The E-Tool

The Entrenching Tool which is better known as an "E-Tool" to U.S. service members.  The E-Tool has been an essential part of the infantryman’s life.  The E-Tool is a collapsible spade used by military forces.  The E-Tool can be used for a variety of different things.  It can be used for digging trenches, mortar pit, field expedient stool, and even a weapon of opportunity.  The E-Tool dates all the way back to the Roman era.  However they looked a little different back then, but same idea.  I have a love hate relationship with my E-Tool.  I hate taking it to the field, because it’s just added weight and one more thing I have to take to the field, and I hardly ever needed to use it.  On the same note when my unit was at Mojave Viper I used my E-Tool all the time for digging mortar pits and using it as an improvised toilet stool.  (The first picture is new school and the second one is old school)To Purchase an E-Tool

Black Hawk SERPA Holsters

Black Hawk SERPA pistol holsters are one of the many pistol holsters being issued and used by the U.S. military today in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  I personally did not carry a pistol in Iraq, but I do own a Black Hawk holster for my personal pistols.  I did however have a couple of friends that carried pistols in Iraq as their secondary weapon.  All of them used a Black Hawk SERPA level 2 leg holster, because they were issued to them.  The SERPA holsters are a hard plastic locking holster.  Level 2 SERPA holsters have just a single locking release that has to to disengaged to draw the pistol.  I personally like my Black Hawk holster.  I like how it is a trigger finger release on the side of the holster.  The only complaint that I have heard about the SERPA 2 holster is if sand or small rock gets down inside the holster it can cause the holster to not release the pistol, because the rock or sand is behind the release on the side.  If I were to deploy again and be issued a pistol I would carry a different holster maybe safari, or one of Black Hawks non hard plastic tactical holsters.  The one down side to carrying a non hard plastic holster is drawing it might not be as fast, but it will never get stuck in the holster.  I could just see it happening the only time I needed to use my pistol the damn thing is jamed in the holster, and thats just a risk I'm not willing to take.  However I do like the Black Hawk SERPA Holster, and would recomend it to law enforcement.  I just don't think I could recoment it to the military, because of the enviorment they are fighting in.  I know the likely hood of one of these holsters not realsing the pistol is not very high.  I just would not want to run the risk personally.  Black Hawk SERPA VIDEO
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BOOT BANDS

Boot BandsBoot bands are an essential part of every marine’s life while in the corps. Boot bands are one of those things you love to hate. The love hate relationship really revolves around weather you can find them or not. Boot bands are little green elastic bands that go around your boots that you blouse your trousers into. The reason for blousing boots is to protect you from the environment you may be fighting or training in. The blousing of boots in the military started with the Army Para troopers in WWII. They originally bloused their boots to help prevent their trousers from getting snagged on anything. If I had the choice when I was in Iraq I would not have utilized them.