IRAQ/Military Deployment lights-Sticky (Part 2)
- Thread starter Sigman
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
Rat6P
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2007
- Messages
- 319
What about an Inova X5 (red or green, or even white when run on depleted batteries), I have one(used for low light tasks) and it can run for hours on the cells flattened by my surefire. strong build, and quite cheap. Just an idea. if u are already running a high output cr123 light you would already have batteries enough for the Inova X5......:shrug:
Lightraven
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2004
- Messages
- 1,170
One soldier who was backing me up in the field (not overseas) was using a green LED Inova X5. I actually needed a bright white light for my purposes, though, so I gave him my Novatac 120T to hold.
flashy bazook
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jan 7, 2007
- Messages
- 1,139
My that thread was getting huge! Thanks to the mods for starting a new one.
I had one question (and apologies if it appeared already in this huge thread, which is too daunting to start reading now): why do soldiers keep needing to buy privately (i.e., with their own very hard earned bucks) equipment necessary for their duties?
I mean, we keep hearing stories about flashlights, knives, even body armor. Isn't this very strange? What's next, firearms? (tanks??)
Plus, on the flashlight front, we also keep hearing how SF's main customer is the military - so just WHERE do all these SF's bought by the military procurement services go to? Why aren't they available to the soldiers so they need to ask what to get here?
Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this!
I had one question (and apologies if it appeared already in this huge thread, which is too daunting to start reading now): why do soldiers keep needing to buy privately (i.e., with their own very hard earned bucks) equipment necessary for their duties?
I mean, we keep hearing stories about flashlights, knives, even body armor. Isn't this very strange? What's next, firearms? (tanks??)
Plus, on the flashlight front, we also keep hearing how SF's main customer is the military - so just WHERE do all these SF's bought by the military procurement services go to? Why aren't they available to the soldiers so they need to ask what to get here?
Thanks in advance for any light you can shed on this!
southernlites
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2007
- Messages
- 35
Does anybody here have actual first hand experience with a pak-lite and/or Eternalight while on deployment ? I've read their testimonials pages but haven't encountered anyone yet who has personally used one while on deployment.
Lightraven
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2004
- Messages
- 1,170
To answer one of those questions:
In both the military and law enforcement, it is quite common for people to be dissatisfied with the issued gear. I often imagine Roman centurions weren't pleased with their weapons, sandals, armor, etc. I know soldiers in many historical ages--ancient greece, medieval Europe--would purchase their own armor, in particular. Those who could afford it became armored infantry (Hoplites, men-at-arms) or cavalry (Knights). Poor peasants were merely armed rabble.
Working for the government means taking what they give you. If you can afford something better, and are allowed to use it, you are lucky.
When I was in the Army--quite a while ago--you got a Fulton angle head flashlight. It was common (at least for officers) to buy a camouflage Mini Mag at the Post Exchange and use it instead.
I recently talked to a Army Guard soldier who said they get Fulton angleheads, and only the Special Forces are issued Surefires. I've seen other Guard soldiers--some veterans of Iraq--who carry Coasts, and other low dollar lights. One had a Surefire G3, but he was a full time police officer with a local agency when not pulling "Guard" duty.
It is likely that much of the Army perceives the Fulton as "good enough" for most of what soldiers do with a handheld light.
Surefire probably does much of its government business in weapon mounted lights.
In both the military and law enforcement, it is quite common for people to be dissatisfied with the issued gear. I often imagine Roman centurions weren't pleased with their weapons, sandals, armor, etc. I know soldiers in many historical ages--ancient greece, medieval Europe--would purchase their own armor, in particular. Those who could afford it became armored infantry (Hoplites, men-at-arms) or cavalry (Knights). Poor peasants were merely armed rabble.
Working for the government means taking what they give you. If you can afford something better, and are allowed to use it, you are lucky.
When I was in the Army--quite a while ago--you got a Fulton angle head flashlight. It was common (at least for officers) to buy a camouflage Mini Mag at the Post Exchange and use it instead.
I recently talked to a Army Guard soldier who said they get Fulton angleheads, and only the Special Forces are issued Surefires. I've seen other Guard soldiers--some veterans of Iraq--who carry Coasts, and other low dollar lights. One had a Surefire G3, but he was a full time police officer with a local agency when not pulling "Guard" duty.
It is likely that much of the Army perceives the Fulton as "good enough" for most of what soldiers do with a handheld light.
Surefire probably does much of its government business in weapon mounted lights.
other reasons could be cost- the cost of issuing premium grade kit throughtout for each rank & file could blow the budget of even the wealthiest nation out of proportion. though i am not a soldier by profession, i do have military obligations annually up to age 40. :candle:
Surefire marketing material, especially as amplified via certain individuals, and reality are not necessarily closely aligned.
The situation is probably similar to Traser/Nite watches - they're marketed as military issue to pull in the Rainbow Six fanboy crowd, but in the real world most troops wear Casio G-Shocks because they're unbreakable and the Nite's tritium vials are a "Shoot Me!" sign at night.
Hell, I wear a $15 watch from the PX with a velcro strap that's falling apart.
As for the other, the high speed gear issue will depend, a lot of times, on your unit, the budget, connections, mission specs and so forth.
Combat Arms or highly motivated supply NCOs are more likely to either receive or make the effort to equip their people with the high speed gear. The SF Scout weapon light was making the rounds with some of the new units rolling into Anaconda - my unit never saw that kind of high speed gear, but then we also weren't tasked with anything that could even vaguely construed as combat duty. Well, guard towers, but no weapon light is ever going to you a bit of good on Anaconda guard towers, even if someone was stupid enough to get close enough because of all the Apaches.
By comparison, a motor support company I inspected had boxes and boxes of all sorts of flashlights - because their job demanded it. Inspecting vehicles for damage requires clear visibility in dark, hard to illuminate areas.
The L-bend light is a piece of crap - look at it the wrong way and the bulb shatters. I upgraded mine with a Maglite LED dropin for giggles and ended up giving it away.
So why buy a flashlight? Because you never know when you might need one. And just because the Army (in my case) didn't issue me one didn't mean I wasn't going to buy one (or several) to meet my needs while I had ample access to stores in the States. As you might imagine, flashlight options in a deployed PX are rather limited.
When did I use my lights? On guard tower, I used a non-white light for reading maps, inspecting gear and so on. At night, when I had to get ready for duty or hit the latrine, I used a personal light to rummage around without waking up my roommate or tentmates. Working in an office and having to fish gear out of dark corners or when the power went out. Scorpion/spider check - check your boots, check your bed/bag/cot, check the latrine you're about to grace and so on. Walking in an area with no lights but lots of garbage, debris, twisted metal and so forth. A personal favorite - sorting through 150-odd rucksacks and duffel bags that just got pulled off a truck and dumped in a pile. At night and between t-walls with no light.
And those are the casual uses - imagine trying to respond to a hooch on fire or someone down or a mortar hit. In the dark. Without a light.
As for why we elect to spend our hard-earned money on expensive gear: some of it is fanboydom, like the two hundred dollar watches. Some of it is the Geardo/Fobbit complex - "Hey, the Navy SEALs use this stuff - it must be good." Some of it is talking to an NCO who tells you about the time a Humvee ran over his Surefire and the damn thing worked just fine.
I will never spend $100+ on a pair of Nikes to make a fashion statement. I will, however, spend $100+ on a pair of running shoes to keep my knees and shins intact.
If I had to do it over again, knowing what I know now:
Arc AAA
Bolt AA
Surefire 6PL
Gerber Infinity in red
And maybe, maybe, the SF L5 as the "oh hell" light with a pressure-pad adapter.
Disclaimer: just because someone is a Soldier and a vet is not a guarantee they've given any thought to their gear beyond "oooh, cool" or "it works - great, I'll use it till it breaks and I need a new one".
-Medina
Edit: the subject of knives is an equally long commentary that I'll spare you at the moment. As is the subject of body armor and firearms. A fair number of people, I suspect, wish they could buy their own weaponry.
As for the other, the high speed gear issue will depend, a lot of times, on your unit, the budget, connections, mission specs and so forth.
Combat Arms or highly motivated supply NCOs are more likely to either receive or make the effort to equip their people with the high speed gear. The SF Scout weapon light was making the rounds with some of the new units rolling into Anaconda - my unit never saw that kind of high speed gear, but then we also weren't tasked with anything that could even vaguely construed as combat duty. Well, guard towers, but no weapon light is ever going to you a bit of good on Anaconda guard towers, even if someone was stupid enough to get close enough because of all the Apaches.
By comparison, a motor support company I inspected had boxes and boxes of all sorts of flashlights - because their job demanded it. Inspecting vehicles for damage requires clear visibility in dark, hard to illuminate areas.
The L-bend light is a piece of crap - look at it the wrong way and the bulb shatters. I upgraded mine with a Maglite LED dropin for giggles and ended up giving it away.
So why buy a flashlight? Because you never know when you might need one. And just because the Army (in my case) didn't issue me one didn't mean I wasn't going to buy one (or several) to meet my needs while I had ample access to stores in the States. As you might imagine, flashlight options in a deployed PX are rather limited.
When did I use my lights? On guard tower, I used a non-white light for reading maps, inspecting gear and so on. At night, when I had to get ready for duty or hit the latrine, I used a personal light to rummage around without waking up my roommate or tentmates. Working in an office and having to fish gear out of dark corners or when the power went out. Scorpion/spider check - check your boots, check your bed/bag/cot, check the latrine you're about to grace and so on. Walking in an area with no lights but lots of garbage, debris, twisted metal and so forth. A personal favorite - sorting through 150-odd rucksacks and duffel bags that just got pulled off a truck and dumped in a pile. At night and between t-walls with no light.
And those are the casual uses - imagine trying to respond to a hooch on fire or someone down or a mortar hit. In the dark. Without a light.
As for why we elect to spend our hard-earned money on expensive gear: some of it is fanboydom, like the two hundred dollar watches. Some of it is the Geardo/Fobbit complex - "Hey, the Navy SEALs use this stuff - it must be good." Some of it is talking to an NCO who tells you about the time a Humvee ran over his Surefire and the damn thing worked just fine.
I will never spend $100+ on a pair of Nikes to make a fashion statement. I will, however, spend $100+ on a pair of running shoes to keep my knees and shins intact.
If I had to do it over again, knowing what I know now:
Arc AAA
Bolt AA
Surefire 6PL
Gerber Infinity in red
And maybe, maybe, the SF L5 as the "oh hell" light with a pressure-pad adapter.
Disclaimer: just because someone is a Soldier and a vet is not a guarantee they've given any thought to their gear beyond "oooh, cool" or "it works - great, I'll use it till it breaks and I need a new one".
-Medina
Edit: the subject of knives is an equally long commentary that I'll spare you at the moment. As is the subject of body armor and firearms. A fair number of people, I suspect, wish they could buy their own weaponry.
RoyJ
Enlightened
I guess it's about where we draw the line. If all soldiers are equipped with top of the line everything, from lights to firearms to watches to other tactical gear, it would cost us, the taxpayers, an unbelieveable amount of money, without a REAL significant advantage in the grand scheme of things.
Us flasholics like to think of lights as important tools to have, and to a point, they are. But, is spending couple hundred million $ to equip every soldier with an M3 and M6 really going to help to ensure a nation's security, authority, and foreign influence in the world?
adamlau
Flashlight Enthusiast
An Evolution 55mW (high beam divergence equates to greater spread) from Wicked Lasers to temporarily blind and disrupt the troublesome is the ticket!
Lightraven
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2004
- Messages
- 1,170
Yeah, I've read that lasers are an early warning before the bullets fly. One infantryman who had gotten back from Iraq had a laser pointer strapped to his vest, with a Coast flashlight.
If the enemy is close enough to see the tritium in my KHS glowing then one of us is already dead. Wearing a Glowring is a different story. It wouldn't take much to pick up on one of those from far away.
lahjik
Newly Enlightened
Couple of lights headed to Iraq for some guys in the Americas Army clan with which I play. Just thought I would share a pic before boxing them up.
Here was the message I got back from one of the guys, an Airborne grunt doing patrols in Baghdad when I asked him if he was set with lights.
For another Air Force guy headed out on first deployment: River Rock 1AA 1Watt LED light good for about 40 lumens of light for 2 hours and a Gerber Infinity Ultra 1AA red led for about 8 hours of low light for night use.
Here was the message I got back from one of the guys, an Airborne grunt doing patrols in Baghdad when I asked him if he was set with lights.
For him, the best I could do with what I had hanging about: A River Rock 2AA 3Watt LED light that does about 70 lumens for 2 hours, an Inova X1 (2nd Gen) 1AA light that gives a lower level of light for about 10 hours, and a GLO-TOOB FX marker light for about 8 hours of low level light or up to 80 hours of flashing, SOS, or strobe for marker use (with 4 spare batteries since they are odd ones).
For another Air Force guy headed out on first deployment: River Rock 1AA 1Watt LED light good for about 40 lumens of light for 2 hours and a Gerber Infinity Ultra 1AA red led for about 8 hours of low light for night use.
PeteBroccolo
Enlightened
I have never strayed too far from home, let alone gotten close to the sandbox, but I was wondering whether any of the gals and guys poking around those sand dunes have tried taking along solar panels to hook up to chargers for their NiMh or Li-Ion cells?
I have not tried any such combos yet, but it seems like every auto and hardware supply place here in The Great White North has small panels for sale, so I assume you guys in the Excited States of America do as well.
If such a combo WOULD work, I would HIGHLY recommend Li-ion cells in either a Pila GL3 or Wolf-Eyes 9T (Pila 300P or W-E 150A), Goncz E3 (AW 18650) or M3 (e-lectronics.net RCR123A ic), Mag 3 C with potted 809 (18500) or Night-Ops Gladius or Insight Typhoon (e-lectronics.net RCR123A ic), dependent on size and light source preference.
I have not tried any such combos yet, but it seems like every auto and hardware supply place here in The Great White North has small panels for sale, so I assume you guys in the Excited States of America do as well.
If such a combo WOULD work, I would HIGHLY recommend Li-ion cells in either a Pila GL3 or Wolf-Eyes 9T (Pila 300P or W-E 150A), Goncz E3 (AW 18650) or M3 (e-lectronics.net RCR123A ic), Mag 3 C with potted 809 (18500) or Night-Ops Gladius or Insight Typhoon (e-lectronics.net RCR123A ic), dependent on size and light source preference.
Hey guys I've been reading this forum a lot over the past few weeks, and it's help me make a few decisions. I appreciate the abundance of knowledge flying around in here.
Anyway my brother is going back to Iraq in April for the second time now and he just told me today that he bought "The army flashlight." I thought I knew what he was talking about, but I had to check to make sure.....yes it's this one http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_flashlight.php
:sigh: (think he said it was $4)
Anyway I was reading this thread looking for ideas and I saw that many lights were donated at the beginning of this thread. I thought it would be awesome if people were interested to maybe do something like that again. He's going to be an MP in Kuwait this time around and I really don't want him carrying that thing around the whole time.
I know I'm new here, but no, this is not a ploy to get free flashlights, it just made me feel good to see the generosity in the beginning. I'm a LEO so I know how important a good light is. I'll probably get him something myself, but just figured I'd throw this out there and see if anyone was interested. It really made me proud when I saw everyone chiming in in the first part of this thread.
Anyway my brother is going back to Iraq in April for the second time now and he just told me today that he bought "The army flashlight." I thought I knew what he was talking about, but I had to check to make sure.....yes it's this one http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_gear_flashlight.php
:sigh: (think he said it was $4)
Anyway I was reading this thread looking for ideas and I saw that many lights were donated at the beginning of this thread. I thought it would be awesome if people were interested to maybe do something like that again. He's going to be an MP in Kuwait this time around and I really don't want him carrying that thing around the whole time.
I know I'm new here, but no, this is not a ploy to get free flashlights, it just made me feel good to see the generosity in the beginning. I'm a LEO so I know how important a good light is. I'll probably get him something myself, but just figured I'd throw this out there and see if anyone was interested. It really made me proud when I saw everyone chiming in in the first part of this thread.
Last edited:
Iraq deployed US soldiers, what issue lights?
Anyone have any idea what flashlights might be currently issued to US soldiers in Iraq? I was thinking that getting a donation together with some CPF member might be a really nice thing to do. Maybe some pocket size 2AA LED lights or something. I have to imagine that AA's are availible, maybe even issued. CR123A's might be difficult, as well as any of the more exotic rechargables like 18650.
With all the members here, I am sure a couple of you have friends or family that are deployed right now. Why don't you ask one of them if they are issued lights, what are they, and what batteries are availible to them?
VegasF6
Edit:
Actually, here is a little info, though I have no way to verify the claim, and it is also several years old. I was thinking of my ultrafire wf-601A which I have been pretty impressed with, but I am sure any old rarely used lights you had around would be appreciated. I wonder if we could do a group buy with DX or KAI for 100 pieces or more if we could get a really good deal. Maybe include some gift cards from CPF members.
New edit 4-21-08
If you look at my post out of context here it seems very strange. What happened was I posted this as a new thread without knowing of this one. The modererator apparently merged my posts with this thread. Thanks mod for helping out there.
Anyone have any idea what flashlights might be currently issued to US soldiers in Iraq? I was thinking that getting a donation together with some CPF member might be a really nice thing to do. Maybe some pocket size 2AA LED lights or something. I have to imagine that AA's are availible, maybe even issued. CR123A's might be difficult, as well as any of the more exotic rechargables like 18650.
With all the members here, I am sure a couple of you have friends or family that are deployed right now. Why don't you ask one of them if they are issued lights, what are they, and what batteries are availible to them?
VegasF6
Edit:
Actually, here is a little info, though I have no way to verify the claim, and it is also several years old. I was thinking of my ultrafire wf-601A which I have been pretty impressed with, but I am sure any old rarely used lights you had around would be appreciated. I wonder if we could do a group buy with DX or KAI for 100 pieces or more if we could get a really good deal. Maybe include some gift cards from CPF members.
New edit 4-21-08
If you look at my post out of context here it seems very strange. What happened was I posted this as a new thread without knowing of this one. The modererator apparently merged my posts with this thread. Thanks mod for helping out there.
Last edited:
Brownstone
Enlightened
mossyoak
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: Iraq deployed US soldiers, what issue lights?
AA's are harder to find than CR123's over there. at least thats what my brother and my best friend both told me. because everyone brings a mini mag. that runs through AA's.
AA's are harder to find than CR123's over there. at least thats what my brother and my best friend both told me. because everyone brings a mini mag. that runs through AA's.
Re: Iraq deployed US soldiers, what issue lights?
quote=Brownstone;2446679]
Fulton MX 991-U[/quote]
STILL? The same old one from the Vietnam War? I wonder what has changed on it, still brass contacts, button and metal reflector? I did find one post where a guy said he found one still in package at a mil surplus store with a pr based led in it. That was quite surprising, but I don't think it is the norm.
Well, I guess it was an upgrade from this
quote=Brownstone;2446679]
Fulton MX 991-U[/quote]
STILL? The same old one from the Vietnam War? I wonder what has changed on it, still brass contacts, button and metal reflector? I did find one post where a guy said he found one still in package at a mil surplus store with a pr based led in it. That was quite surprising, but I don't think it is the norm.
Well, I guess it was an upgrade from this
