Veterans thoughts on civilian gear whores.

Tactical Gear Tactical Gear
1

Completely irrelevant post… But I wanted to gauge some opinions from our veterans.

The topic has come up from time to time and I’ve seen a bit of discussions occur on Facebook and Instagram.

I’m curious what the majority of veterans think of civilian gear whores. Over the last couple of years I’ve organized a decent set a gear but I hardly get to use it. I’m often under the impression that as a civilian I’ll get looked down upon for using it.

My the main purpose my plate carrier serves is for weighed cardio. I got away with that in the colder months when I could wear a sweatshirt over it. I’m still timid to expose my multicam plate carrier while running through the neighborhood. I don’t want someone getting the impression I may be a vet while I’ve never served. I also don’t want vets to think I’m just a wannabe.

I know a lot of this is just me overthinking it, drinking too much, and caring too much what other people think of me… But it would be nice to get to use my gear to train with without feeling like a tool.

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2

Do you have plates for it?

3

As a soon to be retired Vet of 22 years of active military service, I say buy what makes you happy. Freedom of choice might not be in the Constitution, but it’s something I fought for and something my friends died for.

4

Ditto for me. I don’t care what folks wear as long as they’re not wearing a real uniform top with stripes, patches, name tag from someone else, and trying to impersonate or disrespecting a uniform.

As far as gear goes, it’s your money…your choice.

5

I was looking at getting a plate carrier yesterday, never could decide on one though. I have lots of friends who served and have several shirts that show my support. I get asked all the time if I had served (maybe it’s the shirts and the beard, lol). I just tell them no but have friends that did.

Point is just buy what you want. If you’re not impersonating a soldier I don’t see any big deal.

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6

This.

But it would be nice to get to use my gear to train with without feeling like a tool.

That’s on you, not them. Being a tool is more about how you behave then what what you’re wearing. It is worth asking yourself why you’re wearing it and what it’s for.

What is the purpose of all the guns, gear training?
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?12262-What-is-the-purpose-of-all-the-guns-gear-training

What Tac Gear Should I Train With?
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?89443-What-Tac-Gear-Should-I-Train-With

Gear Selection Help for NOOB
https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?166526-Gear-Selection-Help-for-NOOB

What gear to wear while attending a course…
https://www.m4carbine.net/archive/index.php/t-14752.htm

7

^-----This

I’m a recently ETS’ed Army vet, and a long time Gear whore myself, so I’ve never had a problem with civilians having/buying/using “cool guy” gear. All I gotta say is, don’t think owning gear makes you a “Delta Operator/trigger puller”, or ever act like it does. Saw too much of that nonsense back in my airsofting days (and now I’ll get flack for that one…)

8

Hell, on certain days I wear full Crye multicam when doing yard work… but then again I’m a combat vet. [emoji14] To each his own.

9

As long as you aren’t out trying to impersonate a Delta warrior, it’s a free country (or, at least it used to be).

Frankly, the large civilian market helps to drive innovation and push military purchasing/development. If you couldn’t buy that stuff on the civilian market, there might not be enough demand for anyone to consider innovating outside of a government contract (which pretty much stifles innovation). Look at how much shit that was developed on the civilian side ends up making it into the field (especially in the SPECOPS community where they can buy pretty much what they want) that would have NEVER been developed if it had gone thru the government contracting route. One example - Every lightweight field boot made in the last decade…I could go on and on…

10

I totally agree. Another thing the civilian market does is keep many Americans in jobs. As military spending winds down, more and more tactical gear manufacturers will need to depend on the civilian market to keep their workforce employed and to stay in business. As most of the better brands of equipment are made in the US, it is American workers who benefit.

11

I always try to remember that different folks have different perspectives on what their needs are. Just because I don’t choose to wear a plate carrier and carry a full basicload with me where ever I go doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. You certainly have that right.

To me the answer to your basic question - what do vets think of civilian gear whores - is, simply not a thing in the proper venue.

I would like to address the following statement in a friendly manner: I’m still timid to expose my multicam plate carrier while running through the neighborhood

These are my thoughts

  1. You rock on and do what you want, but why would you want to run with your plate carrier exposed? The biggest downside is that now folks know you have armor, so it just follows that you have guns. Ergo, a bad guy knows where to go to try to get them, maybe when you are gone, even worse, when you are gone and the family is home. I would try to be the grey man, unnoticed and blending in.

  2. Once again, you rock on and do what you want, but to me running with a plate carrier exposed smacks of, ‘hey, look at me, I’m a cool guy’ even if that isn’t your purpose. Once again, violating OPSEC. There are better cardio vests than a plate carrier and plates, plus constant cleaning would be a pain in the butt to me. I get that you are just trying to get the most bang for your buck by dual purposing, my opinion is simply choose another way to do it.

Someone else posted this: “I have lots of friends who served and have several shirts that show my support. I get asked all the time if I had served (maybe it’s the shirts and the beard, lol). I just tell them no but have friends that did.”

I think my views on this are probably going to be different than many of the other forum members. To me this isn’t like wearing a Kansas City Chiefs jersey, most folks understand you are not a KC Chief, just a fan. On the other hand, if you are wearing a 1st Battalion tee-shirt, most people will think you are or were in the 1st Ranger Battalion. You will correct those that ask, but you can’t help but understand that many will assume you are/were in that unit. To me that is tacit misrepresentation. I have a co-worker whose daily casual attire is some form of SEAL tee-shirt or polo and who has a SEAL license plate on the front of his truck. He is a Navy vet, but was not a SEAL. He tells anyone WHO ASKS, ‘No, I wasn’t a SEAL, I just admire them.’ I think he knows damned well what those that don’t ask think. I know what I think about it, but as long as he doesn’t show up in a uni with a Trident, he can rock on as far as I’m concerned.

I’m glad Skintop911 posted those threads, I perused them and I found this gem, which pretty much represents my view:

[i]I do honestly believe that I may one day need to use a firearm to defend myself. I also happen to believe that I’m more likely to die in a car accident, of a preventable fatal illness (heart disease, lung cancer, etc.), or of otherwise stupid shit (like cutting my leg off with a chainsaw when nobody is home). I believe that if I do need that firearm it will be a handgun.

Ultimately training for me is the same as carrying and owning…The “job” of a firearm and training with that firearm for me is to provide peace of mind to me and my family. If I get some enjoyment out of that training along the way, then so much the better. [/i]- Rob S.

12

Veterans thoughts on civilian gear whores.

Just think, if you would have served, you wouldn’t feel guilty about it.

13

You’re right. 100%. Believe me I wish I had the ability to serve. My brother current serves. Unfortunately my circumstances didn’t allow me to, for reasons too I’m not going to discuss on a public forum.

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14

Buy a weight vest

15

As a vet, I think 90% of the gun community is retarded, and that’s without anyone trying to play ruck march down my street.

It’s ok to be interested in guns as a hobby, just make sure (like others have said) that you don’t misrepresent yourself to the professionals. My personal pet peeve is this classic exchange:

“Oh you where in the military?”

“Yea, you?”

“Oh no I didn’t serve… But I know all about it! My cousins, best friend’s, room mate’s grandpa was in Korea. I met him once.”

16

Wear whatever u want/need and don’t look back. Only time I would have an issue is if the person is trying to imply they served. Hell, I was on active duty for over a decade and even I only wear certain shirts at home because they might be misconstrued as me pretending to be something I wasn’t. I still remember when I was 13 and the family went to Disney. I always looked old for my age and having a high and tight made it worse. My Dad was an Army lifer and combat vet. He had given me a t-shirt that had good jump wings and the Ranger tab over it. It was a kids size shirt sold at the PX and I had a guy approach me in a gift shop asking “which Bat?” At first I didn’t get it but as his face turned red I realized he thought I was a poser. I told him i was in the 8th grade while scanning for my dad. Lol! Once he realized I was a kid he relaxed. And that was in peace time.

As far as having cool guy gear - just make sure you have some level of skill. Otherwise folks will make fun of you not because you look military. But because you spent money on gear when you should’ve spent it on ammo and training.

This thread does make me curious though. Was the sleeve tattooed, hadji beard a look prior to 9/11? I run into lots of guys sporting it, but rarely were they ever military. I wonder if they adopted the look from the guys overseas? Or if we just notice it more now. Kind of how after you buy a certain car you see them everywhere.

17

I don’t know, but I’m glad I’ll be long gone by the time all these young sleeved out guys hit 60 - gonna be some sad looking sleeves at that point. I’m 61, I know what a low profile forearm USMC looks like - old, faded, sanskrit.

18

I feel the same way. If it were not for the airsoft market gear would cost way too much and there would be a very limited selection. Because of the huge demand in the civilian market mass production is capable and cost go down.

I am all for it. Keep buying it, you are supporting the troops… :wink:

19

I am ex naval aviation so I never had need to wear a plate carrier but I have a slick carrier I use for training classes just in case and I bought slick so it wouldn’t look so military. I don’t go running the streets wearing it.

20

I think there’s a difference between owning tactical gear and being a gear whore. Either way, it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks because it’s your money. Continue not acting like someone you’re not, and no one can say anything. And remember that not all vets are disgruntled.

On a different note, I would have to agree with 26 inf as far as the “gray man” thing. Don’t put yourself at unnecessary risk. It goes back to T. Roosevelt’s “Speak softly, but carry a big stick…” If you come across that bad guy who is going to try something no matter what, and you can get him to underestimate you, than you have already disrupted his OODA loop.