@TheEvanCat Aren't marines or other special operators allowed to use private equipment? I know in some book I read, this Delta Force guy bought his own stuff and weaponry, and it was written from a realistic perspective afaik, as it happened. But I'm not sure if that actually holds up.
Billie Badass might be able to, just because their missions are highspeed and so are they. But at the same time, Delta Dan also gets more highspeed stuff issued (a different kind of vest compared to the regular guys) so they don't buy it either.
Regular Joe, however, in the Army or Marines, uses what Uncle Sam gives him (in terms of helmet and vest and the fire resistant ACUs we have, PPE and stuff.) You can buy commercial pouches, boots, gloves, whatever, so long as it's approved for use (AR 670-1 boots, APEL protective eyewear, etc.) But usually you have enough to work with and you don't need operator shit even if I am guilty of owning Oakley gloves with the hard knuckles (my roommate gave them to me.)
You also don't want to be *that guy* with all the expensive cool guy stuff, because then people think you're a douche.
Back in the day of the Iraq Invasion, people would buy stuff like dragonskin armor that everyone thought was the bee's knees before they found out that it didn't protect you as well as a ceramic plate, so quite a few people actually died from shitty protective equipment and now everyone has to wear the same thing.
