what did you/do you carry in the service?

South African armoured corps 1984-1986. I carried a variety of SAKs - I generally trashed or lost them within 6 months but I had one with me 90% of the time. When deployed in the bush (Namibian / Angolan border) our armoured cars had cheap machetes as part of the kit and these worked fine if something bigger was needed. Urban COIN ops, just the SAK as we were deployed as infantry. If I was 25 years younger and asked to do it again, even with my current collection of knives, I'd go with a SAK Pioneer and leave the rest at home ..... okay, I'd take a bigger blade as well. Probably a Ritter Grip or a Spyderco large Chinese.
 
Us Army- Leatherman multitool. I don't remember the model at that time. I just know it was the handiest thing ever.
 
For most of my 22 years of service I carried a small stores issue Camillus that did the job. Of course, on submarines the MK-48 Torpedo was our main weapon.
 
Buck 110 doin time in the sandbox.

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This is small pile of what I carry around out here in my pockets. Blocked out the ID for privacy.
 
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USMC, 0861 artillery observer, 2004-2008, OIF and OEF.

Carried the issued OKC3S bayonet and issued Gerber multi-tool (I don't remember which model, but I do remember the can opener snapped in half the first time I tried to use it...piece o' crap). And a Victorinox Climber.

Currently in the Army National Guard and I carry a Mora companion and a Vic Fieldmaster in the field.
 
G-Winstead said:
HoosierQ, in many cases, you are correct about not asking
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Yep, it's plumb embarrassing to have to admit the Randall was mostly used for opening c-rats and the only blood it saw was mine when I got drunk and clumsy. :o
 
A multi-tool. Usually a SOG or Gerber. Whatever was cheap in the PX and I wouldnt care if it got stolen, was broken, or was lost. One of the previous three always happens.
 
GronK said:
Yep, it's plumb embarrassing to have to admit the Randall was mostly used for opening c-rats and the only blood it saw was mine when I got drunk and clumsy. :o
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I was thinking more along the lines of making the veteran uncomfortable with things that civilians can't relate well to. My uncle Bob served in Europe in WWII. Infrantryman...mortarman. Germans trying to kill him. He didn't start to talk about the war stuff until he hit 80. It's like some sort of filter flips off at 80. Prior to that he related many stories of service life...but nothing whatsoever about war.

Talked about how in France they had to tread rather lightly when "acquiring" extra rations...pay, negotiate, at least ask. As soon as they crossed into Germany and Austria, the process of "acquisition" was greatly simplified. You wanted to eat it, you just shot it. He said "there were always plenty of fellas that knew how to turn a dead cow or a dead pig into edible food"...by which I assume he meant country/farm boys who know how to butcher a hog...he was not one of those...probably never saw a cow until he was in France.
 
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