Hey Everyone, Long time no see!
Well, first of all, sorry I haven't posted in forever, but I have been a bit busy! I sort of wound up over in Iraq .... again...ugh!
Second, I had to do something to busy my mind other than chasing bomb makers and taking my college classes. So, I decided to busy myself with putting together an E&E kit, since uncle sugar doesn't see fit to issue them to us EOD guys any more. I just so happened to have brought my small survival kit from home for some odd reason, and decided to move a bunch of the parts over to a new pouch and upgrade some things...weeeee!
Sorry, at this time, no pics, I need to figure out where I can put them so I can upload them. These boneheads have virtually every website blocked, so I'll need to work that issue in my spare time. I'm sorting it all out and in the next day or so, I'll hopefully post some pictures for you guys. Then I'd love some input and you folks thoughts.

First time I've posted one of my own kits, and I'd really like some feedback from all of you. Please remember, that this kit has to stay small because it's mounted on my body armor, along with the following:
8 30rd mags for my M4 Carbine
3 15rd mags for my M9 Pistol
Medical/Trauma Kit
100oz Camel Back
Ti Folding Knife
Ti Dive Knife
Reascue Strap Cutter
Diagonal Wire Cutters
Roll of Electrical Tape on a Carabiner
Blasting Cap Crimpers
Surefire Light
Rite-in-the-Rain Notepad
M-BITTR Radio and Pouch
PVS-14 NVG and Pouch
Magazine Dump Pouch
All mounted on my Interceptor Body Armor with front, back and side E-SAPI Plates....
Needless to say, with just the vest already weighing in at about 55lbs, I wanted to keep the size and weight down, I still have weapons, uniform, helmet, and pads to wear. The kit also had to be designed for use in a hostile military environment ... like here.
The kit is in a standard TAG E&E Drop Pouch and contains:
Standard Military Pen Flare Launcher and 4 Flares
Small IR Rescue Strobe
AMK Rescueflash Signal Mirror, on neck lanyard
Survival Necklace of Red 550 cord w
FOX40 Signal Whistle
Dog Tag w sharpened edge
P51 Can Opener
Gerber Ridge Mini Folder Knife on mini carabiner
Small Silva Compass w magnifier on neck lanyard
E&E map (laminated and crumpled, of my general operating area)
Duct Tape, Small Roll
Orange Surveyor Tape, Small Roll
AMK Heat Sheet (for once, I wish they made one in coyote brown)
Fire Starting Kit in Red mini WITZ box w
15 REI Storm Matches in Match Case
Disposable Butane lighter
very small Pencil sharpener (for tinder)
2 Trioxane Fuel Tablets
15 Micropur MP1 Water Purification Tabs
2 1ltr Gerber Milk Bags (in case of Camelback damage)
6ft Surgical Tubing
10ft 550 Cord (tan)
3 energy gel packs
$100.00 US (when cash is all that will save your butt)

OK, that's about it for now. Everyone tell me what you think, just remember, it's only supposed to cover me for a short while until the C-SAR guys track me down. As for the weight, don't think for a minute that I won't ditch the 35lbs of plates out of my vest just to get some speed to get outta dodge...LOL!

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas, and have yourselves a happy, and safe New Year. We'll see you all soon.

Cheers,
Mike

You know your needs better than I, but perhaps two lengths of electrical wire with alligator clips at each end might be handy. God speed, be safe and happy new year.

OK, For all I've tried, I just cannot figure out what to do with it? I'm tired, so that might be it too....

Mike,

Hey, glad to hear you okay. Hmmm, looking over you list I can't thnk of anything to add. Maybe some candy or stickers to bribe the local children? Maybe some duct tape/gorilla tape to hold things together?

Stay safe.

-Blast

Hey Blast, great to see you!
As for Iraqi kids...these days those little B!@#$%^s only take cash! LOL! They're well entrenched into the free market economy! Got a spare FOX whistle in there just in case though (really light and small, and best of all, no weight).
Also, got a small roll of Duct tape, must have missed it, I'm getting pretty tired.

Hope you are all getting along well for the holidays,
Cheers,
Mike

Hey NightHiker,
I really wish the name of the game was light, but someone in DC needs to realize that too much armor, is too bloody much! LOL! I feel like a tank sometimes, man, I miss my Paraclete Vest!

about a dozen zip ties and a couple zip cuffs on the vest.

Sounds like you are well aware of the fun associated with hides and safe areas here, I guess it just depends on the neighborhood. Amazingly enough, this place has changed a bunch since I was here last in '05. It's so quiet it ridiculous. I rolled through Suleikh in north Baghdad last time on three flat tires and expended two cans of .50cal ammo then, now if you stop at a light, someone will offer you chai! Remarkable! But Shhh, don't tell anyone that the surge might have worked...LOL! I don't want to jinx it! LOL!
Cheers,

I'm reading that as 2 1 liter Gerber Milk bags??? If so, they are one heck of a lot larger than the ones I know about. I'd check them to be sure.....

A big bandanna or 2 might come in handy.

Best Wishes
Stu

sorry, I'm so used to metric, honestly I packed them some time ago, and cannot truthfully tell you their capacity, but I seem to remember it being around a liter or quart, I'll need to check now, because it'll make me nuts...LOL!

I usually wear a dishdasha around my neck to reduce body armor rub, that covers a bunch of uses, and so passed on the bandanna.

Thanks for the check on the bags, I'l check tonight.

Cheers,
Mike

See! That's what happens when you type tired! But you seem to know the deal, just off the road, and still too keyed up to sleep. Either that or my brains been rattled too many times...LOL!
Mmmmm....Green Bean, none of those on the COP's! LOL!
You would be absolutely shocked by Fallujah today dude! It's a totally different animal. Who were you there with?

Keep in touch dude,
Cheers

I hear good stuff about that crew, and the Navy Techs are ... well...they're pretty...but at least they're competent and damn good divers. Not like the AF guys, they're just pretty...LOL! JK! The Marine EOD guys just get the short end of it, and there's way too few of them.
Yeah, I'm Army, 21 years now, and can't get released. But still hope to retire after this and grab a nice cushy gig consulting. It's definitely a lot cleaner and healthier, LOL!
Doing the Platoon Daddy thing now, doing a lot of investigation/intelligence/evidence work, can't really keep up on the hard side any more, too broken to. Oh well, at least they still call me for the really wierd stuff.
That's OK...only 13 months left...
Cheers,