Armory Sponsor
Posted: 12/14/2008 1:22:21 PM EDT
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Just joined this site a few days ago...WOW, lots more info that the other sites I've seen. And it seems like a lot more of the posters are "active" (military or LEO) than other places, so the info is practical.
Anyway, here's my basic question (actually a bunch of related questions) for those of you in the military...I see lots of different LBE afternarket rigs here, some with comments like, "this is what I took with me to A-stan", or, "Here's what I used in Iraq"... Doesn't the individual branches provide you with LBE rigs? Are the aftermarket (civilian) ones that much better that you purchase them out of your own pocket? How does that affect operations when one guy wears his rifle mags here, and another guy has them there..? What do you do with your issued gear? Just curious... rict |
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Welcome aboard. Glad to see you are enjoying the forums here.
Yes, the military does issue LBE of various types. A lot of aftermarket gear is significantly better in terms of materials, construction, or design than issue gear, and many of us choose to buy commercial gear with our own money. It doesn't really affect operations at all, since most pouches are generally in the same area, even though they aren't placed exactly the same. Often, units will have SOPs that dictate specific placement for first aid kits or other items so that they are carried exactly the same by every member of the unit. I take my issued gear with me along with whatever commercial gear I take on deployments. Whatever isn't in use is in a seabag or wall locker or something. |
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joker,
Thanks for the info. Wow, based on some of the rigs I've seen here, that means some of you are spending LOTS of your own money on this gear. But then again, your safety can't be measured in money! I'm old enough (almost 60) that the only LBE I was familiar with (before seeing the gear here) was the old VietNam-era M1956/M1967 stuff...in fact, I still have some old web gear of that vintage; nothing like the stuff I'm seeing here. But good enough for plinking/hunting activity with my SKS. In fact, I have gotten some good ideas that I think I can use for upgrading my "antique" gear without breaking the bank, and my wife will be happy because I'll be safer & less likely to get hurt on my shooting treks. rict |
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Quoted:
Doesn't the individual branches provide you with LBE rigs? Are the aftermarket (civilian) ones that much better that you purchase them out of your own pocket? How does that affect operations when one guy wears his rifle mags here, and another guy has them there..? What do you do with your issued gear? Just curious... rict We get provided with equipment, but as Murphy once observed, usually it is made by the lowest bidder. I purchased my equipment out of pocket because I was able to customize it to ME. I can specifically set it up so that it works best for my strengths and weaknesses. I have yet to see any real problems from people having their own kit. If there is a change of command, people just pull out the issued gear from wherever they have it and we all roll in wearing the same issued gear for uniformity. Then it goes back into a closet or duffel bag. |
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