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I wonder why instead of having a civilian gear section in the Clothing Sales Store and a Government credit card (DPP) which can be used for everything including buying gas, they don't just put an optional gear section in the unit CIF and let you sign (and be accountable) for whatever you want.
Set up a catalog of items, with additional ones able to be nominated by users. Stock with basic non-custom fit items.
Teams get a certain amount annually to get and maintain team gear. Pre-deployment, teams get an amount of money to spend as they see fit, based on the length of the upcoming deployment.
Company commanders and above have an additional slush fund to allocate out to teams as they see fit.
Example, new 18C arrives, and gets his issue and MOS specific gear, plus the ability to select (for issue) up to $X worth of HSLD equipment, be it a vest, stove, weapons light, tent, sleeping bag, ruck, etc. Temporary loaners are available for the guy to decide what works best for him. DX is authorized.
Everybody gets $Y amount per year to update and maintain cutting edge equipment to make them more survivable, effective, or comfortable. Team guys and SOT-As get the most $. After the one time big allowance for new guys to initially gear up, as an incentive, guys with the most team time get the most allowance.
Guys who are deploying get an additional $Z per month to get more/better/newer gear. 179 days deployed in 12 months and you get an extra year's allowance.
You could limit certain items (like vests, etc.) to team guys, SOT-As or 18 CMF and keep the latest Gore-Tex Gucci gear off of the weenies from the PAC and the S-4 Shop as well.
When you leave the unit, all durable items have to be returned, or allow guys with a certain amout of team time (or moving to another team) to keep a certain amount of the gear.
The allowance can be carried over from FY to FY, but never converted to cash to keep it from turrning into new drapes for the house while the soldier is deployed.
Just a few random thoughts.
TR
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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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