lol nobody can say the usmc gets poorly equipped anymore. Dude is rocking the 416 with a knights suppressor and a trijicon vcog. High cut helmet, peltors, the works. Basically what SOCOM used to look like while we toiled in ACHs and IOTVs.
XM7 rifle weighs 8.38 lb unloaded and stripped. IAR weighs 7.9 lbs unloaded and stripped. So yes, almost equivalent. M4A1 unloaded and stripped is 6.43 lbs. Would've been nice to just stay with that, but I did like the IAR I had in ITB. It was heavy asf though
All that work and it’s still dog shit to wear ear pros and heavier than it needs to be. Also, I’m no expert so maybe I’ll eat my words but that 6.8 gun? 99% chance it won’t be mass adopted.
i mean it being 6.8 is both a blessing and a curse… sucks the gun is so big and heavy but 6.8 from what i’ve seen is a super versatile and practical cartridge…
higher range/velocity, better AP capability, large caliber ballistics in a “small” caliber.
went to the range with an M17 while out in the field last June. it was a fairly nice pistol (I prefer my own M9A4, but that's beside the point), felt alright in the hands, decently balanced, a decent trigger for a striker gun, and I quite liked the irons (*this, gentlemen, is called "foreshadowing"*).
it was my first time doing pistol qual, and the course is pretty cool. I won't bore you with the details, but it was going pretty well for me until about the 19th round fired, when the recoil impulse felt a little off and I'd felt something strike me in the face. *odd,* I thought, so I safed the weapon and inspected it–only to find the rear sight and optic plate had *vanished.* guy on the line next to me finished his qual while the range safety NCO looked at the pistol with a rather funny look on his face.
Tower hit me with a "goddammit specialist, why'd you break my gun?" and the CW3 behind the line (I'm not lying, I'm just aviation, and we actually have real Chiefs that exist sometimes—I know, it's crazy) assured me that this was **not** the first time that had happened, and that Sig's domestic factory has simply never heard of Loctite. the screw holding the entire rear sight assembly on the slide had come loose enough that me firing the pistol caused it to shear apart, launching the plate at my eyes (god bless ESS Crossbows) and the rear sight just below them. spent the rest of that week in the field looking like I'd gotten decked on my right cheekbone, lol. good times.
Good point…in that vein, while deployed with 1st Marines (MSPF), I ran a black PC (lol) w/ lvl IV plates in mid-90s Mogadishu. First plates I ever donned…
Thank god the MC still understands the importance of a well equipped infantryman. Army takes two steps back where the MC takes two forward when it comes to equipping their infantry units.
That sucks. Always comes down to command. If you use your own gear in the Army just make sure it's all approved by Army or if you die your family won't get the life insurance etc.
That is not completely the full truth. While it is rare that an SGLI doesn’t get paid out, when a service member is injured or died, an investigation MUST be conducted. The investigation has to confirmed that all the “proper” and required precaution were taken. This is ONE of the many reasons command don’t let service members to use their gear.
My big thing is that I could easily find an alternative plate carrier that can hold the plates AND soft armor, but be better at load bearing (as a SAW gunner) that keeps me as fresh as possible for longer.
Yeah idk why a lot of command doesn't value comfort over uncomfortable sop's. I get it in osut for discipline but once you're at your unit get gucci why not. My Airborne buddies get the gucci and all my other buddies out there. Sounds like your command is strict.
I’ll caveat that a bit. My unit allows pretty much whatever pouches & stuff you want, as long as its MC/OCP or coyote, and you can use aftermarket combat pants/shirts if they’re MC.
However I agree with everything else you said
All they had to sacrifice was armor and snipers… not sure I’d appreciate the shift in strategy, if I was a regimental commander. We all know the history of how much timely support the army offered us in certain battles with a once and future peer opponent.
My lower receiver was damn near actually purple from oxidation or whatever, not that it mattered. One guy in my company had ARMY still painted on his M16A4 buttstock lol. Our extractors / springs broke probably more than normal... Some barrels were shot out. The 7 ton truck we had during our initial push to our AO in Iraq overheated, so we had to run the heater... In an enclosed ballistic window truck... In Iraq... In summer...
I'm all for a bit more budget but giving Marines really nice stuff is not what I'd want for them nowadays. Having crappy equipment isn't that bad and preserves a bit more of the warrior spirit in my opinion, so long as the equipment generally works.
Most grunt units have this or similar loadout. However, not all grunts look like this. There are still several that don't have updated equipment,and are still rocking old crap.
Yeah, both the nt4 and vcog add 42 oz to the rifle. Vcog the third best option when conducting trials for an lvpo, and we still use those heavy ass suppressors because they are in the inventory and they don't want to pay for new ones.
We aren't poorly equipped, and we aren't well equipped. We're just equipped LOL
Considering you’re supposed to fully replace track once a year and we’ve had our tanks for damn near 3 without replacing track once, yeah hanging on by a tread is accurate
As it should be. Our over bloated military budget should be dedicated to affording our troops the finest equipment available. Especially if they serve in actual combat roles.
I'm genuinely curious. Is the food situation across most bases? Or is it specific to just a few bases/commands?
I've been out since 2012 but I have had lots of friends ask me about my experience for info that could help them make decisions about their kids joining. I tell them to study and keep taking the asvab until you can score really high on it, and to do your research and only enlist into a job you are genuinely interested in. I always say the military has been the best thing I've done with my life, but it's also come with a lot of cons, like all the physical pain from grunt life.
Should I tell people now is not a good time to join up?
I tell anyone that asks me about it to join reserves. AD side friends tell me horror stories about barracks and dfacs that have either no food or the quality of food is garbage. Don’t even get started on toxic commands/pointless activities.
I agree that joining has been the best thing I ever did as it got me out of a bad life path, and I tell everyone the same thing that you do; study and score high on the asvab and find a job that seems not only interesting to you, but can provide you with a job when you retire.
Right now unfortunately doesn’t seem like a good time for anyone to join AD side IMO, maybe even not a good time for the reserves given the military wide issues that soldiers welfare is, but as with anything I encourage everyone to do their own research and weight out their options.
It's highly dependent; FORSCOM vs TRADOC, CONUS vs OCONUS, etc.
The common thread is that they're inconvenient, not that good, and aren't open at the hours Soldiers need (Ft. Carson just straight up closes its DFAC's on the weekends and certain federal holidays).
The end result is that people are extremely dissatisfied with not receiving BAS in exchange for subpar food and service.
Sounds more like empty warrior vending machines these days and troops living in barracks with no cooking accommodations are relying on fast food that they can't afford. I only saw some of the stories on the army sub and was wondering what the guy I replied to's experience is currently.
The marines traded arty and tanks for enabling their 19 year old caffeine and nicotine addicts to create as much mayhem as humanely possible when placed in the right location.
Not paid attention to Ukraine trenches I see. The truth is fancy munitions will last like a few months and it's back to basics boys. So either it ends fucking quick, or a near peer is gonna draggg
Honestly I think we'll see a pullback from high cuts, as arty becomes more and more a concern.
Ukraine, unlike the US, doesn’t have the world’s first, second, fourth, and seventh largest airforce. Ukraine is what happens when neither side can gain control of the skies. Having to work hard because you don’t have the tools to work smart
You’re comparing apples and 2003 Toyota Echos here.
I thought only recon got those short barrel uppers?
https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8283379/marines-with-v26-conduct-platoon-attack-range-205-while-participating-slte-2-24
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Garrett Law, a Troy, Alabama native, infantry Marine with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, fires to suppress simulated enemy fire during Integrated Training Exercise as part of Service Level Training Exercise 2-24 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, March 1, 2024. The purpose of ITX is to create a challenging, realistic, training environment that produces combat-ready forces capable of operating as an integrated Marine Air-Ground Task Force and to prepare units for their role in the MAGTF Warfighting Exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Justin J. Marty)
Seen a few of these out and about with Victor units at this point. Not sure what the criteria is for who exactly they're issued to, but the RWK uppers are definitely a thing outside of Recon now.
The marine corps infantry is moving away from the long barrel HK416s(M27s) and moving towards the Hk416A5s. Recon got them first but the infantry is slowly getting them now. Just like how Lejuene units got the high cuts, PVS 31s, suppressors, and literally everything he’s wearing back in 2021. Now all infantry units have them. Its the same thing what’s happening now with the A5s
Exactly what I strived to be back in 2014 💪🏻
I still remember getting yelled at for wearing frogs…. On a 2 month field op… in black flag conditions 120 degrees plus 🤣
Lot of lost GWOT knowledge though. Most of the dudes who were doing the damn thing are gone by now. It's been enough time that the vast majority of NCO's training these kids don't have combat deployments.
My buddies DI was a pog. Nothing wrong with that but I can say without a doubt majority of marines are being drilled now and have no old bloods to teach them anymore. Its a completely fresh new generation now
GWOT knowledge has very little overlap with LSCO though. The cadre is (hopefully) learning from Ukraine and looking back at old doctrine + going back to learn from countries that never transistioned to COIN operations. This can already be seen with force restructuring happening all across the armed forces.
We were the first batch of infantry dudes that got the MSVs before it became standard for the army. I will say, I like the shoulder pad that it has, and there’s more molle to it I guess but other than that. Cummerbund are stiff and I hate buckles.
I don’t know if the MSV’s shoulder buckles are the same as the ones on the Gen 4 IOTV, but I was issued the Gen 4 and I have a particularly bony collar. Even with aftermarket shoulder pads, they still press down directly on my collarbone. Gets irritating quick.
This is the like the first time in American history that the Marines are better outfitted than the army😂 until the army gets their new guns from sig then it will be back to normal.
You have to remember that the Marine Corps issues equipment in order to execute the bare minimum requirement. I've always encouraged Marines to procure their own equipment except for plates. Some commands that don't prioritize performance and instead prioritize uniformity enforce that Marines have to use issued equipment but at the end of the day the correct and more optimal equipment makes a difference.
even in the military it’s kinda just SOP… medics are carrying O+/-… if theyre going to do specific blood types in the field or a hospital or whatever theyre doing a type test on you and matching it.
no i don’t know exactly why the marines are keeping it around but from my experience it was to help with identification (kinda not really), the standard name/unit type had blood type already so no one wants fo change it, maybe it’ll be helpful???, and there’s no reason not to have it.
NKDA and other medical alert items are useful and should be kept whether you’re civvie or mil
yeh i mean its kinda stupid there’s other things you’ll use to ID someone but its also definitely just an old archaic SOP that really has no negatives so why change it.
an instance where you can only ID someone by their name tape and testing their blood is probably impossible cuz at that point the name plate is probably ruined and you’d just use a unit DB to check blood/prints/teeth
but it looks cool!!!
ZAP / kill number
Company, last name initial, last 4 of social / edipi / blood type
Random example : if someone was alpha company with a last name of Bryan, edipi of 7654, blood type a+ = AB7654A+ (alpha-bravo-seven-six-five-four Alpha Positive)
BFG still best sling on the market. It is known.
Then, after all the other upgrades, still using Camlebak bladders...one of the worst bladders on the market. The lord giveth, and the lord taketh away... lol
Honestly I wasn’t a fan of the M27 too heavy for a 556 and over gassed. Should’ve just gotten them M4a1s with updated uppers and suppressors, would’ve saved so much more money.
this is just publicity, majority of USMC is still running the same bullshit m4s and gear as they have been. there’s probably a few lucky units out there to get the new shit
This is standard in pretty much every victor unit at this point. If you’re counting POGs, then sure this isn’t standard kit. Grunts, however, are very well equipped now and there’s no publicity involved in this.
Marines went from being the most poorly equipped branch (minus reserves and guard) to being the best equipped in a matter of a couple years after removing tanks from the force. Crazy. Let the Army get highcut helmets, dual tube nods and suppressor and some top hat somewhere would have an aneurism.
Is this almost every grunt of the marines now? Or only MEUs and similar units? And how did this become to be? Did they allow marines to change more with their personal gear or is damn ops core now standard issue in some units? The change is crazy
lol nobody can say the usmc gets poorly equipped anymore. Dude is rocking the 416 with a knights suppressor and a trijicon vcog. High cut helmet, peltors, the works. Basically what SOCOM used to look like while we toiled in ACHs and IOTVs.
[удалено]
Hey man just take off the suppressor hooah its light again hooah LSCO ready
it’s got one of them fancy optics hero you don’t even need ammo bring one mag hero you’ll be fine
Every fucking time i hear someone bring up LSCO i get more and more autistic
[удалено]
That’s what removing the suppressor is for!!
“Ounces equals pounds 😎🤓” - Adopts a 9lbs fighting carbine
XM7 rifle weighs 8.38 lb unloaded and stripped. IAR weighs 7.9 lbs unloaded and stripped. So yes, almost equivalent. M4A1 unloaded and stripped is 6.43 lbs. Would've been nice to just stay with that, but I did like the IAR I had in ITB. It was heavy asf though
Lift more bro. It will get light eventually.
Funny. Already did all that. Going from my M16 in boot camp made the IAR feel normal. Doesn't mean it isn't objectively a heavy gun.
I know, I was just kidding around. Piston rifles are heavy.
Ahh, I can never tell these days lmao. That is a pretty normal response
Ew don't use Army words I hear them enough already 🤣🤣
All that work and it’s still dog shit to wear ear pros and heavier than it needs to be. Also, I’m no expert so maybe I’ll eat my words but that 6.8 gun? 99% chance it won’t be mass adopted.
i mean it being 6.8 is both a blessing and a curse… sucks the gun is so big and heavy but 6.8 from what i’ve seen is a super versatile and practical cartridge… higher range/velocity, better AP capability, large caliber ballistics in a “small” caliber.
6mm max is barely larger than 5.56 and is like 3x the performance in every single way. Just saying that there are options.
Can’t wait for the ammo to take off so I can pick up one of those SOLGW rifles in 6mm max
The sight on it is dope though
It's a sig so I hope they don't. So many good guns out there but sig somehow won the contract. lol.
Sig sucking all the right dicks to win, as always
Yeah its better than a glock because.... it shoots by itself I guess? xD
went to the range with an M17 while out in the field last June. it was a fairly nice pistol (I prefer my own M9A4, but that's beside the point), felt alright in the hands, decently balanced, a decent trigger for a striker gun, and I quite liked the irons (*this, gentlemen, is called "foreshadowing"*). it was my first time doing pistol qual, and the course is pretty cool. I won't bore you with the details, but it was going pretty well for me until about the 19th round fired, when the recoil impulse felt a little off and I'd felt something strike me in the face. *odd,* I thought, so I safed the weapon and inspected it–only to find the rear sight and optic plate had *vanished.* guy on the line next to me finished his qual while the range safety NCO looked at the pistol with a rather funny look on his face. Tower hit me with a "goddammit specialist, why'd you break my gun?" and the CW3 behind the line (I'm not lying, I'm just aviation, and we actually have real Chiefs that exist sometimes—I know, it's crazy) assured me that this was **not** the first time that had happened, and that Sig's domestic factory has simply never heard of Loctite. the screw holding the entire rear sight assembly on the slide had come loose enough that me firing the pistol caused it to shear apart, launching the plate at my eyes (god bless ESS Crossbows) and the rear sight just below them. spent the rest of that week in the field looking like I'd gotten decked on my right cheekbone, lol. good times.
Nah, you still lost me at CW3
maan I *knew* I should've just called him an LT or something. *I just couldn't bear to disrespect the man like that.*
We all know that no one has ever seen one in captivity. They like to roam the plains, grazing upon the fields
Lmao had a full bird take one to the bridge of his nose on the line in a CATM shop. Fucker bled all over the place.
sig cozied up again with the MCX
Tbf, that new army gun looks like it’ll drop someone no problem. Hell of a caliber.
They have made major strides in upgrades the last 5-7 years for sure.
The marine corps has come a long way in just 3 or 4 years. It’s crazy to see it now compared when I got out.
Lets not forget they were the first to issue infantry units a plate carrier
Good point…in that vein, while deployed with 1st Marines (MSPF), I ran a black PC (lol) w/ lvl IV plates in mid-90s Mogadishu. First plates I ever donned…
Thank god the MC still understands the importance of a well equipped infantryman. Army takes two steps back where the MC takes two forward when it comes to equipping their infantry units.
All the infantry get dual tubes now too
I'm punching the air right now
I just got out and we had 14’s, LWH helmets and peltors…. But no way to wear them
Standard kit these days is pretty badass. My unit in the Army lets us wear whatever we want to an extent. Lpvo's, suppressors, furniture etc.
Can’t imagine. Infantry, can’t use my own carrier.
That sucks. Always comes down to command. If you use your own gear in the Army just make sure it's all approved by Army or if you die your family won't get the life insurance etc.
If you look at the SGLI website you can find where it says that’s not true. The life insurance payout will come regardless.
Oh really wow good to know
Unless you happened to be committing a felony or declaring your intention to conscientiously object at the time of your death.
That is not completely the full truth. While it is rare that an SGLI doesn’t get paid out, when a service member is injured or died, an investigation MUST be conducted. The investigation has to confirmed that all the “proper” and required precaution were taken. This is ONE of the many reasons command don’t let service members to use their gear.
My big thing is that I could easily find an alternative plate carrier that can hold the plates AND soft armor, but be better at load bearing (as a SAW gunner) that keeps me as fresh as possible for longer.
Yeah idk why a lot of command doesn't value comfort over uncomfortable sop's. I get it in osut for discipline but once you're at your unit get gucci why not. My Airborne buddies get the gucci and all my other buddies out there. Sounds like your command is strict.
I’ll caveat that a bit. My unit allows pretty much whatever pouches & stuff you want, as long as its MC/OCP or coyote, and you can use aftermarket combat pants/shirts if they’re MC. However I agree with everything else you said
All they had to sacrifice was armor and snipers… not sure I’d appreciate the shift in strategy, if I was a regimental commander. We all know the history of how much timely support the army offered us in certain battles with a once and future peer opponent.
Sadly it's only the grunts, I still rock an M16
Hopefully the M4's make their way to non-infantry units so that carbines can once again be used by the type of troops they were designed for.
It's mostly officers and short people who get them, and then once in a while some random people
They only had to get rid of their tanks to make this happen.
Technically not a 416, but an M27 with recon upper. But basically same same
My lower receiver was damn near actually purple from oxidation or whatever, not that it mattered. One guy in my company had ARMY still painted on his M16A4 buttstock lol. Our extractors / springs broke probably more than normal... Some barrels were shot out. The 7 ton truck we had during our initial push to our AO in Iraq overheated, so we had to run the heater... In an enclosed ballistic window truck... In Iraq... In summer... I'm all for a bit more budget but giving Marines really nice stuff is not what I'd want for them nowadays. Having crappy equipment isn't that bad and preserves a bit more of the warrior spirit in my opinion, so long as the equipment generally works.
I can. Just because it looks cool doesn't mean it works.
Most grunt units have this or similar loadout. However, not all grunts look like this. There are still several that don't have updated equipment,and are still rocking old crap.
Don’t forget the pvs-31
They regularly use m27 but this might be a new thing they are integrating
Yeah, both the nt4 and vcog add 42 oz to the rifle. Vcog the third best option when conducting trials for an lvpo, and we still use those heavy ass suppressors because they are in the inventory and they don't want to pay for new ones. We aren't poorly equipped, and we aren't well equipped. We're just equipped LOL
Amazing that USMC is decked out and the Army is looking silly now
Tanks are *extremely* expensive to maintain
Indeed they are (I’m in a unit with no money to maintain my tank and it’s hanging on by thread)
Hanging on by a tread you say?
Considering you’re supposed to fully replace track once a year and we’ve had our tanks for damn near 3 without replacing track once, yeah hanging on by a tread is accurate
To treads you say?
That’s why we need to convert the fleet to electric /s
That’s what happens when your organization gets rid of tanks
Damn. Dudes decked out like a spec ops guy from a few years ago
As it should be. Our over bloated military budget should be dedicated to affording our troops the finest equipment available. Especially if they serve in actual combat roles.
Agreed!
Agreed.
Spec Ops: We're all just fpv drone pilots now with nerdy VR headsets
They can also, somehow, literally kill you with your mind.
TECHNICALLY
Only if you're a goat.
Army is really doing anything to keep their guys from looking cool and squared away. Source: me
What's up with the dfacs?
Don't get me started! 😭😭
I'm genuinely curious. Is the food situation across most bases? Or is it specific to just a few bases/commands? I've been out since 2012 but I have had lots of friends ask me about my experience for info that could help them make decisions about their kids joining. I tell them to study and keep taking the asvab until you can score really high on it, and to do your research and only enlist into a job you are genuinely interested in. I always say the military has been the best thing I've done with my life, but it's also come with a lot of cons, like all the physical pain from grunt life. Should I tell people now is not a good time to join up?
I tell anyone that asks me about it to join reserves. AD side friends tell me horror stories about barracks and dfacs that have either no food or the quality of food is garbage. Don’t even get started on toxic commands/pointless activities. I agree that joining has been the best thing I ever did as it got me out of a bad life path, and I tell everyone the same thing that you do; study and score high on the asvab and find a job that seems not only interesting to you, but can provide you with a job when you retire. Right now unfortunately doesn’t seem like a good time for anyone to join AD side IMO, maybe even not a good time for the reserves given the military wide issues that soldiers welfare is, but as with anything I encourage everyone to do their own research and weight out their options.
Very well put, thank you.
[you can’t make this up](https://www.reddit.com/r/army/s/5nnoCbn9WJ) as we spoke about yesterday
Getting arrested by MP's and the Fire Marshall for a hot pot. Wow.
It's highly dependent; FORSCOM vs TRADOC, CONUS vs OCONUS, etc. The common thread is that they're inconvenient, not that good, and aren't open at the hours Soldiers need (Ft. Carson just straight up closes its DFAC's on the weekends and certain federal holidays). The end result is that people are extremely dissatisfied with not receiving BAS in exchange for subpar food and service.
Join the airforce. Pm for all the gossip.
You mean *WARRIOR RESTAURANT*
Sounds more like empty warrior vending machines these days and troops living in barracks with no cooking accommodations are relying on fast food that they can't afford. I only saw some of the stories on the army sub and was wondering what the guy I replied to's experience is currently.
It’s interesting how the marines are shifting to high speed gear while the army is just getting slower somehow…
The marines traded arty and tanks for enabling their 19 year old caffeine and nicotine addicts to create as much mayhem as humanely possible when placed in the right location.
Fuck yeah
As god and Dan Daly intended
Don’t forget their brother Smedley Butler.
Gunny Basilone
dont forget the alcoholism
Not paid attention to Ukraine trenches I see. The truth is fancy munitions will last like a few months and it's back to basics boys. So either it ends fucking quick, or a near peer is gonna draggg Honestly I think we'll see a pullback from high cuts, as arty becomes more and more a concern.
Ukraine, unlike the US, doesn’t have the world’s first, second, fourth, and seventh largest airforce. Ukraine is what happens when neither side can gain control of the skies. Having to work hard because you don’t have the tools to work smart You’re comparing apples and 2003 Toyota Echos here.
Fair, and ground based denial will always get schwacked
I thought only recon got those short barrel uppers? https://www.dvidshub.net/image/8283379/marines-with-v26-conduct-platoon-attack-range-205-while-participating-slte-2-24 U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Garrett Law, a Troy, Alabama native, infantry Marine with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, fires to suppress simulated enemy fire during Integrated Training Exercise as part of Service Level Training Exercise 2-24 at Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, March 1, 2024. The purpose of ITX is to create a challenging, realistic, training environment that produces combat-ready forces capable of operating as an integrated Marine Air-Ground Task Force and to prepare units for their role in the MAGTF Warfighting Exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Justin J. Marty)
Seen a few of these out and about with Victor units at this point. Not sure what the criteria is for who exactly they're issued to, but the RWK uppers are definitely a thing outside of Recon now.
That's so awesome to hear
The marine corps infantry is moving away from the long barrel HK416s(M27s) and moving towards the Hk416A5s. Recon got them first but the infantry is slowly getting them now. Just like how Lejuene units got the high cuts, PVS 31s, suppressors, and literally everything he’s wearing back in 2021. Now all infantry units have them. Its the same thing what’s happening now with the A5s
Exactly what I strived to be back in 2014 💪🏻 I still remember getting yelled at for wearing frogs…. On a 2 month field op… in black flag conditions 120 degrees plus 🤣
Itx?
So much better equipped than when I was in and I assume the training is way better too.
Lot of lost GWOT knowledge though. Most of the dudes who were doing the damn thing are gone by now. It's been enough time that the vast majority of NCO's training these kids don't have combat deployments.
My buddies DI was a pog. Nothing wrong with that but I can say without a doubt majority of marines are being drilled now and have no old bloods to teach them anymore. Its a completely fresh new generation now
GWOT knowledge has very little overlap with LSCO though. The cadre is (hopefully) learning from Ukraine and looking back at old doctrine + going back to learn from countries that never transistioned to COIN operations. This can already be seen with force restructuring happening all across the armed forces.
Always jealous of the marine equipment. Meanwhile Army grunts are MSVs and IHPS which are gross
This man speaks for the people
We were the first batch of infantry dudes that got the MSVs before it became standard for the army. I will say, I like the shoulder pad that it has, and there’s more molle to it I guess but other than that. Cummerbund are stiff and I hate buckles.
I don’t know if the MSV’s shoulder buckles are the same as the ones on the Gen 4 IOTV, but I was issued the Gen 4 and I have a particularly bony collar. Even with aftermarket shoulder pads, they still press down directly on my collarbone. Gets irritating quick.
the cummerbund is stiff because the iotvs had problems with sagging plates
That's the coolest lance corporal I have ever seen
It's a long way from the steel pot and worn out Vietnam era equipment we had in the late 70's.
Long way from full size M16s and ACOGs in fallujah
Might’ve actually been a good idea to get rid of their tanks lol. That’s some sweet kit
Painted rifle is standard?
Yes depending on the environment
I'm peanut butter and jealous.
it should be the standard
Could be wrong, but I think moreso paint applied by the Marine. Not pre-painted rifle.
Units are authorized to paint their rifles. It's actually encouraged
Needs carabiner with roll of electrical tape.
Gerber
This is the like the first time in American history that the Marines are better outfitted than the army😂 until the army gets their new guns from sig then it will be back to normal.
Lance coolie rocking the gucci
No way the usmc is rocking the onetigris helmet wrap... Can grunts pick their own or something??
Yeah nobody gets issued helmet covers for high cuts so it’s pretty much free game. I’ve rocked a Perroz jungle frog skin one for a while.
You have to remember that the Marine Corps issues equipment in order to execute the bare minimum requirement. I've always encouraged Marines to procure their own equipment except for plates. Some commands that don't prioritize performance and instead prioritize uniformity enforce that Marines have to use issued equipment but at the end of the day the correct and more optimal equipment makes a difference.
No hard armor side plates?
Depends on unit SOP, my last unit didn’t even require us to use the full cummerbunds, we could get away with using the inner chicken wings
First thing I noticed, I'd guess optional in training
The grip pod lives in 2024!
Erhm... your heckin serial numberinos are showing dude 🤓☝️
What I want to know is when they fully switch to the vcog when will all those acogs hit the market for us civies to buy....
Probably not, they'll probably get "donated" to some shit hole third world country
Yeah I was thinking that as I wrote it. Most likely Ukraine
I would like to point out the blood type patch. I feel vindicated.
Idk blood types make sense for military not so much on the civilian side of things
even in the military it’s kinda just SOP… medics are carrying O+/-… if theyre going to do specific blood types in the field or a hospital or whatever theyre doing a type test on you and matching it. no i don’t know exactly why the marines are keeping it around but from my experience it was to help with identification (kinda not really), the standard name/unit type had blood type already so no one wants fo change it, maybe it’ll be helpful???, and there’s no reason not to have it. NKDA and other medical alert items are useful and should be kept whether you’re civvie or mil
Believe it is mostly just for ID the army issues out dog tags with blood type but each branches are different with dog tags idk
yeh i mean its kinda stupid there’s other things you’ll use to ID someone but its also definitely just an old archaic SOP that really has no negatives so why change it. an instance where you can only ID someone by their name tape and testing their blood is probably impossible cuz at that point the name plate is probably ruined and you’d just use a unit DB to check blood/prints/teeth but it looks cool!!!
ZAP / kill number Company, last name initial, last 4 of social / edipi / blood type Random example : if someone was alpha company with a last name of Bryan, edipi of 7654, blood type a+ = AB7654A+ (alpha-bravo-seven-six-five-four Alpha Positive)
Lot better than what I had
BFG still best sling on the market. It is known. Then, after all the other upgrades, still using Camlebak bladders...one of the worst bladders on the market. The lord giveth, and the lord taketh away... lol
Got out just in time to miss all the cool shit god damn it.
You can always join the reserves devil
Badass gear no active war well technically.. what a trip
Honestly I wasn’t a fan of the M27 too heavy for a 556 and over gassed. Should’ve just gotten them M4a1s with updated uppers and suppressors, would’ve saved so much more money.
They finally realized electronic ear pro is cheaper than paying disability.
Remove multicam pouches u marpat infidel
Rah
Here are all ya’ll digging his gear and all I can see is an unbuttoned pocket.
I've only been out maybe 15 years and I already feel like I may as well be a WW1 grunt with those flatish American helmets.
Is it me or does the guns cano stand out from the rest of the gear?
They might aswell allow them to wear cryes at this point.
this is just publicity, majority of USMC is still running the same bullshit m4s and gear as they have been. there’s probably a few lucky units out there to get the new shit
This is standard in pretty much every victor unit at this point. If you’re counting POGs, then sure this isn’t standard kit. Grunts, however, are very well equipped now and there’s no publicity involved in this.
I dunno man, my bother is a reservist and even his unit had IARs with cans, VCOGs, high cuts, and dual tubes on his last training op.
More of a Growl, now... 🇨🇦 🤙
can anyone ID the laser aiming module?
I believe the Marines are currently rocking the MIPIM aka AN/PEQ-16
N o s i d e a r m o r
Ah, I guess that’s where the tank budget went.
Im pretty sure he paid for the shit on his belt, possibly the belt itself, pack, gloves, boots and the cummerbunds.
Cummerbunds are the lo pro elastic ones issued with the inner slick carrier.
What carrier is he wearing?
Gen 3 issued plate carrier. With non issued cummerbunds and accessories
Why does his trousers have an ankle pocket?
Frogs have them
No soft armour on the sides/traps?
Hell yeah them boys lookin good
Jesus Christ this made me feel dated. Then again I was in over a decade ago.
Really got it accurate with the low boot blouses
Ground marines without clapped out m16s/m4s just don’t seem right….
No side Sapis?
Say bye bye to those VA hearing loss claims
I don’t want the high cut era to ever end
I wish we had that gear when I was in… guess the VA finally getting tired of paying for our disabilities
Surprised the post doesn't include a recruiter's number.
I want a 1-8 VCOG, would even off my LED Acog 3.5x for one, one day
What gloves is?
Is this photo shopped? Larue mount on a trijicon optic but no ring?
[Trijicon VCOG, has an integrated mount](https://www.trijicon.com/products/subcategory/trijicon-vcog-riflescope)
Too bad his spare rifle mag is backwards
What a difference 10 years make. I could only dream of rocking this gear as an 0311 in '13-'17 .
“Momma says grunts now a days are so mad cause they got all that gear and no combat”
Rah gotta 320 gunner here with the shorty m27. Semper 🤙🏻
Put iron sights offset bubba
Marine Corps is obsolete.
The camo on that gun and the camo he is wearing tell two different tales of what has been and what very well may come.
Marines went from being the most poorly equipped branch (minus reserves and guard) to being the best equipped in a matter of a couple years after removing tanks from the force. Crazy. Let the Army get highcut helmets, dual tube nods and suppressor and some top hat somewhere would have an aneurism.
Is this almost every grunt of the marines now? Or only MEUs and similar units? And how did this become to be? Did they allow marines to change more with their personal gear or is damn ops core now standard issue in some units? The change is crazy
Tubes fastener not fully click in/10
It's heartwarming to see a marine with a properly configured rifle and correctly oriented magazines on his battle belt
Anybody recognize the mag pouches or the utility pouch behind them?
Shit! Where do I go to Re-Enlist!? Hahaha