Citadel Gun & Safe is taking donations of items to be sent to our troops in Iraq. Some of the items we are sending are t-shirts, cookies, cool dannas, two way radios, jolly ranchers and Gatorade powder. If you have items you want to send to Iraq you can bring them by. We want to do what we can for the troops and we thought this would boost morale. If you have any ideas for future donations or have something you want to donate let us know. Thanks. Jon at Citadel Gun & Safe.

When I was out in the field wet wipes were like gold. When you dont have access to a bath they're the next best thing. I'll bring some by.

When are you planning on sending the stuff?  I think I can put some things together.

We are sending a package off the end of this week. We will try to send a package every week or two. We appreciate your help. Thanks guys.

Bump... I brought in some stuff, you guys should too!  


Let's show our guys we still give a shit about what they're doing over there!

I think thats great you're sending stuff out to our guys in Iraq, just make sure you pack the stuff really good. When I was over there, my packages got all beat to shit and in one case pilfered.  My one question is, do you have a specific contact you're sending this stuff to? Im pretty sure the post office doesnt accept "Any Soldier" boxes anymore and when they did the post office and APO took their sweet time getting the stuff to us. Most of the packages were postdated 4 to 5 months previously and all the boxes had been rifled through before we even got them.

We are sending it to the in Marines 1 st battalion 7 th Marines 3 rd platoon. We are sending the package to a corporal that bought a lot of blackhawk gear because they were not issued what they needed. They were going over for the second time. They are a great group of guys and should be in the thick of it again .  They were some of the first troops in Iraq. Thanks for the support, I'm sure it will be appreciated.

We sent off 68 pounds of stuff to Iraq today. It should be like Christmas over there! Thanks for all your help. Lets keep the donations coming. This is going to be a long ordeal. They need this now more than ever. We will send boxes every week. If you have a soldier that we can send stuff to let us know. Thanks guys.

We are sending the package to a corporal that bought a lot of blackhawk gear because they were not issued what they needed

Sounds pretty much par for the course with the military.  

We thought we'd be in the pink once our unit started rolling in our mobilization process.  We thought we'd trade in our LCE for the LBVs and ditch the retarded military magazine pouches.  But instead we got the Interceptor body armor.  Complete with the front and rear panels rated to stop a 7.62 ball round point blank, and the groin extension to stop a 9mm.  But the Interceptor armor uses MOLLE straps all across the front, with no built-in mag pouches as the LBV has.  So the military, in its infinite wisdom, has us keep those "designed to get you killed" mag pouches and just hook them on the MOLLE straps.  Using ALICE clips on MOLLE straps is like using muffler tape to assemble an exhaust system.  It sorta holds it all together, but it rattles and flops around like fish.   If I have to reach for a magazine I want to make sure that magazine is where it should be, exactly where I put it.

Another thing that irks me with the retardo military magazine pouches is the annoying squeeze clip that needs to be manipulated to open the pouch.  Sure it works great for keeping a pack of smokes,  a compass, or some pogey bait secure, but when the shit hits the fan and adrenaline is pumping, I don't want to be trying to fumble around and find the squeeze clip and press it to release it and the feed it back up the clip housing.  The only person that liked them favors them for their "stealth" since the clip makes almost no noise as velcro would.  But he failed to think the situation through fully since by the time I've emptied one 30 round magazine, the sound of the velcro  isn't going to attract the attention the last 30 shots would.

So that's why I went out and bought mag pouches that have velcro flaps.  Mag pouches designed to tread into the MOLLE straps so they are secure as secure can get.  No flopping, no moving.  

Also, the standard military poisition of the mag pouches with the LCE is towards the front, about  1:30 and 10:30 poisition.   A positioning that ultimately makes the magazines inaccessible when lying prone.  And damn uncomforable too to lay on since they jam right into the ribs in the position.

At least with the vests I could reposition my magazines out towards my 3 and 9 o'clock positions, so that when prone I can get to them.  I have a couple single mag pouches that are more towards my center and are in front of the plate so they are perfectly comfortable to go prone on.

But of course, these mag pouches were something I had to shell out my own coin for.  As far as the military is concerned they issued me two mag pouches so I'm good-to-go in their eyes.

So that's when it becomes time to pursue companies like Blackhawk, Tactical Tailor, etc.  To get stuff that works when the time is needed.   Some people around here look at me funny with some of the extra stuff I have.   I figgure better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.  Being able to carry ten 30 round magazines (8 on body, 1 on buttstock, and one loaded) instead of the standard seven (6 on body, 1 loaded) is an extra bit of insurance in my book.  I haven't seen any after action reports coming back where soldiers involved in fire-fights wished they had less ammo.

But there are those around here that like to give me flack about why I need all the extra mags, like I'm applying for the Riddlilin Rangers, or just want to look special.  In short I tell them to piss-off;  I've got a wife and daughter to come home to.

I'm sure once we get our feet in country and they realize our trucks are RPG/IED/bullet magnets, their attitudes will likely change.  But when the the shit hits the fan it's too late to wish you had an umbrella.

Quoted: We also should get BroncoGlenn's address over  there and send him some stuff.

Once I get an address for us I'll be sure to post.  Supposedly our mail will forward from our Ft. Lewis address, but, how efficiently (this is the military after all) and for how long is unknown.

From what I've heard Gold Bond powder is pretty popular over there.  Movies/DVDs as well, just bear in mind that skin flicks are prohibited.  Baby wipes are also popular.

I'd be willing to say that some quality cleaning patches and rags for weapons maintenance would be nice as the stuff the military gets is no better for rifles than the military single ply toilet paper is for your backside.  Even bulk cloth than can be cut up for whatever purposes.  

We are sending more packages out on monday. I appreciate all of the donations. Lets keep them coming. If you have someone to send things to or can help  in anyway let us know. Thanks guys. Jon at Citadel Gun & Safe.