Further Adventures of a Geardo

Air Force Guy left on Sunday for some additional training.  He packed like a Geardo.

Now, you may think that means that he packed all his gadgets, gizmos, helmets, knives, and 550 cord - but that's not quite how a Geardo packs.

AFG did indeed pack every bit of Under Armor in the house.  I didn't even know there was that much Under Armor in the state!  Shirts, underwear...  Under Armor has been stealthily taking over here.  I'm sure we'll have a couch made out of the stuff sometime in the near future.

He also packed his Sure Fires.  All four of them (varying sizes, you know.  How can he predict which one he's going to need?  He might need to change the color of the light beam in the middle of a desert somewhere!).

Six pairs of 5.11 pants went into the mix, as well as SealSkinz socks, cotton socks, some other kind of deployment socks he was issued once, and a few pairs of black dress socks "just in case".  In case of what?  A sudden hostile takeover of the Men's Wearhouse?

I tried to help pack.  I dutifully went down to the basement and grabbed a few CamelBaks for him to choose from.  He did not put a CamelBak in the pile.

"Sweetie!  Won't you need a CamelBak?  You're going to overheat and pass out or something!  It's HOT there!"

I was absolutely horrified.  How can the man think ahead to pack SealSkinz and completely ignore the CamelBaks in the house?  He had an answer ready for me.

"They are going to be issuing the CamelBaks with backpacks.  If I show up with my own, they might not issue me one."

I should probably add that of the several CamelBaks of varying sizes and shapes we have stored in the basement, not one of them were acquired through a store.  The man has a talent for finding out how to get wherever gear is going to be issued.

And the CamelBak wasn't the only thing AFG didn't pack because he wanted to collect more issued gear.  His Leatherman, for example.  It would be too much to ask for him to leave every Leatherman he owns behind - he feels more naked without that than he does without his clothing.  I mean, you can MAKE clothing out of tree bark, a few weeds, and some crushed bugs if you have a Leatherman, right? 

If the world ended, the man would be fine if he just had his Leatherman.  At least, that's what he thinks.

Did I mention that they were going to be issuing the super-deluxe version of the Leatherman at this training?  AFG has two.  Apparently when his training ends he will have three.

He did take 550 cord with him - and I'm sure he'll use it.  I'm also totally convinced that when he comes home he will have managed to acquire even more 550 cord than he left with.  And he will roll it up around a big piece of cardboard and store it with the rest of our 550 cord.  No matter how much 550 cord we use, the pile stored in our basement never seems to go down.

And that's just a snapshot of life with a Geardo.

Comments

[Reasa]

"They are going to be issuing the CamelBaks with backpacks. If I show up with my own, they might not issue me one."
Hubby agreed and smiled. That is the way he thinks, acts and packs. 'Nuff said.

[Susan]

Why don't we ever get an issued Camelbak? My credit card sheds little plastic tears when it hears it's about to buy ANOTHER one. (Up to 4, if I'm not mistaken. Had 5, but one had a busted bladder or something of that nature) I haven't gotten the bill for the last one yet, but I was informed of it's multifucntional uses and to not fear, "we can use it on vacation." Never heard the price, but when it became part of our vacation gear, I know it's expensive.

I will never deny him anything that makes life more comfy. Thank goodness 550 cord isn't a necessity at our house. We do, however, have every color duct tape known to man. Need any?

[Jewel]

This is soooooooo like my DH!!! When he came back from his deployment, he had even more bags and backpacks than he left with and he had them stuffed full of even more gear!!! How is this possible??? Here's the kicker though...everytime we move our cars are loaded to capacity (just like all of yours, I'm sure), yet instead of putting all of those issued backpacks to use, he tosses loose items of clothing and shoes into the back of the car, only to have them fall out onto the pavement when the tailgate is opened. Duh!!!

[jess]

sounds like something that would happen in my house. packing for the deployment it was the same thing, paper says i need 5 pt shirts, he took 10.....

[Homefront Six]

"They are going to be issuing the CamelBaks with backpacks. If I show up with my own, they might not issue me one."

Yep. That's MacGyver to a T. God love him.

[liberal army wife]

jeez, clones of my DH everywhere! but.. we got rid of a bunch of stuff when we PCSed, and now we need to BUY a pair of BDU pants! jeeeeeez.

LAW

[Reasa]

Law- I had to laugh. when we moved I wanted to take all the old uniforms to the Army Surplus store but Hubby said no way. I may need those one day. Never mind he has not worn a pair of green BDUs in about 4 years.

[angela]

I laughed at what Jewel said about clothes being thrown in backseat. Between my husbands tons of bags and having girls who have a purse, backpack, and beach bags in every color possible they still put their clothes in a plastic Walmart bag to go anywhere. I don't understand it.

[Lori]

OMG I had to read this to my husband. He looks at me and shrugs and says, "Exactly!" I've heard him say the exact same things, "I can't take this because then they won't issue me one." Like we don't have at least 10 A3 bags full of uniforms and stuff like this around our house/garage/etcetera. They're taking over!

Do you know there are probably uniforms in those things he wore about 18 years ago and still refuses to get rid of them? I tell him there's no way he's going to fit into them anymore! LOL

[brooke Vogelsang]

I dont mean to use someone elses story but I NEED HELP!!! My fieance is joining the marines, we have a 17month old son, and have alot of questions! I dont want to speak to a recruiter. I want to speak to someone who has been there done that. I have been to every possible site and cant talk to anyone! PLEASE HELP ME!!!!! email me at brookevogelsang@yahoo.com

[Semper Fi Wife]

Brooke,
Check your email.

[army_wife]

Hahaha. I thought we were the only ones with issue items completely taking over our space. I think they should build a storage shed or closet the size of a one car garage with every on-post housing unit, just to hold all the issued junk. I think last time we counted, DH had 12 or 14 duffel bags (you know, the big issued ones...) FULL of Army paraphanalia. Plus a large portable zippered closet thingy (the size of a double closet) full of hanging Class As, BDUs, and DCUs. Now we have a weeks' worth or more of ACUs. Plus all the old desert and black boots. Plus the ACU boots. Plus other stuff (such as a folding cot) that doesn't fit in the duffels. His dresser drawers are mostly full of military issued socks, hankies, brown T-shirts, green T-shirts, the new under armor type things, PT uniforms, and "unmentionables". Let's not forget the little rubbermaid containers full of rank (pin on, sew on, shoulder boards, every kind imaginable), pins, stay-brite and other Class A paraphanalia, patches, doodads, alice clips, etc. etc. etc. I think we still have kiwi for the black boots even though he hasn't worn them in forever. Parade shine. He even still has the old type of Class A shoes that you have to shine yourself (as opposed to the newer ones that are perma-shined, until they get a scuff or scratch...).

One small silver lining of deployments is that he takes a lot of his junk with him. LOL.

I tell DH that when he retires we can take all his junk left over after he out-processes and start our own Army surplus store. We currently have one entire room devoted to TA-50/Army issue junk storage. I'll be glad when he retires just so I can have my house back! LOL!

[Amanda]

My husband lives off base in San Diego and I live in a house in Missouri. My husband has told his bosses and the housing authority that I live there in San Diego. 2 months ago, he asked me for a divorce. I have been married to him for nearly 4 years and have never received BAH in order to pay for my home here in MO. Any thoughts on what I should do?