Uniforms Worn While Deployed to Afghanistan

[Steve B.]

Thanks for sharing all these photos and information. Interesting to see so many new items and that variants were allowed. I retired in 1993, and very little leeway was allowed in the standard issue ALICE gear. Some units would give you grief if you wanted to carry a large knife.

Thanks again!

[Guardian 5]

Thanks for sharing all these photos and information. Interesting to see so many new items and that variants were allowed. I retired in 1993, and very little leeway was allowed in the standard issue ALICE gear. Some units would give you grief if you wanted to carry a large knife.

Thanks again!

Hi Steve B,

In 1987, when I joined my first infantry unit, it was just like you said; "dress right dress." Standards of uniformity were rigidly enforced, the thought being that if a man carrying mortar rounds went down in the night, another soldier would know exactly where to find them in the fallen soldier's rucksack. After a prolonged exile from the muddy boots Army, I returned to an almost unrecognizable infantry. The influence of SOCOM units was profound. Personal preference was tolerated, even encouraged, to facilitate effectiveness and efficiency. In my personal case, I was deployed as an individual replacement. There was no rigid unit SOP, the unit didn't exist yet. I was sent to start it up. I went with what I knew and preferred. My First Sergeant was a mobilized reservist from the famous 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Hawaii. My personnel specialist was a USMC Gunnery Sergeant. The supply man was a Navy storekeeper. We had all deployed with what our respective services thought appropriate. Thus, the trend of personalization of individual gear was consummated upon arrival in the combat zone. It was as Rumsfeld said, "a come as you are war."

Many thanks,
TJ

[WalterB]

Hi TJ,

Thank you for posting your uniforms and helmets, I really appreciate it! Very cool to see that you kept all this gear together. With respect to the two helmets, did you find one to be more comfortable than the other?

Thanks again for taking the time to create this thread!

[gregM]

Very interesting thread. Thank you
My nephew was over there during that time frame with the 173 Abn. LRS.
I try and will see if I can get some pictures of his gear to add.

[WalterB]

Very interesting thread. Thank you
My nephew was over there during that time frame with the 173 Abn. LRS.
I try and will see if I can get some pictures of his gear to add.

That would be outstanding Greg!

[WalterB]

TJ, one additional question: I have seen pictures of various 101st Airborne units during that that time frame that showed that the helmets worn by such units had their regiment identified on a patch on the side of their helmets. Was this only true with the 101st?

[Guardian 5]

GI Pic.jpg

Hi TJ,

Thank you for posting your uniforms and helmets, I really appreciate it! Very cool to see that you kept all this gear together. With respect to the two helmets, did you find one to be more comfortable than the other?

Thanks again for taking the time to create this thread!

Hi WalterB,

The MICH helmet was a tremendous improvement over the standard kevlar helmet. The only complaint I had about the MICH helmet was the chin strap. No matter how much I fiddled with the damn thing, I could never get the thing centered on my chin (see attached picture).

The standard kevlar could really be a burden after prolonged use, with the nylon strap and cord suspension system digging into your noggin. To combat this, I purchased a commercial foam liner, nicknamed the "puss pad" by the troops and kept a pair of socks rolled up in the crown. The socks offered more cushioning, and as many WAF veterans will attest, a dry pair of socks was sometimes an infantryman's most cherished possession.

Many thanks,
TJ

[Guardian 5]

TJ, one additional question: I have seen pictures of various 101st Airborne units during that that time frame that showed that the helmets worn by such units had their regiment identified on a patch on the side of their helmets. Was this only true with the 101st?

Hi WalterB,

The 101st was the only unit I know who used their traditional regimental markings sewn to the sides of their helmet covers. The Third Infantry Division sports its famous "barber pole" divisional insignia in a nod to its Audie Murphy days (see attachment) and I believe the 4th ID does as well. Various national guard units have also adapted this practice, with Pennsylvania's 28th Division sewing on their "bloody bucket" patch.

All the best,
TJ

Picture1.png

[WalterB]

GI Pic.jpg

Hi WalterB,

The MICH helmet was a tremendous improvement over the standard kevlar helmet. The only complaint I had about the MICH helmet was the chin strap. No matter how much I fiddled with the damn thing, I could never get the thing centered on my chin (see attached picture).

The standard kevlar could really be a burden after prolonged use, with the nylon strap and cord suspension system digging into your noggin. To combat this, I purchased a commercial foam liner, nicknamed the "puss pad" by the troops and kept a pair of socks rolled up in the crown. The socks offered more cushioning, and as many WAF veterans will attest, a dry pair of socks was sometimes an infantryman's most cherished possession.

Many thanks,
TJ

Great insight, very much appreciated!

[WalterB]

Hi WalterB,

The 101st was the only unit I know who used their traditional regimental markings sewn to the sides of their helmet covers. The Third Infantry Division sports its famous "barber pole" divisional insignia in a nod to its Audie Murphy days (see attachment) and I believe the 4th ID does as well. Various national guard units have also adapted this practice, with Pennsylvania's 28th Division sewing on their "bloody bucket" patch.

All the best,
TJ

Picture1.png

Thank you, I appreciate it!

[gregM]

Very interesting thread. Thank you
My nephew was over there during that time frame with the 173 Abn. LRS.
I try and will see if I can get some pictures of his gear to add.

I reached out to my nephew about getting some pics of his gear and he surprised me
with a firm NO.
I do have a couple items that he gave me when he returned home but it's not really on topic.
Sorry I couldn't get more.

[ffuries]

Cool, I still have my DCUs, Desert Flight Suit, desert flight gloves, heavy weight DCU GORTEX jacket and pants, light weight DCU GORTEX jacket, DCU field jacket, DCU Boonie cap and Garrison cap, Belville winter desert boots, plus the desert boots that look like jungle boots, Kevlar helmet with DCU cover. Still have my web gear, drop down holster, and my chem mask. Granted I got a new filter on it after the incident in the last picture.

Might have my DCU flakvest cover still.

My woodland GORTEX jacket still has the photon light like you show hanging from the zipper, mine is an IR light.

I still have regular jungle boots, with Turkish mud, from Operation Desert Storm.

The things we hang onto, long after we leave military service.






Mike
TSgt USAF Retired
Jan 86 - Sept 08
Aircrew Life Support
"Your Life Is Our Business"
(122X0, 1T1X1, 1P0X1)
NRA Life Member

[Guardian 5]

Cool, I still have my DCUs, Desert Flight Suit, desert flight gloves, heavy weight DCU GORTEX jacket and pants, light weight DCU GORTEX jacket, DCU field jacket, DCU Boonie cap and Garrison cap, Belville winter desert boots, plus the desert boots that look like jungle boots, Kevlar helmet with DCU cover. Still have my web gear, drop down holster, and my chem mask. Granted I got a new filter on it after the incident in the last picture.

Might have my DCU flakvest cover still.

My woodland GORTEX jacket still has the photon light like you show hanging from the zipper, mine is an IR light.

I still have regular jungle boots, with Turkish mud, from Operation Desert Storm.

The things we hang onto, long after we leave military service.






Mike
TSgt USAF Retired
Jan 86 - Sept 08
Aircrew Life Support
"Your Life Is Our Business"
(122X0, 1T1X1, 1P0X1)
NRA Life Member

Hi Mike,

Great pictures. Where were you when the MOPP suit picture was taken?

Thanks very much for sharing.

All the best,
TJ

[Matt M]

Wow, they have some nice uniform, items now.
Here are the old BDU's from the 80's
Big Alice packs and Jungle Boots...….who could forget LOL

[ffuries]

Hi Mike,

Great pictures. Where were you when the MOPP suit picture was taken?

Thanks very much for sharing.

All the best,
TJ

That picture was taken in June 2002, at Karshi Khanabad (K2) Uzbekistan after the HAS we were operating out of tested positive for residual chemical agents (Soviet). I was ordered to write off approximately $1,000,000.00 in classified and sensitive aircrew survival and flight equipment. When I refused we were given access for one evening, and this is how we went in.

There is about 10 plus pictures from that night, pre entry, getting the equipment out, and going through decon. The decon was provided by the Army.

The whole incident is a story in itself.......