U.S. Army ISAF Loadout

[Steve]

Good point on the FR uniforms. They are the A2CUs (Army Air Crew Uniforms), or at least were when I was there.

They started issuing them downrange in late 2007 / early 2008, so not sure how easy they are to get ahold of. It was a nice change from the tan nomex flight suits that we had acquired for wearing over the ACUs.

Not sure where to source them. The pockets were nice, along with the ability to velcro the pants legs over the boots instead of blousing them. And the pockets were ackward at first, but the zipper placement was pretty nice once you got used to them. And the pen pockets had a flap over them, which was freaking outstanding. The little kids were amazingly good at stealing your pens (and anything else they could get their grubby little paws on).

Fobbits wore patrol caps. Anybody who could get downrange wore either the boonie caps or the tan operator caps if they could get away with it. Ay time you could drop your helmet in place of a boonie or ball cap,you did. Quick-like and in a hurry. The brain buckets are ridiculously uncomfortable when it is 140+ degrees and you are wearing 50 pounds of armor and crap. Unless you are in a really bad neighborhood. Then you just dealt with the heat and sweat. Tan UnderArmor HeatGear balaklavas or the SpecOps gator thingies in ACU were really popular as well.

But, I was down south in 205th Corps, and my element did our best to avoid the major bases unless we absolutely had to visit them, so your mileage may vary. Crap, the guys on the big bases had to shave every day, and had to wear their PT uniforms in their off time instead of being able to change into civvies. How much fun is that?

[Khaos]

Thanks for the info guys! I'm honestly a gear queer at heart, but I'm leaning towards a really light loadout until I can decide on a specific unit. I'm liking the idea of a vehicle mounted loadout, so I'm considering a crossdraw serpa on my vest, but I want to be able to drop my rifle onto the sling and draw my sidearm at the same time, and the crossdraw sort of defeats the purpose.

I'm already working on sourcing the A2CU's at the moment, but I'll hold off on purchasing those until I can build up everything else...

On a side note, is anyone still carrying m16's? I know that they were still common a year ago, but now?

[Steve]

We had one guy who was National Guard from Arizona that rotated in on a 6 month tour who had an M-16. We managed to acquire an M-4 for him. When I rotated out of country, he and I moved some of the gear from my M-4 to his M-16. We set his -16 up with a Knights Armament suppressor, a bipod, a carry-handle tri-rail, and a 3-9x variable scope so he could use it as a DMR, mostly for hitting dogs.

Some of the Air Force and Navy people and some of the Combat Service Support guys from active duty were still carrying the muskets too, but almost all of the National Guard guys were carrying the M-4. The typical load was the M-4, a rail system, backup iron sights, an Aimpont CompM3 or ACOG, and generally a A/N PEQ-2 or A/N PAQ-4 IR laser and a front vertical grip.

I am pretty skinny, so if you are a guy with a bit more stature this might not work as well for you. I carried my 9mm in a serpa drop leg rotated forward so that the handgun rode on the front of my thigh instead of my side. It was easier to get to than when I wore it 'right' on the side of my thigh when I was up in the turret. It also had the added advantage of when I was outside of the vehicle standing around at the police checkpoints, I could let my rifle hang down by my right side on the three-point sling and rest my hand on te 9mm. That way, I had easy access to either weapon, had a comfy place to rest my gun hand, and had positive control of both of my weapons, since the rifle was trapped between my arm and my body.

Hope this helps!

[SilentStalker]

If you are looking to get the A2CU they are expensive and hard to get a hold of. I base this opinion on the fact that I am in an aviation unit that is on the list to have them issued and we keep having our issue date pushed back due to back orders.
Best of luck in your loadout.

[Khaos]

I'm a little on the large side, so I'm not sure how well that SERPA arrangement will work, but I like the idea of having both weapons close. I'll have to mess around with that once I pick up a sidearm and a serpa.

Thanks for the advice!

[Khaos]

If you are looking to get the A2CU they are expensive and hard to get a hold of. I base this opinion on the fact that I am in an aviation unit that is on the list to have them issued and we keep having our issue date pushed back due to back orders.
Best of luck in your loadout.

I didn't even read this until just now

I've pretty much given up an the A2CU's for the moment, because just like the Gen 3 ECWCS system, they're almost impossible to find in the civilian market (for an acceptable price, that is).

Right now I'm sourcing an IOTV replica. If I can find one for about the same price as an IBA, I'll be picking one up instead.

I also need to decide on an M4 RIS. I'm leaning towards the CA, but I'd like to get people's opinions...

[shakespeare]

If you can find an IOTV replica, I would definetly like to hear about it. I've never heard of one.

[johngol10]

There's the Pantac IOTV.

For a groin protector, the IOTV is compatible with the OTV protection system.
Good luck!

[Catch22]

Nice necro and the IOTV is already obsolete.

[johngol10]

Damnit... fugging KDH...

[Catch22]

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/army_platecarrier_092809w/

Don't forget..... http://www.airsoftpacific.com/viewtopic.php?t=30252&start=0

[FunkyDoucheMan]

If you want, I'll get all my gear together, and take a few pictures to give you a really good idea of the setup of most people around here.

Well done!

That would be AWESOME! Thank you!

HSLD

which means leave the pants at home boy.

I'm thinking Danners, a pair of boxers, and a bandanna.

Edit: Does anyone know how well Condor ACU pouches blend in with issue ACU equipment? Are the colors the same, or can you tell them apart?

I know condor acu kneepads are the EXACT colors of my propper acu legs. So I would expect the pouches to be good

[johngol10]

Isn't that just a Multicam KDH plate carrier?


[/quote]

[johngol10]

Yeah, just in Multicam.

i believe their 'satch style rig is just to replace the FLC, but I don't see why they make a full MOLLE carrier and then issue a second chest rig... it makes no sense....

[johngol10]

Yeah I guess. Hate to sound stupid/annoying, but in what circumstances will you be dumping your gear but not your body armor? Sorry if it sounds stupid...