Would JAG officers normally wear a night vision holder on their helmet?

2020-09-17T09:46:17-04:00

We have a JAG officer running for the Senate and makes a lot of the fact of his Iraq service, especially his MBS end of tour award. In his Class A photos, he wears USASOC Patch on left shoulder, but no CAB. In his picture in fatigues, he has the holder for the night vision device. Would a JAG officer normally have use for night vision devices, or just more dog and donkey show stuff?

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 17 at 2020 9:48 AM

2020-09-17T09:48:32-04:00

Sir, the last time I was deployed, we were all given the bracket to hold NVGs to install on our ACH. It's one of those "Everyone gets them" kind of thing. Not everyone gets a CAB. The requirements are simple, but the Commands add extra details that have to be met IOT receive the CAB.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Sep 17 at 2020 9:55 AM

2020-09-17T09:55:35-04:00

My experience (circa '06-'07) is that "everyone got stuff"... even if it ended up never being used. The really funny thing was seeing folks with the "Rhino mount" on their Kevlar... but their "Nods" packed away in some con-locker back at the FOB. I ended up with two different sets of body armor... because something "new" got rolled out while I was down range. We had another guy from an EOD team who had three; his two issue, and the one he brought from his regular job. EVERYONE seemed to be buying stuff online too... DHL has a long reach LOL.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Sep 17 at 2020 10:02 AM

2020-09-17T10:02:09-04:00

Yeah, none of us really get the option to decline gear... I really wish they would. Everyone gets the fancy gear, whether they'll use it or not.

As for his wearing it, well, we all know that uniformity is more important than function, and somewhere in his chain of command was a Command Team that demanded everyone's uniforms and gear be identical.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 17 at 2020 10:12 AM

2020-09-17T10:12:54-04:00

A JAG officer wouldn’t usually have a CAB, that’s for being in direct combat. USASOC has plenty of JAG officers; for support personnel it’s just an assignment like any other. What gear you receive and wear is up to the unit, but even as a Career Counselor I get issued night vision and a weapon. As for the end of tour award, those things got handed out like candy back then. On my first deployment from 04-05, MSG/CPT and above received Silver stars, SFC/LT received Bronze stars, and everyone below that received ARCOMS

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Sep 17 at 2020 11:26 AM

2020-09-17T11:26:10-04:00

It's not unheard of. I have no idea who he deployed with but from my experience if some folks weren't issued high speed items they would buy them and wear them anyway. Especially with officers who have extra cash to burn. I deployed in 2004 and we had this one guy who was a fixed wing pilot by trade and doing a deployment with the grunts as an Air Officer. Dude wore so much store bought operator swag it was crazy.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 17 at 2020 12:42 PM

2020-09-17T12:42:31-04:00

I had an NVG mount on my ACH - in Iraq - and I never used NVGs. We had to have it on there though.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Sep 17 at 2020 2:56 PM

2020-09-17T14:56:22-04:00

It would depend on his unit. if the unit had them, and issued the holders to everyone it is possible. I got issued a lot of "stuff" prior to setting foot in country, a couple of weeks later I was turning a chunk of it back in as it wasn't needed for my job.

Response by MAJ Ronnie Reams made Sep 17 at 2020 5:56 PM

2020-09-17T17:56:32-04:00

To clarify, I had thought, and now know differently, that he actually had the mount on his helmet to actually use night vision device. That led me to believe he might have been adventurous and went out on night ambushes, patrols, etc. That why I wondered about no CAB. In 1967 the 199th had the first Dentist and perhaps last, KIA in RVN because he was bored and got a gunner's seat on a Huey. Going in hot he was killed by small arms fire.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Sep 18 at 2020 11:59 AM

2020-09-18T11:59:26-04:00

It's likely legit. Likely. I do wonder how his service supports or informs his candidacy. If you are running on an "I'm a veteran" platform, that platform had BETTER include things like improving, changing, or at least oversight of VA; plans for use of, re-structuring of, or focus of one or more branches of the military; and/or international diplomacy.

If you are focused on any of the above, then thank you for your service, but I don't give a shit about it when determining whether I should vote for you. Take the damned uniform off if you are not focusing on those who are still in uniform or those who used to wear it.

Just my $0.02.