American special operators don’t make it all the way to the top tier of the world’s greatest military by not displaying an incredible capacity for mature, common sense decision-making, and an ability to improvise in ways that, unfortunately, you just don’t often see on the conventional side of the house. And while they have a much larger budget for gear acquisition and training, what truly distinguishes operators from everyone else is the simple stuff. Because thinking outside of the box doesn’t always mean reinventing the wheel. Sometimes, it just means shopping off post. And no, I’m not talking about the beard oil Green Berets use to keep their face armor soft and luscious, or the vats of hair gel that SEALs always keep on hand in case, you know, they get cast in a Hollywood film. I’m talking about simple, everyday items that you don’t need Uncle Sam’s credit card or a top secret clearance to buy. Take a look.