Want proof that tan ALICE was used in DS?

[hawkdriver]

Today, I visited an Air Force supply warehouse to pick up their hand me down furniture. As we were finishing up the furniture, the conversation turned to the equipment being turned in. We were walked back into the turn-in area. There was a bin of ammo pouches, green and tan. Obviously, the green ones were marked, the tan ones were not. The supply guy rattled off the supply code that these fall under, it was not a NSN, so I am guessing they were some kind of bulk COTS purchase. Everything in this pictures is on it's way to DRMO for turn-in as left over from previous stock left in storage.

 

[Nkomo]

Very cool, Hawk! :thumbsup:

[doyler]

I have a set of gear to a local air guard lady who had the tan ammo pouches and other items.She had them on a short deploy to Saudi a couple years ago.

[Baron3-6]

Ive seen the tan stuff but always thought most of it was produced during the ramp-up to the war and didn't make it to the desert until we pulled back.....then was stockpiled in Kuwait and pulled out for 2003 or given to the IA / IP. I seem to remember seeing a lot of it on Air Force folks....guess matching stuff is higher priority for them. US Cav and other outfitters also used to sell commercial ALICE gear copies in tan, black, blue, etc.

[d6t]

US Cav and other outfitters also used to sell commercial ALICE gear copies in tan, black, blue, etc.

 

Good point. I remember going through the gate somewhere in the northeast, circa late 1990s, and the guard (I don't recall if this was Army MP or Air Force SP) had all black ALICE gear. I did a double-take and asked him about it. He said it was the policy of the post for the guys working the gates to look like that because "someone" higher-up liked it. Never saw anything like it before or since!

[taucco]

Usaf security forces were using tan ALICE systems (commercial of course). I have a set with US marked ammo pouches (just like the ones you could buy in every store). You can also see a pouch or two worn by other usaf forces like pararescuemen (there is even a photo of a marine wearing one ammo pouch like that).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm...F-2980D-004.jpg

http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/pho...F-2012G-002.jpg

I guess they were used later than DS (1991 gulf war?), though. i also think, like the 3 color commercial LBVs, purpose built Eagle brand tac vests or even SPEAR ELCS copies that were coming out of bases, they were as you said part of bulk commercial purchases.

[Allan H.]

I had a tan nylon pistol belt and tan nylon canteen cover, but both of them were Saudi issue. They were absolutely US made though. As an aside, right before I left Saudi, they received a batch of chocolate chip cammo canteen covers, so I picked one of those up.

 

I have no doubts that the stuff existed, but do not recall seeing any of the tan LBE arrving at the 1013th QM (the guys who handled ALL of the Army's uniforms and field gear in the field) before they left theater.

 

Allan

[Mercenary25]

 

[Baron3-6]

I had a tan nylon pistol belt and tan nylon canteen cover, but both of them were Saudi issue. They were absolutely US made though. As an aside, right before I left Saudi, they received a batch of chocolate chip cammo canteen covers, so I picked one of those up.

 

I have no doubts that the stuff existed, but do not recall seeing any of the tan LBE arrving at the 1013th QM (the guys who handled ALL of the Army's uniforms and field gear in the field) before they left theater.

 

Allan

 

 

Alan,

 

Any chance you could post a picture of the canteen cover and/or the Saudi stuff for reference? Never heard of either (sorry if these are fairly common).

[sgtmonroe]

Any chance you could post a picture of the canteen cover and/or the Saudi stuff for reference? Never heard of either (sorry if these are fairly common).

 

Here is a link to an old topic where the Saudi items were discussed along with some images (and also my outdated NSN list of SAA items):

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...?showtopic=9708

[VMI88]

For what it's worth, I was issued a tan canteen and pouch at al Udeid Airbase in 2003. I was an Army guy but the base supply operation was USAF. It appears identical to the standard green gear except for the color.

[sgtmonroe]

I do have images of the SAA tan 1 quart ALICE LC-2 water canteen cover (marked on the front SAA and also in Arabic) along with the nomenclature on the back of:

 

COVER, WATER CANTEEN

DSA100-76-C-0052

8465-01-012-5967

 

The FY1976 contract corresponds to the other 1976 contracts featured in the thread I linked to above.

 

Unfortunately the images are not mine and belong to a friend.

[flashesandovals]

Today, I visited an Air Force supply warehouse to pick up their hand me down furniture. As we were finishing up the furniture, the conversation turned to the equipment being turned in. We were walked back into the turn-in area. There was a bin of ammo pouches, green and tan. Obviously, the green ones were marked, the tan ones were not. The supply guy rattled off the supply code that these fall under, it was not a NSN, so I am guessing they were some kind of bulk COTS purchase. Everything in this pictures is on it's way to DRMO for turn-in as left over from previous stock left in storage.

 

So what makes this DS issue if I may ask?

[hawkdriver]

So what makes this DS issue if I may ask?

 

The supply guy opened the crate and it had a seal on it dated during the gulf war when the unit was there.

[m1ashooter]

Thanks Hawk.. did you find any blankets?

[hawkdriver]

Ha ha! no, can't say that I did, but I did do some dumpster diving!

[mpguy80/08]

I was in Kuwait during the Cease Fire after Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia on 9-11-2001, and Iraqi Freedom 1 (2003-2004) and the only desert alice gear I saw were the 2 qt canteen covers and the chocolate chip ruck covers if you want to include them as alice gear. I saw a lot of other Army units, Marines and Airforce and no one ever had more than the tan 2qt canteen covers. Not saying it didn't happen, just saying it couldn't have been very prevelant.

 

Wayne

[flashesandovals]

The supply guy opened the crate and it had a seal on it dated during the gulf war when the unit was there.

I see. Thanks!

[hawkdriver]

Not saying it didn't happen, just saying it couldn't have been very prevelant.

 

Wayne

 

Well, it was used by a Air Force unit and these were all they had for a squadron, so your assessment is probably correct.

[BigMoose]

 

Cool, looks like you caught a AN/PSN-11 Carry Case 5895-01-375-7528 in the top right of your photo.

 

Right know Allegany Whoelsale has a lot of tan alice gear on ebay. It's all sterrile too. No markings. But these are sterile too. So it makes me wonder

[Mercenary25]

I guess nobody noticed the pictures I've posted above showing USAF Security Forces using tan LC-2. I'll give another shot with more picture of USAF personals wearing tan LC-2 gear including pistol belt, Y-harness, and canteen pouches. There were issued to USAF in early OIF.

 

http://i45.servimg.com/u/f45/13/65/76/13/03040110.jpg[/img]

 

As far 1991 Operation Desert Storm, I don't think anyone worn it except for Saudia Arabia or Kuwait soldiers.

[Mercenary25]

Sorry for broken link, couldn't edit it.

 

[BigMoose]

Those belts look just like the ones on ebay.

[BigMoose]

I am going to post a picture of a 3 color desert LBV. I don't think it was used in DS, but it's got markings of a staff sargent on it.

It's got a tan compass pouch on it too.

 

[Mercenary25]

BigMoose, it is highly likely private purchased for uses in OEF/OIF. Could you provide a picture of tags? During ODS, there were no DCU patterned LBV at time. There were only tan ABA vest and very early first gen woodland LBV in ODS but worn by SF types.

 

Here is another picture of tan LC-2 gear in OIF 2003 worn by USAF Security Forces.