[swagner89]

hey guys- i know the term "Bring Back" is slang, but i was trying to find a more precise "dictionary" definition. any suggestions? thanks!

[paintballdude902]

pretty much any weapon brought back from a war/conflict.

[Jorg]

War trophy or war souvenir. If you want to know the current definition relating to Iraq, look here under section 2l (l like lima):
http://www.tac.usace.army.mil/deploymentcenter/tac_docs/GO-1B Policy.pdf

[rcmodel]

Precise?

Don't know precisely, but the term relates to war souvenirs vets brought back from the world wars.

Generally speaking, up until fairly recently, a GI could "bring back" captured weapons and were issued "Capture Papers" attesting to legal ownership.

Didn't apply to machine-guns and explosives.
But Mauser's, Ariskas, Nambo's, Luger's, Walther's, SKS, MAK's, etc. were "brought back" by the gazillions after WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

Today, GI's can only "bring back" the clothes on thier back, I think.

rc

[rocky branch]

The majority of WW2 souveniers had no paperwork.

I began collecting that stuff in the 50s from family vets, vet family friends and vets I tracked down.

While some paperwork existed, it has only recently become a phenomena.

I think 90% are fakes.

In VN we were authorised one each souvenier weapon.
No FAs or current inventory US pieces.
So much paperwork was involved, many guys did not bother with them.

A lot of stuff was smuggled by various folks in various ways.

I think that was about the end of war trophy firearms.

Would be around 1973.

[essayons21]

Today, GI's can only "bring back" the clothes on thier back, I think.

Pretty much. There is a very narrow list of authorized "war souvenirs," but the paperwork to bring home something as simple as an Iraqi dinar makes it not worthwhile.

No arms or munitions whatsoever, even spent. You can't even bring home brass. Even certain knives are prohibited.

My favorite bit is that you are allowed to bring home one piece of shrapnel, under 3 inches, and I believe you need a memo from your CO. However, if the shrapnel is removed from your body, and accompanied by a doctor's note, you can take home as much as you like. Thanks, Army.

Fortunately soldiers are master smugglers, and when you pit the wiles of Army and Marine Corp grunts against Navy Customs, the squids don't stand a chance.

At the risk of spoiling this tactic in the future, my favorite was a few guys who managed to smuggle home a large collection of Cuban cigars in the barrels of their M203's

[hueytaxi]

In 1970, bringing back a VC SKS, all I had was a military issued export license. It was wrapped in brown paper and I hand carried it to each plane checking it in with the flight attendant after I boarded.

[Zoogster]

In VN we were authorised one each souvenier weapon.
No FAs or current inventory US pieces.
So much paperwork was involved, many guys did not bother with them.

However in the early 60's the ATF had some amnesty periods where they allowed registration of illegally held machineguns (stopped shortly later by a SCOTUS decision because it required self-incrimination to qualify.)

So it was entirely possible for full autos illegally smuggled prior to then in the early part of the war to have become legally papered.


The restrictions on war trophies are primarily to keep heavily armed troops in foreign locations from exploiting the situation for personal gain at the expense of the locals.
Soldiers are less apt to steal or rob the locals (or even kill them and call them enemy) and take their possessions under the pretense of capturing the items if they cannot keep them and have to turn in captured items anyways. As a result the local civilian with his firearm or other personal possessions is less likely to be victimized by soldiers. It helps reduce corrupt practices by heavily armed individuals in foreign lands surrounded by people and often a culture some of them may dislike.

[DaleA]

Just on the off chance that someone has NOT heard this joke before I'll post it now.

In Viet Nam Joe Army acquired an AK-47 that he desperately wanted to keep for his own use. He disassembled the rifle and over the course of several weeks shipped each part of the rifle home to his wife cleverly concealed in some legitimate Vietnamese souvenir. He had told his wife to put all the souvenirs he shipped home in a trunk and not to show them off to anyone. The last item was the barrel which he shipped back concealed in some kind of musical instrument. When he had confirmation the last piece had arrived without incident he told his wife to take all the souvenirs to his brother who would be able to reassemble the rifle. A couple weeks later he received a package from home with a note from his wife saying she had done just what he asked and enclosed was the assembled rifle in the package.

[leadcounsel]

Yep a 'bring back' is any souvenir from a foreign conflict/war; generally meaning a weapon of some sort, most likely a firearm.

And yes, for a variety of public policy reasons US military members are not allowed 'bring backs' in modern conflicts.

Here are the main reasons, I believe:
1) reduces looting, stealing, etc by US forces against local nationals. Since the idea is to win the peace and make nice, we ought not to be stealing. And if we know we cannot personally keep what we find, we tend not to take stuff

2) reduces taking unnecessary risks to 'get cool stuff' - keeps our Soldiers/Marines from picking up shiney objects where they ought not be picking up shiney objects or going to to collect war trophies which can be booby trapped; and it keeps our guys focused on the mission and getting home safely

3) the anti-gun culture in modern politics would frown upon flooding the market with these guns; although they would be primarily C&R type rifles and pistols the left would have a fit and support the conflict even less... heaven forbid a gun crime is committed with a 'bring back' and that would be a PR nightmare for the military.

I used to disagree with the policy, but I can understand the necessity. It would be great if we could bring things back, but some tool would ruin it for everyone just like it always plays out.