Good tip, I appreciate it. Sounds like I'll be on the road quite a bit...

PepperDog,

It gets really cold in A-Stan in the winter and they get lots of snow. A bit different than Iraq. Our 06 was stranded for week in A-Stan due to snow at the end of Jan this year. Bring long underwear; we got issued two sets of thin long johns; very usefull. Think Wisconsin winters!

Good luck on your tour!

Man, you guys are awesome. Thanks, I'll keep updating the list. My first paycheck'll be gone before I get feet on the ground! :)

PepperDog,

I assume you will be going through Ft. Benning CRC.

As a contractor you will be allowed two duffebags and a carry-on. That's it.


Also, you HAVE to be in the Contractor Verification System. If not they will not let you deploy. My CRC roommate was turned back becaues his company had failed to get him into CVS.

https://www.infantry.army.mil/CRC/

The bedding here sucks. You will need an extra set of sheets and a good pillow. My wife just sent me a matrass pad. I should have gotten one sooner. Some of the matrasses I've seen here look like they were bought second-hand from a Bangkok whore house. The pillows are like burlap bags of gravel. It's hit or miss at the PX, mostly misses. Shop at Target/Wal-Mart and get what you like and ship them to yourself.

Since you are limited to two duffel bags, I'd pack a couple of boxes of stuff you want to bring but can live without for a couple of weeks and mail it to your APO address. If you don't know exactly where you will be living, have your family mail them to you when you get in country.

Will you have a weapon?

Afghanistan gets freezing cold in the winter so prepare for that. I'd bring some really good boots with removable snow spikes if case you have to walk around. I remember dismounting and falling on my ass while trying to pull security due to all the black ice.

It's' also very muddy when it rains, dusty when it's dry and hot in the summer.

Aoresteen,

This particular company is issuing us a Beretta 92 F'd up and an M-4 for "personal defense".

I haven't heard of the CVS and I'm calling my recruiter first thing in the morning about it. The folks going to Iraq are doing CRC at Benning but we're doing something else in Virginia and truth be told we haven't gotten a lot of detail about what it is beyond some form of basic schooling.

I've already got a load of junk that the family's shipping off once I get settled but the bedding's a great idea.

Knowing how much I can bring helps me plan a little more because the organization factor, while not horrible, could be better with this company.

Snow spikes is something I had only given a fleeting thought to, any particular brands/types favored over another?

Just something that will last and is easy to take off.

Cool, I'll do a little research and pick up somethin'.

I truly appreciate all the advice and pointers from you folks. Honestly, I feel a little more prepared already.

A heart felt thanks fellas...

Frankly, I really doubt that anyone is going to send you anywhere you will need crampons.

TR

I had the same thoughts in regards to spikes. A good pair of boots with tread should do the job fine. If you are assigned an M-9 you may want to look into a thigh holster, a cord (lanyard) that attachs your pistol to your body, a nice sling for your rifle (I like the Momba), cap covers for the muzzle of your rifle, and some quality magazines for your pistol. Issued or knock offs M-9 pistol mags have a high tendancy to jam your weapon. Not really a lesson you want to learn on a two way range!

I would only recommend the muzzle cap if you plan on living on a FOB like Camp Liberty in Iraq and never plan to go outside of the wire. Just my .02.

More good stuff. Got a thigh rig (I've worn an Uncle Mikes triple retention for years) and I've got a nice one point sling already that I'm really comfortable with but my agency took my lanyard when I resigned, bastards. Not my uniforms or my spare pistol and rifle mags, my lanyard. :rolleyes:

I did pick up some of those cheap, shoot off, muzzle caps but I dont know much about the M9. I'm a glock and 1911 guy. I've spent quite a bit of time shooting one lately, not sure which mags perform better than others but I'm doing my homework. I've got some useful down time this coming month. Just runnin', shootin' shoppin' and spendin' time with the family...

Actually you'll need them if you do a lot of convoys on roads in the mountains during the winter. Otherwise you'll end up falling on your ass due to the black ice. You can't afford to slip and fall while in contact. The key word is mountains. If he's not going to drive in high altitude than he probably wont need them.

Besides what do I know. I only spent 8 months there in 02/03.

To the guys that have the experience, would something like Yak Trax be a better alternative for PepperDog than actual crampons?

A little mission analysis might be in order.

For all I have read, he might be running security at the DFAC.

pepperdog, how much time you really going to be spending humping in the mountains?

TR

TR, good question. I'll be advising and mentoring the local police. So to be honest, I don't really know. I'll either be in the school house or on the road. They can't get anymore mission specific with me until the folks in country find out what I'm qualified to do.

Some folks find themselves on the road, some at the range, some at the airport, some at an outpost somewhere. Nothing terribly exiciting but it beats hell outta writing speeding tickets...

I think a muzzle cap is a good idea whether outside the wire or not. I spent almost everyday "outside the wire" and we used them on our M4s and SAWs. I can tell you from expience that if doodoo hits the fan theyll blow right off so not to worry. On the240s, M2s and Mk19s we had the tailors make us muzzle caps of cloth and elastic.

It might be expensive to buy new magazines for your M9 but an alternative we used was Wolf springs. They can be purchased fairly cheap online.

A product I thought look promising is Microspikes. They slip on and off like Yaktrax only thy have actual spikes rather than just springs that I found to not have the best traction (but wont dull or catch when walking on metal or hardball).

Consider a pillow cover as bedbugs can be a problem on some of the RON areas or FOBS. When we were on the road a lot of us carried our own pillow in a ruck as well as a woobie or twin bed fitted sheet.

A good pair of winter boots is a must (gortex lined)-

CCRN,

Thanx for the advice, Been talking to some prior mission folks and they agree with the micro spikes. I already picked up some mags and all the other good stuff. Gettin' ready to ship shortly and my bags are already over-packed...:)

Heh, sounds like a paintball barrel cover.

I've used the microspikes out in Grafenwhor during a Feb. gunnery. I was curious how they worked so I picked up a pair. They worked well but I only used them a few times to 1)see if they worked, and 2) to pull off some shenanigans that required running on ice.

The muzzle covers...not so much IMO. No piece of plastic or cloth is going to take the place of my muzzle awareness or weapon cleaning discipline. We don't use em.

They aren't as pretty and they melt to your barrel after a mag or two, but condoms work as a muzzle cover in a pinch. . .

muzzle covers
 

There are much better things to spend your money, or the Armys money on. If you are in a unit that just carries their weapons around the fob then maybe. But we would be shooting them off all the time and then having to scrape melted plastic off of our gun. And the condom thing, come on man. You should be conducting weapons maintenance anyways.

CH

A couple of buddies in my unit turned me onto a site that you Oakley fans will probably appreciate as much as I do. (http://www.usstandardissue.com) I get my Oakley stuff from there because the prices are damn near 50% less than a retail store. Good perk...they ship to APO's for those of you reading this thread that are down range.:cool:

Essentials
 

A good knife

GPS

All Weather lighter

Um, thanks but...http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...sstandardissue

Golfballs were clutch in Afghanistan. I would give a few warning shots out of the M2 or M9 to every vehicle or person who hadnt learned to slow down and move to the side of the road when we past by. All vehicles except the buses. Two many civilians to risk hurting. I had this one guy that drove a bus and no matter what I did or yelled he would always wave by us hauling ass because he knew we wouldn't shoot at a bus full of people. Throw a golf ball or two through his wind shield he pulled over everytime since. The look on his face the first time I reached back and launch those balls was hilarious. Never had anymore problems.

G

Not in any order but the following.

Gaming Laptop
Helmet Camera. I have the POV which is a cool setup
Digital camera (looking for one that is dust and water proof. check out pentax cameras.
Petzl head lamp, unless you like tripping over newly constructed hesco baskets
video camera, hi def or not, maybe with image stabilization depending on what your doing
Subglasses, your choice and whatever your unit says as far as uniformity
knife
gerber tool
rechargable batteries 2 sets
100 MPH TAPE AND LOTS OF 550
windproof lighter
PSP
Portable DVD player
thumb drive or external hard drive
Ipod and extra earphones
External Speakers so you can set up in the humvee
pashtun, dari MP3 phrases so you can put it on your ipod, then maybe use external speakers to play certain phrases from your ipod to locals

next you need to worry about what items will you make you most effecitve while doing your job. since every1s job and mission is different i wont go into it too much but I.E
gloves
glasses
LBV setup
boots
map holder
etc.

A little overkill but your gone for a year or more. make it as comfortable as possible. ok ill shut up now

1. Ranger panties

If you wear a flight suit a lot, they are money. Unless you are just that guy who doesn't rock anything. Dirty.

2. Camping chair

3. Pelican tac light.

4. www.genuinetobacco.com ships to APO addresses. Man was not meant to dip Formalde-hagen. Often times you will see the date on the bottom of the can from 3 days ago. Really fresh.

5. The new Suunto x10 is the heat. Pricey, but what happened to the GPS on your rack that you ditched in the river? Great E and E plan.

6. Smart wool. Of anything.

7. Mechanics gloves. A few. Be careful, a lot of em aren't flash rated. Make sure yours are.

8. Merrells if you can. Solomons are nice too, so are Asolos. Combat boots are great for road marching and general use, but a trail-running/hiking shoe makes your money for you.

9. Converter plug.

10. Peltor's, Sordin's, some sort of over ear protection. I have used Peltor's for a couple years now, and no major complaints. I have used the Com-Tacs which were frustrating when you need to talk to someone and you get clipped by radio traffic because that has priority. Don't get the radio capable ones unless you really need the ability. I haven't ever used Sordin's, but apparently 3/75 has been using them for a while and some dudes from there like them better than the Peltor's. Sordin is MSA's Cadillac of ear pro, so don't get the Kia by geting the MSA. I HAVE used the MSA line and after the first mission it went straight back to supply. Garbage.

11. If you have internet access most of the time, look into going online to school such as University of Phoenix. Why waste all the down time on movies and shows? I know a lot of guys have high op tempo so I won't beat this one to death.

12. If this applies, don't be afraid to buy some of your own armor. The IOTV is cumbersome, impractical, and heavy for foot movements. The army is fielding a Eagle industries version of the Ranger Body Armor that is quick release, light weight, and better defined for the foot soldier. Pricey again, but look into similar styles if your command climate is good. Especially if you are in a Scout/Recce/Recon unit.

Dear Joey, please don't spend 500 dollars on a GPS watch. That's what your Team Leader is for.

That site is priceless, our px went months without copenhagen.

Kindle
 

Since bringing a stack of books on deployment is spatially impractical, I recommend investing in an Amazon Kindle. Compact, Wi-Fi capable, and the books are usually much cheaper than buying them from a store or online.

I don't think anyone has said this but a good memory foam mattress top for your bed. Of course not everyone will ever end up having a bed to sleep on but if you got beds at your firebase then it definitely a lot more comfortable on your back. :lifter

Ok... I saw a couple of things I know would bring-

A good compass. ' nuff said.

A good battery charger (they have them for the CR123's used by most tac lights) or two - and rechargeable batteries - everready makes a good 15 minute charger for AA/AAA batteries - the batteries last about 10x longer than the non rechargeables in my digital camera.

A good neck knife/boot knife.

extra Rx Glasses (2 extras, plus you normal wear pair) if you wear them - a good glasses keeper/strap, and a hard case to keep an extra pair with you.

Now that is funny!! Brings to mind a potatoe gun!!

We were warned about this.

Our unit actually told us if we were killed wearing non-issue armour that our SGLI would be revoked.

Not sure of the legalities of this, but something to consider-

The reason such was started is because PFC-CSM Joe Snuffy has no idea what level of protection he needs for a given threat. It is easier to deny guys buying armor from ebay, LE gear shops, etc - which in more cases than not doesnt meet the same standard as that which is issued - simple because its lighter than it is trying to evaluate each piece of armor every guy wants to buy.

Crip

Birthday & aniversary cards.

This trip I brought all the greeting cards I would need while I'm gone. The PX never has any cards that you need. If your Uncle's step-son is graduating from chef's school they will have a card for it but a birthday card for your wife, never.

Just put them in a 1 gal zip-lock bag.

The Suunto's are nice tools but aren't as strong as they could be...with that said some things not mentioned:

1) a couple of small tubes of JB Weld
2) Roll or two of high quality electrical tape.
3) Cloth tape
4) Sewing kit - Kevlar or Nylon thread

I put back together a Suunto 9i using JB Weld and electrical tape, the tape held everything in place until the JB Weld dried. Used a Leatherman file to round off any edges. Its stronger than the original was. Good cloth tape is hard to find but is good for sound reduction on stuff, getting a better grip, or can be used as patch material. If you tear stuff up like me, especially gloves, a good compact Sewing kit will double their life.

MDB's list....
 

Here's my shortlist. Much has been discussed alredy....

Must haves:
- Good personal flashlight. My Surefire 6P (LED upgrade) lasted two tours. LED upgrade pushes usable battery life to 12+ hours at 80 lumens.
- Ipod, a no-brainer. How I survived on CD's in 2004 is beyond me. Buy good headphones.
- A mini-laptop. I bought a cheap $350 Acer netbook from Amazon and it was small enough to tote everywhere.
- A digital camera.
- Thorlo's, 8 pairs have lasted me over a year and still going strong. Opinions will vary on these but I've loved them.
- Danner TFX's. Best boots I've worn, hands down. Like the thorlo's, your mileage may vary.
- A good sling. 3-pointers seem clumsy. I've used a VTAC 2-point and an SKD single point. Both have their uses.
- Good eye pro. I wish I'd bought a pair FlakJackets earlier. The issue ESS glasses never fit my head just right.

Good to haves:
- A good notebook. Green book cover by AITES (no longer in production) is great. Keeps the pens, protractors, quicky cards, rosters etc easily organized. I like to be organized; and it fits in a SAW pouch perfect.
- A pistol lanyard for your NVG's. Get a bungee lanyard and tie it off to your NVG's. Get an S-ring from the PX and connect them. You never have to worry about silly dummy cord in your face during night missions, the bungee lanyard is always held taught and out of your way on the back of your ACH.
- Mini-D-rings or PX S-rings to tie your stuff down, take extras.
- Mini-lights from the PX, attach them to everything, makes life so much easier.
- Casio Pathfinder. I cannot compare to other 'tactical' watches, but this pre-deployment gift from my wife continues to serve me well.
- Markers, pens, paint-pens, pencils, protractors, 550 cord, 100mph tape; all by the pallet.
- A printer. I had to beg and borrow to print documents many times. I wish I'd bought a cheapo printer. Even as 11B I was surprised how much stuff I had to print while deployed (the second time, first time we had no power).

Back to reading and learning.....