Question about US Marine Kevlars

[Fozzy Bear]

I hope to get a response from a Marine, former Marine or some type of expert on this matter of mine. I was in the Army from 1997 until 2001. Since being in, I noticed that Marines never wear CAT EYES on their Kevlars. I even remember my Drill Sergeant in AIT smoking us when some knucklehead wouldn't have his cat eyes on and saying "you think you are a Marine?"

I'm being told on another forum from some EOD guy that "Marines do wear cat eyes and I should know because I served with them in Iraq" and blah blah. I want to know if this is true or Marines changed their doctrine and now wear them?

http://www.1starmy.com/uploadimages/Product_1165_enl.JPG

[dangerdan87]

Its not required. Some guys are assholes and want their Marines to buy them, some buy them just to have and some like me dont buy them cause there's no real need for them.

[USMC29]

Yeah i think one or two guys in my unit have them cause they picked them up from the range that the army was on and dropped them. We don't need them and they are not required.

[mrf2]

Not required but becoming more common in the units I have been in. Often tied to the helmet and used to dummy cord NVGs and goggles.

mrf2

[James]

I was in the USMC from 1993-1997 and we were never issued cat eyes.

[Winger]

Same. 94'-98' and no cat eyes.

[HGRazorR]

I hope to get a response from a Marine, former Marine or some type of expert on this matter of mine. I was in the Army from 1997 until 2001. Since being in, I noticed that Marines never wear CAT EYES on their Kevlars. I even remember my Drill Sergeant in AIT smoking us when some knucklehead wouldn't have his cat eyes on and saying "you think you are a Marine?"

I'm being told on another forum from some EOD guy that "Marines do wear cat eyes and I should know because I served with them in Iraq" and blah blah. I want to know if this is true or Marines changed their doctrine and now wear them?

http://www.1starmy.com/uploadimages/Product_1165_enl.JPG


hehe...I remember getting smoked for that during BCT, and we got the same lecture about thinking we were Marines.

as far as I know, none of the Marines I worked with up until 2007 wore headbands either, except one and none of the other Marines or Soldiers said anything about it - I didn't bother inquiring, just thought it was preference for when we were over there

[Alpha-17]

hehe...I remember getting smoked for that during BCT

That's odd. We were never issued cat eyes in Basic, and only one of the platoons went out and bought them. The rest were told not to. Interesting.

[JC0352]

Some of my guys had 'em, most didn't; personal preference. Those who had them wore them with the cat eyes inward so they weren't glowing.

[HGRazorR]

That's odd. We were never issued cat eyes in Basic, and only one of the platoons went out and bought them. The rest were told not to. Interesting.

Yup we got them issued and got a lecture on how to secure them with 550. We were issued a new chin strap, a leather head band, and cat eyes. This was in May 02, so my memory could be off and I could be wrong. Maybe instead we all had to buy them at reception - but our entire company had to have them and I'm assuming the battalion if we had to buy them at reception.

[Fozzy Bear]

Thanks guys for all your input. I always know if I need something clarified I have only to log onto this forum and ask. =]

I have another question that just popped into my head today: what is the point of cat eyes? I tried Googling for the answer but didn't find anything useful other than sites that are selling them.

[HollywoodMarine]

The moto dawgs pretty much said it. We aren't required to wear them, eventhough supply issues them, and it depends on your chain-of-command. Plus, we now wear them on our shoulder pockets.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z128/bhmason_album/Marines.jpg

[HGRazorR]

Thanks guys for all your input. I always know if I need something clarified I have only to log onto this forum and ask. =]

I have another question that just popped into my head today: what is the point of cat eyes? I tried Googling for the answer but didn't find anything useful other than sites that are selling them.

While there are various uses for it today, they came about in a time before NOD was prevalent in units. Thus, during night patrols where you were supposed to maintain a 1 -3 m distance between the person in front of you and you did not have NODs, you could keep track of the patrol by looking for those 2 glow-in-the-dark patches on the cat eyes from the buddy in front of you. In my experience, it worked well.

Can also use it to camo your helmet and break up its silhouette.

It's almost obsolete now, most just use the band to dummy cord their NODs or put their names on to identify their helmets.

I don't know why it never caught on with the Marines

[HollywoodMarine]

I have another question that just popped into my head today: what is the point of cat eyes? I tried Googling for the answer but didn't find anything useful other than sites that are selling them.
If exposed to light, they have a soft glow in the dark and we can spot the person standing in front of us.

[wildcat]

Thanks guys for all your input. I always know if I need something clarified I have only to log onto this forum and ask. =]

I have another question that just popped into my head today: what is the point of cat eyes? I tried Googling for the answer but didn't find anything useful other than sites that are selling them.
they do not glow very bright, but on a night hike you can just about see the guy a head of you if he is about 8 ft from you, makes following easier, and with NVG's you can see the back of everyone in front. had a little use to them.