Purchasing Own Gear?

tangomike

5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 14, 2013
Messages
7
Ive been admitted to the class of 2017 and I was wondering, after the first summer are cadets allowed to wear/use personally owned gear (plate carriers, chest rigs, etc). Just wondered if we are required to exclusively use TA-50. Thanks for your time in answering another stupid question.
 
There are no stupid questions when you are learning (unless you're in a brief, please save your questions)


as for the gear, you can have it here, but if the packing list says "OD green flashlight, issued w/red lens" you must bring your issued ta-50 flashlight.


For anything during beast, you will use your issued gear, minus small things like a knife or headlamp if you have it. On top of that, if you have things that are different than your classmates, you will just stick out...which I try not to do.

The small unit tactics team wears different gear, only when they're training, so does the combat weapons team, but when they're in the field they wear the issued stuff.
 
There are no stupid questions when you are learning (unless you're in a brief, please save your questions)


as for the gear, you can have it here, but if the packing list says "OD green flashlight, issued w/red lens" you must bring your issued ta-50 flashlight.


For anything during beast, you will use your issued gear, minus small things like a knife or headlamp if you have it. On top of that, if you have things that are different than your classmates, you will just stick out...which I try not to do.

The small unit tactics team wears different gear, only when they're training, so does the combat weapons team, but when they're in the field they wear the issued stuff.

This. Do not bring plate carriers, Oakley gloves, etc. to Beast. Best case, it gets confiscated as civilian glothes/gear and you don't see it again until A-Day. Worst Case, you show up to a formation wearing it and 1. Attract unwanted atention from cadre 2. Immediately become "that guy" in your company. You do not want to be "that guy."

If you really want to use your own high speed gear, join Small Unit Tactics or Combat Weapons. We are issued plate carriers and other gear to train with throughout the year. If you have questions about SUTT, let me know (I'm on the team).
 
Ive been admitted to the class of 2017 and I was wondering, after the first summer are cadets allowed to wear/use personally owned gear (plate carriers, chest rigs, etc). Just wondered if we are required to exclusively use TA-50. Thanks for your time in answering another stupid question.

Just a heads up-- if you show up to Beast with a plate carrier or a chest rig that you bought on your own, you're going to make a name for yourself in a bad way.

The extent of personally bought gear that you can bring to Beast is something like a Surefire flashlight or a multitool. For Beast you're just jumping into skill level 1 tasks like first aid, marksmenship, and land navigation. For instance, you won't even wear hard armor plates during Beast (at least I didn't).

This summer you're learning the baby steps of soldiering. It's about looking after your buddy next to you and learning how to do a task with what you're given. Don't forget how to use creative thinking and solve problems outside the box, but a lot of what you do this summer will be mind-numbing and boring. Showing up with a multicam chest rig that has 12 mag pouches and built-in satellite communication is a little overkill. Save your money for the first time you go on pass with your friends to the city :thumb:
 
I appreciate all the info, also to specify my question was directed specifically for after Beast. I was asking because I wanted to know whether to sell/store my extra gear before I PCS from my current duty station. I apologize if I came across as that big a tool or "that guy." It was never my intention. Also thanks for your patience.
 
Unless you do a lot of shooting at home, I would recommend selling it. Realistically, you will not have a chance to use any of it here. If you have certain pouches that you have found more useful/comfortable, hang on to them - you may be able to swap them out with some of the TA50 gear for some training.
 
and i can assure you no one here was assuming you were a "big tool" or "that guy",

that qoute:

"he went full ranger....Never go full ranger"
comes to mind here at the academy. :smile:

if anything, i think it's smart that you asked the question. We just want you to succeed, and get through as easy as possible, and as low key as necessary, being prior you'll already have some extra attention drawn to you without the added stress of different gear.


I would say to store the stuff for now, who knows if you'll need it when you commision?

patience is something you learn here too. let me know if you need help with anything else.
 
I appreciate all the info, also to specify my question was directed specifically for after Beast. I was asking because I wanted to know whether to sell/store my extra gear before I PCS from my current duty station. I apologize if I came across as that big a tool or "that guy." It was never my intention. Also thanks for your patience.

Tangomike,

Should've checked if you were prior service. I assumed you were a direct admit and therefore my comment didn't quite come off as intended. I'd echo what was said above: sell what you have now unless you feel like bits and pieces will come in handy during your upperclass years. For most of your summer training the issued FLC/MOLLE setup will be just fine.

Sorry for what probably seemed like a lecture in what you already know. Knowing your target audience always helps.
 
No worries. If I had thin skin I probably shouldn't have joined this organization. :thumb:

One last question: Can a New Cadet have any preference as to how she/he sets up their FLC? or is it a squad/platoon/company SOP?
 
I think it's company dependent. Some have SOPs on FLC setup, some don't. That's something you can probably with with your COC on if you have a way you want things.
 
In my company, the only SOP we had was that the IFAK had to be on the left hip. Other than that, we were free to rearrange as needed
 
My Beast company had the SOP that the IFAK was on the left hip + you had to have on your FLC all the TA-50 that goes on it (so yeah... we had space for 12 mags even though we were just issued 7 hahaha)
 
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