Deployment box (Footlockers) being used in OEF/OIF?

Hello gentlemen,

I have a question for anyone and especially OEF/OIF veterans.

You know for long time Army have used footlockers to keep their uniforms and personal items while on the deployment. So it left me wondering what today Army is using for footlockers? I was told that it was normally being sold in PX for cheap. But I have never seen a photo of it.

I want to buy some for storage purpose and would be more logical for my OEF/OIF collection, especially field equipment. It would look funny if I keep modern stuff in old WWII wooden/metal footlockers. Where can I find it?

Any help would be great appreciated. Thanks!

Mercenary25 wrote:Hello gentlemen,

I have a question for anyone and especially OEF/OIF veterans.

You know for long time Army have used footlockers to keep their uniforms and personal items while on the deployment. So it left me wondering what today Army is using for footlockers? I was told that it was normally being sold in PX for cheap. But I have never seen a photo of it.

I want to buy some for storage purpose and would be more logical for my OEF/OIF collection, especially field equipment. It would look funny if I keep modern stuff in old WWII wooden/metal footlockers. Where can I find it?

Any help would be great appreciated. Thanks!

I know at the Camp Lejeune barracks they had vertical metal closets. I'd imagine they'de use the same. However, they do use big metal footlockers to store supplies in. Medical supplies mostly I think.
Andrew

Thanks Arch! I was told it can be found in home depot.

Finally got one. Gonna buy few more!

Hi I have bought 2 black box during my last tour and the price was 35$ USD each. I can take some photos if you need them

ladrang wrote:Hi I have bought 2 black box during my last tour and the price was 35$ USD each. I can take some photos if you need them

Ther are actually several different models: The one pictured (all black tough box a CONTICO 37" Work Bin or ProTuff Bin, 50 GAL measuring 37" x 21" x 20"H), another with similar dimensions but it also has wheels and an extending arm (Used but SF professional who only buy made in America, the Stanley Promobile Job chest, 50 Gal with approx the same deminsions) for easy movement from the tarmac to your living quarters or the truck that is driving you there;and a smaller black plastic foot locker (made by Contico,flimsy, easy to break into and must be totally covered in tape to get your stuff home). This one has two non-lockable latches and a hole on the middle side to place a pad lock (just above the carrying handle that everyone seems to buy to mail things home in but then they use it on their 2nd, 3rd, or 6th deployment. I have deployed using two of the first type (unit purchased) and mailed items home in the last type (bought in AFG for $15-$20). The second type I recieved from a 7th Grp guy, who's unit purchased them for all the deploying paxs, and he gave it to me when he returned because I helpedhim out prior to and during his deployment.
Tom

Here's the Stanley mentioned above:

When I deployed, packing list consisted of 2 Duffel Bags, 1 Rucksack, 1 Assault Pack, and 1 Hardigg case. These were purchased with RFI funds and everyone got one:





Overseas, the PX's had cheaper black boxes for sale that would range fro $20-$50 depending on sturdyness and if it had wheels, etc. They were for shipping gear home usually. Made by either Contico or "Gorilla On Wheels" brand.

Good Lord guys. What happened to the good old days when you just got one duffel bag to carry all your stuff in?

oldfireguy wrote:Good Lord guys.  What happened to the good old days when you just got one duffel bag to carry all your stuff in?

First Gulf War we lived out of our rucksack and a parachute kit bag each.

Somalia was the same.

Iraq, however, we each were issued two of these large storage trunks. One of mine was heavy with reading materials ... the Kindle I later got was an amazing way to free up space. Have about 80 books on it!

I went to Afghanistan as a civilian contractor my company paid for us each to ship all our large tough boxes overseas, s that we only had to have a carry-on bag during the trip over and back (we flew individually via commercial flights).

I've picked up several of the cheaper black plastic PX version deployment boxes over the years from veterans. They are not of the highest quality and may times the metal closures are damaged or missing. One appears to have been mailed back since it still has the reside of priority mail tape that was used to hold it shut and the remnants of a postage label. I can only imagine how much that would have cost.

A retiring soldier gave me one stiffed full of all of his ACU uniforms including full sets of the FRACUs with the hard to find pants and his unused ACU combat shirts. Another retired soldier sold me one a few years ago packed with East German uniforms and field gear he had acquired when he was stationed in Germany.

Kevin- I mailed one of the plastic PX black box, crammed full with ACU uniforms only, from Afghanistan in 2011 and it was only $25 SAM (space available mail). That meant the package got there whenever (30 days or so) but I lucked out and got 2 weeks after I returned home. Tom

Tom, Wow, you can't beat that price. I mailed most of my cold weather and field gear back a week before I redeployed from Bosnia. But it's been so long ago I don't even remember how much it cost.