Soldiers and Marines paying to pimp their HMMWVs

[cucvmule]

If you do not watch the movies or the news , or listen to the congress always talking about the cost to run old outdated equipment or the newspapers claiming that half the planes or helicopters have been scavenged for parts to keep a third of them running then how can you not know.

That has been an inside joke and outside joke forever. Only it is the truth. A company I worked for sent pallets of gloves and rubber boots so the Seabee's could pour concrete in Iraq and Afghanistan. WTF we had to send equipment to shame either command or congress into buying tools to do their jobs.

Socks, WTF socks. Sunglasses ok maybe but socks?

Half the time it is purposely done so that the budgets can be inflated to get just a 10 percent increase which still does not cover shortfalls.

 

[BKubu]

I remember during the Clinton years, we didn't have training funds for M200 Blank 5.56mm. We had MILES equipment, afterall, that was reusable, durable equipment. But we had no blanks to make the MILES lasers function. Joes in Rifle Squads were running around like kids playing cowboys and indians, shouting "BANG!"

No parts for armored vehicles. Ft Polk, 1991-1992, 5th ID, we had an M577A2 Command Post Tracked Vehicle and an M113A2 APC for my section Fire Direction Center because some O4 in S-3 or S-4 wanted the Winnebago of APCs. I didn't care, the M113A2 was lower silhoutte and even came with an M2HB 50BMG instead of the TC on the M577 using an M249 SAW propped up on the generator set.
I got tasked to drive around an E8 to evaluate the Scout Platoon, I said No Can Do, track doesn't operate in reverse. BN Motor Chief "Circle Xed" the deadline deficiency, with comment "Operate Only in Forward Gear" Duh!

So I'm following this 3 vehicle section of M3 Bradleys, the E8 decided it would be much more efficient for him to actually ride in the Scout M3 to evaluate the crew and that I should just follow closely so I could drive him back to our admin area when the mission was over. Ok. Nightime ops, M113A2 had only PVS-5B single tube NVG for me, the Brads have their high speed night vision. So I'm about 25-30 yards behind this M3 Bradley following slowly in blackout conditions, when they decided to start moving in reverse in a high rate of speed, I tried beeping the horn (good luck hearing that with just the vehicle running), he kept coming driving up the front slope, all I could do is drop down into the driver compartment, the M3 Brad got so close the image in my PVS-5B was a big blurr (that's close). IT wound up crushing the service drive lamp, blackout IR lamp and the thick steel guard overtop, meaning this Bradley was 2 feet from my face, its ass sticking way up in the air by time they figured out something was wrong.

I found another partially broken lamp in the motorpool dumpster when we got back. And pounded the shit out of the guard bracket with sledgehammer until it would somewhat fit. I did get another transfer gearcase though, finally.

But everything from nuts and bolts, OD/Black/Brown spray paint for equipment maintenance after field training, it all came out of the vehicle crew pockets. I mean, it was that or get gigged for flunking an inspection for having bare metal exposed on your tools and equipment. "Sarge, supply says they don't have any Paint, Spray, Olive Drab Shade, One Each"
"That's no excuse. Unless you want to work the weekend I suggest you find a solutions"

OK, everybody chip in $10 each to buy about 9 cans of spray paint in various colors from the AAFES PX/Shopette.

This may help to explain why I've had many, many trucks with non-standard paint. I once had a "3 color camo" M35A2 from the DE AR NG that was more like a five or six color camo with all the different greens and browns used. I never thought they might have had to buy their own paint. As an aside, I was extremely impressed with DE AR NG equipment. Everything I have owned or inspected from them has been will maintained/clean.

 

[Guyfang]

Never knock the NG. There are lots of pro's in the NG. Guys who have several years active, hate moving and get out, to join the NG. Still might have to deploy, but PCS'ing every 3 years is no longer a problem. I only met a few NG's while on active, but they were good troops.

 

[98G]

Never knock the NG. There are lots of pro's in the NG. Guys who have several years active, hate moving and get out, to join the NG. Still might have to deploy, but PCS'ing every 3 years is no longer a problem. I only met a few NG's while on active, but they were good troops.

The high end of NG individuals are as highly performing as anyone on active duty.

The low end of NG is much lower than anything that would be tolerated active....

 

[Guyfang]

If you had been in the Army in the late 60's and early 70's........................................................

 

[Mullaney]

If you had been in the Army in the late 60's and early 70's........................................................

.
When half of the force was walking around "red-eyed" as I understand it...

 

[Guyfang]

More then half, and the rest were drunks. No difference.

 

[patracy]

This isn't limited to the armed forces unfortunately. Fire Fighters, PDs, Teachers, many other who serve their fellow man do so out of their own pockets at times.

 

[Mullaney]

This isn't limited to the armed forces unfortunately. Fire Fighters, PDs, Teachers, many other who serve their fellow man do so out of their own pockets at times.

.
For sure! Teachers spend quite a bit of their money for supplies. Lots of schools give each teacher in a school ONE carton of paper (that's 5000 sheets) of printer paper for a school year. That would be 142 single pages assuming 35 students in a class. Half that if it was a two page worksheet... Doesn't take long to see them some up short...

Through the years I have bought closeout paper deals and donate it to the schools in the neighborhood.
There are definitely small things that all of us can do to help.

 

[Ajax MD]

Never knock the NG. There are lots of pro's in the NG. Guys who have several years active, hate moving and get out, to join the NG. Still might have to deploy, but PCS'ing every 3 years is no longer a problem. I only met a few NG's while on active, but they were good troops.

I did 11 years active duty on submarines and 9 years in the naval reserve. I will never knock the reserves or guard. I learned that active duty forces are often mentally boxed in and have difficulty thinking outside of established procedures. When I got to the reserves, I was continually amazed by the creativity brought by so called "part time" service members.

Again, I think my viewpoint is tainted by my submarine duty. You simply DON'T operate outside of established procedures when faffing about with a nuclear reactor. Those of us who worked on non-nuclear systems were able to exercise a little more creativity but not very often. Active duty army/marines/air force members are probably more creative than what I experienced on active duty.

My reserve unit was disbanded right when I retired. We are still extremely tight. We all chat often online and at least some of us attend reunions annually. I think we are a bit of an anomaly.

 

[Guyfang]

My reserve unit was disbanded right when I retired. We are still extremely tight. We all chat often online and at least some of us attend reunions annually. I think we are a bit of an anomaly.


Na. Not really. I have close contact with guys I worked with in 1973, and haven't seen since then. No, not all of them, but a few. After 20+ years active, you meet a few people who seem to "click" with, and you can not forget them. Its good to be able to keep contact with those special people. Them made a difference then, and still do now.