Helpless,
Great pics. Thank God your brother made it back. Something that strikes me about these and other photo's etc. I see are the guys are wearing a load-bearing vest that has the mags. etc in the front. To me the mags may be convenient but keeps you a little higher off mother earth.
To any Iraq combat vets out there I'd like to know what you think of this system. In my tour in 1968-69 our basic load was 21 mags. loaded with 18 rounds and were carried three ways. Ammo pouches, Claymore bag and three 7 pocket cloth bandoliers.
Thanks,
Turk