Mick-Boy's work gear (what and why)

[Mick-Boy]

Yeah. You said we think a lot alike. I'm curious and was wondering if you'd expand on that a bit.

[stoner01]

In terms of scaling our gear we have a similar approach. In My current line of work, we really don't have many options in terms of gear. I get what they issue me. I do have some leeway with some of the gear. On my person is my issue glock 19, two spare mags, a 5.11 ATAC L1 and the benchmade auto Presidio. This is my stateside EDC but you get the idea of what I carry.

[stoner01]

Next in line is going to be the Pig Brig and an HSP D3 chest rig. EGL makes a conversion to allow the two to be compatible. That will be my lo pro rig. The PIG is small enough to conceal under one of the 5.11 button down shirts we get. I can strap comms to it so that I always have that. Since we currently only work checkpoints and on the embassy itself, we don't have a lo/high profile requirement. Out lopro is concealed carry. and our High is donning armor and calling ERT.

[TheBelly]

Mick,

The training I've received from Uncle Sugar has been pretty lax/rudimentary in the area of how to keep someone alive. Luckily I've only had to use it minimally. My side of the spectrum doesn't really get as down into the weeds as it should. It's all about pack 'em up and get 'em on the bird. I understand a reason behind it comes down to the resource of student throughput. The other reason is that I'm not in a job path that walks around. We move big trucks full of supplies. With today's armor, it really does take a lot to penetrate the hull of an MRAP. Also, the risk of IEDs has gone down almost exponentially since my first trip in 2006-2008. We're talking one or two per week, rather than 5-10 per day that I saw 'back-in-the-day'...

We were taught the 'one-loop' method on our TQs that coloccw mentioned. We also carried three of them on each person, one on their kit and one in each of the calf pockets of the standard uniform. Having uniformity across the formation has its pros as well as cons. The big pro there was that we knew where to find them, regardless of the person.

I forced my dudes to be more proficient than required, as far as medical. One dude ended up patching himself up (pressure dressing/isreali bandage) and limping out of the blast zone of a Suicide vest IED just in time for the second SVestIED to go off. That was a pretty bad day all around.

The biggest hiderance for me is the lack of continuing and sustainment training in the medical field.

[275RLTW]

In terms of scaling our gear we have a similar approach. In My current line of work, we really don't have many options in terms of gear. I get what they issue me. I do have some leeway with some of the gear. On my person is my issue glock 19, two spare mags, a 5.11 ATAC L1 and the benchmade auto Presidio. This is my stateside EDC but you get the idea of what I carry.

No medical? If you have to put holes in people then there is a good chance you have to plug some holes as well....Even at a checkpoint I would have some E&E stuff handy (clif bar, $$$, mirror).

[275RLTW]

The other reason is that I'm not in a job path that walks around. We move big trucks full of supplies.Careful...dangerous mindset there. Jessica Lynch and the 11 from the same convoy that were executed thought the same thing. We dug their rotting corpses out of a shallow grave 3 blocks from the hospital.

We were taught the 'one-loop' method on our TQs that coloccw mentioned. We also carried three of them on each person, one on their kit and one in each of the calf pockets of the standard uniform. Having uniformity across the formation has its pros as well as cons. The big pro there was that we knew where to find them, regardless of the person.
Keep TQs close to center of your body. If you lose your leg, then your TQ in your calf pocket is gone too. Not to mention if you cant reach it (MRAP rollover???) Its very easy to just keep one looped on you belt. Even keep one on you PT belt as well (yes, you can get attacked and injured while doing PT or going to the DFAC).


The biggest hiderance for me is the lack of continuing and sustainment training in the medical field. I believe there are postings about TCCC classes locally. If there is a noted deficiency in your training or gear=FIX IT.

[stoner01]

No medical? If you have to put holes in people then there is a good chance you have to plug some holes as well....Even at a checkpoint I would have some E&E stuff handy (clif bar, $$$, mirror).

Like I said, Im limited is what Im issued. I have one IFAK on my armor currently. My gear at home is set up very differently and when I get some more free time Ill go into that. Internet was being screwy again. Also something to note, while I do have an IFAK on me, there is a lot of preparation for medical emergencies, up to and including CBRNE. As for E&E, without breaking OPSEC, we have procedures in place which limit that need.

[stoner01]

My Plate carrier at home is set up much more traditionally. It is a Tactical Tailor fight light plate carrier. It has all the basics for putting holes in people, fixing holes in me and calling for things to make bigger holes. I had it set up for this contract until DoS decided that personally owned gear was a no-no. Basically, years of riding around in uparmored vehicles and standing post at a static location culminated in this carrier. It allows me to carry up to a full combat load (210rds) in the TT 3 mag shingle. On the front of that is Blue Force Gear's 3 mad Helium Whisper shingle. To the left, if worn, is BFG's pistol pouch as well. I have kept my pistol side clear as to alleviate any snags on the draw. This come into play with side plates and because I have a smaller frame. Med kit is the BFG trauma kit now with Tk holder on top. The med kit contains two pressure dressings, an Isreali bandage, quick clot combat gauze and gloves. Also a 14ga needle and sharpie for the TK. I tried to keep this rig as light and streamlined as possible. Leash manipulation is a bitch in full armor. On the back is my radio pouch for now. That is getting moved when I get back. Two reasons is 1, I cant reach it if I need to grab it and 2, because Having to carry extra gear for the dog in a pack, it tends to get in the way.

[stoner01]

Pics will come later after work since PB is a no-go here. Ill also put up picks of my belt

[Mick-Boy]

I'm a big believer that software is more important than hardware. Mindset over gear.

Robert Heinlein wrote "there are no dangerous weapons, only dangerous men". So while I have my preferences for weapons and equipment I can and will make do with different options if need be.

That said, there are a few principles that I apply to whatever loadout I'm running.

I'll always have a go-to reload for pistol and rifle. - I'll do my best to manage my ammo to keep that pouch and my gun full. Training for speed reloads is useful and you should be able to work through all your magazine pouches. Training to manage your ammo so that your gun doesn't go dry is more important in my opinion. Reload when you want to, not when you have to. I speed reload from my belt and back fill off my rig when I can.

My comms are going to be where I can get to them. - In '04 I had a PRC-119F so the radio was on my back. Since I started working as a civilian I've been keeping the radio under the cummerbund on my left side if I'm not wearing a chestrig or in the same location on the chestrig. My mike is run up to my left shoulder so I can run my mouth with minimal effort.

The unfortunate reality is that not everyone I want to talk to is going to be on the same channel. I need to be able to access the front panel or the top (depending on the model) so that I can jackrabbit from channel to channel. Team internal, QRF, air support, etc. They're all going to be on their own channel and I may need to talk to any or all of them. I need to be able to get to the radio.

Overall load - I try to keep things as slim as I can. I need to be able to fit through narrow doors and get in and out of vehicles without getting hung up. My load out has changed a good deal since my first deployment to a combat zone in '02. I imagine it will continue to evolve as long as I carry a rifle for my living. Since that's the case I try not to get too attached to any particular way of doing things.

Some older photos (I've posted these before)

This was Iraq in '04. After Fallujah most of our mission was dismounted patrolling. I'm wearing an old Black Hawk rig that's essentially a modified H-harness. I was carrying ammo, smoke, frags, comms and water weighing a total of about 75lbs (with armor and helmet). At the time the USMC had just started issuing the M16A4 and the ACOG. You can see the hand mike for the radio on my left shoulder just above the roll of electrical tape and the antenna over my left shoulder



This is Basra, Iraq in '06. I was working PSD for the State Dept out of the Regional Embassy Office at the old palace (before we had to evacuate it to the Basra Air Field in the summer of '07). This was not long before I started setting up different chest rigs for different jobs. On this day I was in the CAT (counter assault team) vehicle which is why I've got a belt fed. My rifle was in the truck along with the bag full of extra SAW drums. The vehicle was about 30ft from where I planted myself. Not an optimal solution.

My pistol is on my chest because I was doing a lot of driving. getting a handgun from a chest holster is a lot easier than getting one off of your hip or out of a dropleg. I'm carrying 8 rifle magazines, TQs on both sides of my armor and my med pouch on my armor carrier behind my right hip. My radio is under the cummerbund of my armor. You can see the antenna and PTT (push to talk) by my left shoulder. This was right around the time I saw the need to carry a fixed blade for "get the hell off me" purposes. This was also before I convinced myself that I need to be able to access the knife with either hand. You can see the handle right next to my pistol.



This is how I carry a motorola now. I can access the channel nob and know how many clicks it is from my primary channel to the other channels that I may need.