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Army Finally Realizes Reflective Belts Aren't Needed In Daylight

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Soldiers with the 4th Brigade Combat Team "Currahee", 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), participating in the Soldier, NCO of the quarter and Audie Murphy board, begin the run portion of the Army Physical Fitness Test, at forward operating base Salerno, Afghanistan, July 14, 2013. (U.S. Army/Sgt. Justin A. Moeller)

The standard-issue Army reflective belt, formally known as "Belt, High Visibility," is one of the most enduring symbols of the Global War on Terror. It is also the most indisputably reviled piece of gear in any U.S. service member's kit. Don't let Russian spies or Urban Outfitters convince you otherwise: the reflective belt might be the aesthetic version of a "Kick Me" sign.

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8 Of The Worst Places To Sleep

Casper
Casper Mattress
Lifestyle
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Benjamin Franklin nailed it when he said, "Fatigue is the best pillow." True story, Benny. There's nothing like pushing your body so far past exhaustion that you'd willingly, even longingly, take a nap on a concrete slab.

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And no one knows that better than military service members and we have the pictures to prove it.

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Urban Outfitters Is Selling The Military’s Most Reviled Piece Of Gear

Lifestyle

I’ve written a lot about civilian businesses hawking overpriced tacticool swag over the years, from mil-spec sneakers and kicks to dress blue knockoffs and buffalo jackets to a pinstripe vest that’s more pocket and magazine pouch than article of clothing. But I never thought I’d see the day when the one piece of military gear most likely to get you an ass-chewing for not wearing, would go for $30 at a trendy clothing outlet.

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Game Over: Russian Spies Have Co-opted Our Reflective PT Belts

Humor
US Army photo by Sgt. Neil Gussman

As Vladimir Putin continues his meteoric ascent from lowly KGB desk jockey to giant axe-wielding democracy-defiler, many of us may find ourselves wondering whether the people we know and love are secretly playing for Team Russia. For example, my colleague Patrick Baker. He’s got unusually small hands and shifty eyes. And he’s never not in the bathroom. There simply isn’t enough room in the large intestine for all the potty breaks that guy purports to take. (FYI Pat: the Febreeze isn’t in there for decoration.)

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It’s Not Stolen Valor On Halloween

Lifestyle
Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Stepping into BDUs and pinning a bunch of valor medals on your chest when you haven’t earned them is fucked up, and some states have even tried to make it punishable by fine and prison time.

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The Reflective Belt: An Icon Of The Global War On Terror

Humor
U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Brian Glass

Past conflicts have had iconic symbols associated with them. For World War II, it is the flag raising on Iwo Jima. Vietnam has the UH-1 Huey helicopter. When people ask me what will be the symbol for the Global War on Terrorism, I reply with an obvious option: the reflective belt. From Balad, Iraq, to Bagram, Afghanistan, the reflective belt has shone the way for forces of freedom, justice, and the American way. It is not an overstatement to say that it is the most hated item in the entire U.S. military’s inventory. Why then is it always present? And how can such a small thing bring so much anger?

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