On my first deployment to Iraq in 2005 I was a Team Leader in Weapons Squad. For the most part I was the Tactical Commander (TC) on a Stryker armored vehicle. You can see in the picture the toughbook computer I used to navigate our way to our objectives. The damn thing would heat up in the Iraqi summer and go dead on me, so I’d have to make it up as I went along while trying to boot the computer back up.
We also did dismounted operations, infilling by helicopter, so my loadout would change somewhat since I was now a Gun Team leader with a couple Privates, a Mk48 Gunner and an Assistant Gunner.
-M4 w/ACOG and PEQ-2
-4x spare magazines
-plate carrier
-soft armor carrier
-MBITR radio
-Oakley M-Frames
-Gerber knife
-Sordin headset
-DCU uniform
-Merrill boots
-PVS-14′s
-Compass
-Spare batteries
-Laser pointer for scaring off locals who got to close to our vehicles
-Lanyard for snapping into hardpoints on aircraft
-Riggersbelt
-Rag w/gun oil and cleaning brush
-Merrill boots
-Water bottles in Stryker or in Camelbak for dismounted operations
-Assault pack (Helicopter Assault Force missions only)
Sniper Loadout, '04/'05
-SR-25 w/PEQ-2 and 3.5-10x Leopold scope and Harris bipod legs
-4x spare magazines
-MICH helmet
-Tigerstripe BDU’s or civilian clothes
-Soloman boots
-2x Dutch mini-frags
-maps w/map case (hung around neck by 550 chord and buttoned under by shirt)
-compass
-m9 pistol
-Camelbak (depending on the mission)
-bleeder kit (ratchet tourniquet, curlex, Israeli bandage)
-red lens flashlight
-Multi-tool
-PVS-14′s
-spare batteries
-camelbak
What can I say, we kept it light!
Read more here.
