Another item that I couldn’t live without during this deployment is the holster for my 9mm handgun. I bought the Vapor model from Spec Ops. It is a drop leg holster that fits my needs exactly. I see many people wearing the underarm holsters all throughput the FOB. The problem with those is that you can’t wear them with body armor. So you need a separate holster to wear when you put on your IBA. With the drop leg holster, I can grab my IBA, and I’m ready to go.
I added the single magazine holder to meet GEN Petraeus’ requirement to always have a magazine of ammunition with your weapon. I have additional magazines of ammunition in other pouches on my IBA. All in all, a holster that meets your needs is a must.
A good pair of sunglasses is essential to survival here in Iraq. Actually, I have found that 2 different pairs of sunglasses are better. I prefer one type for day to day FOB life, while I use a different type for going outside the wire. I have a pair of the Uvex XC that I was issued while preparing for deployment at Ft. Benning, GA. I wear them everyday in and around the FOB. But when I head off the FOB, I switch to the WileyX which I bought at the military clothing sales store at Ft. Belvoir, VA. The WileyX sunglasses have a much tighter, closer fit to the face. They also have more of a goggle-type setup, while the Uvex XCs are a single lens system. So the WileyX pair does a better job of keeping out the blowing sand. Both pairs of sunglasses came with interchangable lenses. In limited visibility, I can put in the clear lenses, so I can still have some eye protection even when it’s dark outside.
Here’s a picture of me wearing my WileyXs while flying in a Blackhawk.
This is my first post in a new category - Must Have Deployment Gear. No matter what Mugs may say, I don’t collect a lot of personal field gear. I will admit to possessing an astounding array of boots and gloves, but if your hands or feet are uncomfortable, you’ll be miserable the whole time you’re in the field! Anyway, I do believe that the right tool can make all the difference.
Someone recently sent me a collection of comics from Bob on the FOB. One of the best is titled Geardo. According to Bob on the FOB, a Geardo is “someone who spends at least 50% of each paycheck (before taxes) on the latest & greatest gear, just to have the latest and greatest gear, regardless of whether or not that gear will actually help the wearer perform his/her duties.” See Geardo and other comics at http://www.bobonthefob.com/pastbob.html.
The first item in my Must Have Deployment Gear list is the spork. For my birthday this year, Mugs and the kids bought me various small pieces of deployment gear. My spork is one of those items.
This awesome spork is from a company called Light My Fire. If you would like to purchase your very own Light My Fire spork, you can find it online at Campmor.
When I finished my run tonight, I stretched for 10 minutes. Make sure you tell Lay Fong that I’m still stretching; I don’t want to get in trouble again. Anyway, after showering, I used my spork to eat a bowl of Smart Start cereal for dinner. I know in my last post I heaped praises on the DFAC, and now I’m writing about eating cereal for dinner in my hooch. Technically, it was DFAC food, since I brought the cereal and milk from the DFAC. But that’s not the point of this post. This was all made possible by the spork. I carry the spork in one of the cargo pockets on my ACUs and am ready to eat at a moments notice!
