Question about buying your own gear...

[Lupo22]

I was just wondering at work today if you're allowed to buy your own flak gear on deployments? I know its not really an "imperative" question, but i was just curious.

I was also wondering if they allow you to modify your rifle at all. Like if I wanted to buy an aftermarket upper, or butt stock, is that allowed? You are allowed to buy upgraded sights and stuff, correct? what about aftermarket rails or grips?

And I was also wondering if you're required to wear only the issued body armor or if I wanted to buy a different jacket, if that'd be allowed.

Thanks guys

[acg1189]

I was just wondering at work today if you're allowed to buy your own flak gear on deployments? I know its not really an "imperative" question, but i was just curious.

I was also wondering if they allow you to modify your rifle at all. Like if I wanted to buy an aftermarket upper, or butt stock, is that allowed? You are allowed to buy upgraded sights and stuff, correct? what about aftermarket rails or grips?

And I was also wondering if you're required to wear only the issued body armor or if I wanted to buy a different jacket, if that'd be allowed.

Thanks guys

I'd imagine that would violate a few international laws against modifying weapons. I would think add ons that do not affect the rifle would be okay (like grips, stuff that goes on the rails, butt stocks). But I have heard anecdotal and hearsay about some having aftermarket upper recievers.

As for body armor, its a yes and no. As I have heard, some units will not allow it while others will look the other way.

Keep in mind that all flack jackets pretty much work identically ("carrier system that stops shrapnel and pistol, with insert plates that stop rifle rounds) and weight the same.

And in my experience, the Marine Corps culture is less accepting of "gear queers."

[Hayes]

when you hit the fleet and are about to deploy the last thing on your mind is getting more gear. You will be issued so much **** that when it comes time to leave you will just pack the majority of it in a box and leave it at your duty station until you come back.

Yes you can buy a handle or "broomstick", ive seen all kind of POGS with mounted 200.00 surefires, red dot sites with their acogs and iron sights on the side along with ****ing red laser sights all on at once. and these are ****ing admin and logistic guys. cut me a break. its not worth all that money.

And you are only aloud to wear your issued flak jacket which should be more than enough. You can put a freakin moutain climber clip on it if it makes you feel better but thats it.


Marine Corps issues it, you wear it.

The closest thing you will get to shooting someone in country is a negligent discharge.

[Sgt0231]

when you hit the fleet and are about to deploy the last thing on your mind is getting more gear. You will be issued so much **** that when it comes time to leave you will just pack the majority of it in a box and leave it at your duty station until you come back.

Yes you can buy a handle or "broomstick", ive seen all kind of POGS with mounted 200.00 surefires, red dot sites with their acogs and iron sights on the side along with ****ing red laser sights all on at once. and these are ****ing admin and logistic guys. cut me a break. its not worth all that money.

And you are only aloud to wear your issued flak jacket which should be more than enough. You can put a freakin moutain climber clip on it if it makes you feel better but thats it.


Marine Corps issues it, you wear it.

The closest thing you will get to shooting someone in country is a negligent discharge.

Hayes: POGS? We are Marines right? Riflemen? Hello? I can almost guarantee you I can shoot better than alot of Male Marines! Oh... and maybe if you went to Iraq in say... 2003-2006, you may have been able to shoot something, boot.

But to answer the initial question... it is unit discretion on whether or not you can modify your rifle/machinegun. Also, it is better if you just carry the gear issued to you because you will be throwing away money if you buy your own gear. I would suggest buying a three-point sling for your rifle or your own holster if you will be carrying a pistol. That's it.

My old unit required us to wear the issued flak. Like I said, if you are with a combat arms unit, you may be able to do whatever you like.

[Lupo22]

I'm going to be an 03xx...thats the only reason I ask. non-infantry related Marines buying stuff like that seems like its wasteful but you just never know when they'll need it. And maybe they have plans for a civilian LE job when they get out?? Then they can keep all that gear. Or maybe they're going to buy an AR-15/M-16/M-4 when they get out (or already have a personal rifle).

The only reason I ask is because I already have some body armor and my Marine buddy said he thinks its stronger than the issued gear. I don't plan on getting shot but once again, you never know.

I'm puttin the cart a little bit before the horse here, and i'm sure someone will make note of that, but I'm just askin pretty much whatever comes to mind as its keeping me busy in my down time before boot (24 more days!!)

thanks guys

[Pete0331]

The only reason I ask is because I already have some body armor and my Marine buddy said he thinks its stronger than the issued gear. I don't plan on getting shot but once again, you never know.

I don't like it when poolees get info like this.

I can talk you ear off about the proper gear to have as an Infantryman.
But for right now concentrate on Boot Camp and ITB.

If you have any questions PM me.
Poolee's have been asking to many about gear.

The only reason I comment is because to much false info gets passed.
Personal opinion is not fact.

[Lupo22]

I don't like it when poolees get info like this.

I can talk you ear off about the proper gear to have as an Infantryman.
But for right now concentrate on Boot Camp and ITB.

If you have any questions PM me.
Poolee's have been asking to many about gear.

The only reason I comment is because to much false info gets passed.
Personal opinion is not fact.

Ay, Cpl. Trust me, I'm focused on boot camp. I'm just getting excited, thats all. I'm sure your mind was racing and wondering the weeks leading up to your departure.

He's no tthe first soldier who's told me about Marine's equipment compared to other branches and even some civilian and LEO equipment. I'm sure I'll figure it all out when I get through

[Accord]

acg1189, are you a Marine? No? Then don't reply. I don't care what you've "heard" from "real Marines."

To answer your question, having your own gear is dependent on your unit. In my unit you can use whatever you want, the only limitations are you must use the issued flak and SAPPI plates.

Hayes, don't tell poolees that they won't get shot at. You're in a CLB in Iraq, that's why YOU'RE not getting shot at. The rest of the Marine Corps is in Afghanistan watching their buddies die every single day or getting ready to go to Afghanistan and they're all going to get much more than a few rounds sent their way.

To give you a real world answer from an 03 who just got back from 9 months of combat operations in Afghanistan, every swinging dick in our battalion had our own gear. Nobody used issued gear except for helmets and our flaks, everything else we bought ourselves. Before we got to Afghanistan we traded in our flaks for plate carriers which were awesome, but that's because we were part of a MEU with a huge budget, a normal infantry unit probably won't be doing that.

I used my own chest rig, knee pads, broomstick, camelbak, pistol holster, padded belt, EOTech 556, surefire, GPS, pouches, assaultpack, ruck, EVERYTHING on my body was my own. I didn't even bring the issued day pack or ILBE pack on deployment, those things are the biggest pieces of junk. You need to buy your own gear if you're a grunt operating in an enviroment like Afghanistan where you won't even see the inside of the wire for your entire deployment, you need gear that works and gear that lasts, and Marine Corps issued CIF gear just doesn't last in sustained combat day in and day out for months on end. Mabye if you're a POG in Iraq not seeing much anyways and can get gear replaced anytime you need to it's alright, but in real combat in a brutal enviroment it just doesn't work.

During a predeployment workup during field ops you'll probably be forced to use issued gear, but once you get on deployment and you start getting shot at,it's anything goes and you use what works, not what someone with something shiny on their collar wants that hasn't been on a real patrol in 20 years thinks will work in the name of uniformity.

I'm telling you how it is in the real Marine Corps right now during real combat ops on deployment, I won't blow smoke up your ass. Every Marine may think they're a rifleman, but most Marines outside of the infantry and a select few other fields )intel, arty, tanks, etc.) are able to operate on their own in a kinetic enviroment. When it comes to real combat and looking for advice on gear and whatnot, listen to those who've actually been there and done that.

Spending your own money on gear that works before you deploy is important and a lot of Marines don't pay attention to how important it is. You need to be comfortable in your gear, you need to be able to wear your gear for months on end and be comfortable and able to operate in it. You're going to be carrying a lot of weight and you need to have gear that will distribute that weight evenly across your body and take that weight off your shoulders and put it somewhere else. Don't go out on patrol looking like you're a cover model for the latest Blackhawk catalog, but don't go out on patrol looking like some posterboy toolbag that just walked out of CIF either. Go out on patrol with what works for you, not what a colonel at HQMC thinks will work for you and the only way to do this is to use it and talk to those who've BTDT and find out what works and what doesn't and experiment with gear during your predeployment workup.

But then again you could be in a unit where you're required to use only issued gear and nothing else, in which case everything I just said doesn't matter. It all depends on your unit.

You have any questions about gear once you're in the fleet let me know, but right now you've got other stuff to worry about.

[Lupo22]

acg1189, are you a Marine? No? Then don't reply. I don't care what you've "heard" from "real Marines."

To answer your question, having your own gear is dependent on your unit. In my unit you can use whatever you want, the only limitations are you must use the issued flak and SAPPI plates.

Hayes, don't tell poolees that they won't get shot at. You're in a CLB in Iraq, that's why YOU'RE not getting shot at. The rest of the Marine Corps is in Afghanistan watching their buddies die every single day or getting ready to go to Afghanistan and they're all going to get much more than a few rounds sent their way.

To give you a real world answer from an 03 who just got back from 9 months of combat operations in Afghanistan, every swinging dick in our battalion had our own gear. Nobody used issued gear except for helmets and our flaks, everything else we bought ourselves. Before we got to Afghanistan we traded in our flaks for plate carriers which were awesome, but that's because we were part of a MEU with a huge budget, a normal infantry unit probably won't be doing that.

I used my own chest rig, knee pads, broomstick, camelbak, pistol holster, padded belt, EOTech 556, surefire, GPS, pouches, assaultpack, ruck, EVERYTHING on my body was my own. I didn't even bring the issued day pack or ILBE pack on deployment, those things are the biggest pieces of junk. You need to buy your own gear if you're a grunt operating in an enviroment like Afghanistan where you won't even see the inside of the wire for your entire deployment, you need gear that works and gear that lasts, and Marine Corps issued CIF gear just doesn't last in sustained combat day in and day out for months on end. Mabye if you're a POG in Iraq not seeing much anyways and can get gear replaced anytime you need to it's alright, but in real combat in a brutal enviroment it just doesn't work.

During a predeployment workup during field ops you'll probably be forced to use issued gear, but once you get on deployment and you start getting shot at,it's anything goes and you use what works, not what someone with something shiny on their collar wants that hasn't been on a real patrol in 20 years thinks will work in the name of uniformity.

I'm telling you how it is in the real Marine Corps right now during real combat ops on deployment, I won't blow smoke up your ass. Every Marine may think they're a rifleman, but most Marines outside of the infantry and a select few other fields )intel, arty, tanks, etc.) are able to operate on their own in a kinetic enviroment. When it comes to real combat and looking for advice on gear and whatnot, listen to those who've actually been there and done that.

Spending your own money on gear that works before you deploy is important and a lot of Marines don't pay attention to how important it is. You need to be comfortable in your gear, you need to be able to wear your gear for months on end and be comfortable and able to operate in it. You're going to be carrying a lot of weight and you need to have gear that will distribute that weight evenly across your body and take that weight off your shoulders and put it somewhere else. Don't go out on patrol looking like you're a cover model for the latest Blackhawk catalog, but don't go out on patrol looking like some posterboy toolbag that just walked out of CIF either. Go out on patrol with what works for you, not what a colonel at HQMC thinks will work for you and the only way to do this is to use it and talk to those who've BTDT and find out what works and what doesn't and experiment with gear during your predeployment workup.

But then again you could be in a unit where you're required to use only issued gear and nothing else, in which case everything I just said doesn't matter. It all depends on your unit.

You have any questions about gear once you're in the fleet let me know, but right now you've got other stuff to worry about.

thanks LCpl...when I get out of boot and ITB, I'll hit you up for some good websites/places to buy scopes, rails, gear and all that.

Thanks again

[Accord]

The only reason I comment is because to much false info gets passed.

Agreed. Nothing I hate more than Marines who've never seen combat answering questions about gear in combat, what works on deployment, etc.

[Lupo22]

Oh and take it easy on LCpl Hayes...he just said I wouldn't be able to shoot anyone countryside..I don't think he meant I won't get shot on a deployment

[Lupo22]

And as far as my Marine friend that made that comment, he was a combat engineer that saw plenty of action in Iraq in the beginning.

The soldier I also heard from is returning from Iraq this Saturday...after his 3rd tour in 7 years. I believe he's AR now but I'm not positive...

[Accord]

Oh and take it easy on LCpl Hayes...he just said I wouldn't be able to shoot anyone countryside..I don't think he meant I won't get shot on a deployment

When someone uses the term "in country" they're referring to whatever country you're in on deployment, they don't mean back here in the states. It's just another way of saying "on deployment" for example you'll hear someone say "when we get in country..." or "when I was in country..." and things like that. He was definitely talking about action you'll see on a deployment and in today's Marine Corps and with the new focus of where the entire Corps is going, it will be pretty difficult to deploy and not shoot your weapon.

[SlingerDun]

I used my own,,, GPS..

Which model and how did it perform?

--->Dave

[Fubar5812]

at least you don't have to carry an extra 40-60 LB's of gear for a dog. bowl,bags of food,IV's, syringes/bags of fluid (aka a ton of water in case they overheat) treats different leashes,on and on and on.I've been trying to find a good balance between what I need for myself and what Max (my dog) needs on a patrol,and it's proving a difficult balance.

I'm gonna ask my NCO's if I can use a different pack than this damn assault pack,any of you combat vets have any suggestions?