Ga. Gun show promoter Matt Eastman has banned my friend LtCol Ledee, Exec Dir of Armor 4 Troops Foundation from his gun shows.  This just burns me up to no end.
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Looking at his website, it is clear he means well.  I thank him for his efforts, his time, and his service to the country.

Unfortunately he is misinformed.  Joes get a nice full issue before deploying, and it has been that way for a couple of years.

Quoted: Looking at his website, it is clear he means well.  I thank him for his efforts, his time, and his service to the country. Unfortunately he is misinformed.  Joes get a nice full issue before deploying, and it has been that way for a couple of years.

It looks like they have shifted their efforts to buying good protective eyewear and other gear.  Joe is issued eyewear, but it does get all fucked up, so more good lenses can't hurt.

Quoted: Looking at his website, it is clear he means well.  I thank him for his efforts, his time, and his service to the country. Unfortunately he is misinformed.  Joes get a nice full issue before deploying, and it has been that way for a couple of years.

The issue glasses are not that good and get degraded quickly into crap. Ever spent time in the sandbox?  Don't sound like it to me.  If anyone is misinformed here its you.  My son is over there and I did 9mo as a contractor.  I'd go thru a pair in no time, glad I took 6 pair.
I send a package a month with assorted goodies.  There's always a new pair of glasses with every shipment, if he does not need them someone in his unit does.

Quoted: Quoted: Looking at his website, it is clear he means well.  I thank him for his efforts, his time, and his service to the country. Unfortunately he is misinformed.  Joes get a nice full issue before deploying, and it has been that way for a couple of years. The issue glasses are not that good and get degraded quickly into crap. Ever spent time in the sandbox?  Don't sound like it to me.  If anyone is misinformed here its you.  My son is over there and I did 9mo as a contractor.  I'd go thru a pair in no time, glad I took 6 pair. I send a package a month with assorted goodies.  There's always a new pair of glasses with every shipment, if he does not need them someone in his unit does.

I think FDC misunderstood that they were still buying body armor for troops, which the troops now have in abundance.

Quoted: Quoted: Looking at his website, it is clear he means well.  I thank him for his efforts, his time, and his service to the country. Unfortunately he is misinformed.  Joes get a nice full issue before deploying, and it has been that way for a couple of years.

The issue glasses are not that good and get degraded quickly into crap.

The current issue glasses are fine.  There are better, spares can come in handy, but the issue ones work.  The clear lenses wear out quickly, average 2 month lifespan for ground use.  A "creative" supply guy can square away the unit with new stuff.  The key is to get glasses to the units with a broke supply system.  

Ever spent time in the sandbox?  Don't sound like it to me.  If anyone is misinformed here its you.

Blow me, contractor.  Yes I have, more time than you have, and I'm going to the other one in a little less than 6 months.

My son is over there and I did 9mo as a contractor.  I'd go thru a pair in no time, glad I took 6 pair.

Maybe you should have taken the current issue glasses?  Maybe the current issue goggle that many SOPs have tied to the ACH?  How about the RFI issue glasses?  

I send a package a month with assorted goodies.  There's always a new pair of glasses with every shipment, if he does not need them someone in his unit does.

Agreed, you ALWAYS need a spare set, provided you send a set off the authorized list of glasses, good on you.  There is always a joe that sits on his, drops them in the shitter, gets them stolen, gets them blown up, etc.

I personally prefer the ESS Ice or the Revision Sawfly.  One was issued in country, and the other was issued here.

I didn't care for the issue ones. I had a supply of Wiley's I took with me.
I had 2+ yrs in country long ago, but I see no reason to get in a pissin contest here.
Some of us 'contractors' are ex-mil experts with combat experience. Some with a son or daughter who may be in the bunk next to you. You ain't gotta be like that.
I thank you for your service to our country and if you will send me your unit address in country and I'll see that you guys get a nice package if I have to pay for it my self. Just send me back a pic and let me know how well you liked the goodies.

O and like I said, like your firebase? A Ranger secured it first.

God bless.

Quoted: I didn't care for the issue ones. I had a supply of Wiley's I took with me. I had 2+ yrs in country long ago, but I see no reason to get in a pissin contest here. Some of us 'contractors' are ex-mil experts with combat experience. Some with a son or daughter who may be in the bunk next to you. O and like I said, like your firebase? A Ranger secured it first.

I personally can't stand the Wiley-X insta fog glasses(SG-1 I think).  They work for riding in a truck, but once something happens/folks dismount, they fog up horribly.  

The ESS Ice or Revision Sawfly are outstanding eyepro.  The ESS reps mentioned they would discount the price of glasses for units or large orders.  I should have the POC info back at the Battery.  

I've had the Oakley M-Frames issued.  Nice glasses, but I feel they are just a fancy name.  

I T&Eed a set of Wiley-X PT1s.  Nice, but the nose piece is uncomfortable after awhile.

I'm currently T&Eing a set of ESS Ice 2-X.  They come with 2 complete frames/lenses so you don't have to replace the lenses only.  I like them, and I may have the Battery buy them for everyone.  www.esseyepro.com/ICE-2X_146_detail.html    



You're the one throwing around your "9 months as a contractor".  I'm well aware that many contractors have more active duty time, and more combat experience than I do-both in uniform and outside of it.  

Also, before you throw around that firebase comment, you should research what most active DS arty units are doing in one sandbox---performing non-standard(to-arty)maneuver missions and owning land.  For the other sandbox your statement holds some truth, but the headquarters and support batteries are doing that maneuver land owning shit again.  Luckily I'm in a firing battery now, and I may get to throw some 105mm down range for close supporting fires on this next trip.  Believe it or not, artillerymen enjoy providing timely and accurate fire support to whoever needs it.

The uvex suck we were justed issued.. have some Oakleys that are far better....

Quoted: The uvex suck we were justed issued.. have some Oakleys that are far better....

Hehe, A co got the Oakleys bitches!  Woulda tried to get one of the extras, but better to leave them with the deployers.

I really wish all these folks who say Joe is going down range without the gear he needs would come watch an RFI issue.  Or go to Kuwait and look at the monster warehouses of RFI gear there.  Or just look at the FOB dumpsters whenever a unit rotates home.

Shit, we went to Iraq with a full basic load of everything...and within a week of arriving at our FOB had at least twice that from a little recon and selective dumpster diving.  Shit the outgoing units didn't want to send home because it wasn't on their property books or was Class IX.

My old platoon is there now and I get emails on a regular basis from guys asking if I want/need any of the "cool guy stuff" they are getting by the metric a**load over there.