What would you put in your Bug out Bag?

[rationtin440]

My apologies dirtbag; looking back on this, I forgot to mention that in Desert Shield and Desert Storm I served in the ambulance section of a medical battalion. I actually don't recall ever seeing a single bayonet in our unit, and all we had were two different styles of M-16, and 9mm Beretta semi-autos, along with smoke grenades. The information I know about the Geneva Convention was mostly hearsay, but when a bunch of supposedly higher-educated officers and NCOs mention something enough, it's hard to ignore. Sorry for any confusion and thank you for your service. Just curious what unit did you serve in? I was with the 120th Medical Battalion.

[Stef]

Hi,
when I was an armourer in the French Army during the 80's, I remember I was told to sharpen the bayonets whenever they got dull.
Maybe the rules changed since then (they also told us how to install antipersonel mines which is very politically incorrect nowadays )

[rationtin440]

Actually Stef, the more I think about it and recall my service time, I cannot recall anyone else ever mentioning about bayonets either way except the people I mentioned. Also I was assigned to a medical battalion during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, so I'm assuming that there would be no reason for us to be issued bayonets. Just curious though, what are medics in your military ground forces issued for a weapon? Here it was confusing in the days before 9/11 and the war on terror, because an ambulance crew for example, might be issued with a Beretta 9mm pistol and an M-16A2, or two pistols and no M-16A2, or an "XM-177 shorty" M-16 carbine and a pistol. I think it was almost like the unit commander's decision based on who-knows-what. BTW that FAMAS you guys have look waaaaaay cool, how well does it shoot?

[Name_not_found]

"XM-177 shorty" M-16 carbine" sounds like a Car-15

no one had a 1911?

[dirtbag]

XM-177E1 was a stripped down Car-15,
The seals we used to haul around were fond of them, along with the Swedish K.
I had a 1911 .45 issued , saw my first S&W 9 MM in...1975?
Not Impressed!

I was USN, Two Destroyers, a Frigate and a Patrol Gunboat .
Worked the gunline (1000 yds off the beach) as floating artillery, and up the rivers a bit (brown Water Navy)
VietNam 1969, 1970 and 1971
I carried a 1903 Springfield in Bootcamp
Then M1 garands, BAR, other WW2 stuff
Graduated to the 'Modern' stuff in 1971- M16A1, M60, M79, and my fav, the Ma Deuce (M2 HB .50 Machine gun)
Then a step backwards, I got a M-14, sweetest piece ever made!
So nice, I bought the Civilian version (M1A) when I got out in 1978.

[rationtin440]

Actually NNF, I'm not sure what the designation was but I was told that it was the XM-177, telescoping stock, long flash-hider, packed in cosmoline. As for the 1911, we had them in my national guard unit before Desert Shield then the suddenly began to disappear and be replaced with Beretta 92F(?), strange thing was all but a few in my unit had M-16A2 or M9, except ambulance crews were issued shorty. Please forgive my memory.

[Name_not_found]

rationtin440
you are correct memory is fine , XM designation just means it was experimental still when you were using it

dirtbag confirmed when he mentioned the 177E1 was stripped down meaning the 177 of some variation did turn in to the car-15

Thanks to both

[dirtbag]

The 177 was a LOUD little thing, and nobody had earplugs then.
I wore 'Micky Mouse Ears' when firing the M2 tho...

[rationtin440]

Thanks for the re-assurance on my memory! Another thing I recall was that someone at Battalion level or higher decided that if medics did not need bayonets than we certainly did not need more than semi-auto capability so these XM's turned out to be XM-177'steins and my ambulance crew decided that if push came to shove, we'd "lose" them and grab an M-16A2 from the wounded, or even an AK that the owner no longer needed. Another thing we hated was that even with the stock fully extended, the weapon was not long enough to be secured in the hummer ambulance rifle clips, go figure!

[sodjer]

boots? materhorns are the best barr none, ive wore a pair since 2000 and they are still good ,the pair before i got in 1992 they had a hard life, 2 nijmegan marches and 2 cambrian patrols and lots of fibau,brilliant boots (winter and summer)
as to sharpening bayonets, a no no in the british army unless on ops(you know when the s##ts going to happen when you are ordered to prep your bayonet,guys are getting their heads shaved and padres are about )having said that my slr(L1A1) had a self sharpening scabbard, but hey that was the 80s