A long time friend is deployed over in iraq with 15 m-14's in his company and no optics. I will paste part of his letter.
We have 15 M14s in my company (I am the only one with experience with them; I used my personal one for DCM matches in college years ago).  Unfortunately, they didn't come with scope mounts or scopes; I had to put my own personal stuff on it.  I like to carry my M14 when I go out because the locals start looking over their shoulders 24 hours a day thinking that there are US snipers out there watching them through crosshairs.  It helps to keep them from doing anything stupid.  We are starting to get the scope mounts in for the M14s, but we won't be getting any scopes because there are none in the Army supply system (seems kind of bizarre doesn't it?).  So, if anyone has any old scopes (and rings!) they don't want or need (mil-dot preferred) they can send them over here and we will put them to use right away.  I am the only one with a scoped rifle in the company, although I do have five snipers qualified soldiers

that is just plain bad news in my book. If anyone has an old scope or rings they can part with i am sure you will bring a smile to a gi's face. He stressed to me NOT to go out and buy a scope to send.
any scope and rings is bettter than no scope or rings  items may be sent to:
   
FOB Rustamiyah, Iraq                    
CPT David J. Baer
A Co, 3-67 AR, 4 ID
Unit #41503
APO AE 09390-1503
any  questions feel free to email me at [email protected]  

I know the XO at TACCOM.  I will ask him if he knows anything about this.  In the mean time, say hello to Capt. Mike Curtis for me.  My nieces husband with 4ID in Bagdad.

.

i hate it when soldiers ask for free shit all the time. Do what my guys do and fucking buy it or order it through the system. You dont hear me or anyone else bitching about  buying acogs and aimpoints or chest rigs. A SS and set of nice rings is under 400$. If that money isint worth it to enhance your lethality or survavability, then you dont need it. Most people in the desert are raking home 4500+ a month.

Quoted: i hate it when soldiers ask for free shit all the time. Do what my guys do and fucking buy it or order it through the system. You dont hear me or anyone else bitching about  buying acogs and aimpoints or chest rigs. A SS and set of nice rings is under 400$. If that money isint worth it to enhance your lethality or survavability, then you dont need it. Most people in the desert are raking home 4500+ a month.

Remembering the supply system, I can see why they do ask for things.

BTW, I loaned 6 each m14 mags to the cause a while ago and talk about casting your bread on the water and getting back poached eggs on toast, they were returned to me in FAR BETTER condition than they were when I sent them out.



ETA: Ask no questions regarding their return and I promise you will hear no lies.

Cobra cutter if they are lower enlisted they are not bringing home that much. I know what my son is getting as an E-2.

Quoted: Cobra cutter if they are lower enlisted they are not bringing home that much. I know what my son is getting as an E-2.

Even if PFC whatshisname is making $1000/ hour, there's NO reason the supply system should fail him.
Having to cough up for stuff you shoud already have is BS.


Period.

Oh, I agree. I worked supply many, moons ago. I also know it depends onyour Supply. There is good and bad there. I always tried to be good and have what they needed. My Sgt at the time was a real POS and didn't give a crap. Was glad to see him rotate back to the states. So yeah, I know, and there is no good excuse for it either.

Hey this guy isnt asking for us to run out and buy them new acogs. And he's not some weekend warrior who can run right out to the local gun shop and pick up a new scope. He's in Iraq right now and is looking out for other guys in his unit. Fine, the supply system failed them and it shouldnt happen. But it does.
How many of us have an old scope or 2 laying around after upgrading or selling off a gun? ANYTHING is better than nothing. I for one will be sending one off in the mail tommorrow.

FOB Ceurvo damn, right on the Diyala river, nice FOB compared to YellowCake. Those M14s arnt intended as sniper weapons ie optics, but as a longer reach weapon and to penetrate cars on TCPs. We didnt have any optics on ours, one guy put his M68CCO on his M14 but that was all.

With all due respect, why did they deploy without the equipment that they needed?  I read that they have one scope?   Clearly there was a need for more.  I find it hard to believe that the army does not have any optics in the supply system - NSN's work across the board for all services.  

Someone is not or did not do their job and now a lack of planning has become a mad scramble in the worst possible place.  

Recommmendation - Start by contacting every unit in the AO and ask for help.  Come up with a shopping list of NSN's/items.  Beg, borrow, steal.  MAKE someone in supply run a requisition as a 01/02 priority and have the CO sign off on it.  I guarentee that the system will start moving if someone makes it.

Quoted: i hate it when soldiers ask for free shit all the time. Do what my guys do and fucking buy it or order it through the system. You dont hear me or anyone else bitching about  buying acogs and aimpoints or chest rigs. A SS and set of nice rings is under 400$. If that money isint worth it to enhance your lethality or survavability, then you dont need it. Most people in the desert are raking home 4500+ a month.

Holy cow, dude.  It is not acceptable for soldiers to financially support a deployment out of their pockets, no matter how much they are making.  Sure, senior NCO's can make some money with incentive pay and tax free status, but the majority of joes can't go around spending their paychecks on gear.  

As for the supply system, there just aren't hundreds of scopes and mounts suitable for the M-14's waiting around for lazy soldiers to request.  Our BN S4 is a dear friend of mine, I harrass him every day, and I still can't get squat.  What I have managed to get has been under the table or come too late to be of much use.  Everyone wants something, everything has to be bought or requested, everyone has a priority, everything takes time, everyone wants a justification as to why you should get yours and someone else shouldn't and, generally, few want to work or make people work.  Regardless, it shouldn't cost a soldier his cash.  

I Sure am getting alot of freedback on theis thread. No body is asking anyone to go and buy a new scope and rings here. He stressed to me NOT to do that as i posted. He has tried and tried to get optics to no avail. I am just trying to help the guy and his men out. If i we can help by sending him somthing we dont use or can spare  i think it is well worth it.  thanks

NSNs'

1240-01-470-6548 > 10X mildot  Mark 4 Scope- Leoupold

1005-01-535-4430 > mount for ACOG or Scope - Smith Enterprise
5055-01-506-5750 > mount for Scope with see thru for iron sights - Smith Enterprise
1005-01-533-8160 > mount for Scope with see thru for iron sights-longer rail - Smith Enterprise

As for rings I'm not sure. I have used the Mark 4 with the rings for a M107 .50 cal rifle on a M16A4 and it works really good. I don't have the nsn for the rings on me, but if your Armorer is worth his salt he can get it for you from TMs on a ETM disk.

Mike

UPDATE!!
NSN  1240-01-502-8707 for rings from a M107 rifle. Might be too high for a M14 though.

Bump TTT  for those that need the NSNs.
Mike

i hate it when soldiers ask for free shit all the time. Do what my guys do and fucking buy it or order it through the system. You dont hear me or anyone else bitching about buying acogs and aimpoints or chest rigs. A SS and set of nice rings is under 400$. If that money isint worth it to enhance your lethality or survavability, then you dont need it. Most people in the desert are raking home 4500+ a month.

You deploy with what you have. Period. Almost every unit in Iraq is doing missions outside their normal jobs. Artillery are doing Infantry missions as an example. If your unit is tasked to provide snipers but your unit is not infantry, then you are not authorized sniper gear and can't order it. While units have been able to pick up some weapons to fullfill their new missions, the accessories are not so easy to get. If it is not on your MTOE, it is very difficult to get.

Even with the NSN, the parts might not show up for 3-6 months as the units in Iraq are using the European Command supply system which may not have the items in stock.

And he didn't ask for a pair of $100 scope rings and a $300 scope. He asked for any scopes and rings someone might have lying around.

look to adopt a sniper .com now known as american sniper .org- they are a private organization that helps out units in such predicaments. while in iraq our guys requested and got some gear from them.

thanks you much. I have gotten some feed back from folks who can send a scope ect.  I am glad people can help. thanks to everyone!!!!