The tips just keep rolling in thanks to our active readers and experts. Keep ‘em coming.
“Dorin” sent us a note showing us some pics of dudes using the SOCOM Combat Assault Rifle in The Zone. The pics come from a pretty gouge Flikr page set up by a person dubbed McNasty09 and show some spec ops bubbas donning some pretty sweet kit.
What I always find interesting is the occasional sighting of a SCAR in the hands of a deployed operator. My sources at FN have gone dark but I heard from one of the boys over there off the record that he’d gotten some shots of SEALs using them in The Stan. Well, McNasty09 delivered with the above shot of a SEAL sighting down none other than the Mk-17 SCAR Heavy.
Now, I hear through the grapevine — but have not confirmed — that the spec ops bubbas like the Mk-17 a lot more than the Mk-16. That’s not to say they don’t like the SCAR Light (5.56) but it’s just that they really like the SCAR Heavy (7.62). I’ve been trying to confirm rumors of a flip-flop on the overall buy numbers in favor of Mk-17s, but have not been able to get the straight up scoop…anybody?
Be sure to flip through McNasty09′s photo albums…pretty sweet shots. And thanks to Dorin for the tip. Again, keep ‘em coming…
{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
Are they in the American military?? If so, then they need to be clean shaven. They can perform their mission with a clean face as well as with a nasty beard. Otherwise, maybe they need to think about joining the CIA, Blackwater, or some mercenary outfit. It may be traditional for Islamics to wear beards. It is not for traditional for the modern American military.
Tradition is not as important as mission success.
Also, those men have a chain of command that authorizes them to grow facial hair. That chain of command has way, way more authority than you do to tell those men how they should look, and what they should wear. The SOCOM community is composed of professionals. If you see a member of that community with long hair, a beard, earrings and using an American flag as a cape, you can bet your sweet chunk they have a good reason for doing it.
If you are that concerned about how these men look, then I have a suggestion for you. Obtain a commission, and begin a career in the SOCOM community. Work very, very hard for a number of years to become the beat in the world at what you do. Then, when you get promoted and placed in charge of a team, you go ahead and tell them they have to shave.
Till then, why don't we let the people that know what they are doing do their job the way they think it needs to be done, okay?
I can tell you’ve never spent a day in Special Operations to make a dumbass comment like that. As a SEAL myself, we are neither traditional nor conventional.
Old Blue
You tell them Old Blue~!!!!!
Tradition is not as important as mission success.
Also, those men have a chain of command that authorizes them to grow facial hair. That chain of command has way, way more authority than you do to tell those men how they should look, and what they should wear. The SOCOM community is composed of professionals. If you see a member of that community with long hair, a beard, earrings and using an American flag as a cape, you can bet your sweet chunk they have a good reason for doing it.
If you are that concerned about how these men look, then I have a suggestion for you. Obtain a commission, and begin a career in the SOCOM community. Work very, very hard for a number of years to become the beat in the world at what you do. Then, when you get promoted and placed in charge of a team, you go ahead and tell them they have to shave.
Till then, why don't we let the people that know what they are doing do their job the way they think it needs to be done, okay?
Infantry troops, special forces, do not carry toilet articles on combat operations. Extra baggage that is better replaced with essentials i.e. food, weapons and ammunition.
Jim C. U.S. Army Retired, Korea and Viet Nam Combat Infantryman.
Bob, when you're embedded with locals… in order to communicate YOU MUST HAVE A BEARD, you idiot!! If not, you might be killed for being a queer!! Understand and work with local customs is essential to mission completion.
Your kidding right? You ever been "In Country"? WTH does his beard have anything to do with the rifle he is using or his ability to properly accomplish his mission. I really hope that was sarcasm, because otherwise it would make you look like a DB desk pilot with a chip on your shoulder
Bob, these are SEALs and part of their job is to blend in. This means greater flexiblity with facial hair.
Bob, when you're embedded with locals… in order to communicate YOU MUST HAVE A BEARD, you idiot!! If not, you might be killed for being a queer!! Understand and work with local customs is essential to mission completion.
Have you been their and done their bizz, in combat personal hygine is important not appearance
Bob I’m a SEAL and I work with the guy in the photo. Yes he’s in the American military and you’re an idiot.
@ Bob, You are clueless. Any fool with half a brain knows why we are sporting beards. Leave the real man stuff to us, this ain't your daddy's war.
What part don't you get they are SEALs Nearly all SF Operators incountry have beards so they can mingle with the indiginous tribesmen or native peoples. Perhaps you'd like them to don thier dress whites (or dress blues for our other SFOs) and parade around to the call of a trumpet. You must be an officer, enlisted servicemen aren't that stupid…
Dude these people risk their lives everyday to keep you safe. And you don’t think they should be allowed to have a beard? I think you’re just jealous.
Your are an ignorant conventional sac of crap. It's people like you that screw up the military. What the HELL do you know about their mission. Shut your mouth Bob and keep greeting those Walmart customers.
Sincerely,
A Special Forces Vet
Because worrying about your facial hair is more important than killing the bad guys? Armchair Commando
What the hell is wrong with you, they are in a 3rd world country fighting for your freedom and your bitching about his beard.
@Bob if his mission is to try and blend with the natives then wouldn't he need it? your not sure what his mission is so how would you know he could perform it with or without something?
@Bob if his mission is to try and blend with the natives then wouldn't he need it? your not sure what his mission is so how would you know he could perform it with or without something?
Sooo anyway…..the pics are sweet, and I am glad that our guys have the right gear to do what they need to. Even if they have beards…god knows I do not enjoy shaving everyday!!
2Jms5X rueummfwxgcj
Hey BOOT ! ! Need a razor?
Not every mission is best performed with a clean shaven face.
That man is one of the best in the world at what he does, and answers to a chain of command who are experts at conducting unconventional war fare. Perhaps you should let them do their jobs, and worry about you doing yours.
Obviously you have not worked with anyone from SOCOM before… Maybe you should stay in your LANE and not worry about these boys AND SQUARE AWAY YOURSELF SGT.
hey sgt,
facial hair is authorized in designated units in country, it has more to do with culture. seeing as many socom operators (which you are obviously not) are participating in FID (foreign internal defense) i.e. training locals it would seem prudent to want to blend in and not stick out. it has been said before stay in your lane sgt. mission accomplishment is the number 1 priority, not passing your little inspection.
Yo marine get back to the ship and let SPECOPS do the work.. My beard doesnt block the way to my trigger..
Go carry some seabags…….
Dude you’re SWCC do ya’ll even carry guns?
Hey Sgt Moto-Tard, it's idiots like you that make ALL Marines look stupid and ignorant. The most motovated troop that corrects others constantly is usually the least liked or respected. Shut the hell up.
Sgt. Dude,, you drag your sit-at-home butt over there to blend in with the locals with a clean shaven face and see how long you last. Don't criticize the Seals until you've gone through their training and deal with the politics of war in this manner. When they are ordered, no matter what it is, they respond, even if it jumping out of a helicopter in complete darkness with no landing zone insight – these men are fabulous! ! ! GOD BLESS THE SEALS ! ! ! By the way, nice handle ! ! ! You exemplify the Peter Principle… heard of it!?!
I think I liked the old comments section better. It seems the comments in the old kitup were relevant. These look like every diptard with a chip on his shoulder is going to be making stupid, immature dick measuring remarks. As far as the rifle, I hope it's working out well for these fighting men. They deserve reliable weapons.
The beard is fully justified. Only special operators (from what I know) are allowed to grow them, and they do it to look less military. It is just part of the strategy that helps them accomplish their mission.
wat a joke. they are fighting a war and some of you are whining about his facial hair. SF does wat they do, and the rest do wat they do. Thats why thier "special"..
whats the point if They have mustache and beard………….their are profesionals and i have great respect for those guys………….the force are with them
"what does any of this have to do with j**king off?"
Facial hair is viewed as a sign of manly experience and seniority in tribal Afghanistan, so much so that the local populace will often talk to the bearded Private soldier than the clean shaven Corporal. The beard breaks down cultural barriers, and when going native (like the Selous Scouts or Rhodesian SAS, who would black up) it may give the enemy a second to ID you as western. These seconds count.
I wanna know why everyone is talking about a frikin beard when this post is about a weapon being put into new capable hands, there over there fighting for democraacy and freedom and your whining about a beard? grow up
Is that electrical tape on the stock? Do they rattle or something?
Yeah, I hear that is a common complaint on the SCARs. The Stock starts to jiggle after heavy use. They need to fix that
Re: Beards…AT EASE! Re: the SCAR….Mighty fine piece, as far as I have heard. Too bad they are only in use with SOCOM. The Line Doggies could use something better than the Bunny-Rabbit Rifle.
There’s a lot of people who would disagree with the term “bunny rabbit rifle”, unless you are referring to the be-turbaned enemy we are fighting as rabbits.
I’m a happy m4 user, FYI, but I prefer the m16a4.
The boot-stock on the SCAR is a turd. Too fragile and it does rattle after a while. However, the rest of the rifle is top notch. Maybe a fixed stock with adjustable length of pull vs folding and adjustable LOP? I really like it, although under heavy auto fire the lower handguards heat up a LOT.
During the Civil War Robert E Lee was reviewing the troops of The Army of Northern Virginia. As John Bell Hoods Texas division passed in review wearing their tattered clothing with many holes and many with no shoes or boots an English Colonel turned to Gen Lee and commented on how raggedy the Texans were. Gen Lee replied to him, "The enemy has never seen the backs of my Texan's!
you just gota ghost the scars when their driven bye.
the savin grace might be that 1 wisker you missed when you were last shaving.
I wish I could Get my hand on a Mk16 or the Mk17. Not a big fan of my M16A2 that is older than I am. Not mention that the rifling is burned out of it. Its fun trying to qual when your round wont hold POI.
WOW, you must be some of those igno-ramous officers that I ran in to over there. Get a clue ya nimrods! When communing with the locals a clean shaven face will get you ignored. ticks me off when you "Admin-Rangers" try and enforce your office doctorine on field operators. Just shut up and stapel something already.
Who in the heck cares about a SPECOPS sporting beards……
Let them kick some a** and with the right gear they can all come home…..
SUPPORT OUR MILITARY and quit your cryin.
Ok I'll put my 2 cents in here, I always grew a 'stach, when I was over in the AOR, because facial hair = manilyhood and you only had one chance to make a 1st impression. Our regs wouldn't permit a full on beard, (not that I could grow a Grizzly Adams), but figure it out. Also I will put my vote in for the best 'stach ever on a military man. Then Col. Robin Olds, while he was in Viet Nam, grew one of perfict nature, and from what I have heard , he let all the guys in the wing do so as well. Well out side of regs but used it as a bonding for the wing. Cheers, Doc
Beards are permitted. Risky jobs=beard.
homosexual comments= getting made fun of.
Wait until we get a load of the ACR…I have high hopes for that piece of hardware…
The SCAR is just a newer, better version of the old FAL. I loved my old FAL and had a hard time getting used to the C7 and C8 (M16 and M4). Although the C-7 was easy to master, many of us still longed for our old FALs. You could hit a man at 800m with one round and you knew he wasn't getting up. Yes. the FAL had it's problems but the SCAR is the culmination and correction of all the problems we had with the old rifle. FN spent their time and money well over the last twenty years making a combat rifle that is truely worthy of praise, and an excellent rifle any soldier can get behind. I only wish that when we updraded our C7A1s to A2s, we would have spent the money more wisely. There are a number of good combat rifles out there but unfortunately for most of us, we get what the lowest bidder is offering.
I grew a beard on many ops. You could tell how long a guy was on op by the length fo his beard.
The Scar is a fine weapon i personally own one (dropped a hefty penny) when i go the range people compare it to their ar's and what not and after firing it the say wow it feels so much more solid than my AR…
now i have shot downrange as well and the m4 is a great piece but after all the crazy mods and rail systems are in place you spent the same amount as a bone stock scar. it cleans just as easy, more solid unit(recoilwise) and the stock buttstock is better( my opinion) for checkweld adjustment and the fact it can be snapped over to the side for cqc. its also a piston design weapon … no more gas tube junk please
only issue i ever had with mine is the mags suck so get some pmags and its golden but i have this thing against the run of the mill 5.56 metal mags the military decided to issue.
Am I thick or something?? Brit SAS and SBS were hairy in the 50's and 60's in the original kill houses. I have a shot of a bunch of SAS looking like a group of hippies except for the Brownings. The French Foreign Legion have been doing it for hundreds of years and there was this ever so slightly famous fellow called T.E. Lawrence. People are expressing surprise at this? As for the long awaited SCAR in 7.62mm. See if you can dig up anything about the Vietnam era Australian SASR SLR (FN FAL) 'Bitch' Field rigged and scared the ….. out of the VC as it sounded like a ma deuce. the SCAR is just a purpose built Bitch. Good to see you catch up.
Everything I have heard about the SCAR Heavy has been extremely Positive.I love that it shoots the 7.62 as this round is SNIPER like if you hit the target anywhere in the trunk or upper thigh it is a 1 shot 1 kille System.It is about time this type Wepon System is avalible to our Wonderful TROOPS over there in Harms way.As for the CRAZY COMMENT from Bob about the Beard,Just think he is Special Ops so he might and most likely DONS Stan Civies to BLEND IN BETTER.Bob you should get all of the facts as well as to learn more about Special Ops.The HISTORY CHANNEL and NATIONAL GEO have run Specials on the Ops they do and most of that program the Special Ops were in Stan Civies
About time we get some serious firepower in the hands of our guys instead of the toys they're being forces to use.
From what I hear, one of the biggest gripes was that the stock was a POS and broke easy/rattled
Flimsy Stock+field expedient repair/mod job = electrical tape to hold it together in the position you like it.
Man, just kill um and get over the beard thing. Who cares anything other than the fact that the weapon is one that will put the enemy down!
Since you're going to A'stan, please post a new article and/or pics of what you find there firsthand about the SCAR 16 & SCAR 17. Thanks.
1. He who has the beard makes the rules.
2. In tactical situaions always defer to the man with the longest beard.
3. Go F$#& Yourself! I have a beard.
-Beard Out
Is the scope backwards?
Uh—no it’s not—-
Adm. Zumwalt allowed beards, sideburns and hippy hair for the whole damn Navy in the early 70's and if that wasn't bad enough he totally screwed up the uniforms and things haven't been right since.
Not to throw cold water on all the experts on here but the picture is that of a US Marine serving with USSOCOM through Marine Corps Special Operations command (I happen to know because I happen to have been there just out of the picture). The facial hair issue is old news as USSOCOM forces are authorized to blend in a bit more than "regular' forces. An example of this and a grim reminder of the sacrifices of our Marines is this photo of KIA GySgt with MARSOC–hopefully the REMFs can overlook his facial hair.http://www.flickr.com/photos/usfallen/4451371654/
Every squad should have an M-14. Lets our troops reach out and touch beyond 400 yds with ease. With a little training 600 yds isn't difficult. Facial hair—who cares, just REMF's.
What Part Don't t you get he's a SEAL. Special Forces Operators wear facial hail so they can blend in with the indiginous tribesmen or native peoples. Maybe you'd like them to wear thier dress whites or blues and parade around to trumpet calls. You must be an officer, enlisted members wouldn't be that stupid…
Chuck Norris: bearded
John Lennon: bearded
Obi-wan Kenobi: bearded
Bob Marley: bearded
Lincoln: bearded
Ulysses S Grant: bearded
Bounty Man: bearded
Colonel Sanders: bearded
Socrates: bearded
Vikings: bearded
Undertaker: bearded
MK-17 Heavy SCAR: bearded
nuff said.
The mission ALWAYS drives the hair, gentlemen.
Its not uncommon at all for a spec op to be wearing the beard. It gets cold up there i bet. Why not?
He who has a beard dies faster in chem warfare.
Hah. It’s somewhat of a fallacy to assume that shaving is going to keep you alive because you can don your promask quicker.
We don’t fight people using chemical warfare, and the chemicals they [advanced nations] have nowadays will make our MOPP suits pretty useless.
Also. I am jealous. 11B1P infantryman here, and we have to shave. I hate it.
Also ^2, there is a nice story about an American SF guy tagging along with some SAS and saying how unprofessional they were for not shaving. Then, due to shaving (they were in the jungle BTW), he contracted some health issues and had to be MEDEVAC’d out of the area. Later he formed Delta Force, and Chuck Norris was his only son. /story.