Soldiers and Marines paying to pimp their HMMWVs

[Ajax MD]

Early on in the movie "Generation Kill" it was mentioned that the members of the unit spent their own personal funds to upgrade their vehicles with potentially life saving equipment, such as bits of armor, paint, and spare parts.

In my experience, it's not uncommon to raid DRMO or redlined vehicles for needed parts and equipment but grunts spending their paychecks to mail order stuff to fortify their vehicles kind of galls me.

Did any of you do this? Did you feel that you had to?

 

[98G]

Vehicles and weapons both.

It was generally absolutely prohibited. It was done anyway.

 

[Ajax MD]

Jesus wept.

 

[rjf189]

My mom was sending metal trashcan tops to my brother-in-law when he was in Iraq in the early days. Don't know if it was for Humvee or something else.

 

[Guyfang]

During both Iraq wars, all units made things and spent money on everything from Hillbilly armor for trucks, to LBE and weapons. Its always been that way.

 

[Ajax MD]

During both Iraq wars, all units made things and spent money on everything from Hillbilly armor for trucks, to LBE and weapons. Its always been that way.

I guess. The concept is a little foreign to me because I served on nuclear submarines. You can't "hillbilly" a nuclear sub with stuff ordered from Amazon. We raided parts from decommissioned boats and once, even a museum but we never spent our own money on weapons or equipment.

When I transferred to my coastal warfare unit, we still never spent our own money, we just raided DRMO depots and got cast-offs from active duty units. When we found out we were deploying to the desert but wouldn't be provided with desert uniforms, we scrounged 3 tri-walls full of used "pecan sandies" that belonged to some Army unit. We managed to clothe my entire unit, just as an example.

On one hand I'm angry that you guys were forced to do that and on the other hand, I applaud and am amazed by your ingenuity.

 

[Guyfang]

This is no tall tale. In the early 70's, there was simply no money/repair parts in Europe. All the big funds went to RVN. The war was winding down. Congress was not giving the DOD the big money anymore. We had gen sets that had a low fuel level "switch", that was nothing more then a copper toilet float. The ball end of it was always a problem, due to vibrations and the fact that it was on the end of an 8 inch rod, in a fuel Day Tank. We were always needing them, and when they went bad, fuel would pour out of the set, sometimes for hours before someone noticed it. So we used to solder coke cans on the end of the rods, to "fix" the problem. Thats just one example. I too was a DRMO "raider" when I was a CWO here later on in the 80'-early 90's. Thank the Lord for DRMO.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

On my destroyer in the early 2000's, a mandate came down forcing us to toss all spare nuts and bolts, order from correct stock, and put in neat bins. A steam powered ship lost some guys cause a 600lb steam valve let go, found out they had put black anodized brass bolts in and they gave way with the heat, vibration and stress. So then typical knee jerk reaction time. Of course the carriers ate up all available stock in the supply system, leaving us with nothing.

We did a UNITAS, going around South America. I have probably been in most of the South American hardware stores within 10 miles of a port of call, buying bolts with sometimes my own money, to keep the lights burning and the screws turning.

We also had to buy our own lightbulbs for awhile, and gasket material. Two fuel valves I repaired with parts I paid for myself because they had been on backorder for 6 years in the fed system... went to Grainger and walked out with the switches.

 

[steelypip]

Pretty sure I read about Viet Nam era infantry type people (don't remember which branch) buying their own 12ga pump shotguns before deploying because uncle sugar didn't believe in their tactical utility but the troops did.

 

[Ajax MD]

Pretty sure I read about Viet Nam era infantry type people (don't remember which branch) buying their own 12ga pump shotguns before deploying because uncle sugar didn't believe in their tactical utility but the troops did.

My ROTC instructor told me that he carried a shotgun in Vietnam for that reason...he didn't tell me if he bought it with his own money. I guess he might have!

 

[Ajax MD]

On my destroyer in the early 2000's, a mandate came down forcing us to toss all spare nuts and bolts, order from correct stock, and put in neat bins. A steam powered ship lost some guys cause a 600lb steam valve let go, found out they had put black anodized brass bolts in and they gave way with the heat, vibration and stress. So then typical knee jerk reaction time. Of course the carriers ate up all available stock in the supply system, leaving us with nothing.

We did a UNITAS, going around South America. I have probably been in most of the South American hardware stores within 10 miles of a port of call, buying bolts with sometimes my own money, to keep the lights burning and the screws turning.

We also had to buy our own lightbulbs for awhile, and gasket material. Two fuel valves I repaired with parts I paid for myself because they had been on backorder for 6 years in the fed system... went to Grainger and walked out with the switches.

A nuclear submarine is as close to the space program as you can get. All of our parts are inspected, packaged and quality controlled by the SUBSAFE system. We are absolutely not allowed to go to Ace Hardware for even the most mundane fasteners. That's why all of this is so strange to me.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Yep, nuclear sub, formula one car.

Clapped out destroyer, 1960's f100 from the northeast lol.

 

[Mullaney]

A nuclear submarine is as close to the space program as you can get. All of our parts are inspected, packaged and quality controlled by the SUBSAFE system. We are absolutely not allowed to go to Ace Hardware for even the most mundane fasteners. That's why all of this is so strange to me.

.
Yes Sir, Ajax MD !

Everything on that boat has "Pedigree Papers" for everything on it or in it. A guy who retired after 30 years came to work for us in the printshop and was a Master Chief on a repair vessel. Hate to say I can't remember the name of that ship, but they had a really NICE machine shop on it.

I was in aviation and there weren't a lot of Ace Hardware parts used that I knew about.
There were tons of electronics involved too, and going to Radio Shack didn't seem to be happening - as far as I knew.
Do remember that we had spare cards on board though. Tells me they might have not been as robust as they should have been.

 

[Crapgame]

I remember during the Clinton years, we didn't have training funds for M200 Blank 5.56mm. We had MILES equipment, afterall, that was reusable, durable equipment. But we had no blanks to make the MILES lasers function. Joes in Rifle Squads were running around like kids playing cowboys and indians, shouting "BANG!"

No parts for armored vehicles. Ft Polk, 1991-1992, 5th ID, we had an M577A2 Command Post Tracked Vehicle and an M113A2 APC for my section Fire Direction Center because some O4 in S-3 or S-4 wanted the Winnebago of APCs. I didn't care, the M113A2 was lower silhoutte and even came with an M2HB 50BMG instead of the TC on the M577 using an M249 SAW propped up on the generator set.
I got tasked to drive around an E8 to evaluate the Scout Platoon, I said No Can Do, track doesn't operate in reverse. BN Motor Chief "Circle Xed" the deadline deficiency, with comment "Operate Only in Forward Gear" Duh!

So I'm following this 3 vehicle section of M3 Bradleys, the E8 decided it would be much more efficient for him to actually ride in the Scout M3 to evaluate the crew and that I should just follow closely so I could drive him back to our admin area when the mission was over. Ok. Nightime ops, M113A2 had only PVS-5B single tube NVG for me, the Brads have their high speed night vision. So I'm about 25-30 yards behind this M3 Bradley following slowly in blackout conditions, when they decided to start moving in reverse in a high rate of speed, I tried beeping the horn (good luck hearing that with just the vehicle running), he kept coming driving up the front slope, all I could do is drop down into the driver compartment, the M3 Brad got so close the image in my PVS-5B was a big blurr (that's close). IT wound up crushing the service drive lamp, blackout IR lamp and the thick steel guard overtop, meaning this Bradley was 2 feet from my face, its ass sticking way up in the air by time they figured out something was wrong.

I found another partially broken lamp in the motorpool dumpster when we got back. And pounded the shit out of the guard bracket with sledgehammer until it would somewhat fit. I did get another transfer gearcase though, finally.

But everything from nuts and bolts, OD/Black/Brown spray paint for equipment maintenance after field training, it all came out of the vehicle crew pockets. I mean, it was that or get gigged for flunking an inspection for having bare metal exposed on your tools and equipment. "Sarge, supply says they don't have any Paint, Spray, Olive Drab Shade, One Each"
"That's no excuse. Unless you want to work the weekend I suggest you find a solutions"

OK, everybody chip in $10 each to buy about 9 cans of spray paint in various colors from the AAFES PX/Shopette.

 

[Mullaney]

I remember during the Clinton years, we didn't have training funds for M200 Blank 5.56mm. We had MILES equipment, afterall, that was reusable, durable equipment. But we had no blanks to make the MILES lasers function. Joes in Rifle Squads were running around like kids playing cowboys and indians, shouting "BANG!"

No parts for armored vehicles. Ft Polk, 1991-1992, 5th ID, we had an M577A2 Command Post Tracked Vehicle and an M113A2 APC for my section Fire Direction Center because some O4 in S-3 or S-4 wanted the Winnebago of APCs. I didn't care, the M113A2 was lower silhoutte and even came with an M2HB 50BMG instead of the TC on the M577 using an M249 SAW propped up on the generator set.
I got tasked to drive around an E8 to evaluate the Scout Platoon, I said No Can Do, track doesn't operate in reverse. BN Motor Chief "Circle Xed" the deadline deficiency, with comment "Operate Only in Forward Gear" Duh!

So I'm following this 3 vehicle section of M3 Bradleys, the E8 decided it would be much more efficient for him to actually ride in the Scout M3 to evaluate the crew and that I should just follow closely so I could drive him back to our admin area when the mission was over. Ok. Nightime ops, M113A2 had only PVS-5B single tube NVG for me, the Brads have their high speed night vision. So I'm about 25-30 yards behind this M3 Bradley following slowly in blackout conditions, when they decided to start moving in reverse in a high rate of speed, I tried beeping the horn (good luck hearing that with just the vehicle running), he kept coming driving up the front slope, all I could do is drop down into the driver compartment, the M3 Brad got so close the image in my PVS-5B was a big blurr (that's close). IT wound up crushing the service drive lamp, blackout IR lamp and the thick steel guard overtop, meaning this Bradley was 2 feet from my face, its ass sticking way up in the air by time they figured out something was wrong.

I found another partially broken lamp in the motorpool dumpster when we got back. And pounded the shit out of the guard bracket with sledgehammer until it would somewhat fit. I did get another transfer gearcase though, finally.

But everything from nuts and bolts, OD/Black/Brown spray paint for equipment maintenance after field training, it all came out of the vehicle crew pockets. I mean, it was that or get gigged for flunking an inspection for having bare metal exposed on your tools and equipment. "Sarge, supply says they don't have any Paint, Spray, Olive Drab Shade, One Each"
"That's no excuse. Unless you want to work the weekend I suggest you find a solutions"

OK, everybody chip in $10 each to buy about 9 cans of spray paint in various colors from the AAFES PX/Shopette.

.
That's sad. I remember being treated like a goof in recruit training.
I even remember spending our money to buy neutral shoe polish to wax the floors.

After that, off to A-School, B-School and C-School...
Guess being a "fly boy" and playing games with the russians just completely ruined me. I had always thought everyone was treated the same and that we had plenty of gov money to get fuel and parts. It's definitely a lot of BS that you guys had to put up with. Never should have been that way...

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Why are Navy ships painted gray?

So the duct tape matches

 

[Ferroequinologist]

Another sneaky thing we did, was go aboard other destroyers of our class and steal the parts we needed to get underway. SIMA was Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity. We managed to ahem, appropriate a few SIMA hats. Go to a ship, especially on a weekend, and request to come aboard, we know our way to central, (engineering control room) dart into an empty engine room, and swap a bad part off our ship with a (hopefully) good one on another. Leave the ship post haste.

Sad, but we had the same thing, we are getting underway, make it happen, one way or another was the order.

So we made it happen.

 

[Mullaney]

Another sneaky thing we did, was go aboard other destroyers of our class and steal the parts we needed to get underway. SIMA was Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity. We managed to ahem, appropriate a few SIMA hats. Go to a ship, especially on a weekend, and request to come aboard, we know our way to central, (engineering control room) dart into an empty engine room, and swap a bad part off our ship with a (hopefully) good one on another. Leave the ship post haste.

Sad, but we had the same thing, we are getting underway, make it happen, one way or another was the order.

So we made it happen.

.
Time spent was more fun than not for sure!

I definitely learned that going into another space - and acting with purpose - managed to allow many things to be appropriated.
Sadly, ours was more of an adventure than a need.

 

[Coug]

 

[Maxjeep1]

Zero military background here! Big taxpayer background. I’m shocked that people that volunteered to risk their lives for country are doing without stuff to maintain the peoples stuff. Why is this not a story? I’m old and I have never heard such BS before. We the people want you and your stuff taken care of! That’s the BS we are being fed that you are balls deep in everything you need. Thank you for your service and everything you have done for our country.