Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

All - I know I am still new here and never met any of you F2F (that we know of) however, I'd like you all to meet Eli;



Eli is deploying to the 2/7. 1BCT, 3ID TODAY. He posted on Facebook that he would really like to get the EoTech 557 optics for his weapon. I have a few sheckles I can commit, but wanted to see if anyone else would like to help this hero out.

Eli is an Eagle Scout from the Troop I established in Ashburn, VA - 1154. A while back, Eli got himself into some trouble, but got his act together, earned his Eagle and has now committed himself to the U.S. Army.

I do not have an APO for him yet, and have asked him to get it to me ASAP. I realize that his unit probably posts one on their web site, but I am a paranoid kind of guy and would like to confirm this with Eli.

If you are interested in helping him out, my PayPal is rbates@smartneighborhood.net. My plan is to have donations made to my PayPal account, purchase the optics and have it shipped directly to him if I can. Other wise I'll take delivery of it and get it sent. I'll keep records of who donated what, and in the unlikely event this all falls apart, refund all donations. If I get more than what the optics cost (new, it appears to be around $550) I will put together an additional care pack, probably from Brigade Quartermasters, Girl Scout cookies and pr0n.

I'll commit $50 to the cause.

Obviously, I will update this thread every step of the way.

Thanks all, and God Bless!

I was in a very large group of people on a blogger's site who purchased a couple of very nice long range scopes for a sniper team. However, the shipment got flagged or something and the scopes could not be delivered. All other items went through. I don't have all the details, but I believe since it was armament related, it wasn't allowed to happen. It may be worth checking on prior to spending the money and/or packaging the item for shipment..

Maybe somebody from the military can chime in.

ETA: The blogger has an impeccable reputation so there was no shenanigans.

I just checked to see if I carry this, and unfortunately, I don't. If I did, I would offer it at cost. As you work this, you might try working a deal with an online retailer and see if he'll sell it to you at cost. Would likely save you a decent chunk of change.

Based on rules for sending packages to troops its best to get it someone who can either give it to them directly or have a buddy pass it to them. Too much crap gets opened due to restrictions on what troops can and cannot have. Lots of military gear dont make it through. If it cant be passed directly its probably best to have a family member send it to him.

God speed to Eli...

Thanks, Rick. I do have a line on a used once one for $450.

I did not know that getting such an item to a troop could be so fraught with peril!!!! Well, let's get the thing purchased, then I'll worry about logistics. Maybe if I bury it deeply enough in a bag of cookies.....

Do not ship it out of the country, it is considered a weapons system and will (most likely) be confiscated. PM me your email, I MIGHT be able to make something happen legally.

Let us know if this can be made to happen and I'm in for $25.00. I would rather go with new product for the sake of the soldier.

If you still have influence with him, tell him to take the post down from Face Book as he's asking for trouble based on the previous comment.

I don’t know about postal regulations or export laws (or thefts within the military postal system), but I don’t think CENTCOM prohibits this. As I understand it, CENTCOM General Order 1B only prohibits the “purchase, possession, use or sale of privately owned firearms, ammunition, explosives, or the introduction of these items into the USCENTCOM AOR.” Does anyone know the actual document or source that prohibits shipping personal optics to or installing them within the AOR? I'm interested as we occasionally get questions about this at work and haven't been able to find anything definitive in writing on it.

I am, though, a little confused about why the soldier needs his own optics. He is going to be issued CGO (most likely an Aimpoint M68 or CompM3 or possibly something made by EOTech or Trijicon) for his weapon by his unit armorer in the Cottonbalers. I’ve heard that some units have issued their personnel both Aimpoint M68s (for close-in fighting) and Trijicon ACOGs (when they are likely to engage targets farther out).

R/Kurt

ksanftleben wrote:I am, though, a little confused about why the soldier needs his own optics. He is going to be issued CGO (most likely an Aimpoint M68 or CompM3 or possibly something made by EOTech or Trijicon) for his weapon by his unit armorer in the Cottonbalers. I’ve heard that some units have issued their personnel both Aimpoint M68s (for close-in fighting) and Trijicon ACOGs (when they are likely to engage targets farther out).

R/Kurt

Well, Kurt, now you have ME wondering the same thing! Having never been in the .mil this question did not enter my mind! He's in transit now so is out of touch. Let me leave him a message and see what comes back.

Jeeze - I feel like a dope sometimes!

ksanftleben wrote:I don’t know about postal regulations or export laws (or thefts within the military postal system), but I don’t think CENTCOM prohibits this. As I understand it, CENTCOM General Order 1B only prohibits the “purchase, possession, use or sale of privately owned firearms, ammunition, explosives, or the introduction of these items into the USCENTCOM AOR.” Does anyone know the actual document or source that prohibits shipping personal optics to or installing them within the AOR? I'm interested as we occasionally get questions about this at work and haven't been able to find anything definitive in writing on it.

I am, though, a little confused about why the soldier needs his own optics. He is going to be issued CGO (most likely an Aimpoint M68 or CompM3 or possibly something made by EOTech or Trijicon) for his weapon by his unit armorer in the Cottonbalers. I’ve heard that some units have issued their personnel both Aimpoint M68s (for close-in fighting) and Trijicon ACOGs (when they are likely to engage targets farther out).

R/Kurt

CENTCOM prohibits a long list of items for soldiers to posses. Since both countries are muslim there are also restrictions on food, alcohol, religious material, pornography, etc, etc, etc. Packages are subject to customs inspection. I cant access right now but I will send myself a note and pull it up when I get to my desk Monday...The best and safest way that I know to get anything like this to someone downrange is have someone else headed that way to hand carry.

I'll send an email to the blogger I mentioned and see what I can find out..

Can you say where Eli is going? I or A? Both are CENTCOM but might make a difference in getting this to him.

I have an FFL, and an account at Jerry's sports center. They can get me one for 481.75 + shipping and I have to charge VA tax. It is an EOT557AR223 and has left side buttons to work specifically with night vision and magnifiers, raised 7mm base, up to 1000 hour battery life.

I will be happy to cover the shipping and tax.

Doug
dstraining@verizon.net

Wow, this is all great. He is going to A, as far as I know. I am also in touch with his parents.

Thanks, Rich. I'll see what I can dig up when I get to the office on Monday.

Rumson wrote:I was in a very large group of people on a blogger's site who purchased a couple of very nice long range scopes for a sniper team. However, the shipment got flagged or something and the scopes could not be delivered. All other items went through. I don't have all the details, but I believe since it was armament related, it wasn't allowed to happen. It may be worth checking on prior to spending the money and/or packaging the item for shipment..

Maybe somebody from the military can chime in.

ETA: The blogger has an impeccable reputation so there was no shenanigans.

The information I provided was flawed. The scopes were sent domestically only and were forwarded by other means or carried on travel. I apologize for any confusion I may have caused.

Did a little checking today. Every package going to a service member in Iraq is supposedly opened by Iraqi customs agents...go figure. Little different for Afghanistan and I couldnt find anything at all about restrictions to the country itself other than general CENTCOM orders - which includes weapons and accessories. I did find some welcome packages that told folks going to Afghan that availability of certain things were limited and if they needed them to pre-arrange required mailings from home. I got the impression that mail flowed more freely there than Iraq. If Elie is going to A I'd send a test package first and then confirm whether or not he received it unopened. Need to wait until you're sure he's on station since they make a couple of stops in theater along the way to their final destination...hope this helps.

As somebody who left theater less than 6 months ago I have some bad news for you: If you intend to ship the Eotech to the Soldier, it will not make it. All weapon's parts or attachments will not be allowed due to Army Postal regulations. I had a Soldier get mailed a couple of brand new Beretta magazines and they were stopped by the Mail. Others had ordered Magpul Pmags around the same time and they were stopped too. I do not know what the end result was about insurance claims, most were shipped insured.

Why they instituted the policy is beyond me. I would speculate that it was about liability issues: "why did my son have to buy/ acquire his own equipment", "a piece of non-issued equipment failed at a critical moment and some Soldiers died because of it". I hate to be cynical but, I believe that is the reasoning.

That said, this Soldier will be part of the 3rd Infantry Division, a part of the Army that is higher up the food chain than most units. I do not know the role or position he will be in, but if he is issued a rifle it will have either an AimPoint M68 CCO (Close Combat Optic) or an ACOG. If he carries a machinegun, SAW or M240 it will probably be equipped with an M145 MGO (Machine Gun Optic). There are 3 generations of CCOs in the system, all of which have extremely long battery life compared to the Eotech. I carried one of the older ones and it still has the same battery in it that it had all through the Pre Mobilization training. The battery life in the latest generation is supposed to be 7 years, I don't know how they figure that, it hasn't been out that long. I do know that it is a lithium AA and not a tiny little camera size battery like mine had that lasted a year.

I'm putting a lock on this thread at this time since it is apparent that even if an Eotech were sent, it would not make it due to postal restrictions. Thank you for everyone's feedback on this thread.

The OP, KaosDad, wanted to thank everyone for their willingness to assist and for the suggestions and information.