor is electricity.  Having one could mean the difference in being able to use your electronic device, charge it, or not.  

*Signaling mirror - no explanation necessary.  Small and easy to carry in your gear.  

*  Shemagh Scarf - I'm not the biggest fan but they do work well for shade, dust and have kept me from eating dust on more than one occasion.  Will also help you blend in, in the chance you need to.  

DO NOT DO THIS.  IT IS AN INCREDIBLY AWFUL IDEA AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS.

Ask your local SIGINT shop for more information on the "why".  I'm NOT going into it here.




If you're going OTW, you should be issued one of these (or at the worst there should be one in every truck).  You don't need to buy one.  Ask your S4 if you really feel like you need one.

Did you read the thread?  Already stated the info could go for either mil or contractors.  YMMV


Reading comprehension - I'm not getting into it here  


What's even funnier is that the last 3 Brigades I've worked with had these type of local cell phones ....most all Officers / SNCO's that I worked with had them  

Doesn't change my answers.  Except obviously contractors would talk to their boss instead of an S4 if they're going OTW and feel a need for a PLB.  Most contractors in Afghanistan stay on their assigned base, occasionally traveling by air to other bases.  Rarely if ever will they go on convoys or land-based travel OTW.  There's a few, but seriously, it's in the single-digits percent-wise of all contractors.



That's not funny, that's fucking pathetic.  Figures though, not like officers or SNCO's ever think with their brains...or listen to those who know more than them.

Your a regular GD knee jerk know it all - Good for you !  Certainly entitled to your fucked up opinions and don't expect for you to change your answers.  
But I'm guessing all officers and SNCO's are not pathetic as you say.
 

Your reading comprehension still sucks.  



ETA
Horse /unicorn mask?  Stupid SGM's?  Dude your a joke    

This thread set a land speed record going from decent to shit with your posts.  This isn't GD you realize?  

If you two want to measure dicks, take it outside the thread.  This isn't GD.  

Chaplains are available to discuss your rage-filled outbursts, and everything exchanged with them is held in the strictest confidence.  That kind of outburst, especially against someone you've never met nor know anything about, could prove detrimental to one's career if directed at the wrong person.  I urge you to get with medical professionals, a chaplain, first sergeant, anyone you're comfortable with.  It's not healthy.

BTW--"Your" and "you're" are two different words with two different meanings.  They're not interchangeable.  

That said, the individual was asking for individuals with deployment experience to chime in.  I had some, so I did.  If you don't like what I had to say....feel free to either ignore it or work to change KAF.  

ETA--I've never hung out in GD.  Nice analysis skills.....I'm guessing grunt?  

(just because someone with rank does something, doesn't make it a good idea...see also: current events)

Cell phones are a no go where we are. Unless you were issued a GSM for XXX reasons. I can't go into alot of details but don't get a damn haj cell phone. You make it harder for SIGINT people from what I have heard and been told.

Personal Locator's were given to all TL and above. S4/XO's will give you guidance on these.

theres a cell phone store on most bases and fobs. we were encouraged to buy them. sigint doenst give two fucks if you call the toc because your range got cancelled and you need the ntvs to come get you. neither does hajj. talking to the wife on a mission is bad, disclosing opsec is bad. trying to coordinate things on base is not bad.

As mentioned, if you need a gsm phone to coordinate stuff on base, you'll be issued one. To come on here and tell everyone who reads this thread that they should have one is irresponsible. If you really have to know why, get a clearance and work in the right shop.

They must have really cracked down on that since 2009.
Back then EVERYONE had a local cell phone.

when i was still on baf in 09 before i went forward to salerno, let's just say there were a few interesting days as a result of dipshits buying used phones at the bazaar...

2009 and 2013 is a big difference BAF KAF Etc  and a COP, OP or FB are completely different. Like I said check before you get one. And depending on the ECW equipment you have it might as well be a paper weight as well.

Like the military issues all the other shit I need right? Thats why we don't need this thread huh? Don't preach to me about security clearences and opsec I was with a BFSB in '12 no one gives two shits about a text or phone call on base and if shit goes sideways outside the wire the people who care will care more that your found alive and not that you used a Roshan to call for help. I didnt tell anyone to buy a phone just that it is an option and just because some one said its bad doesnt mean it is. Its an option, you are not the authority on this stuff you're just giving your opinion like me.

New guys that read this:

1) Don't buy used.  At the very least, make sure you get a new SIM card.  By new I mean, get one still in the wrapper and you actually have to separate the new SIM from the card.  Don't use a SIM card that isn't new.  I cannot stress this enough.

2) Get it cleared through S2 and S6.  Heck, get minutes from S6 too, don't pay for that stuff yourself.

Oh holy shit thats amazing! You must be awfully special.

Hint: some people spend every day at places like nga and nsa working a major intel mission. Having a buncha stupid grunts who are homesick wanting to call home every day buying cell phones at the bazaar because some idiot on Arfcom said they should is what makes that mission ten times as difficult as it needs to be. All base operators can be reached via dsn. They can provide an outside line for calls to the local area. Do you serioisly NEED a cell phone to call mommy? Man up and do the job you're there to do, perhaps.

lol

Two more suggestions: That cool new butane lighter you got at the PX is gonna leak.  If you need it, make sure you bring a refill kit.

For a buck and a half, you can get 5 disposable BICs.  My favorite was a blue bic which lasted me the last 7 months of the deployment.  Lighters are small, you can carry two, and under normal circumstances, there is no added benefit for having a plasma torch like flame.

Also, once you're MC and recovering your gear, hand sanitizer works great for stripping oil and gunk off your weapon.  It works off that oil, moon dust, sweat combo really well, and then evaporates cleanly since it is made of alcohol.  DON'T FORGET to re-lube afterwords!

I was in Afghanistan during the surge in '10-'11. I was a artilleryman and stationed at a crappy little fob the size of a walmart. Didn't have running water or anything when we first got there and electricity wasn't always on. And as a artilleryman, we didn't have howitzers either. So we were pretty much glorified infantryman and did all that humping and kickin down door stuff for my 13 months spent over there. We all knew before we went over that the place we were going was a well... shithole.

Things that I packed and used all the time.

-Batteries, tons and tons of batteries.
-Few boxes of baby wipes(didn't have showers for the longest, they ran out quick. also use to place a couple bottles of water ontop of the hescos under the sun, let them heat up and you can use them to bathe)
-camping shower bladder(my favorite item i brought)
-power converter, they have ones that can plug into a 12v plug that are in the MATVs and cables that can attach to the battery under a humvee TC seat. Great way to charge batteries on things.
-couple cartons of cigarettes(smoke em or trade em for other things)
-decks of playing cards
-A pack of BIC lighters and BIC pens
-double/triple number of socks than whats on your packing list
-foot powder

I know i'm forgetting some, but these were things I constantly and continously used throughout my deployment.

shit I learned deployed:
1. My iPod was the maintainer of my sanity. I'm one of those people who needs to be able to retreat into my own thoughts from time to time. I'd just crank my iPod, and slip away, and flush that bad day like a nasty turd
2. The gym was the other maintainer of my sanity. Work out and run. Nuff said.
3. Eat the local food, but wash your hands first. MOST "foodborne" illness that you get after eating cooked food was actually from the dirt on your hands. Do like the locals do and wash your hands and face before eating (No, I'm not a touchy feely douche (*cough CA), I spent 5 years as a ground pounder in the 82nd). The local food is usually fantastic and I only got sick ONCE from it... which brings me to.....
4. Don't eat fish in the desert. Seriously. I ate some fish in central Iraq (and the whole time thought to myself....where in the hell did they catch this fish???). So did the rest of my platoon. 14 of 16 were bed ridden for 3 days. One guy shit himself while sleeping. I threw up right outside the door, which never came out of the plywood. It was not pretty, and that brings me to......
5. Rule of eating local meat: 4 legs is safe, 2 legs better be well cooked, no legs doesn't get eaten.
6. Make friends everywhere on your FOB. When I was a gunner, I had 2 TC's that the mechanics wouldn't deal with because they'd show up and be demanding assholes. If I brought the hmmwv up I'd stay, turn wrenches and smoke with the mechanics, and help out/BS until it was done (YES as an E5, and occasionally as an E6). Treating people like they're people goes miles.
7. Baseball glove conditioner: smear it on the leather in your gloves every couple weeks, let em sit for a day or so. Works absolute wonders on keeping the leather supple.
8. Read Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield.
9. Eat the chicken wings at midnight chow. If you live on a postage stamp, get your DFAC PFC/SPC-IC (non-Army services translate as E3-E4 In Charge) to order some chicken wings. They're the best chicken wings ever after you've been in a gunfight. They're pretty damned good chicken wings any other time too.
10. Trust your brothers. No shit. NEVER isolate yourself or allow one of yours to be isolated.
11. Clean your weapon religiously. The only misfire I've ever had downrange was with a 240 because of a bad round.

[edit] Oh forgot, don't buy BLACKHAWK! gear. I fell for it when I was a young trooper, and had the following break:
Mag pouch - velcro separated completely from the flap in 2 months
Maq pouch (second one) - hole ripped along seam on the bottom within 3 months (other pouches on my kit were fine)
Chest rig - this one was a goodie: on patrol in Iraq, decided to tighten down my rig since it was loose. The entire right strap decided at that point it didn't want to be a part of the rig anymore and ripped off. Not like the buckle broke, ALL of the stitching came out and the entire strap came off, dumped my mags all in the street. was a good time. About a year after buying it
Boots - Eyelet popped out while I was lacing them up 8 months after buying them.
SOLAG gloves - stitching in the fingers rips and the leather tears apart in 6 weeks. (both pairs I ordered at once did this)

BLACKHAWK! Makes sweet gear to look at but gear that completely falls apart (literally at the seams) within weeks to a year in a harsh environment. Also, I don't know who in the hell came up with their current system of MOLLE attachment, but it is ludicrous. Leave Blackhawk to the Airsoft crowd, and buy yourself some actual combat worthy gear if you feel the need. [/edit]

Some guys got some really nasty parasites by eating local animals. Don't do it unless you're literally starving.

The biggest piece of advice I can give you is something R Lee Ermy said in one of his movies.  I'll do my best to quote it from memory...

A little religious communication might not be a bad idea at this stage of the game.  Now myself, I dont take any chances.  I pray to Buddha, Mohammad, Mr Jesus H Christ, and ANY OTHER religious honcho I can think of.  There is NO such thing as an atheist in a combat situation.

Not so much of an equipment thing, but you and your guys really need to practice being disciplined with water when training at home. It sucks when you are pulling guard on a roof, baking, and you can't just walk over to a water buffalo and refill your shit. The middle east doesn't have the EPA, so god only knows what kind of chemicals and water-borne goat herpes is in the local/well water; don't chance it. Also don't let guys pack powerade or powdered drink garbage. Stick to plain water. Nobody needs to get all sugared up and sit in the sun all day.

Get maps. Get as many as you can. I ran a mortar section (we need maps to shoot) and it was like I nearly had to suck dicks to get access to maps. Also, when you get that crappy polish map, make sure you spend the extra few minutes to know where the nearest cop or fob is to wherever you are flying/driving to. If you have to walk out of the area because things went bad, you'll be glad you did.

Pack lamination paper. Lots of it.

Every person needs to go from zero to "radio check" on MBITRs and ASIP radios. Everyone.

Horde batteries. Bring a bunch with you, but always ask for more than you need. We got ours from the commo guys, and they would always act like we were asking for gold bars. AA, AAA and asip batteries.

If you use electronic shit for your job, see if you can get an ASIP battery adapter for whatever you are using. I used the LHMBC, which burned through AA batteries like a whore, but with an ASIP adapter it would be solid for days. Same with Mbitrs. There's an adapter (I don't have the nsn) that powers it, and it lasts a long goddamn time. In addition to that, get some of the AA battery packs for your MBITRs, just in case you need the option.

Everyone carries a compass. Even if it's a rough wrist, cardinal direction one.. make it a requirement. Everyone should have GPS anyway, but everyone should at least have a compass.

Ask supply or the arms room for a range finder. I brought my own which was good to about 1200m, but the army issued leupold units, and that made all of the difference for us for handheld 60mm guys and talking birds onto assholes. (See the compass comment above too)

Everyone has a laminated copy of a medevac nine-line and call for fire.

Make sure your medic has simple first aid kit stuff in his bag. Band-aids, butterfly strips, "skinned knee" or "sliced finger" type bandages. It doesn't add any substantial weight, but I don't want my guys to get goat herpes shit particles in their finger because they got cut on a gate or climbing on a ladder.

You don't have to wear all of your shit on your plate carrier. The army was always really big on the 6+1 mag system on your chest, but that shit takes up space and adds up. Stuff some mags in your ruck, maybe put it in the issued bandoleer (the one that nobody takes out of the plastic from RFI). Keep your stuff super simple, and the same way that you did it in garrison. You'll have far less surprises this way.

Lose the side plates when you are moving under weight. A ruck full of heavy mortar shit while wearing side plates will literally make you bleed. You'll feel way way better without having two hard plates pushing into your kidneys under 50lbs+ of a ruck on your shoulders.

Bring your tried and true footwear. We were issued some kind of garbage mid rise "mountain boots" when deploying. They were so horrible that I fucking took my boots off on the airplane overseas because they were so uncomfortable, even while sitting. Unless you have nazi leadership, bring your field boots with you in your A or B bag. They'll feel like a little slice of heaven.

Do not forget sunscreen and chap-stick. Once again, sitting on a roof sucks. It sucks a lot more if you are sunburned. Bring some carry-on/travel tubes of both to help cut down on weight.

If you don't have an EWO guy slated to come with you, bring a $100 police scanner with you. Uniden scanners have a feature called "close call", that when somebody near you transmits something, it records the frequency and tunes in. More times than not, radio traffic picks up right before we got hit.

Wherever you are going, and however long you are planned to be there, pack extra, and for the following season. Obviously everyone has their "still has the tag on it" shit in their B bag, but when it comes to comfort stuff, disposable shit that you pack ahead of time trumps shit that you ask your family to mail you.

There's a thing called TPE.. Theater Provided Equipment. If you need shit to make your life easier, you can find them on larger fobs, sign for it, and use it. When we showed up, it took a little less than an act of god to get clearance to shoot our 81s. So we went to the local TPE office, and checked out a bunch of 60mm systems, and continued winning at life. You can do this for all kinds of equipment. Also, make friends with the other units that are near you, you might be able to sign over shit you need from them. It's an option.

PT everyone, every day. Even if you are waiting to do something, it helps build a schedule and keeps everyone hanging out together. Make sure your group (fire teams/squads/etc) eats together all the time as a group.

Dont forget Sheets and a Pillow. Yeah it may sound stupid, but the Army does not give those to you. I had to send some to my son in country.

Something important I'm not seeing here; insoles.

If you are going to be on your feet or marching for hours at a time, Dr. Scholls insoles are worth their weight in fucking gold. I'd recommend finding custom ones that work best for you, and bringing two or three sets, as they can wear out. Tell everyone going with you to get good insoles, they'll thank you later.

If your feet are killing you and you still have to march another twenty miles, you are going to be fucking miserable, and you will wind up making everyone around you miserable.

Just don't use the gel insoles.

For those that can't translate from text to reality, here's a picture to illustrate just one of the species that can inhabit your intestinal tract:

You can go to your PA or a podiatrist and get a consult to have custom orthotics made for your feet.

Take the boots you will be wearing on deployment, not your PT shoes.  Get 2 paid made if you can swing it, even if you have to go outside the military for a solution.


Also, pack thick, comfortable sandals in your A and B Bags.  Most forward-deployed locations have gravel or rough surfaces that often are filled with water and mud between where you sleep and where you shower, if you have that luxury.  The silly little thin sandals will not work out for you on the first contact with rocks, and your mission-worn feet will never get the rest they deserve.

Another major plug for baby wipes.  Horde the MRE accessory packets, since they contain the well-packed TP and moist towellete for a happy ending to your bowel movements.  Learn how to wipe without dragging your nasty booger pickers into your excrement, so that when you are in austere conditions without access to clean water, you don't transmit disease agents to your mates.

Hand sanitizer goes a long way towards that.  I've seen a whole Platoon go down with dysentery.  They formed a well-worn path between their cots and the port-o-johns, and they were writhing in pain in the fetal position for about a week.  Not cool...

They haven't.

Every time ive been deployed up to a year ago they were allowed, and everyone had them.  This included the conventional units as well as task forces.

The guidance is to never discuss anything remotely classified and always buy new phones and SIMs, never buy used.  Use your own SOP prowords for anything FOUO.  Using your personal phone from home with a new SIM was discouraged, but not barred.