Looks like Im finaly going. Im looking for advice on specific gear you like or dis like and why. What would you liked to have had there? Any recomendations on dust goggles and best boots? Also need a source for a folding stock for an AK.
Just got back for getting some long delayed dental work done and my eye exam 1 week post Lasik. 20/15 in both eyes!
Mobil team EOD
Thanks in advance.

My only advice is keep your gear to a minimum. Carry on you only water, bullets and band aids. Don't show up there with all kinds of Gucci gear, most of its junk. Decide if you want a separate harness for all your pouches or put it on your IBA. Keep all your extra stuff in a 3 day bag like the Raptor pack from Blackhawk. Invest in a good first aid kit with Quik Clot Kits and a pair of EMT shears in them. Bolle makes good goggles and Wiley X's arent bad either. I like the Danner Desert Acadias. Damn good boots for the money. Anything else you'll figure out on your own. Good luck.

do not get shot

AKWildcard---

I cant help you on gear, but want to suggest that you may get better results on your question in the "Deployed Forum"

Stay safe and- Thank you!

Be careful and stay safe.  Thanks for your service.

Hey if your EOD just wait. You will get 2 of every piece of Equipment you can hallucinate about. Lots of porn maybe some yeast for brewing. A good chair.

This post is about all you need really.

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=132&t=417829

Thanks. I guess I haven't seen the deployed fourm, I'll check it and the link out as well.

Well, that link was not much help at all. Field grunts, those fawking with IEDs on a daily basis, jarheads in the $hit, what do i need and what can I dump?????? I have some great tips from my co workers who have most all been there once or twice or thirce, just looking for more tips. Personell comfort kind of things. Got the Ipod, digi and vid camera, baby wipes, kegs of gold bond, three pairs of socks a day....What else??????????

Camel Back is handy especially during summers, but the weather is a bit nicer now.  I wouldn't load up on all the miscellanious stuff just yet, all of that can be obtained at teh numerous PX's.  You will likely get issued more than you care for or will ever need.  Not sure if you will be getting dust goggles or not (I didn't) but they would come in handy.  A headwrap, sniper scarf, baclava, etcc.. will be handy for the dust storms.  Those are the worse thing I hated there for general living conditions.  A laptop and good carry case is handy but not all places will allow you to use internet other than at MWR with their pc's.   You might have access , you might not!  A jump drive is handy if you do bring a laptop or want to be able to save/send things while using MWR.  You will of course need a power coverter to drop the current down to 110, but those can be obtained over there also.

My contract ended in the Fall so when I was in CRC, I sent an entire duffel bag of worthless TA-50 home.  They were a bit mad at me when I came back through CRC but I told them an IED ate my TA-50.  Whatever you do not have in person when you clear, you have to pay for immediately but luckily the company just covered me for anything I was missing.

Oh, if you don't mind....who are you contracting with over there?  

freebreeze for your EOD8, head and wrist bands to wear for your EOD8 keeps the sweat out of your hands and off the face shield. Weightlifting gloves for your downtime. 30ft long Painters poles with hooks. a rolling pin and a wire cheese cutter because deta sheet is impossible to find.

Best advise is a really good pillow.

Be safe.  

As large a memory card as possible for your digital camera 1G, USB card reader for downloading to CD on your computer or someones else's.
Militec for weapon care.
good water bottle if not a camelback, camleback was available at PX
Gloves with a little insulation,
neck pillow for the looooooooonnnnng ride over. 24 hours from start to finish with refueling stops. people will offer you money for it half way over!!!
Good shoes I wore out my Lands End hiking shoes.
Swiss army multi tool, the expensive one.

If you do have internet access set up a blog before you go. And you can load  pics and thoughts for all you friends to keep up on you travels with out having to email stuff home to everyone.

When you get there and accure a local weapon fill out ATF paperwork as soon as possible, it takes about five months  for the OK and you can bring the new toys back with you!!!

Take a video camera  and record everthing people won't belive evrthing you get to do and video is great to show when you get back. I would mail mine home to the wife and kids. My boy still like to watch the Humvee ride in to town, nothing happen just a normal mission, but he (6 yrs old) get a kick out it evertime.

When rolling ride low, IEDs are your primary hazard as a Gunner, you will have time to stand when the shooting starts and it will.

Awsome tips coming in here. Thanks so much. Gotta be in Texas Jan 16th, Going with USAE.
Keep the info coming.

Texas deployment processing?
God help you!
It took them  a week to do what could have been done in two days anywhere else.
Hopefully they have made the time through a little quicker!
We quartered in old 1950 H building on the Air base side of the base. Nothing around would wind up walking miles to get anywhere. If your company would pay for hotel and car it might be worth it IF that is where they make you stay.
Other wise the main outprocessing build is centrally located , has phones, TV room, Computer access, and taxi's into town.

During processing bring a book, radio, or something to help the time pass by.
The Guard group that processed us were so proud to have done their 41st  group, we laughed because to alot of us it seemed like the first time they had ever done this...... confusiuon, misjudgeing how long a process would take with the number of people, timing of buses to transport people to meals, etc. We were so glad to be on the plane. You will have your patience exercised!!!!

Big ta-doo made about resricted items , while I would not have brought any such things some guys did, nobody ever checked they did walk the dogs through the lugage staging area.


If you lay over in Kuwait the Hilton is wonderful incrediable meals, pool, Starbucks!,  internet access.  Kuwait city is friendly, walk the beach by the towers, the mall has about 60% same
stores as any mall in the states. Check out the Gold market and acouple other markeys while in town.
"American" resturants all  along the beach. taxi everywhere, convert to kuwait dollars about 3 American to one Kuwait when I was there. and thier prices are expensive too.

Walking shoes!!!! Fun place to check out safely! Someday soon Iraq will be pretty much the same with all that we are doing.
Enjoy your time over their over there, don't get stuck on base thier is lots of thing to experiance!
Babaylon was the coolest!
FOLLOW SECURITY PROTOCALS!!! the people who got kidnapped and such always placed them selves into a situation that could have been avoided!! YOU DO NOT BLEND IN WHEN YOU PUT A HEAD WRAP ON!!!! Your mannerism , walk, body languge will give you away!!!
Get a good interpiture and you can have fun when you are not working, just be smart and alert at ALL times.

Good stuff!
Still looking for a source for a folding stock for an AK?

There are a couple AK folders here.

My only advice is:
Never trust your translators (if they are local nationals).
We had a few that were great, and I consider them my friends. But we also had a few that I thought were friends, only to find out they were planting IEDs on their days off. Get to know them, have fun with them, but never trust them.

Quoted: There are a couple AK folders here. My only advice is: Never trust your translators (if they are local nationals). We had a few that were great, and I consider them my friends. But we also had a few that I thought were friends, only to find out they were planting IEDs on their days off. Get to know them, have fun with them, but never trust them.

Good advice, the way we worked that out was to always take two of the them, they didn't know each other, and rotate them. At first use them with a local you trust and test out what is being translated. And do this again later on to see if anything has changed.

Oh and the sand gets everywhere and sticks to everything. A couple zip lock bags are good for putting your electronics into, small stuff, camera, PDA,  when the sand storms hit. They will amaze you if you haven't lived in AZ and seen one roll into town. Not sure what they will provide you but a box of good disopable dusy mask  my be worth it.

Quoted:
Lots of porn maybe some yeast for brewing. quote]

Hell yeah.

Buy the chair over there, though.

You can have the porn sent to you if need be, no need to carry it on you.  Likewise if you really want it, alcohol can be bought there.  By general order, alcohol is prohibited but it is still available.  Some places like the IZ it is widely available in the open.  Every place else you better keep it discreet or you will find yourself being sent home!  I have seen as many as 47 people sent home for having alcohol (not necessarily drinking) in one weekend alone.

You'll be issued a sidearm but not the AK.  They frown upon unauthorized weapons and it could get you in trouble.  You won't need one in camp anyway and when you are in the red zone your PSD team will likely supply you a borrowed M4 or AK anyway.

My buddy is a retired EOD Sergeant Major working for USAE, he loves it.  A lot of people get sent home for really stupid things, just use your noggin!  Plus have a financial plan established!  You would be surprised how many contractors making very good money end up filing bankruptcy!  Sometimes people get carried away with the money they are making and don't exercise restraint (mostly pertaining to the spouses left behind at home).