In the earlier days of our Corps, our supply section was run entirely by Marines, and they were in charge of issuing out our field equipment (packs, helmets, tents, etc). We called it "782 gear," or, "deuce gear," for short. This was because you typically signed for the gear on a NAVMC 782 form.
Those days are long gone. Now, the gear is maintained and issued at a "Consolidated Issue Facility," run by...you guessed it, civilians. They're a bit nazi-like when it comes to cleanliness of the gear upon turn in. The ironic part is that most of my junk is obsolete and will be simply thrown away. I still have to scrub it with soapy water and basically waste a day of my life getting any dust or stains off of it.
It gets me one step closer to getting out of here though...
4 comments:
The middle numbers of the NSN of all that gear is 782.....
Anon: I just looked at my IMR and none of the NSNs contain 782...Maybe back in the day they did.
I miss it like crazy...
My Vet Center Counselor is as crazy as I am (you might know him, went in the year you did, a DI and a Gunny) - I think he'd wear his 782 gear to work if he could. Instead, it's laying on the floor in the corner of his office. I hope to be working for the Vet Center soon myself and decorate my space with deuce gear - looking good!
One day, after returning from Mountain Warfare Training in Bridgeport, CA, we were lined up to return our deuce gear. In the dumpster behind the supply depot, there were several Mountain Cold sleeping bags (we were turning in the MCs for Summer Weight bags, since we were headed into the fall season ...). Some were truly unserviceable, there were a lot with minor stains or rips in them. Mine was in pristine condition, and I had no desire to let go of it. I had one of my buds hold my place in line, I ran my MC bag back to my wall locker, and ran back to the turn-in line. I grabbed a barely-stained MC bag out of the dumpster and turned it in. I still use the MC bag when I go camping.
Oddly enough, I don't feel guilty about it.
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