Charley Co, 1-303rd Armor, 81st BDE. WA-ARNG, just got put on alert last Friday, and this time it looks like its the real thing. Two or three months somewhere for activation training and then twelve months on the ground in the land of sand.

We're probably going in dismounted as security/occupational forces....no real call for mounted Tankers right now in the Gulf, unless this thing with Israel and Syria turns into another war.

Anyhow, my immidiet superior has three combat patches as an Infantryman, and the PFC who I'm "responcible for" got sent to 11B school before becoming a tanker, so I'm in good hands.

We've decided amoung ourselves that we'll be procuring AKs, officialy or unofficialy, should we end up 'fighting dismounted'. My Sgt, the 3-patcher, has carried an AK in the 91 war and in Somalia in 93 and wants no substitute. Our M4s will be for cleaning/packing only.

I'm also going to try to 'crapgame' as much shiz-nit as I can get my meaty little paws on, at the very VERY minimum I want a Tobruk (?) stock set, if I can make friends amoung the locals, I'm going to try, if our 1st Sgt will be a party to it, to ship some complete parts-kits back home, sans reciever, of AK types not usually seen for sale in the US.

Also looking for flags, uniform bits, unit patches, all the other minuta of war thats probably flooding Iraqi bazaars right now.

Probably wont have the sort of posh USAF accomidations in whatever city I end up in, but I'll attempt to get some pictures posted when I get there of...whatever pertinant things I can.

Wife isnt too thrilled <shrugs> I'm actually looking forward to it, big adventure.

RebGrey (anxiously awaiting his official orders)

Sweet!  Of course don't risk your life for any of said items.  

A real Tabuk stock set would be a real curiosity.  

Look out for old-timey AK variants like original Russian type I and II.  If you can score any of that furniture or parts that would be cool.  

If you run into any SVDs, nab the bipods and any furniture. That stuff goes for big bucks.

RPK stuff. Anything.  

Also, best easy to carry, if hard to remove item that is much in demand is Russian marked barrel trunnions.  That's one item that would be easy to get home and at the same time people will pay top dollar for Izhmash/Tula/Polyany arsenal marked trunnions. Iraqi ones would be interesting as well.  

Good luck and stay safe.

IM sent.

Good luck to you.  My only other request is wipe down and clean ALL your booty for explosives residue (yes, including gunpowder).

 I am EOD (not MPI & not CID) and have had the un-fun duty of working with CID in searching "Joe's" bags & mail coming back from a variety of AO's.  

 If you are contemplating bringing anything back, clean it VERY well, then clean your hands and then baggy it.  If there is ANYTHING in you personal stuff that causes the explosives detecting dog to "sit" on your bag or mail, it is going to be searched very well.  You will get your 'General Orders' read to you about "battlefield" pick-ups, so do it at your own risk.

 Stay safe, PLEASE don't pickup ANYTHING that looks like it could ever have been or be made into a bomb!

 Good luck, and remember, it is going to be 98% boredom and 2% terror & the terror when you very least expect it.

Hey Reb, if you don't mind, I'v included a list of "wish I had" things I had to procure in Nam, and things you'll want in Iraq.
small 3oz cans of wd40. great for unjamming any kind of weapon in the midst of a gunfight. fits in a shirt pocket.
gun cleaning gear-everything
lots of soap and shampoo and toothpaste
several decks of cards
at least 2 LULA's, 1 for m16, 1 for AK
in case you procure an AK, take a pack of 100 stripper clips for loading your ammo on, and get some of those chinese made stripper clip carriers, do a little modding on them and make them into bandoleers.
Does Army now issue those carry on your back style water bladders? Can't remember who makes them, but great innovation. get one!
lots of extra socks, undies, Tee's, ect.
compile a list of buddies who can send you care packages, i.e. Hoppes and cleaning patches,ect. or anything you forgot on trip over. Personally, I'd also take my own stash of new ak mags.
Finally, I'd get my own tools for dismantling those AK's. get real selective here, as you don't need that much. Your local unit repair shop may not be willing to loan out tools. a small lead hammer; a couple punches( correct size for what you need done); needlenose pliers;
either an electric or air powered zip saw for slicing off those stamped receivers. screwdriver;
Well, I guess that's it for now. OH! by the way!
I'll take a krink or 2, or at least a Iraqi marked stamped receiver. Also, Do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, become friendly with the locals. I am convinced that muslims are mentally retarded, as a race. why else would they be out in the streets rioting and blaming the usa for no water, no lites, no ac, when they know full well that their own countrymen are out there everyday blowing up the lites, water, and ac. Well my .02 cents worth. Take care over there!
                      OJF

Yea, Just a couple of things...

Maybe some interesting AK Mags...Something odd if you find one.

Send me back a Picture of Your unit holding a
pole with Saddam Husseins severed head on the end of it.  Clip off his right hand for me while you are at it too...i know a dog that needs a new chew toy.

Anythign that you can bring back will be appreciated by all. I have a friend that was there and they had collected MANY MANY different types of AK's. He has a picture of them spread out on the floor of their house they occupied whrn they were in country.  I will try to get a copy next time i see him.

Stay safe,and good hunting.

KyARGuy

Just bring your ass, and everything connected to it back here in the same shape it went over there in and I will be happy.

Good luck man!

Sounds like you will have good people next to you, hope it goes well! Cheap plastic playing cards seem to hold up better than the nice cards in outdoor conditions. Dremel and extra cutoff wheels/grinders for parting out any guns. Even if the SVD set is incomplete, I am sure Campy can accept some from here, some from there over an extended period.
And remember that when Lawrence was helping them drive the Turks out, he still had major problems with the tribal nuts.

Quoted: IM sent. Good luck to you.  My only other request is wipe down and clean ALL your booty for explosives residue (yes, including gunpowder).  I am EOD (not MPI & not CID) and have had the un-fun duty of working with CID in searching "Joe's" bags & mail coming back from a variety of AO's.    If you are contemplating bringing anything back, clean it VERY well, then clean your hands and then baggy it.  If there is ANYTHING in you personal stuff that causes the explosives detecting dog to "sit" on your bag or mail, it is going to be searched very well.  You will get your 'General Orders' read to you about "battlefield" pick-ups, so do it at your own risk.  Stay safe, PLEASE don't pickup ANYTHING that looks like it could ever have been or be made into a bomb!  Good luck, and remember, it is going to be 98% boredom and 2% terror & the terror when you very least expect it.

Message recieved and taken to heart, thanks a bunch.

As for the imports, no, you missunderstand, I'm doing it 'by the book'. Everything I buy and send home will be properly papered and done in the full light of my COC. If it were just me that'd look bad by doing this, I'd try bringing home complete weapons, but I really dont want to risk putting any of my COC in a bad light, so I plan on getting full permission before doing any of this.

How about some used nice AK mags. Not falling apart mags but some you could tell that have seen action.

I'll pay you for them.
Please let me know if you can do this.
Thanks!

Keep your head down and stay safe. Thank you for making the world safe for Democracy.

I'm with CampyBob - if you can get me an SVD parts set, I'll find someone to make a receiver for it - and I'll pay you GOOD money!

SVD mags might come in handy with the parts set, also...  

Keep yourself safe over there!

Tabuk or Yugo Ak furniture!

BTDT X 2. Sux. Good luck partner

I'd like to request that you bring your ass home alive!And if you have the chance,Iraqi Berets and Chest pouches are bringing a small fortune these days.

Continue your hard training, keep your head down, and be safe.

I would just like to see you return healthy and well.

Thanks for your service.

Quoted: I am convinced that muslims are mentally retarded, as a race.                        OJF

Rebelgray:

Seriously though - stay safe out there - the only incidents that make the news are those that lead to KIAs - there are countless more attacks occurring daily in the rough areas.  Watch your six and don't bunch up.

That being said, the folks up north and down south really are working with us - our biggest problem is convincing them that we are in it for the long haul, and that we will not abandon them like we did countless Montagnards, South Vietnamese, and many of the Iraqi rebels in 1991.  I personally don't have much faith that we will ever convince the folks around Baghdad of that - they have too much media access and hear our politicians as well as we do.  Nobody wants to be the first up against the wall when we leave and the next gang takes over and starts the inevitable purges against those who supported our efforts.  Not an easy nut to crack.

Every extremist nutcase with a hard-on for killing "infidels" is going to Iraq now - should prove to be a target rich environment.  The tables sure have turned since 11 Sep 01.

Print up a pile of these:

DD603 - REGISTRATION OF WAR TROPHY FIREARM PDF file

and

DD603-1 - WAR TROPHY REGISTRATION/AUTHORIZATION PDF file

And yes, it is possible to bring complete weapons back - if you can get the proper signatures. I know of someone who has recently shipped back 2 RPG-7's (no rockets...) on these forms.

I would love to have some AK mags that had seen some use over there in the sand.

A "war trophy" would be real cool.

Most importantly stay safe and get back home to your loved ones!!

IF you can fill a plastic "buble gum toy" orb with some Iraqi sand for me, I'll send you enough money for a case of beer when you get back. That is if you have time. Thanks.

Actually, according to the ATF there has been no war trophys allowed since the Vietnam war. Since I am in the Army and make trips to the Balkans all the time, I had hoped to bring some stuff back. The DD603 is not valid with the ATF anymore. It used to be that the ATF would waive the form 6 (import permit) if you had a valid DD603. IF someone brought back a RPG (which is a non importable DD)then it was an error.

But, there is a special import permit for American soldeirs- The ATF form 6 part II. It allows a soldier to import stuff into the US without having an full import licence. The only catch is that you must be on active duty outside the US for longer then 60 days. Once you have this form approved from the ATF, you can legally ship long guns and parts thru the US mail. AK parts kits are importable for "replacement use" so in theory you could get an import permit for one and then drop it in the US mail legally. Pistols have to be shipped via UPS and so on. The import permit takes about 8 weeks to get approved. This all works for me from Germany, but I dont know about Iraq or someother war zone. There is an arms embargo against Iraq, so I am not sure if a form 6 would be approved. I would write the ATF to be sure.

Magazines require some paperwork from the local Gov't showing it was made before 9/94.

The only catch would probably be the Army. War Trpohy firearms are not allowed under General order #1. I guess if you bought one from a local and had some proof you might be able do it.

Reb,

Been to the sandbox and they had a "amnesty" box on every corner.....Practically everything we would like to bring back is a no-no.

Stay on the beaten path and away from bazaars.  Nothing is worth you not coming coming home.

Be safe and have a good tour.

KF

First off, thankyou everyone who posted, I'll do my damndest to see that everyone gets atleast some of what they wanted. Thanks for the well wishes too, I'll do my best to keep my head in the sand once the rounds start zipping. Unfortunatly these days I think the stray 81mm parabolic or an RPG is my biggest problem as the only folks who the Terrs can shoot at and get away from are the Iraqi police. Still though I'll do my best to watch my own six....in the end though God calls, and I go, not much choice in the matter.

Next:

Quoted: Reb, Been to the sandbox and they had a "amnesty" box on every corner.....Practically everything we would like to bring back is a no-no. Stay on the beaten path and away from bazaars.  Nothing is worth you not coming coming home. Be safe and have a good tour. KF

KF, you're a hero to everyone on this board, and I'm no exception, but damnit, if I'm going to put my ass on the line for a questionable overseas comittment (even with WMDs, I'd realy like to see how someone could justify Iraq as a bigger threat to the US than say, North Korea...) and a year to 18mos away from my wife, then I'm not going home empty handed. I'll do everything I can to play it the gov't's way, but if they end up being obstinate, well then I can tollerate a twenty hour plane ride with an SVD reciever shoved up my colon and the parts kits diseminated amoung my and my co-conspirators gear after paying them off. People always manage to get stuff back, and I'll die an unfufilled soul if I cant be one of them, hook or crook.

:P I'm a historian damnit, and if I cant have a meaningful momento of my own brief footnote in history, then I question my viability as a man...

Advice well taken though I'll be careful. Thanks again, everyone's concern is appriciated...

i have a few buddies there and back
keep your head down and wear that bulletproof vest.
as for trophies I for one would like an AK from there that has seen use or any related parts stock if they make one foregrip, mags from there,
stay safe...any spent shells from iraqi or usgi arms
it would be cool to have something that actually was in battle like a 40mm grenade shell

man oh man you are in for a big shock there grey.  I was over there and getting to go back.  I saw about of cool sh*t that i would have loved to have.  But the amount of hardware you want to bring back you will go to jail.  Hands down I had guys in my unit try it.  I do not want to sound rude.  This is not a treasure hunt or shopping tripp do your job and come home safe!!!!!!! Death From Above!!! you weekend warrior

Tabuk or Yugo Ak furniture!

First off, I want you and you company to come home safe.


Tabuk or Yugo Ak furniture!

or maybe a SLABSIDE mag if you find one.


Good luck and come home safe.

I wont let anyone down, much as I love my wife, I'll gladly lay down my life if one of my boys who has kids and is better at this civilian thing than I am....I just wish we'd stop pussyfooting around and sucking up to the liberals- lets do the imperial thing, and be open and proud about it, or lets all go the F* home and forget about spending billions on these godforsaken bits of the third world. Its bad enough that we saved Europe, twice, (Nazis and Soviets) and get nothing from it, it seems that we just cant get a clue and stay home and do our talking with snipers, cruise missiles, and if need be, tac-nukes to protect our boarders.  

I've got a lot 'on the other side' waiting for me, so if I happen to catch one, my worries are about my guys, my wife, and making an ass out of my 'exit', not dying. I've no qualms about meeting my creator, or whatever He has planned for the next stage of my existance...

Next, if need be I'll ditch a lot of my gear over there that is replacable and replace it with stuff that I want to bring back.

I'd like to reiterate that I'm going to try to do this "on the table" first, getting all the necessairy nods and approval that I need. I've no overwhelming desire to do anything 'bad', but I'm also not coming home empty handed. <shrugs> Whatever that means.